dwell.urban

blog baby!

2009-04-29T09:26:00.003-04:00

Launching a new blog with RJR--some of the same themes as what you would find here at dwell.urban, but stretched across two states and expanded to include a stronger sustainability focus. You can find us both here at Wonder & the Wooden Post. Please join us in this new adventure!

new year, new beginnings...

2009-01-04T06:15:00.000-05:00

I began dwell.urban in 2005 on another site called sharenicely. However, the daily joy of posting and linking and sharing did not become a regular habit here on blogspot until this time last year. At the time I felt I needed this space. Now, I think I need a fresh perspective and a plan for the new year. And so today, on the celebration of Epiphany, I am posting my last item here. I have not decided yet if I am planning to craft a new space, but if I do, I will be sure to say when and where.

In parting, here is a poem by theologian Walter Brueggemann that captures the old and the new, the darkness and the light, the desire to meet each new day with courage, and the sincere hope that we can be refreshed, redeemed, made new.

Epiphany

On Epiphany day,
we are still the people walking.
We are still people in the dark,
and the darkness looms large around us,
beset as we are by fear,
anxiety,
brutality,
violence,
loss —
a dozen alienations that we cannot manage.

We are — we could be — people of your light.
So we pray for the light of your glorious presence
as we wait for your appearing;
we pray for the light of your wondrous grace
as we exhaust our coping capacity;
we pray for your gift of newness that
will override our weariness;
we pray that we may see and know and hear and trust
in your good rule.

That we may have energy, courage, and freedom to enact
your rule through the demands of this day.
We submit our day to you and to your rule, with deep joy and high hope.

Walter Brueggemann (b. 1933)
Prayers for a Privileged People (Nashville: Abingdon, 2008), p. 16

wishing you joy and peace this Christmas

2008-12-24T07:04:00.001-05:00

James Lesesne Wells (1902) "The Flight Into Egypt," Oil on canvas 1930

May each of us welcome the stranger this season, open our hearts and our homes to those, like the Holy Family, who have journeyed so far and yet still need a place to sleep. May those fleeing oppression find our land hospitable and safe. Visit the Justice for Immigrants Campaign.

May you know the joy of the newborn child, the hope of a mother's love, and the peace that comes with a year put to rest and a new day ready to dawn. Visit Feminists for Life.

Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528), The Adoration of the Magi, 1503 woodcut

May you find yourself overflowing with the generosity of family and friends. May you find ways to share your abundance with those in need. Visit Catholic Charities USA.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! See you in 2009.

currently loving

2008-12-23T06:55:00.002-05:00

- my twinkling tree
- cinnamon scented pine cones
- coffee with bourbon
- new radio sending forth carols all through winter baking
- wool hats
- the crazy short hair cut I just got, which looks even better with wool hats than my previous tangle of long curls
- homemade Christmas
- watching falling snow
- shoveling snow
- walking through the snow
- snow days
- Soup Thursdays at work
- new library card that brought me books and DVDs and magazines
- anything with sea salt
- knitting with wintry grey wool
- old and new carols by Sixpence None the Richer and Over the Rhine
- "White Winter Hymnal" by Fleet Foxes
- making jewelry while watching new library DVDs
- reading aloud
- Fitzgerald's Jazz Age Stories read aloud--part of what inspired the new haircut
- indulgent low brow holiday film clips on YouTube, such as this scene from Love Actually
- planning for New Year's Eve
- spending quiet evenings in, rather than out chasing the cheer

reducing the mania

2008-12-22T06:54:00.001-05:00

Every year at this time I am knee deep in flour, tossing about sticks of butter, and running to the store for another missing ingredient. Not this year. Rather than choosing six or seven kinds of food based gift items, I narrowed it down to two. Yep. Two things to make, taste, give, and share. Seems stingy. But it has increased my sanity. Also reducing the mania, taking remaining vacation and personal days from work. Normally I am the sort of person who prides herself on how few days of work I miss. Yet, as I have begun to strive for a more seamless, sustainable life, I realize how much more you need to be home to accomplish it.

For example, want to grow your own vegetables and then harvest and put up for the winter? Need a few extra hours each day in the garden. Want to make more of your own clothes, replace paper products with cloth that needs to be laundered, bake your own whole wheat bread or pizza crust, or simply eat fewer meals out? You need to be more connected to your base of operations. It is that simple.

Yet is it? With all of our demands for time and the pressures of life, it can be incredibly easy to let those important things go. I do it often. Then suffer for it. Less connectedness, more frantic searching for meaning. More meals eaten on the run, of food that I don't even want in my body, fewer minutes spent in prayer, and missed opportunities to truly engage with those around me.

Back to the Christmas food...my two gifting foods are vanilla-caramel popcorn with sea salt and cranberry-pistachio biscotti. The former is an adaptation of a Martha recipe. Her original recipe had almonds and entirely too much caramel to popcorn. I increased the vanilla, removed the nuts, and replaced regular salt for thicker, chunkier sea salt that provides a sharp earthy contrast to the sweet and smooth taste of vanilla scented caramel. Here is how I make it:

Vanilla Caramel Popcorn with Sea Salt
Makes about 25 cups

* 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
* 3 cups corn kernels (3/4 C for each batch of popcorn)
* 4 tablespoons canola oil (one for each batch of popcorn)
* 2 cups packed light-brown sugar
* 1/2 cup light corn syrup
* 3 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
* 3/4 teaspoon thick sea salt - more to taste in the last round of baking
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Butter 2 rimmed baking sheets; set aside. Place corn kernels and oil in a large pot over medium-high heat; cover. Once kernels begin to pop, shake pot frequently; when popping slows to about 3 seconds between pops, remove from heat; uncover. Transfer to a large bowl. Add almonds; toss.

2. Cook sugar, butter, and corn syrup in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring, until it reaches 255 degrees.

3. Remove from heat. Stir in extracts, salt, and baking soda. Pour over popcorn mixture; toss to coat. Divide between prepared sheets. Bake, stirring occasionally, 1 hour 20 minutes. In last round of baking sprinkle additional salt onto popcorn. Popcorn can be stored in airtight containers up to 1 week.

on transitions and craftivism

2008-12-21T07:06:00.002-05:00

This week one of my colleagues left our firm. I am excited for her new adventure, it will be a grand one of the most centering kind. She is choosing the unknown over the known and a path free of mainstream expectations. This is a woman whose parting gift to me was a copy of Knitting for Good, the new release from Betsy Greer. How often does someone at your job "get" you that well?

Greer's world of art + craft = craftivism is an amazing one. And the book is published by Shambhala, the outfit that brought us The Creative Family by Amanda Soule of SouleMama and I Love Dirt by Jennifer Ward. These books are standouts om my bookshelf, they are joyfully gifted to each friend who brings forth a new baby into this crazy world. The texts are small, perfect to hold in one hand with a warm cup of coffee in the other. Knitting for Good is the same. Add to that list that A is a friend of Greer's from their UK days and you can imagine how excited I am to tap into this movement.

I spent part of my snow day on Friday to devour the text. Used my last personal day before the end of the year. A year that has been one of considerable change, transition, and adventure. Best wishes A on your new year! May you find everything you hope for.

magical movie classic

2008-12-20T10:36:00.001-05:00

Last night we went to see It's a Wonderful Life at the Palace Theatre in downtown Albany. This splendid venue was the perfect location to welcome in the Christmas week with a solid American classic. As RJR often points out, many Catholic values are woven into the tale. We started the evening out by meeting up with friends at the newly opened Brown Derby located directly across the street from the Palace. Much like the film, this restaurant and bar epitomizes the Golden Age of Hollywood when dressing up meant a hat and tails not Juicy Couture sweats and a Tiffany heart pendant with Uggs. I had determined this was a worthy event to debut my new holiday dress, a vintage 50s black dress from 272 Vintage Fashions in Troy.

The dress has a more auspicious occasion planned. RJR, K, and I are headed to see My Morning Jacket at Madison Square Garden on New Year's Eve and the attire is vintage black tie. The preferred garb is Victorian I think, but try finding anything of that period in my size and you will be in for a hunt. Several attempts before I finally settled on the dress and not the look. My plan for that night is to pull together an ensemble with up do worthy of Joan Holloway from Mad Men. More to follow on that event and the associated preparation. The brother has already been looking for a top hat and cane, while the boyfriend successfully located a vintage black suit. Cannot wait for that night.

Anyway, Friday we were slammed with a massive snow storm so I ended up in riding boots and a long wool skirt that kept me much warmer than the shorter, hipper dress I had planned. And now on to the rest of my baking and making and wrapping of gifts with Bedford Falls' rendition of "Auld Lang Syne" still echoing in my mind.

new artform

2008-12-19T07:06:00.001-05:00

I have ventured into many areas of art and design, but until this week I've never jumped into jewelry making. However, when I was selling at giveHANDMADE I was placed next to two women who make lovely necklaces and earrings and they convinced me to give it a try. $15 worth of supplies later, I am into it. Some modest earrings to begin with. Nothing too elaborate yet. I am fairly sure that I have some bracelets with beads that could work and other beaded necklaces that could be dismantled and recycled into more fashionable pieces. A lot of this has been trial and error trying to determine what hangs nicely, how big is too big, and what combination of beads work together. Troy has a bead store overflowing with options and Little Falls recently added one as well. I have a feeling this is going to be a fine indulgence for months to come. Competition for the knitting and drawing.

As you can see from the photos my camera and I are still battling over the zoom function.

happy birthday to you

2008-12-18T07:06:00.001-05:00

Today is my father's birthday. He is one of the most generous, compassionate, warm-hearted people I know. Add to that the fact he is incredibly skilled in all things mechanical, technical, and electrical and you can imagine why people think my mom is married to a prince. His humor is legendary, albeit reliant on recycled jokes from when we were kids. And his ability to laugh at his own humor for hours is in itself amusing. Happy Birthday D-A-D! (He also loves the film Juno--that should give you an idea of his affection for me, forever his baby girl--being the only daughter has major perks.)

Here he is with my mom in northern England appreciating the landscape. What a world traveler!

winter words

2008-12-17T07:09:00.000-05:00

Winter: A Dirge
Robert Burns (1781)

The wintry west extends his blast,
And hail and rain does blaw;
Or the stormy north sends driving forth
The blinding sleet and snaw:
While, tumbling brown, the burn comes down,
And roars frae bank to brae;
And bird and beast in covert rest,
And pass the heartless day.

“The sweeping blast, the sky o’ercast,”
The joyless winter day
Let others fear, to me more dear
Than all the pride of May:
The tempest’s howl, it soothes my soul,
My griefs it seems to join;
The leafless trees my fancy please,
Their fate resembles mine!

