Christina Valhouli's blog

Shantaram

2008-01-15T00:15:13-08:00

Right now I’m reading the novel Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts. While it’s a pain to lug around (it’s a hefty 944 pages and I’m only on page 423) it’s completely gripping. On one hand it’s a tale of redemption, of an escaped convict who turns his life around while living in the slums of Bombay. But on another level, Shantaram is also a fine piece of travel writing. While the story is fictional, it is based on Roberts’ actual experiences in India. His lengthy description of the Indian head nod (in all its nuances and variations), as well as his account of trying to get onto a crowded train, had me laughing out loud and thinking, “That is so true.” When it comes to describing the heart of India, Roberts has done what few travel writers can achieve- he really got it. As for some of his other discoveries, like the Standing Babas and Madame Zhou, I’m not convinced they really exist, but I'm sure Shantaram has inspired thousands of travellers to try and find them.

Swimming With the Fishes

2007-10-16T05:11:38-07:00

When we were recently in Monterey, the weather was more London-like than California, so we headed to the Monterey Aquarium. My favourite parts? Definitely the otters (they're so cute!) and the massive tank which is home to dozens of tuna and a white shark as well as a bizarre, prehistoric looking sunfish. I was hoping for a glimpse of a massive great white shark to get me sufficiently freaked out before I went swimming in Miami but the shark was on the small size. The jellyfish tanks were also impressive, and I love this photo of them.

Eatin' In Da Park

2007-08-29T00:38:07-07:00

On Bank Holiday Monday, I decided to play tourist and booked tickets to see the State Rooms at Buckingham Palace. But since our entry wasn't until 3pm, we needed to eat beforehand- so I made a reservation at Inn the Park. This restaurant is definitely worth a stop. The design is clean and contemporary, and its located right in the middle of St. James Park so you can just about see the top of the London Eye peeking over the trees. There was a BBQ happening somewhere (we could smell the smoke) but we opted for the summer menu, and tucked into grilled trout and corn fed chicken, all washed down by a crisp glass of Prosecco. Desserts were a big hit but I needed help translating the names (ie Knickerbocker Glory = a sundae).

Ancient Treasures

2007-08-07T09:35:16-07:00

When I was in New York last month, I checked out the new Greek and Roman galleries at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, which were stunning. Here is a detail of what I believe is a sarcophagus. And don't let that steep entrance fee put you off visiting the Museum. Its only a suggestion- you can actually pay whatever you want. But do try to give what you can.

Toro, Toro

2007-07-25T02:08:08-07:00

When we managed to tear ourselves away from the beach near Estepona in Spain, we stopped in the town of Ronda en route to Granada. So what makes Ronda special? For a start, the city is divided in two by a massive gorge. A "new" bridge was built in the 18th century to connect the two areas. Ronda is also home to modern bullfighting, and we checked out the local bullring (but didn't see any bulls or matadors. Fights are only held in September). Legendary RondeÃ±o bullfighter Pedro Romero created modern bullfighting when he broke away from the prevailing Jerez school of horseback bullfighting in the 18th century, and created a style of bullfighting where matadors stood their ground against the bull on foot. Romero was immortalised in a portrait by Goya (and often alluded to by Hemingway in The Sun Also Rises, one of my favourite novels). I would love to come back in September, when Ronda hosts the Goyesque Fair, where matadors are dressed in traditional 18th century costumes.

Swako Sand Dune

2007-06-10T14:41:36-07:00

And before I start getting hate mail from fans of Leder Chic, here is a lovely photo of sand dunes just outside of Swakopmund...

Leder Chic, Ja!

2007-06-10T14:36:47-07:00

While we were in Namibia we spent a few days exploring the coastal resort town of Swakopmund, otherwise known as “where Angelina Jolie gave birth to Shiloh.” The city has retained a lot of its German heritage, most notably in the architecture and the pubs- every third bar is called a Brewhaus and we were intrigued (mystified? Disturbed?) by the oh-so-common presence of oryx schnitzel on many a menu. It was also in Swakopmund where were introduced to Jaggiebombs, Jaegermeister and Red Bull and noticed that its perfectly acceptable to wear safari gear out to the local pub. There was also a disturbing trend of men wearing extremely short shorts when they were out on the town but that's another story”¦We are also tickled pink to discover this store in the heart of Swako, called simply Leder Chic. We didn't have a chance to pop in as our trip coincided with a bank holiday so everything was closed, but we can only imagine”¦

