Some of my closest friends know that I have been journaling for decades now. In some ways, I have always written, but only for an audience of just myself.

Aside from a brief foray into a short fiction story in the form of an anthology, this is my first attempt to write for an external audience. I’ve always admired people who were able to convey ideas, thoughts, and feelings with just words. Perhaps it was always because I was a STEM guy that I never saw myself pursuing something in the creative or literary manner.

As you get older, you realize your lane (or what you thought was your lane) expands and that you are not just one thing; you’re many things: all the time, all at once.

Food will most likely be the prominent theme throughout this entire endeavor, but sharing other things I love will always keep it interesting for me, and hopefully for you as well.

I wanted to have a name that was accessible and that you could easily relate to. The inspiration came from Ina Garten, who is well known as the ‘Barefoot Contessa’. Contessa because it was elegant and Italian to the average American, and yet ‘barefoot’ because it was approachable and casual. 

My impression of Izakayas is that it’s a comforting place because it’s small, cozy, and the food is simple and overall unpretentious. Izakayas are where you go after a long day at work and you have tea to spill to your coworkers about your other coworker. It’s a place to vent or to visit with friends you haven’t seen in a while. Every culture has some version of a communal watering hole, and this is my digital version of that. 

Backyard invokes a sense of homey exclusivity, a place where you would only know where the entrance is if someone told you about it. An open secret that you choose to share, not forced to. 

So come on in and have a beer, Irasshai いらっしゃい (Welcome!)

It’s November in Hong Kong and one of the hottest November days since records began. I found this recipe by Cabagges.World, and it’s incredible. What I liked about it was the freshness of it and the emerald green that melds together once you start the blender. 

What I especially liked about this recipe is that it uses green onions and spinach (usually available all year round) instead of basil, which can be seasonal based on where you are. Thankfully, I live in subtropical Hong Kong, so scallion and spinach are available year round. 

This particular version asks for sesame seeds, which is a lot more accessible where I am instead of the traditional pinenut pesto. 

I did skip out on the grated parm (because I couldn’t find any) but did manage to find ricotta, which did elevate the dish into something creamier and more decadent. 

Served mixed with noodles and an egg on top, and honestly, no notes. Perfection.

I remember when I was in middle school and on those rare Friday, Saturday nights at 11:00 / 11:30 PM, and I had complete control over the TV channel. The go-to was Toonami on Cartoon Network, and that’s how I discovered the show.

Perhaps it’s because of the manner in which I was introduced to the show that for me, but Bebop always had this melancholic, insomniac ‘asking life’s big questions in the middle of the night’ type of energy for me. What stood out to me was that the show was not one thing, but many many things rolled into one. A little bit as to what I hope this newsletter aims to be.

It’s a Cowboy Western, but it’s in space. Jet’s a cop, but not anymore. It’s jazz, but also the episode names are after Rolling Stones/Queen songs.

If you do end up watching the show, you’ll notice this innate sense of boredom that permeates the beginning of most episodes. Spike and gang are always waiting for something to happen. Inevitably something does happen; Chaos ensues, but by the beginning of the next episode, they are right back where they started. 

This prolonged sense of ennui, of waiting for the next wave to break, spoke deeply to my middle school self. It was a vibe then, and it’s still a vibe now.

I have always loved Thanksgiving because it mainly meant giving thanks and eating way too much. Some of my favorite memories in my 20s were when we did Friendsgivings and it was a potluck and everyone showed off their culinary talent in a suburban townhouse where there was never ever enough forks. 

It was also during this time that I discovered gratitude journals. The concept was pretty straightforward: list down the things that you are grateful for, and in doing so, you will find more things to be grateful for and be more thankful for the life that you do have instead of pining for a life of what you don’t have. 

So in this spirit, I’m grateful for everyone who liked my Instagram posts and stories about food and commented that I should do something with it. I have wrestled with being an IG Creator account because I didn’t know how I could differentiate myself compared with the thousands of accounts out there. But a newsletter is more in my element, something that is wide enough to let me explore more than just food. Videos and pictures are pretty but ephemeral. Words stick with you longer than an image can, leaving an imprint on the soul.

Thanks to everyone who has read this far and subscribed to the first newsletter. I’ll aim to do this on a monthly basis, and who knows, maybe one day we can all meet up and have a Friendsgiving in person. 

See You Space Cowboys, 

Kevin L