April is the cruelest month

breeding spargel out of dark land...

Dutch people are obsessed with asparagus during asparagus season, and rightly so...because it is delicious. The difference is that they mainly eat white (spargel) versus green or other types of asparagus. For me the jury is out which one is more delicious. The green variety is generally more flavorful but I like the chubby succulent and translucent quality of white asparagus. They are totally different animals in any case.


Photo I took from the internet.

There are many ways of eating asparagus, and I have eaten it twice now this year. Michiel made a delicious version featuring asparagus with butter sauce, egg, ham, and potatoes on the side. mmm. The other day, I tried making asparagus with anchovies with Jorn. I love anchovies and became interested in using them in food after Inga made me anchovies and runner beans once. Also they remind me of going to Spain, tapas, trying different brands of anchovies out of tins.

Here is the recipe I modified from the UK Times. I think this recipe is for green asparagus.

I left out the lemon zest, parsley, and parmesan because I didn't have any. Also, I peeled the asparaguses so that they would be tender. The end result was pretty delicious, but I have to practice either peeling the asparaguses better or steam them for longer.
It turned out really delicious, though I need practice steaming asparaguses.

Finally, a detail that I have not observed for myself but is a source of complaint and comment for others. As Marcel Proust says, "[asparagus] transforms my chamber-pot into a flask of perfume." Asparagus doesn't make my pee smell! Well according to Wikipedia it does: "all individuals produce the odorous compounds after eating asparagus, but only about 40% of the population have the autosomal genes required to smell them." Damn those nonexistent autosomal genes!

In other news. I brought some MSG back from California and stole a Chinese recipe book from my grandma's house which was stolen from my mother's house. Now I can't wait to try some Chinese cooking. More updates on this to come.

New Regime

I started roller blading after I found a pair in my neighborhood thrift shop for 12 euros. The first time I skated, after 7 km I was totally worn out with blisters threatening to rip up my feet. I ended up taking a tram back home from Rotterdam CS instead of braving it back with Alexander. Today was my fourth time. I went skating with Bonny who skates like a champ. For some reason I keep going with people who hopelessly outclass me. The benefit though is that now I know how to make a circular stop and cross-overs while taking a turn.

After we were done skating, I tried on Bonny's rollerblades which made a world of difference. First of all, they are more than half times lighter than my skates and the wheels were so slick that I could barely skate without fear of toppling over. All this makes me reconsider my hasty decision to buy super cheap skates, especially now that I am picking at my blister as I write this.

Delft, especially the center, is not very good for skating. So I am finally being forced to explore the paved area around the city. It is relaxing to stand above a highway and skate through pockets of cow manure scent. I am still surprised and delighted by the sight of sheep trimming the grass on the sides of the highway.

So anyways, my new goal is to skate everyday for at least 45min. We'll see how long that lasts...It is really annoying to search for a new sport. I have been trying since I stopped fencing. It's run the gamut from badmiton, to cycling, to tennis, to swimming, to yoga, but I think this one might be a keeper.

I also went onto marktplaats.nl and scoped out a pair of skates I am buying second hand + protective gear (same model, different colors). They are a garish combination of orange and black, but it's not about the looks!!!! I am also selling my old pair on marktplaats...Now it seems like the skating fad has set in. Michel also bought a new, used pair of skates from the second hand shop where I found my original pair, and we will convince Fedde to dig his pair out of the closet when we go next.

New pair:


Old pair:



In other news:
Behind in my graduation project.
Behind in my job search.
:[

Boukunde on fire

Grote Brand bij TU Delft

Our Architecture Building is burning down! I can see the smoke from my house around the Electrotechniek Building. Well, I guess that is something exciting to start off the day with. I have closed my windows due to a general asbestos warning. In other exciting news, I'm going to see my sister graduate from Berkeley on the 18th, which means I will be visiting Naomi, Tom, Matt, Mike, etc, etc. SWEET. I'm psyched. Also, I am gonna buy lots of clothes since I can afford clothes here.

This American Life

Kakee sent me this link from NPR. It is pretty interesting.

The Sanctity of Marriage
Divorce Predictor

Now I am running through all my parent's conversations in my head...

Spring updates

amaryllis and basilicum

jasmine, rose, thyme, rosemary

Originally uploaded by raisin.detre

I've been doing a bunch of things lately but haven't had time to record them or reflect on them. Here's a list. Maybe I will go into more detail later.

1. Motel Mozaique 2008. Unfortunately I could only go Friday because I left on tour the following Saturday morning at 6am. My plans to volunteer again, get a free tshirt were not totally foiled though. I did get to watch Holy Fuck in Rotown, and some dude in Schouwburg. Lisa had some chance performer wristbands for us (Inga, Jorn, I) as we left the 1upToys 2 year party round the corner at 10pm.

2. Krashna tour (Saturday 12 - Friday 18). Four concerts in Hamburg, DUT (Denmark Technical University), Malmo, and Copenhagen. Numbers in the audience ranged from 15 to 1,200. It shows that good publicity helps. Also, I think Copenhagen is the most beautiful big European city that I have seen so far. Every nook and cranny is beautiful and filled with character. I performed for the last time in the Aula of Delft this past Tues, playing Rachmaninov's 2nd Symphony.

3. Plants! This is the part I get most excited about. My plants are doing great. When I came back from tour, my basil had sprouted and my jasmine had bloomed. Apparently Vaniek did a better job watering than I would have expected.

