I am awake. I slept later today after a terrible train mishap last night during my journey from Washington Heights where my buddy Sharee lives back to Brooklyn. NEVER, EVER make a bad train call after ten- you may not make it home. I came up with a very crass and fairly clever slogan for my evening involving the letters of the trains I was supposed to be catching to get home (as a lady, I will not post them here- rather, if you want to know what I came up with, I'll tell you via email or in person if you know me...). I overshot my stop on the A (I thought it was running on the F track) and as I sat on the verge of tears at the Lafayette Station (I have to note that Paul Simon was taunting me with this fact on "That Was Your Mother" at the moment I was sitting in the station) it occurred to me that I could sleep on the bench I was sitting on, wake up at 7 am, and head to work. But I ended up going home, because the train did finally show up.
During the time I was sitting and pouting, I started to think about this stop-motion project I wanted to do about a year ago to a song called "Keep on Running" by Cat Power. I think I'm going to start working on it... soon.
Remember: This blog is called the "pursuit" of creative happiness. Pursuit sometimes feels like a snails pace. And sometimes like the ideas I have are never going to escape out of my brain. I keep on pursuing what I enjoy, slowly but surely.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Stone-Cold Brew. Ski.
First post of December! Woooo! I'm locked in to posting every day for a month with NaBloPoMo. Good accountability. Check it out.
In other news, it's 5:25 am and I'm kicking off my day with a new obsession- cold brewed coffee. I LOVE this stuff. I read about it in Readymade Magazine a few months ago (my favorite mag since the death of Blueprint- RIP Blueprint! There are hardly even any online remnants of this magazine to link to).
Essentially, you brew the coffee with cold water. Der.
I take an old 16 oz. peanut butter jar and fill it with delicious tap water. It would probably be smart for my roommates and I to filter our water... but we've made it this far, eh? I think the water's pretty good here. And you know what? If my inattentiveness to my water source makes me a bad coffee connoisseur, I don't want to be a good one, you suckers. Yes, suckers. I'm feisty at what is encroaching on 5:45 in the morning. Moving forward...
I put about 3-4 tbs. of ground coffee into the water, pop the lid on, and agitate the water a bit (in other words, shake it like a Polaroid picture). Leave it in the fridge for a few hours; I usually keep it there over night.
When it's ready, run it through a paper coffee filter to ditch the grounds. I just place the coffee filter in my coffee maker and run the coffee through the front filter like you would normally. As you can see, you don't really lose any steps here in brewing except for the heating of the water before it runs through the filter. Rinse the grounds out of your jar and pour the filtered coffee back in.
Voila! Cold coffee! It should be the color of the normal coffee you brew- perhaps a shade lighter. I don't add anything to it. I find that it's less bitter than normal coffee so I'm pretty content to drink it as-is.
Let me know what you think. Oh, and have a good morning!
In other news, it's 5:25 am and I'm kicking off my day with a new obsession- cold brewed coffee. I LOVE this stuff. I read about it in Readymade Magazine a few months ago (my favorite mag since the death of Blueprint- RIP Blueprint! There are hardly even any online remnants of this magazine to link to).
Essentially, you brew the coffee with cold water. Der.
I take an old 16 oz. peanut butter jar and fill it with delicious tap water. It would probably be smart for my roommates and I to filter our water... but we've made it this far, eh? I think the water's pretty good here. And you know what? If my inattentiveness to my water source makes me a bad coffee connoisseur, I don't want to be a good one, you suckers. Yes, suckers. I'm feisty at what is encroaching on 5:45 in the morning. Moving forward...
I put about 3-4 tbs. of ground coffee into the water, pop the lid on, and agitate the water a bit (in other words, shake it like a Polaroid picture). Leave it in the fridge for a few hours; I usually keep it there over night.
When it's ready, run it through a paper coffee filter to ditch the grounds. I just place the coffee filter in my coffee maker and run the coffee through the front filter like you would normally. As you can see, you don't really lose any steps here in brewing except for the heating of the water before it runs through the filter. Rinse the grounds out of your jar and pour the filtered coffee back in.
Voila! Cold coffee! It should be the color of the normal coffee you brew- perhaps a shade lighter. I don't add anything to it. I find that it's less bitter than normal coffee so I'm pretty content to drink it as-is.
Let me know what you think. Oh, and have a good morning!
Monday, November 30, 2009
Wish I Was An English Muffin...
About to make the most out of a toaster.
