While most of us are dreaming about Turkey right now, hot, basted and pulled from the oven,
there are those in Iceland whose mouths are watering over a different meal: rotten shark meat. Sound delish to
you? This
wonderful little
video takes us to Iceland, where rotten shark meat is considered a delicacy. The process is discussed in some
detail: the shark is killed, the meat is hacked off into a vat, it is allowed to sit and rot for over six months, and
then voila! there it is on your plate. As you might imagine, rancid shark meat is an acquired taste, the kind of thing
only Scandinavians could love.
Talking Tapas
When I was living in Spain years ago, I became wildly addicted to tapas. At one point, I would head out alone into
Madrid’s streets in search of the best place to eat them. And in the end, the best place serving tapas, I actually
found in the North, in San Sebastian. Strange, that. Well, causing me to reminisce about tapas, this
NPR story about a tapas chef coming to the
US is worth a listen.
Visit the Other Jersey
Show of hands for those who can honestly tell me where Jersey is located. I’m not talking about
our beloved New Jersey presently suffering from identity issues as
Kelly kindly put it yesterday. The Jersey I’m speaking of
is the tiny nine by five mile island situated in the English Channel, northwest of France. It truly felt
as if I had made this huge discovery finding the detailed tourism website devoted entirely to the
island. And perhaps I just need to peel my own eyes open a bit more, but why is it I never read about this other
Jersey with incredible day walks,
cycling, and
fishing in mags or newspapers? Obviously someone is aware of the
tremendous amount of history, activity, and culinary delights to be found in Jersey. Who are they? Where do they
come from? Where do they go?
For those of you (like myself) just tuning into the island, I point you to La Fete de Noue
Christmas Festival running from November 26 – December 11, 2005. There are several other events listed on the
festival page, but this one sounds best for the holidays. The streets of St. Helier become illuminated with white
lights, paving an almost magical path for late night shoppers searching for perfect holiday gifts.
During this time visitors can also take guided walking tours to learn about the history and natural landscape of
Jersey. The walk includes stops at historic castles, old graveyards, and dark country lanes. Sounds a little spooky,
but for the most part I imagine it to be quite dreamy.
Lost My Heart in…
I’ve enjoyed The Guardian’s clever little series they call
“Lost My Heart In…” where they
ask folks about their favorite city. Quick and dirty, they give the low-down on places like Rome, Antarctica,
and Antigua. There’s a discussion of food, great places and what would consist of a person’s best day. As I say,
clever. In this one,
well-known (to some…um, not me, though he has remixed artists from Simply Red to Snoop Dogg) DJ Paul Oakenfold, talks
about Shanghai, China.
One for the Road: The Unknown City
We’ve got a double scoop today — a new book and matching
launch party too! Helene Goupil at InsideOut Travel
reminded me that tonight is the party to celebrate the release of
San Francisco: The Unknown City. Helene and Josh
Krist have created a one-of-a-kind guide to the darker side of the city, complete with historic details of scandals,
murders and prison escape attempts. This alternative guidebook has the scoop on secret sex clubs, opium dens and
karaoke rooms around town.
Secrets. Intrigue. And tonight, mysterious cocktails too. The authors invite folks to come drink the “Unknown City
Cocktail” at the Bambuddha Lounge. Copies of the book will be on sale at
a discounted rate. In you’re in the SF area, stop by to celebrate!