Krsna "Liberian Calypso" V.'s Profile

This is going to be one of my self-reflecting drivels, so if you don't feel like reading all of it, just go to the last 2 paragraphs of the review. I like to warn my readers :)

I was born a nomad. By the time I was 11 months old, my parents moved to a country they knew nothing about. They barely spoke the language (French and Arabic), and my mother comes from a village in India where you have to take a bullock cart ride for 4 hours to reach her village. But my parents are brave souls, they always believed in a land without borders. So when my father was offered a job to work as a physician with the WHO, he immediately took it. Thus began my nomadic life, starting when I was less than a year old. Moving and shipping was not so developed or organized back then. Even as a child I remember my parents packing suitcases and boxes when it was time to move. Most of the time we never received what we put in the shipment. Things were always lost or damaged. So we learned to travel with bare necessities - books, clothes, pictures, medicines, and mosquito nets. Jumping from India to Algeria to the Congo, back to India, then again to Zimbabwe and South Africa, with brief periods of stay in England, France, and Netherlands, the art of moving was ingrained in our brains. Even as children, my sister and I were ready to pack up and move at short notice.

My nomadic existence led me to the US. I came to the country with just one suitcase, I learned well from my parents. That was 10 years ago. In this time I moved from Mississippi to Chicago, found my true love, and almost settled in Chicago. I started feeling uncomfortable after 5 years in Chicago, because it is not in my nomadic nature to live in one city for so long. I didn't even live in one country for 5 consecutive years, let alone one city, until I came to Chicago. However, love will make you do things that you didn't know you are capable of doing. So, I was getting uncomfortable in my 7th year in Chicago when I was offered an opportunity similar to my father. My husband knows me well and understands my passion towards my profession, he supported me in accepting the offer. So, after a period of 10 years, I found myself moving across continents again. The second most joyous moment of 2011, right after I got married.

Anyway... now that the world has advanced shipping and moving procedures, all I had to do was contact the right company. Paxton came highly recommended from my employer. One call with Laura at Paxton and I can see why. She sent the appropriate people to measure, pack, and estimate. Our major concern was regarding our art collection. Laura explained to us in detail how the art works will be transported, and ensured safety. We didn't have to pack anything, the movers she sent (contracted with a local moving company in Chicago area), did all the wrapping and packing. All we had to do was point out what needs to go and what can stay. Laura even helped us navigate the complex world of consumable shipment. No aerosol cans, but pump sprays are ok.... what am I going to do without my Aquanet?. And no, you cannot ship frozen Chicago deep dish pizza. Paxton does large scale moving and shipping across continents, even to conflict zones like Iraq.

I would probably ditch everything and take one suitcase (like I did when I moved to the US) if it wasn't for Laura and Paxton arranging for everything to be moved. I am now waiting for my three shipments - air, sea, and consumables - to arrive in Liberia. It is going to take a while considering the procedures in this country, but that is another issue altogether. The man and I couldn't be happier with Paxton and their professionalism. I hope to be using their services for many more international moves to come.

Who knew an online community where people come to write reviews will grow so big?
Who knew some of the best parties in town were organized by the yelp CMs?
Who ever thought I will find my backup husband here?
Who thought I will make friends for life?

I didn't!

As I prepare for the next phase in life, I feel sad that I am moving to a place where there is no yelp. Well, there is no reliable electricity or water to begin with, but that's another issue altogether.

Where will write reviews about the latest restaurant that was demolished in a civil war? Where will I write about the best place to watch pygmy hippos? (btw, I am so naming one after the backup husband...I will call him pygmy LOL). Where will I write about the best place to eat before you enter the Guinea rainforest? Or the place to stop for gas before you drive in to the barren lands of Dogon plateau? Yeah there are blogs and all, but it's not the same as yelp.

As cheesy as it sounds, I cannot think of a better song to describe the friendships I made here: http://youtu.be/xGbnua...

Thank you everyone, even the trolls and people who didn't like me, for providing me with a space to vent and make friends. Yelp kept me entertained during times of stress, provided an outlet to write silly stuff, and best of all, introduced me to some of the closest friends in my life.

Much love! See you on the other side.

