Culture amidst the storm–

BOOM!  Storms of all kinds are brewing all over the planet, and we have a particularly good one happening here in Hong Kong at the moment.  Nevertheless, culture marches on…people gotta dance…songs gotta be sung…poems gotta be recited…and music has gotta be played. . .yes indeedy-dee.

The Cantonese/Chinese people here are full of life and vigor and goodness. . .a storm hangs over the harbor yet none of these things are ever tamped down inside the inhabitants of this great island/peninsula city-state.  Every day people are laughing and singing and eating great food and drinking lots of beer and wine and doing their best to enjoy the passage of time no matter what kinds of storms pass overhead be they meteorological, ideological, political, etc.. . .mmm, aaahh!

Where all of this struggling with storms leads to no one knows, but we do know this: the struggle will never end until there are no people left anywhere on the planet.  Life is struggle. . .enjoy it, embrace it, and you will be good-to-go.

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It’s lovely out there.

Dis place is gaw-jus!

JAAA!  The hallways here in The Peninsula of Hong Kong feel like geometric time/space portals leading us infinitely deeper and deeper away from wherever we are standing–though we are simply always right here, right now. . .wow, that’s heavy stuff…I gotta lay off of the rice liquor.

The lobby of The Peninsula looks just like it did way back in 1928 when this place opened. . .another time portal that connects us directly from here to then, a mere 89 years ago.  I can feel the vibes of all the people who have walked through here, sat here, chatted here, snacked here…just like I am doing right at this very moment with my tasty Peninsula Lobby Club Sandwich and wonderfully strong coffee. . .mmm, aaaahh!

We are all connected to everything around us. . .we humans are all interconnected with all folks from the past and all folks to come in the future.  What an honor that we get to exist right in this very moment. . .just a short time here, I know, but so much fun to soak it all up…luxuriate in everything…and know that wherever this is all going, it’s gonna be ok…it IS ok…and it shall be ok forevermore.

Just sending you some minor thoughts from the magnificent lobby of The Peninsula Hotel here in the Kowloon section of Hong Kong. . .feel them. . .they may make you smile for just a split second or so.

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It’s lovely out there.

Cozy gobbling above The Fragrant Harbor–

POW!  We are hungry…my wife’s work colleague invites us out to dinner here in the Kowloon section of Hong Kong…he chooses a place called ‘Hutong’ in a tower high above the city streets…we are very happy with this choice–hao-hao!

Hutong specializes in northern Chinese food–Beijing-style, some might say–and everything that we gobble here is delicious.  Northern Chinese food is mildly seasoned with aromatics and herbs and spices that tantalize our noses and our taste buds before, during, and after each bite. . .I tend to prefer Szechuan or Hunanese-style Chinese cuisine–food with more of a kick–but the subtle and multi-layered flavors of Beijing-style grub are absolutely worthy of our attention.

With the overcast nighttime skyline as our backdrop, we ingest slightly spicy razor clams, special spiny lobster, braised short ribs, delectable codfish, a soft-shell crab chili stir-fry of sorts, slightly spicy shrimp fried rice, special garlicky kale stalks, and a dessert of green tea, oolong tea, and tofu ice creams–EVERYTHING is tasty and delectable…we are extremely happy. . .and all of this is washed down with a couple bottles of Sancerre–PERFECT!

The atmosphere of this restaurant is in the style of the old hutongs of Beijing–a hutong is an alleyway of old houses and shacks that millions of people used to live in throughout Beijing and beyond, but these are now considered old-fashioned and most of the original hutongs of Beijing have been plowed over to make way for new highways, apartment buildings, and office towers all over the capital of China.  Hutong the restaurant is an homage to these alleyways and the food of the north of China. . .totally worthy of a visit if you ever find yourself wandering around here in Kowloon lookin’ for somethin’ good to jam into yer belly–jaaa!

I send you lip-smackingly satisfying vibes from Hutong…feel them…they are good for your skin and circulation.

