Hillary's Brook

This video makes me smile.

2012-02-02T17:57:00.000-08:00

I Love Street Art.

2012-01-24T14:06:00.000-08:00

Graffiti from Humanwire on Vimeo.

I know I know. I'm completely obsessed with graffiti and when I see videos of these artists doing their thing – I just love love love it.

The artist Hense via Hula Seventy.

New Drawing. New Year. New Post.

2012-01-23T13:08:00.000-08:00

Well hello to you. Happy New Year three weeks late. Merry Christmas! I thought I would kick off my long hiatus with some shots of a drawing I did over the holidays for one of my favorite people.

He lives in Boulder and it's based very loosely off of the bridge by a library on campus we walked over on one of my last visits. There's a stream in there if you can see it, that is filled with those stacked stones.

It's 18x24" on Canson paper, drawn with a Pilot Precise V5 Extra Fine black pen. This is maybe around the 7th or 8th of these I've done.

They take around 24 hours to complete. Click on an image to enlarge.

No.'s 3, 4 & 5

2011-11-27T16:12:00.001-08:00

No. 3: Heavenly Onions & Jarlsberg on Tuscan white bread.

No. 4: Turkey, Green Bean Casserole, Mashed Potatoes & Mozzarella on Tuscan white bread.

No. 5: Ham, Spicy Mustard, Swiss and Gruyére on French roll.

Francine Turk: BADASS

2011-11-23T22:14:00.000-08:00

Inspiration Board

Shine Until Tomorrow – Detail.

God is a Concept by Which We Measure Our Pain.

You Right Me When I'm Wrong.

You are Made of Gold & Can't Be Sold – Detail.

You are Made of Gold & Can't Be Sold.

A couple weeks ago, I went to the opening for Francine Turk's BADASS at Gallery KH. It was fantastic. These new portraits were unlike any of her work I'd previously seen. They remind me a bit of Francesco Clemente's from the movie Great Expectations. The show is on display until January. Go look.

North Mississippi Allstars.

2011-11-20T10:38:00.000-08:00

Saw a great show at House of Blues last night with Tony. Our friend hooked us up with box seats just over the stage, and all access passes. The North Mississippi Allstars were great. Two encores. Ended the night at Country Cup. I can't remember the last time I said that.

No. 2

2011-11-16T10:32:00.000-08:00

Pesto, tomato and mozzarella on crusty Italian bread. Tomato from Steve & Katy's garden.

These Trees.

2011-11-14T15:47:00.000-08:00

There's a stretch of road on Hwy 23 that runs past a small pasture that looks like a tree burial ground. These are not just trees that lost their leaves this autumn. They look like this all the time.

It's Back.

2011-11-09T17:11:00.000-08:00

The Panini Press is officially back on the counter. First up: Gruyére & Balsamic Onion Marmalade on Buttered Tuscan Bread. Don't even.

Hiking on Buff Pass.

2011-11-06T13:27:00.000-08:00

Stonehouse on Cedar.

2011-10-12T10:34:00.000-07:00

I went to the best little store on Saturday. Everything in it was perfect. The house itself was perfect. The weather outside was perfect. The woman who owns it was delightful.

As I browsed around inside for a while, I thought to myself, I bet I could buy all my Christmas gifts in this one place. I didn't want to leave. I need to go back. As I drove away I couldn't believe I didn't take any pictures.

Stonehouse on Cedar, St. Charles, IL – for antiques and simple objects.

The Deck.

2011-10-10T12:09:00.000-07:00

I should know myself better by now than to just go with my gut when choosing a stain or paint color. I absolutely need to test anything before I apply it full-blown. But the weather was so perfect this weekend, and I didn't want to waste a day of it "testing", so I bit the bullet and just went for it. I should just ignore the fact that I about fainted when I opened the can and this was what it looked like.

So I went around the side and started applying it in an inconspicuous place and when it dried I thought, that doesn't look so bad. Man it's a pain to paint spindles. It took me over 2 hours just to do that little section. As I was painting the spindles, I kept stepping back and looking – I didn't hate it. It was the right tone if not exactly the right tint, so I kept going with the floor.

You can see here why I almost fainted a second time as I was applying it and this is what it looked like going down. After I did the short spindle section, I got panicky about how much of it I was going through. I wanted to at least coat the main floor with it before I ran out – I only bought one gallon. That's all the paint guys said I'd need. Thankfully, my trusty neighbor Jim was there to let me know why it didn't max out on coverage, "You went through a whole gallon already?? That dry, neglected, previously-never-treated wood is really soaking that up!" Thanks, Jim.

Anyway, you can't tell from this picture, but as it dried it got better. When the sun isn't beating down on it, bringing out the blue, I don't hate it. It looked okay this morning, but I don't love it at all. In fact I feel defeated a bit. But I have a plan. I'm going to trade in the $45 gallon of Benjamin Moore clear coat for a second gallon of stain to finish up the areas where I ran out and touch up some of the bad blends on the floor next weekend. Then I'm going to let it weather all winter, only semi-protected, and revisit this project again in the spring.

Breaking Bad.

2011-10-05T11:53:00.000-07:00

I. Love. This. Show.

I'm obsessively watching episode after episode. After episode. It's streaming on Netflix. I'm almost done with Season Two, and every time an episode starts I'm relieved to see there's another one after it. If you haven't seen it, you should check it out.

I also love the "kid". So cute!

Power-washing.

2011-09-19T17:46:00.000-07:00

Power-washing may have just replaced vacuuming as my favorite household chore. Except I'm not re-staining the deck on a regular basis – nor do I have a power-washer at my disposal for use on a whim. But talk about gratifying! This is what the deck looked like when I started:

It's so precise! The water shoots out of a little wand at 4000x pressure so exact you could write your name with it (see the swoop below). So it takes a while to cover a surface, but the results are like instant.

I remember when Dave got one a while back and called me to tell me to go get one – that I'd love it. He was right. Now I want one. Check out these spindles. The ones on the right are done, the left not. One straight concentrated swipe up and bam! practically new lumber.

I really can't get over the results. I want to power-wash everything! It already looks like new. I can't wait to see it with the stain.

Pizza Party.

2011-09-11T08:55:00.001-07:00

We had a "build-your-own" pizza party on Saturday night. The idea was to bring ingredients and roll out/build pizzas for everyone to sample. Lindsey kicked it off with a truffle oil/truffle salted crust topped with arugula and pear and walnuts. Clay made one with carmelized onion and fennel, goat cheese and tomato. Another good one had sausage and gorgonzola, and another was a classic – pesto, garlic and tomato.

Steve made one with eggs, peppers and cheese, dipped in salsa (good, but we all sort of agreed it needed some meat). Katy made her spinach dip with parmesan cheese appetizer pizza. I loved Lindsey's dessert pizza: mascarpone blended with honey and spread over the crust, then topped with apricot, cranberries and pine nuts. Wow.

But for sure the show stopper was Dave's Fried Chicken Pizza.

On top of the crust he put a layer of provolone cheese, spread a layer of gravy, and heaped on a pile of mashed potatoes.

Then he added the shredded fried chicken, and finished it off with a layer of cheddar cheese.

After it came out of the oven, we garnished it with cole slaw. I've had cravings for it every day since. YUM!

Infinite Jest - Attempt No. 2.

2011-08-22T11:56:00.000-07:00

So I'm about 160 pages in to this monstrosity. That's 30 pages past the point where I gave up last time. I'm going to tell you what this book is about (to me*).

There's a family who runs a tennis academy/boarding school in New England for elementary-through-high- school aged students. The family has three boys. One is a professional football kicker in Arizona, one is currently enrolled in the school and a pretty decent tennis player, and the other is mentally disabled somehow, but allowed to live on campus and seems to be a bit of a pal to everyone at the school.

The father has died and the mother and uncle took over the operation. He was apparently raised by an alcoholic, failed, pro-tennis player father who began teaching him, at age 10, a little bit about tennis while sipping whiskey. They lived between Arizona and California, depending.

There are a bunch of drug addicts that live in and around Harvard mugging people for their fixes. One's a transvestite. One dies during an overdose of something (drano?) while the rest watch. Then they put him in a dumpster.

There's another group of seemingly very uneducated, possibly drug-addicted other folk, but I thought they were Southern?

