books

"so, please, oh please, we beg, we pray, go throw your TV set away, 

and in its place you can install, a lovely bookcase on the wall." -roald dahl

( via hgtv )

spring goal: read more books

(preferably outside in the grass, if possible)

currently the list includes: 

Peter Godwin's 'The Fear' . I am really excited about this book. When Mary Kate and I went to Godwin's NYC fundraiser two years ago, he spoke about writing this book. At the time, he was writing about a post-Robert Mugabe Zimbabwe. Turns out we have yet to see a post-Mugabe Zimbabwe (one can still hope), so I am truly interested to read what Godwin's take is on the current Zimbabwe situation. Plus, having read his previous book When A Crocodile Eats the Sun, I would be remiss to note that he really is a wonderful writer (and wonderful in person, too!) 

Hemingway's A Moveable Feast . I have been meaning to read this book for a good while now. 

New York : The Novel by Edward Rutherford . I love reading about the history of New York City (especially when history is placed in the form of a readable novel). The stories and characters of its beginning are fascinating to me. 

How to Be An Explorer of the World, Keri Smith . I was drawn to this title, and I've heard it is very creative & inspiring. Smith proposes the mission: “To document and observe the world around you. As if you’ve never seen it before. Take notes. Collect things you find on your travels. Document findings. Notice patterns. Copy. Trace. Focus on one thing at a time. Record what you are drawn to.”

Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand .  My dad spoke very favorably of this powerful true World War II story, written by the author of Seabiscuit. Its reviews say that it is "one of the most stunning books of the year."

Food Matters by Mark Bittman . Big fan of Mark Bittman (see his 'Food Manifesto') and always on the hunt for new recipe ideas!

Dancer by Colum McCann .  I loved Let the Great World Spin, and McCann's storytelling ability overall is truly powerful.

Phew, that's it, for now. If you have any recommendations, please send them my way!

extraordinary paths

i love everything about this beautifully simple video.

( & adore his bike )

things like this definitely do make me miss new york.

( among thinking about les halles steak frites )

destruction & a disposable camera

I kid my mom for her lack of faltering on the use of a digital camera for any and all photo-worthy events. However, I have to admit that I just went out and purchased one after I saw these ideas on photojojo. By damaging the lens (nail polish, hot glue, sand paper, and screw drivers are suggested devices) you can get really beautiful (and slightly eery, I find) photographs, without any post-processing. On the agenda for the week.

photos by kristen lozano, primatepatio, thomas anderson, respectively

meatless monday

The New York Times' Recipes for Health site is wonderful. They have recipes categorized by certain healthy ingredients like sweet potatoes, tofu, or eggplant. Which is awesome if, say, you have heard that a certain vegetable is good for you yet you have no idea what to do with said vegetable, you can get some recipe inspiration. 

Thus brings me to Swiss Chard. I have no idea what to do with Swiss Chard, how to cook it, what to use it in, or what it tastes like. Yet for this week's Meatless Monday, I decided to give it a go, since the author described it as a "Versatile Vegetable for a Chilly Spring" and I like alliteration. 

Orecchiette With Swiss Chard, Red Peppers and Goat Cheese (serves four)

3/4 pound Swiss chard (1 bunch), stemmed and washed in two changes of water

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

2 red bell peppers, cut in small dice

1 to 2 garlic cloves (to taste), minced

Salt and freshly ground pepper

3/4 pound whole wheat pasta (preferably orecchiette)

2 ounces goat cheese, crumbled (1/2 cup) 

1. Begin heating a large pot of water while you remove the stems completely and wash the chard. Fill a bowl with ice water. When the water in the pot comes to a boil, salt generously and add the chard. Boil the chard leaves for one to two minutes until tender. Using a skimmer or a slotted spoon, transfer the chard to a bowl of ice water, then drain and squeeze out excess water. Chop medium-fine. Keep the pot of water at a simmer.

2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy skillet, and add the bell peppers. Cook, stirring often, until tender, five to eight minutes. Add the garlic and salt to taste, and stir for half a minute. Then stir in the chopped chard. Stir together for a few seconds, then turn the heat to very low.

3. Bring the water in the pasta pot back to a boil, and add the orecchiette. Cook al dente, following the timing instructions on the package. Add about 1/2 cup of the pasta water to the pan with the chard and peppers. Stir in the goat cheese. Drain the pasta, transfer to the pan and toss with the chard, pepper and goat cheese mixture. Serve hot (& with Parmesan Cheese!). 

both photos by andrew scrivani for the new york times

Pretty simple, inexpensive (especially if you get the goat cheese from Trader Joe's- its less than $4 for the larger log there while more than $6 everywhere else I've seen), nutritious (swiss chard is really high in antioxidants & vitamin A), and overall a truly delicious meal. The goat cheese adds a creamy mac & cheese-y feel to it that is great. And I have to say, I was quite pleasantly surprised by the Swiss Chard. It has given me a bit of a push to experiment with other ingredients!

bicycle love.