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It’s lovely out there.

#1 hotel…Hong Kong–

MMM!  The Peninsula on Salisbury Road in the Kowloon section of Hong Kong gets our vote as the number one hotel in town–hao-hao!!

This place is OUTSTANDING.  Everything is smooth and easy here. . .the location is wonderful with magnificent views of the the Hong Kong skyline across the harbor…check-in is simple and efficient–no b.s. of any kind…the lobby is resplendent and pretty much the same as when the hotel opened back in 1928–great people watching while sipping coffee and gobbling a snack…the walls and hallways are crisp and pristine…the rooms are simple, focused and totally digital–one i-Pad controls EVERYTHING from the temperature to the window-shade configuration…the beverages and food and amenities are all tasty and top-notch…and the staff are all sweet, friendly, and totally switched-on. . .mmmm, aaaahh!

We could stay here for a long long time and never tire of the warmth and welcoming feeling that we are experiencing each and every moment. . .but we will have to leave soon and move on to some other destination and some other adventure. . .until then, let’s eat, drink, be merry, and sleep well.

Please consider staying at The Peninsula the next time you visit Hong Kong…you will love it here, too–I gar-ron-taaaaayy!!

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It’s lovely out there.

Viet Nam in Manhattan–

BOOM!  I finally made it to Indochine, the ultra-old-school place down on Lafayette Street in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan here in New York City, and WOWEEWOWOW!!–I love it here.

Indochine dates back to the go-go eighties in New York when The Odeon was big and it was all about the bright lights and the big city and conspicuous excess and cocaine and Jay McInerney and Andy Warhol and Studio 54, etc. and so on.  Brian McNally created this restaurant after he fell in love with Viet Nam. . .the magical wall paper is transporting–I feel like I am sitting in a countryside restaurant somewhere in deepest darkest Indochina–jaaaa!

In true McNally fashion, the service here is GREAT…the food is extremely TASTY–we gobble the pho bo, and it is actually delicious and reminiscent of the best bowls that I have devoured in Ha Noi and Ho Chi Minh City. . .we also ingest a big ‘Vietamese bouillabaisse’ that is wonderful…crispy spring rolls–delectable…and whole fried red snapper that is mouthwateringly good. . .damn, so much fun to finally eat in this joint.  Everything is washed down with glasses of whiskey and rose–xin cam on!

So, yes, I am quite behind the times, as usual, but better late than never, right?  Right!  Please consider making your way into Indochine located on Lafayette Street right across from The Public Theater. . .the place is full of all kinds of ‘New York’ types–dudes in sparkly shirts, rail thin model-looking chicks, business dudes and dudettes, ladies of a certain age hanging at the bar, amazing spot-on staff, tons of tasty food, drinks to fit any palate, and a classic glowing McNally atmosphere and vibe. . .lots of fun–you will love it here, I gar-ron-taaayy!!

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It’s lovely out there.

Dinner at the sexy bar…NYC–

POW!  Time to sip some whiskey, gaze through a martini glass to see Lady Liberty struttin’ her stuff in an aquarium, gobble a delicious asparagus-egg-terrine appetizer, and while away magical moments in the presence of the sexiest painting to adorn a restaurant anywhere in Manhattan. . .mmm, aaahh!  What an honor to be alive right NOW. . .what an honor to breathe this air and eat this food and drink these drinks RIGHT NOW–woweewowow!!

Raoul’s down on Prince Street in the Soho section of New York City remains one of our favorite dining spots on Earth. . .please consider popping into this place if you ever find yerself wanderin’ around lookin’ for good grub in these parts. . .you will enjoy every second of your time here–I gar-ron-taaaaayy!

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It’s lovely out there.

Spring din-din…NYC–

BAM!  Spring is a-poppin’, and it is time to ingest some delectable goodness over at Rafele located on the corner of Seventh Avenue and Morton Street in the West Village section of Manhattan here in New York City.

