你始終在我心底 You’re My Best Friend

November is Little V's birth month and the year end reunion with old friends including revival of my passion for the rock band Queen with the biopic, Bohemian Rhapsody.  M stopped by San Francisco for a meeting and we splurged at Eight Tables by George Chen.  It was a heartwarming antidote to the soul crushing week at work.

Song pairing:  You're My Best Friend

"Ooh you make me live

Whatever this world can give to me…"

While Mercury's powerful vocal floors any audience, I admire how John Deacon balances tempo, beat and rhythm into one lively musicality.

年末懷舊兼敘舊, 朋友攸關社會心理學, 亦富詩意, 有部眾天生擅長征服 敵人比朋友有趣; 有部眾類偶像自戀, 非讓周邊人人認同不可, 本身卻是心殘缺乏能力欣賞任何人.  某些控制狂 my way or no way; 某些和事佬, 大夥箭拔弩張正熱鬧他她陪笑掉眼淚… 我天生好靜, 加上職場開不完的會見不完的人說不完的話做不完的戲(有紅豆辭的味道!), 生活中便更仰慕思想豐富言行沈斂的朋友, 遠離呱噪批判是非,  雖然往來不頻繁, 絕對珍惜每次相聚.

Mixology by the table, it was rather ceremonial with the chime and smoked wood.  This cocktail resembled the lotus pond of Guanyin.

Song pairing:  Love of My Life

"When I grow older

I will be there at your side to remind you…"

There were numerous books written by Freddie Mercury's former acquaintances about the rockstar's private life except the woman whom he entrusted with his ashes.  Mary Austin has remained silent for all these years. 

月中總算約齊兩位高中同學, 一位自然是Dr. C, 另一位是久違多年的G.  老同學見老同學, 除當年白襯衫深藍V領背心及膝格子裙換今日黑衫修身窄腳褲, 覺得大家都沒變, Dr. C外表溫婉骨子裡好強, 談起她和某位背景相仿的優秀同儕公私較勁, 戰火蔓延至第二代, 無巧不巧, 同在醫學界的G亦認識Dr. C的天敵, 黑色幽默的G逮著機會猛揶揄.

Left:  Jiu Gong Ge, nine essential flavors of Chinese cuisine.

Right:  Four Happiness Caviar Dumpling(Russian osetra caviar, trout roe, day boat scallop, sea urchin)

Song pairing:  Bohemian Rhapsody

"Is this the real life?  Is it just fantasy?

Caught in a land slide, no escape from reality…"

I loved the layers of imagery unravelled with each stanza, Brian May's emotive guitar solo, and the ascending harmonies while all leads to an ethereal finale. 

G重色輕友, 只有戀愛空窗才會浮出水面見人.  高中時期瘋男生, 現在迷女人, 某年暑假約老友喝茶, 電話線上她欲言又止:  LK, 我出櫃了!  年初她與交往十年的女友分手, 旅行療癒, 最近加入交友網站, 迷戀上某位性格美女, 每次約會皆費盡心思手作禮物討佳人歡心… 大情聖, 有你的!

Left:  Barbecue 'Shao Kao'(kaluga on duck skin, iberico char siu, suckling pig sandwich)

Right:  Upside Down Sizzling Rice Soup(poached lobster, bottarga, sea grapes)

Song pairing:  Keep Yourself Alive

"I was told a million times

Of all the troubles in my way…"

A classic rock tune where Roger Taylor's drumming shines and the sensational instrumental showcases each band member's unique talent.

我則迫不急待和老同學們分享胡志明市非常Bourdain的小吃之旅和新學幾句的越南文(全部都是菜名).   想想三歲定八十, Dr. C和G尚存些許本性, 我卻變得狡滑, 這些年愈受傷愈深深埋葬喜怒哀樂.  近來為小V爛成績傷腦筋, LK先生和我讀書向來自動自發, 這孩子物極必反… 想想此餐齊聚當年學霸, 三人的際遇似乎與學業無啥關係.  那晚陪兒子寫報告, 他見母親愁眉深鎖, 握著我手說媽咪我知道了. 不禁嘆息, 倒是個溫柔的傻孩子, 希望傻人傻福能護你一生平安. 

Left:  8 Immortals(lotus chips, matsutake, mountain yam dumpling)

Right:  'Shui Zhu Yu'(black cod, chili bonito broth, pickled breakfast radish)

Song pairing:  Killer Queen

"She keeps her Moët et Chandon

In her pretty cabinet…"

One of my absolute favorite, how Mercury's word play intwines with transitions in his nonchalant crooning just blows my mind.

感恩節前偷得午餐時光與格友Echo聚會首Kokkari, 旅行和搬新家之間, 伊人神采奕奕.  聊著新婚種種不禁哈哈大笑, 物以類聚, 我們皆獨立自主, 怎麼和另一半和平相處乃學習協商良機.  拜Kokkari地中海風格料理賜靈感, 散仙主婦現學現賣, 感恩節晚餐祭出香檬烤肋排和秋柿羅勒沙拉, 色香味俱全不留賸菜, 省卻同火雞纏鬥.