4. Beginning of graduating. Yes, I am officially graduating now. I had my kickoff meeting with everyone official and everything. I am excited but feeling a bit overwhelmed by everything.

Movies watched: Species 1, Into the Wild
Books read: Art of Innovation, Debt to Pleasure

Upcoming: See Lanna walk or 1 week in California; koninginnenacht bbq at my place.

Some videos

Some product demonstration videos recorded by Ronald with Robert, Jorn, and I for the AirDrums and AirGuitar developed by 1uptoys.

Spielwarenmesse adventures: [1] [2] [3] [4] [5]

White Stripes - Seven Nation Army



Nirvana - Smells like Teen Spirit





The Cure - Boys Don't Cry

7 days

Here is finally a summary of Naomi's awesome visit to see me (now with pictures). Quickly, before I forget the details! I will definitely not forget biking Naomi around or our awesome power naps. YEAH winterbreak 2008!!!!

Friday
I pick Naomi up from the station. It has been snowing and raining intermittently all morning. I drop her at my house and situate her in Sierd's room. We then bike to Jvb 15 and proceed to fall asleep to the Balls of Fury (really bad movie). By the time the movie is done, the weather has improved. We wander around Delft in the rare sunny moment. We spy Meike and Pieter drinking white beers on some scaffolding outside Pieter's room on the Brabantseturfmarkt and joined them. They are wearing summer clothes to encourage the weather.





We then walk to Marieke's house. She is hosting a sexy tupperware party. Naomi does not need much help with translation. A lot of words are decipherable even in their Dutch form, i.e. penis, erectie. Also the ladies are pretty good at demonstrating. Afterwards we go to Tessa's apartment and soon after call it a night.

Saturday
We go to the market in Delft. I keep skirting the haring stand because I am not ready to eat raw fish yet, so we go to the Vlaanderen at the Beestenmarkt to eat mustard soup and a sandwich first. We are the only idiots sitting outside, but we are well equipped with a blanket spread between the two of us and a heating lamp. Naomi experiences the power of haring.

We go home and curl up on my couch to watch Becket. This time I fall asleep. You can guess what happens next. Nap. We nap until nearly 7pm. We get up, stumble into our dresses and catch a ride from Jorn who is actually here to pick up a crippled Vaniek.

Christmas dinner at Jvb15. Yummy appetizers, cucumber and dill soup, roast beef entree, whisky, cigars, etc. We eat so much we can't get drunk and pass out totally stuffed.




Sunday
Is Easter morning/Christmas morning. We wake up to snow. We run outside with winter wear on, but the snow stops. Everyone eventually wakes up and we have an egg hunt outside. We then make an effort to clean the kitchen a bit. Michiel sets out the butter lambs and we have breakfast. Kakee joins us, and shortly we leave to go make custard and meringues at Kakee's house. We stay for dinner and then return to 15 to watch Black Cat, White Cat.

Monday
Second easter in Dutchland, everything is still closed except grocery stores. Hoi-Kee takes us to a nomadic architectures exhibit in Den Haag. We ride around in old people carts, eat tostis out of trucks, color blocks, and wander around the parking garage turned exhibition space. As we get progressively colder, we decide to leave. We wander around Den Haag, drink tea in a tea-room and then wander some more. We walk by the palace and we buy groceries from the Albert Heijn in the Hague. We eat fish, bok-choi, and beet salad for dinner.

Tuesday
We wait for the weather to get better and head to the market at Rotterdam Blaak. There, we find the second hand market and we browse for granny sweaters and boots. We both get awesome sweaters. Before that we buy some fish and one of numerous stands. Naomi gets yelled at for touching tomatoes, and we stock on for provisions for dinner. It is Inga's birthday so we invite her to dinner with Pieter from the scaffold. We bake the fish with paprika, garlic, and herbs stuffed in the stomach. It's delicious to eat fresh fish from the market. Inga goes home to conduct and interview and get ready for her birthday, pre-birthday celebration. We go to Inga's house to celebrate. I fall asleep on the couch.

Wednesday
Naomi and I decide to make a cake for Inga who we will see later in the day. After browsing for 2 seconds on Epicurious, we decide on carrot cake. We then spend 30 min looking for a recipe that only involves baking powder and no baking soda. On the way to buying supplies we climb the Nieuwe Kerk in Delft. We hastily make the carrot cake and head to poker and guitar hero at Vishalls. Naomi makes funny faces while playing.

Thursday
Jorn and I have an AirGuitar and AirDrums presentation at school. It totally fails. I won't go into details. I am sick and in a bad mood, so we watch an afternoon of Beverly Hill's Cop I and II. Because Thursday is Meisjesavond, we make boullion and onion flavored rice for the burritos theme. We eat huge burritos at Ambika's house with Katrin, Kakee, and then drink beers in the Locus Publicus. Naomi packs, and we watch a movie before sleeping.

Friday
We ride the train together to Schiphol. I have a meeting in Amsterdam and she has to catch her flight. Goodbye Naomi.

Naomi really made me miss America. Compared to the others in our now fragmented group, she has really found a place that she likes and hangs out with Tom and Matt often. I was inspired by her visit to finally go see how she, Tom, Matt, Mike are living on the Westside. Coincidentally, Lanna will be graduating and I will have to go there anyway.