denyse schmidt has been everywhere i turn lately. i absolutely love, love, love her chain link quilt and bedding at crate and barrel. oh, why are those shapes so cool?
so, i still haven't solved the whole digital camera thing, so i can't show a picture of it, but my friend who went to new york last week brought back a piece of the gates for me!!!! her friend was working on the project with jeanne claude and cristo, and she managed to snag a bit of the extra fabric from the warehouse for me!!! how cool is that?
i went to richard siebert's studio today to check out some printing stuff for a future project--he was great, and he gave me and DR each a most excellent david lance goines chez panisse 21st birthday poster. he was the model, way back when, so i guess he has a big pile of them. but way more exciting than that was how cool the studio itself was. maybe i should figure out a way to go work there once a week or something. i've always wanted to learn about letterpress. the woman he shares the studio with teaches some courses at the san francisco center for the book, another very cool place i've been considering going to for a long time.
i went to richard siebert's studio today to check out some printing stuff for a future project--he was great, and he gave me and DR each a most excellent david lance goines chez panisse 21st birthday poster. he was the model, way back when, so i guess he has a big pile of them. but way more exciting than that was how cool the studio itself was. maybe i should figure out a way to go work there once a week or something. i've always wanted to learn about letterpress. the woman he shares the studio with teaches some courses at the san francisco center for the book, another very cool place i've been considering going to for a long time.
i was cupcaked
on saturday night, i came home to the most wonderful treat. i was cupcaked by the cupcake fairies. maybe you're next!
happy belated first blog birthday to me.
it's been quite a year. lots of ups and downs. lots of good food. lots of hijinx. lots of countries.
yay for more!
it's been quite a year. lots of ups and downs. lots of good food. lots of hijinx. lots of countries.
yay for more!
i am so excited about christo's and jeanne-claude's gates in central park. i wish i could go see them, but i'll just have to settle for pictures and stories from a friend who's visiting there this week.
lasassy, it was clare crespo i was talking about on friday.
i spotted a dude wearing a blogger sweatshirt in the mission. i can't decide if it was really lame or really cool.
even though i still haven't decided if i really love or really hate tartine, i think if i ever open up a little shop, i'd want it to have exactly the same atmosphere/design/vibe (but less snotty). i LOVE their pickles. i went there on friday for lunch with DR and little xiomara, and we had huge hot pastrami panini with lots of horseradish. the sandwiches were almost painful to eat, but in a wonderful way. my friend JA, who makes pastries there, was on eclair duty, so we had one of those, too.
this week, i experimented with homemade pizza. i started out with the recipe for regular pizza dough from baking illustrated, but, as always, i ended up adding so much salt, oil, and flour that my finished product didn't really resemble the initial recipe at all. at cp, we all had to know how to make pizza dough right, since we had do make two huge batches a day, so i relied a lot on the feel and look of the dough. i think it's mostly important to start out with enough oil and salt in the dough, to let the yeast come to life before you add most of the flour, and to let the dough proof enough. i think it's basically impossible for most home cooks to overknead or overproof dough like this. at any rate, the pizza was fantastic--i was craving deep-dish pizza, so i made it in a cast iron. it came out crispy and light, and thick and wonderful and saucy and cheesy. so good!
the cherry, plum, and apple trees are in blossom all around berkeley. each morning, i step from my apartment into a sea of pink and white flowers. i keep expecting another cold spell, but maybe spring is really here.
hopefully she won't get mad at me for saying this here, but i was really excited about the autographed copy of the garden state dvd that LS got from her boyfriend's sister's boyfriend, who plays poker each week with zach braff. HOW COOL IS THAT?
i spotted a dude wearing a blogger sweatshirt in the mission. i can't decide if it was really lame or really cool.
even though i still haven't decided if i really love or really hate tartine, i think if i ever open up a little shop, i'd want it to have exactly the same atmosphere/design/vibe (but less snotty). i LOVE their pickles. i went there on friday for lunch with DR and little xiomara, and we had huge hot pastrami panini with lots of horseradish. the sandwiches were almost painful to eat, but in a wonderful way. my friend JA, who makes pastries there, was on eclair duty, so we had one of those, too.
