Book Review: The Tsar of Love and Techno

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Beautiful, though tragic. One of the finest pieces of literature I have read. 

The Tsar of Love and Techno is a series of short stories, intertwined to create an extraordinary whole. The prose, though sometimes heavy-handed, is amazing. Here is a sampling of some of my favorite lines:

• "her head rested beneath the parenthesis of her arms"; 
• "Galina had been as vivid as stained glass, but we hadn't imagined that Kolya might have been the sunlight that saturated her."; 
• "Because you need a soul the devil wants before you can begin bargaining with him."

It also gives insight into Russian/Chechnyan culture which doesn't happen a lot of in literature popular in US culture (which tends to be American- or Euro-centric). It's a nice, appreciated change of pace. The characters are multifaceted and unique and don't follow usually tropes. For example, the story begins with the tale of a Soviet censor who would later add his deceased brother's image to the artwork he censored. 

I strongly recommend this book with the encouragement to give yourself time to read it and breath in and mull over the words and the story.

Eat Local: Nancy's Sky Garden

Steve and I both love food and, though we have our usual spots, we are always eager to expose our palates to something new. Now that I'm in post-Christmas detox, we looked for a healthier spot and saw great reviews online for Nancy's Sky Garden. It's located in Georgetown, north of Austin, which is a city I want to explore for it's small town charm and cute little shops and downtown feel.  We decided to head that way.

Fun logo!

The restaurant is located on the 4th floor of an older building (not quite historic, but with some endearing character) near downtown Georgetown. You would probably miss it if you weren't looking for it.

Steve and I ordered one of Nancy's several Harney and Sons hot tea options. He selected Dragon Pearl Jasmine, which was unfortunately weak and too flowery and, as the minutes past, became bitter. I had Royal Wedding tea, a caramel-tasting, comforting white tea. We ordered avocado rolls with peanut sauce for the appetizer and we dove in before I could snap a picture.

When our entrees came out, I'm pretty sure my jaw dropped because it's a huge portion full of delicious, healthy food. Here is mine:

This is the trio plate with almond-ginger chicken salad (no mayo in it!), a roasted sweet potato, and the house salad with balsamic dressing. The salad has: mixed greens, grape tomatoes, shredded carrots, shredded purple cabbage, shredded white cabbage, pineapple, pecans, black sesame seeds, and grapes. The avocado costs extra but it tastes delicious.

Is your mouth watering yet?! It was so filling that I brought half of it home for a second meal. Steve had a similar plate but with spicy chicken as the protein and forbidden rice as the carbohydrate. His chicken was a little too spicy for me, but definitely great quality and taste.

I would rate Nancy's Sky Garden 5 out of 5 stars! Can't wait to go back. I'll probably try either the cranberry chicken or the teriyaki chicken next. Give this place a try and let's keep it in business because it's unique, healthy, and well worth a visit. 

Interests

When I first started writing this blog, I wanted to gear it towards music. But then life--mainly cancer--happened and that affected the amount of time I could spend on music. It's hard to hit up a bunch of shows when you're in the middle of chemo.

Along the way of 2015, I learned that I also have multiple interests that I'd love to dive into. I learned that I don't need to project a perfect image or wait until I have the perfect words or projects in order to write a blog entry. It's like the title of my blog: Life is a Mix Tape. It's a lot of interests and everyday adventures lined up on magnetic tape, spooled around these years we've been offered. So, here I am. With a heart turned towards capturing this journey and listening to yours. Let's sit together and share.