(This is completely off topic, but if you haven't listened to Punky's Dilemma by Simon and Garfunkel, please do. In fact, let me save you some time)
If you want to be 10X more enlightened, stare into Art Garfunkel's eyes while you listen. I'm just saying.
Bunny trail! I'm back.
I made a gluten-free, (almost) vegan boysenberry and walnut scone last night (which Paul and Art would have been proud of, if you listen to what they have to say about boysenberries in the song!). I enjoyed it terribly- in fact I'm glad I just made one because I think I would have stuffed myself full of them if I had made more. This morning, as I scarfed my scone and cold-brewed coffee (more on that magic later!) It occurred to me that I'd enjoy sharing these gluten-free magic bits with the world- or at least my church and neighborhood.
What I'm trying to say is this: I'll keep working on my recipe. If anyone has any leads on a market in Brooklyn I could sell them at (possibly in the spring) give me a shout.
I'm curious if anyone out there knows how one goes about securing a spot at a farmer's market or like function.
Gluten-free life was somewhat thrust upon me almost a year ago- I found out about my food allergies on the morning that my friends and I were preparing a breakfast of Eggs Benedict (everything I'm supposed to avoid rolled into one). I've been constantly learning that this lifestyle doesn't need to be a punishment. It's a unique opportunity to enjoy what I can eat- and bless others with it too!
(This is completely off topic, but if you haven't listened to Punky's Dilemma by Simon and Garfunkel, please do. In fact, let me save you some time)
If you want to be 10X more enlightened, stare into Art Garfunkel's eyes while you listen. I'm just saying.
Bunny trail! I'm back.
I made a gluten-free, (almost) vegan boysenberry and walnut scone last night (which Paul and Art would have been proud of, if you listen to what they have to say about boysenberries in the song!). I enjoyed it terribly- in fact I'm glad I just made one because I think I would have stuffed myself full of them if I had made more. This morning, as I scarfed my scone and cold-brewed coffee (more on that magic later!) It occurred to me that I'd enjoy sharing these gluten-free magic bits with the world- or at least my church and neighborhood.
What I'm trying to say is this: I'll keep working on my recipe. If anyone has any leads on a market in Brooklyn I could sell them at (possibly in the spring) give me a shout.
I'm curious if anyone out there knows how one goes about securing a spot at a farmer's market or like function.
Gluten-free life was somewhat thrust upon me almost a year ago- I found out about my food allergies on the morning that my friends and I were preparing a breakfast of Eggs Benedict (everything I'm supposed to avoid rolled into one). I've been constantly learning that this lifestyle doesn't need to be a punishment. It's a unique opportunity to enjoy what I can eat- and bless others with it too!
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Book-making.
I'm thinking this will be today's task. I still want to sell a book on Etsy with proceeds going to the Panzi Hospital. What I'm trying to say is volunteering 50 hours a week doesn't allow for very much time to work on hand-crafted goods. Sigh. Anyway, on the subject of books, here are some pictures I took from the time I re-made a book for my bff:
Step One: Find an old book about horses from the library
Step Two: Tear it to shreds
Step Three: Water color and customize it
Step Four: Put it back together to make a story about bff.
Step Five: FUN.
Step One: Find an old book about horses from the library
Step Two: Tear it to shreds
Step Three: Water color and customize it
Step Four: Put it back together to make a story about bff.
Step Five: FUN.
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Get Trashed.
DUMPSTER DIVING, SILLY.
My friend Ayzsha started going a few weeks ago. She basically tried poking a garbage bag with her toe at F-Line Bagels by the Smith and 9th Station. She was astounded to discover that several sealed bags full of old bagels were just waiting for her on the curb. She now has a freezer full of bagels, which will definitely go a long way for an EBT-toting Americorps volunteer.
The other night, Ayzsha and I were leaving a work function and decided to hit up my favorite gluten-free bakery. I'm not going to tell you which one it is for the sake of anonymity, but let's just say it's the one that pretty much has the corner on the market with gluten free baked goods in New York (and in my heart). They weren't even closed yet and we found a trash bag full of pastry waste, including cupcakes that had been thrown out- I still have no idea why. They had a little bit of raspberry filling on them, but other than that they have fulfilled my gluten-free food hankerings for the time being.
We were pretty jazzed at that point, so we decided to hit up Trader Joe's. My roommates came along for the adventure too. Unfortunately for us, a lot of "freegans" frequent TJ's. It's so interesting to see the demographics of people that go digging through dumpsters. While there are some who are truly destitute, the majority of people are just thrifty/hipster/intellectual types. We met a guy who was an artist in Brooklyn and not only got most of his food from dumpster diving, but also lived with people in exchange for artistic projects he would create for them. We're talking hard-core freegan.
