junk drawer

#1

One of the perks of living in an international neighborhood is well, international food. From Mexican, Italian, and Asian, south Philly pretty much can't be beat as far as authenticity goes..

Lately I have cruising on down to my local Asian Superstore, 1st Oriental Supermarket.

50cent bunches of cilantro? no problem. 15 types of mint? thank you very much. cheap cheap shrimp? yes please.

With good authentic products comes good authentic cooking with good authentic flavor. After Otis and I tried out a new Chinese restaurant in search of quality pork dumplings and were HORRIBLY disappointed, I took upon myself to make my own dumplings the next day. Scary enough, mine had WAY better flavor than the ones made at the restaurant.

I still get a lot of stares perusing the aisles...I'm sure 6'2'' blondes aren't their usual regulars.

book bug

Last evening I wondered into my local book mega mart in search of this book.  And please note...I'm reading it for the BC guidance. 

Once my mission was complete my next mission began. Oddly, I was magnetically drawn to the craft section, being the Crafty McCraftalot that I am (ok ok crafty McWhenihavethetimeforit) and check out these new releases I stumbled upon...

This new Built by Wendy guide to sewing clothes is just so COOL. COOL COOL COOL.  I love how the patterns are included with the book and from what I could tell it seems super handy, super informative, and well...super easy to read. And truly I am not surprised by the coolness....I mean, it's built by wendy and she's just bad ass.

Then I spotted another book by another favorite lady...Amy Butler.

This book was just dreamy to look at although pretty specific as far as patterns go.  (This also had the patterns included with the text which I just love.) I don't know if the pom pom pillow would go with my home decor, but the pictures seemed to be trying to convince me that they could. Darn it, I just love me some Amy Butler.

But I guess I have been on the book beat for a few days now:

Last weekend...while on Block Island and stuck in the library while Otis checked his email I discovered this book in the stacks.

Apparently Erica Wilson was a PBS star in her day and the book is sooo cute!  It has the best vintage patterns that I have stumbled upon and teaches you stitches and how to do crewel work. Needless to say I am already prowling ebay.  Anyone out there have this or the other Erica Wilson book More Needleplay?  opinions?

Overall - My book wishlist just got a little longer.

long time coming...

No, there is nothing better than the beach.  And the beaches on Block Island are particularly lovely.

I had a great weekend away, and now I have hit the ground running back at work.  But time away is precious and boy was it fun.  Block Island is wonderful....just don't tell anyone.

deal?

Can I buy some snowboots? How 'bout a cheesesteak?

As some of you may have noticed, I've been busy redesigning around these parts.  No worries, all the links, etc. are still in the same spot and work the exact same way.

I built the new banner, posted it, and looked at it on the site. I immediately muttered "shit" under my breath.  It looks like an LL Bean catalogue cover....blech (not that I don't love LL Bean...but for my banner?!)  However, I'll be headed north to New England again this summer....and I know my ass will be glued in Adirondack chairs, drink in hand at some point.  soooo. the banner will stay.

I'm taking a blogging break for a few days as I'll be traveling to one of my favorite islands for a quick bit.

Oh yes and on a side note-

philly's craft blog community has just grown a little bit:

Stop by and say a big hello to Leya of Curiousbird and Aimee of Sew Betsy Ross who both just moved to town this past weekend.

Remember girls....it's a cheesesteak "wit" not "with". The "H" in the "th" is silent.

and the green grass grew all around...

WARNING...I am in a rambling mood.

On my drive home from work last week I was abruptly stopped by a construction worker so that a backhoe could manuver it's shovel full of dirt into a dumpster perched on the side of the road.  Me, being the curious human that I am, peered to the left to see what the heck they were working on.

What I saw my made my jaw drop and my hand lurch for my heart.  They were digging up the sweet garden that I pass on my way to work.  Nestled between two buildings, it's my favorite eye candy in what can sometimes be a smelly, dirty and concrete filled walk to work.

Granted, I knew something was up with the space due to the sign that has long been draped on the chain link fence.

But the hole left in the ground was jarring.

 

But, I think I can blow out a big sigh of relief....I checked out the website posted on the sign: savethegarden.com.  Post-near heart attack, I realize the garden has changed hands to the Neighborhood Garden Association and I'm hoping that the construction is for improvements, not destruction.  That was a lot of heartache, for...well, nothing.

But it did make me think about the importance of green space in a city setting.  When a person is surrounded only by houses and concrete and sparse amounts of trees, what little green you have becomes VERY important. 

To fully disclose, I come from a farming family in Iowa.  My grandfather was a farmer, my dad was raised on the farm, my aunt and uncle still live on their farm, and my cousin Sarah who is my age (26) lives on her own dairy farm.  That lifestyle is the antithesis of mine, yet I wonder if that live off the earth genetic code still lives within me.  I certainly love to camp ( the backwoods, no cell service, shit in a hole, gone for a week, kind...thankyouverymuch) and I certainly get a twinge of satisfaction from making pesto from my little basil plants that have grown so well on my back deck.

I need to see green.  I love to get produce from the farmers market or the italian market or the farm stands on LI or along the backroads of south jersey.  Does that mean that there is part farmgirl living inside of me?  Even as I live in the heart of the city?  Lord knows I would never want to actually live on the farm (manure mountains in my backyard, chores at 5am.  um...no thanks.)

