Atheist busses in London

saw on boingboing today that there are atheist-advertising busses roaming the streets of London - 800 of them that say "There's probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life." this intended as a 'positive counter response' to fear-mongering ads about sinners/non-Christians going to a lake of fire, etc.

as an agnostic, and a strong freedom-of-religionist, I'm just not sure how i feel about this. Although I appreciate and empathize the "enjoy your life' message, my gut is that it's the same as the fire&brimstone kinds of ads, and for those with strong faith (of any stripe) potentially just as offensive. Is it proper to advertise for religion (or lack of?). is this a good use of funds (in a recession)? The campaign raised £135,000, significantly more funds than their target in a very short period - thou no one should dictate what the best thing to spend ones money on, if you were going to promote your own brand of belief in a way to reassure others, is this the most helpful thing you can spend on?

I know I would like this campaign a lot better if they'd gone guerilla, graffitti or any other less commercial route - why is that?

Apparently the American Humanist Association has a separate campaign busses in DC saying "Why believe in a God? Just be good for goodness' sake" any of you DC folks seen these?

if only freedom of religion was the same as freedom from religion...

a delicious year

2008 although strange & difficult in many ways, was a great year in the kitchen for us. Aside from simple meals like cheese grits with Uncle Bruthas hot sauce, desserts containing booze, meals with friends that make us say 'we are so good at this!' & a tattered Joy of Cooking bringing the old fashioned American baked goods like biscuits & pie crust back into our house, there's been a number of all-day cooking extravaganzas and adventures in eating this year. Partially, I think this is because of our decreased pocketbooks and increased interest in sustainability, self-sufficiency, and decreasing the amount of food waste we create. Partially, it's because of our gastronaut leanings, wanting to explore all the kinds of things we can eat and prepare and the challenge of stretching a meal or ingredient as far as it will go, deliciously.

Best things I ate this year that I didn't cook (in no order):
Cheese Columbo with Eggplant from Coppola's (Richmond)
Virginia's Japanese Pickles (so spicy! send reinforcements!)
Juliana's French Onion Soup (blissfully vegetarian and so cheesy!)
Mom's biscuits (why are they so much better than mine)
Conner+Ben's PB Fudge
Baked Tagliolini with Mushrooms at Ciprinani's
Bonnie's Veggie Burger is still the best I've found in NYC & their fries w/ chipotle mayo (suggestions on competitors welcome)
hibiscus beer on tap at Beer Table - wish i could remember what it was called!
wild figs from Virginia's yard
lavender donuts from Donut Plant
Dave's lavender butter on apple pancakes (this recipe from a dream)

... probably there's a lot more that time and shoddy memory are forgetting... so to all those that fed me well this year - many thanks! come on over and we'll cook you up something good in return.

Thanksgiving kitchen-a-thon

although it was just Dave and I in Brooklyn for thanksgiving, we still managed to cook nearly all weekend. I recently, gratefully acquired a friend's Tassajara Bread Book which is by far the best bread book I've encountered (introduced to me by Brigette's Open High baking class!) for beginners and experienced bakers alike. Although the recipes require significant patience and all-day rising - they're worth it.
Although im pretty sure this glass bowl from ikea will break every time i use it (so far, many years later, it still hasn't) it's awesome for showing off the airy rise of this whole wheat dough. According to Tassajara this is because we used a starter and kneaded it till, as Brigette would say, it was smooth like a baby's butt.

This oat-molasses bread was just what we were craving and went great with the pear-apple butter.

The pie crust above was filled by dave with a banana cream pie. I'd never baked just a pie shell before - it's not the prettiest, but it did taste good! (Especially filled with pie!)

also on the cooking list for the weekend - yeast starter, and later the beer-to-be for a Red Lager (turned ale since we don't have lagering ability) - here's the mash:

also on the thxeating menu: mashed potatoes+carrots, and 'celebration roast' with delicious vegetarian gravy.

gravy makes everything good.

November - Pear-Apple Butter

i get it in my head that i'm going to can something for friends & family for holiday presents. Last year we made tomatillo salsa from our Lovejoy garden plot bounty, this year we have no such garden - damn brooklyn living. but we do have the benefit of supercheap produce from the co-op. Apple Butter sounds appealing and cheaply made, so I call Alan the produce guy who suggests Jonagold apples, which are HUGE (easy for peeling) and Bartlett pears which are so juicy they nearly melt in your hand.