There is also a drug treatment center and the character who started it, in a run down neighborhood outside Boston.

One of the kids at the academy lived in this neighborhood. He is talented and does not come from money, like many of the other students. Almost all the kids participate in some form of drug use, and this kid deals in clean urine to keep them all eligible and enrolled.

Ok, now up in Canada, some Prince's Eastern European physician is comatose after watching a video that arrived in the mail. Everyone that goes to rescue him also finds themself fixated on the looping video in the playing device.

There's another dude that gets massive quantities of weed and locks himself up in his apartment to smoke it until it's gone. I forget the quantity. Maybe he smokes like two ounces in a weekend? Something insane like that. He keeps trying to quit but then goes back for one more bender. You might imagine he's a little paranoid.

Finally, there's a couple of guys sitting on a mountain outside of Phoenix. One's undercover dressed as a woman. The other is in a wheelchair. They are sitting and observing something. They might be in the military or some kind of police force. They sort of seem to work together but not.

Sometimes it seems like maybe the tennis academy is in the Southwest also, not in New England, but I'm pretty sure it's in New England. There is a big tournament discussed that IS in Phoenix.

This middle kid (youngest?) of the family, the one who can play pretty decent tennis and is an upper-classman at the academy seems to have had some kind of mental breakdown. He's a secret pot smoker. It's often unclear whether he (and his disabled brother) can actually talk – or if they are just imagining their conversations. He was of the sort of smart where he can memorize an entire dictionary and recite definitions, including the page number where they appear (depending on which dictionary you'd like him to reference). He's trying to gain entrance to a school in Arizona, when he cracks under pressure.

*I really have no clue if any of this interpretation is accurate. At this point I just keep reading when I can, as much as I can. Sometimes that's just a few paragraphs – before I get overwhelmed and have to close my eyes.

Corn and Brat.

2011-08-14T16:30:00.001-07:00

Went up to Wendt's place for the annual Corn and Brat festival in Williams Bay this weekend. Caribbean steel drum band, all the corn and brats and beer you can consume, fireworks, DJ, bands, beer pong... What more can you ask for? Except, of course, kicking the whole weekend off with dinner at Mars.

There was immediate seating on the patio, but how can you choose to do that when the alternative is to wait an hour for a table in the elegant dining room while you enjoy your first cocktail outside on the water? Um, not us. You need this in the background while you enjoy your ribs:

The SAME LADY is still playing the damn piano bar?! This lady was entertaining this joint when I was 10 years old.

Saturday it was grey and rainy. After a drive-by in Lake Geneva (town) we opted for a more local and lower key lunch at Gordy's. Bloody, beer back, tortilla soup and lunch followed by... a nice, long, 2 hour... NAP! Perfection.

So after numerous drive-by's of the C&B all weekend, it was time to hit it. But first, we loaded up our roadies and walked a couple blocks to Gage for the Caribbean band and party before the fireworks. Nothing like a band set up on a platform with a boat as the background to get you in the mood and watch the sun set.

When it seemed the kegs had run out at Gage, we made our way down to the madness of Corn and Brat.

This is where you got your ears of corn. As I got my second (sorry it was so good!) ear of corn, I realized that they weren't taking them out of the large tin cans that were lined up – stuffed full vertically on the grill with their husks sticking out – and THEN dipping them in butter...

Nope. On closer inspection (see the shiny, greasy husks?) it appeared they were literally heated IN the butter. And then you got to take your drenched corn to the shaker section and spice it up. Holy goodness.

The crowd was amazing. This t-shirt was a favorite.

A 12-oz beer was 2 tickets (2 bucks) and a "pitcher" was 7. No joke there was a table of people playing flip cup by the band/DJ that had, not exaggerating, a tower of at least 50 pitchers stacked empty on their table. We ended up beating it out of there, after dying laughing with two women who were convulsing over their 30 terrible i-phone self portraits, and joining some failed beer games – "If this is a beer drinking game when am I supposed to DRINK?" – around 11. Both nights had the most amazing, see-your-shadow, full moons that I've seen in a long time, too. Layed out on Pier 301 for a few hours and stopped by the Farm Stand on the way home. Super weekend.

This is summer.

2011-08-09T21:00:00.001-07:00

Something about Teddy's swim situation hanging over the ropes at WSSC ~ well I love it that he's hanging with me most weekends even if he can't come in the "Big Kid" pool yet.

Things that make me happy.

2011-07-24T11:50:00.000-07:00

Really well-worn-in oxford cloth.

Feet dangling over water.

Stuff like this packed in a bag.

White-washed piers.

When this is my view.

Cy Twombly = Love.

2011-07-08T12:13:00.000-07:00

I love Cy Twombly's work. Love.

I was sorry to read about his passing earlier this week at 83. I always loved seeing his paintings and drawings in museums and thinking how it was cool you could still meet him under the right circumstances or given the opportunity. I feel sad that that's no longer true.

I love that he was so different, controversial, and that he kept so to himself. I love that he say stuff like, "[after finishing a painting] I usually have to go to bed for a couple of days."

You can read this NYT article for more information (& look how cute he is!) or view many more images of his life's work here.

A Morning in the Garden, July 3.

2011-07-05T12:52:00.000-07:00

Happy 4th of July, Friends.

2011-07-04T21:12:00.001-07:00

Sweet Davey.

The Great American Backyard Campout.

2011-06-28T12:27:00.000-07:00

Teddy enjoys his first Budweiser. How great is that can? The red pop-top? It has a crown stamped out in the center. I bought a 6-pack just to surprise Teddy's Mom. I knew she'd love it as much as he did.

In case you missed it, the Great American Backyard Campout is an annual thing, so maybe give it a go next year.

Yellow Stonecrop (aka Sedum Kamtschaticum).

2011-06-27T14:07:00.000-07:00

My wonderful Mother surprised me Friday with a sweet card and a check for "Flowers, etc." Every Spring, since I moved into my place almost four (!) years ago, we'd spend a weekend shopping for plants and flowers and working on the yard. But this year, there were some scheduling conflicts – she couldn't come – and then also the rain never let up. Basically, I never felt like picking up the slack on my own.

So then this weekend hit, and with some extra cash in my pocket, the sun shining bright but not absurdly hot, I felt ready to make some progress. Several flats of flowers, a new pot for the front stoop, bags of potting soil and mulch later, and I was sort of on a roll. I trimmed some bushes, sprayed for weeds, and tried my best to clean up the front yard. I also put flowers in pots in the back. I can't even begin to deal with weeding the backyard border – it's a jungle. But I did make some improvements.

I also discovered strawberries growing on the ground in my front yard? And more ant hills. And then I sat on the deck and surveyed my progress after I filled the bird feeder so I could watch them all come have some dinner. It was a nice day.

Anyway, while I was at the nursery, I walked around for a while. I need to remember that this is much more fun earlier in the season when there is much more to choose from! But I did come across this pretty ground cover. The color is my favorite. I didn't get any because I couldn't figure out where I'd put it, but I love it.

61º and Grey.

2011-06-24T12:12:00.000-07:00

Finally Friday. The weeks have been long ones lately. I keep waiting for it to feel summery. It's so disappointing that it's just not. It makes me want to crawl under the covers all the time.

Wouldn't this be a nice cover to crawl under? My friend Liz made this out of fabrics she collected in Denmark on a recent trip. I love the unique color combinations and the layered look of the design. As usual I also love the back as much as the front.

So, every weekend I keep pushing my T0-Do list to the next weekend. Here's what's on mine:

Oil Change

Car Stickers

Farmer's Market

Clean Garage

Shoe Guy

Empty Gutters

New Sunglasses

Plant Flower Pots

Fix Back Door

Fix Back Door Light

Tonight is Gathering on the Green in Western Springs, but I think it's too gross out for me to want to go. Tomorrow night is also Great American Backyard Campout. There's about a 70% chance I will do this if Teddy asks me nicely. Hopefully it will be nice enough to get to the pool tomorrow, too.

Pool Party.

2011-06-22T12:35:00.000-07:00

I could live here if you made me.

Photo of a home in Florida by AtlantaHomesMag.com via Splendid Sass.

Noriko Ambe.

