My Ode to Rain

Meat and Mosquitoes

2011-04-11T14:27:00.003-04:00

The lunch special of the day today at Cafe Emily is roast beef and baby Swiss on toasted rye bread with cranberry chutney and apple slices. Deeeelightful. The weather is insanely beautiful today. I poked around in the garden this afternoon for awhile. I dumped a bunch of standing water and got scared that we already inadvertently started a mosquito epidemic. They were really bad last summer and we couldn't really enjoy the backyard because of all the bugs. Any suggestions for keeping the mosquitoes to a minimum?

Hope everyone makes the most of today!

ho hum

2011-03-31T13:43:00.005-04:00

After an incredibly stressful and frustrating meeting this morning, I was feeling pretty down. Joe took the day off of work to provide moral support, which he was doing very well in the form of a duck confit omelet and a side of scrapple at a nearby restaurant.

After the meeting, we came home and walked around the Italian Market in the cold mist. I don't think I've ever been there on a Thursday. It's much less crowded but there are just as many options. We got a bunch of produce, including a huge basket of strawberries for $5. I am brainstorming what to make.

I am relaxing and enjoying a cup of coffee with a chocolate covered pretzel and a raspberry jelly I got at the market. It is a delicious snack. We have no plans until five o'clock and I for one plan to do a lot of nothing. There is a lot on my mind today and I think a little nothing will be very nice.
Hope you all have a good day and a fun weekend. kisses.

Clouds in My Coffee

2011-03-21T12:04:00.005-04:00

I've come to the conclusion that I'm not a true coffee lover. If cream and sugar aren't available, I'll pass, thanks. I know cream has 40 calories per tablespoon but that is why it's so delicious. It's worth it. And don't try to sell me on the wonders of fat-free half and half. Maybe I was in a healthy mood when we went grocery shopping, because we only have 2% milk. Grey skies, pounding rain, and a freezing house left me really wanting coffee, so I jazzed it up with the milk. It's all about the foam.

Recipe:

3/4 cup 2% milk, hot
dash vanilla extract
tbsp sugar
dash pumpkin pie spice
1 cup coffee, hot

Whisk first four ingredients together until foamy. Pour on top of coffee and enjoy, preferably with a chocolate croissant.

I had my coffee today with a whole wheat cinnamon raisin English muffin with cream cheese and some fruit salad.

I'm painting and creating art today. Maybe soon I'll have something to show you. There's something about the rain that, in addition to making me crave coffee, also makes my head spin with creativity. I'm off to tap it.

LUMI

2011-03-16T20:01:00.004-04:00

This post is for my family. I couldn't figure out how to email the videos because the files are too large. They aren't really talking about anything too amusing, but they still make me laugh. Miss you Love you Mean it.

Hi Mel Mel!

Hi Gin Gin!

Breakfast of Champions

2011-02-10T10:15:00.003-05:00

The best thing about having steak for dinner is breakfast the next day.

RIP The Wire

2011-01-26T10:00:00.000-05:00

Several months ago, Joe found a good deal online for the entire series of The Wire, which aired on HBO from 2002-2008. We've been watching little by little and just finished the last episode on Sunday. I highly recommend the show for anyone that can handle a little violence and gore. I like that nothing is sugar coated but nothing is over-dramatized either. It is a funny, poignant, and thought-provoking show.

I found these clever illustrations from a quick google search. Check out the rest of them on the artist's website.

We're going to take a little break from excessive television and try to be productive members of society. When the novelty of that wears off, maybe we'll try Dexter. Any other suggestions?

all illustrations via blake hicks

Love and Calories are in the Air

2011-01-25T09:49:00.002-05:00

I experimented a little yesterday with my new cookie cutters and piping tips and gel food coloring. I'm a few weeks early for Valentine's Day, but is it ever really a bad time to have cute heart-shaped cookies in the house?
(The answer is yes if you want to fit in a wedding dress in nine months)

Have a great day!

P.S. Does anyone have a recipe for royal icing that actually tastes good?

The Sketchbook Project

2011-01-19T11:00:00.009-05:00

"I Quit: A How To"

2010-08-10T16:13:00.005-04:00

Apparently today is the day to quit your job in a dramatic fashion, as evidenced by the people in these two articles.

Fed up flight attendent

Fed up assistant

I'd like to see follow up articles on these people. Will any of the people that copied these articles stating "This guy is my hero!" be willing to hire him? Does the pleasure and catharsis of a public resignation outweigh the blemish to the person in questions references and reputations? Either way, it does seem like a victory for the average guy.

Double Rainbow all the way across the Sky!

2010-07-21T08:17:00.004-04:00

Unfortunately I didn't catch any double rainbows after the storm the other night. I hear it is supposed to rain again today so maybe there's still hope. Of course I don't think I could ever be as excited about a rainbow as this guy...

For some reason this amuses me to no end. It's definitely worth it to hold out at least until he starts openly weeping.

In other news, we went to XPN fest on Sunday afternoon. The bands we were interested in seeing weren't playing until later in the day, so we had a lazy morning and finally ventured into the heat around 3 o'clock. We (as in Joe) accidentally missed the correct stop on the PATCO train, so we spent a good twenty five minutes playing Scrabble and staring at this view. Which I thought was pretty cool. I like the thumb tack graffiti.

We finally got to Wiggins Park and squeezed in among this crowd. We had beer and watermelon peach gazpacho and people watched. We saw Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes and Dr. Dog perform. Robert Randolph and the Family Band were up next but we've seen them before and by then we were both feeling kind of meh about the heat and the proximity to hippies and the comfort of the hill we were sitting on. Last year we held out much longer. Maybe we are becoming more yuppie with each passing day. Or maybe Joe is starting to hate fun too!! AH HAH! I might be on to something here.

There's a storm a brewin'

2010-07-19T19:29:00.005-04:00

At least there was when I started this post. Between then and now there was a hell of a storm. There is still some thunder in the distance, but the sky is bright. Brighter than it seems like it should be at 8pm.
I really really love rain. I love how green it makes everything, the smell right before and right after a storm and so many more things. It's just so beautiful and perfect. Another thing I love about rain is that I don't have to fill a bucket with water and trek up these stairs to water the plants on the roof deck. During this wonderful rain, I am watching Bones and drinking a glass of wine (maybe two). Joe hates Bones, so it works out pretty well that he plays basketball on Monday nights when Bones is usually on.