I find this fine lady's recipe online (pictured, thanks folks!) and with the Ball canning guide proceed (in our usual makeshift fashion, since we don't really have the proper tools)

Some friends come over and we wash, peel, chop and then boil the fruit for hours standing on a makeshift stool so us short girls can reach the bottom of dave's giant beer pot to stir without falling in. We drink wine and eat cheese and bread and takout chinese food and stir and stir and stir. We stir for HOURS. Finally, we think that it's done, it seems to be mounding on the spoon like she said it would and jar it in a boiling water bath.

About 20lbs of fruit led to 4 quarts & 8 pints of butter, only about $50 including the jars & a saturday night for the entire process - well worth it. It had a proper debut at both dave's family's xmas lunch by the spoonful and my family's xmas dinner atop field roast and lamb, and was delicious! it probably could've boiled another while or so for the thickness you find in other apple butters, but no complaints so far!

September - Delicious Monster Fruit

at work, i get a pic mail from dave that says: 'I bought us a delicious monster.' fearfully, i look this monster up online. it's weird. i'm afraid. it's at my house. and it's shedding it's skin.

Monstera Deliciosa or Mexican Breadfruit is the fruit of a split-leaf philodendron, native to Central America. It's covered in green, vaguely poisonous scales which must be allowed to fall of on their own. (So, in addition to having a monster in your house, you must wait patiently for it to be ready to be eaten so it won't injure you). The monster sat shedding & emitting a funky odor on our counter for a few days. That weekend, Dave deemed to ready to eat and cut into it....

you know me, i'm an adventurous eater, but i'm having flashbacks to durian and thinking, am I really up for this?

Dave flicked off the scales ready to fall and cut a slice. Its smells okay, vaguely tropical and citrusy. he bites into it, i'm poised with camera for reaction shot (& phone for poison control) and.... he likes it!

okay. my turn. im skeptical. the black flecks remind me of the myth of black seeds in bananas being tarantula eggs, but i am bold. i bite, and... yeah, its okay. kinda like banana+pineapple, only with kernels, somewhat like corn. it'd probably be a good addition to a fruit salad. there's big seeds in it which are a surprise. the back of my throat is a little tingly. I've eaten it and i lived. the other half rots in the fridge. sorry.

another exciting day in eating, another strange thing from the produce aisle eaten. but, probably not again.

What was the best thing you ate this year?

I'm reliving my year in food in prep for your enjoyment, and wanted to know - What was the best thing you ate (drank?) this year? Please respond in comments! xo!

commute as art

I blogged for Filmmaker Magazine about the dazzling animation in the tunnel after the B/Q DeKalb stop here in Brooklyn. Masstransiscope (1980) is by my former Hampshire film professor Bill Brand, restored after 20 years of negligence. Actually, I'd been riding past it nearly daily since I moved here, but they only turned the lights on the show a few months ago. The short article is mostly factual, and upon reflection, I feel like I've neglected to mention how nice it is to have art on your commute. It's easy enough to miss with your head in a book, your headphones on and spacing out into your own world, but once you notice that there's something to capture your attention out there in that dark tunnel, it's hard to ignore it when you go past. Your fellow commuters wonder what you're craning your neck at, and most feign disinterest when they see it too. But many, like these folks, get caught up in the joy of having something unexpected like this in the otherwise bland subway. Art in public places can be tricky. it can be ugly or creepy, and people can disagree about whether it's art or not (I'm looking at you, graffiti). I think this one falls into the category of art to enhance ones surroundings.

the whole weekend is in front of me...

