Pavlova-Mania

Okay, I haven't actually gotten as far as making one, but I've been thinking about it for a long time. Specifically, since I started making ice cream and needed something to do with the egg whites. Other than throw them away, which is what I've *been* doing. But only after assiduously putting them in an airtight container in the fridge with the intention of making Pavlova out of them, and then leaving them there for weeks (or months, if we're being honest).

I think you're missing the point. Maybe I've never made one. Or eaten one (again, with the honesty!) But pavlovas are awesome. They're going to be big. And crusty. With a marshmallowey center.

The Long Da Svidaniya

I've never been all that fascinated with Russia. The literature's depressing, it's cold, and the cuisine seems to be fairly meat-centric. But lately Russia seems to be popping up everywhere. Russian poetry to be exact. I don't know what that means, but thought I'd say it now so that later I can say "я сказал вас так." And, hey, it turns out that Russian poetry, unlike Russian novels (shudder), is pretty darn good.

Oh, and you should definitely get a copy of Regina Spektor's Begin to Hope immediately. Unless you hate innovative, catchy, good music by a talented singer-songwriter. In which case... you shouldn't.

www.amazon.com, $13.99

Now that I can do the I-told-you-so dance (which involves a lot of hip shaking and some jumping about from foot to foot) about the whole lemon thing (exhibit a: July's House Beautiful, exhibit b: the new Bigelow lip gloss at Bath and Body Works) the question is...what next? In a word, lychee. I had never eaten fresh lychees until my recent trip to Thailand, but I did my best to make up for lost time. And now I've discovered a source IN GREENSBORO. That's right, it's the fabulous, fantastic Super Mart. Yay!

Lychees, however, will not be featured at the family Thanksgiving. I don't think my family is ready for that.

Super Super Mart

For some people, grocery shopping is a chore, but I love it. I love the brightly colored stacks of produce, the obscure condiments, the olive bar, and most of all, the inherent potential in all those choices. Yesterday, I found my Mecca -- a grocery store specializing in Asian and Latin ingredients, and not just a cramped little corner store, but a huge store full of stuff I had never even seen. Even better, full of stuff I *had* seen and hadn't been able to find in the U.S. The next time you're in little old Greensboro, NC, check out the Super Mart at Fanta City on West Market Street. Some of the treasures I found included: Kirin Afternoon Tea (Japan, something for which I've been searching for a decade), guarana (Brazil), S & B Golden Curry Sauce (Japan), fresh lychees (Southeast Asia), and G7 3 in 1 coffee (Vietnam, pictured left).

Favorite Products

Between the economy and the election, I think we could all use a little dose of frivolity. And make-up. Hence, the list of all time favorites -- the few things I have found myself purchasing more than once being the fickle cosmetics junkie that I am, always on the look out for the next great thing.

Speaking of the economy, the first item on the list is an absolute bargain. Wet N Wild lipliner #666 (I know!) at your local drugstore for 99 cents. That's right, less than a dollar and it looks good on virtually everyone. You can wear it with a variety of lipstick colors if you not only line but fill in your lips with it because the color is close to that of a natural lip tone, and filling in with a lip liner will make your lipstick last longer.

You Won't Find National Treasure 3 Here

I don't *technically* own a DVD player, so maybe I shouldn't be writing this, but several months ago I found a very cool site, GreenCine, Netflix for those who are too cool for Netflix. Sure, Netflix used to be cool -- before everyone had tried it. Now, there's an online movie rental company for those who have tired of Netflix and/or given up on mainstream cinema. Perks include obscure movies not available on Netflix, member lists and interesting articles if you're looking for a rental inspiration, and a wittily written FAQ page. Witness:

" Green Halo
Some members have green boxes around their icon in the message boards. The green "halo" denotes a GreenCine staff member, who has stepped out of lurking mode to respond to a message. Note: In real life, GreenCine employees don't actually have a green box around them. This would be very cumbersome and make getting around rather difficult. They do, however, faintly resemble their icon pictures."

www.greencine.com

Crema de la Crema

I know it's getting a little cold for this (okay, I started writing this post five months ago), but since the beginning of the summer, homemade ice cream has been my latest obsession (second only to the Blackberry, and now, Facebook). I've made two flavors -- caramelized banana-cardamom and orange dulce de leche. I've read a lot of recipes, articles about ice cream makers, and have fantasized about the various obscure concoctions I could create. Of course, I won't be making vanilla. The more unusual the flavor, the better. Avocado, check. Muhallabia, courtesy of the Moosewood Cookbook, check. The White Mountain electric ice cream maker I picked up at a yard sale two years ago has churned up amazingly creamy stuff. It's ridiculously loud and somewhat messy, but for five bucks, it was a pretty good deal. The dulce de leche, which I made last weekend, had my dad and brother planning a new career in artisanal ice cream for me.

If you, too, would like to join in the ice cream obsession, here's an interesting article to get you started: http://www.slate.com/id/2121378/