Thou Power Supreme, whose mighty scheme
These woes of mine fulfill,
Here firm I rest; they must be best,
Because they are Thy will!
Then all I want—O do Thou grant
This one request of mine!—
Since to enjoy Thou dost deny,
Assist me to resign.

green and growing

2008-12-16T07:05:00.000-05:00

So little green this winter season. Yet on my windowsill there is a glimpse of what is to come.

modestly festive

2008-12-15T06:08:00.001-05:00

I am not an over the top holiday decorator. Nor do I like to pour my hard earned dollars (yes sitting at a computer all day in excel is hard work) into temporary bits of glitz and glam. When I do decorate, I prefer it to be subtle, natural, and at best cheap, if not altogether free. I don't have plans to host a Christmas party this year, but I did have a dinner party for work colleagues on Monday and spent much of last Sunday getting the place ready for the season.

Digging through my fabric stash, I came across three yards of well made wool plaid. (Purchased with sister-in-law J at our favorite off the beaten path thrift store fabric stash in Fairport, NY) By this I mean yarn dyed and woven, not printed plaid. The texture is a perfect contrast to the spiky pine branches, shiny ornaments, and rugged grapevines I also intended to include. I also had recently purchased two round bowls for 25 cents a piece at a thrift store in Little Falls--one a deep walnut stained wooden bowl and the other a shallow glass bowl. Both about the same size. With a trip to Michael's to gather the $3.99 grapevine wreaths, a handful of berries at $.49 a branch, and one tin of silver and white ornaments from Rite Aid, I was able to assemble an array of decorations. I should add that some of the ribbon I already had on hand, recycled from other projects.

I also cut out snowflakes while watching my TV on the internet one night and hung them mobile style from the dining room chandelier. These got a lot of attention at the party. Apparently most people haven't done these snowflakes since they were kids. I, uh, cut some every year. Something magical about making a few cuts on a cone shaped fold of simple copier paper and unfolding it to find an intricate pattern of lacy petals.

All told, with the tree lugged in by RJR, the lights, and the other crafty purchases, I spent just over $100 to get the house in shape. I am thinking that I love the simple festiveness of the plaid so much I will try to find a new wool plaid each year. By cutting pieces off and adding bits here and there, I have a constant theme throughout the house. Each year the plaid could emphasize a new color, red, blue, green, gold, ivory...

back to knitting

2008-12-14T06:05:00.000-05:00

With giveHANDMADE concluded and all of my Christmas gifts made--except the food stuffs that must wait until that week--I am able to return to knitting. The green scarf is nearly complete, perhaps one more TV show or movie timelength to go. The handwarmers in ivory are not so close. In fact, Friday when I ventured out in the aftermath of the storm, I landed at a local coffeeshop to knit fire side. I've been frustrated with the quality of my stitches with the double-ended needles and decided to bind off and have a one wrist cuff. Stylish huh? Rocking the 80s in finely knit alpaca/wool blend. I am determined to begin again. But then it was the whole casting on thing that stumped me before. Oh well. The project fits nicely in a bag made by S and I think I will be taking it with me to any number of locations in the coming weeks of holiday cheer.

yes, winter

2008-12-13T09:36:00.006-05:00

Remember how I said it was officially winter now? Well, I was not lying. Thursday and Friday we were slammed with a huge ice and snow storm. Nearly 150,000 people lost power and once grand trees are laying in heaps of branches on sidewalks. Many in my office worked from home yesterday. I happened to be one of the few in Troy who kept electricity all night and all day. Around 4PM I decided I'd done my time--what with no coffee breaks, chats with colleagues, or gratuitous email--and headed out to the streets to survey the damage. As much beauty as tragedy it appeared to my eye. Gorgeous crystal berries, sparkling trees, and ethereal glass forests. After sunset the images became even more graceful and produced an eerie creaking sound. My apartment remained largely intact although there is water damage from melting snow and ice that made its way around the roof drain pipes and in through a leak in the roof instead. A bit of a mess right now. Waiting for contractors to return and repair the cosmetics. In the meantime, I am enjoying the icy glow of winter sun.

officially winter

2008-12-09T21:32:00.004-05:00

I consider the first weekend of December to be my winter kick-off. It is usually when I begin listening to Christmas music and when I fetch the tree. This year it also marked my participation in a handmade holiday event. The day turned out bitterly cold, but quite fun once I was inside and getting assembled. Absent the boyfriend or an extra set of hands, a few kind souls took pity on my pathetic jumble of boxes and baskets on the sidewalk and helped me lug my gear inside. The venue was excellent; being paired with the Farmers Market was perfect. I made some new friends and connected with some other like minded artisans. I cannot say enough good things about Troy.

I'll let the pictures do the rest of the talking.

snow and tree fetching

2008-12-07T09:25:00.002-05:00

Unblemished snow met me this morning on the front steps. What a perfect snowfall for fetching a Christmas tree! After years of not having a tree in my own space, this year I will get to set it up in front of the apartment's sprawling bay window that faces the street. Now, instead of gazing longingly at others' twinkling magic from the street below, I will have my own magic to share with passersby.

First things first however. Must go on to church to sit with the K-1st crowd where we will be discussing the readings for the second week of Advent--preparing the way.

last minute mania

2008-12-05T15:46:00.002-05:00

That post about creative energy at the last minute, yeah, a bit optimistic. More like bleary eyed crafting late into the night that in the morning looks like something your 7th grader brings home from home-ec. Eek. It seems that each new piece I try to add to my selection for Saturday is worse than the last. Tonight I have a holiday party at a co-worker's house and then it will be back to work until I stumble out to the Farmers Market tomorrow to set up for GiveHANDMADE. By myself. How did I miss the fact that RJR would be out of town for work and that I wouldn't have help to set up, much less give me a break from hosting my table to mingle? Oh well. As I often say when facing something looming, "by this time tomorrow it will be over." Not that I am not excited. I am. But seriously, I take on too much. All the time. Been trying to remedy this.

Will write about the aftermath tomorrow! I am sure that there will be many lovely indy crafters there that will dull the pain of my pathetic booth. Be well and happy Friday!

crazy about these

2008-12-02T07:00:00.001-05:00

Soft pretzels. Not the large oily twists you find at the mall that smack of preservatives and chemicals. No, compact, fresh doughy twists mastered in Philadelphia's storefront bakeries. There is now a Philly Pretzel factory franchise in the capital district. See here for details. Walking into a strip mall is not quite the same as sidling up to a truck in Center City, pushing past the construction workers to get your 30 cent pretzel or showing up at 5AM outside the Ben Franklin pretzel bakery under the El in Kensington to purchase 300 salty sticks for the youth basketball play-offs, yet it might satiate my cravings. I might buy a few dozen to freeze. Wow, now I'm hungry.

give HANDMADE

2008-12-01T12:01:00.000-05:00

Lots to do before this Saturday's giveHANDMADE event in Troy. I did some sewing over the weekend, but not nearly enough. The last minute rush is kind of a good feeling though, creative energy and all that. Plenty of people are taking the pledge this year, how about you?

safe travels, joy, food and sleep

2008-11-26T09:00:00.003-05:00

May all be yours this weekend as we celebrate together! I am headed to Rochester with RJR to enjoy family and food, nothing I love more than cooking together. Be safe, be well and come back to reality refreshed.

favorite things : : tea towels

2008-11-21T17:15:00.000-05:00

Skinny LaMinx towel

I collect tea towels. Vintage, new, wonderfully absorbent tea towels. I cannot recall exactly when this phenomenon started, but it has reached a fevered peak. I have talked to many about my inability to buy paper towels. Won't stand for it. Tissues and toilet paper, sure thing. Paper towels and paper napkins, no. Not going to do it. So easy to tear off by the armful, sop up the mess, and discard where it eventually ends up entombed in a plastic bag coffin rustling in the breeze in the bucket of a pay loader piling one more layer of our consumerism at the county landfill. One of these landfills sits behind my parents' house. Ugh.

At my house, we use tea towels to sop up that mess, tea towels as napkins, and older worn out tea towels for the really dirty stuff. Some of my towels have been gleaned from flea markets, others from "antique" shops (stores with old stuff that would not really be considered historic), and a handful of new ones from snappy designers. What better way to spruce up the boring white apartment kitchen than with a colorful swath of fabric? The best towels are made of high quality cotton that gets better and better with each wash.

Etsy has many great choices if you want to start your collection today!

Lovelane towel

i love pink dots towel

favorite things : : local honey

2008-11-20T08:44:00.003-05:00

Golden, sticky, warm, wonderful locally produced honey. Last year I decided to scale back my sugar intake to see if that would help me improve the ratio of days with headaches to days without headaches. The headaches turned out to be related to something else, but I've stuck to my honey plan and found that it has almost completely kicked my addiction to sugar. Used to be that I need something sweet after every meal. Now, I'm content with my coffee and have none of the yucky sugar side affects throughout the day--the highs and lows. I figure this also helps me stay away from other sugary syrups and condiments that aren't honey based. Rules. I can play by rules even if I know that I made them up.

I have been purchasing my honey from Lloyd Spear Beekeeper, Inc. who sells his wares at the Troy Farmers Market. The bees are located in Schenectady NY and other surrounding towns. Having just read The Secret Life of Bees as a reading indulgence, I now want to take a bee keeping class. This is to prepare myself for the time in my life when I have honey bees and chickens in my quaint urban homestead. Did you see that more and more urbanites are taking up chickens? And to respond in advance to the post that will surely be placed by my mom, yes, I do remember when you went up against the zoning board to get goats in our suburban town growing up. What can I say, the apple doesn't fall far...

favorite things : : jane carter curly hair care

2008-11-18T12:05:00.000-05:00

Having left Whole Foods behind in Philadelphia upon moving to Upstate, I have had to find a new source for the magical curly hair solution I've found so perfect to tame my mane. Jane Carter's condition and sculpt formula has none of the yucky silicone, paraben, or glycerin that dissuades me from other products. It also does not contain alcohol, an all too common haircare ingredient that is counter intuitive. Like many of those who review it online, I too combine it with a bit of pomade or wax (I use MOP or other organic versions of the same) to get the degree of hold I want.

My primary source for this magic now is naturallycurly.com. The website has a myriad of products available and even includes the humidity forecasts for cities across the country, the primary threat to our heads. The site also features curly hair types, from 2-4 with ranges in between. These types are paired with celebrity examples like Sandra Oh, Juliana Marguiles, and Erykah Badu so you can see where you might fit and what you might like to use.

favorite things : : envirosax

2008-11-17T11:59:00.000-05:00

I know, I know, everyone in blog land does favorite things. And I'm joining them. Last week was a blurry fog of sleeplessness and spreadsheets. I'm determined to throw that off this week and start today, Monday, with a new approach. I am convinced there has to be a better way to get tasks completed or to set up a more realistic--and healthy--workday. As much as last week nearly killed me, it did help me conquer one of the foremost barriers to a better system, getting up earlier! Not that I want to awake at 4AM every day, but 6AM without going back to sleep and running to the bus stop sans breakfast, work out clothes for the gym and make up--not my idea of a good start to the day.

