It's Rockin!

So the other day I was JONESING for one of my favorite dishes in the world. Yes, jonesing is a strong word, but that's the best description I can give you. Sort of like the players on Celebrity Rehab who jones for media attention, Oxycontin or coke, I jones for Nobu's Rock Shrimp with Creamy Spicy Sauce. Hello, my name is Kathy and i am addicted to rock shrimp.

So my lover and I headed to Nobu 57 so I could satisfy this Thursday night craving, and in true Kathy fashion, ordered my very own dish since it was clear from the get go that I would not be sharing. At that moment, it was just me and the shrimp and there was no coming between us.

What's so special about the shrimp you ask? Well, it's all in the sauce my friends. (That's what she said). Doesn't hurt that the shrimp is fried (I speak fried fluently). But the sauce is the decadent player here. It is one of Chef Nobu Matsuhisa's signature dishes and its creamy spicy sauce has every ingredient from white pepper, to grapeseed oil to vinegar! It really is a delectable delicacy that once added to the shrimp tempura, its a perfect union made in Japanese heaven.

Now, I once read a fascinating article on the sushi/sashimi food industry in Japan, and they referred to Nobu as "the Disney World of Japanese restaurants for Americans" (not verbatim BUT basically saying that Nobu isn't what the Japanese consider a model for their cuisine). At least for me, Nobu is the happiest place on earth. But food is based personal taste and on individual dining experience and frankly, I have had some killer meals at Nobu. Rock Shrimp with Creamy Spicy Sauce is just the tip of the iceberg.

Here's a treat for you. Because I am a foodie at large and not a chef (but hey, maybe you are!) Here is the recipe for the Shrimp Tempura with Creamy Spicy Sauce straight from Chef Matsuhisa's Nobu Now recipe book. Give it a whirl. Enjoy and Good luck!

Here's to you. Here's to me.


Ingredients
CREAMY SPICY SAUCE
enough to coat 1½ lbs of shrimp
1 egg yolk
½ teaspoons sea salt
couple grinds of fresh white pepper
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
100 ml grapeseed oil (or other very mildly flavored oil)
2 teaspoons chili garlic sauce (Tobanjan)

TEMPURA BATTER
1 egg yolk
200 ml iced water
100 grams all purpose flour

SHRIMP TEMPURA
1½ pounds rock shrimp, or peeled and deveined “large” shrimp cut into thirds
tempura batter (as prepared below)
Splash of Yuzu juice (or lemon juice)
Chives
Vegetable oil for deep frying

Directions
CREAMY SPICY SAUCE
Make the by whisking together the egg yolk, salt, pepper, and vinegar, and then very gradually whisk in the grapeseed oil. Start with just a few drops of oil at a time until your emulsion is well formed, then increase the oil to a small drizzle, whisking all the while. Once the mayo is thick and all the oil has been incorporated, add the chili sauce and check for seasoning.

TEMPURA BATTER
Lightly whisk together all ingredients to make the batter.

SHRIMP TEMPURA
Peel and de-vein the shrimp, cut large shrimp into bite-sized pieces.

In a heavy deep pot (we use a le creuset dutch oven) place about 5″ of oil, and with the aid of a Taylor Classic Candy and Deep-Fry Analog Thermometer , heat to 355℉ (180 C). Working in batches, dredge the shrimp in the batter and gently place 2-3 handfuls in the hot oil, fry until lightly golden, about 2 minutes. Scoop shrimp onto a paper towel covered sheet tray to drain and repeat the process until all the shrimp is cooked.

Place the cooked shrimp into a large bowl with the creamy spicy sauce, and toss to coat. Splash with a little yuzu juice, sprinkle with chopped fresh chives, and serve.

That's the way the COOKIE crumbles..

This is not just any ordinary cookie. It isn't some manufactured and processed baked good for mass consumption at big chain grocery stores. Don't be fooled. This my friends, is a sugar coma-inducing, diabetically sinful piece of heaven.

This is the ever so delictable Momofuku Corn Cookie. It is orgasmic. Every bite of this cookie is perfectly chewy, with just the right amount of corn flavor. A little sweet with a dash of salty. Yums!

It's a fancy cookie. Good bye Chips Ahoy (It's not you, it's me) and hello Momofuku!
You're mouthwatering and I just want to make out with you.

Here's to you. Here's to me.

Kathy.

Live!

