Known for its vast and beautiful landscapes, sheep shearing and for being the shoot location of the Lord of the Rings movies, New Zealand is definitely on the list of places to visit. Travel and Leisure (January 2010) takes us into the far reaches of this country with an intimate look at the people and their stories.
So says a fun article in Travel & Leisure's January 2009 issue. When you travel and are looking for a keepsake or memento to remind you of your trip, don't buy stupid things like postcards, snowglobes, shotglasses or keychains. Buy 'unsouvenirs' or random objects that will jog your memory not because they were simply bought there, but because locals actually use them. If you're smart, you can find something that may even provide some utility back home. Onion keeper anyone?
Best places to look for things like that are: supermarkets, pharmacies, hardware stores, cookware purveyors, etc.
Food &Wine Magazine, in their March 2010 issue, had a great travel article on Istanbul featuring some good-looking Turkish recipes. It mentioned Chef Mehmet Gürs and how he thinks it best to see Istanbul by water from a boat on the Bosphorus strait. I'd have to agree - definitely looks like the way to go.
Coincidentally, today's NYTimes restaurant review was of Daniel Boulud's "Boulud Sud" a newish spot on the UWS close to Lincoln Center. The menu is decidedly Mediterranean with influences from Sardinia, Greece, Tunisia, Gibraltar, Beirut, and the region in general. One dessert in particular was mentioned (credited to pastry chef Ghaya Oliveira of Tunisia) - grapefruit givré- featuring Turkish delight, confections made of a gel from starch and sugar dating back to the Byzantine Empire.
Below is a video clip of Boulud and Oliveira preparing the dessert.
Most famous for being half of the "Siskel & Ebert" duo of film critics, Roger Ebert has most recently been involved in a Twitter controversy after sending out a distasteful message in the wake of Ryan Dunn's death (MTV's Jackass). This Esquire profile talks of his battle with cancer, his love for Chicago, film and his dear friend Gene Siskel.
In their March 2010 issue, Details Magazine had a cool feature and interview with Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana of D&G fame to celebrate their 20 years on the fashion scene. I personally don't own a single D&G article, but I do acknowledge and appreciate their longevity and (sometimes out there) style.
MJ featured a story on Fergus Henderson, arguably one of the most influential chefs alive today affecting some high profile cooks on the scene (think David Chang and Mario Batali). His philosophy of "nose to tail" gastronomy is kind of gross in reality (he works primarily with offal, often discarded innards and odd animal body parts), but conceptually important and fairly important. He is founder of St. John restaurant in England and most of his dishes are sourced primarily in traditional British cooking.
Also in MJ's February 2010 issue was a profile/interview with Jeret Peterson, one of the world's most innovative freestyle skiers. It detailed his troubled past and desire to remake himself and rebound from his deep depression. A few months ago, he was found dead in his Utah house of an apparent suicide.
I've already mentioned that I wanted to visit Vancouver. Also in MJ's February 2010 issue was a mini city-guide offering readers the best places to catch the games, eat, drink and enjoy the city.
Before he retired earlier this year (due to stalled negotiations with new parent company Comcast), Dick Ebersol was the man on the ground responsible for NBC sports programming. He was most known for his aggressive negotiations for Olympics broadcast rights on NBC properties and is frequently credited (or blamed, depending on who you ask) for dramatizing the coverage and creating the "story." Last February, in their February 2010 issue focusing on the Vancouver Winter Olympics, Men's Journal conducted an interview.