Here is the new schedule: 6AM, prayer, 6:15 yoga poses, 6:30 get presentable, 7:00 breakfast, 7:15 off to the bus stop, 8AM at the desk. One day down and it worked. Now, this only becomes functional I realize if I have the lunch packed the night before and my gym clothes ready and waiting by the door, but that can be accomplished. Yes, it can. I'm saying this out loud more for me than for the readership.

Favorite thing that can help me do these steps better? Envirosax. Handy dandy lightweight bags that expand to enormous proportions. Lunch, check. Book to read on the bus, check. Workout clothes and towel, check. Vitamins, check. Pile of unopened mail, check. The latter may or may not get read on the way in to work.

falling off the face of the earth

2008-11-10T12:01:00.000-05:00

Kind of. Work, work, work. Some sleep and some food. That is about the extent of my life right now. When I have more interesting things to say, I will sign back on. For now, I need every extra minute for getting through the day and seeing people that I love.

on heat and bills

2008-11-05T06:20:00.000-05:00

I'm living in fear of the National Grid bill this month. While I am happy to have autumn in town, it means a lot more money to keep this place warm. Most of the time I am fine with a hoody and even a hat in the house, but ask my houseguests these last few weeks, not everyone appreciates the cost savings measures. The clever RJR suggested that I use the layout of the house to my advantage by hanging a thick curtain in the tiny hallway entry that separates the front of the apartment from the back. With a thermostat on either side of the hall, this could work out well.

Over the summer he and I happened upon a junk sale near his office, really a pile of quasi-antiques in a muddy parking lot. I unearthed the orange folding table that holds herbs in the kitchen and also the black plant rack that is in front of a "fireplace" in the parlor. In addition, I found a roll of designer fabric, rough linen with wool embroidery over top, very revolutionary war period--nearly 10 yards for $5. The stuff is incredibly sturdy and seemed just the thing to make the curtain. I still need a heavy duty rod and an equally durable tie back to finish it off, but here is a first look at it.

more interior

2008-11-04T06:32:00.000-05:00

As you can see from this string of photographs over the last few days, I have been able to get more settled in of late, trying to keep the energy going by carving out an hour or so each day to take on a new project. Saturday RJR and I went for a brisk walk and found a black IKEA chair in a dumpster. Yee haw! Perfect for my studio that is getting straightened out. The light is excellent from 3PM to dark. So far I have only been sewing curtains in there, but I have my sights set on a still life in pencil for this week's evening practice. Much like my goal to get to the gym more, this is an alternating project. Last week I was two nights at the gym and one night drawing. Here's aiming for three workouts and two nights at the easel.

View from the studio into the "parlor" or reading room.

on sticks and mirrors

2008-11-03T07:32:00.000-05:00

No, not smoke and mirrors, sticks and mirrors! I have a thing for both. As long as I can remember I have reveled in the structural presence of the naked branch. Maybe that is part of why I adore autumn, it is the slow unveiling of the tree, the foundation that holds up the lacy artifice that we see most the year. When these fall to the ground, whether due to weather or human intervention, I'm happy to bring a few home with me to decorate and delight. When J and I lived on Ashland Street in the Southwedge we had plenty of sticks in place, including one suspended above my bed to give it a sleeping in the forest feel.

More recently, I have added mirrors to my collection of must have items. With rules though, none over $20 and must have character. All four of those pictured here were found over the course of the last year in the boyfriend's hometown of Little Falls, NY. I'm telling you, people from the city must only go as far as Hudson, NY to go antiquing and thus miss out on the finds in the Mohawk Valley. The sticks, well, most of them are local too!

This is the one wall I have painted so far, deep chocolate. The mirror was an $8 find that I painted a flat black enamel. This tiny space is looking gothic this season.

Except this driftwood from Canadice!

lazy morning

2008-11-02T09:03:00.000-05:00

Finally a morning to glory in autumn, slowly, deliberately, soaking it in through the kitchen window. Cup of coffee, sketch pad, inspired to draw after seeing such nice local art on display. Work is still overwhelmingly busy and so this respite was much welcomed. Centering before another week where I am in over my head.

thriftyness

2008-11-01T16:03:00.003-04:00

How do you spell that? Friday I realized almost too late that I didn't have nearly enough plates for both munchy food and the post art gallery walk dessert selections. So, I headed to the Salvation Army to mine the stash of dishware. I came home with 15 pieces for less than six dollars. Amazing. All sorts of funky designs, perfect for my eclectic mishmash style of entertaining. And, cheaper than a set of 12 nifty plates from Target that I almost purchased earlier in the week. Less impact on the environment, buying second hand is always better for the earth, and less impact on my wallet when we get to use them again and again. Of course they all had to be washed first...

The gathering turned out to be a perfect size, small with autumnal food ("A" brought a cranberry apple crisp pie with a crust she invented that includes oats and coconut) and the pumpkin cookies tasted exactly like Starbuck's pumpkin scones. One guest even wore a costume to the delight of many young children out last night, he was a dead ringer for the Joker.

When we were out for the gallery walk, I was asked to think about teaching art again by a representative from the local Arts Center. Something I'm mulling over. A new work colleague used to work in a wine store and brought me a bottle of excellent champagne. Little did she know that is one of my favorite indulgences. Somewhere around midnight we opened the bottle amidst discourse on all things politics and religion. Troy impressed the heck out of my guests, making me proud.

harvest hospitality

2008-10-30T12:04:00.000-04:00

Finally going to have a little gathering in my new home. Not an official housewarming because that would seem indulgent after the recent one at Blue Elm. Instead, Friday is Troy Night Out and so we will be gathering first to eat and then on to galleries and then back to eat. Why not have a progressive evening of food?! There are such yummy choices out there this time of year.

Over at the Chicken, I picked up a recipe for Iced Pumpkin Cookies. I also found a new local bakery to check out, just outside of the city on Route 7, don't you love the format? Seems to exude warm tastiness. Hopefully they can supply me with a selection of additional dessert choices since my other activities this week, the job, have moved in on my baking. We will also be serving warm cider and some autumnal wines selected by the boyfriend (who did a fantastic job helping me clean the apartment, especially consoling me when one of the pictures I had just hung crashed to the floor in an explosion of glass--and then cleaning up the mess himself even though it was my own fault for trusting some new hanging devices that weren't supposed to damage plaster. Guess again).

Now if I can just sew more of the curtains tonight, I will be all set. Oh, and after the cleaning last night we started reading The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (aloud--one of my favorite pastimes to share!). The story will be a film this Christmas with one of the best actresses working right now, Cate Blanchett. Oh yeah, and Brad Pitt is in it ;)

gift giving season

2008-10-29T12:05:00.000-04:00

The season is nearly upon us! I have a number of my gifts made, purchased, in the works, but if you don't, check out these two upcoming events to support local artisans. The first one is local to Rochester, Second Storie Indie Market, to be held at the Visual Studies Workshop in late November. I attended one in February and really enjoyed it. Delightful work by some seriously talented men and women. The second, in Albany and Troy, is GiveHANDMADE and I will be selling Five40B items there the first weekend in December. I am less familiar with this event, but it seems to be shaping up to be a nice way to get into the local market.

Last night I stayed up late setting up the studio. It is aching for a few more projects. GiveHANDMADE should be just the thing to get that going! Of course, my knitting will take a hit, but oh well. I am also working on a family gift project based on our trip to London, more soon!

windowless cave free form poetry on a monday afternoon

2008-10-28T07:02:00.000-04:00

coffee.

chocolate.

writing.

acres of trees slaughtered for my paper pages.

silence.

one door opens. closes with a creak.

red pens. blue pens.

binders.

more spreadsheets.

achy joints, stuck at this chair.

no windows. no passage of time.

some office chatter.

four more hours to go.

wishing for sunshine.

hoping these words, figures, charts, tables will mean something to someone after i am through.

race report

2008-10-27T07:52:00.003-04:00

Few posts last week because of a busy travel schedule for work and then my mini-vacation day on Friday.

Saturday it poured for hours, making the race trail a muddy mess for the team that was running from Rochester and Albany. Despite the mess, the guys won the team race for the half-marathon, doing an amazing job navigating the flooded creeks and mire. My only task was supporting the team, although it did get me psyched to consider training for the 6 mile version next year. Don't hold me to that though. It could have been the perfect race day weather and the team camaraderie that had me thinking crazy! My brother came out too and cooked a delicious lunch for the runners and family members.

The boyfriend placed 39th out of 250+. So proud!

signs and symbols

2008-10-21T08:24:00.003-04:00

This book Signs and Symbols came out in April, but I have not come across it until now over at Elle Decoration, a blog written by Heather Moore of Skinny LaMinx. I've posted here about my love for typography, and signs/symbols are not far behind. Symbols are particularly salient for me, explaining part of my attraction to orthodox religious traditions and my ongoing captivation with iconography.

I'm headed to NYC on Friday for some relaxation and a bit of my own research. One of my appointments is near Strand, of the 18 miles of books fame. Populating a list of books I want, need, should have in my collection before making my way over there. A friend recommended Andre Dubus who wrote House of Sand and Fog as well as We Don't Live Here Anymore, that was also turned into a disturbing but excellent film adaptation.

death and taxes

2008-10-20T08:18:00.002-04:00

Super Saturday was a mild success. Some great projects completed, others stalled for lack of supplies or the expertise or some other obstacle. For example, I made a rather involved Martha molasses spice cake to hold that yummy sounding frosting, only to have my hand mixer die in use. On the first of three mixing stages--sugar and butter, eggs and molasses, flour and spices. I dumped everything into the food processor and started again, but with only modest results. The meringue frosting required mixing in a bowl over a simmering pot of water so that frosting option had to be rejected for a simple glaze. Which, all things considered, turned out better than the cake. I invented a cider reduction glaze that basically goes as follows:

1 cup cider -- boiled and reduced to 1/3 cup
1 cup brown sugar
4 tablespoons butter
1/4 t salt

Boil until thick and pour over cake

The cake went over well at the party, although I wasn't thrilled with the density of the cake, should have been lighter and airier, a feature I'm blaming on the dead mixer.

Sunday dawned bright and early with preparation for my religious education class. The Gospel reading for the day was from the book of Matthew regarding paying to Caesar what is Caesar and to God what is God's. Imagine a lesson on taxes and tithing for the Kindergarten and First Grade set. The little group of nine four to seven year olds are a joy to work with, even if their energy can seem overwhelming on a weekend morning. The contrast between the morning's liveliness and an afternoon spent in my windowless office at work couldn't have been more stark. Not to mention breaking the Sabbath. Big week this week requires more than the usual effort to be invested--thankfully I am on vacation Friday and will be spending it in NYC.

super saturday

2008-10-17T09:23:00.005-04:00

I am lazy.