I had to take a food safety certification class today instead of going to work as usual. It was uneventful but surprisingly exhausting. Sitting in an uncomfortable chair and listening to someone read out of a textbook for 8 hours is TIRING! It's weird how I feel more worn out today than a typical workday of running around doing a million different things.

Have a good night darlings. Sweet dreams!

Ups and Downs

2010-07-07T20:52:00.003-04:00

Today was a day of highs and lows. High of 105°. Low of incredibly frustrated and overwhelmed.

It was a rough day at work dealing with a menopausal coworker who, on her best day, is crazy and bipolar. That stress was exacerbated by another employee and several unpleasant customers. My faith in humanity began to wane when a customer called to complain about a topping that was accidentally left off of his ice cream. Certainly, it should have been included. Absolutely, he was a little miffed to find that his hot fudge sundae was absent of wet walnuts- THE HORROR!- but to insist upon having us return to his workplace to deliver said wet walnuts immediately seemed a little ridiculous to my heat stroked brain. To waste my time (and his) yelling at me about that 75¢ topping when I already agreed to send my poor, sweaty delivery person all the way back to him was really crossing the line.

My faith in humanity was restored when a group of about 8 adults came into the store, joking and being kind of loud. They took their time making up their minds about what to order, but they were very friendly. They ushered people behind them in line in front to order first. They joked around with us and seemed to be enjoying each others' company. While I was ringing them up one of the guys mentioned that they were having a memorial. Apparently their father passed away several years ago today and he really loved our ice cream, so every year on this date they come to the store together to remember him. Even though it was kind of a serious occasion, they were interacting pleasantly with strangers and putting a positive spin on the day.

I really could go into more detail about this and MANY more work stories, but when Joe nods off while I'm telling them in person it makes me realize they're really only interesting to me.

Stay cool tonight. Cross your fingers for rain and cooooooler weather!

Garces Trading Company

2010-07-04T12:33:00.003-04:00

In case you're living under a rock (or not from Philly), Jose Garces is the most recent Food Network Iron Chef and my favorite chef/restaurateur. He recently won the Best Chef in the mid-Atlantic region award from the James Beard Foundation, and he is on fire these days. He owns six restaurants in Philadelphia, all of them incredible. One of his most recent restaurants is Garces Trading Company, which the food critic at the Inquirer recently
reviewed.

I went last week with my friend Marilys after running a rather surreal errand. Any excuse to eat an incredible meal is fine by me, and catching up with Lys was just the thing.
We bought a delicious champagne in the attached Wine and Spirits store. It's the first of its kind as far as I know, and very unusual for prudish Pennsylvania laws. It has recently attracted some legal trouble. Hopefully they pull out ahead and the concept becomes more popular around here.
We ordered the chef's tasting plate of cheese, which included a brie, a cheddar, and a fontina. The "sauces" were also amazing. white sangria honey, roasted garlic dulce de leche, pecan butter, and fig marmalade. I also got a jar of truffle lavender honey to take home. yum.
We also got the chef's tasting plate of smoked meats. I forget exactly what they were except delicious. We took almost an hour to eat the meats and cheeses, savoring each bite and sipping our champagne in between.
We split the Tuscon fusilli alla carbonara with guanciale, eggs, black pepper, and pecorino. Homemade pasta is about 74092547259 times better than the sad excuse for pasta everyone eats from a box. Bacon, egg, and cheese only makes it better.
This is the pizza we had with oven roasted tomatoes, mozzarella, prosciutto, and olive oil. It was all too much to eat so I took some home and put a fried egg on top for breakfast the next morning. When a restaurant is still making me happy a day later, you know it's amazing.

I brought home a delicious salted caramel macaron for Joe (and one for me, of course). I can't wait to go back!

Happy 4th! What are you doing today/tonight?

Happy Thoughts

2010-06-29T20:40:00.006-04:00

Yesterday in my post I mentioned sending happy thoughts my way encouraging me to exercise. While you're at it, I have a few more suggestions for your happy thoughts, aka prayers. For Genna, who needs this job, for my grandparents, who need some positivity, and for Sue, who needs a good friend with a loving ear. Anyone else need some happy thoughts?

via lifetime

Speaking of happy thoughts, I am watching Drop Dead Diva, a feel-good dramedy on Lifetime in its second season. The premise is that a ditzy young blonde model dies in a car accident and due to an incident checking her into heaven, she gets returned to earth in the body of an intelligent, overweight, brunette lawyer. The show follows her as she settles into her new existence and learns life lessons in the context of the cases she takes on. Sound cheesy? It sort of is, but it is also charming and clever. IMDB gives it an 8.1/10 and the New York Times gave it a decent review. Gotta love a guilty pleasure.

That's all I've got tonight. I'm excited for this weekend- a concert with my favorite sister, visiting family, relaxing, fireworks!

Little Pleasures

2010-06-28T21:52:00.005-04:00

Our visit yesterday with Joe's parents was really nice. It is always low key and relaxing when we go there. We went to The Art of the State exhibit at the State Museum in Harrisburg. We had hot dogs and sliders and angel food cake. We (I use the term "we" loosely) moved an old couch out of the basement. We practiced driving and got a few used books at a local store.

Today I woke up happy. I made a healthy breakfast and chatted with AmyFuckingWilliams before getting ready for work. Two buses drove right by me which is very irritating but it gave me a chance to talk to Mom while I walked to work.

It was an okay day at work. Meh, unexciting.
I ran some errands after work... Radio Shack, Sephora, H&M and the liquor store. I ordered some Creme de violette and I can't wait for it to come so I can make an Aviation! YUM.
I had a light dinner and afterwards I got this funny feeling. It kind of felt like motivation. TO EXERCISE! This doesn't strike often, so I got ready quickly before it wore off. I haven't been running in months but I'm really glad I went. It was dusk when I went so the air was a little less sticky than the rest of the day and there was a little breeze. Send happy thoughts my way encouraging me to go again soon!

When I got home I found my Amazon packages with some deliiiightful new books. I am really excited to read them. I'll let you know what I think.

Have a great day. Indulge in something special.

p.s. completely unrelated photos but they just looked happy.

