Happy 2010!

Going down to SoCal for New Years Eve. Seeya all next year...Peace!!

Ann Taylor

I haven't been as busy as some of my friends while at home, but I have managed to get out to Valley Fair to do a little window shopping (window drooling and yearning, is more like it).


Is it just me, or has Ann Taylor stepped it up a notch? Or, maybe I'm turning into my mom. Eeek! Whatever it is, Ann Taylor, and Ann Taylor Loft's holiday/SS10 collection has a ton of pieces that I'd love to have in my closet.

(The yellow blouse on the top left is my FAVORITE.)

Truckee xmas 2009

As it happens, I left a snowy winter wonderland only to find myself immediately placed in another, 3000 miles away. As we did last year, my mom, dad, sister and I packed up our VW and made the trek out HWY 80 to Truckee, a little snowy village just Northwest of Tahoe and Southwest of Reno. This xmas trip came and went with lots of home cooked food and tv movies, just like every other year - but not without any casualties. Unfortunately my sister lost her phone on the slopes, I lost a pair of ski goggles, my dad busted his knee and I my shoulder.


Looks like my mom was right to stay at home with the dog and the tv.

Chilly and Chili

As usual, I am leaving wintery New York to go back to California for the holidays. I'll be home for extra long this time, until the 7th, because yes I am still unemployed.

As a parting gift, New York dumped a couple feet of snow this weekend. B and I went out on Saturday night, amidst the blizzard, to romp and roll in the snow. Slightly underdressed, I became quite ornery quite quickly, but it was a thrill while it lasted.

The best part? We came back home, wet with melted snow and cold to our bones, to find the magical elves had miraculously finished our pot of Green Pork Chili. er, Stew. Chili? Whatever it was, yummmmmm.

GREEN PORK CHILI w/ TOMATOES
(adapted from Epicurious recipe)

Ingredients:
8 Poblano peppers

2.5 pounds pork butt strips, trimmed, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 large onion, chopped
2 leeks, cleaned and sliced
6 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp paprika
5 cups chicken stock or canned low-salt chicken broth
1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice
3 small vine tomatoes

Char chilies over gas flame or in broiler until blackened on all sides. Enclose in paper bag; let stand 10 minutes. Peel and seed chilies. Cut into 1-inch pieces.

Place pork in large bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add flour and toss to coat. Heat 4 tablespoons oil in heavy large wide pot over high heat. Working in batches and adding more oil as needed, cook pork until brown on all sides, about 6 minutes per batch. Using slotted spoon, transfer pork to large bowl.

Reduce heat to medium. Add onions and leeks to same pot and stir until tender, about 6 minutes. Add garlic, oregano, cumin, allspice, and paprika; stir 2 minutes. Return pork and any accumulated juices to pot; add stock, chilies and tomatoes with juices and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer on LOW uncovered until chili thickens and meat is very tender, stirring occasionally, about 2 hours. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Sperry in the winter

Sperry topsiders, known to me for their infamous boat shoes, has made some sort of deal with JCrew and is selling these AMAZING duck boots online and in their catalogs. I don't know how I'm going to get my hands (feet) on some, but seeing there's only size 11 left online, I need to be crafty and find my way into a pair. I want to dance in the snow in these.

Sing Off

This show is 95% really horrible and 5% really great. Here's an example of the latter:

Kitchen envy

Don't worry, I'm still here. I haven't frozen to death. Yet.

I've been very very productive this week- I got myself a Brooklyn Public Library card, which I am very proud of. I did a lot of yoga and am getting into an almost-daily morning practice. And I've been doing tons of thinking and brainstorming about a new business idea....even met with a friend last night to discuss the nitty gritty. All in all, not a terribly stagnant week (despite this weather)

I've also been, as per usual, combing the blog circuit. I don't know why I feel compelled to share this image, but I really love the feel of this kitchen.

The Fun Theory

I'm a little confused about who the masterminds are behind this (is it really volkswagen? some innovative swedish design firm? elves?), but whoever it is needs to take over the world.

On the website are a series of videos all under the mantra "The Fun Theory", showing how slight modifications to mundane objects can help save the world, a little at a time. The world CAN be more recycled, more litter free, and more exercised. And in watching, you just can't help but smile.

Thanks mom for sending this. And Vickie, for reminding me to post, too.

20x200

I've been a fan of 20x200 for awhile. Using the website as both a platform to expose young and emerging artists as well as providing a wide array of artworks for any consumer level, this website was borne as an offshoot to founder Jen Bekman's Gallery. One photo and one work on paper is released each week, at 2pm every Tuesday and Wednesday, and are on sale until Sold Out. Sometimes they are genius, sometimes they fall short, but so is art. Each work always has at least three size options, the cheapest being $20 and the largest $200 (hence the website name), making anyone a viable collector of art. The quality, even for the little pieces, are great- all works are printed with high quality inks and on the finest paper specified by each artist.

I'm fond of the most recent release (pictured in this post), but am afraid to get it as I know it will just look cluttered in my already sparse wall space :(

Also make sure to check out the Jen Bekman Gallery, in the LES.

New Spoon Album

In promoting their highly anticipated January release of the latest album Transference, Spoon was featured on this week's All Songs Considered on NPR. Norah Jones was also previewed, touting a slightly more rock-ish sound than past records. Am excited to hear both new albums come 2010.

Go here and click on the link to have a listen.