The Pied Piper Of Hamelin 魔笛手

We passed Hameln in Germany on the way back. Where a creepy folk tale story happened in the medieval time. 26 June 1284. And by the publication of Brothers Grimm. So the version we know from our childhood.

Here are some links:
In different versions
Wikipiedia
Brothers Grimm

買了這個方便又好玩的東西

toastabags

3 Johnossi's MV

Website, MySpace.
From Stockholm. Johnossi is a simple 2 men band make 6 men's noise by Ossi's drums and John's acoustic guitar through effectboxes and 2 electric guitar amps. This rare alternative ROCK band is rocking around the Europe and USA ever since they released the album last October. You can't miss "Man Must Dance", "There's A Lot Of Things To Do Before You Die" and "Family Values" !!

Man Must Dance

Execution Song

Glory Days To Come

Retro Airlines Bags 航空包包

懷舊吧？
前兩年流行的包包，讓我不小心也在Amsterdam閒逛的時候買了一個布面 PAN AM 的仿舊品。
不過真的讓人懷舊的還是當初中華航空的紅白藍三色側背包。背帶白車線用舊後成的灰繩色，不小心劃上藍色原子筆的白色塑膠面，方便卻又不知該放什麼的前口袋，無襯底的白色織線和橡膠內裡，白色拉起來有結實聲音的拉鍊，和膠面膠底的味道。請看Troyland網站。

Danish Design - Verpan, Vipp

Remember those shell pendant lamps? Those sliding shape chairs?
Those so called fashionable people today love those futurist furniture, are in fact not at peak of fashion but at point of retro.

The famous Danish designer Verner Panton (1926-1998) was the ONE who created those provocative patterns and those never out date objects in our everyday life since 1955.

The extraordinary man we admire had changed and marked our life forever. But from a 70s generation point of view. I can't say I love all the influences from him, but I do love the world he imaged way ahead of everyone. As a child of that time. The colorful geometric patterns on almost every walls, on mother's skirts, on father's shirts are way tooooooooooo much for a pair of little eyes, which I believe that was the main reason of my astigmatic vision defect. : )

Anyhow. Since I was pretty much avoiding those designs the most of my existence, and by the retro minimalist fashion back to our live these years... I sort of picked up the concept a little bit here and there in the spaces I live. And. My resent ballade in Copenhagen the other day, make me inexplicably fall in love with those white Verpan ball pendant lamps.

Of course there is also the Vipp bins. It was in 1939. Holger Nielsen (1914-1992) created this robot look waste bin for his wife's hair salon. Then those all sizes, all colors, stainless steel solid, durable, isolate order waste bins are soon adopted by many dentists and doctors' clinics and by today's interior designers.

The prices for the real good design are never cheap to prossess. But how we explain our obsession of collectible furniture and fascination toward to a simple but maybe the generation transferable waste bin?

Danish fashion - Björkvin hoodies!!

Before I get you into the famous Danish design, here is something sweet for the youth.
The beautiful of everything Copenhagen. There is no difficulty to spot a funky look Björkvin hoody when you haning around at the walking area. As I'm personally very much into the clouds and the sheep, and even I know they're far back of my age range, I just can't resist to get one of those affordable and wearable Danish design as souvenir.

Björkvin was born since 2005 by two young fellows called Rolf and Tue, after a disappointed day and few beer rounds' drunkenness. The classic clouds with lightning or funny sheep, beaver and farm friends or even alien patterns are all over the grey, black, white, blue or pink colors' basic hoodies, short sleeves tees and boxers. The special slim cut without pockets and warm, light weight 80% cotton fabric are comfortable and fashionable enough, for a young smart casual look with scandinavian spirit.

You can find them at illum or Invasion in Copenhagen, in USA, Japan etc. or check the website for more store locations. And for your information. The products are the rare today still "Made in Europe", and much fresher, replica free than BAPE.

Hoody DKK. 599 (80 Euro)

Maximilian Hecker in Copenhagen

17th March 2007. After all these years' wrong timing. I finally get to see a Maximilian Hecker's concert.
My trip back to Europe from NYC was planned. Only again a few days gap with Maximilian's touring schedule. I then decided to take off solo 5 days ahead of my husband, and fly to Copenhagen specially for it.

The Air France's coach seats are ridiculously small. I've got a window seat without window, and my neighbor seat's passenger has had an extreme need to communicate for whatever his psychology issues. I ended up an almost red-eye flight which I slept a whole afternoon to recover my shape. Then the morning flight from Paris to Copenhagen with scholarship atmosphere, which my seat was surrounded by twenty over excited teenage French kids. That again I need another afternoon sleep to recover before my meeting with Maximilian.