Plain old, curl up under blankets and watch television on the internet lazy. While knitting. Maybe not straight up lazy after a 12 hour work day or with the knitting. But ugh nonetheless. Even with that extra day last week, I only managed to straighten up my closet, run errands, and do laundry.

I have curtain material cut out and the sewing machine ready, yet it sits. I have all the contents of my studio, from fabric to paint to paper scraps, in the room, but in piles upon piles needing to be put away. I have two gorgeous colors of paint and rollers and tape sitting in the kitchen poised to jump onto my accent walls. Still nothing.

That all changes tomorrow. (Changes always start tomorrow don't they? Something about the new day thing.) I have six days to get my apartment in shape before visitors arrive for the race weekend and then a work gathering the next. Saturday will see me painting, sewing, setting up, and arranging--not getting sucked into watching those programs I missed this week while putting in long work days.

I'll also be going to an autumn party tomorrow evening for which I plan to make an apple cake with this frosting cut in half, because who really needs 5 cups of Brown-Sugar Swiss Meringue Buttercream? Super Saturday here I come...after a few more hours of data crunching and analysis.

Be well and happy weekend.

red october

2008-10-15T10:43:00.005-04:00

Weekend trip to Naples and Canadice Lake in the Finger Lakes region of New York State.

new music

2008-10-14T09:54:00.002-04:00

There are so many new releases out! Hearing good things about Ray LaMontagne, The Verve, Death Cab, a few less new: Fleet Foxes, Vampire Weekend, MGMT, MMJ, Regina Spektor. One of them is from an old art school pal, D.M. Stith. His work is ethereal, yet solid, transparent and somehow steady. He is signed to Sufjan Steven's label, Asthmatic Kitty. David not only writes the lyrics and music, he also creates the artwork for the liner notes. Check it out!

coming along

2008-10-11T07:03:00.000-04:00

The new apartment is slowly starting to feel like home. Everywhere else I have lived has been more petite and figuring out what to do with my existing furniture in the larger space has been tricky. Still a ways to go, planning to use Monday's day off for making Roman blinds for the kitchen and hanging other window treatments. More pictures to hang and arranging to do. My goal is to get it all squared away before the big race weekend when I'll be hosting guests.

ravelry

2008-10-10T07:48:00.003-04:00

Yikes. I joined up. For non-knitters, ravelry is like an intravenous drug for knitters and crocheters. There are thousands of members around the globe. People post patterns, suggestions on yarn supplies, share in forums, post photos of finished projects, and generally indulge their fiber fantasies in a virtual, yet surprisingly tactile space. I am late to the party and probably a little overwhelmed with the expansive options, but it is a start and I am hoping it will help me with my perplexing issues with the new needle techniques. Last night I began a scarf on good old single end needles in a basic stitch to satiate my need for fast and rhythmic knitting that can be done while talking, watching tv, etc. FYI, my tag is dwellurban.

cdta and me

2008-10-09T07:40:00.006-04:00

Now that I live in Troy, I have been trying to take the bus to and from work on the days when I would otherwise be driving. While living at Elm, this was not a consideration. Want to get into work early? Leave at 6:52AM for a 7AM start. Want to slide in just before everyone's coffee has kicked in and before they realize you have not logged in to Outlook yet? Eat breakfast on the porch, do the morning prayers, read an article in Newsweek, do two yoga poses, grab yogurt for lunch and walk down the steps at 8:47AM to be there just before 9AM.

No longer. Now, I check my friendly CDTA schedule and pick the bus to Albany that works for me. The system is not as easy to maneuver as Philadelphia's, but for two cities with a combined population of 143,172, it is not too bad. There seem to be the usual commuters who work in the capital and go back to their homes at night. I have seen some of those folks exit the bus to side streets near Troy where they get into parked cars and then drive a second leg to their homes.

Last night I took the bus home later than usual and encountered a somewhat different crowd. Some commuters still, but a more lively bunch who shared their stories at rather loud levels for such a small space. There were equal parts shouted expletives and spoken admiration for my knitting project in process, as well as a discussion about how one man had been run over by a mail truck and was on his 5th surgery to repair damage to his neck. Scars of which he then showed a number of passengers he had just met. This same gentleman later spoke of the urban planning genius of Henry Cisneros and his impact on San Antonio. Well, that is the gist of what he was saying. He credits Cisneros with the streetscape improvements to that beautiful Texas city, but did not quite have the name or his role correct. Apparently this knowledge was acquired when he used to live in the Lone Star state, but moved north to Troy, NY for work.

The sentiment was unexpected though, not often do you see a 60 year old (he shared his age with the audience assembled because he had just had his first child at 60--with the home visitation nurse who had been caring for him the last few months) with that kind of knowledge of the field. Knitting silently is a good way to observe this kind of activity without actually seeming to eavesdrop. Or maybe I'm not fooling anyone.

That's me, participant observer of all things urban, like public transit. The knitting on the other hand, well, I've finally started a double-ended needle project--fingerless gloves--yet do not claim any proficiency compared to my mental history of the succession of secretaries of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. After studying and working step by step visual diagrams for days, I now have 20 rows of k1 p1 in an ivory alpaca/wool blend. A few more entertaining bus rides are needed to get in the next 20 rounds.

an institution

2008-10-07T12:52:00.003-04:00

Found forty magnificent minutes between meetings in Rochester to spend at the best coffee shop in the world. Deep scent of smoky roasted coffee beans, the suspended shark floating above, a counter full of baked goodness, and familiar faces of the institution make you nostalgic for college days. Who am I kidding, I've been coming here for eleven of the fifteen years they have been in existence and I don't plan to stop anytime soon. I'd like to claim that Java's is best in autumn, when hot apple cider is available and the tree lined street is a colored corridor, but the truth is, no matter what the season, you can find your beverage and your seat for people watching. I am only here in my hometown for a few hours and yet I have to stop if possible. Not too many places I can say that about. Parkleigh has slipped down my list in recent years in my attempt to live more simply. Java's remains my justifiable indulgence.

autumn glory

2008-10-06T08:51:00.003-04:00

American Ruins at the Arkell was a nice treat on Saturday evening. I snapped a few pics with the phone. The photographer's use of infrared technology created these ghostly images, perfect for capturing the unseen history of decomposing spaces. We were probably the youngest ones at the opening, not a problem for us, but some of the Mohawk Valley's finest seemed to think I should be carded before serving me a glass of pinot grigio.

Sunday afternoon, after we each taught our religious education classes at our own respective parishes, we convened in John Boyd Thacher Park outside of Albany with a number of other folks who are running with the boyfriend in a trail race later this month. The guys had a strong run of nearly 13 miles, I mostly took photos, did a short hike, and worked my diagrams for knitting with double ended needles all while celebrating the beautiful weather and scenery! Achingly autumn is what it felt like.

happy birthday mom

2008-10-04T07:05:00.000-04:00

My mom is probably the most faithful reader of dwell.urban. Today is her special day. Hope it is full of many good things and people who love you!

empac

2008-10-03T08:49:00.003-04:00

This new facility EMPAC is opening up the hill from me today and it looks like it will host an array of wonderful artistic exhibitions. The grand opening events are free. The description gives me goosebumps. I've been slacking off in the creative department and shying away from getting connected with other artists because my full time job is so far removed from the creative practice. Yet, this is really inspiring. Who knew, in Troy, NY? This move represents the convergence of a number of journeys. I'm glad I wasn't completely paralyzed by my trepidation to move again to miss the fulfillment and joy found in being in the right place.

settling in

2008-10-03T08:04:00.002-04:00

Last night the boyfriend and I sat down to a fully autumnal meal complete with a sort of deconstructed apple pie for dessert (read, they were supposed to be apple dumplings, but the crust around the apples sort of melted off and puddled around the sugary apple goodness). Then, we created an NPR listening room to hear Biden and Palin share retorts while playing Palin Bingo with candycorn while we assembled my large IKEA shelf unit that has traveled to four apartments with me. Much to my surprise and delight (due entirely to RJR's excellent workmanship) we finished the shelf assembly early and were ready to listen even before the debate started. Definitely needed a Biden Bingo card as well. If hear "fundamental change" one more time...

The weekend is set for more settling in activities like sewing curtains, arranging my studio, and hunting for a secondhand bureau. Will be making and putting up applesauce and deciding on the yarn situation. Saturday is set to conclude with a visit to the Arkell for the exhibit opening "American Ruins" with a talk by photographer Arthur Drooker. "American Ruins features fifty sepia-toned infrared photographs of more than 25 historical sites. Drooker captures these ruins and preserves them for a moment in time. His subjects include adobe missions and the remains of elegant mansions. To be included in Drooker's project, the ruins had to meet certain criteria: they had to be part of a preservation program, they had to have historical value and they had to represent the geographic and architectural diversity of America."

Hope your weekend is grand!

itching to knit

2008-10-02T09:23:00.003-04:00

This morning's crisp air has me itching to start a knitting project. Since I have not knit in more than a year, this is something of an unfamiliar feeling. Last fall I was teaching a grad seminar, writing my own work, and driving up to New York often to chase successive autumns across the Northeast. Did not leave much time for knitting. In addition, my fabulously talented friends seemed to have moved so far past my knitting abilities it was almost embarrassing to pick up a set of #11 needles and dive in again. I most want to learn to knit in the round, having given up on it many years ago and not returned. This hat has me inspired. Eliot's mom has mad knitting skills.

J--one of those fabulous knitters--gave me a gift card for my birthday to our favorite yarn and fabric store in NYC, Purl. I was going to use it for fabric, but I'm starting to think I should choose yarn instead. Last year at this time I purchased the most delicious autumnal fabric though. Hmmmm...a trip to the city is in the works anyway so perhaps I'll have to make the decision soon. Then, there are also a variety of wonderful yarns available at the Troy Farmers Market on Saturdays. Ah, tough decisions.

Stay tuned for my knitting mishaps.

pumpkins pumpkins

2008-10-01T09:50:00.001-04:00

Yesterday I bought three baby pumpkins at the co-op. More for decoration than anything else, yet the purchased reminded me that I need to make something pumpkin this week. I cannot recall if I have already posted this recipe shared by S, just in case, here it is again. Vegan deliciousness!

Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies
Submitted by Isa
prep time: 15 minutes | cooking time: 32 minutes | makes 4 dozen cookies
These are soft out of the oven, but as they cool they are nice and chewy. They are a serious crowd pleaser, for crowds with taste buds.

Note: I use flax seeds because they make the texture a little chewier, but I've made them without and they're still good!

Ingredients
2 cups flour
1 1/3 cups rolled oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1 2/3 cups sugar
2/3 cup canola oil
2 tablespoons molasses
1 cup canned pumpkin, or cooked pureed pumpkin
1 teaspoon vanilla
optional: 1 tablespoon ground flax seeds

Directions
Preheat oven to 350. Have ready 2 greased baking sheets.

