Home cooking re-loaded

I've discovered that when I cook I should close the kitchen door to keep the spicy vapor and heat away from the air conditioned rooms of the apartment. Then I swing open the balcony door (just off the other side of the kitchen). It's like a mini sweat lodge in there. Cooking becomes meditative because I can't wander round the apartment or fiddle with my phone while I'm shut in there and all I can hear is food sizzling, cicadas in the garden next door and the far off hum of the city. I emerge in a blissful warm, spicy bubble with a steaming bowl of curry.

This is a vegan, organic Thai green curry I made for myself this evening. It turned out great considering I'm not a Thai cooking expert. I was delighted to find that it was spicy enough to melt paint.

There's a gecko in my pencil box

The first fixture for my studio here, a cutting table (which is the temporary 

home for absolutely everything)

It's true, there was a gecko in my pencil box today when I opened one of my art cupboards. Starting Monday I am back to full time school online and am saying good-bye to the Tai-Tai life at least till late May. In an attempt to treat school more like a client I've decided to track my entire semester with time management software and I've put a dollar amount on the hours I track. I'm curious to see how many productive, billable design hours I can do when I go full out for that long. I'm also curious to see if I can get by with only putting in 12 hours a day. If I succeed I get to sleep at night and have weekends. If I fail... well I'll be back to living on coffee and trying to be productive after being awake 20 hours at a time. It will be interesting either way.

Sounds like Singapore

There is nothing quite like going for a walk after an evening rainfall. I captured this using the memo app on my iphone4.

Stacy and Stacey

When I landed in Narita the other day I went to the connections desk for my boarding pass and after an hour and a half I was handed one with the wrong seat number on it. "This isn't my seat" I said handing it back with what little tact was left in me after the long line-up. The exasperated flight attendant said "Plane full" to which I also pointed out "my name is not right." It was true. My name was there but it was missing the e in both my first and last names and I had a different middle initial. She snatched the pass back and typed in my last name with the 'e'. "Ahhh, you are right" she said tearing the boarding bass in half and printing another. With my new pass in hand and window seat secured I wandered into the lounge wondering "is there another person on this flight with my name?" It's one thing to find another Stacey but someone with the same last name too and in Japan?

After sitting on my laptop for a while catching up on emails I became aware of a young couple sitting near me who were discussing their trip to Singapore. I was intrigued and asked them if this was their first trip here. We had a nice chat pouring over maps and I dished advice till we needed to get on the flight. Feeling that we should try to connect during their visit the girl reached into her bag and produced a business card. I took it and gasped. Not only had I found the other Stacy but we were the same age and both headed for Singapore. Crazy!

I actually started to piece together who she was at this point as I had run across a name twin when I was checking my website googleability and had seen a site for a singer. This is she, and she's playing in Singapore this week for all you expats in the hood.  http://www.myspace.com/stacyclark

Return to Singapore

Victoria, SF, Narita, Singapore. In that order. My flight home was virtually uneventful and I slept most of the way. I had window seats and skinny neighbours and kind people who put my carry-on luggage above for me since I'm too short to do this myself. I dislike flying without Joel mostly because of the dreaded stowing and un-stowing of luggage, and having big sweaty guys (who should have bought an extra seat) spill into mine and snore the whole way. I understand a woman somewhere has to put up with you, it's not me. This aside, I'm a good flyer, and generally don't particularly care if I actually have company or not since as mentioned, I take a few Nyquil and sleep and sleep and sleep.

Joel was waiting at the airport looking gleeful but tired as we were an hour late and he's usually long asleep by 1:30am. Had a restful sleep and headed out this morning into a glorious sunny day to get an iced coffee. It was one of those perfect walks where the sun trickles down through the trees creating spotlights on iridescent green plants. Shop owners unroll their awnings and roll their goods out onto the sidewalk as I pass by and there's a smell in the air of baking soil and concrete. It's not overly hot or humid right now, maybe 28 degrees with around 70-80% humidity. I'm so happy to be home.

Snow day

The final thing I wanted to do before leaving my homeland was to play in the snow so we trekked up a mountain today and did just that.

On the road again

Joel is heading back to Singapore after spending the past few weeks working from Montreal. Meanwhile, I've been 3000 miles away still helping out on the home front but also doing online course work.  In the past two months Joel and I have barely spent two weeks under the same roof. It's often this way for us but frankly it's starting to wear a little thin. I'm counting down my last week here before I fly back to Singapore too.

Despite my eagerness to be home, I'm less than thrilled about the long flight. Plus, I seem to be bringing a huge box of bike wheels (Joel!!!!) and a big hard case filled with artwork, kitchen gear and half a dozen pairs of Havaianas. The TSA is going to have a heyday if they look in my bags. Not that anything is at all illegal, it's just I don't think many other people are traveling with... well bikes tires and copper pots.

Driving in a blizzard at night

Driving in a blizzard at night from Stacey Clarke on Vimeo.

In case anyone thought Joel was the only one experiencing Winter. It's also snowing in Victoria. Do I miss snow? Um, no. Next question.

Montreal

Mounted Police in the snow

Ice formations, Mt Royal

In Montreal on business for a few more weeks. It's beautiful but I wish Stace was here.
-Joel

Sunset on Dallas Road

Sunset along Dallas Road, Victoria. Taken with Camera+ on my iphone 4

Happy New Year

Sidney waterfront walkway