I scream for ice cream · 463 days ago
It’s possible I have Van Leeuwen ice cream on the brain.
{Left: My headline graphic in progress; Right: Van Leeuwen}
It’s not a story on ice cream, so maybe I can get away with it! Aaaand stop for an ice cream cone on the way home… Damn!
Springing into... something. · 473 days ago
I know I’ve been awfully quiet lately! It’s been a fairly cranky season so far, with work being flung at me from all corners, Tim putting in massive amounts of overtime and last-minute travel, and no sign of a respite for either of us. I really hope we get to take a real vacation this summer, or I might go to pieces. The last time I took a week off to travel was our trip to California… in 2006. So, er, yeah. It’s time.
Not that springtime in New York City hasn’t been beautiful. One of my new favorite things is the smell of a spring night-time rainfall on cherry trees out in Red Hook; it’s just so exquisitely fresh and briny and funky, it’s like a tonic.
And the farmer’s markets are beginning to really wake up with baby garlic shoots, ramps, fiddleheads, new asparagus, chard, rhubarb… mmm! The Brooklyn Kitchen’s foodie book club has me reading a biography of Alice Waters, so I’m especially keyed up about seasonal foods right now.
Primavera
This is less a recipe and more of a guideline. Choose whatever looks fresh and delicious! Between the farmer’s market and the Food Coop, this is what happened:
2 fat garlic shoots, chopped into rounds
2 handfuls of shiitake mushrooms, chopped
1 thick bunch of asparagus, chopped into short pieces
2 chicken sausages, chopped into small rounds
Olive oil
Salt & pepper
Parmigiano
Serves 2. Quantities easily adjustable. The most ridiculously simple cooking instructions ever: While pasta is cooking, saute all ingredients (except cheese) in olive oil till asparagus is tender and sausage is hot. Season to taste, toss over pasta, and sprinkle generously with grated Parmigiano. Goes splendidly with a light white wine (it was great with Gruner Veltliner).
web CMS query · 526 days ago
Just emerging briefly because I need some web-savvy advice.
This winter I redesigned an old client’s website, (at howardbarash.com), but it’s just bare bones, flat HTML/CSS. It’s been ages since I’ve done any serious web work, so I kept it as simple as possible (luckily minimalism works well for photography portfolios!), and the client is largely very happy with the general layout.
The major part of the project that I haven’t tackled yet (besides figuring out why my CSS is still a little bit buggy) is implementing some sort of (VERY SIMPLE!) content management system so that he can upload new artwork himself without having to enlist me each time. (And it would be nice not to have to edit flat HTML pages as though it were 1996 even if it IS me who’s updating the site!) And I’m so out of the loop with this stuff that I’m not sure where to start looking.
This is pretty much what we want to be able to do from the back end: – Upload art into designated category page (aka “new work” “past work” or “commercial work”) – Include a space to enter caption information with that artwork – Allow moving old posts from one category to another (so that something can be moved from “new work” to “past work”) – Keep a simple database list of each post
No comments, no widgets or modules, no bloggy paraphernalia. (Or I’d just be looking at adapting Wordpress…) My client is not very online-tech savvy so it would be nice to find something that’s clean and simple to use, without a lot of extra, distracting features. Though I don’t know, maybe adapting Wordpress, or Textpattern, IS still the best plan?
Would hugely appreciate any advice! Thank you guys!
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Dark & Stormy February · 574 days ago
Since I’ve been stewing at home trying to kick this cold, I’ve been playing with some citrusy hot toddy concoctions (rum is curative, right?). Have not reinvented the wheel or anything, but have found things that I like! For all you pirates with head colds out there…
RUM, CINNAMONY, AND THE LIME
(in a fair-sized mug)
2 jiggers Plantation rum*
1/2 lime, cut into wedges and squeezed
1 tbsp dark brown sugar
1 cinnamon stick
fill with boiling water
It’s possible I was more enthusiastic with the rum than that, but then again, it was a fair-sized mug. Please adjust measurements to taste, esp as I am really guessing at what proportions I actually used. This, by the way, is essentially a really nice version of grog. Ahoy!