The problem with Trader Joe's is that the store has started to bring out their trash cans right when the garbage truck arrives, which I'm sure is in anticipation of freeloaders like myself. It was a brutal snubbing. OH! the despair I felt watching perfectly good food being thrown into that trash truck!
Upon the recommendation of the freegan artist, we moved on to a smaller market down the street where I ended up unearthing a trash bag full of romaine lettuce, tomatoes, and a recently expired container of sealed cottage cheese. I just ate the cottage cheese for breakfast and I've gotten three sizable salads out of the lettuce. I'm not supposed to eat tomatoes, and Jess treats tomatoes like the bubonic plague, so I've gifted them to Meg.
Now this must be said in case a very important woman in my life reads this blog. Mom, don't worry about me. I'm NOT starving to death.
Here's why I believe in this form of thrift, whether or not I continually practice it in all stages of my life- simply put, it's less wasteful. Sure, it also saves me money and is a means of thumbing one's nose at greedy Capitalism (somewhere in a city called Sammamish, my father is groaning as he reads this). But what matters most to me is that I waste less.
Benjamin Franklin said, "Be industrious and frugal, and you will be rich." I want to learn to be more generous and giving, and I see that this is even more possible if I learn how to be frugal with my own habits.
My friend Ayzsha started going a few weeks ago. She basically tried poking a garbage bag with her toe at F-Line Bagels by the Smith and 9th Station. She was astounded to discover that several sealed bags full of old bagels were just waiting for her on the curb. She now has a freezer full of bagels, which will definitely go a long way for an EBT-toting Americorps volunteer.
The other night, Ayzsha and I were leaving a work function and decided to hit up my favorite gluten-free bakery. I'm not going to tell you which one it is for the sake of anonymity, but let's just say it's the one that pretty much has the corner on the market with gluten free baked goods in New York (and in my heart). They weren't even closed yet and we found a trash bag full of pastry waste, including cupcakes that had been thrown out- I still have no idea why. They had a little bit of raspberry filling on them, but other than that they have fulfilled my gluten-free food hankerings for the time being.
We were pretty jazzed at that point, so we decided to hit up Trader Joe's. My roommates came along for the adventure too. Unfortunately for us, a lot of "freegans" frequent TJ's. It's so interesting to see the demographics of people that go digging through dumpsters. While there are some who are truly destitute, the majority of people are just thrifty/hipster/intellectual types. We met a guy who was an artist in Brooklyn and not only got most of his food from dumpster diving, but also lived with people in exchange for artistic projects he would create for them. We're talking hard-core freegan.
The problem with Trader Joe's is that the store has started to bring out their trash cans right when the garbage truck arrives, which I'm sure is in anticipation of freeloaders like myself. It was a brutal snubbing. OH! the despair I felt watching perfectly good food being thrown into that trash truck!
Upon the recommendation of the freegan artist, we moved on to a smaller market down the street where I ended up unearthing a trash bag full of romaine lettuce, tomatoes, and a recently expired container of sealed cottage cheese. I just ate the cottage cheese for breakfast and I've gotten three sizable salads out of the lettuce. I'm not supposed to eat tomatoes, and Jess treats tomatoes like the bubonic plague, so I've gifted them to Meg.
Now this must be said in case a very important woman in my life reads this blog. Mom, don't worry about me. I'm NOT starving to death.
Here's why I believe in this form of thrift, whether or not I continually practice it in all stages of my life- simply put, it's less wasteful. Sure, it also saves me money and is a means of thumbing one's nose at greedy Capitalism (somewhere in a city called Sammamish, my father is groaning as he reads this). But what matters most to me is that I waste less.
Benjamin Franklin said, "Be industrious and frugal, and you will be rich." I want to learn to be more generous and giving, and I see that this is even more possible if I learn how to be frugal with my own habits.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Home is Where You Paint Your Walls...