Awake fresh from my jet-lag nap. I took a cab to The Loppen, a rock venue at hippy town Christiania. Maximilian was doing sound-check when I arrived. In the dark. He waved to me then politely and nervously exchanged a hand shake with me once he's free of the stage.

Loppen. A very famous venue in Copenhagen, but beside the more or less correct sound man, the space is crappy and badly maintained. The floor plan is completely wrong, the hard wood floor is almost sticky, the restroom is... in pre-history condition. The personals work there are clumsy, a tiny lady in a pair of talent-"aigue" booties echo the whole space loud and sharp whenever she walks across the stage area. An existentialism busboy also loves to walks around with clinking bottles and glasses. Not to mention the drunk and stoned couple talked and laughed loudly while Maximilian sings.

Anyhow. Maximilian's support gig was amazingly great. Many people congrats him for his great performance and beautiful songs while we sat there for Duke Special.

Maximilian in person is really greater than a close-up picture. His face is perfectly neat and his facial features are extremely refine. We as usual spice all our conversation in Philo-Psycho term, but in person, his German accent suddenly make more sense of everything. In the cold wind and drizzling rain, he asked me if I'm disappointed by coming this far for it? I joked. "Yeah. You didn't sing Lady Sleep."

addict?

I sometime tell people that I'm not addicted to anything.
When all the kids are addicted in reading Manga and had been forbade by their parents, I luckily had almost all the freedom of it and even started to draw some myself. I used to hate smoke. But for a young Asian girl alone in Frence, school and movie industry, to be able to fit in. I start to smoke. I have had experience of drugs. I smoked, 1 pack per two months to half pack per day. I smoked when I work, when I go out have a cup of coffee or a glass of red with friends. But ever since I had my last cigarette the March 5th. I didn't even feel need of smoke when I spend a whole evening at Christiania the other day.

On the other hand. I can't quit to touch my blanket's silky trim, to touch my husband's or my cats' cold ears, put my hands in my pockets, eat Lobster ceviche in Nobu, Shishito peppers しし唐 and Haribo's Happy-Cola or Frizzy Cola etc.
Is that make me an addict?

日文食譜

Shishito peppers

1. Woks Shishito peppers with some oil
2. add Teriyaki sauce
3. add some sake when peppers start to shrink
4. keep woks till sake vaporized
5. serve Shishito peppers with dried bonito flakes on the top

しし唐辛子。大陸叫 尖椒 。其實就是不辣的青辣椒。做法很多種: 不切或切成段，切片。炒肉沫，脊肉，或小魚乾。

我也要一隻

Groove Armada - Get Down

Eat in New York - Sapa

Restaurant: Sapa
Address: 43 West 24th Street, New York, NY 10010. (Chelsea, between 5th. & 6th. Avenues. Subway: R, W, V train 23rd Street)
Tel: (212)929-1800, Fax: (212)929-7070
email, Website (online menu and wine list available)
Week day dinner only. Weekend from 11 am. or 11:30 am. to 10:30 pm. or 11:30 pm.
Rate: 60 USD (not included beverage and service)
Type: French, Vietnamese.
Seat: 70
Owners: Brian Matzkow, Patricia Yeo
Executive Chef: Patricia Yeo
Pastry Chef: Jehangir Mehta

Note: A restaurant, bar and lounge where married perfectly Vietnamese and French cuisines, which go sublimely with Sake and fine wine. Located in Chelsea, a large and high ceiling space. Illuminated by the beautiful candle wall, and back light of the kitchen glass room. The restroom area in the basement is refreshing with zen water feature.

Recommend: Halibut Baked in Banana Leaf, Smoked Swordfish Carpaccio, Rice Paper Wrapped Cod, SAPA Sundae.

Positive:
Amazing visual and culinary experience from interior decoration to chef's specialists and desserts with surprising character. The Sushi chef stationed like a DJ. and the cocktail bar swim in the Chelsea lounge atmosphere. The restaurant personals are discrete and agreeable.

Negative:
Noisy sometimes by the lounge music. Un-wellcom reception desk. Chaotic communication with waiters.