Wheels of Change : How Women Rode the Bicycle to Freedom
I just came across this fascinating new book out from National Geographic.
Adds an interesting historical connection bit to my (already strong) appreciation of bikes!

As much as we love bike culture and everything bikes stand for, we may have 

underestimated the profound significance of the bicycle as a cultural agent of change. -the atlantic

via lexisierra

Let me tell you what I think of bicycling… 

I think it has done more to emancipate women than anything else in the world. I stand and rejoice every time I see a woman ride on a wheel. It gives women a feeling of freedom and self-reliance. 

-Susan B. Anthony 1896

cate blanchett by annie leibovitz

photobooth fun.

love more.

We had a wonderfully full weekend. Amidst scenes of fun and relaxing, we were able to volunteer at Operation Nightwatch, a non-profit that hosts a drop-in site for those experiencing homelessness in Portland. From 7-11pm Thursday - Saturday evenings, people can stop by to hang out, enjoy a meal, coffee, and play boardgames and cards. Its a great community, and was really awesome to be a part of. Mike and I were assigned the duty of the 'Clothing Dungeon:' where we sifted through the donated blankets and clothing to fill the requests for the evening. We were able to hand out jackets, socks, and toiletries to all who asked for them. I played chess with one of the older gentlemen (his name was Bill, and he had one of the greatest laughs I have ever heard), and I do have to say it was quite an embarrassing display of him kicking my butt. He took pity on me, however, and did leave me with some strategy tips. Turns out he plays in chess tournaments often, so I didn't feel (too) bad about my loss.

It is amazing the extent of homelessness in Portland. One of the Jesuit Volunteers told us that about 5,000 people are sleeping on the streets every night. There are a lot of great social services like Operation Nightwatch (and Join, which we were able to visit Saturday night), but it is most definitely a need that is ongoing. There are so many faces and so many stories behind the statistics of the issue that need to be seen and heard. It was truly a privilege for us to be able to get involved, to meet people and hear their stories, and to feel like we were giving something (somehow, in a small way) to an issue that has been so apparent to us this whole time out here. Some of the people experiencing homelessness that we were able to talk to were so intelligent, humble, and fun. Their stories were powerful. Their hope and their faith were real.

(via bldg//wlf)

"what is needed going forward is a philosophy 

based on human dignity, which all of us need and crave.

we can end poverty if we start by looking at all human beings 

as part of a single global community that recognizes that 

everyone deserves a chance to build a life worth living."

-jacqueline novogratz 'the blue sweater'

snapshots of the weekend.

game night.

late night food cart.

music on hawthorne street

street art finds.

vintage cash register from 1912

loose leaf green tea & the new york times at Coffee Grounds on Hawthorne

awesome storage of s&p, hopworks urban brewery

saturday brunch: overeasy eggs, potato pancakes, chorizo

cheese & crackers and Casablanca

the most vivid & full rainbow I have ever seen

This weekend was full of friends, food, and photo-journeys: 

three wonderful things in my book! Hope yours was great, as well!

Hey, You.

reflection in the mirror of the women's bathroom of hopworks urban brewery, portland.
it is cleverly painted backwards on the bathroom wall to reflect in the mirror like this.

You Are Beautiful is a simple, powerful statement 
which is incorporated into the over absorption of mass media 
and lifestyles that are wrapped in consumer culture.

The intention behind this project is to reach beyond ourselves as individuals 
to make a difference by creating moments of positive self realization. 
We're just attempting to make the world a little better. 

Projects like these make a difference in the world 
by catching us in the midst of daily life 
and creating moments of positive self realization. 

www.you-are-beautiful.com

people are awesome.

This is Hideaki Akaiwa, 43. Startled at work by the now infamous earthquake and tsunami that shook and overtook Japan on March 11, Akaiwa rushed to high ground and immediately called his wife of two decades. When she didn't answer, Akaiwa ignored friends' pleas to wait for a military rescue, instead rummaging up some scuba gear and diving into the dark, cold, debris-filled tsunami. Hundreds of yards of swimming later, Akaiwa found his wife struggling against the 10-foot current that had overtaken the couple's Ishinomaki home.

Once he'd gotten his wife to safety, Akaiwa suffered for four days with worry for his elderly mother. When she didn't turn up at any of the official evacuation centers, Akaiwa dove once again into the filthy, neck-high waters and swam to her neighborhood, determined to track her down. After some searching, Akaiwa found her, scared and alone, on the second floor of neighbor's house. "She was very much panicked because she was trapped with all this water around," he told the Los Angeles Times. "I didn't know where she was. It was such a relief to find her."

