Yesterday morning we called our friends Bruce and Maya. When I talked to Maya, she told me that she had a Seder planned for 36 people. I don't know why but all of a sudden, I felt like I was right there, in Maya's kitchen.
Maya has the most beautiful kitchen in the world. Part of its appeal is that it is located in Saipan, on a hill which overlooks the ocean. On two (and a half) sides big windows allow a breathtaking view of the Pacific. Endless miles and miles of water and nothing but water but somehow one gets never tired looking at it. The light streams in through those windows during the day and make the entire room feel like an expansion of the outside.
Maya's kitchen is a huge room with a nicely sized pantry right next to it. Huge, yes, but even when you're in there by yourself, it feels just right. There's a cooking island and enough counter space to comfortably prepare a menu for 36 people or more. The sink sits under a large window with the before mentioned view of the ocean and some palm trees and the kitchen garden on top of it. Maya always has the nicest tropical flowers on the window sill there.
The dining table is big enough to easily accommodate 12 people. Over the table, there's always a big cluster of banana hanging from a rack, ready for you to pick the single fruit off when you feel like having fresh banana. There's a big, comfy couch and a door opening onto a balcony that's really more an elevated terrace, overlooking - of course - the Pacific. You want to sit there and watch the sun go down while sipping on a dry Martini, that sort of balcony.
There are places in this world that you will always miss. Maya's kitchen is one of those for me.
Posted by claudia at April 18, 2003 09:31 PM