2011-06-21T11:13:00.001-07:00

Flat Globe 2008 White Cutting Vol. 1

A Piece of Flat Globe Vol. 6

Lands of Emptiness A

Aren't these pretty? When I was first looking at them, many ideas rapid-fired into my head as to just What? they were.

LACP Voyage 12

Sculpaper 1

Paper! Many sheets individually cut, some over many years, by artist Noriko Ambe. Visit her website to see many, many more examples. I also quite like what she has done with the books and the tree trunks.

Flat File Globe 3

This one above is part of a series that fill file drawers. Cool.

Via Automatism.

Fill in the _____.

2011-06-17T12:45:00.000-07:00

1. The last movie I saw was 127 Hours.

2. I want to get my hair highlighted.

3. Surprises are spectacular... if you are the one doing the planning.

4. The best accessory is a sense of humor.

5. My favorite warm drink is coffee.

6. My favorite cold drink is water, beer or iced tea.

7. Currently loving my little niece Emerald.

Via Noodles & Waffles.

DMK Burger.

2011-06-17T11:29:00.000-07:00

Finally had dinner at DMK Burger this week. It was yum.

I ordered the #1 – Aged Cheddar, Smoked Bacon, Charred Balsamic Red Onions, Rufus Teague's BBQ Sauce. It was like a taste explosion happening in my mouth. Mary Jo got the #8 Patty Melt – Smoked Bacon, Burnt Onions, Leroy's Remoulade, Smoked Swiss on Griddled Rye. This was also delicious.

We split the Chili-Rubbed Onion Strings and Parmesan Truffle Cream fries. The fries were amazing. Onion strings were good. Then, we went right overboard and ordered shakes for dessert – To Go. I got the vanilla and it had flecks of vanilla bean in it. Her chocolate had a fudge swirl blended in. They were both so thick we couldn't sip them thru the straw and even added a second straw to get the pull going. I'd go back just for another shake.

*Photos from DMK website.

The Hunger Games.

2011-06-16T14:14:00.001-07:00

Read The Hunger Games in about 2 days for Book Club. It's funny – since it still feels no where near summer, and most of the weekends have been grey, cold and rainy, I've found myself spending a day under the covers – just reading. My rational is, if it were nice, I'd be spending my days under the sun on a deck chair – just reading. So what's the difference? Even though it doesn't feel like summer – it is! – and I think it's my right to have days of guilt-free doing nothing but reading.

I was enjoying this book well enough... quick, easy, suspenseful. It was a page-turner. It reminded me in a way of Ken Follett's Pillars of the Earth, even though that was set in the past and Hunger Games is futuristic. There is a lot worth discussing, symbolism, analogies to be made, etc. It made me think of our future, 2012 predictions, a need for self-sustenance, basic human survival.

I didn't realize it was a trilogy until I was about half way into it. I thought, I can see reading all three of these maybe. But then I heard it was being made into a movie, and I don't know, I just sort of lost all interest in the story. I hate it when books become movies, especially ones where your imagination is allowed to create rough characters and elaborate landscapes and exciting scenes so easily. I know a movie will pale in comparison to the experience of reading this.

Sweet Pool.

2011-06-09T10:13:00.001-07:00

It's been a while since I posted a good pool image. This one from the Standard (Tablet) Hotel in Bali landed in my inbox last night and knocked my socks off.

I highly recommend this book.

2011-05-27T10:21:00.000-07:00

I recently finished In the Heart of the Sea – The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex.

This book sat next to my bed for several months. I never wanted to start it. Then one day I opened it and I could hardly put it down. It's the true story that inspired Herman Melville to write Moby Dick, about a ship from Nantucket that sails around South America in search of sperm whales. The crew members, about 6 to a small boat that launches off the main ship, catch these huge whales – 65 feet long and weighing on average 60 tons (120,000 pounds!) – which they then chop up into slabs and boil down the blubber, harvesting the oil.

The statistics in this book are mind-boggling. Just the details about the whaling industry (not to mention life in general) in the 1800s are fascinating. But then the story gets more impossible when main boat gets attacked by an 85 foot, possibly 80 ton whale. As it sinks, the men are stranded in 3 of the whaling boats, which I think were only 21 feet long, floating in the vast Pacific ocean.

I seriously don't know if I'll ever be able to complain about being thirsty again.

Cinco (Siete) de Mayo.

2011-05-11T08:44:00.000-07:00

This party is a fun little "anniversary" of sorts. Besides the hosts, Eric and Kris, & Katy and Steve, it's the only time a year I see the other 20 or so other guests, and it's always interesting to catch up with them. I so love this now "tradition" and look forward to it again just about the minute it's over. Interestingly, now over the past two years, I've been reminded that altho we complain about it year after year, it really never is warm at the the beginning of May. Thinking back there's always a chill on the deck when we step outside, but the flowers are blooming and the Japanese maple always looks incredible. And even tho it was kind of raining, it was the perfect day for a party, and it's always a perfect day to eat some good food!

But let me back-track a second because prior to the party, I was given a very important assignment: Eric asked me to visit El Milargro at about 26th and California to pick up the chips and tortillas straight from the source. It was like a total different world down there. I want to go back and have dinner! But, going to the little store front and picking out tortillas from boxes on palettes on the floor (still warm) plus the chips everyone loves so much was a mini-adventure. The best part? 10 dozen tortillas and 4 bags of chips was only $9!!

Back to the party... There is always an assortment of beverage choices. Last year the hibiscus margarita made a debut, and I am happy to say there was a repeat performance (thankfully for my head, I learned a lesson and limited myself to only 2 instead of 30). Something made that a little easier... New to the mix was a melon horchata (like a cantaloupe juice, including blending the seeds which added a creamy consistency, and I believe maybe sugar and rice water?) that you could enjoy plain or with rum (with rum!). Super tasty.

Three different kinds of salsa (tomatillo, chipotle, and pasilla), plus a cucumber salad/relish/topping and chipotle relish. All great on chips (or tacos later).

The guacamole was amazing, but the second batch added a new twist. Eric blended in smoked salmon. I didn't think I'd like it but guess what? Delish!

The real visual stunner for me were the short ribs, prettily wrapped in banana leaves and cooked indirectly over the coals as well as steamed by their own juices dripping into a pan underneath outside on the grill. These were just as pretty to look at as taste.

Unwrapped short ribs.

The roasted pobano peppers, onions and cream is a crowd favorite. My favorite last year, I was glad to see it again.

This chicken might look pretty ordinary on the grill. I have no clue what he did to this thing. It was, truly, the most delicious, melt-in-your-mouth chicken I have ever eaten. This might be my second favorite thing I tasted all day. I was kind of bummed I got so full off the chips and everything else before I tried it, stupidly thinking, Eh, chicken? I went back for seconds even though I was totally stuffed.

Skirt steak, chicken and at the top there, the short ribs now off the bone for making tacos. There were chopped onions, cilantro, all the salsas and toppings, queso fresco, etc. to create your own combinations on lightly grilled corn tortillas.

That up there? Now, I'm not a dessert person. At all. Savory for me always wins... but this was my FAVORITE thing I tasted all day. What you're looking at is strawberries, bananas, plums and pecans, sauteed in butter and TEQUILA, and was served over homemade SOUR CREAM ice cream!! It was to die for! There was also chocolate chipotle ice cream, with chunks of chocolate covered chipotle peppers in it. Ridiculous.

What a great party. We missed Katy and Steve this year. That kid and all. But new to the crowd was my friend Sara who I have a feeling will be wanting to come back next year.

Affordable Art Fair - NYC.

2011-05-05T10:21:00.000-07:00

This weekend is the AAF in NYC. My friend Liz Jaff is exhibiting with Kris Graves Project group, Booth A6. I wish I could be there.

If you happen to be reading this and you'll be in NYC this weekend, Go! And take pictures Ruth!

Fried Fish.

2011-05-03T13:48:00.000-07:00

So I've really been daydreaming about a good, old school fish fry. Mostly I've been thinking about how we used to go to The Big Foot Inn or Bayshore Lodge on our way to Lake Geneva for Friday Night Fish Fry when I was a kid – when I was a kid and absolutely HATED this ritual. Those long dinners with family friends were 90% begging for quarters to play video games... And I thought the fish was "gross".