With his family accounted for, Akaiwa hasn't rested on his laurels. Rather, he's spent the past two weeks heading into Ishinomaki in search of other trapped survivors. Armed with a backpack, a flashlight, a Swiss Army knife, and some water, he rides his bike around the wreckage and makes his own destiny.

(written by cord jefferson; reposted from good.is)

(via tumblr)

march (walk to work) mix

we've come quite far from the days where you'd sit by your radio and try to push record right after the dj made his joke and britney spears started 'hit me baby one more time.' if only I could find all those cassettes. full of half the djs last word and a great compilation of michael jackson and ace of base.

artichoke season

(via snail and the cyclops)

recipes:

panini with artichoke hearts, spinach, and red pepper 

farfalle with stewed fennel, artichokes and peas

pan-roasted artichokes with lemon and garlic

artichoke, mushroom, & goat cheese pizza 

recent finds.

last weekend, on Griffen's visit, we stopped by my new favorite store Ink & Peat  and discovered quite possibly the best (and most beautiful smelling) handcreme by Lollia (and are obsessed). its so delicate and great for spring.

also loving this art print with a wood frame (although slightly out of the budget)!

remembering elizabeth taylor.

She was passionate, and compassionate, about everything in her life, including her family, her friends, and especially the victims of the AIDS. She was truly a legend and we will miss her. -Nancy Reagan.

 

(via vanity fair)

 “My blind eyes are desperately waiting for the sight of you. You don't realize of course how fantastically beautiful you have always been, and how strangely you have acquired an added and special and dangerous loveliness" - from Richard Burton's love letter to Elizabeth Taylor 

world water day.

 

check out these great resources on global water issues

(and learn how you can be involved) :

blood:water mission

charity:water

water changes everything

ingenuity

When the well is dry, we know the worth of water. 
-Benjamin Franklin, Poor Richard’s Almanac, 1746

spring joy.

" the earth laughs in flowers. " (e.e.cummings)

this is your life.

 

I love this poster by Holstee, now available for purchase here.

"This Manifesto is one of the first things we created after quitting our jobs 

to start Holstee. It continues to be a reminder of whats important in life." - Holstee

meatless monday

I am a huge advocate of Meatless Monday.
Check out this article on reasons why it is such a great thing to incorporate into your life:
Civil Eats, Meatless Monday.

Good for you.  Good for the earth.
And a good practice in incorporating more veggies (& creativity!) into a meal.

Recipe: Savory Chickpea Cake Salad

I came across this recipe from the site Would Rather Gather and do have to say it makes a great case for a Meatless Monday. I tweaked it a little bit here, because I didn't have a few of the ingredients the original recipe called for, and it came out to be super easy, inexpensive, and absolutely delicious.

For the chickpea cakes (serves 2):

• 1/2 cup minced onion
• 1/4 cup minced organic red pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp of olive oil & 1 tbsp of butter
• 14 oz. can of organic chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
• 1 tbsp of parsley (fresh & organic preferred, but dried is fine)
• 1 tbsp organic ketchup
• 1/4 cup of breadcrumbs
• salt & pepper to taste

Heat olive oil and butter in a pan and add the onions, red peppers, and garlic (you can add red chili flakes if you prefer a bit of spiciness). saute over medium heat until onions are soft and then set aside. drain the chickpeas and, in a medium size bowl, mash using the back of a fork until mostly smooth. add the onion and red pepper mixture, breadcrumbs, parsley, and ketchup (salt & pepper as you like). when all the ingredients are well mixed, pack mixture into tiny cakes with your hands (as if making hamburgers). coat the bottom of a pan (about 1/4 inch) with olive oil and bring to medium heat. add chickpea cakes and fry about 3 minutes on each side until golden brown. drain on paper towel.

I had my chickpea cakes over a salad of spinach & arugula, with cherry tomatoes and balsamic vinegar. they are also a delicious substitute for a burger, and are even great plain. 

Chickpeas are a great source of protein while being low in fat. They are also high in Folic Acid & fiber. I also read that chickpeas are high in Molybdenum- which allows the body to detoxify sulfates commonly found in wine. Thus, you can enjoy a glass or two! Happy Meatless Monday!

weekend's agenda.

live and work but do not forget to play,

to have fun in life and really enjoy it. -eileen caddy

bon iver.

long live 1986.

happy st. patricks day!

weekend scenes.

griffen comes to portland!

saturday market

Voodoo Doughnut Trip

Por Que No

Tasty 'n Sons

skee ball, fish tanks, long lines & crazy donuts, reminiscing, live music, half beards,

made up games, laughter, coffee, thrift shop perusing, brunch, mimosas, good friends. 

solid weekend.