Tuscan dining

Thursday, June 5, 2008

You know those Italian meals you hear about? The ones that go on forever, course after course, accompanied by rivers of wine and then more stuff? Well, we had one of those last night. And miraculously I didn’t die. In fact I’m awake enough at 9:00 in the morning to tell about it! No hangover. No headache! I do believe in miracles.
So yesterday (Wednesday) was a conference outing day. There were about 50 of us – maybe 44 mathematicians, 5 spouses, and a lovely tour guide called Laura. We spent a big part of the day in Lucca which is separated from Pisa by mountains (Monte Pisano). We learned about the great rivalry between the folks of Lucca and those of Pisa. Pisans hate everyone, we were informed. In Lucca we walked along the city walls – a 4 km stretch with great views and lots of greenery, but we only did about a km. Then we entered the old city and took in the highlights. Narrow streets, beautiful piazzas, towers, Roman and medieval architecture and Renaissance churches make this little town really charming. It’s also the birthplace of Puccini which excited me and this year it’s the 150th anniversary of his birth. There were cafes with names like Turandot and Tosca.

We spent the late afternoon in a little village called Montecarlo which is perched on the slopes of a mountain. From here there are sweeping views down to the plains. We got a tour of the imposing fort which is now someone’s private home.

Then, at 6:30 we got taken to a wine farm just outside Montecarlo. This was where we were booked for a prepaid dinner. Again, views from the farm were quite stupendous. Lush fields (it’s been raining a lot), vineyards, olive groves, wildflowers like broom and red poppies. The air was heavily scented with star jasmin, white lavender, and a special lemony mint bush which seemed to grow everywhere.
At the farm we were seated at long wooden tables in a ‘cave’. At each table of about 15 people there were 8 bottles of wine – whites and reds – produced right at this farm. We were invited to do a ‘tasting’. So we dove into it with gusto, having been hard at work sightseeing all day. Plates of antipasto arrived – bread accompanied by cold-pressed olive oil and aged balsamic vinegar, bruscetta, sundried tomatoes, olives, prosciutto, and slices of cheese. After this came a Tuscan soup – ribolleto – delicately flavored and delicious. This hearty soup is made with cabbage and lots of veggies, and thickened with white bread. I was now on my 4th wine – the 1st red – and loving it. After the emptied soup bowls were taken away, the primi piatti – pasta course - arrived. Of course it was home-made pasta – parpadelle – with a light tomato sauce for the vegetarians. Heavenly as would be expectd. I tried to get through as many of the reds left to sample through this course. A robust red was on its way for the main course!! The company around me was getting increasingly animated. They seemed to have no trouble chugging down the wine. The main course arrived – a mushroom terrine (I think - it was brown and tasted meaty, but we were assured it was vegetarian!) for the vegetarians. Meats of various kinds for the carnivores. The robust red – a pure Merlot – arrived. It was quite special – dry, a little smoky, with hints of blackberry on the nose. Excellent food, and bloody good wine.

At this point me and the folks at my table were engaged in a long discussion about Obama and Hillary. Sitting beside me were a German mathematician living in Illinois (Champagne-Urbana) and a woman mathematician from New York who was an ardent Hillary supporter. Across from us were three young male mathematicians - a Polish, a Belgian, and a German from Berlin. I can’t remember anyone’s name. The woman was pissed that Hillary lost. She was convinced it was because of sexism. When I pointed out that Obama had trouble clinching the nomination because of racism, she denied this. “Oh no. Hillary had a lot of supporters, that’s why the race was so close.”
“But, look who voted for her, and look who voted for Obama?” I pointed out.
She wasn’t budging.

The three Europeans were quite intrigued by the whole affair. They related stories of meeting Americans who claimed not to be racist, but said to them, “I can’t bring myself to vote for a black man.” They laughed. “Americans don’t even know when they are being racist!”
But, clearly, this exciting period in American politics is causing a lot of excitement in Europe.

By now my tummy felt like a lump of lead. The main course dishes were cleared away. Bottles of Vin Santo - a dessert wine – and plates of biscotti for dipping in the wine arrived at our tables. We obliged. And just as we were about to collapse the grappa arrived. We were told that grappa is a digestif – necessary after a meal of heavy eating and drinking. So, of course, we gulped down the grappa. Finally, shots of espresso came around. Not for me – I don’t do caffeine at night. A meal that started at 6:30 and ended at 10:30!

Now here’s the funny thing. I had no trouble standing up and walking to the bus. I didn’t feel tipsy. My speech was still fine. And I don’t have a hangover this morning. Go figure!

Photos of the trip will be on Facebook. If you aren't my "friend" yet, you may ask to be invited!

Ciao!