A short questionnaire:

1. Are you intellectually challenged?
2. Have you lost most of your brain cells to crack, alcohol, or your drug of choice?
3. Do you have no respect or concern for your fellow human beings?
4. Do you resemble a manatee? In other words, are you morbidly obese?
5. Do you hate your life and want to make others as miserable as yourself?
6. You cannot put together a complete sentence in your native language, whatever it might be?

If you answered yes to any one of the questions above, the TSA at Dulles airport WANTS to offer you a job.

If you answered yes to more than one of the questions above, you may not only be employed instantly by IAD, you may even be offered a raise.

I am just doing my part in keeping America employed. Now go get that job!

Aaaaand you are welcome!

This airport makes me hate humanity.

Finding a good grocery store is like finding that ideal fling. The ideal fling makes you happy, satisfies your needs, you are in and out without attachments (oh, the innuendos!)...and the best of all, you WANT a repeat visit.

I love grocery shopping, it is my favorite kind of shopping. I will gouge my eyes out if I have to spend more than 30 minutes shopping for clothes, but I will happily spend a few hours in a grocery store. However, the last time I spent more than 30 minutes at a grocery store was at a Wegmans in northern VA. Chicago, for all it's big city appeal, is seriously lacking when it comes to a proper grocery store. Yes, we have the second largest Whole Foods in the nation, but it feels very plastic and sterile to me, so there's that.

Mariano's came in to satisfy my desire for grocery shopping. The produce is fresh and well-arranged. You hear that, Jewel and Dominicks? I said well arranged! Prices are reasonable, if not cheaper than other grocery stores. Quality is on par with many high-end grocery stores. The meat section is excellent as well. I am now able to buy whole squid, different cuts of meat, and fish, without having to pay Whole Foods prices.

For those of you who like big box grocery stores like Costco, Mariano's offers samples of various stuff. Special shout out goes to alcohol samples. Vodka samples...WHAT?? The wine selection is superb. Customer service is stellar. Mariano's employees greet you often and you never have to wait for help. Unlike Jewel or Dominicks where you are greeted with an angry stare when you ask for a particular cut of meat, the butchers at Mariano's know their meats well.

The international foods section is well stocked with pickles from Poland, curry sauces from India, teriyaki from Japan, etc. Plenty to choose from. My multicultural heart is happy just walking through those aisles. The prepared food section is a delight. The salad bar is fresh and stocked with delicious items (well, as delicious as salad stuff gets. What do i know? I don't eat salads).

Thank you, Mariano's, for satisfying my desire for a REAL grocery store in the neighborhood. I no longer have to step in to gates of hell (Jewel, Dominicks) when I need groceries.

It would be nice if you arranged for the "ideal fling" I mentioned at the beginning of this review. Thanks much!

Ahem!

As much as I like a good show (blame it on being a homo), I prefer the show to be of substance. Some dinners are more about show than substance. Next excels in the show part and does ok on substance. However, I am at a point in my life where I am more impressed with the actual food than the theatrics. Next does a phenomenal job with creating complex dishes, but some aspects of the dinner just fell flat. Let's review course by course, shall we? (stop rolling your eyes)

First course: An ode to Thai street food. Deep fried prawn cake,  fermented sausage, raw sweet shrimp on a mint leaf, steamed buns, and the best of all, roasted banana. The prawn cake was ok, nothing different from what you have had at a myriad of Thai and Vietnamese restaurants before. I really liked the sausages topped with peanut, galangal, and scallions. The pungent smell and taste of fermentation adds a nice flavor to the sausage. The raw sweet shrimp on mint leaf topped with tiny sliced bird chilies is something I served at dinner parties 10 years ago. Been there, done that. Moving on! The bananas are the best. Sliced lengthwise, roasted and topped with fried garlic, picked shallots and cilantro, it is truly a marvelous creation. The first course is served on a Thai newspaper with plastic spoons and plastic cups for your drinks. I understand it is an homage to Thai street food, but having to pick up the dirty newspaper and hand it to the waiter after eating is a bit ridiculous (yes, you kinda bus your own table for the first course).

Second course: the best of all. This ain't no Tom Yum soup you get at your neighborhood Thai restaurant. Pork belly, tomato, and kaffir lime add different elements to the hot and sour broth. I hate to use the word orgasmic, but it was pretty much similar.