I am sucking down the fritto misto–a tasty mix of fried calamari, shrimp, veggies, and herbs doused in lemon juice. . .a pappardelle with housemade ragu–JAAA!. . .and a delicious dessert mixture of chocolate cakiness and gelato–mmmhhmmm!  Everything is washed down at various points with a negroni, a Tuscan red of some sort, and a limoncello.  Saluti!!…time for bed and some cardio in the morning–“thumbs up” gestures from my bartender/server above as he supervises my way through this meal.

Rafele does a great job of providing nutrition and easing the passage of time for all who pop into his wonderful dining spot. . .please check it out some time. . .you will love–I gar-ron-taaayy!

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It’s lovely out there.

 

So fun to be back–

BAM!  Yes, fun to be back in America’s Dairyland: Wisconsin. . .the land of rolling hills, limestone blocks, gigantic tractor tires, conveyor belts of every size and shape, and tons of fresh air–mmm, aaaaahh!

I just read yesterday that Joe Bonnano, one of the heads of New York’s notorious five crime families in the mid-to-late 20th century, was the owner of a cheese factory up near Green Bay.  I am sure that they produced lots of tasty cheddar while doing all of the other things that led to the demise of Joe and most of the other members of that thing of theirs.  But what a fun thought: the Bonnanos driving around Wisconsin, eating in diners, chillin’ with the local cheeseheads, and breathing the fresh air all around them. . .niiiice!

Wisconsin draws all sorts of people. . .some stay, some leave, but all are impressed with the atmosphere and good vibes.  Please consider visiting this state some time. . .it’s a great place to look for America–jaaa!

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It’s lovely out there.

Whiskey, burger…Dubuque–

POW!  We’re sippin’ on whiskey at The Lift on Main Street in Dubuque, Iowa, and it is quite delightful. . .the perfect way to wash down our favorite burger–so far–in the Midwest of the U.S. of A. served up at Paul’s Tavern over on Locust Street just a block away from Main.  The Paul’s Tavern cheeseburger is cooked on a cast iron skillet right behind the bar here, topped with raw chopped onions and some pickles…add a little mustard, and you are good-to-go with burgery deliciousness. . .mmm, aaaahh!  This thing is simple and to-the-point…plus, it costs $3.25…add a bloody mary, and the whole bill is about 8 bucks…leave 2 bucks for a tip, and you are a SUPERSTAR!

So, if you ever find yerself tourin’ around out in Midwest America, then I highly recommend a visit to Dubuque, the home of The Lift and Paul’s Tavern. . .these are exactly the type of places that you are lookin’ for when you want to feel like you are finding something called “America”–jaaa!

To see more stupendous images from around our teeny tiny planet simply click on a location of your choice in the category menu on the ‘About’ page of this blog. . .do it. . .so much to see and soooo little time.

It’s lovely out there.

Dubuque is ALIVE–

BAM!  The sun is shinin’…spring is a-poppin’…and we are soakin’ up the good vibes here in Dubuque, Iowa–jaaaa!

The local brew, Duber, is flowing nicely, which makes us veddy happy because this gives us fuel to take in a few important sights here: old photos on the wall of a welcoming Italian joint…so many folks have lived so many lives that no one knows a damn thing about anymore, but we have nothing but gratitude toward these people who helped build this interesting little town…Dottie’s Cafe is still serving breakfast in a crisp corner building on Central Avenue and 5th Street even though Dottie passed away many moons ago–mmm, aaahh!…and the Hotel Julien is still rockin’ ‘n’ rollin’ long after Al Capone used to cool his heels here whenever things got too ‘hot’ for him back in Chicago–what a grand ol’ building, yes-indeedy-deeee!

Please consider popping into Dubuque for a day or two the next time you find yourself touring in the midwest of the U.S. of A….you will love it here, I gar-ron-taaaayy!

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It’s lovely out there.