Black Friday in Bean Town

2006-11-30T00:26:34-08:00

Last week I went back to Boston for Thanksgiving, and forced my husband to experience the phenomenon known as Black Friday. So for the uninitiated, what is this vaguely sinister sounding event? Not to be confused with Black Monday, the crash of the stock market, Black Friday is traditionally the kick off to the Christmas shopping season. The story goes than alarmingly large number of Americans head to the malls while the sane people stay home and munch on leftover turkey and pecan pie. As I only had a limited time in Boston- and had plenty of shopping to do- we braved the queues and headed to Boston to do some serious shopping. To make life easier, and prevent my husband from having a meltdown, we stuck to two malls, Copley Place at the Shops at the Prudential Center. I was surprised to see how upscale Copley mall has become; it now has a Jimmy Choo, Louis Vuitton and a Barneys outpost. After we finished up in the mall (or mwall) we ventured outside for some fresh air and to check out Newbury Street. I also popped into the new and improved Filene's Basement. Unlike the original one in Dowtown Crossing, this new glossy one isn't located in a basement and doesn't have giant clumps of dust blowing like tumbleweed across the floor. It was a bit crowded but I spotted racks of Tory Burch, Dolce & Gabbana and Yves St Laurent. Go Filene's!

Photo courtesy Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau

The Power of China

2006-10-23T08:57:31-07:00

Thanks to the always fabulous and well-informed ladies at Daily Candy, I read about the China Power Station exhibit being held at the Battersea Power Station. It sounded amazing so a group of us booked tickets to go yesterday. Yes, in the pouring rain. I didn't realize that the station doesn't have a roof. Later my husband asked me, “What did you think all the warnings on the website about bringing waterproof clothing were all about? Ummm, I dunno, I thought there might be some exuberant exhibits which involved spraying water on visitors? So the only water was from the clouds but the concept was quite cool: London's Serpentine Gallery has taken up residence in the power station and is presenting an exhibit on Chinese culture. After a brief tour inside the atrium (if you can call it that) of the building, you're lead upstairs to see a series of video installations. For me, the two best parts of the exhibit were being able to tour Battersea Power Station- this is the first time the building has been open to the public, before it becomes transformed into a retail and housing complex- as well as a visit to the on-site dim sum restaurant by Yauatcha. We sampled some delicate green tea, assorted dim sum and of course finished it all of with dessert. I had a chocolate and violet mousse and my friend went for a strawberry cake (the men pretended not to be interested in our desserts). Now if only all museums had food to match the exhibits, I think I would be tempted to go more often.

Hats off to Sally Clarke's

2006-10-02T02:59:29-07:00

Finding a very good restaurant in London is always a tricky thing. Pay too little, and risk disappointment; pay too much, and well, you might have to rethink those pair of shoes you fell in love with at Kurt Geiger. Last week a group of us wanted to book a celebratory dinner and I was put in charge of finding a restaurant (yup, the pressure was on!). Based on its impeccable reviews, I chose Sally Clarke's in Notting Hill. It was one of the best meals I've had in London. The menu is French-Californian and Sally is also famous for her breads, which are sold in Harvey Nichols, Selfridges and Fortnum & Mason. There is one set menu with just four choices as everything is fresh and seasonal, and sorry, you're out of luck if you are vegetarian. We sampled the salad of white nectarines with toasted cobnuts, landcress, Parmesan shavings, chives and balsamic vinegar; warm buckwheat pancake with crab, smoked Irish organic salmon and crab-dill dressing; and for the main, roasted leg of Welsh lamb with tarragon aioli, Surrey beetroot, fennel, carrots and Umbrian lentils. For dessert there was the super gooey and rich warm dark chocolate pudding with caramel sauce and toasted almonds. At £39 for three courses, the price isn't bad but what I loved about the food is that the tastes were fresh and lively without being fussy, and the service was attentive without anyone hovering over you. Hats off to Sally Clarke's- we'll definitely be back.

Shoes To Dye For

2006-08-22T08:04:22-07:00

One of the many dilemmas facing a bride after the wedding is, what the heck do I do with my shoes? I had left my languishing at the bottom of my closet, but recently went to a wedding and needed a pair of brown shoes to a match a silk brown dress I had made in Vietnam, from the fabulous Thuy Nga (7-13 Lam Son Square, Saigon, 84-8/823-348). While getting my dress hemmed at Designer Alterations, I read in an old issue of Tatler about Scotland-based Frances Duke, who will dye your shoes to match for a mere £20. Even better, all you have to do is send her shoes with a fabric sample in the post, so there's no schlepping your shoes around London. Frances was a complete doll and 100% meticulous, phoning me to ask me if I had ever Scotch-guarded my shoes, as well as to ask which colour of the two-layered silk sample I mailed was the top layer. One week later, they were mailed back to me, along with a personal note, and match my dress perfectly. Thanks, Frances! Frances Duke, 01436 67 4385.

