Life rolls on...

I still haven't found much down time to update this thing! I've got some pictures to share, as my sister and I have *finally* moved!

We're in a spacious two bedroom a floor up from our nice but cramped one bedroom. We moved all in in one day!

So, more to come! I promise :)

Busy Gal Neglects Blog

I know I am in dire need of an update here!

I've been very busy with my new position, with a couple of trips back upstate in the mix. My sister and I are also waiting to move to a new apartment....hopefully. Hopefully that is straightened out this week, then I can get myself into a better schedule!

I apologize, and promise I'll be back!

Employment

A quick update to let you all know I have a new job!
I started on Monday and got through my first week on pretty good footing.
I even get a title! I am the Marketing Coordinator...so fancy sounding!
I get to design as well as media buying and finding new advertising opportunities, and lots of general office work. I will be kept busy, that is for sure!

That is the update for now. I just made a pancake breakfast for myself and my sister, and we need to get ready ASAP in order to make a showing of Julie and Julia at 1:30 in Kip's Bay.....ee start the stopwatch!

all for now!

Hong Kong BBQ in Staten Island

Ah, boy, another month of me neglecting this blog! Shame on me. Being on the job hunt renders one busy yet idle!

This weekend was non-stop. I had a birthday party to attend Friday, filled with college friends and imitating parties from college. Met up with another friend, got home at sun-up. Fun but exhausting! Saturday my sister had friends over, and I was up with them playing a fun card game and the like.

The next day I was to journey to that farthest of boroughs, Staten Island, for a BBQ at my friend Ivy's. I ran late thanks to my late bed time, but after the longish journey by subway, ferry and bus, got there in time for the rain to let up, and to roast some delicious meats Hong Kong style:

Basically put on a skewer, roast a bit over charcoal, then slather with honey and roast it some more. So delicious. Get-togethers and food experiences like this cause me to throw my at-home vegetarian ways out the window! And well worth it for the chicken wings alone!

After we had exhausted the food and coals, we played Wii games. Everyone who ahd been before had a Wii fit profile, so I ended up on that. Wii fit tells me I'm 21! Woo 2 years younger than I am! Everyone else was discussing how much older it told then they were. I have pretty good balance, and it seems that's the major measuring device. I did a bunch of the fit games. Pretty fun I must say!

Then we started playing Cooking Mama, which was way harder than it looked to be. I got a 100 on one recipe though! We were cracking up at the voice over for Mama because it obviously
was a native asian woman and the accent was so thick. Ivy is from Hong Kong, and she kept imitating Mama say "Even better than Mama!" So funny.


I even got a ride home from Hevan, who had driven there. Very nice day, and with people I hadn't seen in too long! I now have a reason to venture to Staten Island. Hope that I get to soon. and that I can afford a Wii in a sort amount of time too, way too much fun!

Cartoons Part Deux

I thought it was time to share the remainder of my cartoons with you all. Here we go!

This guy was spotted in Hannaford wile grocery shopping with my mother Upstate. I dubbed him Mafiosa man. I still may go back and make him even fatter and squatter. He's not really distorted enough.



This woman was spotted on the 6 train one day....what hair! I had unfortunately forgotten that she was wearing a gold lame jacket....so sad.

This woman was spotted one morning as I was walking to work. She was walking up Third Avenue...and I couldn't help but notice that she had matched her glasses to her shirt. I got the pattern as well a I could, but it matched waaaay better in person.
This man MADE my commute one morning. I'm on the 7 train and I spot this old man with a cabbie hat and a ridiculously bowed lip that reveals the biggest set of chompers EVER. Hence me nicknaming him Mr.Chompers. And a mustache that just emphasised that fact. Aside from that fantastic mouth and mustache, the trench, paper, and iPod made it. He looked so comfy and happy to be on the train! And since spotting him I've seen him twice!


While I am studying Mr. Chompers, THIS man walks into the SAME CAR. Two in one commute?! This man also had an interesting mouth, like a skinny cut line. Nevermind his emaciated legs with that huge Carhart coat, and his awkwardly balding hair do.
This is the only cartoon of someone I know. This is my friend Shelly, who I used to work with and lo and behold we both are city dwellers now. She has a website called naked People Should Not Say 'Dude' where she shows off her cartoons, which she executes in MS Paint. They are hilarious and very inappropriate! They are based off events in her life, so there is a cartoon version of her. After seeing my cartoons on Facebook, somehow it came up that I should try to make my own cartoon version of her. So I did!