Italy

June 2008

Ciao from Italie! Yeah, yeah, I know. I see the shock on your face. You’re thinking, “But, didn’t she just get back home after traveling for eight months?” Hey, it ain’t my fault. My good fella that I sleep with got me the ticket – free – using frequent flyer miles – while I was still in New Zealand. I was, of course, unable to protest – even for appearances sake. So, here I am, in delightful Pisa, the dutiful wife, accompanying her husband on a math conference trip. We’ll be in Italy for just over two weeks. After Pisa we’ll go into the Tuscan countryside south of Siena, where we are renting – no, not a villa – one of those agriturismo thingies - a holiday house. We’ll be joined by two mums and bubs. More on that later.

Anyhoo – Italy – well, anything I say about it won’t be original …
We are staying at a charming hotel – the Hotel Victoria – a historical landmark – right beside the River Arno and plop in the middle of the historical center. Just around the corner is Piazza Garibaldi where you can find the best gelato place in Pisa – La Bottega – which we had discovered when we were here six years ago. You might think it’s luck, but I’m suspicious. Tbh my belief is that the only role luck plays in this is that Daryl booked us at the hotel closest to this gelateria and it just so happened to be a great hotel!

In the last two days we chugged down calories like it’s nobody’s business. How can we not indulge in bubbly, smoky pizzas and creamy gelatos and Chianti Classico? We tried to burn as many of those calories as we could circling the leaning tower and the Duomo and marching along the Arno.

If you have to spend a week in an Italian city you can do worse than Pisa. It’s got a terrific historical center and a vibrant café scene. Ah, the delightful cafes of Europe. I’m so lucky that I get to nip out to Europe every summer for a few weeks and ‘do’ the café thing.

Yesterday – Sunday – was Republic Day – and we thought we should go to some interesting nearby place for the day. Lucca would have been the obvious choice, except for the fact that the conference organizers have set aside a day for this gem of a town. We consulted our guide book and the description of Livorno was good so we took a bus out there. It was when we got off the bus that we realized the guide book we had was a disappointment. In the last 4 or 5 years I’ve been using Rick Steves' guides. He was great on France, especially Provence and the Cote d’Azur. He was also fine on Eastern Europe. But the last couple trips Daryl complained a lot, so this trip we decided to get something different – Hunter Travel Guides. I should also mention that I was beginning to get irritated that Rick Steves had such a monopoly on European travel guides. Everywhere in Europe I’d been to in the last few years most of the travelers were using, you got it, Rick Steves.

In Livorno when we got off the bus, we couldn’t quite figure out where we were. Rick Steve’s guide would have had a map of the city center that would have worked to get you to a TI and to the main tourist sites – as well as to his recommended hotels and restaurants. Anyway, we found a TI after meandering around a bit. With a map we explored Livorno, which has quite a large, active port, but we could find nothing charming or interesting. A series of canals run through the center and flanking them are Renaissance buildings. Nothing much was going on and we couldn’t even find a decent café. Rick Steve would have told you whether a place was worth visiting or should be skipped! He isn’t always right, though. Last time in Italy we ignored his advice on skipping Bologna – thankfully. We loved it – and it has some of Italy’s best restaurants. But Livorno does not deserve a visit – nor even the amount of time I’m spending writing about it! So Hunter Travel Guides suck!

Regarding costs and the ‘bifocal’ dollar (you can buy *f* all with a dollar) we have been surprised to find Italy less expensive than we expected. A veg pizza for one person at a decent restaurant is around 5 euros (in Santa Barbara it will be $10 or more). Gelato is 1.50, a glass of wine at a café sitting outdoors is 3 euros (in SB it would be $5 - $8). Cappuccinos are a bit pricy – 3 euros a cup. Gas is $10 a gallon – ouch!

That’s it for now. Stay tuned.

Ciao Bella!

Memorial Day Weekend

On Memorial Day me and my liberal buddies sipped Fat Tire beer out in the garden while our organic veggies that we bought from the local farmer's market were grilling on the barbecue. We mused giddily about a post-Bush Obama presidency and about an America we can soon be proud of for the first time in our lives. Yes, we are unashamedly Obama's voter base. We don't notice race or gender. We are graduates of top colleges. We drink fair trade coffee (note: we are not the Starbucks' crowd!). We eat fair trade dark chocolate. We pay attention to food miles. We drive small Japanese cars. We wake up to NPR's morning edition. We love Jon Stewart. We hate Monsanto, Rupert Murdoch, people with bumper stickers that say "God Bless America", and WalMart.