Anyway, it suddenly dawned on me that I had some frozen fish, bread crumbs and oil at home, so why not make my own fish fry? This version is not the same as the thick-shelled, beer-battered kind I've been craving, and not nearly as good, but suddenly I was now daydreaming of a slice of light rye bread with a layer of butter folded over a fresh piece of fried walleye from shore lunch.

Hands down, the very best way to eat fried fish is to catch it in the morning, filet it on the shore, and cook it in an enormous cast iron skillet over an open fire outdoors for lunch. Even though it's already fried in oil, I always coat the bread in butter. The butter melts wonderfully into the bread, but the combo also prevents you from burning the hell out of the roof of your mouth when you can't wait to take a bite out of the piping hot fish. Holy Yum. When we go fishing in Canada, this is lunch every day for a week and I absolutely NEVER get sick of it.

H2O | Reapa.

2011-04-26T14:06:00.000-07:00

H2O is one of my favorite taggers to spot, and they seem to be popping up all over the place lately. Have I ever mentioned that I am obsessed with street art? Graffiti? Whatever you want to call it, I just love it and I love starting to recognize the work of certain individuals around town.

I love imagining how they pick their spot, choose their paint, carry materials to the destination. What time of day is it? How fast do these things go up? Are they working alone or with a group? How do they get up there? Over there? I love seeing a really detailed train car, and I love how they suddenly appear along the expressway randomly one morning and are just as quickly painted over with beige paint by some city worker. So quickly, usually, that I have no chance to snap a picture of them. Then it always makes me a little depressed that all their effort is just erased.

This one has been up (on the Ohio feeder ramp) for a couple of days now and the traffic was so terrible this morning I was actually able to grab it with my cell phone. This pic is crappy but click here to see more work by H2O/Reapa. It's so bright and detailed. I hate it that there's not more information out there about these people, but perhaps that's why it's so fascinating to me too.

This Gaper's Block article (from 2007) tends to come up when I do a search. If you find any of this interesting at all, something else you might like is this Chicago Street Art Flickr Group, or this blog.

If you want to take it a step further, and see a really crazy documentary on/by the UK's Banksy and this really random "film maker", rent Exit Through the Gift Shop.

Invisible by Paul Auster

2011-04-25T09:24:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, I woke up at 7 am and started this book. I took my first of three naps around 10 am. I spent the entire day just reading and napping, until I finished it at about 7 pm.

I don't know if I've ever read a 300-page book in one day. I decided to make finishing it Saturday my goal – er, excuse for doing nothing but reading and napping all day. When that wasn't enough I just told myself I HAD to finish it for Book Club.

I have never read Paul Auster before, but I think I'm going to have to read another one. Or, as the NYT review states in the first sentence, just go ahead and read this one again. My review: Huh. Or maybe, Double Huh.

Oh, Joy!

2011-04-21T08:30:00.000-07:00

My best friends brought a little boy into the world today. Theodore Bradford, "Teddy", was born at 6:42 this morning. Seven pounds of perfect. I'm in love.

Photo via Even Cleveland. Source Unknown.

It happens every year.

2011-04-18T13:59:00.000-07:00

But it's still a shock. Snow?! And 12 days before May? Rude.

Photo courtesy of Mary Bradbury.

Always sorta wanted one of these...

2011-04-14T09:07:00.000-07:00

Every once in a while I take a look at these Tonke Campers. Just for fun. Aren't they cool? I love the woodwork and the colors. They kind of remind me of a sailboat we had growing up that never really got used and just sat looking perfect and pretty in the garage.

I think I would find an excuse to use this.

If you're lucky enough to have a house on a lake – you're lucky enough.

2011-04-11T10:56:00.000-07:00

Even if it's just for a week. We got the place! I'm so excited I find myself daydreaming about it constantly. I can't believe I get to do this every day for an entire week. Joy!

Linoleum Block Prints.

2011-04-08T10:29:00.000-07:00

Working my way through my 2011 "goals" list, I finally ordered some linoleum blocks, tools and paints. They arrived on my doorstep and I unpacked them excitedly and then they sat on the dining room table for a couple weeks. I couldn't figure out what to carve into the block? It felt so permanent and as if it needed to really be something I'd want to make a zillion prints of and I couldn't settle on anything. Then I reminded myself that the blocks are only about $2 and I'd probably screw it up anyway, so I bit the bullet.

Copying a saying from some prints I'd seen on Etsy seemed like a good idea even though I knew it was totally cheating to not come up with my own original concept. I printed out a template, reversing it and everything, but then I couldn't figure out why I was reversing it so I righted it again and started to carve away. I had been disappointed when I removed the cellophane that the old smell didn't hit me, but thankfully it came out strong, just how I remembered, once I started cutting. Oh I love that smell!

Anyway then Katy stopped by and said, Um, you're doing that backwards. And I said, Crap! and gave up for the day. The next morning I realized I could save the ruined block and fall back on my original idea: A Moose. (A friend of mine recently asked if I would do a blue moose for her kids room).

So these came out really bad, but I'm happy to report I made a dent in my list and had a lot fun doing this exercise. Well, I loved the carving and the anticipation and the SMELL – just not the result so much. And now that I've gotten my feet wet with this, and kind of remembered the limitations and stuff, I need to come up with something original to make prints of and start a new one.

MoMA - Motherwell.

2011-04-06T11:28:00.001-07:00

Elegy to the Spanish Republic – 108, 1965-67

"Motherwell described his Elegies to the Spanish Republic series as a 'lamentation or funeral song' for what was lost in the Spanish Civil War of the late 1930s. 'It seemed to me that something beautiful and marvelous had died, at least temporarily, in that conflict,' he said. All the works share a visual motif: black ovals wedged between black rectangles. The compose the central chapter in the artist's career; between 1947 and 1968 Motherwell created more than 100 works in the series."

The Little Spanish Prison, 1941-44

Personage, with Yellow Ochre and White, 1947

"The thick, encrusted surface of Personage reveals that Motherwell created it through countless applications of thick paint. Describing his working process during this period, the artist wrote, 'I begin painting with a series of mistakes. The painting comes out of the correction of mistakes by feeling. I begin with shapes and colors, which are not related internally nor to the external world; I work without images.'"

I really enjoy Robert Motherwell (American, 1915-1991), and especially that description above. Exactly.

NYC Trip - My Dear Liz

2011-04-05T21:20:00.001-07:00

Friends, it makes me crazy I don't document what I see when I am with this artist. It is literally a physical internal struggle I have within myself the whole time I'm having the experience. The truth is, I can't diminish what's happening before me by trying to document it. And while I'm struggling with a conscious need to grab my camera, my desire to be and stay in the moment ultimately wins.

This last trip to NYC, Ruth and I met Liz for brunch. When she invited us up to her apartment afterward, we about died it was just a few doors away, and then we sat gasping as she spread out her incredible quilts across her bed, starting with smaller "baby" blankets and broadening to this incredible "He/She" sided Wedding masterpiece.

I do not use the word 'masterpiece' lightly. The "She" was entirely white, however, on closer inspection was comprised of the most subtlety decorated white fabrics, one after the other more detailed beauty.

I almost literally had a heart attack when she just casually sat down on the top layer later. Had I done the same thing, peanut butter, or subway soot, or some other indiscretion would have undoubtedly ended up smeared across it. But to be welcomed into such an environment and to see such things... I am sorry I can't show you. And I'm more sorry I have nothing but my own memories to call it to mind myself. That was my conscious decision at the time. To not show you, or me later. I love just remembering a great afternoon, and two dear friends who shared it with me.

"Diagraming a Fold x9" drawing and "Red and Orange Docks and Ladders" by Liz Jaff.

MoMA - Picasso.

2011-04-03T15:42:00.000-07:00

Les Demoiselies d'Avignon, 1907

"The result of months of preparation and revisions, the painting revolutionized the art world when first seen in Picasso's studio. Its monumental size underscored the shocking incoherence resulting from the outright sabotage of conventional representation. Picasso drew on sources as diverse as Iberian sculpture, African tribal masks, and El Greco's painting to make this startling composition. In the preparatory studies, the figure at the left was a medical student entering a brothel. Picasso, wanting to anecdotal detail to interfere with the sheer impact of the work, decided to eliminate it in the final painting. The only remaining allusion to the brothel lies in the title: Avignon was a street in Barcelona famed for its brothel."