A Beautiful Day

2010-06-27T09:48:00.003-04:00

I woke up this morning to Joe hugging me and kissing my cheek. "I'm getting up," he said. I drifted back off immediately and woke up again to him nudging me. "You said you were getting up too." I don't think I said that. But we'll give him the benefit of the doubt since I was sleeping and I don't know what I said.

I got up and went up on the roof to water the plants. I neglected them yesterday and Joe was the official plant-waterer of the house while I was sick so I was anxious to see how they were doing. Unfortunately all of my hand made signs were a little broken. I guess hot glue doesn't hold up in a wicked thunderstorm... Any suggestions on how to secure these babies? They are just made of thin bass wood but they do splinter pretty easily. Oh well, the actual plants were thriving. Pictures to come later.

I took a quick shower and came down to find Joe putting the finishing touches on breakfast. Pan-fried potatoes, over easy eggs, spinach and garlic scapes. Delicious!

Now he is waiting patiently for me to finish this nonsense so we can get out of here to go visit his parents. Off we go!

Walking Home

2010-06-26T16:55:00.005-04:00

Disclaimer: Our camera charger is hiding somewhere unbeknownst to me, so until I find it or buy a new one, forgive me for the grainy iPhone photos.

Some days I take the bus home from work and some days I walk. Often I use the walk home to check my email or catch up with friends on the phone, and I admit yesterday was almost no different. But for some reason I decided to leave the phone in my pocket and be more aware of my surroundings. Here are just a few of the things I see on a daily basis that I took a closer look at yesterday.The first time I passed one of these it took me a second to figure it out. The second and third ones I walked by I giggled. The fourth one I finally took a picture. I believe several traffic lights went out during the crazy storm on Thursday afternoon and these are generators chained to the power for the intersection, making a lot of noise and reminding people to think "classy" when they think of Philadelphia.
I stopped at the newly opened Feder's Fresh Produce on 19th St near Spring Garden. I was very thirsty and I noticed a sign for fresh squeezed lemonade in their window, so DUH I went in. I noticed this fruit I had never heard of- Mamoncillo. I bought a tiny little branch to taste it. It is basically a hard seed covered in slimy goo and a hard skin. From what I understand you are supposed to bite into the skin and suck the goo off the seed. The flavor was good but the texture left something to be desired and it was a lot of effort for virtually no results. I'm still glad I tried it though. If there is such a thing as mamoncillo juice, I'd drink it. The lemonade was also delicious. Just sweet enough and tart with little bits of mint and lemon peel. Yummm.
I walked past The Spring Gardens, which is a one-square-block community garden that has some really cool wrought iron work around the perimeter.
I love seeing greenery and plants around the city, but what is this? CORN??? Some kind of crazy weed growing out of the side of a building in an otherwise well-tended plant bed.
I walked past the mural-in-progress-of-which-I-will-withhold-my-judgment-until-its-completion. I will say that I'm impressed with how quickly it's coming together. I am a little confused about the theme and parts of the execution. Any mural is better than a blank wall, though. Do you agree?

Have a great rest of the weekend!

Insert Clever Title Here

2010-06-21T20:49:00.008-04:00

Today was a very frustrating and stressful day at work. I don't have much more to say about that right now. Let's just look at some pictures of pretty flowers.
I think peonies are my favorite flowers. Watching them bloom is amazing. And they smell incredible. I wish I had some around here now but the pictures will have to do.
Wikipedia says there are between 25 and 40 different kinds of peonies. They come around in late spring or early summer and oohhhh do they make the changing season sweet.
Here's hoping tomorrow is the most productive day ever. My list is 40 miles long. Think there's hope?

Chocolate Covered Bananas!

2010-06-20T23:19:00.004-04:00

All week I've been craving a chocolate covered banana. And since it's not like I spend 40+ hours a week working in an ice cream/chocolate store or anything, I had to take matters into my own hands.

First I melted a LOT (two bags) of bittersweet chocolate chips in short intervals in the microwave. As long as you stop and stir every thirty seconds or so, they won't burn. As the chocolate was melting, I peeled half a dozen bananas and laid them in a serving platter.
I poured the chocolate on top and turned the bananas around in the chocolate. I got messy. Darn, I had to lick chocolate off my fingers.
I pulled the bananas out of the chocolate and laid them on a baking sheet to freeze. They are definitely not pretty but oooh they taste good. I tried to make one like a popsicle, but the sticks I had were too flimsy. Stronger popsicle sticks might work but so far I haven't had a problem.
I was left with a ridiculous amount of leftover chocolate. I spread it out on another baking sheet and cracked it up to freeze once it solidified. In retrospect I probably didn't need so much chocolate but I can live with the results of that...
My roommate Ashley has been watching me write this post and staring at the photos. She finally succumbed to one of those bananas in the freezer. I asked how it was and she said "Bananas look bigger when they're covered in chocolate."

Is it me or was this a pretty innuendo-filled post? I can't even help it!

YAWN! That was a great nap

2010-06-19T20:35:00.006-04:00

Oh, hey! I just had a little eight month hibernation. I think I'm back... I suppose time will tell.

Here are some highlights from the last several months.

we went camping...
we enjoyed christmas... (with some hysterical anti-deceptive packaging courtesy of samantha)
these jokers met their hero, the brewmaster of Brooklyn Brewery and author of The Brewmaster's Table, Garrett Oliver...
we survived several absurd snow storms...
we experienced culture... (this particular photo is the Philadelphia Orchestra)
we ate...
a lot...
we went to a super fun and memorable wedding of some of our best friends, Andrew and Becky...
and I started dating Don Draper.

I have a great life.

Fun haters unite!

2009-10-14T16:57:00.004-04:00

I've been a busy girl the last few days. If busy means lazy. I'll update you on our little camping trip and some other news soon, but for now I just have a couple random things.

Don't you want to make a stamp out of this? It's so cool that interesting shapes like this occur naturally so often.

As life's official fun killer/hater (along with Becky), it's only natural that we both stumbled across this website. So clever! The Fun Theory

My roommate Ashley came across this gem the other day. Apparently two very bored individuals are competing in a daily tie competition. Vote here: Who Wore It Best? A Daily Tie Competition

More to come another time. Have a great day!

