i'm back! well, sort of. this blog is actually going to happen soon. but, in the meantime, have you ever listened to shogu tokumaru? if you haven't, please do. his songs are somehow like visual art, but that doesn't really make sense, does it? well, just listen to it - please. and if you have, listen again. ^^ watch some videos too.
post song: "parachute" by shogu tokumaru
--bunn
18 October 2009
13 July 2009
summer reading
so, i finally have the opportunity to do some reading for pleasure - for the first time in forever - what seems like years. it was actually really difficult for me. i was such an avid reader. but anyway, when i was younger, i used to read a lot of old brit litt, but i finally have a new found appreciation for modern literature. what started it all was haruki murakami's novels.
my first full read for the summer, which i just finished, is banana yoshimoto's "asleep." what i love about japanese literature like murakami's and yoshimoto's work is the feeling that they good you when you read them. although their language is crisp and at times sparse, the images that they paint are so strong, and so beautiful (even when a little sad or frightening). they really take you into a different world - but in a way that you feel part of it, or it feels realistic. both of their work seems to draw from magical realism in some respects, but yoshimoto seems particularly interested in the world presented by traditional japanese folktales and ghost stories. she also plays around a lot with the idea of wordliness - how present (or not) we are in our own worlds. unfortunately, i feel like their work is not the type of work that one can really explain in a way that makes sense, or a way that really does any justice to it. all i can do is suggest that you pick up one of their books. i found them a little bit by accident, and can't really imagine what i read before. they're incredible. i adore her work, and sincerely feel like i've learned a lot from it.
i just found one of yoshimoto's few full-length novels, which i've never seen in a store before. i bought "amrita" yesterday at kinokuniya (don't be fooled by the website!) in new york city. murakami's books are certainly everywhere these days it seems, and you can find yoshimoto's most popular books ("kitchen," for example) in most interesting book stores. i bought "asleep" at the strand.
if you like those authors, or those sort of books, or ideas about how we use, understand, and create language, you might also want to check out author yoko tawada. i've only read a handful of her short stories, but they were incredibly interesting. i also was really lucky to have the chance to meet her during a class visit. she writes mostly in german i think, but also in japanese and occasionally in english. her major works all seem to be translated though.
and if you're looking for somewhere to read, i think my favorite place in the city to read right now is bryant park. i'm not quite sure why - something about all the trees i think. plus, there's a slightly weird carrousell, which also includes a rabbit and a cat.
when i'm done with "amarita," i think i'm going to finally start 100 years of solitude (well, i did technically read five pages). it's one of those books that i've been saying that i'll read forever, but i'm finally going to take the plunge. i wasn't even quite sure what it was about hehe.
...but what are you guys reading? any suggestions?
post song: a random song by nagisa ni te
--bunn
my first full read for the summer, which i just finished, is banana yoshimoto's "asleep." what i love about japanese literature like murakami's and yoshimoto's work is the feeling that they good you when you read them. although their language is crisp and at times sparse, the images that they paint are so strong, and so beautiful (even when a little sad or frightening). they really take you into a different world - but in a way that you feel part of it, or it feels realistic. both of their work seems to draw from magical realism in some respects, but yoshimoto seems particularly interested in the world presented by traditional japanese folktales and ghost stories. she also plays around a lot with the idea of wordliness - how present (or not) we are in our own worlds. unfortunately, i feel like their work is not the type of work that one can really explain in a way that makes sense, or a way that really does any justice to it. all i can do is suggest that you pick up one of their books. i found them a little bit by accident, and can't really imagine what i read before. they're incredible. i adore her work, and sincerely feel like i've learned a lot from it.
i just found one of yoshimoto's few full-length novels, which i've never seen in a store before. i bought "amrita" yesterday at kinokuniya (don't be fooled by the website!) in new york city. murakami's books are certainly everywhere these days it seems, and you can find yoshimoto's most popular books ("kitchen," for example) in most interesting book stores. i bought "asleep" at the strand.
if you like those authors, or those sort of books, or ideas about how we use, understand, and create language, you might also want to check out author yoko tawada. i've only read a handful of her short stories, but they were incredibly interesting. i also was really lucky to have the chance to meet her during a class visit. she writes mostly in german i think, but also in japanese and occasionally in english. her major works all seem to be translated though.
and if you're looking for somewhere to read, i think my favorite place in the city to read right now is bryant park. i'm not quite sure why - something about all the trees i think. plus, there's a slightly weird carrousell, which also includes a rabbit and a cat.
when i'm done with "amarita," i think i'm going to finally start 100 years of solitude (well, i did technically read five pages). it's one of those books that i've been saying that i'll read forever, but i'm finally going to take the plunge. i wasn't even quite sure what it was about hehe.