...I've got somewhat of a to do list, including boring chores like laundry, but im excited about not having many real obligations (except 2 co-op shifts so we don't get suspended). dreaming of all kinds of kitcheny crafty plans like baking bread and making and canning apple butter - not sure where this idea came from but it's either that or pickles and it could possibly take all weekend. with D. planning to brew beer any moment now, it could get a little crowded in there. do we even have a pantry in which to store this business?

these homebrews seem kind of un-New York to me, especially since it possibly means not going out Saturday night? Then again, someone here was just telling me about the glory days of Brooklyn when every Italian had their own vines and made their own wine. the latest from Chateau Gowanus for you?

if you want to come help stir the apple butter, please do. bring bread and wine.

debate night seitan shepherd's pie

Dave's got a cold, it's turning fall, the election is coming and we need comfort food. some veggie spot in park slope had seitan shepherd's pie on the menu, so i thought i'd give it a shot. here's my lazy version. serves 2-4

Preheat oven to 400F

scrub and put on to boil about ~1 lb yukon gold potatoes with some salt- the potatoes at the co-op are very small & organic so they didn't need to be cut or peeled, but if yours are bigger you should cut them into medium sized cubes. boil until very fork tender and drain.

meanwhile, dump 1 12oz tub of Ray's Seitan 'Wheat Meat' into a square baking dish. If you don't have Ray's, any seitan will do, but this brand has the added benefit of some kind of fatty gravy like substance included, whch adds some extra juice and flavor to the mix. if you don't have this in your seitan, you might prefer to add some oil, catsup, or some other liquid (gravy?) to keep the seitan from drying out.

chop 1 onion & some garlic and add it to seitan. dress the seitan mixture with about 3Tbs chipotle tabasco, hearty shakes of basil, cumin and pwdrd ginger, pepper, and a dash of salt. stir to combine all ingredients.

add 1 cup frozen corn to the baking dish, patting it onto the top.

cover the dish with foil, and put in the oven to bake while the potatoes are boiling. bake until everything is hot and the onions are cooked - 20-30 minutes.

when the potatoes are very fork tender, drain and mash with as much butter (~1/2 stick) and (soy)milk (~1/2 cup) as you prefer, salt, pepper, whatever else to your taste.

when the seitan is ready - the juices are bubbling, the onions are tender and everything is looking & smelling good, take it out of the oven.

Turn the heat down to 350F.

Pour the mashed potatoes onto the seitan and press into the top evenly. put back in the oven for 10-15 min or so, until they are a little crispy and brownish, perhaps the juice from the seitan is bubbling up into the potatoes. eat and enjoy!

at mom's house shephard's pie is always served with catsup. dave thought gravy might be yummy but we were too lazy to make some (even from a mix). another recipe i have calls for putting cheese in the mashed potatoes which i always love (smoked gouda perhaps?). this can easily be made deliciously vegan if you so desire, using margarine and soymilk in the mashed potatoes. how do you make it?

recent photos in my life

from: Maya - 'this guy is having the best day ever'to: Lauren - 'your 'Lil Guy' is up at my desk. your new semi-permanent installation in New York.'
From: Dave - 'i bought us a delicious monster'
from La Chapelle's new show. think i might have seen the model nic-fitting like a motherfck in front of the gallery.
to: family - 'hello from coney island!'
from: Lauren - 'happy labor day' / to: lauren - 'who's the new boyfriend?'
from: Lauren - 'i dreamed we made a movie again and filmed it in front of this store with the octopi'

que es Cranberry Beans?

we'd been lurking the cranberry beans among the lush local produce at the co-op. what is it? is it good? do we like it? so, in the cart they go. ours are fresh, not dried, and after research (internets), a consultation thru a gardeny friend, we ended up with this, done our own way:
Cranberry Beans a la Slow-Paced Monday Dinner (with pesto or other things)
(about 2 servings+tomorrow's lunch,)

1 pound in-shell cranberry beans: shell and rise them, discarding any small, blackish or funny looking beans

in a big pot, bring to a boil about 4 cups water with a half-onion, a bay leaf, garlic, oregano from mom's yard, rosemary from a failed housewarming plant, ground pepper.

Add cranberry beans and cover partially, turn heat down to a simmer, for about 25-40 minutes (ours took more like 40, but we started tasting for firmness at 25). Stir regularly. The good thing about beans is that they just sit and simmer, so you can do other things like watch TV

when you're getting impatient and the beans are almost done, that is, they are soft, the skins aren't too chewy and hopefully they're acquiring a good flavor, approximately the last 5 minutes of cooking, add a splash of hot sauce and about a 1/2 tbs kosher salt. Don't add salt earlier, it makes the beans tough

scoop out the beans with a slotted spoon, and put in serving dish. dress with olive oil, lots of pepper and about 1tbs kosher salt, a heaping spoon full of pesto (homemade with walnuts, leftover from the the night before) and a splash of red wine vinegar, to taste.