Honest Scrap

2009-10-07T11:00:00.002-04:00

My Aunt Kate (Chronicles of a Country Girl) has given me an "award", albeit a loaded one! I have to thank the presenter of the award, tell you 10 honest things about myself, and pass the award on to 7 others whose blogs I find brilliant in content and/or design or those who have encouraged me. And soo... Thanks Katy! I love you!
>>> I am a compulsive list maker. I make several lists a day but rarely do I complete every item. I think the problem is forgetting there are only 24 hours in a day.
>>> I have a degree in fashion design, but sometimes I feel as though I have no personal style. I like to blame it on my lack of a discretionary income, but who really knows?
>>> I have a very low tolerance for pain. I can whine about a paper cut for a week. Three weeks ago I tripped over a chalkboard menu sign in front of a restaurant. It collapsed and fell on my foot and just yesterday I complained that the bruise still hurt when I put sneakers on.
>>> I am obsessed with letters and stationary but I can be very bad at writing prompt thank you notes. I feel very guilty about this.
> I believe in the local foods movement and I have really come a long way in my thinking about foods and planning my meals. But when winter is around the corner and I imagine several months without tomatoes or salad or berries, I find it difficult to completely comply. I also really love grapefruits and avocados and I'm pretty sure they aren't grown in the Philadelphia area.
>>> I don't have a drivers license. ugh. Most of you readers know me so this isn't a surprise but for some reason is still very amusing and/or irritating to some of you. It is very stupid at this point and I need to get on it.
>>> I really don't enjoy running. I have never gotten into the groove long enough that it has become a pleasant routine. Is this bad?
>>> I don't wear sunscreen every day. There is SPF 15 in my makeup but I don't wear makeup every day and even when I do, it doesn't cover all my exposed skin. I am such a sunscreen nazi with my friends that I should really invest in some moisturizer with SPF and actually wear it.
>>> I don't know how to knit. I own knitting needles, I know how to machine knit, and I was a sweater designer for heaven's sake but I have yet to learn hand knitting.
>>> I am an avid procrastinator. In fact, several of the 10 honest things in this list have something to do with procrastination. Geez. That reminds me, I have things to do!

As for passing the award on.. this is difficult because I don't really have many blogging friends. If you think this looks fun, write your ten things in the comments section, post it on your blog, or even write it down and don't tell anyone.

Have a great day!

Art Speak Ahead

2009-10-06T11:00:00.000-04:00

This weekend Joe and I went to the Rodin Museum on kind of a whim. We were walking by and I had never actually been there. It was...enlightening. In regular art museums I tend to gloss over the sculpture offerings and head straight to the paintings, but as this museum is all sculpture, it forced me to really focus on the medium. The manipulation of scale is especially interesting. Some of his work is very haunting and other pieces are very romantic and soft. That juxtaposition made me want to find out more about the man behind the work. Read more about him here.
via rodin museum
via rodin museum
Speaking of artists and their backgrounds, I recommend reading Strapless, the story of John Singer Sargent and the subject of his most famous painting, Madame X. It's like a trashy chick lit novel, but instead of being set in Bergdorf Goodman in 2009, it's set in Paris and New Orleans in the 1890's. And instead of following a Park Avenue princess it follows a popular artist and a high society lady. Good read!

Have a great day!

Pretty impressive harvest

2009-10-05T16:00:00.000-04:00

How's this for a bountiful harvest? Along with three tiny strawberries, this mini jalepeno has been our entire yield from our mini-garden this year. I suppose I am not mentioning that we got all the fresh herbs we needed all summer, so that should count. I'm hoping to be a little more ambitious and fruitful (literally!) next year, so we will have to recruit advice from Andrew .
Have a great day!

That's all, nothing more

2009-10-02T11:54:00.006-04:00

I'm having kind of a sick day today and I'm drinking peppermint tea and watching "Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium". So far it is just what the doctor ordered. It is silly and cute and wonderful. I love all the characters! And when's the last time a movie was rated G?viarlslog

Instead of cleaning and accomplishing other necessary tasks I am going to make a little wish list. Things I want today:
pizza
warm sweaters (via anthropologie)
an old fashioned hot water bottle (design*sponge inspired me and all of the sudden it seems really necessary) via needapresent
a big hug (alicia and phil)

Here's hoping for a couple of these things. Have a lovely day!
P.S. Does anyone have any brilliant Halloween costume ideas for me? I'm accepting suggestions from everyone but Joe because his are all nonsense.

"Kiss!" "The hell you say!"

2009-10-01T11:00:00.001-04:00

So the quilt is what has really been keeping me busy for the last month or so, but I have also been living my life during this time. Here are some high points:

We had a wild and crazy evening with some of my favorite people playing board games and being silly. On Labor Day we went to a barbeque at my uncle Pete's house. It was great to see everyone and spend time together. Patty made lots of good food and maybe now Josh and Alexa will remember my name for the next time they see me! The manly men played horseshoes. Here's a photo of my twin uncles, Steve and Pete.Joe and I went to the beach for a week with his family. It was a relaxing and indulgent week spent eating, shopping, and lounging around. We spent hours one night eating crabs, got up to see the sunrise (and all the funny old men with metal detectors that remind me of Pop-pop), and scoured all the outlets for good deals. We visited the original Dogfishhead brewery in Rehobeth Beach and tried several interesting beers and spirits. We spent an afternoon making the next batch of Andrew and Joe's very own beer- a (hopefully) delicious basic IPA. I played the necessary role of nagging quality control expert so no crazy drunkies could mess up the results this time around. We're bottling that beer tonight so it will be ready to test out soon!Joe and I also went to my parents house for my grandparents 60th anniversary party. My parents and sister made an amazing tiered cake with incredible toppers. They molded and painted sugar paste to look like Grandmom and Grandpop and had speech bubbles with endearing phrases often heard coming from their mouths. Grandpop's said "Think it's easy, do ya?" and Grandmom's said "Oh shut the hell up!" It was really clever and well done and everyone got a big kick out of it. And as goes with the theme of my life, there was incredible food. Dad built his own smoker out of terra cotta pots and smoked a delicious pork loin. That's about all, folks! Have a great day!