And the last is Mr.Angles, a fearlessly dancing Asian man I spotted at Webster Hall. He was SO HAPPY to be dancing, and he danced very angular. He couldn't get enough! I loved him. He was so happy and full of life.
And there are the rest of my cartoons! I have been slacking in drawing more (drawing in general) soo I need to get on that so I can share more with everyone. and there is a back-up of characters in my head. They're gonan duke it out if I don't let them out!

Labels of my Favorite Brewery, Magic Hat!

A note from Swaying Daisies inspired this post about my favorite brand of beer: Magic Hat.
She made a note about also consuming the new summer seasonal Wacko, but ultimately being more in love with the packaging. This is me modeling the bottle to my iMac camera:



As a designer I must admit that the packaging is a lot of the initial draw to Magic Hat! The packaging is so illustrative and inventive! And then you taste the beer, which is ALSO very inventive. It is always easy to spot the newest flavor!

I couldn't find any good pics online of the packaging, boo! But on Magic Hat's site they have a section devoted to the different brews with labels on illustrated bottles....so the best I could do was screen shots of all these awesome labels. (and here I get to gush over another love of mine: The screen shot. Oh such a useful device!).

Let's start with my favorite brew, Circus Boy. I love me a good Hefeweisen!



Hocus Pocus is another favorite...so I am upset that I found this in the offed section of the site. Aww...but I guess it was the old summer seasonal, since this brewery likes to mix it up a lot. I will miss this one!

And while I am not a fan of IPAs, I LOVE this wacky illustration!


I never got to try any of these, but I really loved the illustration. Especially that for Unnatural Thirst. So simple!


Then we have the most widely available Number 9. A little too fruity for me (it has apricot in it), but still good. and usually the one that's on tap!


Lucky Kat is another one I am not too fond of, but I like the bold color and the cheshire cat-like illustration. And the Odd Notions are fun because they change! You never know what it'll taste like season to season, because they change with the season, ad the labels clearly show!


And there you go! A little taste of my favorite brewery, both for the invention in the flavors of their beer and their packaging! I need to visit the factory someday, since my hometown isn't all that far from Burlington, VT where they are located. Visit their site, too, it's quite fun: magichat.net

Day in the Kitchen

I did, as I suggested to myself, try my hand at baking some more bread and an apple pie. I needed to make something!
So I found a recipe for Italian bread. I had no dry milk (or regular milk for that matter) sooo I just omitted it. I had to get it set in the morning, since I had made a starter for it and it had already fermented moore than long enough. Anyway, I forgot to omit part of the liquid since there was now less dry material so it was really really sticky, wet dough. Soo I didn't really know if it would work-out....but it seemed to! Although I haven't cut the one to the left to see how it is yet...they both have a fairly thin crust, so that is good! My earlier breads all had a really think crust. Soo I think this is more on the right track. I will see if I can make it a teeensie bit drier, since the extra liquid made it spread out and stuck aaaall to my hands, but also in a way made it easier to handle/shape. at least not over-handle. Nevermind that it rose beautifully (also thanks to a little sugar to feed the yeast). Anyway, here are the loaves. The one spread out and got reeeally fat. I think it's hilarious looking!


and here is the Apple Pie! I called my mom and she quickly gave me her recipe. Followed it exactly, and it came out pretty damn good! I am most happy with the crust, which seems to be a little frail but good. That could also be because I made a mistake with the baking temp, and brought it down to 315 instead of 350! I figured it out and turned it back up, gave it another 15 minutes ha ha. But I am quite happy that it turned out so well, and wish the friends Mana invited over would get here to help devour it.

My whole day was dough to supermarket to dough to pie crust and apples to cooking dinner!
And picking up a 6 pack of Magic Hat's summer seasonal, Wacko. Mmmm.....

Good Saturday.

Chasing the blues away...

I almost inexplicably had an awful day emotionally. I can't even pin point what really set me off. But I do know what finally cheered me up: some encouraging texts with an older and wiser friend...and then going to the movies with my sister to see "The Hangover".

HILARIOUS! Feeling much more stable now, thanks to a friend who is a very good shoulder, and inversely to a lot of sophomoric humor.

Eek, I've been absent here for a month! I will try to update with something more amusing tomorrow.....clearly this must mean I need to finally try baking a pie.

Soda Bread with Raisins. Mmm!