How optimistic are we? It's hard to say. We know that this is the year for the Democratic Party. It's a no-brainer. Yet, we fear the racists. If Obama loses the election, what a shameful day it will be for America. Oh, how could we then be proud of a country that proves how little progress it's made? How painful to know that something as superficial as a few pigments would have determined a disastrous outcome. Yes, race isn't just color, I know. But in Obama's case it is. He is culturally white, having grown up in a white home. He sought out, consciously to develop a black identity later in his life. So, he is truly biracial. What better candidate to unify a country as diverse as ours?

So me and my buddies soaked up the California sun and ate delicious food. The scent of jasmin filled the air and the humming birds and monarch butterflies fluttered about among rock roses. It was the kind of atmosphere that made you feel good and optimistic. I smiled with pride as I pictured Barack Obama taking the oath of office.

Have you read my book yet?

I need a break! Wait, wasn't this spring supposed to be a break? Heck, you might think that once your baby (aka book) has found a home, your nurturing of it is over! Oh no! Once that baby hits the bookshelves, your work has only just begun. Sigh! If only they told me this before I became a writer. Oh well, I like my target audience - young teens. So, it's been fun going to schools and telling them about PATH TO MY AFRICAN EYES. Juggling my time between school visits, writing, gardening, and home projects, it's been one heck of a busy spring.
One of the most shocking revelations to me as I go from class to class is how few kids have heard the name Nelson Mandela. Then again, considering that many of them tell me that Martin Luther King, Jr. freed the slaves, I guess it isn't that surprising. What is happening to our kids? I blame it on eight years of GW. No child left behind, indeed! LOL.


I've had some pretty enthusiastic audiences who were pretty jazzed to have an author talk to them. They were full of questions.
Heres a sample of a question and answer session:

*What inspired you to write this book?

I grew up in South Africa, which is very much a western country. For a long time we had a white government which practised a system of racism called apartheid. After South Africa became free, black people had access to economic opportunities, resulting in a growing black middle class population. In recent visits to the country of my birth I observed that the kids of these wealthier black families are now attending formerly white school. These kids are becoming culturally 'white'. They seem to reject the traditions of their tribal relatives. It got me thinking about how confusing it must be for these kids. I, myself, as an Indian, growing up in a white dominated country, but surrounded by Africans, experienced quite a bit of confusion about my identity. The theme of identity confusion seemed like an interesting topic to explore.







*Is the book autobiographical?

Oh no. Thandi grew up in post-apartheid South Africa. She's had a privileged upbringing and a secure family life. I grew up under apartheid and all through my childhood I believed I was inferior. My parents still feel they are inferior to whites. It took me a long time to figure out the absurdity of this. But a lot of the struggles and challenges Thandi faces in a white dominated society are familiar to me too. So, in the book, I have used personal experiences, but the story is complete fiction.

*How do you go about writing a novel?

When I have an idea for a book I spend a long time thinking about my main character. My stories tend to be character driven rather than plot driven. I think of a character in particular circumstances and then it's easy to give him/her a problem to wrestle with. Once I've got my character and his/her problem nailed I draft out an outline in a notebook. I write down what the main idea for each chapter will be. I get together with my writing buddies and we have a brainstorming session. This leads to more ideas. Then I start my first draft. Once I've got a chapter written down my brain begins to churn out new ideas to add. I usually think about the story all the time - when I'm gardening, cooking, driving - so, when it's time to write the next chapter I'm ready to go. Getting feedback and being in a critique group is really important to me at this stage. My writing buddies tell me whether my ideas are working or not. You see, it's very hard to be objective - for me anyway - about my own writing. With each new chapter the story keeps developing. By the time I've reached the midpoint the rest of the chapters flow easily. In other words I know what the big idea for each subsequent chapter should be. Actually constructing the sentences may sometimes become challenging. Sometimes I think about all the lovely things I could be doing instead of sitting in front of the computer. When I'm really having trouble I get a hold of books that are similar to what I'm writing. I look for writing styles I admire and read them for inspiration. Good books with strong characters and clever language always fire me up again.

After a completed first draft, I usually go through several revisions before I feel the manuscript is ready for an editor to look at it.

Yes, yes.
Writing. Why do we do it?

Book Talks

In the last couple weeks I've been going to schools to spread the word about my cool book PATH TO MY AFRICAN EYES. My first visit was to Anacapa School in Santa Barbara where I was a guest at their Breakfast Club. I addressed the entire school - from 6th grade to 12th grade - as well as the staff. Boy, was I nervous! But the audience was so fantastic. I could tell from their faces that they were enjoying what I had to say. They responded, asked questions, and requested a reading. I read for about 8 - 10 minutes after which they gave me hearty applause. They certainly made me feel like a celebrity. What an awesome school!