Wedding Extravaganza Weekend

2009-09-30T13:20:00.013-04:00

I have been noticeably absent for quite a while. You have probably all died of boredom while I was gone but just in case you're still hanging in there, I've decided to come back. Here I am! Today is a beautiful, crisp fall day. I'm having a cup of coffee and planning big things for my day. Things like washing mountains of laundry, cleaning, exercising, and job searching.
It's been a very busy few weeks for me. My cousin Danielle and her new husband John's wedding was this past weekend and it was a wonderful, amazing time.I am so so glad we were able to go and spend time with family. We missed the people that weren't able to come but a few were able to skype in for the ceremony. Hooray technology! The wedding was a casual barbeque in Dani and John's backyard. The chaplain started the ceremony with a great line from "The Princess Bride"- "Mahhwidge. Mahhwidge is what bwings us togethahh today." Hilarious! The little bit of rain didn't deter the party one bit. In fact, it created a gorgeous full rainbow over the yard and all of the guests. The night before we left for the wedding, I finally finished my gift for the bride and groom- a homemade quilt. I sent fabric squares and fabric markers to all my cousins and aunts and uncles for them to write notes or draw pictures. They sent them back to me and I sewed them all into the quilt. Below are close-ups of all the family squares. The whole time I was working on it I was really thinking about Dani and John and my whole family. I am hoping this quilt is something they'll have for years and something they can look at from time to time to think of us. Judging by the tears shed, I think they liked the gift. Hopefully no other family members get married soon because I need a break from all the quilting madness!Stay tuned for some highlights on the other events of the last several weeks! Have a great day!

Productivity what??

2009-08-17T16:09:00.002-04:00

Chelsea canceled our running date this morning, and I was secretly glad because I woke up feeling like death. I made peanut butter cupcakes because there wasn't chocolate in the house and I couldn't bring myself to leave the house for some.. how sad.
I worked on a sewing project and watched An Affair to Remember. I can't believe I have never seen this movie! It was so wonderful and romantic and at the same time really stupid. Terry seemed like such a confident, self-possessed woman, so why couldn't she just TELL him? And why couldn't they just bypass the 6 month waiting period and both get jobs? It seems silly. But I loved it. I loved the clothes and Cary Grant and the romance. If you haven't seen it, you should.
Now it's getting late and I'm wondering what I did today. I suppose I still have time to be productive, and tomorrow is a brand new day!

Art inspiring Life

2009-08-15T17:33:00.007-04:00

Is it just me or was Bjork's infamous swan get-up from the 2001 Academy Awards definitely inspired by Leda and the Swan, a painting hanging in the Perelman Building of the Philadelphia Museum of Art?
via philadelphia museum of art
via styleguru
I visited the museum recently and the first thing that popped into my head after seeing this painting was Bjork. Can you think of other examples of paintings inspiring real life? Immediate ones that come to mind are Yves Saint Laurent's Fall 1965 Mondrian Dress, inspired by the work of Piet Mondrian. I'm sure there are a million more examples.
via wikipedia

via metropolitan museum of art
Have a great weekend!

Visitors!

2009-08-14T11:31:00.005-04:00

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of hosting my very favorite mom and one of my favorite aunts for the day in Philly. They arrived bearing hostess gifts (what manners!) of wine and ramekins (wonder why they thought I needed those???) After a little chatting and relaxing and fake arguing about who would drive, we went to Reading Terminal Market for lunch. We wondered around, checking out the extensive options while Katy took a bajillion photos. We made conversation with a few strangers sharing our table while we ate, and we helped brainstorm ideas of how they could get out of jury duty. For dessert we all shared a divine Nutella/strawberry/banana crepe, a delightful cup of mocha chip Bassets ice cream, and a delicious Termini Bros chocolate chip cannoli. DECADENCE. We walked off a few of those calories on South Street, exploring fabric stores, trying on hats, and nearly getting kicked out of a cigar store. When Joe came home from work we went to Umai, a sushi place we had been itching to try. All the plates were beautiful and the actual sushi was very eclectic. I enjoyed it but wouldn't recommend this place for someone craving traditional sushi. But if you're looking for something new and different and you want to try a roll with strawberries, macadamia nuts, and honey, this is the place for you. After an amazing dinner, Kate headed home and Mom slept over so we could have more fun the next day. It was so fun spending time with them and sharing stories (even ones that might scar me for life). I wish all our family lived closer so we could do stuff like this more often. But I guess being so far apart makes the times we do get to spend together extra special.

hello again!

2009-08-13T15:04:00.002-04:00

Hello my darling three or four loyal readers! It has been quite awhile, hasn't it? My apologies for being negligent on my blogging duties. Well, our computer is officially kaput, so says our trusted computer genius. Joe bought a new one but in the meantime we've been getting by with my old laptop. It functions just fine but it is super slow and doesn't have any of my recent photos and files.

We have a lot to catch up on, but until I get myself organized, let me just give you a few little tidbits...

-I've started running early in the mornings with my new neighbor and long-time best friend Chelsea. Hope we can keep it up!
-I am hard at work on a super special secret project for a certain September wedding that I am SUPER looking forward to.
-Joe and I finally got hooked on True Blood, I am somewhat sorry to report. Our roommate and other friends love it and now we too are addicted to ridiculous vampire smut.
-I am also hard at work on an art project Joe concocted on an especially creative day. More details on that later.
-Yey for Greg, who designed his first magazine cover for Grid magazine this month!
-Cross your fingers for Andrew and Becky. They are anxiously awaiting the results of the PHS City Garden Contest they entered this year.

That's all I've got today. Come back and visit soon and I will have more about the goings-on of the last few weeks. Have a wonderful day!

creme brulee catastrophe

2009-07-25T09:20:00.003-04:00

I'd just like to begin by saying that my title is a little dramatic... nothing got set on fire and no one died. I just wanted alliteration.

Yesterday I spent half the day cooking. I made a mild nectarine cilantro salsa and a spicy habanero chili salsa that made my fingertips burn for hours. I made mini fried eggplant parmigiana slices. I made an eggplant chorizo tomato casserole that looked like vomit but tasted not-too-bad. I made some raspberry lime puree to mix into some champagne thus creating a delightful and refreshing beverage.