I've had a bit of a boring weekend. Which is fine, since I have my share of crazy ones too, and I am a person who likes to sort-through her life semi regularly. Last night, ending up with no plans, I went to the market and got items to make a soup (out of failed french bread from Wednesday. Tried to make it for a movie night. Having to work and putting the dough in the fridge=no extra rising, really dense loaves. But good for tomato and bread soup!) and a soda bread, along with extras for the week. No big grocery trips for me this week! I also splurged on two bottles of wine, so I had a nice late dinner of tomato and bread soup, Merlot, and a couple slices of this soda bread with raisins:


I'm really enjoying my ability to bake! This made a fabulous breakfast with a couple egg whites and coffee this morning!

Disaster, Design, and the Hopeless Foodie.

Oh WHAT an end to the week we had! On Thursday, I walk into work to see Christa mopping the floor, and Mirko and Jose frantically trying to remove light fixtures filled with water. All this thanks to a broken toilet tank on the 4th floor. What a mess! This is what the office looks like now that we have plastic over everything.


We got out early, but waited around since we were attending the premiere of Wendy Keys' film "Milton Glaser: To Inform and Delight". and it was worth hanging around Manhattan for! The film is fabulous; it is a definite watch if you are a graphic designer, illustrator...well, an artist of any kind since Milton does so much and shuns definition. After the film Steven Heller moderated a Q and A with Wendy and Milton. Very inspirational!




With the office situation providing me with a free Friday, I was almost lured to Connecticut Thursday night. Milton's film was the first glitch in that plan, followed by.....having fresh basil to use in my fridge. Yeep...I think I am officially a foodie. In any case, I made pizza dough Friday afternoon and posted this fact on facebook. My friend Zach became interested, so he brought over some bell peppers and broccoli, I provided basil which I mostly made into pesto (with pine nuts I had bought! Authentic! except no parmesian, as Zach is a vegan), tomatos, mozz and romano (strictly for me) and garlic. I sacrificed cheese to make this ith Zach, but the decorating skills trump all.


We made a lion! He is blood thirsty, as illustrated by his blood covered mouth...we added broccoli and pesto last, hence the disguising foliage. So fun AND delicious!

I am now in Connecticut, and have done little more than let people feed me and give me wine. What a tough life I lead, right?!

I'm already planning meals for the week! I started following a blog called Not Eating Out in New York. See that top recipe for Asparagus tofu salad? I had all but asparagus that I have now picked up at a farmer's market here for $1.69/lb...and Chris ended up paying for it since was not evena pound. I got cheap spices too. Puumped! I need to do more thrift shopping....asian market eekend soon? We'll see. In any case....yea, complete foodie.

Birthday Cake

I baked a cake for my birthday. It is uber rich chocolate cake with peanut butter filling. Baked it Friday night...then I had to wait a whole day to eat it!


I had to try it by myself Saturday afternoon! Later on, after 11, I had friends over to help me eat it. But there is still a huge chunk I brought to work to be devoured by co workers!



I also got to go to The Little Mermaid on Saturday night. Let me tell you, I was 6 all over again. Fun show, not the greatest, but not bad. And they used heelies to simulate floating through water...kiiind of ingenious!

I'm 23 tomorrow? Really?

Tomorrow is my 23rd birthday. WOW where does time go?
One year out of college in the same weekend. Graduated the day after my birthday last year. nice gift, eh??
The end of this week has been a little birthday-centered for me. Yesterday we went out for my work birthday lunch. I picked Turkish, never having eaten it before. Babganush is delicious I found out, as is a dessert that starts with a k that I cannot pronounce...phila dough with some cheese in the middle and soaked in honey. MM! And the Turkish red wine was also very tasty.


I LOVE this little cup! The Turkish coffee was a LOT stronger than I expected....and a lot siltier at the bottom too. But I really wanted to steal the demi taz.

Being a birthday, my co-workers had to make me a card. Around here we pick a project that the person has worked on, and turn it into a card. I helped to lay-out the interior of this book, and therefore the jacket was turned into a card. Hmm book jackets are haunting me...should I return to publishing when this gig is up??


Sorry for the poor camera phone quality. I'm sure you can make out my face. It has been superimposed on an illustration of Ayn Rand. Pretty hilarious! All illustrations in this book are by Ed Sorel, best known as a political illustrator.



And here is the interior of the card, complete with bios on Ed Sorel and Christopher Walken. At an event held at The Waverly Inn in October, which was for the release of Ed's book on the mural he painted there, we spotted Mr.Walken in the crowd, and have been star-struck ever since.