Mix together flour, oats, baking soda, salt and spices.

In a separate bowl, mix together sugar, oil, molasses, pumpkin and vanilla (and flax seeds if using) until very well combined. Add dry ingredients to wet in 3 batches, folding to combine.

Drop by tablespoons onto greased cookie sheets. They don't spread very much so they can be placed only an inch apart. Flatten the tops of the cookies with a fork or with your fingers, to press into cookie shape. Bake for 16 minutes at 350. If you are using two sheets of cookies on 2 levels of your oven, rotate the sheets halfway through for even baking. You'll have enough batter for 4 trays.

Remove from oven and get cookies onto a wire rack to cool. These taste best when they've had some time to cool and set. They taste even better the next day!

homecoming

2008-09-30T07:02:00.000-04:00

Driving out to Rochester on Thursday evening, I was very nostalgic for the ancient days of college. I went to school with some amazing people. And nothing said more about our campus than the annual, nay, ritualistic, Homecoming gathering. Although some of the traditions have faded with time, my memories keep them bright and alive. There was this incredible myth that the Student Association (our student government organization) was responsible for ensuring the safety and security of the large festival style tent that the alumni office set up each year for the events. The night before Homecoming, the male SA leaders historically staid up and kept watch to keep out vandals.

Whether or not there ever was a defacing of the tent is the stuff of legend. Well, the year that S and I comprised the executive team, we were determined to keep the tradition going. So, despite our lack of male sturdiness (our likely death is by consumption), we found some sleeping bags and settled in for the night. Perhaps needless to say, October nights in upstate NY are not warm. Sometime after midnight we curled into our cocoons and drifted off to sleep, partly out of a need to keep warm, and partly because we, as usual, had worked for umpteen nights without much sleep, getting the senior float ready, settling into our new student offices, etc. Oh yeah, and homework, lots and lots of studying between the two of us. S was getting grad school applications together and I was thinking about jobs. We barely slept that year no matter what week it was.

No, the tent did not get vandalized, nor did we get accosted there on the lawn by the tent. Rather, a few of our male friends came out to check on us, draped our huddled forms in additional blankets and took photos. Nice of them and then not so nice. All you can see in these middle of the night pics is our way curly hair piling out of the top of what looks like a bed made on the wet grass. Two women. In one bed. Need I say more? Not the racy photos gracing the MySpace pages of nearly every one of today's adolescents, but amusing to them and a little less than amusing to us. The photos have reemerged almost annually since then when someone wonders out loud about our friendship. Yes, it was forged on nights like that. And in dance class with Miss Jean tapping out the rhythm to Madonna's "True Blue" at the age of seven, in the art studio for endless hours, and in a few grand schemes of breaking and entering to advance our artistic careers (who needs to break into their own college art studio to do work because it is closed on the Sabbath and at 2AM on a Tuesday?--probably not those who went to art school in Manhattan).

Anyway, as might be imagined, we awoke that Saturday morning with scratchy throats and icky heads and I managed to get bronchitis later that week to show for my "security" detail. Supposedly that year, the Homecoming of 1999, was the last night that anyone sat watch. Maybe because we had fallen asleep on the job, or because that next year they found the budget money to add some security guards to the yearly payroll. Checking the boilers is a full time job.

This year, was much less dramatic, but still fun. There is the early morning 5K, the soccer games, the parade, the afternoon reunions, and a tent where all the student clubs sell items to sustain their meager budgets for the year. Lately, they have added tables for alumni and others who want to share their wares and be a part of a growing roster of socially conscious handicrafts. S and I sold our own handmade items, many of them created from repurposed and vintage materials. Another alum, M, joined us and we shared a great day in the tent!

superwoman

2008-09-29T17:59:00.001-04:00

I did it! Went to workout at the gym, took the bus home from work, and updated the blog header before 6PM. Guess that might not always be the case, since I did head to work around 6AM and worked much of the weekend, but still pleased with myself. Ah, the little things.

sedaris and company

2008-09-29T08:40:00.003-04:00

First of all, I know that it is not summer. Not even close. Glorious autumn in fact. But, I'm still hopelessly mired under boxes and piles and basically a huge mess of stuff at my new apartment, which means that changing my blog header is way, way down at the bottom of the list. Maybe for October!

Second, I had a wonderful time in Rochester on Saturday for the RWC Homecoming. What fun to see old friends and catch up. S and I and another alum sold a modest amount of our handcrafted items. With what is left over, I'm planning to inject Five40B with some energy by placing items on consignment in a Troy gallery.

Third, I have been enjoying being this geographically close to the boyfriend. No, not the Troy move, but being in the Capital District vs. being in Philadelphia. Going on six months up here and nearly 2 years back together so maybe I'm reflective. One of the things we love to do is see shows, travel locally, and enjoy each others company. Much easier to do 60 miles apart rather than 360. Last night we did some necessary clothes shopping and then grabbed a light dinner before heading over to downtown Albany for a drink. The bar filled up with NPR types and we tried to determine who we might see shortly over at The Palace where award winning writer David Sedaris was speaking, on tour for his new book.

Sure enough, many did migrate over. Girls in dresses over pants and guys in rugged jeans with corduroy jackets and beards, plenty of bearded hipsters. This audience was clearly enthusiastic to hear Sedaris. Seriously, what kind of audience pays good money to hear a small man with glasses read out loud?!

We managed to sit in front of a row of big laughers. Big, raucous laughs that made you lean forward a bit so as not to lose what little hearing you have left after going to your share of My Morning Jacket and MGMT shows. In front of us was one of those women who massaged her date like it was her full time job. Maybe it was her job before they started dating. I don't know. But it was really uncomfortable, hand stretched down his shirt, across his shoulders, ugh.

Yet, between the big laughs and the visual assault, we were able to appreciate Sedaris' humor. My favorite stories are about his family. Least favorite are cheap humor that is self indulgent. Self-deprecation works when it brings the larger group in, starts to push you away when it is so specific to your own personal experience that others cannot relate. Glad to be part of this last bit of verbal culture--long live the book tours.

muji madness in manhattan

2008-09-25T12:02:00.003-04:00

Yesterday I was in Manhattan for a lunch meeting and made a point to get over to the new Muji store on 8th Ave. Wow. What a place. I've read the reviews online and realized that the small notebooks would be a perfect base for 540B materials. For anyone who is obsessed with office supplies, good industrial design, and recycling, this is your place. If you make it to the city, there are two locations, one in Soho and the other in the New York Times building on 8th. I came home with nine notebooks (some for sale at RWC Homecoming this weekend!), colored pencils, and five pairs of socks made from recycled yarn. So cool.

A few Muji adaptation pics. Come by the art + craft tent at RWC on Saturday and take your own home.

And no, I haven't posted pictures of the apartment yet because it is still very much in the move in stage. Need a good long weekend to put it all together. On the road again this week so it will be a few more days to come.

nine moves and five cities

2008-09-18T08:16:00.003-04:00

If it weren't for my love of cities and place-making, this weekend's move would be odious. Seriously. Nine moves in ten years. Ugh. Yeah, some of this is my own fault. I get that.

Tomorrow the family arrives to help move my worldly possessions from Albany to over the Hudson River into downtown Troy, NY. This fantastic urban community is becoming increasingly attractive to Capital District residents who want to be able to walk to restaurants, multiple farmers markets, church, community gardens, the river front, and more. There is a new co-op in the works and two great natural food stores. And, my favorite, a huge artisan community that gets together at the end of every month for Troy Night Out. You've already heard me talk about the Troy Waterfront Farmers Market. There is a great park on the next block over from my new apartment with a vibrant business association. Found an all organic salon too that didn't try to straighten my hair or die away the new gray strands when I went in for a cut a few weeks back.

The apartment has something of a similar set up as my Albany space, but with the addition of four small side rooms and a dining room. The largest of those smaller rooms faces a historic warehouse district and from its third floor perch you can just see the Hudson River. This room will soon become my very own studio for creating. The extra rent $ is almost entirely so that I could get that space. So looking forward to being able to spread out and not have to clean up, just close the door! Another of the small rooms will be a walk in closet and yet another a chapel/prayer/meditation space. There is guest room space too so I'm looking forward to hosting more overnight guests and visitors!

What I really need to do is get more furniture now! The boyfriend is loaning me a few pieces that have been in storage (getting the Danish Modern settee!) while his house is being renovated, but I still need to hunt up a dresser, a few arm chairs, and some studio tables/tables/sewing table. Huh, good thing I live a few blocks from the antiques district. One store in particular, Living Room, has some lovely finds.

RJR has a new/old pick up truck to haul the stuff. My parents and K come in tomorrow. I have boxes piled higher than my head. And, I've been on a mission to not buy any food to be sure to eat what is left in my fridge and freezer. Down to an egg, some condiments, and a few scallions. Sounds like tonight's omelet dinner will fulfill that challenge.

A few pics of the new space:

Bring on the new adventure...

life

2008-09-10T13:14:00.003-04:00

Can be too much sometimes. Taking another break until after I've found a new place to live and get settled in. This week, another chunk of plaster fell out of the ceiling in my living room, probably a good sign it is time to move on!? Looking forward to a new neighborhood, maybe even a new city, will share more when I've got the details determined. Until then, hope your day is bright.

from the ADK

2008-09-06T09:29:00.003-04:00

Not going to suffer from blog guilt...more pictures less writing today. From our hike to Good Luck Lake on Labor Day.

porch life

2008-09-02T10:38:00.002-04:00

Spent much of the holiday weekend inside working on a report for the job, but made up for those hours by enjoying a leisurely night on the porch Sunday evening, complete with Mason Jennings tunes floating by and my new mock sangria. Hung up lanterns and soaked in the last bits of summer on the porch that I will soon say goodbye to.

Monday was all good fun with favorite people and places, including an Adirondack hike and more of the boyfriend's crazy adorable godson Gavin. I'll post some photos soon! In the meantime, find yourself a warm night to try this quick version of summer in a glass: Cut nectarine into small chunks, place in glass. Pour mango juice (Goya works well) or OJ over the fruit. Toss in a shot of Coconut Rum, fill the remainder of the glass with a dry red wine. Add ice if you like.

singular moment in history

2008-08-29T11:21:00.002-04:00

From Hillary's run for the White House to the Obama speech last night and now McCain's Vice Presidential pick of Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska for his running mate, we are observing a singular moment in history. Equality, dignity, humanity, patience, long suffering, forbearance, persistence, and courage are playing out on a global stage and Americans are invited to participate.

Perhaps Ralph Waldo Emerson said it best: "It is a lesson which all history teaches wise men (and women!), to put trust in ideas, and not in circumstances." For every woman who could not vote before 1920, for the toil of civil rights, for glass ceilings, and brave faces--please, please, register to vote if you are not already--and stand up on November 4th and show us what ideas you stand behind. The circumstances, barriers, and blockades are slowly and doggedly being removed. Now is the call to action.