DARK & STORMY FEBRUARY
(again in a fair-sized mug)
1 jigger Plantation rum
1 slice lemon, lightly bruised into mug
Several slices of fresh ginger
1 cinnamon stick
1 tsp dark brown sugar
fill with boiling water
Absolutely like a hot toddy version of a Dark & Stormy. For a more pronounced gingery flavor, I would add some fresh grated ginger. For a richer, denser flavor I would add at least another jigger of rum, and more sugar; at one jigger it’s more like a light tisane.
- I like Barbados Plantation rum – the kind in the bottle with the raffia net. It’s cheap, has a nice lightly fruity molassesy flavor, and takes really well to hot mixed drinks.
February, you are ON NOTICE. · 577 days ago
Health Day · 582 days ago
Taking a sick day at home today, in part because I genuinely have been fighting off a cold and have consistently not gotten enough rest to really kick it. So far, having a quiet day really is working to get me feeling legitimately better and not just ambulatory! I’m also really enjoying the chance to sort through things here; so far have organized the recycling, gotten a load of laundry in, and sorted the backlogged mail. Next comes the monthly round of bills, and hopefully getting some wedding prints ordered.
(I may have also played some Little Big Planet. Shhh.)
In the interests of not completely playing hooky, I did bring the story I’m designing home with me, and hopefully I’ll be able to kick it into better finished shape after I’ve tackled the bills.
Happy Cows for 2009! · 590 days ago
I didn’t really intend for my first post of the year to be during Chinese New Year, but at least I’ve squeaked in under the wire for January.
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Chinese New Year. It’s the Year of the Ox, and celebrations are going on all week here in NYC! I’m hoping to go out to Flushing for the big parade on Saturday morning. I’ve never been to the Flushing parade, and it’ll probably be slightly less of a madhouse than the Manhattan parade on Sunday. (Plus on Sunday I’ll be busy making chili for the Superbowl.) The parade starts at 11 a.m. and is centered around Main Street and the Flushing library. Hopefully we’ll be able to score some delicious dumplings and noodles, too. Drop me a line if you’d like to come!
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Beer. Went to a fun Brooklyn Brewery event last night at Bar Great Harry on Smith St. I got to try the 2001 Saison de Brooklyn, which was light and bright, with a flinty bite to it and a lemony pucker. It tasted of the cold early spring sunshine I’ve been craving. Lovely! The Cuvée D’Chouffe, a collaboration between Brooklyn Brewery and Brasserie D’Achouffe, was okay; it tasted like LaChouffe with some American hops mixed in. Meh, would rather drink the original Chouffes! Sadly, the bar was just as crowded as any big night at the Blind Tiger, but their $3/12oz glasses by far made up for any jostling! I’ve never been to quite such an evangelical beer event; when Garrett Oliver stood up to give his talk, the hardcore foodie/beer nerds around me were hollering out “Y-YEAH!” and “AMEN!” and I started to wonder when they were going to bring in the baptismal font full of Brooklyn Lager. Also, Garrett Oliver wore a cowboy shirt embroidered with hops, which was nerdy and awesome!
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Sausages-inna-Bun. Mandler’s, on 17th St, W of Union Square has become DOGMATIC, with a very slick new interior and a shortened menu of high-quality sausages served with a choice of sauces on very good crusty mini-baguettes. The chicken sausage with chimichurri and the Italian pork sausage with truffle gruyere were both exceptionally delicious. I do very much miss Mandler’s mouthwatering fried zucchini, but overall this is a huge improvement.