This was a gasper for me. I'm pretty sure I've seen it before, but then it shows up surprisingly, and wakes me up inside.

NYC Trip – MoMA.

2011-03-30T22:04:00.000-07:00

Even though I literally gasped many times when I turned a corner and was front and center with the real thing, paintings I'd only seen in my art history books, this is what struck me most on my first visit to the Museum of Modern Art: A class of about 12 6-year-olds sat in front of this enormous Pollack painting, and enthusiastically raised their hands, eager to give their take on what was happening on the canvas. It was as beautiful to me as the art itself.

NYC Friday Night.

2011-03-28T14:00:00.000-07:00

The Red Cat. This little vestibule was filled with glowing candles, yellow forsythia, red lilies, a basket full of green apples, white hyacinth, and tulips that were yet to bloom. So pretty.

Awesome atmosphere. Great food. We feasted on Crispy Asparagus in phyllo pastry and roast tomato-sherry vinaigrette, Seared Diver Scallops with spring mushroom hash and green garlic puree, Grilled Pork Loin with white beans and spinach, Eggplant Parmesan with garlic fettucini, and got a complimentary order of Tempura Green Beans with spicy mustard sauce because our service was so slow. Delish!

Afterward we walked up to the Hotel Chelsea so I could get a peak inside. It was nothing like I'd imagined, but filled with beautiful artwork. It would have been nice to see during the day to get a snap of the balconies, which looked so neat lining the facade.

Even though this wasn't what it looked like in the 70's, it was still fun to imagine Patti Smith hanging out writing in the lobby while Bob Dylan or Jimi Hendrix walked on by.

Oh... New York, New York!

2011-03-23T16:11:00.000-07:00

My weekend in New York is approaching quickly! Ruth and I have come up with quite an agenda, but we've agreed to let the weekend play itself out a bit naturally too. Here are a few things I'm looking forward to:

MoMA!

Very excited to see "Abstract Expressionist New York". I've never been to this museum either and I can't wait to check it out. I've probably mentioned it before, but art museums can be a little overwhelming for me. I tend to have sensory overload after about an hour or two. I prefer to browse quickly, and stop and really spend time with just a few pieces that catch my eye.

A visit to the Hotel Chelsea.

After reading Just Kids, I decided I just want to go sit in the lobby for a minute. I think it's completely renovated or something, but I don't care. I feel like you'd still be able to soak up some of the spirit of the artists, writers and musicians who lived there at one time or another. And check out these amazing rooms? Geez! We'll walk around and pop into some of the Chelsea galleries, too.

Brunch at Balthazar.

I'm not going to lie. Ruth and I like to spend a lot of time planning our meals. Brunches and dinners make a perfect day of eating out if you ask me. Yes, I've already looked at the menu. Yes, I'm pretty sure I know what I'm going to order.

And, I get to cross one off The List.

Drawing by James Guilliver Hancock.

They will be missed.

2011-03-15T18:24:00.000-07:00

I was so sad to hear of the passing of both Julia and Chett, but also find the timing of their departure together (at 91) quite beautiful. While we didn't have a whole lot of interaction in my grown adult life, my childhood encounters are so memorable to me. Over the past week I've literally been able to recall the tone of both voices. Perfectly. But especially Julia's raspy southern sound.

I picture her sipping a coke with lemon, in a to-go cup always (at 8am! Where did she get it??) drawing on it through a straw into immaculately painted red lips. She was SO GLAMOROUS! I would hide in her closets, filled with pretty flowing clothes, and leave notes to her in her shoes.

Chett, always so mild-mannered, would shyly ask me about this and that. His calm presence making me feel I belonged in this strange world. I remember he had a secretary named Silvia, which to an 8-year old was about the most beautiful name I had ever heard. Like silver! How I wish I could visit his office again, and see the reality of what I remember – or not. I loved stopping in there and looking at everything, dusty papers and files everywhere.

They had a brilliant blue marlin hanging on the staircase that I just could NOT comprehend, and I found it so funny they had to "open" sections of the house to us when we visited. After a LONG, 7-hour drive for a kid, the driveway to the house when we finally got there seemed ENDLESS; their home, a treasure trove of things to discover. We had a fire in the fireplace EVERY NIGHT, and I wasn't allowed to TOUCH ANYTHING. I learned later that it was because the place was filled with beautiful antiques, and things that were forbidden were not due to Chett and Julia's rules or fears, but more likely my own terrified parents fearing I would break something they would never be able to replace. I remember to this day the scent of their home. Musky, fireplace, cigarette smell. Dogs. And we weren't allowed to go outside alone, we might fall off a cliff. But we could safely watch and identify birds landing on feeders thru the picture windows that surrounded the living room.

The ranch, where they kept and rode horses, would have been the first time I rode one. I remember a spotted mare named Lisa, who's mane was braided in a hundred small braids, and a St. Bernard named Moon. And we'd go out to dinner in town, and everyone knew Chett and Judy. This I thought was very cool, not quite grasping small town familiarity, but more remarkably because of who they were, so prevalent in the community. These are things a little kid doesn't pick up on, but of COURSE everyone knew them.

At their house I learned for the first time to *SNAP*, to shuffle a deck of cards, and to make pretty patterns on ordinary paper kitchen napkins using food coloring. I always felt ridiculously welcome there... and now realize what it meant for them to open their doors to children (my brother and I) and make us feel so at home. In one long weekend, endless I'm sure for the adults, I learned every word to Crystal Gayle's "Dont it Make My Brown Eyes Blue", played on a record player over and over, which at the time I believed was genuinely a tribute to my brother's and my own eye color.

These people were incredibly influential to my Mother, and for their influence in her life I am truly grateful. I know they opened doors for her and exposed her to many things, and were also incredibly generous. I am so glad I was present for their 50th wedding anniversary. They will be missed but it's so nice they lived and died together.

To view the memorial service, click here. It's really something. I remember both of those portraits from their home.

It's Green!

2011-03-14T16:46:00.001-07:00

And growing! In my yard! Yahoo.

March Madness ~ Irish Badness.

2011-03-14T08:57:00.000-07:00

I didn't think it was possible to out-do last year's perfection. Then I got this in the mail.

Just Kids.

2011-03-09T08:11:00.000-08:00

I just finished the book Just Kids by Patti Smith. I loved it.

I love biographies, and autobiographies even more, but either one about an artist is for sure my favorite. This was like an autobiography and biography about TWO artists - Jackpot! I had always known there was a special relationship between Patti Smith and Robert Mapplethorpe, but to get to read about what was happening behind the scenes as they emerged together as artists was truly a gift.

In the summer of '92 I saw an extensive exhibit of Mapplethorpe in Japan. One of my souvenirs from the trip was the museum catalog of the show, a thick, beautiful book illustrated in both English and Japanese. I was only generally familiar with him and his work at the time – photographer, gay, "risky" imagery – and I remember loving the images of Patti the most as I flipped through the pages. I never forgot that blank stare looking right back at you. (Him).

What was especially exciting in reading her description of their story was getting details and discovering the relationship behind these easily recognizable portraits. At the time I was looking and learning about Mapplethorpe, they were both already famous and he had been dead for a couple of years. What a treat to read about their individual explorations and the journey they were on together as they worked so hard to achieve success as artists in multiple mediums, before eventually discovering their own strong voices – and then the acknowledgement for each that followed.

This book made me think of the "artist" from a different perspective. She was not simply a musician, nor he "just" a photographer. But rather they pursued artistic expressions on all levels, drawing, painting, styling, writing, building, making, collecting. I really like that we don't have to be limited to the development of one art form, that creating is creating, and that the word "artist" means so many different things.

I got all these images off a Google Images search. I'm going to go ahead and credit Mapplethorpe for all of them. Not really sure about two though.

Gracie turns 1!

2011-03-08T09:38:00.000-08:00

It's Gracie's first birthday today. This morning I played U2's "Grace" a couple times for her and did an impromptu photo shoot.

She's usually pretty hyper in the morning. Actually if she's not sleeping or napping, she is very high-strung and a tense, muscular little cat who does not care to be held, even for a second. In dosing/sleep mode, she turns into a live rag doll and is incredibly affectionate. I'm surprised she's not a Gemini.