this week, i experimented with homemade pizza. i started out with the recipe for regular pizza dough from baking illustrated, but, as always, i ended up adding so much salt, oil, and flour that my finished product didn't really resemble the initial recipe at all. at cp, we all had to know how to make pizza dough right, since we had do make two huge batches a day, so i relied a lot on the feel and look of the dough. i think it's mostly important to start out with enough oil and salt in the dough, to let the yeast come to life before you add most of the flour, and to let the dough proof enough. i think it's basically impossible for most home cooks to overknead or overproof dough like this. at any rate, the pizza was fantastic--i was craving deep-dish pizza, so i made it in a cast iron. it came out crispy and light, and thick and wonderful and saucy and cheesy. so good!
the cherry, plum, and apple trees are in blossom all around berkeley. each morning, i step from my apartment into a sea of pink and white flowers. i keep expecting another cold spell, but maybe spring is really here.
hopefully she won't get mad at me for saying this here, but i was really excited about the autographed copy of the garden state dvd that LS got from her boyfriend's sister's boyfriend, who plays poker each week with zach braff. HOW COOL IS THAT?
i got to go to the chez panisse party this past weekend, and it was lovely. it was held at foreign cinema, where i've never before been--the food was alright, and of course the pagnol films were playing overhead on the wall. mostly, though, it was wonderful to see all of the special people i never get to see anymore. oh, and the babies. there were so many babies. i've always thought that the chez panisse children are the most beautiful kids in the world (and healthiest!).
since it was a goodbye party for several people who've worked there for many, many years, practically everyone from over the years was there. i worried that i wouldn't know many people at the party, since there's been such great turnover since i left for italy, but pretty much everyone i hoped to see was there.
i'll always be indescribably grateful for my opportunities and experiences at chez panisse, and spending that evening with everyone just served to highlight that feeling for me.
the goodbye gifts for the retirees were pretty amazing, but by far, the best was the red kelly bag alice gave leeann, the parting floor manager. it was so dramatic, in the orange box and everything.
since it was a goodbye party for several people who've worked there for many, many years, practically everyone from over the years was there. i worried that i wouldn't know many people at the party, since there's been such great turnover since i left for italy, but pretty much everyone i hoped to see was there.
i'll always be indescribably grateful for my opportunities and experiences at chez panisse, and spending that evening with everyone just served to highlight that feeling for me.
the goodbye gifts for the retirees were pretty amazing, but by far, the best was the red kelly bag alice gave leeann, the parting floor manager. it was so dramatic, in the orange box and everything.
a little more
so, here's a little blurb by nancy harmon jenkins (from the essential mediterranean) on garum:
The oddest product that Greeks and Romans produced from salt, at least to modern tastes, was the thick syrupy liquid called garum, made from various parts of fish (some author say the intestines, others from small whole fish, still others from a combination of the two--and probably all of these methods were used at one time or another). The fish, layered in terra-cotta jars with lots of salt, sometimes with aromatic herbs added, was left in the sun to fermenet to a rich and heady brew.
a book
i'm reading this wonderful book, blink, by malcolm gladwell, all about the instant decisions we make. i love it. i think he's a wonderful writer, and his other book, the tipping point, is one of my favorites.
his articles in the new yorker are usually my favorites--i loved the one about french fries a few years ago, and another about ketchup this year. this one about plagiarism was interesting, too.
his articles in the new yorker are usually my favorites--i loved the one about french fries a few years ago, and another about ketchup this year. this one about plagiarism was interesting, too.
it's called garum! i've spent three days trying to remember the name of that ancient roman fish paste. i walk around in circles, mumbling to myself. and finally, i just googled it. i love google.
blah blah blog
i LOVE the "shouts and murmers" from last week's new yorker. it was called "1992 house." i can't describe how funny it was. almost as good as that pepsi and coke one from last week.
check out this bling-bling! this one, too. wearable dante can't be beat.
check out this bling-bling! this one, too. wearable dante can't be beat.
how much do i love the postal service?
too much.
also, i keep wavering about getting a cheapy little fun camera. i think i want a medium format one, but i've always thought about getting a lomo, too. . i just missed a good deal on ebay, so i'll hold off.
what i really want is a medium format twin lens, like a seagull.
too much.
also, i keep wavering about getting a cheapy little fun camera. i think i want a medium format one, but i've always thought about getting a lomo, too. . i just missed a good deal on ebay, so i'll hold off.
what i really want is a medium format twin lens, like a seagull.
what's been on my mind recently:
man, i wish there were something like this around here. i really, really wish i could take that denyse schmidt class. my knit quilt is coming along swimmingly. i'm thinking i'll need fifty six squares, and i already have 6! i just need to get some more yarn. i've been eyeing the sale outlet at jimmy beans wool. rowan yarns are my ultra-favorite right now.