Hope in a Jar

2006-08-03T11:57:15-07:00

For my birthday last week- and no I'm not telling which age!- my husband gave me the best gift ever: a jar of CrÃ¨me de la Mer. I was impressed that a) he knew what it was and b) he actually listens to me blather on about all the stuff I want to buy. I've always been intrigued by the cream because of the whole Max Huber story, and whenever celebrities are asked about their favourite beauty products, about half of them say they can't live without CrÃ¨me de la Mer. I think Sharon Stone and Tamara Mellon use it as body cream, and Madonna and Victoria Beckham swear they cannot live without it. Is that a stellar endorsement or what?

When I peppered my ever patient New York City dermatologist about it, he said there was no need to shell out for expensive products because Oil of Olay works just fine. That wasn't the answer that I wanted to hear as it sounded overly sensible. I've used La Mer for a few days now and the application is a bit weird as you scoop out only the tiniest amount, and have to warm it between your fingers and it has a tacky, paste-like texture. I feel like my skin is looking well-moisturized and plumper than normal, and it gives a great glow when worn under makeup- or is it all just my imagination?

Calling On The Cotswolds

2006-07-31T10:06:05-07:00

I'm just back after a weekend in the Cotswolds, celebrating a friend's birthday (out of politeness I won't reveal his exact age but it's a big birthday north of 30!) We all spent the night at The Grapevine hotel, an adorable b&b in the village of Stow-on-The-Wold. For the uninitiated, the Cotswolds is to London what the Hamptons is to Manhattan; it's the place to go for a weekend escape. Celebs like Kate Moss, Liz Hurley and Kate Winslet all have homes here. We didn't have any celeb sightings but we did manage a short hike and browsing through a few boutiques. There are plenty of antiques shops and art galleries in Stow, but the ones that caught my eye were: the boutique Foundation, which stocks Marilyn Moore, Ghost, J&M Davidson, and Nicole Farhi; Scotts of Stow, the flagship store of the mail-order company; and The Pear Tree Tea Rooms, located inside the Tudor House Furniture Company. I also bought some stones for the garden from the Cotswold Reclamation Company, so I can have a little bit of the Cotswolds in my own backyard.

In Search of the Perfect Pedestal Sink

2006-07-04T03:25:33-07:00

I'm on a hunt for the perfect pedestal sink with a matching toilet. This sounds easy, right? Nope. My criteria is that the sink has to be simple and classic, with smooth edges and must have mixer taps. I have never understood what to do with the two separate hot and cold taps. It's impossible to wash your face or your hands. You end up doing the hand dance, and you can never get the temperature right. It's freeze or burn, baby, with no happy medium. I've checked out all the usual suspect stores but all the designs are too modern for my taste. I don't want an above mounted sink, or a glass one (think of the toothpaste smudges) or one that's made from metal, thank you very much. How about just some nice porcelain? The toilets are even weirder. I can't see myself using one that is a) square or b) egg shaped. My ideal is this one above, from Kohler, but with my luck its only available in the US.

Spice Girls

2006-07-02T10:12:51-07:00

I just received my copy of the cookbook Spice by Ana Sortun in the post from good ole Amazon, and I can't wait to try out some of the recipes (although with this heatwave, its far too hot to cook!) I first heard about Ana, the chef at Oleana in Cambridge, Mass., years ago when I was invited to a dinner at the James Beard House in New York. A night at the Beard House is always a guarantee of a good time- with great company, a slightly wacky setting, top notch wine and knockout food, and I would recommend it to anyone. I was impressed with Ana's cooking, which was inspired by her travels in Turkey and North Africa. She has now put her own twist on the flavours of the Eastern Mediterranean flavours, relies heavily on herbs and fruits like coriander, rose water, cardamom and pomegranate.

After being introduced to her cooking, I made a reservation at her restaurant fto celebrate my birthday (and no I won't tell which year that was!) I wasn't disappointed. Her menu features dishes like Persian lamb kebob with saffron rice cake, tomato jam and yogurt with walnuts and rose petals; halibut wrapped in fig leaf with fig butter, orzo and egg-lemon verbena sauce; and duck gyro with rigani, green garlic, radish tzatziki and fried potatoes. Since that meal, I've been a huge fan of Ana's cooking but since I won't be making it to her restaurant anytime soon, wish me luck trying out some of these recipes at home.

