My Name is Red by Orhan Pamuk

Well I just can't do this book justice, it was like being back at school where I wanted to ask the teacher questions of what exactly is this trying to say. I feel like it went up and beyond me and I think it has a lot to do with the way it has been written or translated anyway. It actually took me a while to read and I had to struggle at times not to give up as I really wanted to grasp it's depth and meaning but at times I felt I was losing. So I guess I never really lost myself in this novel to fall in love with it.

Strangely though I know I have to recommend it. The story itself has many levels of different themes. At it's heart it is a murder mystery set in the late 16th Century but the question is why was someone murdered? On it's second level it's about the philosophical differences between European and Islamic art and a clash of cultures in times of change. There is a lot of discussion on art and it's detail is impressive so if this is your topic of choice it will probably have high appeal. Mingled in between are themes of love and identity. 

So its a bit slow and offers a challenge but it is an interesting read.

It's the little things

Let me introduce you to my new favourite thing. Yes it's my little clock radio. Ok it's not officially mine but belongs to the hotel where we have been staying for the past two months but we have grown so close over the past two weeks. It has started serving many little uses to make my life a little bit more pleasant. It is much nicer to wake up to it's soft musical tones rather than a ringing alarm in the morning. I can now listen to a little music at night before I fall to sleep and after I take my shower and getting ready to go out. It's great for those lazy Sunday mornings when you just can't be bothered to get out of bed!

It's all in the little things. It's such a nice distraction that I think I might have to get one when I get 'home'.

Winter Warmer

Yes it is strange talking about it being winter at the end of May,but that is what you get when you live on the other side of the world. In Auckland there was actually a weather warning because of all the expected rain! Well I guess it can't be nice here all the time. The point is though when the weather gets colder I always feel for food that is going to warm me up. One of my favourites is a big bowl of soup...on the menu last night:

Pumpkin Soup

Most of the recipes I found doing my usual trawl through cookbooks and on line had similar recipe, mine was heavily influenced by Annabelle White and her presentation on the breakfast show which you can view here

I melted a lob of butter with some olive oil and added a large onion and 3 cloves of garlic both chopped obviously. Then I added a tsp of ginger and some coriander. Fresh is probably best but I was working with what I got which was ginger in a jar and dried coriander which ain't that bad to be honest. Then I added the pumpkin. Then I think my favourite bit which really adds a kick to this recipe is a tbsp of curry powder...heat and flavour galore! Once it softened I added a few cups of chicken stock, all depending really on how much soup you are aiming for. And no I did not make my own chicken stock but go for it if you are so inclined and it will probably make a huge difference. Then you let it simmer till the pumpkin is nice and soft. I am a fan of smooth soups but I do not own a hand held blender so out came the potato masher...hence the lumps in the picture ( hubby thought it was lentils....hmmm possibly an interesting addition?). At the end I lobbed in some parsley and serve.

Tada...a winter warmer that goes down a treat!

Green Spaces, Auckland, New Zealand

Auckland is a city which usually gets harsh reviews from those who visit for short periods and I guess you can't blame them if you consider the experience of NZ as a whole. Auckland in comparison does not have as much to offer. What I have quickly come to realise though is that the experience of staying here for an extended visit and a holiday are very different.

I usually have a lot of free time on my hands during the week. This free time has given me the opportunity to explore this city of Auckland and the more I experience the merrier I am. What I have quickly come to realise is that you are always pretty close to a park and I love it. It is because there are usually kept pretty clean? Is it because you are not usually intimidated by local alcoholics or drug users? Or is it simply because even though summer is slipping away you still get so many beautiful days that draw you outside to experience them? It is great to know you don't have to go very far to sit outside for lunch in the sunshine...I am full of vitamin D!

Western Park, Ponsonby

Maungawhau, Mount Eden

Myers Park

Alberts Park

Western Springs

Auckland Domain

A small selection of my favourites...one of my favourite things...Auckland's green spaces!