Left:  Red Braised Pork Belly, Dalian Sea Cucumber(shrimp roe, foie gras sauce, wu cang rice)

Right:  Foie Gras Potstickers(mung bean cake, red dates, walnut)

Song Pairing:  Bicycle Race

"You say smile I say cheese

Cartier I say please

Income tax I say Jesus…"

Queen was never political and that's what I loved about their music.  This song always puts a smile on my face with its nihilist humor.  One evening when I was walking from the office to the parking lot, I found myself in a bicycle flash mob with Christmas lights and bicycle bell jingling… thank you, Freddie!

生命還是有禮物, 每次工作挫折到谷底, 沒呼救, 老朋友M總會莫名其妙的出現:)  先是邀我加入已故S教授慈善基金會董事, 適時點醒我抽離利慾薫心的職場, 而後他來灣區開會, 約城中美食新標竿Eight Tables by George Chen嚐鮮敘舊.  當週前臨死期後有追兵, 各項產品偏生品管疑問, 黑鍋誰揹?!  焦頭爛額之際, 三年沒碰面的M瀟灑現身工作室探班, 這情景已是大大安慰.  我不習慣訴苦抱怨, 最怕人說教, 相攜入座專心享用美饌.  侃侃聊起別後種種, 也不得不說, 這人比我更不食人間煙火… 談設計, M竟問在什麼樣的環境空間我會靈感泉湧, 我訕訕:  deadline將至, 狗急跳牆, 鬼點子沒有也得有.  他又問:  人人都該有三個常見面的靈魂知己, 我沒有, 你有嗎?  我挑著眉毛:  啥, 你竟然沒把我算一個? 他笑:  我們見面機會太少啊.  我搖頭:  你小心點, 這種提問別人會以為你要泡他/她, 靈魂知己我當然有, 曹雪芹, 莎士比亞, 芥川龍之介.  他菀爾:  是, 跟你比我是文盲.  寫張書單, 我也來讀! 老朋友親切幽默, 請侍者幫我們拍照, 同樣的淺笑和淡淡藍衫, M和我其實更像手足, 或許存在我們之間的一直是份相惜的友愛. 

Left:  Fermented Rice Sorbet

Right:  Eggplant&Chocolate Gateaux

Song pairing:  Seven Seas of Rhye

"Storm the master marathon I'll fly through

By flash and thunder fire I'll survive…"

The Freddie lyrics paints an entrancing landscape alluding to his exotic birthplace, Zanzibar.  The song was also prophetic of Mercury's commanding power as a rock legend.

小V年幼時很受異位性皮膚炎困擾, 是個磨娘精, 然每回播放I Was Born To Love You, 小人兒必暫停抓癢並咯咯歡笑(果然是我兒子!), 他首部PG13電影想當然爾是陪媽咪欣賞Bohemian Rhapsody.  電影敘事淨化催淚溫馨, 假作真時真亦假的搖滾童話.  現實生活中的Freddie Mercury人如其名激進激情變幻莫測, 精神極度困擾, 官能重度上癮, 私生活堪稱現代版索多瑪城.  他盛年早逝於上世紀末黑死病, 殘酷絕艷.  Mercury殞落多年後我才迷上皇后樂團, 喜歡七零年代中期的Mercury, 黝黑的濃眉和長捲髮, 勾魂的雙眼, 高顴骨完美頰線, 穿著皮草背心搔首弄姿唱著She keeps her Moët et Chandon in her pretty cabinet... 彷彿一千零一夜走出來的精靈王子, 既天真又邪惡, 轉音漂亮飽含張力, 填辭意象豐美, 經典名曲一把攬你入懷共同經歷奇幻旅程.

Our post Thanksgiving dinner at the theatrical Mister Jiu's was delightful.  The esoteric location and chic interior could be a perfect setting for a Wong Kar-wai movie.

11月嚐試的兩家新派中國料理皆戲劇化, 英文版便由華麗菜餚佐幾首我最喜歡的Queen搖滾樂吧! 

Left:  Top - Devil's Gulch Pig Head(kohlrabi, tea egg, amaranth), Bottom - Sea Urchin Cheong Fun

Right:  Top - Dutch Crunch BBQ Pork Buns, Bottom - Crispy Scarlet Turnip Cakes

Song pairing:  Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy

"Dining at the Ritz, we'll meet at nine precisely

I will pay the bill, you taste the wine…"

For Mercury, sexuality is certainly a buffet instead of a la carte…  As a fan, I was more fascinated with his highly stylized androgyny.

Left:  Top - Sizzled Black Cod, Bottom - Frozen Whipped Honey

Right:  Top - Pork 'Lion's Head' Meatballs, Bottom - Tendrils, Greens and Stems

Song pairing:  Radio Gaga

"Let's hope you never leave, old friend

Like all good things on you we depend…"

Bohemian Rhapsody was well paced, sanitized and almost tear jerking, taking more liberty than reflecting truth.  Still I loved it for the calming closure that celebrated love, friendship and creativity.  Little V(his first PG13 movie), of course would not miss any opportunity to challenge his mother:  Why Freddie Mercury died of AIDS?  I was about to respond with "Because Mister Fahrenheit had too much good time for his own good…" and then I plucked up the courage to answer "Unprotected sex, lots of it.  Anyone can get AIDS through sexual intercourse, blood transfusion, sharing needles during drug usage…"