photo of the adorable ms. zooey deschanel.Monday, March 30, 2009
Sunday, March 29, 2009
white flower: refined
flower, vase, and black wall at bddw display.2009 architectural digest home design show. pier 94, nyc.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
white flower: everything is a blur
the simplest presentations are my favorite. white flower, glass vase, black wall, via bddw.
2009 architectural digest home design show. pier 94, nyc.
Friday, March 27, 2009
midtown lunch: toloache
i haven't had much reason of late to be on the west side of manhattan in the 50s, but my friend, meg, introduced me to a good one today.
this was a flawless, special lunch: a sweet and juicy margarita; "rojo" guacamole (spicy, with smoky chipolte. queso fresco adds a creamy, brightness); light, fresh lobster tacos; and crisp, airy churros (who knew that was possible?). the cajeta sauce will run down the thin channels of the fried dough, so take quick bites. expect to have sugar and cinnamon down to your wrists and all over your chin. what's more fun than that? especially when paired with a spiked mexican coffee?
this was a flawless, special lunch: a sweet and juicy margarita; "rojo" guacamole (spicy, with smoky chipolte. queso fresco adds a creamy, brightness); light, fresh lobster tacos; and crisp, airy churros (who knew that was possible?). the cajeta sauce will run down the thin channels of the fried dough, so take quick bites. expect to have sugar and cinnamon down to your wrists and all over your chin. what's more fun than that? especially when paired with a spiked mexican coffee?
the toloache margarita: frida kahlo blanco tequila, hibiscus, muddled blueberries, and lime.
"langosta" tacos: spicy lobster, morita salsa, avocado
churros: dusted with sugar and mexican cinnamon, with cajeta and chocolate dipping sauces.
TOLOACHE. 251 west 50th street, between eighth avenue and broadway. 212.581.1818.
plan, perfect
last night, at around 5 pm, my friend allison emailed me.
want to go to the movies? it's so icky and rainy out--it's perfect movie weather.
this threw me for a second.
i live in a rear-facing apartment. right now i'm eyeing the array of vertical and horizontal blinds of the rear-facing apartments in the tan brick building across from mine. hello neighbors. it's not bad, really--there is enough distance between "us" to allow for gentle light. the sun never imposes itself on me here, and that's rather nice. i get to ease into the days at my own pace.
but if i'm wondering how clear the sky is or if rain is here, or on the way, i have to walk up to the window, lean over the white radiator cover, and with my cheek hovering close to the glass, look up, up and away to suss things out. i had the blinds up yesterday, but i didn't leave my apartment after 11am--it was icky and rainy out? i had no clue.
i loved this impromptu movie idea, though. (is it ninety-five percent of life that's planned? short-term. long-range. big monstrous things, like careers or even little deals, like lunch.) plans, and the anticipatory thrill, can be fun. but i love the energy of the un-plan:
i live in a rear-facing apartment. right now i'm eyeing the array of vertical and horizontal blinds of the rear-facing apartments in the tan brick building across from mine. hello neighbors. it's not bad, really--there is enough distance between "us" to allow for gentle light. the sun never imposes itself on me here, and that's rather nice. i get to ease into the days at my own pace.
but if i'm wondering how clear the sky is or if rain is here, or on the way, i have to walk up to the window, lean over the white radiator cover, and with my cheek hovering close to the glass, look up, up and away to suss things out. i had the blinds up yesterday, but i didn't leave my apartment after 11am--it was icky and rainy out? i had no clue.
i loved this impromptu movie idea, though. (is it ninety-five percent of life that's planned? short-term. long-range. big monstrous things, like careers or even little deals, like lunch.) plans, and the anticipatory thrill, can be fun. but i love the energy of the un-plan:
let's go for a walk.
let's grab a coffee!
come over...
anyway, i said yes to going to the movies even before she mentioned what she wanted to see. she proposed 3 options: two lovers, i love you, man, and he's not that into you. (this reeks of girls-night-on-night-1-of-the-sweet-sixteen, yes?) i'd just seen i love you, man on tuesday night, so we settled on two lovers.
when it was over, my first thought was the story wasn't isn't new or even terribly surprising. but there are small moments, beautiful, melancholy snapshots that ring deep. the ensemble was restrained, mirroring the film's oppressive, lovingly confused and strained relationships. the performances of isabella rossellini (looking old world beautiful, and with a wary squint) and vinessa shaw (so simply heartbreaking) were quiet and finely tuned. joaquin phoenix's opening scenes set off alarm bells--his tweaky walk and posture made me think of sean penn in i am sam. oof. but he settled in and became properly unsettling. he is here, at turns, broken and combustible--his unique vulnerability, the way an emotion traverses the deepening lines of his forehead to the tight corners of his lips, and then lives in his eyes...his eyes...those eyes. there is nothing easy about him, is there? it works perfectly here. throughout the film, i would nuzzle into the collar of my own damp, wool sweater trying to hide or find a little comfort. so while allison and i agreed there was a level of predictability to the film, while we were there, watching it all unfold, we both dreaded the impending emotional doom right along with the characters. allison was positively morose immediately afterward, but we talked through the heaviest parts, and then the balmier ones.