...but what are you guys reading? any suggestions?
post song: a random song by nagisa ni te
--bunn
12 July 2009
the ktown lowdown
so, since this was sort of supposed to be a food blog, i guess i'll start there. of all the times i've visiting new york city over the years, i had never been to what now seems to have become one of my favorite spots in the city. for those of you who haven't yet had the pleasure of discovering it - there's a koreatown in manhattan (or, as it is more affectionately known, ktown). it's main street is w. 32nd (right off of 5th ave.).
in addition to having some adorable shops, there is a plethora of really amazing looking restaurants. now, i certainly haven't tried most of them, but there are a few that you must check out. now, most people that know me know that i love korean food and snacks, so maybe i'm biased. but, here's a couple of places you should check out (and, for you fellow vegans - many of them are very veg friendly).
my new favorite place is woorijip - it's a little cafe sort of place, where you can get lots of great and popular korean foods using a per-pound system. all of the veggie items are clearly labeled, and they even have egg-free "pancakes" (pajeon 파전) in many delicious varieties. seriously - their food is absolutely delicious, the shop is relaxed and friendly, and it's really affordable. they also have carry-out meals, and some other little things like noodle dishes, sushi, etc., and they also carry many varieties of my latest obsession - dduk (떡). i'm hoping to tackle making them myself, so stay posted for that. i love this little place.
so the next place you should probably check out is e-mo - a teensy little counter-top-style kimbap-erie (김밥). if you've never had it, the only thing i can really compare it to is a korean-style sushi, but it's so much more than that! i think it's so delicious, that it can be dangerous for some people hehe ;).
koryodang is also worth checking out. although this korean-style bakery is less veg friendly than the others, their pasteries look delicious. they also have bubble tea and shaved ice/patbingsu (팥빙수). the decor looks like it could be out of a kdrama (although that's definitely a subject worth saving for a new post... or a series of them...).
there's also a korean grocery store with lots of good finds - hanareum market.
and... just to throw another random place out there: hidy hair studio. i'm always so nervous when i go get a haircut (i know, it's really silly). but i went here on a whim, and got probably one of the best cuts i've ever had. the owner, heidi, cut my hair, and it was adorable. don't be fooled by the website!
i guess that's it for my babble tonight. i haven't quite gotten the hang of this blogging thing, but we'll get there. i'll have pictures soon - please be patient. ^^ but really, check out ktown! if you want to know more before you go, there's quite a bit of info online!
post song: 아이스크림 (ice cream) by mc 몽
--bunn
in addition to having some adorable shops, there is a plethora of really amazing looking restaurants. now, i certainly haven't tried most of them, but there are a few that you must check out. now, most people that know me know that i love korean food and snacks, so maybe i'm biased. but, here's a couple of places you should check out (and, for you fellow vegans - many of them are very veg friendly).
my new favorite place is woorijip - it's a little cafe sort of place, where you can get lots of great and popular korean foods using a per-pound system. all of the veggie items are clearly labeled, and they even have egg-free "pancakes" (pajeon 파전) in many delicious varieties. seriously - their food is absolutely delicious, the shop is relaxed and friendly, and it's really affordable. they also have carry-out meals, and some other little things like noodle dishes, sushi, etc., and they also carry many varieties of my latest obsession - dduk (떡). i'm hoping to tackle making them myself, so stay posted for that. i love this little place.
so the next place you should probably check out is e-mo - a teensy little counter-top-style kimbap-erie (김밥). if you've never had it, the only thing i can really compare it to is a korean-style sushi, but it's so much more than that! i think it's so delicious, that it can be dangerous for some people hehe ;).
koryodang is also worth checking out. although this korean-style bakery is less veg friendly than the others, their pasteries look delicious. they also have bubble tea and shaved ice/patbingsu (팥빙수). the decor looks like it could be out of a kdrama (although that's definitely a subject worth saving for a new post... or a series of them...).
there's also a korean grocery store with lots of good finds - hanareum market.
and... just to throw another random place out there: hidy hair studio. i'm always so nervous when i go get a haircut (i know, it's really silly). but i went here on a whim, and got probably one of the best cuts i've ever had. the owner, heidi, cut my hair, and it was adorable. don't be fooled by the website!
i guess that's it for my babble tonight. i haven't quite gotten the hang of this blogging thing, but we'll get there. i'll have pictures soon - please be patient. ^^ but really, check out ktown! if you want to know more before you go, there's quite a bit of info online!
post song: 아이스크림 (ice cream) by mc 몽
--bunn
welcome!
hi there! thanks for stopping by my little space. the idea for this blog started off as a way for me to share some of my vegan food experiences or some creative things. i really enjoy reading adventurous food and "craft" blogs. (i have to say, first, that i don't really like the word "craft" but i'm not sure there's much i can do about that). but in any case, it already seems like i have a lot more that i could share. i apologize if i diverge a lot, but i hope it'll be interesting and that you enjoy it! please feel free to send me your thoughts.
oh and the current banner illustration is "feeding the rabbits" or "alice in wonderland" by british painter frederick morgan.
post song: "apocolypse song" by st. vincent
(i saw her in brooklyn a few weeks ago, after having just started listening to her first album - and she was truly amazing. take a listen.)
-- bunn
oh and the current banner illustration is "feeding the rabbits" or "alice in wonderland" by british painter frederick morgan.
post song: "apocolypse song" by st. vincent
(i saw her in brooklyn a few weeks ago, after having just started listening to her first album - and she was truly amazing. take a listen.)
-- bunn
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