“Sally, you were so little when we first went to Mexico City, by train, when all the volcanoes were vast and visible against the blue sky� Our parents“Sally, you were so little when we first went to Mexico City, by train, when all the volcanoes were vast and visible against the blue sky� Our parents dead now, husbands gone, children grown.�
There was something very evocative, nostalgic and melancholic about this set of short stories, my first by Lucia Berlin. I’ve had her A Manual for Cleaning Women, a larger collection than this one, sitting on my shelf for some time now. I thought I’d dip my toes into the water with this smaller offering. As it turns out, the water is very inviting, and I’m ready for a deep soak. Several of the stories revolve around two sisters, one of them diagnosed with cancer. Nothing bright and cheery here, yet beautifully expressed. The fear, the love, the sharing of childhood memories, stories of motherhood. It made me think of all the times I’ve had a heart to heart with my own sister. How we have and always will stand by each other in times of need.
“The moon. There’s no other moon like one on a clear New Mexico night. It rises over the Sandias and soothes the miles and miles of barren desert with all the quiet whiteness of a first snow. Moonlight in Liza’s yellow eyes and the chinaberry tree.�
Despite the brevity of most of these stories, Berlin seemed to have a knack for conjuring a striking scene. Many of them take place in Mexico or the American Southwest. She contrasts the beauty of these settings with violence, poverty, alcoholism, aging, and death. There’s one story about a bullfight that left me stunned, as it did Jane, the retired teacher returning to Mexico for the first time in twenty years. Another story set in Santiago, Chile, demonstrates the stark disparity between the wealthy schoolgirls at a Catholic high school with the destitution of the surroundings.
“At first the place seemed to be deserted, miles and miles of dunes. Dunes of stinking, smouldering garbage. After a while, through the dust and smoke, you could see that there were people all over the dunes. But they were the color of the dung, their rags just like the refuse they crawled in.�
Somehow, Lucia Berlin managed to create a longing to visit these places, despite the hardships and sorrows. Perhaps it was the feeling that she manages to convey that there is life and beauty mixed in with everything else. I wanted to embrace my sister. I wished to gaze at a moon changing from orange to gold. If I had any complaints, it would be that a small number of the stories were far too short. They seemed to end before I could even absorb what point was being made. But that’s fine. It’s par for the course with a collection like this. What I’m grateful for are the lovely offerings that more than made up for the ones I may forget in a month’s time. It’s comforting to know the next collection is right there waiting for me.
“She has come alive. She savors everything. She says whatever she wants, does whatever makes her feel good. She laughs.�...more
“Restaurants saved my life, but they’ve also hurt and betrayed many of my peers. I believe our industry can still be a place of healing—a refuge where“Restaurants saved my life, but they’ve also hurt and betrayed many of my peers. I believe our industry can still be a place of healing—a refuge where people nurture one another physically and spiritually—but only if we make it so.�
Here’s a confession or two. First of all, I absolutely love to dine out. Besides reading, exploring different cuisines and searching for new restaurants to patronize is one of my favorite pastimes. This is one reason I so desire to seek haven in an urban locale versus this tiresome suburban setting I’m currently trapped within. I also need to own up to the fact that I hadn’t the foggiest idea who David Chang was until I read my friend Charles’s review of this absorbing memoir! (Read it here!) His enthusiasm combined with my love for food (and good writing) made it a cinch for me to snatch this up when I saw it as a kindle deal a few months ago. Besides being a delight to read in general, I found it inspiring and informative! This is one of those cases where the creative process leaves me wholly fascinated. And I learned a ton about the restaurant industry without becoming completely overwhelmed by it. No glazing over of the eyes here.
“I was completely, certifiably average.�
“There was no romantic, come-to-Jesus moment about cooking, but I had at least found something I didn’t hate doing.�
Chang relates his childhood growing up in Virginia as the son of Korean immigrants. He claims to have had no special skills or intellect to set him above the common student. (Aside from an early proficiency at playing golf which apparently fizzled out.) His father was involved in the restaurant business and specifically discouraged if not outright forbade any of his children following his lead. But it seems Chang was destined for just such a vocation. He has that drive necessary to succeed in the industry. I already knew this was a tough career to jump into much less prosper, but Chang seemed to thrive under the pressures. He informs us that he’s had a lifetime battle with depression and mental illness, which he notes in a fashion fed into his numerous accomplishments. His flexibility and determination were key factors in his growth as a person and as a businessman. The ability to adapt is a trait everyone absolutely needs in order to get on in this world, and Chang sets a great example.
“The human equivalent of not wanting to molt is trying to make life easy, refusing to grow or be self-reflective.�
He applied this idea to his businesses even when defeat seemed right around the corner. Rather than giving up, he made changes. Beginning with his ramen noodle place in the East Village in Manhattan, Momofuku, Chang has since expanded internationally and went on to have a Netflix show and a magazine, Lucky Peach, for a time. He has received multiple awards/accolades over the years. He has made eating affordable and fun at many of his locations! Now that’s something I can totally buy into. He reflects on so many things here and doesn’t always come across as the most affable person, but he owns up to his flaws and stands by what he believes. After all, these are the things that have made him the person he is today. I loved learning about his wife, Grace, and their little boy, Hugo. These two have shaped his personality further and given him additional inspiration in this unpredictable ride we call life!
This was a real pleasure to read and on a couple of occasions he mentions his encounters with and admiration for Anthony Bourdain. That had me running to dig up my copy of Kitchen Confidential from the shelf. (Another treat to look forward to this summer!) While David Chang says he wouldn’t tell anyone to get into the business, the end of his memoir includes some things to consider should you decide to eschew his warnings � this made me laugh. At the same time, I found them to be quite wise. Here’s one of my favorites that illustrates not just a sound business tip, but highlights the kind of person I believe Chang to be after reading his words. This applies to all walks of life, not just the restaurant business.
“See as much of the world as humanly possible: You need to be surrounded by people and understand why cuisine happens the way it does. Eat everything you can. Take it all in—not just the food, but all the beauty, heartache, wealth, poverty, struggle, racism, history, and art you can find. It’s going to help you empathize with people, which is the most powerful tool at a chef’s disposal.�...more
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