But first, these are my roommates. We three share many ambitions, including but not limited to composting, recycling, thrifting, crafting, creating, cooking, and acquiring free campers (that last one is mostly Meg). We dream of travel, graduate school, language learning, WWOOFing, making music, learning how to really love, and seeking God and what he has for each of our lives. Without further adieu, roommates:
Since we moved in to our place in Brooklyn, we've definitely hit the ground running with "nesting" and overall decor. Taking advantage of the fact that our landfamily lets us paint, almost every room in the apartment is a different color than it was two months ago. We chose a slate grey for our main walls, and our bathroom is a turquoise (pool) color. Last night my friend Josh and I painted the final wall in our main living area; it's a dark brown that's accentuated with two large windows and window seats that we left white, and it really makes them stand out. The only walls we still have to paint are in our bedroom, and we plan to paint those an avocado-ey green. I'm stoked.
Additionally, we're planning to wheat paste in the front entry area because there isn't any drywall and by the back door because it's completely tiled. We're re-covering couches, making curtains, and really making this space livable.
Sure, there's a chance we won't be here in a year. Jess and I are vaguely thinking about graduate school and Meg is plotting to take the country by storm (this girl- who KNOWS where she'll be! My bet is Portland). We all agree that in light of what we hope to do here (especially artistically) we desire to make the most of the space we're in, treating it with the significance it deserves. It's a wonderful place, and it will be filled with wonderful memories in nine months. It's already happening.
Jon, jamming on the Banjo, the night of Jessica's birthday. The guy from Wings looks on.
This is when Wingo (Matt) walked to Lowes, bought us a new shower head, and installed it! What a man. It replicates rain fall, you know.
This is when Meg and Mike (our visitor from California) and I brainstormed a list of ten places we'd want to WWOOF. We covered them up and revealed them all at the same time (very climactic). We agreed that if we decide to register for WWOOFing (you can get group rates) we would try to be in the same places at the same time should our locations overlap (I think Mike and I had Canada, Meg and Mike had Iceland, and Meg and I had France, to name a few. I should have taken a picture of the lists so I could remember).
Here's what our place is becoming. I LOVE where I live.
Home, sweet home.
Since we moved in to our place in Brooklyn, we've definitely hit the ground running with "nesting" and overall decor. Taking advantage of the fact that our landfamily lets us paint, almost every room in the apartment is a different color than it was two months ago. We chose a slate grey for our main walls, and our bathroom is a turquoise (pool) color. Last night my friend Josh and I painted the final wall in our main living area; it's a dark brown that's accentuated with two large windows and window seats that we left white, and it really makes them stand out. The only walls we still have to paint are in our bedroom, and we plan to paint those an avocado-ey green. I'm stoked.
Additionally, we're planning to wheat paste in the front entry area because there isn't any drywall and by the back door because it's completely tiled. We're re-covering couches, making curtains, and really making this space livable.
Sure, there's a chance we won't be here in a year. Jess and I are vaguely thinking about graduate school and Meg is plotting to take the country by storm (this girl- who KNOWS where she'll be! My bet is Portland). We all agree that in light of what we hope to do here (especially artistically) we desire to make the most of the space we're in, treating it with the significance it deserves. It's a wonderful place, and it will be filled with wonderful memories in nine months. It's already happening.
Jon, jamming on the Banjo, the night of Jessica's birthday. The guy from Wings looks on.
This is when Wingo (Matt) walked to Lowes, bought us a new shower head, and installed it! What a man. It replicates rain fall, you know.
This is when Meg and Mike (our visitor from California) and I brainstormed a list of ten places we'd want to WWOOF. We covered them up and revealed them all at the same time (very climactic). We agreed that if we decide to register for WWOOFing (you can get group rates) we would try to be in the same places at the same time should our locations overlap (I think Mike and I had Canada, Meg and Mike had Iceland, and Meg and I had France, to name a few. I should have taken a picture of the lists so I could remember).
Here's what our place is becoming. I LOVE where I live.
Home, sweet home.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
My first knit hat.
It looks much better here than it really is... I have a tendency to blaze my own trail rather than following instructions and patterns. In other words, some kid (I made it pretty snug and it will most likely only fit a 7-year-old) is going to have a VERY unique hat that can never be replicated. HAH. Seriously, I just hope it keeps someone's head warm.
Check out Nest Maine here. Learn to knit and send your stuff to them! Good practice, good cause.
http://nestmaine.blogspot.com/
It looks much better here than it really is... I have a tendency to blaze my own trail rather than following instructions and patterns. In other words, some kid (I made it pretty snug and it will most likely only fit a 7-year-old) is going to have a VERY unique hat that can never be replicated. HAH. Seriously, I just hope it keeps someone's head warm.
Check out Nest Maine here. Learn to knit and send your stuff to them! Good practice, good cause.
http://nestmaine.blogspot.com/
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