Her favorite toys include:

– Q-tips

– The round metal hair-catcher for the drain in the tub

– Grout between the bathroom tiles

– The toilet

– 18" plastic wand with a mini pink boa and bell (actual cat toy)

– Sticks, pencils, pens

– Fishing lures and their sharp hooks

When she runs like grease lightening around the house in circles, she goes so fast she crashes and slides into things she can't spontaneously leap over or around. Some of her other likes include: Parmesan cheese, watching the birds in the backyard, climbing behind the blinds, and toppling over potted plants and rolling around in the dirt on the floor.

Swimming.

2011-03-01T18:06:00.000-08:00

It's that time of year again. Where I start to mentally lose it. I can't stand to look at the clothes in my closet, or bear to pull on a heavy wool coat, over layers of thick clothing, while also hiding under restrictive hats and gloves – all suffocating me.

It's fitting that Ruth sent me to Art Interiors, specifically to the artist Elizabeth Lennie. She correctly figured that I would like these swimming, pool and lake pictures. I love the treatment of the water reflections. And I long to put myself within these paintings, outside, free and happy it's summer.

Pretty things and ideas.

2011-02-16T20:34:00.000-08:00

I got lost today looking at Christina Weber's blog, especially when I got down to the weavings. They are so pretty. Weaving has a lot of appeal to me. I never really considered it before. I have a feeling it could suck me in the way a jig saw puzzle does. And then when you're done, you have a nice little piece of art to keep instead of just taking it apart and boxing it up.

Christina is also the creator of these amazing tea towels I've had bookmarked to get someone as a gift for months. I never ventured past Studio Patró before. It's funny but the only two links I clicked today in the "friends" list on 2 or 3 Things were the same person and led me back to those beautiful tea towels.

The first thing I reach for.

Those first two weaves are actually the same thing, just different due to age. Both beautiful I think.

Purging and Organizing.

2011-02-13T14:46:00.001-08:00

Spent the weekend, almost the ENTIRE weekend, going through drawers, cleaning out cabinets, dusting, sweeping, organizing closets... the works. Baked a loaf of bread and made meatballs and spaghetti sauce, too. I'm tired!

My hands are like, raw. Must have washed them seriously about 950 times.

I also organized my books by color (not the bottom over-sized). I've been wanting to do this for a long time. Finished putting them on the shelves, turned around, and an entire stack of black ones didn't make it in there.

Wine!

2011-02-12T09:54:00.000-08:00

Bad pictures of wine bottles I haven't been throwing out because I don't want to forget about them – so I can throw them out. Thanks, Carter!

Blood Red.

2011-02-03T18:11:00.000-08:00

I baked some beets the other night. The recipe said to put a layer of parchment over them and then a layer of foil. When I took it out of the oven, the parchment was filled with these pretty spatter-paint like designs.

The water in the bottom of the pan was the beautiful deep red of the beet. But when I poured it out in the sink (way to salty to drink) it felt a bit heavy, and watching it inch slowly toward the drain I couldn't help but think of blood. Then I sort of remembered that they used beet juice as blood on – maybe True Blood? But that led me to think of Dexter and the blood patterns he analyzes on the show. Doesn't this look like that, too?

Kind of an odd train of thought. I still think this is really pretty.

Thanks, Neighbors!

2011-02-02T15:20:00.000-08:00

Jim, Bob and Mark dug me out this morning. Phew. I dug my own path to the garage and I swear the snow was 3 ft. high back there. They really saved me a lot of shoveling. We sure got hit!

It's weird to think of how long it will take this stuff to melt. Spring's not exactly around the corner... And I feel like bitter cold is on the way. Hello -35º in Steamboat.

2011 Blizzard.

2011-02-01T20:30:00.000-08:00

All of us Chicagoeans have been watching the newscasts for the past few days skeptically. What's a little snow? A little wind? So what if it's accompanied by lightening and thunder. This is Chicago after all.

I wish I could record it with justice, and frankly, I can't wait to get out tomorrow to take some pictures.

Even though we are Chicago, and we are fully functional and equipped for it, I love it when the weather throws for a loop, and shuts even this place down. It really is doing that today. I just stood in my front doorway to grab this shot before cowering back inside from the cold and wind. It's blowing so hard the house shakes. When I got home from my hour and 45 minute commute, on roads that lacked actual lanes, I had to dig out the drift in front of my door to get inside – after my neighbor had already generously shoveled for me.

To tell you the truth, I'd like it to keep on coming down and put this place at a stand-still for a day or two. I mean, if we're saying 'Don't go anywhere' and people aren't, it is for good reason. But really, I still have power. Even though I can hear the wind and watch the snow accumulate by the hour, I can still chat online, listen to music, and cook if I decide I'd like to. I'm also blessed that in a matter of minutes I could have these things, and company if I need it, should I find myself wanting or without.

No power would suck. And so would having no place to go or nowhere to feel warm. So look at that, another reason to count blessings. And stay in. And slow down. And remember all the good in our lives, instead of cursing the snow and the immobility it causes, every 10 years or so.

I invite you to embrace the snow day! Yay!

PS: For some video, visit Steves local L GP Adventure Sports blog.

Maude's Liquor Bar.

2011-01-27T21:13:00.000-08:00

Maude's Liquor Bar finally opened! I've been following the progress of this place getting ready to open their doors for a few months now on their blog. The pictures they've taken on the blog, of both the food and atmosphere, are so much better than what I was able to capture here... you should definitely take a look if you're interested in such things. Watching the place evolve from bare bones in August to a fully functioning restaurant today is also very cool. My Dinner Club went tonight.

I think to say the place was hoppin' is a bit of an understatement. It was packed. Great vibe and plenty to look at... and we never even saw the bar upstairs. I kinda can't believe I didn't make the effort, but it's a great reason to go back. We started with that dish above, the French Onion Fondue (carmelized onion and gruyere) and basically devoured it as a starter.

Then we ate, all sharing, Steamed Mussels, Escargot, Faux Gras Torchon, Lyonnaisse Salad, Pomme Frites, Blackened Brussel Sprouts, fresh bread, and the Shaved Vegetable Salad. You can view the whole menu here.

I'm a sucker for atmosphere, and I loved the whole look and feel of this place, down to the bathroom lighting above. I seriously think I'm developing an affinity for the chandelier!

I'm not necessarily a big fan of creme brulee, but this one was great. And huge. Of course we finished the entire dish full. (Also worth noting, if you get coffee at the end of the meal, it comes in your own individual-serving French press!). I want to go back for sure and try some more off the menu, but I will probably never skip the Brussel sprouts or that onion fondue. Amazing. Can't wait for the next time, and to maybe belly-up at the bar.

Book Club.

2011-01-27T14:48:00.000-08:00

I just started An Object of Beauty by Steve Martin for my book club. Looking forward to reading something different!

I finally, finally finished A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole on Tuesday morning. FINALLY. I hate to say I didn't really like this book at all. But oddly I did like the last 40 or so pages.

New Kitty.

2011-01-25T22:38:00.000-08:00

It's been a while since all my rugs looked like this.

Northern Lights.

2011-01-23T17:59:00.000-08:00

Have you ever seen the Aurora Borealis in person?

I did once in Canada, near Red Lake, Ontario. By accident on a beer run to the main lodge at Stormer. I think it was a rock-paper-scissors situation who was to run from our cabin to the main lodge to replenish our stash. The main fear was an accidental run-in with the bears that frequented the property. So we never expected to see the beautiful lights that shone down from the sky.

Yelling to the rest of the poker players to come out and take a look, we all just stood on the dock and stared at what was appearing over the lake. Northern Lights. Another reason I so love being in the middle of nowhere, fishing with my Dad in Canada. It was so surprising and so beautiful. This was a great night. I didn't get good pics myself, but these show a good interpretation of what we saw. I mean, it really is something if you ever happen to see it. You will never forget.

These pics were forwarded to me by my Dad, originally from another friend of his on a recent trip. (I think?)

Random Field Trip.

