by joanna on January 14, 2010
An endless array of holistic therapies at this tranquil island spa
I generally have a rule of not visiting the same place twice. I prefer to expand my horizons and challenge myself to see and do new things. However, I recently returned to Kamalaya in Koh Samui. Our more dedicated readers may remember I went to Kamalaya last year to do a detox program. Well, this year when the time came to take a break after a seriously demanding year, I could think of no better place to do it than Kamalaya Koh Samui. In fact, Kamalaya wellness retreat is of such a high standard of excellence that I can foresee returning again and again. [keep reading…]
by Paul on January 13, 2010
Hey all,
As you may or may not be able to tell from my various postings, I’m very interested in the current food movement in the US. The trends towards eating locally, sustainably, etc is heading, I believe, in a positive direction that takes us away from processed, quick meals. For the paradigm to truly shift however, we need to retrain the way we think about food. The best way to do that is to start with the younger generations. Alice Waters and others have pioneered the concept of public school gardens and sustainable cafeteria programs. To me it’s a no-brainer. Teach the kids where they’re food comes from, how to cook it, and everyone benefits.
A journalist at The Atlantic disagrees. I found her article way off the mark… as if she missed the point completely (like complaining there were no touchdowns at a baseball game). She seems to insist that manual labor teaches us nothing and a connection to our food, healthy diet, and return to the family table isn’t as valuable as studying towards standardized testing.
Thankfully someone more articulate than I wrote a great response on Civil Eats. Kurt Michael Friese eloquently answers and provides the correct window (I feel) through which to view this argument.
What do you think? Is sustainability a silly trend? Should we keep pumping processed corn products, colas, and fried foods into our ever expanding youth? Where do you line up in this debate? Could something like this program work in Asia?
The Atlantic Article on Alice Waters
Civil Eats’ Response
Paul
by joanna on November 23, 2009
Royal Thai Cuisine from the recipes of the Sukhothai Palace kitchen
Paul had been telling me about this place for ages…the former soap opera star owner and the recipes from the Sukhothai Palace. He raved about the pure and traditional preparation and presentation of Thai food, the gracious service and the elegant host. I really wanted to go, but it seemed every time we had it planned something would happen…rain, travel, stuck at work, etc. Finally the day came and miraculously nothing prevented our visit to Thanying. After such anticipation, would it live up to expectations? [keep reading…]
by Paul on September 18, 2009
This weeks Epicurean Concept is relatively simple, but one that we were curious about and so thought maybe others were as well. Often at restaurants I’ll see lamb dishes on the menu, but other times mutton dishes. I wondered if there was really a difference or if it was a restaurant’s way of dressing up or down a dish through verbal trickery. Answer after the jump. [keep reading…]
by Paul on September 10, 2009
This week’s Epicurean Concept is the current “in thing” for hipsters shopping at overpriced delis and cutting edge restaurants… and oddly enough comfort food for the poor and downtrodden – Offal.
Definition from the folks at Merriam-Webster:
of·fal
Pronunciation: \?o?-f?l, ?ä-\
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from of off + fall
Date: 14th century
1 : the waste or by-product of a process: as a : trimmings of a hide b : the by-products of milling used especially for stock feeds c : the viscera and trimmings of a butchered animal removed in dressing : variety meat
2 : rubbish
[keep reading…]
by joanna on August 17, 2009
And left Japan kicking and screaming…
The first time I traveled to Hong Kong, I fell in love. I had an inexplicable affinity for the place, and on subsequent trips, discovered many new parts that ultimately led to Hong Kong’s classification as my favorite city in Asia. Now I think Tokyo has equally captivated me, if not possibly surpassing Hong Kong in my personal ranking…in fact when my travels came to an end, I honest to goodness did not want to leave! What is it that makes Tokyo so special? [keep reading…]
by joanna on June 8, 2009
Are healthy and delicious oxymorons?
I imagine I am not alone in my struggle. I love food and eating out. I am always thinking about, planning and strategizing my next meal – it’s part passion…and maybe part obsession. And while I would like to piously assert that I truly love and crave fruit and veggies, if I am honest, these are never as top of mind for me as meats, breads, pastas and cheeses….and of course dessert! [keep reading…]
by joanna on April 27, 2009
3 days in French colonial India by the sea
If any of you have read the Life of Pi, you will remember Pondicherry as the hometown of the main character, Pi, the zookeeper’s son. Well there is no longer a zoo in Pondicherry, there is still plenty to see and do in this quaint French colonial seaside village in South India. [keep reading…]
by Paul on April 22, 2009
Hey all,
Saw this on lifehacker and couldn’t resist posting since we’re about quality and value. The lure of McDonalds in Singapore is strong… their lunch value meal at either 4.50 or 5.00 SGD is a great value considering a coke at 7-11 will run you 2 SGD by itself. But is the quality there? Not really. The convenience of a quick meal, great photography and marketing, and abundant locations work on my system till I find it hard to resist.
I think visiting this site as it’s continually updated will go a long way to curing my cravings for fast food burgers. Maybe it’s a couple dollars more to go to the local healthy sandwich and soup place, but I think my belly and internal organs will thank me in the long run.
On a side note – that’s some seriously good food styling going on in the ad campaigns. Seeing the real world pics side by side with the “idealized” burgers shows exactly what you can get from hiring a professional photographer and food stylist 
Fast Food: Ads vs Reality
Paul