One of the many things I love about this city is that in every corner, every crevice of this town, there is always something amazing being created, some new life form taking shape. So rewind to a couple of weeks ago while I trekked downtown for a Latina Magazine photo shoot. In the lobby of the building, there was some sort of photo exhibit amidst a canvas of white going on. Being naturally chismosa, I had to find out what was going down in the artsy space.

First I noticed some very familiar, and eerily raw celebrity portraits that have graced the glossy pages of some of fashion's popular magazines- Vanity Fair, Harper's Bazaar, and Elle to state a few. The images were killer. Some makeup and hair chairs were set up in the back, and well you know, that gets my attention every time.
So after a couple of minutes of small talk with a colleague from the past, she introduced me to the man behind art, British photographer, Rankin. Down-to-earth and pleasant, Rankin has photographed such famous faces as Britney Spears, the Rolling Stones, The Queen of England, and Madonna. So I was easily impressed off the bat.
After some amicable chit chat with Rankin, I came to learn that he was in New York conducting his project, Rankin Live! The introspective project takes random pedestrians off the streets and transforms them into subjects behind the lens. Quick and basic hair and makeup are done, and voila! You get the chance of a lifetime- a mini photo session with one of the biggest photographers in the world. Not one to let any of my bubbling supermodelo urges to be ignored, I jumped at the opportunity to get my 15 minutes of fame!

A little nerve-wracking and refreshingly entertaining, Rankin was easy going so it helped the nerves. From the 20-30 images snapped, he picks out his two favorites and you walk away with two 8x10 photographs to hang in your boudoir, or if you're me, framed for display in my entrance way bookcase.

To all you photographers out there! There's a starving model on the UES ready, willing, and able to be your muse!

Here's to you. Here's to me.

Kathy.

Welcome to Planet Pit!

My love affair with Pitbull (real name Armando Christian Perez) began when I first heard him on the Ying Yang Twins "Salt Shaker.” I knew instantly that I was listening to a rising star and his new album, "Planet Pit," justifies my initial instincts .

But before I break down the new disc, which drops on June 21, let me give you my reasons as to why Pitbull has what it takes to dominate in a competitive music industry, which produces countless amounts of clones and manufactured artists.

Very few artists have that x-factor and Pitbull oozes originality and talent when it comes to his lyrics and his sound. He is the real deal. Musically, he has the power to get your a$$ on the dance floor and escape the hardships of reality by making you lose control and get a little wet n' wild with your inhibitions, even if for just a little while. His music just does that to you. I mean, the man has ruled the Billboard charts with each of his singles and he has a bulletproof formula to his music that generates loyal followers all over the globe. Moreover, his impressive collaborations with artists like Jennifer Lopez, Marc Anthony, Lil Jon and Enrique Iglesias, just to name a few, are further proof that Pit is a solid-gold genius that other artists respect and value in the music community. Mr. 305 is a hitmaker. Caso cerrado. (On a sidenote, what would make my Pitbull dream come true is a collaboration with Miami's reigning dance queen, Gloria Estefan. Que dices, Pitbull?!)

As a Cubanito from Miami of Cuban immigrant parents, his music is deeply rooted in his culture and gozo de vivir, and that is what I love most about him and the product he puts out. When I listen to an artist, I want to be able to connect and vibe with that artist and their energy. And Pitbull's music does that to me. As a fellow Cubanita from Miami, his music makes me feel at home. He is the unofficial mayor of Miami and his music breathes the tropics. From freestyle to salsa throw backs and booty music mash ups, he kicks it old school without compromising the genres and meshing them as his own flavor. He fuses all these amazing hooks and lyrics and what's born is a sensational melting pot of vibrant melodies and dance hits. His energy is contagious and it's like a jolt of Cuban coffee when he gets on the mic and it tastes oh so good!

When I got my hands on “Planet Pit,” I was at work, sitting at my desk in between shoots. I should have opted for a more appropriate non-office setting for my first listen, but I simply could not wait. What ensued next was me dancing around my office, fist pumping to EVERY single song on this album.

Yes, I had already been ridiculously obsessed with "Give Me Everything" and "Hey Baby"- both on a constant rotation on my iPod, so I wasn't surprised that I became quickly addicted to some of the other tracks on the album. "Rain Over Me," featuring Marc Anthony, is en route to become another smash hit. These two have such electrifying chemistry - Anthony with his killer vocals and Pit spitting Spanglish lyrics - that only a Cuban white rapper (move over Eminem!) can deliver with such ease and poetry. Next on my list, the remastered classic "Shake Senora" which is laced with some fun Carribbean and soul sazon. Que sabrosura! Last but not least, my two favorite tracks on the album, "Pause" and "Come n Go" featuring Enrique Iglesias, which are certain to become new dance club anthems.