Yesteday I stumbled upon foodie farm girl, a blog about a gal from california who left her comfy lifestyle and moved to a missouri farm to live off the land.  For whatever reason, it made me think about my roots, my family, my basil, and my small oasis' of green on my walk to work.  It's amazing how important a little bit of earth can be.

There is no spot of ground, however arid, bare or ugly,
that cannot be tamed into such a state as may give an
impression of beauty and delight.
-  Gertrude Jekyll

sweet and salty

I'm back from a happy respite "down the shore" as they say here on the mid-Atlantic coast.  I don't really know if it's possible to have a horrible time when you have sweet salt air to breathe in and out all day long.

I was able to see my ENTIRE family on my mother's side which is unbelievable since there are 31 of us or so. It was good to visit with everyone, especially since I had been traveling with work during every family get together this year.

And contrary to the mere ripple of waves in the photos above I was actually able to surf (not very well) and teach my ten-year-old cousins, Laura and Ali. a little bit about hitting the waves.  They did AWESOME and both stood and rode a wave.  Much faster than it took me (a whole year) when I was learning....yowsa.

I swear, if you are in our family it must be programmed into our DNA that you will love the water.  I think most of us must still have our prehistoric gills.  Nothing like being out pretty deep in the water and seeing 7 of my cousins under the age of 11 swimming like crazy and totally holding their own in the water. 

And on a knitting note, and I'm still working on my sock. grrr.

croc a doodle do

As most who know me know...I love Crocs.  They are rarely off my feet.  In fact I would consider them to be my signature shoe.

For me it's been a long time love affair. I have been wearing these things since the days they were called "waldies" and were sold as a kayaking shoe.  I brought my first pair home in November of 2003 after nearly getting in several accidents driving past the store window displaying them (in all of their colorful goodness) in Nashville, TN and well, it's been love ever since.

I think it is rather amusing that everyone is sporting these little bad boys now.  I got MOCKED for YEARS for slippin them on my feet.  But I swore up and down that they were the most comfortable shoe I had ever laid my little, I mean big, foot into. The pair above is my 5th pair of crocs and having traveled with the weather, good weather that is, since July of '03, these things have gotten a workout.  My sage crocs got so worn down that I started to look like Bambi on Ice whenever I tracked through water. YIKES.

Yesterday I discovered Crocs' newest addition to their line...the prima.

They are sold at Bloomingdales no less. High fashion!Now Crocs have their own kiosks and sections at stores.  People can't keep them in stock. How hilarious.  I told you so!

All I'm saying is: maybe, just maybe, allllll those people alllll over the country who would snicker when I walked by in my colorful footwear finally decided to take some of my advice and get on the ole crocs bandwagon. 

Myself and my feet couldn't be more happy for them.

whole lotta love

I finally was able to sit in my new room and do a little sewing.  During the redecoration my friends built me a larger top for my sewing table and put heat resistant fabric under the top layer of fabric.  Sewing at this table is so COMFY! I have more light, more room, and the table is higher so I am not hunched over.  I love it!

My friend Genevieve got married over the weekend and on her invite we were encouraged to wear something fabulous.  UGH. So out shopping I went.  I found a cute brown jersey dress with pretty ribbon trim but couldn't for the life of me find a clutch to go with it.  So I made one to match.

While I was at it I made a little bag for Otis' sister for her b-day.

Lately I have been very inspired by Lotta Jansdotter and these patterns that I embroidered are hers.  I think they are adorable.

I also have been making some good progress on my socks.

I do not see more pairs on my needles in the near future.  These things are a pain in the ass.  I know there are people out there who LOVE to knit socks.  Good for you.  I will prove to myself that I can make a pair and then move on in life.  I guess I am not the kind of gal who likes to knit with toothpicks.

I mean it this time...

It's been a tough month schedule wise. From shooting an episode at my house to Providence, Philly, Asheville and Charlotte...I have barely had the motivation to post.  I know it's been kinda sparse around these parts.

The pace was brought on by myself though, July away so I could be home for August (so I can travel in my free time)

sorry to all but most days I was so tired I really didn't feel like "blowing sunshine up everyone's ass" as Otis tells me that I am so good at doing on this site. 

So I chose to not post at all.

You know the old saying: "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything." 
Well in the past month there were certainly a few days that I took that phrase to heart.

However, all was not lost:

I can't wait to get back to Castle Hill.

I loved my trip on the Madeline.

I loved Water Fire, a show put on by  the city of Providence on the rivers downtown.  It consists of huge bonfires tended to by people paddling the waters in gondolas.  Relaxing music is pumped along the banks and tons of people were there. It was a top drawer event.

Asheville had it's own perks. Bele Chere their huge festival was going on. I stayed and saw Papa Grows Funk and Government Mule and hung with our homeowners Russ and Sarah.  They rock.

And I drove to Charlotte through the mountains.  Now I know why they call them the smokies....the fog is gorgeous.

Charlotte has a whole other vibe, I mean, yuck...look at this:

But this view was waiting for me at night when I returned to the hotel.

All in all, not a bad month on the road.  But boy, am I glad to be home.