Election resources and info here:

Faithful Citizenship

Rock the Vote

New York State Catholic Conference

League of Women Voters

how much can you love tomatoes?

2008-08-28T08:25:00.003-04:00

Apparently enough to blog about them several times and to delight in an entire book on Heirloom varieties!

New book here features gorgeous color photos and plenty of recipes. Although, I would argue that the tomato is best enjoyed still warm from the sun, right off the vine.

thirty days of birthday

2008-08-27T07:58:00.000-04:00

While I was quiet last week, my thirty days of birthday came to an end. What is that you ask? Thirty days of presents for one of each of my thirty years of being present on this earth. From my parents, the people who singlehandedly invented the term "birthday observed." Birthday observed is the day you celebrate the birthday if it falls on a day when we cannot all be together for festivities. Example, my birthdays in Philadelphia would sometimes be almost retreats where I would wander the city, eat my favorite treats, visit my fountain, etc. That would never do for the fam--it should be a lively affair with food, presents, and some sort of social gathering. Hence, the institution of birthday observed when I would be up in Rochester. I've introduced this concept to the boyfriend and he thinks it is a ploy for more attention to be lavished on the already confident and somewhat overly indulgent. Could be. Do you really want to debate more presents and cake though? I mean seriously.

This year's trip to London was my major birthday present, both from my parents and to myself. Actually, from RJR as well, our trip to Helmsley part of the two weeks of birthday. And there was the grand roof terrace event. Also the birthday tea at the Kensington Gardens Orangery. Well, my mom couldn't be satisfied with just those. Soon my mailbox has been overflowing with tiny gifts labeled for each day. I am receiving them at work so the joy has been multiplied. I wait to open the small packages until I'm particularly frustrated with my limited proficiency in Excel or some outlandish issue to open that day's gift--offering me a five minute respite from workland.

Well, the days have come to an end and now I have thirty lovely items to pack up and carry to my new home--wherever that ends up being...here is some of what I received:

1) tea strainer for loose tea
2) English breakfast tea
3) lime tea
4) envelopes
5) colored paper for making cards
6) small colored envelopes to match cards
7) Pride and Prejudice
8) Emma
9) scented soap
10) dish towels
11) house cleaning items
12) ladle
13) serving spoon
14) thread
15) more thread
16) a tin for thread
17) grapefruit spoons
18) small bags for herbs...

and the rest is lovely too, only sitting at my desk I cannot recall numbers 19-30. Wow, losing memory at 30, grand!

Happy Wednesday.

blogland

2008-08-26T13:01:00.002-04:00

A few new to add to my blog roll:

The talented Laura, a fellow art student from RWC days.

D.M. Stith, new MFA student and indy musician, also from RWC.

Bread and Honey, hmmm, delicious.

Sugar City Journal--two sister in laws cover a lot of sewing, design, and life.

on the road

2008-08-25T05:38:00.002-04:00

Not much to report on the apartment front. I've been crazy busy with work and then hosted S all weekend where we had many grand adventures in and around the capital district. We watched that indy documentary Helvetica! Very cool! Also Mad Men episodes. We cooked. We went to Saratoga. We spent a day in Troy. And now I'm off to a client meeting and it is 5:40AM! More later...

quiet week...

2008-08-18T07:14:00.002-04:00

...at dwell.urban, but not in the rest of my life. I will be taking this week off from posting to make some time for other things...turns out my landlord is not just selling the building I live in, but it has gone into foreclosure. And, she and her husband have moved into the basement. Yes, the basement. It is a dirt floor, black mold growing, wall crumbling pit and they are living there with no plumbing or appliances. Rock bottom, I think that is what this is called. Any guesses as to where my security deposit is or any of the rent money I've been sending their way for months?

So, where does that leave me? Looking for a new apartment. Not even six months after moving into this one. Probably won't be around to see the rest of my vegetables harvested or to appreciate the work we put into getting that darn heater to finally produce heat this spring. I'm angry and frustrated and hurt and weary. Weary of moving from place to place, weary of packing and unpacking and trying to find a place where I fit.

It also means that I'm busy looking for a new home online and going to see apartments at night. I'll be spending every extra minute enjoying what of the porch life I can salvage from this summer before moving on, no guarantees to get that set up again.

See you on the 24th.

helvetica

2008-08-15T09:36:00.002-04:00

I hijacked the boyfriend's netlix account to order this film. Typography design girl coming out here. Waiting with anticipation!

all things art nouveau and arts & crafts

2008-08-15T07:02:00.000-04:00

The boyfriend and I are both major fans of the art nouveau and arts & crafts styles. Going to London kicked that passion into overdrive. At the stunning Victoria and Albert Museum we had a chat with a security guard who pointed us toward several small exhibits in the galleries, some we might even have looked past had we not been carefully guided to their locations. Upon returning, we visited a Stickley exhibit at the Fenimore Art Museum in Cooperstown.

I've long appreciated the work of William Morris, but have only recently returned to his pattern books for inspiration. It is supposed to be a long rainy weekend, I might just find myself back at my watercolors and ink rendering an adaptation of Morris' poppy print. Or, finding ways to use these lovely FREE downloads from Briar Press.

best of summer : : five

2008-08-13T07:42:00.004-04:00

One perfect tomato.

Summer harvest from my own hard work in a small plot in a city backyard. Pictured here against white sketch paper so I could draw it all afternoon!

See more blogger's harvests here: jessieknits and madebyrachel.

best of summer : : four

2008-08-12T09:48:00.003-04:00

Summer reading. Last night I dove into Unaccustomed Earth and I am loving it. I'm also in the middle of an annual reading of Pride and Prejudice and a collection of short stories by Truman Capote. On the plane back from London I read Sense and Sensibility and Brideshead Revisited again upon return--all inspired by our visit. Long novels and lazy days are perfect summer delights.

Poetry, however, has often felt to me to be consumed in winter and autumn. That being said, this Rilke poem translates a summer walk into a Winslow Homer style landscape painting.

Along the Sun-Drenched Roadside

Along the sun-drenched roadside, from the great
hollow half-tree trunk, which for generations
has been a trough, renewing in itself
an inch or two of rain, I satisfy
my thirst: taking the water's pristine coolness
into my whole body through my wrists.
Drinking would be too powerful, too clear;
but this unhurried gesture of restraint
fills my whole consciousness with shining water.

Thus, if you came, I could be satisfied
to let my hand rest lightly, for a moment,
lightly, upon your shoulder or your breast.

Rainer Maria Rilke

best of summer : : three

2008-08-11T08:14:00.005-04:00

Birthdays and Feast Days. This "best of summer" does not entirely apply to everyone, but it does represent a highlight for me!

I'm a summer baby. This means two things, 1) my mom endured awful summer heat and humidity during her last weeks of pregnancy, and 2) because of my late July birth, I get to celebrate my birthday in the season of pool parties, visits to the beach, ice cream cakes (before I became dairy free), outdoor concerts, and birthdays on the road. I have celebrated my birthday in Italy twice, London this summer, Vermont, Ontario, and all across the United States.

In addition, it is in August, today in fact, that I celebrate the Feast of St. Clare, the saint I chose for my confirmation when I converted to Catholicism in the Spring of 2005. I had visited St. Clare's birthplace in Assisi in 2003 and became convinced that her path was one I desired to follow or emulate in some form. Clare's call was to the poor and to lead amongst men in the reforms of the Church. A close companion of St. Francis, she was involved not only in his work and contemplation, but that of her own with a group of women who gathered around her.

An icon of St. Clare painted by famed Sienese artist Simone Martini.

Clare's cathedral in Assisi, Italy. It is difficult to tell from this photo, but in person the pink marble that comprises the structure is breathtaking.

****NOTE****

One of my bestest pals, J, has her fantastic photos from an April trip to Assisi posted here, visit and see more of Santa Chiara's hill-top medieval city. Including this one:

best of summer : : two

2008-08-08T07:32:00.001-04:00

Farmers Markets. Farmer's Markets. Farmers' Markets.

However you choose to punctuate it, I'm completely enamored with this best of summer showing. Every city I've lived in has had their summer and autumn market--practically as reliable as the solstice and equinox in terms of charting the seasons. Albany is no different. Wednesdays and Fridays there is a small market at the Empire State Plaza. Whole grain breads, veggies, fruits, plants, and tempting baked goods. Thursday there is a market down by the Hudson River near the SUNY headquarters.

Yesterday I purchased plums, sweet corn, tomatoes, beets (has anyone seen this?), and bulk basil for making another batch of pesto (my poor plants at home look like they've barely survived an epidemic since I made pesto last week :) Ok, I also sampled the wares from the Adirondack Fudge guy and ended up walking away with a peanut butter chocolate square for RJR.

While I wait for my own zucchini to grow to size, the farmers market has plenty to spare. Wednesday's New York Times profiles what sounds like a fantastic restaurant in Nice and shared the chef's recipe for Zucchini Stuffed With Marco’s Pistou:

Adapted from La Zucca Magica, Nice

Time: About 45 minutes
2 cups fresh basil leaves
1 cup mixed herbs, like borage, mint, rosemary, sage, lavender
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
Salt
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, more for baking
8 zucchini, preferably round
2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts.

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a food processor or, if you have time and patience, a mortar and pestle, mix together herbs, garlic, cheese, salt and oil. Herbs should be chopped, not puréed. Taste and adjust seasoning.

2. Wash and trim zucchini, then remove top third (or so) of each; if you are using the more typical long zucchini, cut them in half lengthwise. Use a spoon to scoop out as much of the insides as is practical, then chop the insides with the removed slice and combine with the pesto. Salt the zucchini shells.

3. Stuff shells with pesto mixture and put in an oiled baking dish; drizzle more oil over top and sprinkle with pine nuts. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, or until zucchini are very tender. Serve hot, warm or at room temperature.

Yield: 4 servings.

best of summer : : one

2008-08-07T10:45:00.004-04:00

You can feel it right? The ripening of cucumbers on the vine, the misty mornings in the mountains, the thunderous afternoon rainstorms, and the creeping heat that prickles the back of your neck. Summer.

Whether it is summer in the city, at the shore, or in the mountains, something magical about these long days. Unfortunately, this is the first summer in nearly 6 years where I have been cooped up inside--now in a windowless office, blah. So many of my graduate summers were spent sitting at a sidewalk cafe making sense of yet another journal article or frantically racing to the next dissertation interview. One summer was trolling through the cool library stacks drinking in the smell of aging books while figuring out how I would write my own. In Philadelphia, the summers seemed to last into November--at least the weather did. Drives to the beach in October! Shells, sand, beach smells in your pores for days...