I also made (healthy-ish) chocolate creme brulee. I quartered the recipe because I did not want eight servings. I also did not have ramekins or custard cups, so I crossed my fingers that my glazed pottery-like soup bowls wouldn't blow up in the oven. The recipe was surprisingly easy, just time consuming with all the cooking and chilling. Unfortunately, the result was a little ridiculous. The burnt sugar coating hardened upon contact so there was no chance for it to spread out on the surface. And there was about 1/2 an inch of dessert in each huge bowl. It was completely edible and tasted pretty good, but I was still disappointed with the presentation. Before I make these again, I think I'll get proper cookware. Here is my sister torching her badass creme brulee creations at Thanksgiving last year. Apparently I am the baking challenged one. I can live with that, because she's pretty much challenged in every other way. (!!)

Technical Difficulties

2009-07-24T08:35:00.000-04:00

Our computer has been acting up for the last few days. Very irritating. I hesitate to say it's functioning properly now, because the last time I wrote that it crashed immediately after "now". UGH!
Last weekend was great. We went to a great Japanese tapas restaurant in Atlantic City and then played with money I don't have. Gambling is a funny business. The chandelier in the Borgata is amazing, though. Saturday we went to Sea Isle. It was a perfect, beautiful day for the beach. I almost got laughed off the beach for applying SPF 70 four times in five hours, but I care not. I didn't get burnt!

A few unrelated items:

Mark Bittman's list of 101 Simple Salads is basic but clever. It inspires me to eat more salads and get more creative in their making.

I saw Brüno the other night. Not a good movie. I'm wondering what the point was... social commentary? Were they making fun of middle America or of homosexual Austrians? Did he REALLY go to the Middle East in those get-ups? Is Paula Abdul REALLY as dumb as she acts? There were a few funny moments but a lot of it was legitimately offensive. Did anyone see it and enjoy it?

Amanda Blank is on the cover of City Paper this week. I had no idea who she was before I skimmed the article, but I really picked it up because the photo shoot for her article was at my very favorite ice cream parlor and chocolate shop, Scoop Deville! Anyone craving sweets in Philly should head here first. Contact me if you'd like me to wax poetic the wonders of Scoop Deville. I love it there.

Have a great day. Cross your fingers that my computer is still working tomorrow!

Wishful Thinking

2009-07-17T10:32:00.000-04:00

We're headed to the shore this weekend. We haven't been all summer, and Joe is aching to go to the beach. I could live without it, but it is a fun way to occupy the weekend I suppose. Hopefully the rain holds off!
I am loving most of the Marc by Marc Jacobs swimwear line. They are just more unique than the other available suits.

Now all I need is a flat stomach and a lot of money...
Unfortunately I don't have either of those so I'll be wearing my old swimsuit and focusing on the importance of a good body image and self esteem. And sucking in my stomach.
Photos Marc by Marc Jacobs via Bloomingdales

CSA Week 9

2009-07-16T09:56:00.002-04:00

We joined a CSA this year after hearing about it from friends. A CSA is Community Supported Agriculture, and the gist of it is that consumers pay a farmer at the beginning of the year and collect produce each week throughout the growing season. Each place organizes their CSA differently, but at Greensgrow, dairy, cheese, and meat are also included with each week's pick up. I don't know how we lived without it until now! Most produce at the grocery store is overpriced, flavorless, full of chemicals, and from Chile or somewhere really far away. I had grown to expect tomatoes and strawberries that were more white than red inside and I had never seen an onion with the stem still attached. The food we get from the CSA spoils faster since there are no chemicals, but it tastes AMAZING. Another delicious benefit of belonging to a CSA is the variety. I think of myself as a relatively adventurous eater, but when shopping for myself I never really thought to buy produce I wasn't familiar with. We have been (happily) forced to create meals out of beets and parsnips and more. This week's bounty included bok choy, corn, beets, cantaloupe, basil and sun dried tomato chicken sausage, garlic and chive cheese spread, 1 dozen eggs, and 5 "Greensgrow bucks", with which we purchased a pint of chocolate cherry goat milk gelato sweetened with agave syrup. Yum Yum.

I definitely recommend joining a CSA to everyone who can. If there is no CSA available to you, try to get your produce from a farmer's market. If that isn't available, try to at least buy products that are in season. That way it is slighly more likely that your food will be local and taste good! Animal, Vegetable, Miracle is an incredible book that provides a lot of insight about the importance of local, sustainable agriculture. There is also a lot of information to be gained from their website.

Have a great day!

Creative Laziness

2009-07-15T16:48:00.003-04:00

I'm feeling really creative today but I'm having a hard time making anything concrete. I started making a necklace this morning and got distracted. Started embroidering and got distracted. Started sketching and got distracted.
Does anyone have any secret tools to producing results? I did have a more productive day today than the past few, but I still feel like I didn't accomplish anything important. I think I make my to-do lists too long and get discouraged before I even start. I am feeling really overwhelmed with all of my thoughts.
I think I need some chocolate.

Bastille Day

2009-07-13T10:51:00.012-04:00

Saturday was Fairmount's annual Bastille Day celebration, and since this is our first year living in the area, we were quite excited to experience the festivities first hand. I spent Saturday morning stitching us up some revolutionary hats, and then we headed out for some lunch and, of course, French beer. We ate lunch and people-watched at a local restaurant for awhile before the real action began. There were some people milling about in French Aristocracy costumes, along with a cardinal and some fellow revolutionaries. I'm not sure if these people were the event organizers or just really into Bastille Day, but they were REAL costumes.
As compared to our costumes, which did boast home-made hats but were lacking in most other aspects. However, Joe and I were really the only other people we saw dressed up.
Several local businesses had booths set up along the street with dunk tanks, cheese and wine pairing lessons, food, and face painting. I loved the intricate airbrushing and rhinestone details of the face painting. What an amazing way to transform silly cartoon characters on a child's cheek to a work of art! We decided to enter a costume contest and pushed ourselves to the front of the crowd, only then realizing that the other participants consisted of professionally costumed aristocrats, a General Lafayette, and a little kid dressed like a pirate. Those of you who know me can attest that standing in costume in front of a huge crowd on a public street with a cup full of beer is not something I do often. Apparently Saturday was exception, because there we stood. The announcer yelled out descriptions to the crowd and voting was cheer-based. Here we have an aristocrat with a heart shaped mole, General Lafayette, etc, etc, and two drunk Parisians! The crowd went wild and we ended up winning two bottles of wine and some Philly t-shirts!
With all the class of revolting French peasants, Joe used his keys to open the bottle of wine. He may have sprayed a few white shirts with red vino, but I think after a few sips from the bottle no one really cared.
So for the main event, a local restaurant owner dresses up as Marie Antoinette and gets on top of the "Bastille" aka Eastern State Penitentiary and banters back and forth with the executioner, who is the owner of another neighborhood restaurant. Eventually Marie yells "Let them eat cake!" and her army throw 2000 Twinkies over the wall of the Penitentiary. What a hilarious sight.
The army surrendered and Marie was brought out to the guillotine.
The crowd was surveyed. I believe "off with her head" was the chosen option, but instead they cut the head off a watermelon wearing a wig. It was such a crazy fun day!
P.S. Several people have asked me why this event exists. Duh, for fun!