Pitbull creatively mixes magnetic hip hop beats with some Latin flair and because he does that so brilliantly, he is able to broaden his musicality and bring in a diverse and ecclectic audience into his world. Whether you are Cuban, Dominican, French, or Jamaican- it has no barriers. Pitbull is the Latin Midas and his new album, “Planet Pit,” is solid gold. It is hands down the album of the summer! It's sizzling through and through.

Mr. Worldwide has arrived and he is staying put. With six hit albums now under his belt, The world is his. Dale!

Really Starbucks?!

My waistline thanks you but my wallet does not.

It's been over a year since I've ordered a caramel frappuccino. It's one of those New York City summer treats I give myself when the temperature is in the sweltering 90 numbers. Walking down hot concrete with a cool, icey frap in hand is the perfect beverage for cooling off. I love anything caramel. And the most enjoyable part of my caramel frap is when the iced coffee part is done and the only thing left is the half melted whip cream with caramel. Yum yum give me sum! Its the most delicious slurp ever!

So the other day when it was about 88 degrees, I decided it would be a good idea to pick up a frap. The barista was a bit frazzled and got my order wrong, but nonetheless, i got my order after a short wait. And as I'm walking home, I realized that I drank that frappuccino awfully fast. It's like "Hold Up. where did my drink go and is some invisible force totally swiping my straw?!" I'm looking at the cup and thinking, "Im no fool. This cup got smaller!!"

So WTF Starbucks?! $4.25 for a tall (aka small) caramel frap that looks like it came in a kiddie cup!? Really?! I mean, you are a billion dollar corporation with a loyal legion of fans and fancy coffee drink mixology so why the spike?! Prices go up and cups get tinier. I get the recession. I get downsizing. But I don't like that MY summer indulgence has been minimized to three big gulps. It's not enjoyable.

I know I'm just one customer in a big bad coffee world but if one person is noticing, so are many others. Get it together Starbucks.

Oh, and make sure those birthday cake pops don't suffer the same fate!

Here's to you. Here's to me.

Kathy.

The Many Possibilities of Lykke Li!

I didn't quite know what to expect from a Lykke Li performance. I've exhausted the play button on my ipod plenty listening to her folksy croons while riding the bus uptown after a hectic work day. Her music mellows me.

So imagine my surprise when she came on stage at NYC's Webster Hall and commanded such presence with such insane energy and artistic freedom, that I was left all pumped up and wanting more. A frantic light show with willowing black drapes created a dramatic entrance for the Swedish pop star, who made her appearance all clad in black.

With a drumstick in hand and dancing on stage like a sorcerer casting a spell on the audience, I couldn't take my eyes off the way she moved, interpreting the music with her body language. She came alive. Her voice in one word? Hypnotizing. Her music? All over the place. But in a fresh way. She successfully manages to blend hip hop beats with some electropop topped with a bit of blues. What I liked most about Li's performance was how she incorporated just the right amount of instrumentation. Drums, feet stomps, tribal beats, and tambourines ( as a former tambourine player in my elementary school choir, I grew a little more giddy when it made a cameo) breathed an extra jolt of electricity into the music without completely drowning it, making it seem effortless.

When she dove into songs like Sadness is a Blessing, Love out of Lust, and Unrequited Love (one of her encore surprises), three killer hits from her second album with a well defined groovy 60's beat, she comes across as vulnerable about love yet brazen. She has the ability to transform her sugary voice into almost a lullaby in songs like I Know Places. When she sang I Follow Rivers, one of my personal favorites, I fell into a trance with delirious bursts of exhilaration. And hearing her sing Little Bit with all the minimalistic elements on stage, was the highlight of the night for me. It's melodious and trippy. As an added bonus, Lykke performed Until We Bleed, which I didn't expect but was so glad to hear it because I love the words and it's so ethereal when she sings, "I need you, to need me,"

Lykke closed her set with Get Some. Just like on the record, Li's sexual confidence and in-your-face attitude resonated through the venue and the fans were fiercely singing along, getting just as aggro and dominating. Get Some is another favorite of mine and the distinction between her bold voice in this song when she yells "I'm your prostitute, you gon get some!" and her childish ring in I Follow Rivers is absolutely brilliant and reflects the creative talent Lykke Li is.