2011-01-13T19:55:00.000-08:00

On my way to the movies the other night, I happened to notice windows full of chandeliers. It was dark at the time, and full stories of the building were lit up and it just glowed with these ornate hanging light crystals. So I decided to walk by the place (it's like 3 blocks from my office). It's open to the public. The space is huge. I want to say there were four floors filled with these hanging light fixtures.

I'm not really a chandelier-kinda girl, but something about seeing rows and rows of them struck me as really beautiful. Then once I was inside, I had to wonder, Who's in the market for these? How do they choose one over another? There were at least 8 people working in there with no customers?

It was funny to notice how some were really amazing. Even the small ones could be intimate and beautiful. I have a new appreciation... but I may have to go back to take a shot of my initial view from the street at night because actually, that's where the real glowing magic happened for me.

Speaking of 2012...

2011-01-06T17:48:00.000-08:00

I've started planning for the future. My brother is finishing his basement. I figure we're all better off as a unit (tribe)... and the mountains seem like a good place to be. But, we're really going to have to define and hone our individual skill sets to establish a truly cohesive unit.

New Year's Plunge.

2011-01-03T19:21:00.000-08:00

I ganked this pic off a friend of mine's friend's FB page. I don't know if that's inappropriate or what but I think it's fantastic! Mostly because of how crisp the water drops are but also because I think it's in freezing cold water somewhere in the Midwest. Nice.

UPDATE: After flipping thru pics, I think it's outside Chuck's. Maybe I'm just dreaming but...

Happy New Year: The 2011 Version.

2011-01-03T16:03:00.000-08:00

I've spent the last week or so thinking of goals for 2011. Thanks to sitting in seminars taught to me by Bob T. during age group swimming, I definitely recognize the importance of verbalizing, writing and visualizing goals in order to accomplish them. You may recognize some of these from previous lists, but I think 2011 has a lot going for it for seeing some of this stuff happen.

Ok, so here's a few things* I have been thinking about lately:

1. Rent a cottage on Geneva Lake for a week this summer. I miss it and love it and can't imagine how I'd feel to have a week off spent on the lake. Pure heaven.

2. SAVE some cash. I mean really. For once.

3. Remodel my bathroom. Also includes a week-long staycation so I can "help". I have folders of images saved but with ALL the options out there, it's so hard for me to make firm decisions. I have narrowed it down to black & white with green accents. I desperately want a tub I can take a bath in without freezing to death. And I want some intricate, small floor tiles.

4. Re-learn print-making. I definitely did this in art classes at school but I haven't done it since. I really enjoyed making those linoleum block prints. And I remember liking a lot the process of carving them, the way that material felt... And most? The smell! It may also facilitate my deep desire to put some paste ups around the city when I am feeling really adventurous and bold. (I'm dying to do this!) Watch the first artist Swoon in the documentary Our City Dreams.

5. New York! I missed NY in 2010 and it's just not acceptable not to get there once a year. Along these lines, I need to get to Philadelphia at some point. Both easy to do if I just plan a long weekend... But in direct conflict with goal #2.

6. The Gym. I'd like to break this goal into 1/4'ers. Like shoot for 3x/week January – March. I think it will help to have some things planned along the way, like signing up for the Shamrock Shuffle. I'd really like to get into a couple of yoga classes as well.

7. My yard. I basically spent a day or two on it at the beginning of this past summer and then just let it fall apart. I'd like to plant a tree. Then expand the border to make it more organic in shape. I'd like to create a green wall around my backyard that will eventually overflow with leaves for some privacy. I'd love to start the development of a really surprising hidden wonderland.

8. Field Trips. I am still dying, DYING to get a tour of that quarry in my neighborhood. In the winter running errands, I have the most amazing views of it through the empty trees and I don't know why, but I think it's SO COOL. I am also completely fascinated with the Illinois Brick operation I drive past on my way to work. I don't know what it is I find so soothing about the enormous piles of cement chunks-turned-to-cement rocks-turned-to-cement pebbles-to cement powder... And then when it all runs along conveyor belts and gets put onto train train cars or river barges... I am obsessed with watching the whole operation.

*This is a work in progress.

Image of a bathroom at The Soho Grand in NYC designed by William Sofield, 1996.

Looking forward to the New Year.

2010-12-27T12:47:00.000-08:00

My Mom painted this pine tree branch and made greeting cards out of the original. Isn't it great? I totally had to steal it out of the pack because I feel like she wasn't planning on sending me one.

Has everyone been eating and drinking like I have? Man, I packed it in over the past few days (and weeks). My house guests have now departed and it's that odd in-between week where things kind of hang at a standstill while we gear up for the start of the new year. I feel really ready to welcome 2011 for some reason. I'm going to make a list of goals for this year.

This Christmas I felt really blessed and grateful for my wonderful friends and family. More than once I thought about how lucky I am. Things felt very "holiday" this year. It snowed perfect snows and the tone was one of packing a house full night after night and melding personalities with a nice balance of chaos and calm. Looking back I can't believe all the things we did over the past week. It was a whirlwind for sure, but we got a lot of quality time together too.

Are you making "resolutions" for 2011?

Woot!

2010-12-26T15:42:00.000-08:00

Steve and Swan got me the shuffle!! This is like the fun present I never expected to get... Thanks Zies!!!

Tree 2010 (and some other stuff).

2010-12-22T00:40:00.000-08:00

I know these pictures are blurry but I wasn't about to run out and get the tripod from the garage. Plus that "night scenery" setting captures the color in the room so well – I'm sacrificing clarity.

Even with the perfect snowstorm last night – it truly was beautiful outside – it still doesn't really feel like Christmas time to me? I can hardly believe it's in 3 days? Maybe because I didn't do a bunch of art projects? To be honest I still feel pretty art-projected out. I didn't do as much around the house either. I broke so many of the glass ball ornaments last year I could hardly believe it. Then Target didn't have the $2 boxes of plain old red and gold ones I like. They were all glittery designs and "sateen". So I didn't do a few bunches here and there that I normally do. Which actually is just fine.

Then my 1-year old light strands were dead. The lights at Target were all that LED blue-white kind, which I caved in and bought even though I knew I'd never be able to stand them. I find the atmosphere they create awful! (Sorry if you have them). So, I ended up putting them outside. They still bug me but are not as offensive considering the limited amount of time that I actually see them. Then I got some great lights at a good ole hardware store and I am quite thrilled with the glow inside now.

The winter berries. I LOVE them. Here's something I don't get. They were $3.50/branch cheaper this year – $1.50 less than they were two years ago. The price of these things really fluctuates and I wonder why? Even with the price drop, these are a splurge. The ones from Stems & Twigs in WS are so solid and long and perfect. I'd love to have them all over my house, but I stop at a vase full. I think they are totally worth it and totally wonderful.

Anyway, now that I finally have the mood right in the house, a poinsettia, my parents have arrived, and for the first time in YEARS I'm not rushing around like a lunatic finishing all the gifts at the last minute, I'm hoping the next 4 days I can just settle into the holiday. I'm looking forward to some long visits, the real deal hot cocoa, and enjoying making and eating some good food.

Christmas Fatty.

2010-12-21T18:28:00.000-08:00

When I decorate the house for Christmas, I swap out the everyday snapshots of friends and family in frames around the house and display pictures of our Christmas trees from years past. When I rotated one of them, this was the Christmas picture behind it. Aw Fatty! She looks so healthy and happy... and FAT. It was nine years ago she looked this good, came out from under the bed and was totally social. Then it kind of broke my heart to realize this is the first year in 13 I'm missing out on having Christmas with her.

If you were lucky enough to be part of it, the gifts under this particular tree were part of the Christmas Extravaganza year. The deli meat slicer, deluxe pogo stick, quesadilla maker year. The year budgets went ridiculously out the window and we went nuts buying presents. That was a good one.

Teaser.

2010-12-19T07:47:00.001-08:00

This one's for you, Steve!

Merry Holly.

2010-12-12T07:45:00.001-08:00

We had our annual Dinner Club Christmas Party at Hook & Ryan's last night. I think this year was a first: More food that booze? There was a whole other table full of desserts. Clockwise from left: 7-layer taco dip, bleu cheese/tomato/balsamic on crustini, meatballs and cheese wrapped in biscuit dough and dipped in marinara, pickles/cream cheese/ham rolls, buffalo chicken dip, vegetables and hummus, melty cheesy bean dip, jalepeno popper dip...