Love me, Love me

2009-07-12T12:52:00.009-04:00

I got up on Thursday morning to find an Emily love-fest waiting for me! This cute note from Joe (my wonderful boyfriend) and Ashley (my wonderful roommate) was on the white board in our kitchen when I came downstairs and there were more than 15 new comments on my blog! Aunt Kate posted some of my sketches on her blog here and many of her friendly readers came to check me out. It feels like cheating a little to have an established blogger advertise me, but I really appreciate everyone's kind messages. It is such a pick-me-up. What an uplifting day!

Tomorrow I'll tell you all about our crazy Saturday Bastille Day celebrations, but for now I'll leave you with just a little taste.Our neighborhood's very own Marie Antoinette, standing atop the Eastern State Penitentiary AKA Bastille, sipping champagne from a can, and speaking to the angry peasants gathered below.

Have a great rest of the weekend!

Julie and Julia

2009-07-10T11:25:00.008-04:00

I saw a preview this morning for the new movie Julie and Julia, starring Meryl Streep and Amy Adams. The movie is based on the book (which is based on the blog) Julie and Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen, and it is interspersed with scenes from Child's life.

I am SO excited to see this movie! I read My Life in France, Julia Child's autobiographical collaboration with her nephew Alex Prud'Homme, not too long ago, and I loved it so much I was inspired to purchase her ever-so-famous first cookbook, The Art of French Cooking. I made her recipe for garlic soup as soon as the book arrived, but unfortunately my effort was deemed by both Joe and myself as a dismal failure. I'm looking forward to getting back into it and trying some more recipes.
via better world books and cookbook village

A little shout out to blogs, because apparently this is the first movie based on a blog, or so says the New York Times here.
Have a beautiful day!

ClickClick

2009-07-09T16:40:00.003-04:00

Joe bought an old Polaroid camera for $5.99 at Jomar (a fabric and clothing/housewares warehouse that has several locations in and around Philadelphia) the other day, and he has been quite taken with it ever since. This type of camera was in production between 1967-1969, and it is questionable whether or not this particular one actually functions. Once we find some old school film and a 4-volt battery on ebay we can figure it out. Nonetheless, pretty much every time we have gone out since that joyful day of purchase, the Polaroid has come with us. "Say cheese!" Joe prompts friends sitting with us at a restaurant. They pose, and catch on when he creates the "clickclick" sound effect himself. My over-the-top eye rolls may also clue them in, but you never know. While I may think Joe's Polaroid crush is a little unfounded, I do admit that it is a cool looking camera. The colors and the lines are simple and elegant and rather inspiring. I can see putting an outfit together with that color scheme, making a dress with mitered tucks or accordion pleats, or many other applications.
P.S. The irony of taking awful, blurry pictures OF A CAMERA is not lost on me, but I do the best I can. Have a photogenic day!

Bits and Pieces

2009-07-08T13:44:00.012-04:00

I saw Away We Go last night. It wasn't as much of a goofy indie movie as I expected it to be and I really enjoyed it. There were a few little details that bugged me, but it made me think and it made me feel extra gooey for my favorite guy.

The Philadelphia Museum of Art has some interesting exhibits now, both in the Main Building and the relatively new Perelman Building. I'm looking forward to taking a little field trip there soon.

Speaking of exhibits, Judith H. Dobrzynski of The WSJ just reviewed the new exhibit "Dove/O'Keeffe: Circles of Influence," on display in Williamstown, MA now through Sept. 7. I like the recent popularity of the type of exhibit that compares two or more artists, like "Cezanne and Beyond," which ended in May at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. This compare/contrast style really gives viewers an art history lesson so everyone leaves a little smarter and more informed rather than being overwhelmed and intimidated by such outstanding work.

This is really cracking me up. This guy sends over the top made up replies to Craigslist ads and posts the absurd conversations on his website. What a jerk but pretty funny.

Mike Albo reviews the kitschy cheap-gift mecca Pylones in his latest Critical Shopper article for the New York Times. I love his wit and informative yet informal writing style.

Have a fantastic day!

sketchbook

2009-07-07T17:30:00.005-04:00

When I was in high school I doodled all over my notes in class, I brought my sketchbook to parties, and basically I just drew all the time. When I went to college, I had to do a lot of drawing in class and I was so busy all the time that my for-fun sketching kind of fell by the wayside. Unemployment leads to a lot of free time, so recently I've started sketching a little more. I want to make it more of a habit because I really believe that daily sketching, no matter what it is, increases your drawing abilities and creativity in general. Here are a few excerpts from my sketchbook.

Discovering my neighborhood

2009-07-06T01:45:00.006-04:00

We planned to go to Winterthur yesterday but by the time the riveting Wimbledon final was over, it wouldn't have been worth the drive. Instead, we went for a long walk and relaxed on a blanket in a woodsy clearing. On the way back, we walked down a street I haven't been on but is so close to our house. Here are a few things that caught my eye along the way.
Pretty flowers. Does anyone know what these are called?
Mosaic Deli that sells sushi for $4.99. Doesn't sound promising, but the exterior is beautiful.
Very art nouveau-y.
Relaxing in the grass, doodling and reading and snacking.
Looks french to me for some reason. So classic and pretty.
Love hydrangeas!
Interesting door detail. Nice paint job, too.
This house reminds me of The Little House. What a cute little book.
Train tracks to nowhere.
View of the sky from our blanket.
Have a great day!

