The Alewife

A column by Charlie Lieu

Reign of Terror

Scores were killed today in Mumbai/ Bombay (see CNN headline)... I haven't heard from Chaavi, and it's worrying me. At the end of the mass of chaos, nearly 200 dead... it is senseless. The officials say the style is unlike any other terrorist attack before, but India is no stranger to violence of this magnitude.

Terrorism, it seems, has infiltrated our consciousness. Has it always been there? Have we just been blind to it until it reached our soil? And more importantly, how do you change the world to end it?

I hear (wo)men of peace speak of compassion and altruism being the hallmark of humanity... that each of us is ultimately good at the core. When I dared to open my heart, I see it... I believe goodness to be the truth... but I often question if this truth is a manifestation of reality in a society sheltered by civility. Would we all degrade to the lowest common denominator of hatred and fear if the world is to run amuck? I want to believe there is not only light in the world, but that it triumphs over darkness... in the face of terrorism, I feel naive to even entertain that belief. I know there is good in the world... but sometimes... sometimes it's just so hard to hold on to hope when people commit such senseless violence.

How do you fight terrorism? With education? With patience and compassion? At what point do you give up on love and peace to bear arms? And yet, the more I look at our common history, the more it seems war merely begets more war... more violence. How do we forget, forgive, find answers... how do we learn from ourselves, our past and end the reign of extremism?

In a recent address in Boston, Noam Chomsky noted that "changes and progress very rarely are gifts from above. They come out of struggles from below. And the answer to what’s next depends on people like you." Although Chomsky was speaking in context of people hinging their hopes on Obama bringing change (and Obama's cabinet members being the furthest thing from change), the central thesis is applicable to our society as a whole... back to the idea that each of us must be the change we wish to see in the world.

p.s. for those of you trying to understand (as I do) why terrorists targets Mumbai, this poetically written article in the New York Times titled, What They Hate About Mumbai, attempts to summarize and suggests how we might help.

Lieu states her Mass-disgust

Former contributor Charlie Lieu, now living in California, posted these remarks on her Facebook profile:

I HATE MASSACHUSETTS!!!!

This is rich - I just got a letter from the state of Massachusetts telling me that I've been assessed a penality for... get this... underestimating my tax with-holdings for 2007! Not underpayment, not late payment, oh yes, you read it correctly, "under-estimating." SERIOUSLY????????????????

I paid my 2007 taxes on time, in full... but apparently, the fact that my tax due was over $400 (thanks to better than expected investment earnings) is punishable under state law. Where the F--- did they come with this CRAP!!!!!!

If I never move back to that S---HOLE of a state, it would be too soon!

Massachusetts - JUST SAY NO!

Lieu: Out with Honda and in with Aptera

Alewife contributor Charlie Lieu is now in San Diego, but she sent this along:

For at least six months now, I've been touting the Honda Clarity, the first mass commercially available hydrogen vehicle in the U.S., to anyone who remotely cares about this kind of stuff... and a few who couldn't care less.

Counter to my usual MO, I've been so ready to commit by signing on the dotted line, and could hardly contain my excitement. But since April, I've made multiple calls to Honda dealerships around Southern California (only 3 are authorized to deliver the Clarity) as well as Honda America, with little results. In fact, all I've gotten after a recent 2-week concerted effort were hard core dead ends (lack of return calls or complete blackhole of information) and I've hit my limit. I get tons of junk mail from Honda about the availability of the Clarity, but no one seems to be able to tell me how to get one in my hands, or even how to just register for the freakin' reservation list.

Fine.

This isn't the first time my attempt at being "first adaptor" failed.
Back in 2000 I was the first to get on the Prius waiting list, but after waiting six months, and getting a nice note from Toyota about having to wait another three to five months, I gave up - my car at the time (a Dodge) was a piece of crap, and it wasn't gonna make it another three weeks much less three months. So I ended up with my darlin' Daisy (a yellow Xterra). I adore Daisy, she's never caused me an ounce of trouble, but Daisy isn't exactly helping my carbon foot print... so I've been itching to find something as an offset. I thought Clarity was it. I was wrong.

Clearly the Clarity isn't gonna be as clear of a winner as I had hoped - 'cause what's the point of being willing to drop the dough if Honda makes the process clear as mud. Someone at Honda clearly missed their market penetration (or product launch) class in B-school.

What to do?

In the midst of my quandary came the answer. Just by chance I was watching CNN, and they happened to show a piece on the Aptera, a hybrid that gets 300 miles to the gallon; it's expected to win the automotive X prize. Whoa. After some research, I decided that it was a fantastic alternative to the Clarity... and you can reserve the car (12-month waiting list) on their well laid out Web site.

