It's been such a long time since I've written a decent post..I miss writing. I'd like to share some details about my weekend, if you'd like to hear.
I woke up at noon yesterday morning, too late to catch any of my usual Saturday morning infomercials about MagicBullet and the like. Instead, I spent the day lounging around, eating yogurt and granola. At night, my parents and I went to this (new, for us) sushi place called Tachibana. The wait was 30 minutes long, but it was worth it once the appetizer came around. I ordered the monkfish pate, which, coincidentally, had the slightest taste of albacore tuna, but just enough as to not initiate my gag reflex. The texture, on the other hand, was a dream, as creamy as any caramel candy. It's going to become one of our favorites.
I tasted raw sea urchin for the first time yesterday. It had a certain bitter component, kind of like Chinese medicine. The only way to describe it is...sterile. But, I am very glad I tried it.
Tachibana can be described as a little hole in the wall. But upon entering, a collection of awards and plaques greet the visitor. It is a local favorite of the politicians who navigate through Capitol Hill because of its freshness (they import fish straight from Japan). My favorite item is the clam. It tastes so much like the sea, embedded in it the slightest hint of salt water; no vacation required.
The sushi is extremely fresh also. It reminds me of the sushi I had in Tokyo a couple of years back when I visited the dinner buffet downstairs from my then hotel, the Grand Palace, I believe. Of course, this was half the price of the food there. I'm getting into the habit of excluding the soy sauce. I think it takes away from the freshness of the fish.
Today, I visited Crate&Barrel and it revived my dream of living in the french countryside with a large, organic vegetable garden, chicken coup in tow. Entering the store was like entering the Willy Wonka factory. Rows of pristine silverware, kitchen utensils, napkins, glasses... It was amazing. Of course, leaving the store empty-handed is a sin.Tonight, I'm testing my new potato masher, and lighting tea candles in my new vase. If only I could live there...I'd brew fresh espresso every morning for the employees and set the display tables perfectly, just so none of the spoons touch each other. I'd paint the world colorful with my cheese platter and kitchenaid.
My parents and I also visited our favorite cafe, which ironically, lies in the scarier part of town. My mother sipped on a hot chocolate with mountains of whipped cream, and my father and I nibbled on delicious tea cakes. The conversation there dived deeper than any we've had for a long time.
It's in the Parent Job Description to tell us how amazing we are or, how far we'll travel. Hearing those words, though, I have to admit, made me tear up a bit. Not because it's the first time I've realized that they believe it, but that it's difficult for me to believe it. Amidst my family friend circle, many many many children achieve things so much greater than I do. They go to Harvard and Princeton and Yale and never forget to come home for Christmas. How can I compete? I didn't even get an early decision acceptance. Being deferred affected me deeply, it so penetrated that after two months, I'll still in a haze. It's difficult to consider it anything else than a rejection of who I am as a person. Am I good, but not that good?
I recognize this to be an incongruous comparison, but this is my first rejection. The door is shut for now. Perhaps I should learn to celebrate myself some more. It's just so hard to that in January.