anyway, i said yes to going to the movies even before she mentioned what she wanted to see. she proposed 3 options: two lovers, i love you, man, and he's not that into you. (this reeks of girls-night-on-night-1-of-the-sweet-sixteen, yes?) i'd just seen i love you, man on tuesday night, so we settled on two lovers.
when it was over, my first thought was the story wasn't isn't new or even terribly surprising. but there are small moments, beautiful, melancholy snapshots that ring deep. the ensemble was restrained, mirroring the film's oppressive, lovingly confused and strained relationships. the performances of isabella rossellini (looking old world beautiful, and with a wary squint) and vinessa shaw (so simply heartbreaking) were quiet and finely tuned. joaquin phoenix's opening scenes set off alarm bells--his tweaky walk and posture made me think of sean penn in i am sam. oof. but he settled in and became properly unsettling. he is here, at turns, broken and combustible--his unique vulnerability, the way an emotion traverses the deepening lines of his forehead to the tight corners of his lips, and then lives in his eyes...his eyes...those eyes. there is nothing easy about him, is there? it works perfectly here. throughout the film, i would nuzzle into the collar of my own damp, wool sweater trying to hide or find a little comfort. so while allison and i agreed there was a level of predictability to the film, while we were there, watching it all unfold, we both dreaded the impending emotional doom right along with the characters. allison was positively morose immediately afterward, but we talked through the heaviest parts, and then the balmier ones.
in the end, our choice felt right--like impromptu movie night, right as rain.
***
how do you like the film poster? it's the UK version, created by all city media and i prefer it to the one they're using here. check out the site--they offer alternative designs for each of their projects, and it's interesting to see and consider how and why they made their choices.
***
how do you like the film poster? it's the UK version, created by all city media and i prefer it to the one they're using here. check out the site--they offer alternative designs for each of their projects, and it's interesting to see and consider how and why they made their choices.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
"vines are your friends"
the green walls of musée du quai branly, paris. january 2008.i love the lush, mossy green walls of the musée du quai branly--wouldn't it be great to see them all over nyc? there's one on the upper east side--pure yoga--and i've heard rumors of one at a restaurant in chinatown or on the lower east side. are there others? i attended a panel discussion last night in the hopes of finding out a bit more on the state of things here, green wall-wise.
while taking a few snapshots of the lovely interior green wall on site (below, and here), i had the luck to be standing next to the contractor who put together the beautiful array, cody lacroix of new york city green roof and landscape, and he was kind enough to chat with me about the installation, what he thought what worked or didn't about this one (needs more watering, deeper, better planters and maybe a different irrigation system), and offer insight into the cost and viability of green walls. the simple story is (and another panelist concurred), green walls have a glorious upside-- beauty, energy savings from the insulation, and cleaner air. and they're terrific for (and most successful when) promoting native plants (think local!). but "green walls" still require a lot more research, especially in terms of irrigation systems and modular systems. each execution is labor intensive, requiring a good bit of experimentation and tinkering...so, the downside is not surprising: it's cost prohibitive (roughly $150/square foot), whether indoor or out. even in a thriving economy, it's a big ask.
simpler systems, like green screens (think trellises), where vines can proliferate are more affordable--"they are not new or exotic" but have a greater chance of being "successful."
cody lacroix's calming, green wall. nyu center for architecture. 536 laguardia place, nyc. on view through april 11, 2009.
right now, "green walls" seem to be more an idea than a movement, but here's hoping that especially (and at least) commercially it...well...grows. bad pun, but judging from the "standing room only" attendance at last night's event, it's also a well shared sentiment.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Monday, March 23, 2009
natural beauties
pretty eggs. lauded for their lusciousness by bill buford. pricey, too, at $10/dozen.union square greenmarket. march 21, 2009.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
pure junk
the compost cookie™. thanks to the inventive mind and high-fructose palate of christina tosi,
nyc. march 21, 2009.
my new favorite cookie is a perfectly crazy union of sweet/salty, chewy/crunchy, "blondie"and "brownie". it's rich and altogether cloying. it's not for the timid.
i brought some home and asked my dad what he thought.
i barely started wowing him with the list of ingredients (potato chips! pretzels!) before he declared, good!
since he's a man of few words, i didn't think i'd get much more than that (and maybe an approving nod) out of him. he's decidedly no nonsense about food (as he is with everything, really). and while he's definitely of the "you can eat everything in moderation" school, he's not at all a fan of "junk food." i had been curious to know what he'd make of this debaucherous little experiment.
after a few more quick bites, he asked me to recite the ingredients again:
coffee grounds.
potato chips.
coffee grounds.
potato chips.
pretzels.
chocolate chips.
butterscotch chips...
chocolate chips.
butterscotch chips...
i watched his brows start to wrinkle and i thought, uh-oh, he gonna balk...
then he laughed, "puro junk, eh (it's all junk)! that's why it's so good!"
he tossed back the last bite, and clapped the crumbs from his hands.
yes.
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