Yasou, Elounda

2006-06-14T03:44:11-07:00

I just came back from a few heavenly days at the Elounda Beach Hotel in Crete. Irony of ironies, it was hotter in London than it was in Crete- 25 there, 30 in London. Figures, but the Londoners didn't have the Aegean to cool off in. The resort is one of the best in Greece, and felt like a mini Greek village. The dÃ©cor looked like it came straight from a Hollywood set designer's image of what a Mediterranean hotel should look like, with its whitewashed walls, stone paths, silvery olive trees and hot pink bougainvillea everywhere, not to mention a cat or two padding around. I stayed in a luxury villa with sea views, and waking up in the morning looking out at the sea was just perfect, followed by a breakfast of Cretan cheese, honey and bread. Best of all, that kind of breakfast is deemed “healthy.”

I spent some quality time swimming in the sea- and feeling very pale, but to remedy that I bought some Clarins self-tanning gel at Heathrow (shh!). Like an idiot, I decided it would be fun to go to the water sports center and sign up for an inner tube ride that's pulled by a high speed boat (it was popular with the 10-year-olds). I thought it would be easy but noooo, turns out you need every ounce of your strength to hang out. 15 minutes later when it was done, I felt like I had been spending an afternoon bench pressing. Ouch!

Designer Babies

2006-05-22T05:03:08-07:00

The other day when I read that former Spice Girl Gerri Halliwell had given birth at London's Portland Hospital, I decided to take a peek at the website of this famous hospital. This is where Victoria Beckham gave birth to her first son, Brooklyn, and is dubbed where moms go who are “too posh to push.” You wouldn't think the website of a maternity hospital would provide some laughs, but its hilarious. Under the FAQ section, there's a bit on what to bring to the hospital. I was expecting things like pyjamas and a baby blanket, but no, it included a face mister, lip balm and massage oil, as well as links to baby list services for mothers. The prices are also astounding, not just for how much they are, but how the births are tiered. Apparently if you have a normal birth its £3,030- while a 12-hour delivery is £2,240. What scares me about that is that a 12 hour delivery is considered quick. Discounts are available if you have your second child there, and I also loved that the prices include complimentary Molton Brown toiletries and a celebration dinner for the mother and her partner- additional alcoholic beverages, however, are not included.

Jemma Kidd Sighting at Costco

2006-05-16T01:46:53-07:00

On Sunday I had to drop my dad off at the airport and figured that since I was all the way out there, I might as well pop by Costco to stock up on a few items (ok, so my trips are slightly more than once-a-quarter). I'm happy to report that when I was poking around the wine section, I looked up and spotted supermodel turned makeup-artist Jemma Kidd, together with her husband, Arthur, Earl of Mornington, heir to the Duke of Wellington. The couple (she was sans makeup) was happily filling their trolley with crates and crates of wine. I'm glad that despite their wealth, the couple is still up for getting a bargain or two!

Diamonds and Bleeding Hearts in Hatton Gardens

2006-05-08T05:01:53-07:00

A few days ago I popped over to Hatton Gardens, the jewellery district of London, to hunt for a pair of antique silver cufflinks. After browsing around- and eyeing the diamond jewellery too- I noticed a little side street called Bleeding Heart Yard. I loved the irony of that. The street was also home to the Bleeding Heart Tavern, and since it looked nice, I was hungry and they had a table, I decided to have lunch there, which turned out to serve fantastic French bistro style cuisine. Thanks to the back page of the menu, I also learned the legend of how Bleeding Heart Yard got its name.

Apparently the street is named for one Lady Elizabeth Hatton, who was young, rich, beautiful and the toast of 17th Century London society. According to the pub, and I'm sure they wouldn't make these things up, at her annual Winter Ball, on January 26, 1662, halfway through the evening's festivities, the doors to Lady Hatton's grand ballroom were flung open. In strode a swarthy gentleman, slightly hunched of shoulder, with a clawed right hand. He took her by the hand, danced her once around the room and out through the double doors into the garden.

Neither was to be. The next morning her body was found in the cobblestone courtyard ”“ torn limb from limb, with her heart still pumping blood onto the cobblestones. And from thenceforth the yard was to be known as The Bleeding Heart Yard.

Lost in Translation

2006-04-12T03:20:34-07:00

Lately it seems that the only movies I have watched have been on airplanes, but last night I finally managed to rent Sofia Copolla's Lost in Translation (I know, I know I am late with the movie trends too). While so many films celebrate the glamour of travel, I think she captured the alienation and grind of it all brilliantly””such as the frustration of having 2^nd grade levels of conversations in a foreign country because you can't speak the language, or that feeling of being reduced to a child when shop keepers have to help you count out unfamiliar coins. And sometimes, no matter how glamorous your hotel might be, all you want to do is curl up in bed and watch stupid television re-runs.