spice of life

Summer time gets me in very specific moods. Generally they revolve around food, like "i'm going to make my own jam this year!" or "i'm going to make my own iced coffee this year so i can have it all the time!" or "i'm going to make so much rhubarb crisp this year it's not even funny"..... and then it never happens.

BUT MARK MY WORDS, PEOPLE. This year I am going to (1) make my own salsa and (2) make various alcoholic and nonalcoholic fancy drinks. They will not take up too much time or money. They will be delicious. They will be mine.

My salsa recipe requirements are getting lengthy: spicy, savory salsas ONLY (I really detest sweet salsas), preferably cooked tomatoes, and no avocados (I love 'em, but the boy is allergic). Thus the ones I'm considering include this one from Serious Eats, one All Recipes, or something fancy like this one from epicurious or this one from food& wine magazine.

SO MANY CHOICES. Anybody know a good one?

15 minutes

I'm famous! The fantabulous Claire of Mamushka Marie contacted me about doing a mini interview for her blog before I left for New York. When I came back I knew I had to do something special for her, as she is an incredibly special person! So I made a few spot illustrations, which was lots of fun and good practice for me.

Go check it out!

flights of fancy

Well I am back, safe and sound in St. Paul after 3.5 crazy days of New York vacation. Bryan and I are still trying to remember everything we did, as we walked around a ton and saw A LOT of things - we pretty much collapsed from exhaustion every night and woke up each morning ready for more. Highlights include the MOMA, seeing tons of celebrities at the Sex and the City 2 premier, drinking the coldest Corona I've ever experienced at Coney Island, and seeing an amazing play about Mark Rothko called Red.

Ready for a giant photo montage, because I can't just pick a few? No? TOO BAD.

box seats

just two little pictures - one of the great shadows that come in through my desk window when the shades are down, the other of this darling little jewelry box I got my mits on.

thanksgiving

I decided to draw my lovely aunt & uncle a digital thank you note, since I've been so set on experimenting in photoshop. I can't tell you how many times I started, stopped, erased everything and started again. Does this happen to you? One of the great evils of the digital "canvas" (blerg, that sounds really lame) is the ease in which you can just start all over again. But I ended up figuring a lot of cool techniques out, and I'm SO happy with the end results. At the beginning of this year I told myself I'd stop drawing so many cute girls, but one more can't hurt... right?

The apartment decorating kick is still going strong as well. I've been scouring etsy for vintage glass display cases like this one from two art director's amazingly well curated shop. Other thoughts have involved hanging small plates above the stove and making some art for above the bed. Who knows if any of this will actually get done.

apple of my eye

Yes we're still looking for a new rug. Anyone wanna buy me one of these über expensive babies from Ruby Lane? Because I can't afford that business.

I have also been gathering a list of places I'd like to go in New York, and it's getting real long for four short days..

+Shake Shack for burger and fries, and pomme frites just for fries.
+All the big art museums and P.S.1, if time permits.
+The Hell's Kitchen Flea Market.. only open on the day we get it, so if we're not completely dead maybe we'll try to make it over there before scurrying back to our hotel room for THE LAST EPISODE OF LOST.
+If we're in the neighborhood, Carrie Bradshaw's apartment. Sigh.
+Topshop? beacon's closet? I'm trying to not buy TOO many clothings. The first goal was to not buy any clothing, but my good friends made me realize that this was going to be impossible.

action packed

I'M BACK! Oh my gosh, phew. Hold on. Let me catch my breath. Could someone bring me a water? I'M DYIN' HERE. Seriously, though, I was gone for three days and there was hardly a dull moment. Wine shopping, grocery shopping (twice), listening to lectures about boats, parties, waking up early, waiting in an impossible line surrounded by pro-life crazies, sitting in a stadium with 92000 other people and seeing (1) my brother graduate and (2) the president!

Needless to say, I am exhausted. It's nice to be home.