Eat in New York - Nobu 57

estaurant: Nobu 57
Address: 40 W. 57th. Street, New York, NY. 10015 (Between 5th. & 6th Avenues. Subway: F train 57th. Street)
Tel: (212)757-3000, Fax: (212)757-6330
Website (online menu available)
Dinner only from 5:45 pm. to 10:15 Pm or 11:15 pm.
Rate: 80 USD (not included beverage, 18% service)
Type: Contemporary Japanese
Seat: 200
Owner: Nobu Matsuhisa, Drew Nieporent, Robert De Niro, Meir Teper, Richie Notar.
Executive Chef: Matt Hoyle
Pastry Chef: Gabriele Riva

Note:
Located in mid-twon where all the luxury businesses are. A group of the paparazzi photographers at door, waiting for any well known faces appear. Fortunately, the new and old Nobu dishes are as excellent as always. The duplex style space decorated by Ddavid Rockwell with many Japanese lanterns and hanging abalone shells. The most of waiters are well trained.

Recommend: Shishito Peppers, Lobster Ceviches, Oyster in Filo, Rock Shrimps Tempura with Creamy Spicy Sauce, Washu or kobe beef tataki, Black Cod with Miso, Soft Shell Crab Roll. Hot sake.

Positive:
It's wonderful to end a long shopping day at the trendy down stair bar, where serve great cocktail, sake and even the delicious signature dishes. The lighting is agreeable for dinning, the waiters are good. Beautiful Shushi bar.

Negative:
The entrance is ridiculously small. The reservation table guy is badly educated. Credit card needed for guarantee while consuming down stair. Noisy. Tacky salon ceiling. Reservation at least a month advance. No car park service and table won't lease till all guests arrived. The respect and PR are proudly lost here. Annoying paparazzi at door.

Eat in Paris - Dominique Bouchet

Restaurant: Dominique Bouchet
Address: 11, rue Treilhard, 75008 Paris, France (metro: Miromesnil or Saint Augustin)
Tel: 0145610946, Fax: 0142891114
email, Website
Close on Sunday.
Rate: 55 euro (not included beverage)
Type: Traditional French
Seat: 40
Owner/Chef: Dominique Bouchet

Note:
Former chef of La Tour D'Argent and Les Ambassadeurs, Dominique Bouchet wanted to keep simple and back to his intimate gastronomy love. He decided to open this small family restaurant on his own in 2004 and brought his best personals from Hotel Crillon and Les Ambassadeurs, to continue his excellent traditional French cuisine service.
The restaurant located in a finance area where only food lovers meet for an exquisite French cuisine, a business lunch or a relaxing gastronomy dinner.

recommend: Menu seasoning variable. Creme de homard, Pied de cochon, Panna Cotta, House Champagne...
PS. Cooking school available.

Positive:
No matter old or new clients. Any clients are warmly welcome by the house and thankful by the chef personally.
The restaurant is small but the food is grant with affordable price. The service is fast with delightful family style. Excellent wine suggestion.

Negative:
Location sometimes hard to find for the Taxi drivers.

Eat in Paris - Les Ambassadeurs

Restaurant: Les Ambassadeurs
Address: Hôtel Crillon 10, Place de la Concorde, 75008 Paris, France (metro: Concorde)
Tel: 0144711616, Fax: 0144711502
email, Website
Brunch: noon-3p Su, Breakfast: 7a-10:30a M-Sa, Lunch: 12:30p-2p Tu-Sa, Dinner: 7:30p-10p M-Sa
Rate: lunch 75 euro; dinner 230 euro (not included beverage)
Type: French modern
Seat: 45
Owner: Taittinger family
Chef: Jean-François Piege
Second Chefs: Yann Meinsel, Christophe Saintagne
Chef Patissier: Jerome Chaucesse
Chef Sommelier: David Biraud
Dining Room Manager: Patrice Willems

Note:
Located in one of the oldest palace of the world from Louis XV 1758. The building transformed into a luxury hotel which visited often by the queen Marie-Antoinette. The crystal chandeliers and seven different marbles decorated restaurant today is in the hands of an haute cuisine Jean-Froncois Piege since 2004. His gracious dishes bring back in time where the gastronomy was the delish of the high society. A surprise and exquisite gourmet experience that I'm sure the queen Marie-Antoinette loved to enjoy.

Recommend: Langoustines, Truffe noire, foie gras, homard bleu, fraise des bois...

Positive:
Luxury location, bar and royal member like service with 38,000 bottles wine choices and excellent wine suggestion. Appetizer is not just a simple kir royal. There are many tastes of your choice in many world finest sparkling wines. The service is fast with elegance, delightful light foot and respectful smile.

Negative:
The difference from 2004: The service quality has slightly decreased. The environment lighting apparently warmer. But too bad, even a table with view still can't really see a view.