The Yacoubian Building by Alaa Al Aswany

So it is not often that I ask my peeps on facebook to recommend me some books...actually the response was a bit dismal but at the same time it proved very effective as I got some interesting recommendations. That is books I had not yet read from authors I did not know. I loved the idea of heading into a new realm of literature that I had not experienced before. So I toddled along to the library in eager anticipation of finding my recommendations. Of course not only did I find the two books recommended to me but I also found a few more that sparked my interest. The challenge now of course is to read them all before they are due. So the reading list is as follows:

1. The Yacoubian Building by Alaa Al Aswany
2. My Name is Red by Orhan Pamuk
3. Children of the Revolution by Dinaw Mengestu
4. Shanghai Baby by Wei Hui

So it only took like a week and I quickly made my way through the Yacoubian Building. I don't know what it is about finding out after reading a book that it has also been made into film but I think it has something to do with the fact that now I am blogging I am actually reading up a bit more about the books I am reading. Honestly not something that I usually do as reading for me is purely a personal enjoyment and bad reviews don't usually sway me if I have decided to read something.

A book about a myriad of lives in Egypt it in no way ever disappoints. An eye opener on the many different facets of Egyptian life, it's culture, it's religion and it's politics. It is full of sadness and also of simple joys which to me is a pretty good description of life. I don't know if it make sense to others when I say this but Al Aswany speaks the language of the people in this novel which draws you in and really makes you feel a part of the character's lives. It's depth is in its simplicity.

Highly recommended!

Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert

So I go to Italian classes every Monday and usually at the start of class we discuss what we have been doing at the weekend. OK no surprises I usually just have one sentence to say 'Ho lavorato!' One of the ladies talked about the book she had just read on recommendation by another classmate and both had rather conflicting views. One thought it was a rather patronising story and the other thought it was the best she has ever read. Oh how I love a book which causes conflict so I immediately put it on the need to read list. If it is one thing I need to know when it comes to book is make up my own mind. Then of course it appeared that soooo many people had read this book except me and it was one of those books that you can never find in the library you actually have to request it. So what was I missing:

In the title it is described as "one woman's search for everything". OK never mind that this woman was only in her early thirties and was already having a life crisis...that alone scares me a little as I am what I always thought as only in my thirties with my whole life ahead of me. Then to find everything she has to travel to 3 different countries to find it, why can't you find these things at home? Anyway..........

So I pretty much delved into the book and must admit found myself really loving it. I could identify so much with her Italian experience and the humour was great, I actually laughed out loud. But then I must be honest that the enthusiasm really waned when she went to India and Indonesia. It maybe got a bit too spiritual for me and it lost pretty much all it's humour and I just could not identify any more. The only bit I enjoyed in India was Richard from Texas and well not much about Bali. She found what she was looking for and I got to read about it. I dragged myself through it pretty much to the end of the book. It was a personal journey though and I guess that it will more than likely offer something different to everyone. I think she is a pretty good writer though and am possibly curious about other things she has written to not completely write her off my interesting authors list.

But never mind what I think...I just realised today that now it's been made into a movie so it must be good to someone right. The trailer for your pleasure....

The importance of an oven

One of my favourite things is cooking, so how can you tell me am I going to survive 2 whole months without an oven. Yes my new abode is definitely humble, it is one of these long stay hotel apartments. For all you bakers out there this probably does not apply but do you really consider how much you use your oven until you lose it! *Sigh* It was bad enough when I lived in Glasgow having to survive without a freezer but this is living above and beyond natural. Actually for people who don't love cooking it could be even worse...no chips! Now though I suddenly have a microwave like that should make it all better *hmph* So I guess if anyone has any handy microwave recipes please share it with me!

10 things I love about my oven

1. 
   
   I can bake cakes
2. 
   
   It makes pizza night a reality
3. 
   
   Baked Whole Fish
4. 
   
   Roast Potatoes
5. 
   
   Okay I admit it....CHIPS!
6. 
   
   Home made bread
7. 
   
   It usually comes with a grill...hehehehe
8. 
   
   Melted cheese on toast
9. 
   
   I can cook a whole beast...I mean a turkey or a chicken (thank goodness it's not Christmas)
10. 
    
    Ok I could not find a 10th but you know what I mean right!