i've always wanted to take a letterpress class at the san francisco center for the book. i think that this might be the season for me to do it. after i get acquainted with the entire process and machinery, i might be able to convince RS (a friend of a friend) to let me have an informal apprenticeship.
i've been scoping out knitting links left and right. check my links page for an updated list.
i've seen at least three ipod shuffles out on the street and on bart in the past 24 hours. and that new mac mini is calling out my name (though the 12" powerbook is calling much more loudly).
man, i wish there were something like this around here. i really, really wish i could take that denyse schmidt class. my knit quilt is coming along swimmingly. i'm thinking i'll need fifty six squares, and i already have 6! i just need to get some more yarn. i've been eyeing the sale outlet at jimmy beans wool. rowan yarns are my ultra-favorite right now.
i've always wanted to take a letterpress class at the san francisco center for the book. i think that this might be the season for me to do it. after i get acquainted with the entire process and machinery, i might be able to convince RS (a friend of a friend) to let me have an informal apprenticeship.
i've been scoping out knitting links left and right. check my links page for an updated list.
i've seen at least three ipod shuffles out on the street and on bart in the past 24 hours. and that new mac mini is calling out my name (though the 12" powerbook is calling much more loudly).
who has my dry by augusten burroughs? i lent it to someone but i can't remember who.
thanks to everyone who brought stuff to the bake sale. we raised over six hundred dollars--way more than i could have donated by myself--in about four hours. yay!
ok, so i've been gone for a while.
some stuff i've been thinking about, doing, eating:
the tsunami. donate, donate, donate. i'm thinking of holding a bake sale on saturday to raise money. does anyone want to help out? leave a comment or write me if you're in berk or sf and want to bake or sell with me. i haven't decided where i want to do it yet.
knitting, knitting, knitting. i've decided to knit a blanket. i want to use up all of the yarn i got in italy before i buy any new fancy yarn from here or here or here, so i'm going to make a bunch of 9x9 inch squares and stitch them together to create a knit-quilt type thing.
listening to music. nick drake, rilo kiley, keane, some brazilian stuff, the postal service, the shins, and more.
burning myself. i spilled a pot of boiling water on myself after i crashed into someone at work and spilled all over her first. i ripped off my coat and socks and ran upstairs as soon as it happened. it turned out not to be too bad--i just have a little red spot on my right foot.
working. new year's eve was wonderful at work. lots of hijinx, great music, and some really delicious food. i spent hours fine dicing black truffles and nearly went blind. but the food was great. my favorite things: white risotto with black truffles, baked alaska, and tarte tatin with burnt caramel ice cream.
hanging out with friends.
drinking a lot of tea. my new favorite is the blood orange i just got from far leaves.
making delicious presents: i made some sea salt caramels and mexican hot chocolate mix for some friends for christmas, and i was pretty happy with how both turned out. here are my recipes.
---sea salt caramels---
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup light corn syrup
3 cups sugar
1 tablespoon sea salt
12 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons vanilla
boil cream, corn syrup, sugar and salt to 248 degrees farenheit. remove from heat and add butter and vanilla. pour into a greased pan and let the caramels set for about three hours before cutting and wrapping in wax paper.
---mexican hot chocolate mix (almost as good as mariebelle's!)---
3 parts dark cocoa (i used valrhona)
1 part sugar
freshly grated nutmeg
ground cinnamon
clove
hot pepper
movies i'd really like to see include finding neverland, the life aquatic, and sideways.
i'll be better about posting from now on, i promise. and again, let me know about the bake sale, guys.
some stuff i've been thinking about, doing, eating:
the tsunami. donate, donate, donate. i'm thinking of holding a bake sale on saturday to raise money. does anyone want to help out? leave a comment or write me if you're in berk or sf and want to bake or sell with me. i haven't decided where i want to do it yet.
knitting, knitting, knitting. i've decided to knit a blanket. i want to use up all of the yarn i got in italy before i buy any new fancy yarn from here or here or here, so i'm going to make a bunch of 9x9 inch squares and stitch them together to create a knit-quilt type thing.
listening to music. nick drake, rilo kiley, keane, some brazilian stuff, the postal service, the shins, and more.
burning myself. i spilled a pot of boiling water on myself after i crashed into someone at work and spilled all over her first. i ripped off my coat and socks and ran upstairs as soon as it happened. it turned out not to be too bad--i just have a little red spot on my right foot.
working. new year's eve was wonderful at work. lots of hijinx, great music, and some really delicious food. i spent hours fine dicing black truffles and nearly went blind. but the food was great. my favorite things: white risotto with black truffles, baked alaska, and tarte tatin with burnt caramel ice cream.
hanging out with friends.
drinking a lot of tea. my new favorite is the blood orange i just got from far leaves.
making delicious presents: i made some sea salt caramels and mexican hot chocolate mix for some friends for christmas, and i was pretty happy with how both turned out. here are my recipes.