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Work. Continues apace. I had my annual performance review yesterday, and my boss is very happy with my ever-improving design work, the boost in my confidence and communication skills (I’ve stopped being a shy stammerer when questioned about my projects!), and my handling of the extra workload resulting from November’s round of layoffs. His main complaint is that I’m slow with the conceptualization stage, before actually churning projects out. Sigh, I do know that. But besides that, high marks all around. As expected, not even a penny raise or bonus, as we’re in a company-wide freeze right now. (Thanks a bunch, Economy.) Not that my company is all that great with the remuneration even in boom times, mind you. :P
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Obsessed. Little Big Planet, the game that looks like Craft and Make magazines have exploded into a world of puzzles. Narrated by Stephen Fry. It’s as if someone decided to design a game specially for me. “She loves platformers, design and knitting, eh?” Yes, yes I do. And I’m not the only designer to fall for this game: Print Mazine had a big feature on it. So far I have reached the very end of the Serpent Shrine in the official Story levels, have played very few of the user-created levels (would love recommendations for good ones!), and have yet to start figuring out how to create my own!
And yes, I am knitting my own little Sack Girl. How could I resist??
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Weddings! Attended the rocking wedding of Cindy & Matt down in Maryland! Which was so well-organized that the bride even had time to cook a chill breakfast for all her friends on the morning of her own wedding, and from there the rest of the day carried on without a hitch. (Except the GETTING HITCHED part!) In a grand gesture of faith, Cindy asked me to be her official event photographer for the pre-wedding and ceremony, despite that I’ve never done real event photography before. (In fact, I almost never take photos during wedding ceremonies because I’m usually too busy getting weepy!) I was really, really glad Cindy’s friend Dave was there as backup, because he’s got a steadier hand than I do, and plus it’s always good having 2 people shooting from different angles. Between us I think we got a great batch of shots! Here are mine:
CINDY & MATT GET HITCHED! | Slideshow
I totally spazzed out during the actual ceremony, due to a combination of an unsteady hand, being nervous about shooting in front of the congregation and trying not to annoy the minister or the family who were in the front rows, accidentally hitting the auto-timer button at a couple of bad moments (seriously, that button is WAY too easy to trigger on the Rebel!!), and wishing I had rented a high-quality zoom lens after all. I had 4 lenses with me, and none of them were quite right for the task. Still I did get a lot of shots I’m proud of, even in spite of some blur issues at key action moments. And I’m very glad there was an actual hired photographer to take care of the formal portraits and the reception, so I could put on my dancing shoes and kick back! (And keep shooting, just with less anxiety!)
Spazzing aside, there was a lot about this that I did love. It meant I got to share in the entire day, as an adjunct to the wedding party. It was a joy to be able to participate! I love weddings, and it turns out I love being involved behind the scenes even more, especially when it’s the wedding of such a good friend. Enormous hugs to Cindy for letting me play along!
And besides that, it was a great learning experience. For next time (if there IS a next time given that I don’t think I could handle the pressure of shooting weddings professionally), I have a better idea of what kind of lenses I’ll want and what kind of gear to pack. I know what stresses me out and what I really delight in. The getting-ready portion of the day was pure joy, for example, and I really love catching all the close, personal moments. I gravitate towards the expressive and detailed shots. I need to get much better at handling the fast action scenes, and at managing my light.
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Obamapalooza. Because of the wedding, I was in D.C. the day before the Inauguration. Mostly I was interested in revisiting some old haunts — I snooped around my high school (which has since been reconverted into fancy townhouses) and had a fun photowalk through surrounding Kalorama/Adams-Morgan/Dupont Circle, taking a visual inventory of what had changed and what hadn’t. We had a great lunch at Kramerbooks, which is still as tasty and as much of a scene as I remembered it being (note: it’s better to try to score a spot at the bar than wait an hour for the cafe!). And then we headed down to the Mall to get a taste of the Inauguration festivities. It was the fierce calm before the hurricane hit!
I have never experienced such excitement in D.C. before. So many smiling faces, on tourists and natives alike! So many young people feeling so intense about a political event! (In particular, D.C.-ites are normally so jaded about this sort of thing that it really highlighted the specialness of the occasion.) The energy was uplifting and inspiring. The national pride was so vibrant and alive and tangible, and it was hard not to get caught up in it.
Even though I’m not sorry to have missed the brunt of the crowds, I have to say, I was still wishing we could have stayed for the main event.