So this summer might not be so grand, but it has been lovely. What I trade in not being able to order my day by the sun and stars, I've gained in appreciating the porch life, the long weekend, and the PAID vacation. I cannot tell you how awesome it was to be sitting drinking tea in London and making money while I was at it. I guess that is what the degree is for after all...

In today's best of summer post, I'm showing you two pics from the outdoor show I went to last night with friends--KT Tunstall at the Empire State Plaza. The whole day was a food festival with flavors from around the world and right in our backyard while the evening was live bands and the headliner closing it out.

\

Perfect weather for it, perfect big sky moments. Great conversation. Walking home in a sort of glorious daze that this is your life, the life worth living... The best of summer.

revisted redeux

2008-08-06T08:29:00.005-04:00

Lots of buzz about the new film adaptation of Evelyn Waugh's Brideshead Revisited. I have read Waugh's masterwork that contains themes of grace, redemption, faith, love, art and beauty and seen the 1981 eleven hour BBC mini-series adaptation. Then, only three weeks ago, I found myself on the estate that was featured in both the mini-series and the new film--Castle Howard.

The sweeping vistas of this family home are incredible and the unique architectural forms are magnificent, something that the new film exquisitely captures! Much like Charles Ryder's character, I visited the estate as an artist and was captivated by what I saw in person. From the gardens to the interior sculpture to the weathered outbuildings, there was a sense of superb craftspersonship (men or women?!) and interpretation of the landscape.

Even if you have no interest in seeing the film for its literary merits (or, like the boyfriend, you take issue with the adaptation's failure to fully grasp the Catholic themes), you might just fall in love with the fashion, the landscapes, the architecture, and the opulence of a time long gone.

independent readers and sellers

2008-08-05T07:16:00.003-04:00

Check this out...indiebound.org! I love the design campaign promoting independent booksellers. I'm happy to see a collective organizing campaign around this idea. On their site you can search for local sellers, read reviews of recent releases, sign a petition supporting local sellers, and spread the word on your own website with web banners.

tea with you

2008-08-04T10:02:00.003-04:00

The British propensity for tea is legendary. I cannot say that I've completely rejected my daily cups of java for the lighter fare, but I did enjoy a variety of teas and tea service while abroad. Scones have long been a favorite of mine and so, while traveling, I simply indulged that taste more often!

My mom and sister-in-law took me to the Orangery in Kensington Gardens for my birthday, celebrated with a high tea. This spread shows just how perfect an afternoon can be with a good cup and a berry meringue. I tried to locate the tea I had that day, hibiscus rose hip. Little luck, but did find something comparable at Harrod's later that week. Certainly has satiated my appetite for the flavor many a morning these last few days. And, I've been using my thrifted tea pot to boot!

work week wow

2008-08-01T19:04:00.003-04:00

Five eleven-thirteen hour days this week for work and several hundred miles across the state. Good stuff, just exhausting. I'm going to hole up with television series' on DVD (yeah for Mad Men!) tonight and sleep in. Might even get to an art gallery showing. Hope you are up to some good things this weekend...be well and be safe. I'll be back Monday with a few more London pics and then kick off a best of summer posts, can you say Sangria? More recipes, photos, and delightful links to the best of blogland.

green and thrifty

2008-07-29T08:26:00.006-04:00

Many of us are becoming more and more aware that how we spend our money is nearly as strong as our vote. Seven Americans in England for two weeks represents a significant amount of money on a global scale (maybe not by NY or LA standards, but a fair bit for us).

In addition, there is so much being written lately about green tourism, eco-tourism, low-impact travel, etc. Some of it holds up, other claims are little more than propaganda. Our trip was not designed to be an eco trip, but we made many choices that ensured our adventure would be more conscious of the local economy and the footprint we left behind. I'm calling this approach "green and thrifty" and here is what we did:

1) Rented a flat in a working neighborhood in London. Not too expensive and the property was owned and operated by a couple who live, work, and play in the community. The rental was a large portion of the travel expenses and we can be happy to know it will stay local.

2) Bought food from local markets and farmers whenever possible to take home and prepare together. Transportation to purchase food was minimal and we brought and used our own EnviroSax from home to carry the purchases to the flat. So much joy from cooking and sharing together. We swapped nights to prepare meals, with another set doing the washing.

3) Several of the sites we visited had themselves worked to offer green or local options. For example, at Castle Howard, the boyfriend I purchased gifts and part of dinner at the Farm Shop. This shop stocks local dairy and meat supplies, even some that come from the grounds of the estate.

4) I searched through neighborhood thrift stores and second hand shops to find souvenirs and fun clothing finds rather than spending money on new items. Today I'm wearing a belt I found at an Octavia Foundation Charity Shop on Brompton Road near the Victoria and Albert Museum.

These types of charity shops, much like our Goodwill and Salvation Army, are located not in the dodgy sections of strip plazas or resigned to back streets, but rather located in some of the sharpest parts of town. In addition to good finds and the greener choice of buying second hand, the revenue from these shops supports excellent causes. The Octavia Foundation has 18 shops across west and central London. Their work includes a housing association, support for after-school programming for at-risk kids, care for the elderly, and programs in workforce development.

As a result of entering their shop, I also learned more about their patron, Octavia Hill, a 19th century social reformer who created the first housing development in central London.

I never would have stumbled across this piece of urban social history if I hadn't started out to reinvent my travel experience! Moreover, I actually came home from one of the most expensive cities in the world with money left over! My new collection of thrifted bags, books, clothes, and dish ware reminds me that we can all make choices, everyday, that change how we go about living in this crazy capitalistic world.

time to get back to it

2008-07-28T08:28:00.002-04:00

6:15 came awfully early this morning.

After weeks of lolling about in the streets of London and on the hills of the English countryside, getting back to it seemed a bit unfriendly. But, I have several new projects at the job, two in particular that I worked hard to get (client wise, we have a long process for securing work) and now I am refreshed and ready to dive in. Time itself was barely a concern the last two weeks. These clock faces were more about the aesthetics for me than anything else.

flora and fauna

2008-07-27T09:09:00.004-04:00

One of my favorite things to do while traveling is to visit gardens. I garden myself, but nothing like that seen in the grand formal estates dotting the English countryside. On this trip taken with my family to celebrate, among other milestones, my 30th birthday and the conclusion of my doctoral studies, I was privileged to encounter a range of gardens. Some were small cottage spaces, riotous with color. Others were exquisite creations requiring an armada of groundskeepers. Some were kept in hothouses. There were even community gardens in villages and city neighborhoods, much like the ones I've worked in at home.

Private cottage garden in Helmsley, north of London by way of York.

Garden gate in Oxford.

Helmsley community garden, heavy on the beans and leeks, appeared to be 3-4 weeks behind my veggies in Albany

Formal estate grounds at Castle Howard, approximately 30 minutes from the Moors and 30 minutes from the North Sea.

Herb garden at Castle Howard, adjacent to the Rose Garden.

Hydrangea display in the courtyard at the Victoria and Albert Museum.

Roof terrace next door to our flat in Camden.

St. James's Park near Buckingham Palace.

Courtyard garden at our hotel in Helmsley, the Black Swan.

Waterlily house at Kew Gardens outside of London.

call me, post this

2008-07-26T08:17:00.003-04:00

At every turn, I gravitated to the iconic images of communication in old England. Although the Royal Mail post box and the phone booth sentinels are standards of a past that relied on words and static voice, I couldn't help myself. Email has trumped them both, and yet, there these elements stood, punctuating the urban landscape.

home again, home again

2008-07-25T12:39:00.004-04:00

I have soooo many photos to share from the family's trip to London Town! Trying to sort through them today and organize into themes. There are many items, styles, things that captured my attention again and again. Upon returning, I have found my garden to be overflowing with harvest! Green beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, herbs...I have my work cut out for me this weekend to put it to good use. In the meantime, here are a few pics of the street signs I loved and me at the Tower of London in the chapel.

cheers!

2008-07-13T10:00:00.000-04:00

I'm off to London. Here's some Chesterton to keep you company until I return!

The Old Song

A livid sky on London
And like the iron steeds that rear
A shock of engines halted
And I knew the end was near:
And something said that far away, over the hills and far away
There came a crawling thunder and the end of all things here.
For London Bridge is broken down, broken down, broken down,
As digging lets the daylight on the suken streets of yore,
The lightning looked on London town, the broken bridge of London
town.
The ending of a broken road where men shall go no more.

I saw the kings of London town,
The kings that buy and sell,
That built it up with penny loaves
And penny lies as well:

And where the streets were paved with gold the shrivelled paper
shone for gold,
The scorching light of promises that pave the streets of hell.
For penny loaves will melt away, melt away, melt away,
Mock the men that haggled in the grain they did not grow;
With hungry faces in the gate, a hundred thousand in the gate,
A thunder-flash on London and the finding of the foe.

I heard the hundred pin-makers
Slow down their racking din,
Till in the stillness men could hear
The dropping of the pin:
And somewhere men without the wall, beneath the wood, without
the wall,
Had found the place where London ends and England can begin.
For pins and needles bend and break, bend and break, bend and break,
Faster than the breaking spears or the bending of the bow,
Of pagents pale in thunder-light, 'twixt thunderload and thunderlight,
The Hundreds marching on the hills in the wars of long ago.

I saw great Cobbett riding,
The horseman of the shires;
And his face was red with judgement
And a light of Luddite fires:
And south to Sussex and the sea the lights leapt up for liberty,
The trumpet of the yeomanry, the hammer of the squires;
For bars of iron rust away, rust away, rust away,
Rend before the hammer and the horseman riding in,
Crying that all men at the last, and at the worst and at the last,
Have found the place where England ends and England can begin.

His horse-hoofs go before you
Far beyond your bursting tyres;
And time is bridged behind him
And our sons are with our sires.

A trailing meteor on the Downs he rides above the rotting towns,
The Horseman of Apocalypse, the Rider of the Shires.
For London Bridge is broken down, broken down, broken down;
Blow the horn of Huntington from Scotland to the sea --
...Only flash of thunder-light, a flying dream of thunder-light,
Had shown under the shattered sky a people that were free.

GK Chesterton

picture pages 5

2008-07-12T07:48:00.000-04:00

Photo by: Kfergos

picture pages 4

2008-07-11T07:19:00.000-04:00

Photo by: Letneo

picture pages 3

2008-07-10T07:02:00.000-04:00

Photos by: Mav

picture pages 2

2008-07-09T08:32:00.001-04:00

Photo by Jim Green

picture pages 1

2008-07-08T08:08:00.004-04:00

no words, only photos, for the rest of the week before i fly away from all this.

photo by: little brother 2

keeping it local

2008-07-07T10:02:00.000-04:00

RJR and I have been trying to stay local in these days of high gas prices so this weekend's holiday leisure time was kept close to home. We ventured out to Hudson, NY on Sunday. According to a story in a Boston paper, Hudson has become a go to place for antiquing and wandering: "Along this one-mile stretch of Warren Street there are 65 antique dealers, 28 restaurants and cafes, 27 gallery and exhibition spaces, 15 architectural styles, plus gift shops, clothing boutiques, houseware emporiums, thrift shops, junk shops, convenience stores, bookstores, and one vacuum cleaner retailer."