---sea salt caramels---
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup light corn syrup
3 cups sugar
1 tablespoon sea salt
12 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons vanilla
boil cream, corn syrup, sugar and salt to 248 degrees farenheit. remove from heat and add butter and vanilla. pour into a greased pan and let the caramels set for about three hours before cutting and wrapping in wax paper.
---mexican hot chocolate mix (almost as good as mariebelle's!)---
3 parts dark cocoa (i used valrhona)
1 part sugar
freshly grated nutmeg
ground cinnamon
clove
hot pepper
movies i'd really like to see include finding neverland, the life aquatic, and sideways.
i'll be better about posting from now on, i promise. and again, let me know about the bake sale, guys.
ok, sorry it's taken me so long to finish the story, but i had to get some details straight first. we wouldn't want me to have to resort to silly exaggeration, now would we? luckily, MS came in for lunch today and i quizzed her about the entire conversation....
"hello?"
our stunned protagonist stutters a confused, "who's this?"
"who's this?" the voice on the other end asks incredulously, "you called me. what do you mean, who's this?"
"uh, well, i was just expecting the voicemail to pick up. i was going to leave a message for zach braff."
"well, here i am."
"really? is it really you?"
"yep."
a good 30-40 seconds of girlish shrieking ensues. then, "are you still there?"
"yes."
"wellmynameisVSandihadthiswholemessageplottedoutabouthowyouandiaremeantforeachother, andhowmuchilovegardenstate, andyou. iloveyousomuch.
imeanionlyhavetenfriendsbutimadethemallseegardenstateatleasttwicewithme, andthesoundtrackwellit'srevolutionizedmylife."
"well, VS, i have to say that you sound like a really smart young woman."
"ohmygodican'tbelievethiszachbraffjustsaidthatiamsmart."
"do you realize that you are talking about me in the third person while you're on the phone with me?"
"yesbutidon'tcare. ohmygodthisisthebestdayofmylife."
a few seconds of boyish giggling ensues. "i'm so flattered."
"iguessijustwanttotellyouhowmuchiloveyou,andthatifyoueverfeellikesomeoneisfollowingyouandsnappingpicturesofyoufrombegindabushit'sjustmesodon'tworry."
"okay, thanks for the tip."
"noproblem,anythingforyou!"
"well, it was great talking to you, but i have to run. thanks for the call. bye."
"iloveyoubye."
"hello?"
our stunned protagonist stutters a confused, "who's this?"
"who's this?" the voice on the other end asks incredulously, "you called me. what do you mean, who's this?"
"uh, well, i was just expecting the voicemail to pick up. i was going to leave a message for zach braff."
"well, here i am."
"really? is it really you?"
"yep."
a good 30-40 seconds of girlish shrieking ensues. then, "are you still there?"
"yes."
"wellmynameisVSandihadthiswholemessageplottedoutabouthowyouandiaremeantforeachother, andhowmuchilovegardenstate, andyou. iloveyousomuch.
imeanionlyhavetenfriendsbutimadethemallseegardenstateatleasttwicewithme, andthesoundtrackwellit'srevolutionizedmylife."
"well, VS, i have to say that you sound like a really smart young woman."
"ohmygodican'tbelievethiszachbraffjustsaidthatiamsmart."
"do you realize that you are talking about me in the third person while you're on the phone with me?"
"yesbutidon'tcare. ohmygodthisisthebestdayofmylife."
a few seconds of boyish giggling ensues. "i'm so flattered."
"iguessijustwanttotellyouhowmuchiloveyou,andthatifyoueverfeellikesomeoneisfollowingyouandsnappingpicturesofyoufrombegindabushit'sjustmesodon'tworry."
"okay, thanks for the tip."
"noproblem,anythingforyou!"
"well, it was great talking to you, but i have to run. thanks for the call. bye."
"iloveyoubye."