I seem to have mislaid November... · 640 days ago
These updates have grown far too infrequent, a sure sign that life has been both hectic and at least somewhat routine. There have been a lot of stressful things going on, but instead I’m going to talk about the good stuff.
Enjoying: The Bowery Boys podcast, a weekly exploration of New York City history. Each half-hour episode covers a particular topic, like the development of Central Park, the evolution of the Meatpacking District, the sordid sordid tale of Five Points, the construction of the Pan-Am building, and the history of McSorley’s Old Ale House to name just a few. I’ve very much been enjoying their fun and upbeat (okay and completely flaming) storytelling style. Even topics that I didn’t expect to be my cup of tea, or that were already fairly familiar, have been completely engaging. Highly recommended!
Watching: Along with the new season of Top Chef (because I’m a complete sucker), there’s been a lot of Buffy and Angel for their comfort factor. And we’ve just begun the first season of Mad Men, which is full of tension and everything that was horrible about the 1950s and is incredibly HOT at the same time. (Note: I do not have the hots for any of the characters, apart from a healthy appreciation for the spectactular Christina Hendricks. But the stylish atmosphere of the show gets my graphic designer side all in a sweat.)
Online: I’ve joined this nifty photo site called Momentile, which is intended as a daily photo journal. Just a snapshot of some telling moment of your day, rather than a place for showcasing beautiful photography. (To the point where it’s especially geared for camera phones, although it has a regular upload tool too for those of us who can’t quite bring ourselves to use camera phones.) It’s a little bit like the photo equivalent of twitter, except you can only submit one momentile per day. So far I’ve failed to update mine every day, but still it’s been lots of fun. Here’s my momentile stuff.
Making: Projects galore! I have completed the knitting on the Hemlock Ring blanket I’m giving to my parents for Christmas, and now just need to weave in the ends and figure out how to block the sucker without putting the bed out of commission for 2 days. Now making a crocheted hat for my mom (per her request); it’s in luminous cranberry red Manos del Uruguay yarn (I keep having to remember that yarn is not actually edible), edged with some soft rose pink Debbie Bliss silk alpaca. Hopefully I’ll finish it quickly in order to have a crack at some quick things for Tim’s mom and sister. Meanwhile, have been cranking away on the scarf that Tim began for himself last year; it’s in chunky Misti Alpaca and is just heavenly to touch. (“That scarf you were going to make for yourself? I’ll knit it for you as an Xmas present! Now hand over that delicious yarn!”) Have also completed the knitting on my pretty Anais sweater-tee and now have been procrastinating sewing up the sides. Maybe tonight I’ll have a crack at that, because I’ve been itching to wear it.
Drinking: Killer caffè lattes at Café Pick Me Up, on Avenue A and 9th St. How is it I’ve never stopped in this place before? It’s so cozy, with nifty old schoolhouse tables and a quiet side room. But the lattes, man, the lattes! THIS is how I like my latte: dense, dark and rich, made with quality espresso and just a hint of foam. Glorious! Most American lattes taste like wet brown paper bag. This stuff tastes like… coffee. Imagine that! It’s probably good I’m not in the East Village every day or my caffeine habit would be back with a vengeance.
Eating: Eventually there shall be stew. Oh yes.
Married: Three whole months! Still smiling a goony smile. Also, there are official pictures!
wOot · 670 days ago
The results of some pub napkin doodling last night:
The smiles are still showing in NYC.
I know that we’ve still got rough times ahead; our nation is in a hell of a mess, and there will be no magic wand to solve it all.
But still, w00t.
Election Day 2008 · 673 days ago
Voted this morning on my way to work! And the machine made a very agreeable thump as I cast my vote.
I’ve never seen the line spilling outside the building at P.S. 321 before, much less wrapping around the block and nearly halfway to 6th Avenue. Still, the machines were working and the whole business took about 45 minutes — not bad, in comparison with some other polling places! It’s frustrating to hear about the various SNAFUs around the country (and wondering how many of them were deliberately orchestrated!), but it’s been great to see so much excitement and determination in everyone.
And meanwhile, looking forward to playing drinking games and Election Bingo while watching the returns tonight.
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