Adrenoline Deficiency...

If I could drop everything right now to do anything....

I would find the biggest baddest river I could...and take it on!



This one is pretty tame, but its the best picture I have....

OR, I would like to learn extreme kayaking! I can manage smaller craft on the rivers, but have never gone solo in a kayak...that would be awesome. I am feeling a bit of an adrenoline deficiency right now and the need to run a river....

The Floating Rock

I just had the most delicious egg rolls ever! We have a new neighbor – a single man – who rang our bell this evening and delivered a packet of freshly made Cambodian egg rolls. Amazing! His family is visiting for the holiday weekend and his mother has been in the kitchen cooking up a storm. What a treat.

Those egg rolls reminded me of a gem of a restaurant outside the Boston airport in Revere, MA - The Floating Rock.

Last summer when we spent our holiday in Maine and Boston, our first stop was for lunch at this family operation owned by Mouy Kim and managed by her son, Johnny Chook, whose wife and sister also help run the business. (All pictured here with grandma as well.)

It's not a place frequented by many Americans; probably 80 percent of the customers are Cambodian, another 10 percent are different extractions of Southeast Asian, and the remainder is everyone else. It is really easy to get to from Logan, and close, so it is really worth the effort.

As in other Asian cultures, rice and fish are staples of the traditional Cambodian diet, and beef, pork, and chicken dishes also are common. Hot peppers, lemongrass, ginger, and mint are prevalent seasonings, as is prahoc, a spicy fish paste. In many ways, Cambodian food is a blend of Thai, Chinese, and Vietnamese cooking.

Much of the menu will be unfamiliar to Americans, but just go for it! We had the Tiger Tears appetizer (pictured here) and it was full of flavors that perfectly worked together...it was a cold dish that had a slight crunch to it. For our main course, we ordered a fish – whole – delicious as well with a lot of lemongrass, vegetables and other spices. The fish reminded me a bit of some of the better Thai restaurants – crispy on the outside and flavorful on the inside. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.

If you are in Boston be sure to make this a part of your schedule. If you need help finding it, let me know.

Monumental Checkbox

Sacre Coeur in Paris is an iconic landmark in the city. ‘I climbed the steps to Sacre Coeur’ is a check on the life’s to do list (or at least the ‘visit to Paris to-do list’). Europe is packed with one massive church after another - all full of opulent history and high church yet seemingly devoid of Christ. As in Costa Rica, at the center of every French town was the church building…yet the French people seem predominately agnostic.

I asked a few random people about faith, the buildings, Christ, the universal church, etc…almost unanimously, the church is a relic of the past. How sad! True the buildings themselves represent so much that was wrong with the organization of the church over the centuries, and that actually hasn’t changed much over time, but how grievous that a people group once rooted in Christ now sees faith as historic and irrelevant to today.

What was once a place for the people of God to gather and worship Him is now a monumental checkbox.

And so...

Climb the steps to Sacre Coeur....Check.

Places of Worship

In 2002 we took a few weeks to explore Costa Rica and there began my photo diary of ‘places of worship’. No matter the size of the town in Costa Rica, at the absolute center was the soccer field flanked by the church. Interestingly, this order directly reflects the priorities of the people too...But we WERE there during the World Cup, so everything was all about soccer.

Anyway, I was so intrigued by these churches – they were all very different architecturally and usually very colorful. Since 2002, my diary of pictures has grown and spans the globe.

The whole process has been encouraging...discouraging... interesting...perplexing and ongoing.

Some places of worship are really monuments – empty, ornate, massive, costly. While others are sincere....regardless of size or appointment.

As time allows, I hope to start sharing some of my collection here.

In The Press

If you don’t already have the May issue of Condé Nast, then read this article about Hawaii online.

http://www.concierge.com/cntraveler/articles/12198?pageNumber=1

When you get to the very very end, you will find little me.... A very small mention, but very thrilling for me to see my name in my favorite magazine.

The article is great, Debi did a fantastic job of leading us to a different, more authentic Hawaii.

Enjoy!

The BEST Dog Ever!

The thought of a hot dog doesn’t really thrill me…what exactly is in it anyway?

Despite the mystery, a great dog is to be savored and thanks to a friend from Kansas City, I think I have found the BEST. Or at least my choice for best…

Poipu is where we find this unlikely champion. Tucked back in a tourist shopping center on the South end of Kauai is the Puka Dog stand. The sweet buns are lightly toasted from the inside (too much to explain here..), you can choose from a Polish or Veggie dog, choose your level of heat, choose your fruity island relish and finally the mustard ( I liked the Lilikoi the best, maybe because it is the most Hawaiian) and voila ! Bliss ! The combination of flavors is perfect. I hope you get to enjoy one soon.

www.pukadog.com

Istanbul

Of all the cities I have visited recently, Istanbul captivates me the most. It is a contrast of time and cultures where the 'Clash of Civilizations' is epitomized. As you cross the straight between Europe and Asia or cross the street from Jewish to Muslim to Christian places of worship, you can not help but to feel the history.

Hagia Sophia is not to be missed. Go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hagia_Sophia to read all about it. (Isn't wikipedia great!) The thing that makes you pause is the plaster falling off the walls. When the Ottomon Turks converted it to a mosque, they plastered over all of the Christian mosaics. That plaster is now falling away and can not be repaired because it is a protected site. The mosaics are typical Byzantine. The message...

As we walked the social district at night, there were literally thousands of people in the streets. Small, make shift tea cafes along the alleyways, restaurants, street musicians, book stores, and even nightclubs. Taking it all in. What a treat!

With friends Natalie and Andrew, we had to experience one of the cafes and enjoyed an apple huka with apple tea. I really wanted to jump in on the chess game going on next to us, but maybe next time. Wonderful way to watch the night go by.