We served with a fried egg, summer tomato (for me) and cheese toast.

now, there's probably about 100000 ways you could do this differently. it's inspired by this completely different recipe, but gardeny phil also suggested you dress the beans with (instead of pesto/red wine vinegar) shallots and balsamic. j-a-a would probably put fennel seed and tomatoes in; i'm down with that, and dave def would've added butter. parmasean on top of everything would be nice. jen might've served it with the gifted produce of her fellow gardeners. or maybe nuts?
how do you end up with it?

its early. im rambling.

oopf. it's been a while.
im secretly blogging from the ifp narrative lab. it's the last day and the inspiring Lance Weiler is talking about how to distribute and market films on your own. if you want his secrets you'll have to wait for his book, read his website or see him speak.

i'm trying to get my writing brain back on after months of not blogging and mostly just watching films, 40-50 each for the narrative and documentary labs, early into the 250+? i need to watch for the spotlight on documentaries program.

mom's in NY this weekend and thinking about guerilla art shows, affordable art fairs, walking, talking shopping and eating, family dinner w/ her and friends. glad that the elevator in my building is running again, and grateful that d. got us a deal on an a/c yesterday. we're on the far side of a heat wave but i'm sure it's not the last time.

heading to silverdocs next weekend to blog for filmmaker mag. and to enjoy it as a civillian for the first time ever. looking forward to seeing lab alum Wild Combination, a doc about art collectors Herb and Dorothy, the new Herzog film and the shorts programs - will they be as quirky as when i was there? excited to see my friends in DC that weekend and hopefully have a great beer at granville moores. is sticky rice on h st open yet? will it ever open?

i've done a lot of name dropping here, so hi to everone that has a google alert for these things...

3/21/08

it's my birthday, and so far, i'm spending it waiting in our new nearly empty apartment for a mattress delivery. there's not many places i'd rather be right now, spending my first real day in this place; i just wish i had a few more ameneties.

the place still feels spacious, and im happy to be borrowing wifi from my neighbors. i do have electricity, but no gas (for the stove) and wont till at least monday. the heat is ample and makes lots of noise. the fridge, like that in Mott's, ticks and the bathroom is entirely covered in soap scum. i see i have some scrubbing to do. there are lots of neighbor noises, but im guessing that'll subside when we've got some furniture in here.

Today also happens to be the vernal equinox, the full moon - apparently this is the Worm Moon or the Crown Moon - Good Friday, Persian New Years Day , the first day of Aries (& the astrological calendar), and Purim. all these seem to point to new beginnings, which seems to be my theme for the year, but really, lets just get going already.

March 21 is also the origin of the phrase 'Who Shot JR?' in the season finale of Dallas, the birthdays of salacious Russ Myer (FASTER PUSSYCAT...), creepy Gary Oldman, eponymous Rosie O'Donnell, illustrious Kevin Federline, at least two other Open High students, and at least six new yorkers including a mother-son pair, who i don't know but am sharing a party with tonight.

next on my agenda: where to go for dinner?

HC video alumni & the Whitney

Two former professors from the increasingly illustrious Hampshire College film/video department are showing in the Whitney Biennial now - amazing! The line-up looks great, and I'm intrigued by the inclusion of artists like The Voluptuous Horror of Karen Black and Spike Lee.

Julia Meltzer, who was one of my video teachers, and one of the many that left the department just before my thesis year (one of the many things that spurred a semester off), and her partner David Thorne are showing videos shot in Syria, experimental, documentary? works.