The next school I visited was Solvang School. I did four talks there in 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th grade classes. The kids were great and I do love discussing with them the craft of writing. So I started out by asking them what they knew about South Africa. I said, "Write down whatever it is that comes to your mind." Here is a list of typical responses: animals, hot, desert, jungle, villages, tribes. Needless to say, I had to work really hard to make them understand the kind of life the book's main character had led as a middle class child in Cape Town. After explaining to them that Thandi's everyday life wasn't much different to theirs, I asked what problems they thought she would encounter on her first days at a California school. I was very impressed with the responses I got. Almost all of them felt that Thandi would encounter racism. "You really think that we still have racism right here at our schools?" I asked. They nodded, much to my surprise. "You think people would make her feel bad about her color right to her face?" They hesitated on this one. "Well, maybe they would gossip about it," some kid said.
Even after I described what Cape Town is like - a modern, world class city - they still had a certain stereotypic 'African' image of Thandi. They imagined that on the first day of school she would have dressed in traditional clothes that other kids would make fun of. They also felt she would have difficulty with academics. So I said, "Why? Do we have the best schools here in America?" Silence. So I said, "Be honest now. I'm a writer and I want to know what you really think. Who thinks America has the best schools in the world?" Nobody raised hands.
Anyway, it was a lot of fun for me to interact with the audience for whom I wrote the book. It is depressing how little American teens know about the African continent. And hopefully books like PATH TO MY AFRICAN EYES will help enlighten them!

An Author I Are!

Well, guess how I spent my Friday evening? Like so many folks the world over, I too was at the Border's Bookstore near me. But I was sitting at a table near the front of the store signing my book. And my books were actually put on a visible display case. Of course I'm not kidding. Take a look at the photos. Now ain't that the coolest thing? Everyone at the store was fussing over me and customers were delighted at meeting and talking to a real author. So I smiled a WHOLE LOT and chatted and DIDN'T CRINGE at the ignorance that exists out there (Cape Town is a not like Karachi!) . I keep wondering why I write and does the world really need another book, etc. But when I realize how little people know I not only want to write, I want to shout out what I write!!! Lordy lordy lord. I'll never be able to change the world. Do I look famous or what!!

New topic: Zimbabwe.
Hey, I was wondering, isn't this a golden opportunity for Mbeki? So Mugabe seems to be having trouble manipulating the election results in Zim this time around. Clearly, the people have spoken. So why isn't there any intervention from the outside world? Mbeki is the best positioned leader to bring about some sanity in Zim. Imagine how much respect he will gain from all over the world. Right now his popularity ratings are abysmal. It's so bad that even the Women's League supported Jacob Zuma for leader of the ANC. Mbeki is in his home stretch now as leader and he can leave with his head held high if he stepped in and solved the election crisis in Zim.

Africa on my mind

Current mood: Irritated. Lynne Duke, in her book MANDELA, MOBUTU, AND ME pisses me off, okay! Another self-righteous westerner condemning the African continent. And she's a black sister too. Well, high yeller actually. Duke spent four years (1994- 1999) living in Johannesburg as the Washington Post's bureau chief and covered the years when South Africa transitioned into democracy under Mandela. She wrote a book describing her experiences and observations. I found that while she nailed many issues quite accurately, her harsh criticisms and cynical analyses of Mandela and the TRC quite shocking. It was as if she hadn't fully comprehended what Mandela had inherited. She hadn't fully grasped the consequences of the apartheid government. In fact, I doubt she really understood apartheid, a policy far more damaging than the segregation that existed in the American South. Her musings are in stark contrast to Donald Woods' RAINBOW NATION REVISITED. After reading Duke the reader is left depressed with the feeling that Africa is a lost cause. Don't waste your time holding your breath. African leaders can't lead and the people just don't have what it takes for a successful society. That's how this sister makes you feel when you read her book. Donald Woods on the other hand, makes you feel quite the opposite.
South African society and politics is so complex and yes, there are many, many problems. The incidence of violent crime and the high level of tension under which people live is quite a downer. Politicians don't seem to have their priorities straightened out and the nouveau riche don't seem to feel a need to reach out and help their fellow citizens. It would be easy to dwell on the negative aspects and get depressed over it. However, when I think back to my two months in the country at the end of '07 I recall delightful days. Warm, hospitable people, gorgeous scenery and landscape, beautiful parks and gardens, outstanding cuisine, first class service, and solid infrastructure. I saw signs of improvement everywhere. Despite the bleak newspaper articles, the country is moving forward. For example, whereas in the past blacks were denied a basic education, today the universities are full of black students who will soon be part of the workforce and live mainstream middle class lives. I feel optimistic about South Africa's future. I see your shocked faces. But what about Jacob Zuma, the new ANC leader, you ask? Yes, I know. I'm afraid things might get worse before they get better. But they will get better. I know this because each time I travel back to the country I notice changes for the better.