Third course: the mini "banchan". I say banchan because of the nature of this course. Mini dishes served with jasmine rice. The chili, shallot, and garlic puree is toned down in heat with addition of tamarind. The salted duck egg with green radish and mango is truly a brilliant creation. The saltiness of egg (pureed) balanced with radish and mango flavors is outstanding. The picked watermelon and other vegetables with basil is forgettable. Like banchan, these mini dishes are replaced along with rice. I probably ate two bowls of the salted duck egg (they are mini bowls).

Fourth course: the mediocre dish of the lot. Unfortunately, it also happens to be somewhat of a main course. Wild catfish braised in caramel sauce cooked with coriander root and topped with thinly shaved celery. While the presentation is beautiful, the dish falls flat in terms of flavors. Quite average!

Fifth course: the other main course. Braised beef cheek in a peanut curry. Think of it as a modern version of panang curry. The coconut milk made the dish too heavy to eat after a few bites. The beef cheek was braised to the point of melting on your fork, but the dish was too heavy overall.

Sixth course: here is where I start rolling my eyes and say REALLY? This course is just a shot of watermelon and lemongrass juice. A SHOT for a course! Yes, you read that right. While the shot of juice meant to cleanse your palate for the upcoming dessert course, I think it is ridiculous to pass it off as an entire course.

Seventh course: Once again, the "show" part excels. The dessert is brought to your table on a plank with hot stones interspersed among whole coconuts. The coconuts are already cracked with dessert inside. You are instructed on how to handle a coconut (as someone raised on a coconut plantation, I skipped that part, but my friends were happy to listen). Once you open the coconut and set aside the empty half, the waiter fills it with coconut sorbet. The other half contains sweet corn, egg, and licorice. Beautiful presentation and excellent arrangement of flavors. The sorbet was kinda lame.

Eighth course: we did not get the caramel sticky rice with sesame seed as mentioned in the online menu. Instead, we got half a dragon fruit sprinkled with rose water. As much as I like dragon fruit, I am not impressed by the fact that simply serving fresh fruit without any accompaniments constitutes a course.  

Ninth and last course: Traditional chai. Served cold in a plastic bag with a straw. I make it better at home.

The wine/ alcohol pairings were quite suitable with the courses except the last pairing of dragon fruit with a shot of rum. That was strong and unnecessary. Who drinks a shot of rum with fresh fruit after eating a heavy meal?

Overall, I liked the food. I did, however, enjoy the theatrics more than the food. The presentation at every step is brilliant. Service is stellar, as it should be at a restaurant of this caliber. The crowd does not match the food. In typical Chicago style, many patrons showed up wearing jeans and polo shirts. Really?

Food = 3 stars. Presentation = 5 stars. Average = 4 stars.

I like it when my ill-conceived notions are disproved. It's like a good slap of reality, sometimes we all can use one. When the man said we are going to Elmhurst, my first reaction was "oh no! the dreaded suburbia!" Every time I venture in to the land of suburbia, I find something interesting and worth a repeat visit. Like Super H Mart in Niles, Mitsuwa in Arlington heights, Quench restaurant in Chicago Heights etc. I can now add Elmhurst Art Museum to the list.

Normally when you think of art museum, you think of a city. It is very rare you find a well-curated museum in suburbia. Even though it is small - compared to many museums I've visited - EAM is well kept. The space is beautiful, the collections are excellent, and the gift shop is super cute. Particular mention goes to the "new acquisitions" collection. The museum has acquired art from various contemporary artists for this collection. I think it is an excellent collection. Works by Billy Tokyo and Daniel Kim will make you stop in your tracks and stare. Beverly Kedzior's piece makes you wonder and reflect on the impact of color.

Then there is Alexis Rose. "Aren't we comfortable" - a mixed media installation depicting a limbo of imperfection spoke to me as soon as I saw the piece. It makes you think what life COULD look like and what it SHOULD look like. The cushioned zones (sofas) in the imperfect living room are an inadequate illusion to the impossible balance between comfort and protection. I may also be biased with this particular piece because we loaned it to the museum for exhibition. The man and I fell in love with it at first sight and we bought it a few months ago, before the museum decided to exhibit.