Jennifer Montgomery, who was at HC when i was, but I never took her classes, is showing films shot on and about Kodachrome. The still here is from her "Notes on the Death of Kodachrome." Her performance, Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, is Saturday at the Park Ave. Amory if you want to go!

more info on these folks when I can get to the exhibition!

and, we're in.

met the super last night who wanted to make sure that I was 'alright.' the lease is all but signed, hopefully it will be soon! here's the most boring photo of a room (our new living room), ever.

after seeing a haunted-feeling apartment - a rundown brownstone with dry thorny roses by the lion-guarded white metal fence, a private yard, 'garden entrance' and an okay price, dirty and badly maintained, with a rat problem and a cold wind blowing into the place up from the basement,...
i was convinced to put our money where my thoughts were and go for the warm, west-facing 5th floor two (large) room flat with a regular size kitchen and bathroom with a tub, fire escape and room for the bikes, the bar & the cat, a few blocks from the express trains and the park, with amenities like laundry in building, an elevator, and a thriving multicultural neighborhood. it's nearly twice what the falling apartment is, but for the location (significantly closer to work than falling apartment), and the style, i think im in. d is too, by default, and i hope he's as excited as me about seeing zira bark at obese pigeons on the fire escape where our tomatoes & herbs will grow, looking out onto mimosa trees and 'south prospect park' or 'lefferts gardens' or 'flatbush' or whatever you want to call it in the morning, putting the Love Mr Egg painting above the bed, filling the three closets with all our things, and putting the toys on the built-in shelf in the foyer.

after the unreasonably stressful application process i cleared my head with a scallion cream cheese+tomato+cucumber on an everything bagel, a few phone calls, and a very long walk from the realty office to my temporary home.

crooke ave

i may have found an apartment. it's between the Q train and the park. im excited but trying not to get too excited since i haven't put in an application - maybe tomorrow? this may be the bedroom. it may also be the bedroom for my future neighbors.

or not.

wish us luck.

thank you.

you're the best. maybe i can use it to find a place with this view. yes, you can stay any weekend. we'll go to the park.
xoxoR(+D)

its my last night in DC right now (except for all those other nights). im about 3/4 packed, clothes mostly, not so much the long list i've written of other stuff I need. it's hard to leave town when you're both a) really only gone 10 days before you're back again & b)moving out of state... eventually. but soon! not to mention c: traveling on the bus & staying on your best friends couch.

so, i should be packing but im not. i'm also avoiding: voicemail, telling my landlords we're moving out & doing the dishes. I cannot get Lucero's "Last Night In Town" out of my head. I'm taking bad cellphone pics like this one and trying to get going. i just dyed my hair and it's alright. im wearing a moustache to a party tonight. possibly also a unibrow. and false lashes.

but first, i have to pack.

got my cards read & she said big changes were in my future.

courage is necessary.oh, hey. it's been a while, huh? did you hear i'm moving to New York on Sunday? I'm a little nervous, and hoping that my couch surfing won't be too much a burden on my friends. have you a reasonably priced apartment for us? just me, the fellow and our charming cat. hopefully this orchid and trompe l'oeil print will make it too. it's trying to snow today and i wish it would, while simultaneously sending everyone to leave me big tips at the pizza shop tonight.
so, moving out of state, for good even, is kind of a big deal, and there are a lot of things I need to do and meant to do but will never get to (for now)

To Do:
-Beardstravaganza, find kickass beard or merkin to wear to my first appearance at this annual shindig - perhaps dave's pricklypear beer will make a debut?
-get rid of lots of stuff - do you need some blank periwinkle t-shirts? a biography of Proust? a Schwinn Peapicker lowrider? a '94 Saturn SL2? slightly broken sewing machine? a huge green couch and a pair of star trek-esque endtables? some old magazines?

-find a suitable tenant for our apartment - is it you?
-go dancing - but where?
-leave this fucking town. yay! screw you yuppies and politicos. remaining friends: I still love you.

meant to do in DC, but won't:
-visit all Smithsonians - only got to less than half. bummer. still time to hit the aquatic gardens and portrait gallery?
-eat vegetarian soul food, eat at Cafe Nora,
-see the Beastie Boys at the 930 Club, spot Dave Grohl hanging out at Black Cat,
-ride the secret US Capitol subway,
-write a DC city guide for Bust,
-fight for District equality including having true Congressional representation, and proper budgeting for the seriously suffering public schools. oh well.
-ride bikes to Mount Vernon (did i ever really mean to do this?)
-get on the board for Transformer gallery (James said I could if I had $5K. Maybe next year)