So slightly on impulse (not really) I took my Clarity down payment, put it on the Aptera and got on the waiting list. I'm totally psyched that I live in Southern California where these alternative cars are actually available for sale.

This means that in 2009 I will likely be adding an Aptera to my family. I think the fact that Aptera rhymes with Xterra is a sign. HA - not really, but I'll definitely have to think of an appropriate flower name for the Aptera to match Daisy... may be Lilly given its long white body.

I'm open to suggestions.

Neighborhood Eats by Clarlie Lieu

Pars not the average Persian

LOCATION:
370 Harrow Road
Maida Vale
London
+44 (0) 871 4746663

HOURS:
Mon - Sun Noon – 11:00 pm

COST:
£8-15 / person, credit cards accepted

NOTE:
No disabled access

[LONDON] This month our travels bring us to London, a city with a reputation as one of the most expensive in the world. Yet despite its rap, good values are abundant if you care to look.

Although there are a variety of street vendors offering enticing options; sitting down for a meal is the best way to get a slice of London’s international food experience.

Located in Maida Vale, Pars Restaurant is one of the great under-rated neighborhood eats in a sea of London eateries.

It is known by the locals not only for its great value, but for its solid, authentic and wonderfully flavorful food.
Maida Vale, near the Paddington station (of the “Paddington Bear” fame) and adjacent to the posh Notting Hill, is a northwestern burb of London. It is home to a host of international neighborhoods including “little Venice,” a canal front running through the area. Maida Vale is surprisingly similarity to Cambridge in its cultural and wealth diversity, making it an apt local for finding a suitable Alewife Neighborhood Eats restaurant.

From the outside, Pars blends right in with the bland storefronts lining Harrow Street, but inside, your senses are met by the smell of spices, the sound of music, and the brilliance of Persian décor complete with a colorfully tiled Persian clay oven.

If you didn’t know better, you might think you have been transported to Persia (present day Iran).
The extensive menu features chicken and lamb as the predominant protein variety.

We had to sample as much as possible by ordering the Pars Special Mixed Grill, with an assortment of meat and accompaniments that easily fed three big eaters. Lamb is rumored to be Par’s specialty, but the chicken is equally delicious. The fish is also very good, but be aware that fish of all varieties are seasoned and pan fried whole.

Pars does not serve alcohol due to London’s expensive liquor license, but they do allow you to bring your own for consumption.

Neighborhood Eats by Charlie Lieu

Pepper Sky's Thai sensation

I often think of Cambridge as a provincial town because residents tend to view themselves as part of a community, albeit one that’s quite the cultural hodgepodge.

As townies, we tend to have that one place we like to go on a regular basis: an oasis of humanity where everyone knows our names. Norm had Cheers and I have Pepper Sky’s Thai Sensation.

I have been a fan of Thai cuisine since I was a wee lassie, and thus almost compulsively try Thai restaurants everywhere I go. Hence, it’s no faint praise when I say Pepper Sky’s meals are amongst the best Thai food I’ve ever had the pleasure of having.

In early 2004, Pepper Sky’s spawned from the ever popular Brown Sugar / Similans chain.

A group of employees led by Chudapa Phom Jun, otherwise known as Jan, decided to leave the Brown Sugar fold to start Pepper Sky’s.

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Neighborhood Eats by Charlie Lieu

Quindgao Garden

I love food and I love a good value, so it goes without saying that neighborhood eats make up the bulk of my food outings.

Most people would agree that it is always gratifying to find a downright satisfying meal that doesn't break the bank.

Qingdao Garden fits the bill as the quintessential neighborhood eatery, serving North Cambridge with its northern Chinese style cooking since 1999. In fact, there was a Chinese restaurant previously in the same location. It has fast become a neighborhood favorite and is arguably the most under-rated Chinese food in the greater Boston area.

Having lived in Asia for 10 years, and traveled extensively in 48 of our 50 great states, I can say with some authority that Chinese restaurants in America are neither authentic nor good. In fact, despite my heritage, I always insisted that I hated Chinese food - that is, until a Caucasian friend introduced me to Qingdao. Yes, life can be ironic.

Qingdao honors its namesake, a large Boston-like port city on the east coast of China, by remaining true to the region.

The decor is typical of street front eatery with its white fluorescent lights and diner style furnishing. It isn't much to look at, but what Qingdao lacks in ambiance, it makes up for in universally appealing burst of flavor.