A Night with Neneh Ada Yang

September 11, 2017September 8, 2017 MstldelanoLeave a comment

A few months ago, I was invited to a red carpet event to celebrate the first US art exhibition of Neneh Ada Yang. The stunning Sierra Leonian married Chinese artist Yang Yan, and soon discovered artistic talents of her own. She mastered traditional Chinese painting techniques and now creates beautiful artwork that she sells to support her Queennak Foundation. Her foundation serves as a global diplomacy program, specifically engaging Sierra Leonians abroad.

Ada-Yang-2-382x539

I was struck by Neneh’s beauty: petite, perfectly coiffed and elegant. She was so dainty and refined, yet possessing a quiet magnetism that drew everyone to her. She is soft-spoken and so gracious.

I enjoyed the experience very much, and I’m just sharing a few photos from the event. I suggest that you follow Neneh’s Facebook page and check out the Queennak Foundation.

As a bonus, I’m including a photo of the gorgeous painting that Neneh gifted me. I’ll treasure it forever.

Have you all gotten any beautiful artwork recently? Let me know in the comments below!

international

A Night at the Embassy

August 20, 2017August 19, 2017 Mstldelano1 Comment

Thursday, I attended an event at the Kenyan Embassy in Washington, DC. I had a fabulous time!

The sights, the sounds, the beautiful faces … I fell in love with this spectacular slice of Kenya. Here are a couple of photos from the event:

The event was held in the Professor Wangari Maathai Conference Room. As it turns out, Professor Maathai was the first female PhD recipient in East and Central Africa. She also won a Nobel Peace Prize for her environmentalism (she was the force behind the Green Belt Movement). She was also the first female professor at the University of Nairobi.

Her amazing accomplishments made me want to learn more about her. I’ve got these books on my Amazon wish list:

I declined to take photos of other participants: I did not obtain their consent and would not want to overstep anyone’s personal boundaries. However, it was a lovely event and I’d definitely participate again.

food · international

The Great DC Bun Quest

August 13, 2017August 13, 2017 MstldelanoLeave a comment

After trying delicious vegetable buns in Beijing and Hangzhou, China last year, I’ve been searching for a comparable replacement.

I tried to satisfy my craving with dumplings, but those always fall short.

I visited People’s Bao, but they were shutting down – in the middle of lunch rush – so that they could find a good parking space for the evening’s Truckaroo festivities.

Then, I finally came across Momofuku CCDC. Their menu lists shiitake buns as an option.

I was determined to try them for myself.

I tried them, and they were delicious. These aren’t the filled buns that are typical of dim sum. These buns are like folded-over, open faced sandwiches filled with sauteed shiitake mushrooms. The mushrooms were cooked to perfection and took on a bacon-like texture and flavor.

I highly recommend this dish! I enjoyed it so much, I ordered it again the following day. If you’re vegetarian, don’t forget to tell your server to cook your mushrooms in vegetable oil – otherwise, they will be cooked in tare (which contains pork fat).

Now, finding this delicious dish doesn’t mean that my question for the perfect bun is over. I still have to try People’s Bao (here’s hoping they will be able to stay for the duration of the lunch period next time I visit). And there are other Chinese restaurants in DC that may offer tasty buns, too. If you have any recommendations, please leave them in the comments below!