snack

planesnack: eigo o hanase mas ka?

A friend is heading to Tokyo next week. He does not speak Japanese, nor is he the type to go to Berlitz or listen to language lessons on his ipod. But he is the type who plans to have an Ido adventure and eat and shop. I can say from experience, Japanese is not one of those languages, like Spanish or French, where you can bluff your way through just by adding an accent or a couple le's and la's. My Lingolook Japan might be the thing for him. It's a small folio of flashcards with images and words to get you through your trip, petit enough for a purse or suit coat pocket. Given that his gaijin accent will likely have negative impact on what he means to say, the idea is to pull out the cards, point and say - moo sukoshi kudasai. Crystal clear. If the card thing is a bit too cute - there's an electronic version to download to various iphone and pda devices. Lingolook is also available in Chinese and French version. Sore ni shimas!

planesnack: le bernardin big apple bon voyage contest

After surveying and assessing the gift wrap rubble and holiday aftermath, did you get everything you wished for? Almost? Everything except that "enchanted afternoon" with chef Eric Ripert at Le Bernardin? Well, a day of fish with the Frenchman could be yours, if you have the patience to fill out the 31- question survey online at travelgirl magazine (basic market-research type questions about what you spend on travel, clothes, rent, etc.). Though the magazine offers an "attitude" for women "looking to improve their lives by finding and integrating the escape factor," the survey does offer the option of "male", so it seems perfectly fine for traveldudes to enter as well. Deadline is February 28th with winner announced on March 5th. 

planesnack: ode to nature

People often ask where I’d like to go next. At the top of my list is Tennessee. Really. Perhaps you saw my travel story yesterday on Blackberry Farm? As per usual, some things wind up deleted by the editorial-powers-that-be, like my poem from the original draft.

The farm part is 4200 acres at the base of the Smoky Mountains with breath-taking vistas that conjure up those “God’s country” clichés. In spite of my steadfast urbanity, it’s was hard not to be seduced. It’s inspiring. Makes you want to write a haiku.

Real Christmas tree smell

Not cardboard on cab mirror

Nature is pine fresh

planesnack: bbq & bbq in dallas

I’m in Dallas for that big barbeque we go to every year. We’ll make our annual trip to Sonny Bryans. Comments are open if anyone has any must-eats for me or perhaps the low down on the lone star Bastille Day fetes.

planesnack: tube food

 

Faithful snackers may have noticed a bit of a gap between the last two posts. Contrary to your assumptions, I was not being lazy; I was en voyage in Zurich. I tried desperately to find that uniquely special Swiss objet to bring home, and  came up empty handed. With the malling of the western world near complete, what’s the point of paying more to carry home something you can buy on Fifth Avenue? I was a sad shopper until I went to the grocery store. Happily, there are still a lot of regional differences in terms of what people eat, even amongst the offerings of the global brands. Heinz Exotic Sauce anyone? How about the Knobluach? Everything I brought back in my suitcase was edible.

How could I resist the allure of food in a tube? Seems the Swiss have a penchant for it, with everything from pâté-like sandwich spreads to seafood spreads for canapés and chestnut ‘vermicelli’ for making mont-blanc at home (which I intend to do…at some point before the 2007 expiration date). Grab a six pack of rainbow eggs, a  can of budget drink and a tube of tuna and you’ve got a great in-flight picknickeier. Or some very unusual souvenirs.