And I have NO idea what else I will be doing for my birthday. Hopefully something comes up tonight, via my facebook status asking about it. I can never decide what to do! Nevermind that Mother's Day is Sunday, so many people will not be around. I will at least be baking a cake. and then prompting people to visit and eat it.

Shake Shack at Madison Square Park

Way back during the summer of '07, I was interning at St.Martin's Press in New York City. This publishing company is located in the fabulous and historic Flatiron building, located at 23rd street between Broadway and 5th Ave. From my desk I had a perfect view of Madison Square Park, right where a little place called Shake Shack exists. Burgers, fries, shakes, hot dogs, and ice cream is a basic list of the fare served here. Pretty much without fail there would be a long queue between 11:30 and 3pm. There is ALWAYS a line, because it is delicious even if a little overpriced.
Amanda was mourning having to work today, and somehow mentioned milkshakes. My eyes lit up and I went "We have enough time to go to Shake Shack!" which Mana had never been to, even though she didn't live far from it her freshman year. So we quickly got showered and out the door, and even though we waited in line the better part of an hour, it was SO worth it. She felt better and got food to eat before work. It helps that we got to breathe nice park air while watching adorable dogs and cute rambunctious babies.

Amanda enjoying her first trip to Shake Shack. Shack-ago dog, cheese fries, and a vanilla milkshake.

This is me sipping on my vanilla milkshake. I got a bird dog, which is a chicken sausage. Mmm!

I miss that little park. And that part of town. That was a great summer in my life! Mental note: must visit more often, and must try a concrete at Shake Shack because I am curious about that custard confection.

ADC Paper Expo

Wednesday night I went to The Art Director's Club for a Paper Expo. Basically paper companies and print shops throw a party and give away a lot of free samples in the hopes of getting new business. Score for us designers! $10, free pads of paper and paper samples, and alcohol and snacks as long as they lasted! An hour there got me a couple beers, plenty of cheese, and a bag full of samples. The coolest thing there? On print shop had a small old-fashioned press running! Pretty sweet!


With everything—even printing—moving more and more digital, seeing this in action was awesome!

Kashi Bars

This is for my friend who was blogging about Kashi foods earlier today. My mother got me these when I was Upstate, and they are pretty good! Like a healthier dessert. I brought back the Dark Chocolate Coconut. Apparently there is also Pumpkin Pie and Raspberry Chocolate. I can't wait to try the rest!

Easter Weekend

I went home for Easter Thursday night and stayed through Monday morning. I hadn't been home since Christmas! It was a very nice visit, mainly spent hanging out with my Mother. These two kids were up waiting for me at 11:30 when I got home!

Roscoe sitting pretty in his favorite chair.

Miss Many posing too :)

Some home improvements had been made recently. Our family room rug had been shot for quite some time. It owed us nothing, being 15 years old and trampled upon by three dogs, two cats, numerous caged animals, three resident girls and their friends! Last weekend my parents put in wood flooring (Pergo or however it's spelled...), and my mother and grandfather painted the walls a nice gold color. New furniture is on the way! That's Grandpa's leg. Mandy is always happy to be petted; Bubs was showing us all how yummy his chewy was!

Bubba posing again...he looks sad when he is on his best behavior for a photo!


My sister is managing Giffy's Snack Shack this summer. So if you're in Clifton Park, NY, come get ice cream at the mini golf course....and before that get dinner at Giffy's Bar B Q up the street. I worked there for 4 years, and gave my sister my job when I moved to the city. Anyway, the point is she was awarded the responsibility of managing the Snack Shack, and we went to get ice cream Friday, the opening day for the season. She's still getting a hang of the soft serve machine, as is evident by the cone she made for my father!


And I'll leave you with a picture of myself in my new spring jacket. Half off at Macy's! Let's hope I can keep the coffee stains (and worse!) off of it...although it is thankfully machine washable!

Hope you all had a happy holiday weekend as well!

Baking Baguettes

This weekend I finally had success baking french bread!! I've tried a few times, with minimal success at quicker recipes and utter failure at my first long-term attempt. So it was quite exciting to finally do it right. To celebrate (and help devour three baguettes), I had a couple guy friends over for a bread, cheese and wine night. I also made a bead dip. Coupled with some oil and vinegar-not to mention a couple movies- how could it not be a successful get together?? I need to repeat this baking performance. The boys showed JUST as it was done baking...and the baguettes even sang! Delicious.

The successful loaves, and the nice crumb!



The food spread, as it looked on my living room table.

Hope to repeat this soon!