Sounds cliche, but she left the room wanting more. Eager to please her loyal fans, Li came back out to perform an encore. And just when I thought it couldn't get better , Li busts out with Possibility. I would venture to say that this song really put Lykke Li on the map in the US. You see, Lykki Li wrote Possibility for the Twilight:New Moon soundtrack. And appropriately enough, Possibility captures the poignant scene in the film where Bella is devastatingly heartbroken because Edward has left her. Every teenage girl's anguish, yet ever artist's dream to be featured in a franchise where everything it touches turns to gold. The exposure was deserving.

A beautiful mash up of harmony and rhythm that can make the overall theme of a broken heart sound like the most pleasurable experience. Lykke Li knows how to put on a performance in every sense of the word. She manages to pull off the impossible- she makes you walk away with a feeling of melancholy yet happy at the same time.

Here's to you. Here's to me.

Kathy.

Spotted! A pin-up vision in Wynwood.

Everyone that knows me, knows about my "complejo de super modelo". Ive never met a camera I didn't like! I am convinced that if I were a couple of inches taller, I could be strutting my lagartija skinny bones on that runway with the likes of Freja Beja, Arlenis Sosa, and Chanel Iman. But alas, the world is not ready for my jelly, and instead, I opt to channel those fashion frustrations through amateur photo shoots, facebook, and many many loser lonelies in front of a white wall.

No one knows this more than my fabulous husband, Coco, who also feeds to my complejo by taking many of these photos on his fancy Nikon D60. And really, who am I to say "NO" to the artist?! So for my 30th birthday this year, Coco and one of my very good friends Karla (who I like to call Pia. that's another blog down the line!) gifted me with a pin-up photo session at Terribly Girly in Miami. I literally O-M-G died! I had first read about Terribly Girly a couple of years back through Daily Candy and became OBSESSED. I contacted them several times, but never made an appointment bc of my hectic schedule. So when my 30th came around, I thought, 'This is what I want to do." I also didn't think anyone would give it to me. My birthday wish list tends to be endless. I was overjoyed, over the moon, overcome. You get the idea.

So fast forward to April on one of trips down south, and I walk into this little studio in the ghetto chic neighborhood of Wynwood. It's like a small movie set with all different sorts of back drops, sets, props. I was in vintage heaven. The photographer, Janette Valentine, who is absolutely a doll to work with and a super cool chick, gives me the rundown and hands me over to her amazing team of starlets (hair, makeup, wardrobe) to get me all glammed up and looking like I just stepped out of a Prohibition era speakeasy! I only came in for one look BUT I'm getting the sense that one look is just not going to be enough because there are so many looks to pick from. Which just means I will definitely be back for round 2.

With the help of the TG team, we narrowed it down to a sexy boudoir backdrop that involved an old dresser, antique telephone, a mirror and a lipstick. My hair was styled in flowy side swept retro waves with a flower. I was pimping a cropped leopard (my favorite) top and high waisted black underwear. GRRR. Oh, and can't forget the red lip. An hour of prep later, and Voila! Magic was created! Janette made me feel extremely comfortable and not at all out of my element or silly during the photo shoot. I brought the sexy and felt powerful and dominating! My butt was a little sore afterwards from lots of butt poppin' but boy, it made all the difference. Baby got back!

A couple of weeks later I received my proofs and satisfied doesn't even begin to describe all the shots. They were stunning. Gorgeous. I felt as if I was looking at an Old Hollywood film actress in a centerfold. I was giddy. Even though I did this for me, I couldn't wait to show Coco and the girls! Janette blew me away! And a couple of days ago I received my final prints (one of which I posted above) with some re touching and oh-la-la c'est parfait! What a fun and beautiful experience in more ways than one.

Some call it narcissism, which lets be honest, it is, to a certain extent. I like to call it a healthy dose of vanity and confidence minus superficiality. I am very thankful to God that I am an attractive muchachita but I also have to thank my parents (and their genes) more than anything for instilling in me a very positive and exceptionally sturdy dosage of self-esteem. They also taught me to be confident, not to be confused with cocky. And as cliched as it sounds, they taught me that being beautiful on the outside was not going to help me if I was an ugly person inside, bc that will automatically cancel out the pretty. Who you are and how you treat others and yourself is a reflection of your character. And I try to live by that lesson every single day. In the meantime, another photo shoot is calling my name! (Thanks Becs!)

Ciao. Ciao. Double kiss.

Here's to you. Here's to me.

Kathy.