My mom sent this postcard from Kabul to her grandma (my namesake) back in Illinois in 1965.I love the description of the photo:Afghan national dance or “Atan” is exciting and full of pep. This photograph shows a few people from the suburbs of Kabul, the nation’s … [Read more...]
Archives for June 2010
My grandparents’ first trip abroad, 1948
I visited my grandma yesterday and came away with old travel brochures and postcards. I'm so excited, I can barely sit still.After my uncle reached for this menu, casually propped against a few books on a shelf, he peeked inside."This is from their first trip," he told … [Read more...]
Book of the week–The Concubine’s Daughter
I'm always on the lookout for new voices in Chinese literature. So when I came across The Concubine's Daughter by Pai Kit Fai (St. Martin's Griffin, 2009), I was game. And that's what I read this week.The story follows the daughter of a concubine in early 20th century China … [Read more...]
Happy Dragon Boat Festival!
Happy Dragon Boat Festival! Oh, what I wouldn't do for zongzi, delicious bundles of sticky rice stuffed with red bean paste (photo, left).Called Duanwu Jie in Mandarin, the festival is celebrated in China, Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, and Chinatowns around the world. … [Read more...]
Wired
Yesterday I dropped my mom off at the airport for an early morning flight to Tokyo. As we left the house, I asked if she had everything:Two carry ons Netbook Blackberry Kindle Receipt for cell phone she'll rent at Narita Wow. Is it possible to travel these days and not stay … [Read more...]