Besides the new acquisitions, there are temporary exhibits by Firat Erdim (the Arbor), Glenn Wexler (Stillness in Motion), and Matt Woodward (the Tremendous Alone). I am particularly fond of Matt Woodward's work - the massive works of graphite on paper are spectacular.

I am glad EAM is bringing art and culture to Elmhurst and surrounding suburbs. As long as you have places like EAM, you don't have to always trek from the suburbia to the city to satisfy the art enthusiast in you.

Support your local art museum!

This is one of the best examples of irony in America. For a festival named after - and centered around - Blueberries there is not ONE fresh blueberry to be found on location. Not even a blueberry pie or muffin. The only thing remotely resembling a blueberry is a horrific-looking congealed mass of blueberries in syrup that you can request on top of your funnel cake. And then you wonder why America is FAT!

Their mascot is Hank - the blueberry man. Yet, there is not one blueberry in the festival. WTF? Who came up with this idea?

If you want to see a snapshot of middle America, complete with obesity and ghastly clothing, this is the place to be. It is a great chance to appreciate the diversity in America. Tons of junk, bad jewelry, artery-clogging foods, and rides. A typical summer festival.

I would have given an extra star if I had seen ONE blueberry. Just one!

After eating half of my bagel sandwich I turned to the man, who introduced me to HBB, and said "If there is ever a reason to marry you, this is it". When was the last time a bagel made you want to get married on the spot? Huh? That's what I thought!

Nothing makes my morning better than two fried eggs + ham + cheese on a toasted everything bagel. I mean a "real" everything bagel from an old school Jewish bagel store in Long Island, not like the crap we get in Chicago.

You know the stuff is good when there is a line that extends outside in to the parking lot at 5:30AM.

I am always suspicious when a hotel/ restaurant advertises itself as historic. Historic is one way to disguise the fact that the hotel is outdated and needs a thorough renovation. Plains hotel is no exception.

I had to stay here because of business. Reservations were already made and I had no say. The hotel lobby looks nice, until you start walking around. Don't be surprised if you start sinking in to the floor, there are areas where the flooring tiles are loose and it feels like a depression. Once you stabilize yourself, the front desk staff are very polite and helpful. They gave me tips on what to see, where to eat, etc. A friendly bunch.

The rooms. Oh dear lord! Let's start with the bathroom... pink washbasin, avocado tile, and an oooooold bathtub. It felt like I took a time machine and landed in 1960. Just put a disco ball to complete the look, okay? I would have tolerated this attack on my eyes if there was enough hot water. It takes about 15 minutes for any hot water to come out of the shower. And then the water pressure is about the same as a 70 year old man with prostrate enlargement. I know, I can be gross sometimes!

The floors creak, the a/c rattles, and the room makes you feel like you are in the 60s. It's great if you are in to that kind of experience, I am not. There is a sign above the window unit that says do not turn the a/c over 8 (on a scale of 1-10) because it freezes. What???

The hotel restaurant is a Capitol Grille, not to be confused with the national chain Capital Grille. Once again, service at the restaurant is excellent. The food, however, needs an overhaul. The English muffins in my eggs benedict were burnt, and the friend chicken in my salad was dry as a bone.
 
It would be a one star review if not for the great staff and historic significance. Plains Hotel, you are milking every penny out of the historical association. It's time you put an end to the charade and make improvements.

One of the great things about small towns is the local restaurant scene. Everyone seems to know everyone and the atmosphere is fun and cordial. Albany restaurant is a great place to get a feel of local Cheyenne.

The menu is nothing special. Mostly regular comfort foods. However, the attraction is Bull Nuts: breaded and deep friend bull testicles. Also known as Rocky Mountain Oysters. When you are in WY, why not try a local delicacy? Only, it is not really a delicacy. Tastes like chicken fried steak.

The menu is standard diner fare with salads, sandwiches, burgers, steaks, and seafood. The thought of eating seafood in WY makes me shudder, but if you don't mind eating SEAfood in landlocked places, go for it. My cobb salad was alright.

The interesting part, however, is the liquor mart attached to the restaurant. This place is a liquor store and restaurant, two in one.

Service is friendly and the place is bustling with locals. Food is average, but it's the scene that makes this place special.