We thoroughly enjoyed the jaunt (Noun - a pleasure trip or outing). One of my favorite stores was Neven and Neven Moderne, populated by mid-century finds, including these fantastic chairs.

There was an especially nice selection of Herman Miller pieces. You can see more of the history of this company and its '50s design aesthetic here.

Another great aspect of Hudson is the architecture. It ranges from Georgian to Carpenter Gothic to Arts and Crafts. This particular home was also on Warren Street and a bit anachronistic in color, but what a hue!

This place was a jumble of industrial and farm tools.

The Spotty Dog Books & Ale has hit on every intellectuals dream shop by combining beer, books, and art supplies. I purchased a red journal for the London trip and some ink pens to add to my pack of drawing and painting supplies I'm bringing to document our journey.

Hudson is a fine location for a weekend trip, there are a range of Bed and Breakfast options and dining opportunities. Our lunch at Mexican Radio (also a restaurant in NYC) concluded with a scrumptious flan rated Best in America by Latina Magazine.

being a part of it

2008-07-06T08:26:00.004-04:00

I am Roman Catholic. Our religious tradition is grounded on seven sacraments. The first three are organized under the heading, Sacraments of Initiation. Yesterday, RJR and I participated in one of these, the Sacrament of Baptism, with his childhood friend and his wife. Their son Gavin Charles was initiated into the Church with this rite. I have never been to a baptism like this one, it was a special gathering with just the family surrounding the baptismal font. Why water you might ask, well, according to the Catechism (our Church's marching orders as it were): "Since the beginning of the world, water, so humble and wonderful a creature, has been the source of life and fruitfulness. Sacred Scripture sees it as 'overshadowed' by the Spirit of God: At the very dawn of creation your Spirit breathed on the waters, making them the wellspring of all holiness."

Too often in our white bread culture we have lost sight of these amazing gathering points in family life. Traditions and celebrations have been left behind in favor of shopping and other consumer pursuits. We barely slow down to think about rites of passage. Heck, much of my generation has sworn off children altogether.

This was an incredible tradition to be a part of, and I was immensely proud of RJR for standing up as Gavin's godfather. He has a lifelong responsibility to this little guy and I look forward to being around to support them both in their faith journey.

new city soon

2008-07-04T08:25:00.002-04:00

I will be visiting a new urban space very soon and I can barely contain the excitement.

London in nine days.

There is laundry to be done, packing, cleaning (who wants to come home to a mess?), weeding of the garden (who wants to come home to a jungle?) and much more...the countdown begins!

esty love : : pistol stitched

2008-07-02T13:53:00.002-04:00

I spoke with this vendor on Saturday and fell in love with her bags. The price tag kept me from making a purchase, but "window" shopping is fun too!

movie list

2008-07-01T07:59:00.003-04:00

Another list today...recent movies I have seen, either with the Albany Movie Monday crew that RJR and I have gathered to view films at the local indy theater or ones we have seen through Netflix. These are in no particular order of preference.

The Great Gatsby with Mia Farrow and Robert Redford. Stunning depiction of the Roaring Twenties and a perfect selection for warm summer afternoons.

The Visitor another beautifully constructed film, this one set primarily in New York City, celebrating culture, friendship, and passion for art forms while exploring the political issues of immigration.

Priceless also known in French as Hors de Prix features a starving Audrey Tautou in a number of gorgeous dresses prancing around Nice with a glut of wealthy men who she preys upon to feed her lifestyle choices--although obviously not her stomach because she is really, really thin here.

King Corn is a nuanced documentary on the prevalence of corn in our diet--and now our bodies. Two Boston boys plant an acre of corn in Iowa and see it through to the massive grain elevators that sell the yield off for everything from high fructose corn syrup to cow feed. I'm never eating grain fed beef again. Wow.

Mongol we saw last night. It is a bloody, fight filled epic that explores the origins of Ghengis Khan. The costumes and terrain were rich with detail, but I could have seen far less battle scenes and still appreciated the guy's tenacity.

What are you watching?

there and back again

2008-06-29T10:57:00.008-04:00

Another looming work deadline means I'm stuck to the laptop today and playing catch up this morning. Here are a couple of phone pic snaps from the journey and a quick list of the fun from this week's conference and travel to Washington, DC.

1) North Philadelphia as seen from the train, man I miss it.

2) Capital architecture, this one is Union Station.

3) 1200 like minded citizens talking about the benefits of using faith-based organizations to engage communities and mediate the connection to the feds.

4) The President addressing the audience (press photo, not mine) His remarks can be read here.

5) Nearly ten hours in sessions--one of them mine!

6) Half-price wine night at Jack's in DuPont Circle.

7) Staying at the Watergate and thinking about 1972.

8) Out on the town Friday night for tapas at La Tasca.

9) Indy craft fair on Saturday in Silver Springs, MD where I bought this t-shirt from Squidfire for Elbo, a veggie baby--now officially known as Eliot Benedict Bojarski--welcome little guy!

10) Train ride home reading Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim by David Sedaris and listening to Jeremy Fisher.

11) Falling into bed exhausted realizing that another week is about to begin.

retro posting

2008-06-29T10:39:00.004-04:00

No, I'm not going writing about a stylish '50s era chair I almost trash-picked last week after the boyfriend saw it on the street, but I am going to retroactively post some pics from my visit to Rochester last week. I took my parents to the Public Market to make some purchases for a few meals and we had a grand time.

No visit is complete without an empanada with salsa verde. Delicious.

K and I prepared dinner for a family friend using homegrown greens from my mom's garden and glorious golden tomatoes from a farm in Albion, NY. The recipes we borrowed from J's facebook page where she hosts an Epicurious application that offers recipes each day.

I love to cook with my brother. Although I get scolded by him for various offenses ranging from dropping a knife on my foot (that's my own pain as far as I can tell) to slicing the tomatoes in the wrong direction, cooking side by side at my parents' is probably one of my favorite ways to spend an afternoon. Besides, he is a master griller and under his hand my recipe for marinated chicken turned out perfect.

Here is one of the recipes, K and I both recommend reducing the onion to 1 cup and I used herbs we had in the garden--thyme, basil, and dill:

Basmati rice with sweet onions and summer herbs Bon Appétit | June 2008

Stirring the fresh herbs into the hot rice preserves their flavor and releases their aroma.

Makes 6 servings

by Maria Helm Sinskey

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups basmati rice (about 10 ounces)
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
2 cups chopped sweet onions (such as Vidalia or Walla Walla)
2 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh Italian parsley
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh tarragon
preparation

Rinse rice under cold water until water runs clear; set aside. Melt butter in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions; sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add rice, 2 1/2 cups water, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt; bring to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until rice is tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, 10 minutes. Stir in herbs. Season with pepper and more salt, if desired. Transfer to bowl and serve.

on the road again

2008-06-26T09:48:00.002-04:00

In Washington, DC for a conference this week. I'm presenting a paper on National Service and faith-based organizations working collaboratively to advance American civil society.

Oh, and GWB himself is supposed to appear today at noon. Should be fun!

the porch life

2008-06-24T23:25:00.004-04:00

After a busy weekend for both of us, split between NYC and ROC, RJR and I spent Monday evening enjoying the porch life. A turn of a phrase we borrow from my brother, the porch life has become synonymous with taking it easy during the summer. Lazy evenings with a glass of wine or a cold brew, maybe grilling, feet up, soaking in the warm, sultry air.

Monday was a perfect night to embody the porch life. A bit of chill in the air was warded off with cups of java and the heat of a Scrabble battle. I lost both games back to back. Pathetic brain now valued at $250,000 let me down.

learning in the city

2008-06-24T23:20:00.003-04:00

I have two family members and the boyfriend involved in charter school/education reform work in Upstate NY. I couldn't be prouder of their investment. The Rochester daily recently ran a series on True North Rochester Prep and you can see J in it toward the end of the clips on that school. Despite the skeptics, there is a growing chorus of voices recognizing that these schools offer families choices and alternatives to the existing system of education in their communities. There are some bad charter schools. There are some bad traditional public schools. (Charter schools ARE public schools). There are also some amazing charters like those run by Uncommon Schools, Inc.

summer rain

2008-06-23T09:09:00.002-04:00

It has been raining every day for nearly two weeks. There are the big swollen drops of summer rain. Crashing storms. Tremendous lightning. And hail. Some days it is a mild plunk, plunk of slow and steady drops. Today it is gray and looming again. Maybe some distant thunder or maybe the stillness before a storm passes over.

Before Summer Rain
All at once from the green of the park,
one can't quite say, something is taken away;
one feels it coming closer to the windows
and being silent.

Out of a grove, persistent and strong, sounds a plover,
one thinks of a Saint Jerome:
so intensely rises a solitude and fervor
out of this one voice that the downpour

shall listen. The walls of the great hall
with their paintings retreat from us
as if not allowed to hear what we say.

Reflected in the faded tapestries
is the uncertain light of afternoons
in which one as a child was so afraid.

RAINER MARIA RILKE

friday feature : : chroma

2008-06-20T09:05:00.002-04:00

Perhaps enough said.

Ok, maybe for those outside of Rochester, Chroma means absolutely nothing. Its an indie dance party hosted by fellow alumni from Rochester's only Protestant Christian Liberal Arts college and attended by many of the same who all pretend they went to SUNY schools instead. RWC? What? Never heard of it ;) Held at the Bug Jar on Monroe Ave, the dancing is fierce, the sweat flying freely, and the DJs spining all night long. Good way to say farewell to a tedious work week and get ready for the weekend.

See you there...

are you gonna be my girl?

2008-06-18T08:22:00.002-04:00

This Jet song is a favorite and I love it even more as a typograhpy dance!

listening

2008-06-16T09:51:00.002-04:00

Some new favorites in rotation:

Greg Laswell

Mason Jennings

My Morning Jacket (some of Evil Urges, not all! mostly Look at You, Librarian, and Touch Me I'm Going to Scream)

Amos Lee - new CD Last Days at the Lodge, he's on Leno tonight!

The Weepies

I'm not going to lie, most of these came my way courtesy of RJR.

getting over my fear of pink...

2008-06-15T21:12:00.005-04:00

...through peonies! More love for yesterday's market yield. I have three glorious blooms in my living room. The spicy scent has me swooning. I used the interweb to see what fragrances might use this aroma as a top note and came up with Stella in Two Peony by Stella McCartney. Like many other good things I love, it seems like this parfum may in fact be out of my budget. Alas, I will have to savor the fleeting scent of this season instead.