This beautiful green chameleon is the first creature I captured with my new camera, a present from G who is leaving Antigua early today to shoot a job in the Philippines, Vietnam and Indonesia. Although my new toy hardly makes up for losing my better half for a couple of weeks, it will prove a welcome distraction. The food here is not much to write home about, though we did enjoy dinner on the beach last night, including a delicious chowder made with local shrimp, lobster, clams and fish. Earlier in the day we'd seen a haul of a couple of big, square-headed, glistening yellow mahi mahi, but there was none of the simple and fresh ceviche you might hope for. Still, I can't complain, when the days consist of sunning, napping, reading, hammocking and sipping piña coladas. (Note to self: must perfect this drink at home this summer without that noxious, soapy Coco Lopez). And the nights consist of family dinners, rum-&-tonics with extra lime, moon-gazing, more reading and the beautiful music of tree frogs.
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I'm on vacation in Antigua this week. Being lulled to sleep every night by the sound of the crashing surf just outside my room. Yesterday, I saw a red-spotted starfish beneath the crystalline waters. A wonderful Balinese woman scrubbed me from head to toe with sea salt and green coffee as I looked through the massage table headpiece at a bowl of green sea glass. I've eaten callaloo soup (like a spinach puree) and a summer roll made with buttery soft lobster. Tonight is dinner on the beach with a bonfire, dancing and entertainment by the island's premier singer of soca, a music with traditional African roots. G bought me a new camera before this trip and I hope to capture some photos of this paradise for you. My vacation reading list includes: Stardust by Joseph Kannon (reading now, it's fantastic); I Think I Love You by Allison Pearson; Mudbound by Hillary Jordan; The Tiger's Wife by Tea Obreht; The Invisible Bridge by Julie Orringer; and The Imperfectionists by Tom Rachman. Ambitious? For sure. But it gives me the same feelings of security, wealth and possibility that having a full pantry does. My Kindle runneth over...
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As it turns out, Villa Santa Cruz in Todos Santos, Mexico, is absolute perfection. This funky and spacious 4-bedroom home is just off the best surf beach in the area and has a gorgeous view of the Pacific. We could lie in bed and watch the sunset—not to mention the all-day show of whales, dolphins and pelicans. It was a bit cool so we didn't do a lot of beach time, but we did go out for a lunch of fish tacos, hike in the desert among the dramatic cacti, and host an impromptu poolside gathering on New Year's day. Our good friends Sarah and Gordon have a house in town and brought other expats over to enjoy our spacious digs, partake in some sweet local shrimp and toast the new year with delicious house tequila, aging in an oak cask just inside our front door.
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Blindingly white beaches. Pale turquoise waters. Enormous lobster tails. Relentless sunshine. Balmy breezes. The occasional piña colada. Room to breathe. Toes buried in the sand. The nostalgic scent of suntan lotion. Salty rasta curls. Family dynamics. Herbal steam and massage. Tan lines. Poolside lunch. Kids splashing. Mangoes. Hours of reading (yea, Kindle). Naps. Freedom. Moonlight romance. Early nights. Bliss.
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As you can see, I'm not the only one wild about citrus. This was one of the many monkeys we encountered on our honeymoon in India two years ago. What a magical trip it was! I recommend that you get there in this lifetime. I've already written a bit about the trip and floating through the southern canals, but I wanted to share a few more of G's beautiful photos that document the color and charm of this amazing, multi-faceted place. We journeyed from Kerala to the mountains, to Mumbai, and then on to Rajasthan. We stayed on the beach, on a houseboat, in a fantastic tent on the edge of a tiger preserve, at the Taj in Mumbai (exactly one year before it was assaulted by terrorists) and in an 18th century palace in the hills outside Udaipur. It's hard to convey the experience of being in India: the weight of history, the sublime palette, the mass of humanity, the ornamentation and decay. As Mark Twain famously said, "India is the cradle of the human race, the birthplace of human speech, the mother of history, the grandmother of legend, and the great-grandmother of tradition. Our most valuable and most astrictive materials in the history of man are treasured up in India only!" Once the jewel in the crown of Queen Victoria, India is still one of the planet's most rare and precious gems.
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Among the friends I count myself lucky to have in Los Angeles is Mirena Kim, the woman responsible for this wonderful pottery. She is an artist, whose aesthetic extends to everything she touches. Simple, soulful and subtle, with an underlying warmth, it is also a reflection of her persona. Not only did I get to visit her home studio, but there I was treated to a fantastic lunch. Born in Korea and raised in Los Angeles, Mirena was the person who introduced me to Korean food (and taught me what to order in New York's Korean barbecue restaurants) and first brought me to the huge Asian supermarket (and food court) in downtown L.A. We are kindred spirits who share a love of cooking, art, textiles, domesticity and a good laugh.
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I've entered the Inland (aka Evil) Empire, my sister's lair that lies northeast of Los Angeles. Living at the foot of Mount Baldy makes for some impressive scenery. Looking up, your gaze rises from arid, sunny chapparal to snowy peaks. Also known as Mount San Antonio or Old Baldy (so-called for the lack of trees at its summit), the tallest point is at about 10,000 feet above sea level, making it the highest in the San Gabriel mountains. The Tongva Indian tribe call the mountain Yoát or Joat, which means snow. It's splendid and majestic, lording it over this flat plain. Susi and Seth treated us to a delicious dinner of a garlicky stew of root vegetables with fennel-spiked turkey meatballs and a crisp endive salad. For dessert, Seth made a variation on one of my favorite cakes, with whole oranges and almond flour (gluten-free!)—I actually posted the recipe here some months back. His version also includes whole lime. I'll bet you can modify the recipe with all manner of citrus—tangerines, grapefruit, yuzu—to great effect. The inclusion of the whole fruit, rind and all (boiled until soft), contributes an interesting note of bitterness to this dense, not-too-sweet cake.
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