Recap

2009-07-05T11:27:00.008-04:00

We had people over last night to watch the fireworks on the roof. It's our first fourth of July in this apartment, so we were crossing our fingers that we'd have a good view. At first we were sitting on the little deck, but who knows how much weight that sucker holds so I spread out some blankets on the actual roof and we waited for Sheryl Crow to finish singing so the fireworks could start! It was a really beautiful night. The mini fruit pizzas were disappearing quickly and so was the beer. I was getting nervous with all the sparklers being set off on our roof (apparently we are really into fire hazards around here) but everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves and staying safe...
It ended up being a great view and a great show. I don't remember the last time I enjoyed fireworks so much. Hope everyone had a relaxing holiday and is enjoying the rest of their weekend. I think we're taking a little day trip to Winterthur today. I'll let you know how it goes!

Happy Fourth!

2009-07-04T09:19:00.008-04:00

It's kind of a tradition for me to make fruit pizza for the 4th of July. This year I decided to make individual fruit pizzas aka cookies. The only cookie cutter I have is a heart so I took matters into my own hands and made my own star shaped cookie cutter. Using some heavy duty scissors, I cut a beer can into strips and folded each strip into a point. I drew a template to help me keep the shape I wanted, and then I taped each point together and voila- a star shaped cookie cutter!
Here is the recipe for sugar cookies that I used. Slicing pre-made Pillsbury dough for the cookies also works, but homemade is healthier and usually just better. After rolling out the dough and cutting out the shapes, bake the cookies according to the recipe's directions. Let them cool, then ice with a mixture of 1 package neufchatel cheese, 1 cup sugar, and a few tablespoons cool whip.Decorate with fruit and serve!
Happy 4th!

Barbeque City

2009-07-03T15:55:00.006-04:00

Today, in celebration of the coming holiday and in lieu of going to work (Joe + rest of the world) or sitting on the couch applying for jobs and doing laundry (me + other unemployed people), we are going to a barbeque at a friend's house. There's really nothing like sitting around an illegal bonfire in an empty lot in the middle of South Philly, especially when it's already 85 degrees outside.

via Food Network
Here's Philadelphia's own Adam Gertler, who used to own a barbeque restaurant in town called The Smoke Joint, and who now has a show on The Food Network called Will Work For Food. I was rooting for him to win Next Food Network Star last season, but he seems like he's doing pretty well for himself anyway.

view from our roof
Tomorrow we are hosting a little get-together at our house. Joe says it's not a party unless there's a keg... hey Toto I don't think we're in college anymore! Hopefully we'll have a good view of the fireworks from our roofdeck and it will be a good time. Happy almost 4th of July!

To Do List

2009-07-02T11:16:00.012-04:00

I am a lover of lists. So here is my to-do list from yesterday:
#1. Do Laundry

Our washer/dryer combo is probably from 1973 or something because the dryer takes over 400 minutes to dry one load of laundry. I could do laundry continuously and never run out of dirty clothes to wash. I can't even imagine how this problem would multiply if I had kids.

#2. Go Running

My main issue with exercise is motivation. I love seeing the scale read two pounds less than last week, but do I love it more than chocolate? Do I love it more than sitting on the couch playing minesweeper? It's a constant struggle.

#3. Make dinner

I always forget to put crockpot meals on early enough for them to be finished and taste good at dinnertime. Joe (my boyfriend) has been craving pork and sauerkraut lately, so despite the wintery-ness of the meal vs the summery-ness of the weather, that is what we shall have. Quick and easy for good planners.

My (not at all exact) recipe:

1 boneless pork loin
1 2 lb bag sauerkraut
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup or more apple cider
1 onion, chopped
1 apple, chopped
Salt, pepper, and fennel seeds to taste
Throw everything in the crockpot and cook on high 10-12 hours or until pork pulls apart nicely. Shred pork and return to crock pot. Add more apple cider if it's dry and season to taste. Serve with or without kaiser rolls. Also tasty with roasted vegetables.

#4. Make dessert

We don't have dessert every night, but sometimes it's a treat. This week we have house guests, and with our super wintery dinner, I wanted a light and summery dessert. Creamy Lemon Pie recipe from Weight Watchers. Don't let the healthiness put you off. It's really delicious.

#5. Water plants
sage and basil
mint and strawberries
dill and oregano
jalepenos and chives

I live in Philadelphia, so having an outdoor space to call your own is a pretty rare commodity. Our roof deck is one of the features that really drew us to this apartment. We got all ambitious and planted several herbs and a few fruits and vegetables. I have an uncanny knack for killing plants in mere days, but these troopers have stuck it out for a few months now. Granted, they may be a little brown and virtually yield-less, but plant productivity can be next year's goal. This year I'm just thrilled they're (mostly) still alive.

Yesterday's goals were all accomplished. On the list for today: more laundry, exercise, cooking, cleaning, mending, taking our visiting dog on a walk. Being unemployed makes me such a good little housewife. (Despite not being little or a wife.) I will leave you today with a pic of the pup staying with us this week. Have a great day!

Maria Kalman love

2009-06-30T10:56:00.005-04:00

I'm really in love with Maira Kalman's New York Times blog And the Pursuit of Happiness. It is such a clever mix of deep thoughts and whimsy illustrated by sketches and paintings. The storytelling aspect makes it fun and readable while still being informative and creative.

via and the pursuit of happiness
This is my favorite tile. I'm not quite sure why I find it so amusing, but I really do. She should sell some of these babies as postcards.

Up To My Ears

2009-06-29T12:11:00.033-04:00

Today I've been steeping with inspiration. Sewing projects and paintings and crafts, etc etc. The problem is, whenever I have all these seemingly brilliant ideas I sort of lose them as the day wears on. I may not have the necessary materials on hand, or I may start and lose focus.

I've been itching to start a blog for ages, but now seems like a good time, I suppose. I'm not expecting anyone to actually read it. It will be a good forum for myself to compile photos and sketches and recipes and ideas. And if anyone does happen to come across it, perhaps it will spark some creativity.

Now I'll leave you with some beautiful examples of stitching and quilting. Have a beautiful day!

via alabama studio style

via The Purl Bee

via stitching in the sun

via ??? let me know if this is your image.