Great night, but missed Becker and the other out-of-town Dinner Clubbers.

Tugboat Printshop.

2010-12-07T17:01:00.001-08:00

"BARRACUDA"
Series: THE DEEP BLUE SEA
12x18" Color Woodcut Print on Pale Pink Arturo Paper
by Paul Roden & Valerie Lueth, 2008.

Saw this booth at the Renegade fair and I can't stop thinking about this print! I want it. Actually all these sea prints I am taking quite a liking to. I'm gonna have to check if this one fits the bill for bringing "fish" into my "wealth". Read more about this print shop and the process to make them. Amazing!

drawing.

printing.

"THE ICEBERG"

So cool. Also can be found on Etsy.

Renegade Craft Fair.

2010-12-01T18:39:00.000-08:00

This looks like it might be good. I've glanced around at some of the artists doing it, and I'm pretty sure I'll find a gift or two for people on my list. (Lucky People). If you're free Saturday or Sunday, and in the area, check it out? Then go eat brunch at Flo or get the burger from Branch 27.

They start them young in Steamboat.

2010-11-29T19:53:00.000-08:00

My favorite little girl gets her first Ski Pass. Go get 'em Em! Better watch your heels little Brother!

Il Poggiolo.

2010-11-16T20:25:00.000-08:00

Nora and I went tonight. I love this restaurant. We split the cheese plate and started with one bleu cheese-stuffed, super-chilled Grey Goose dirty martini ($9 on special) and then split a bottle of Barbera for $38. This cheese plate was fantastic: a non-bleu bleu, hard parmesan, and some other third delish cheese, honey, quince, and something else on top... Three shaved meats including proscuitto, a spicy "C" salami* and ___,* melon, pear, figs, dates, grapes, grapefruit. Fresh capers and olives. And a basket of 2 types of fresh bread, a plate of olive oil and cheese. Amazing. Loved. Smells coming from the open kitchen – unbelievable.

*I know these... need to commit them to memory though!

Photo Credit: Nora.

Autumn.

2010-11-14T14:42:00.000-08:00

We had a beautiful fall here weather-wise but for some reason I just didn't ever get around to getting outside and snapping some shots. Saturday was a wet and grey day, but as I drove around on errands, I was thinking how beautiful everything looked. Reds and hot pinks and bright yellows seemed to be exploding on every front lawn. I even noticed it on my own.

So I thought, Tomorrow's supposed to be sunny. I'll take a bunch of pictures then. Literally overnight, all the leaves seemed fallen. It kind of made me laugh. But I am also bummed. It's over. These were the few left clinging on, keeping things pretty for hopefully one more day.

Show's Over.

2010-10-05T10:01:00.000-07:00

And I'm totally burnt out by it. It felt like going-going, list-making, running-around the three days leading up to it, right down to the last minutes before it all started, and I feel: Over it. I know from past experience that it's the build up to, and planning for, way more than the event itself that makes it worth doing. But it's possible that knowing this ahead of time somehow shadowed it too. It's interesting to see what you "take away" from something like this, and I think I spent a little too much conscious time looking for it.

I thought the stuff hung well in the space, and that it all really did come together nicely. But I'm having a hard time looking at it anymore!

i55: landscapes

2010-09-27T16:55:00.000-07:00

artist statement

A year and a half in the making, i55: landscapes developed during the hours I spent on my morning commute over the seemingly ugly, barren, industrial Stevenson Expressway (Interstate 55). Rather than focusing my attention on the frustrating bumper-to-bumper, stop-and go-traffic, I began making an effort to take in my surroundings from a new, more positive perspective. I focused on seeing beauty in the ordinary and mundane: unintentional compositions and unexpected contrasts and colors; differences between “permanent” man-made materials and the ever-evolving, softer sides of nature; the effects played by lighting, weather and season and the results of destruction or deterioration. I tried to notice changes to anything in my visual field that provided a new way of looking at and seeing things that may otherwise seem not worth a second glance.

Taking in my surroundings in this new way led to the creation of this series of paintings and photographs, these “abstract” urban landscapes – the beauty of my mornings.

-----------------------
Opening Reception

Vertical Arts in Steamboat Springs, CO.
Friday, October 1 at 6 pm
Show runs October 1-31, 2010

I can't believe it's all coming to an end after all this time. To learn more about the development of this project, take a look here. And do stop by if you happen to be in the area!

PS: I will be posting all the images here, but not until after the show!

The i55s.

2010-09-14T17:46:00.000-07:00

Ran into this statement by artist Anne Madden on Ill Seen, Ill Said last week and thought the timing of it being posted and my exposure to it was a notable synchronicity. It really sums up a good deal of what I've been trying to wrap my own head around regarding my soon to be exhibited series of landscape paintings of the Stevenson Expressway (Interstate 55).

I am here before you, a visual artist, a painter with my necessarily-subjective viewpoint looking out from the landscape of my life. And this necessarily-subjective viewpoint is all that I can bring you, born as it is of my experience of being a painter, of seeing my way and trying to make sense of being-in-the-world, with the constant self-questioning that accompanies this.

I will give you some reflections on this experience. I imagine that most artists, whatever their medium, are trying to uncover or discover a reality beyond actuality, trying to make visible invisible aspects of the world, however they conceive or perceive them to be.

~ Anne Madden

Not exactly how I approached these paintings, but this makes a lot of sense to me.

Chicago is pretty.

2010-09-04T18:43:00.001-07:00

Yep, I'm about to enter that awful traffic, but I still think our skyline is beautiful. And I am happy I live here.

My Love for Lake Geneva.

2010-08-29T15:08:00.000-07:00

FINALLY got up there for the first time this year, on the next to last weekend of the summer before Labor Day. The weather was perfect. Cloudless sky, hot hot, strong breeze. Completely lucked out seeing so many members of the "old crew" who apparently hadn't all been down on the pier at the same time all year. Higgins', Landgraf's, Degnan's and of course Wendt's. We all ended up on the far end just like it always had been. People were sipping beers and reminiscing about past times. The Gaines' family, the Smith's, and Ruthie from the Congress Club (a group of white homes with green trim surrounding the central Clubhouse, build in the late 1800's by families who all had permanent residences in and around Congress Parkway in downtown Chicago) which had been in my back yard.

Much to my dismay, they no longer do the swim meet, or the pot luck dinner/family picnic, due to lack of participation. Super drag. My Mom's infamous taco salad was remembered yesterday – everyone missing it and remarking on how it was such a hit.

I literally cried when I saw the lake as I rolled into town. I really miss it and can't believe how time flies. My dear friend Jed has three children now. I met him when he was 10 years old. I remember his family adopting his brother after years of trying to get him, and bringing the little newborn up for the first time, and how excited we all were. Joe is in college now. Kelly is getting married. I remember when she was born and how I couldn't stop carrying her and her twin brother Brendon around every chance I got, quite possibly annoying the hell out of her mother with my obsessive interest in them, always begging for a chance to feed or change or dress them.

Lots of talk about how we'd walk to town for ice cream, and every kid would be invited along, regardless of age, because just, that's how it was. The big kids were bigger than me at the time, little ones quite young. All of us looking out for one another and just, having the best time being "bored" all summer.

I was so happy to see things unchanged and also sad to see what was so different. Adorable modest summer homes turned into places two or three times their original size.

But it was the smell of it that hadn't changed that got me on the drive in. And then later, it was the water, the damp, the stars, the noise of the crickets and cicadas and the same old faces that hadn't changed all that much. In the end it all felt very obvious, natural and familiar. I felt again like the kid I was back then, even though that's so obviously not the case any more. What a delightful childhood I had without really even realizing it. I love being able to swim off that pier more than any other swimming experience I've had in my life.

Do-over.

2010-08-23T16:33:00.000-07:00

Made the difficult decision to paint over the first one I did of this series today – one I did last summer. My method changed while painting the other ones this year, and the inconsistency really bugged me. The problem was I really liked this one as it was. But being true to my process across the board when thinking about showing them as a group felt important. So far I am happy I did it.

I also headed out on the highway to get some final shots. After trying and trying to work with what I had, I knew I needed some new subjects. I really hate having semi trucks going by a couple feet away at 70 mph. The wind gusts are intense! It's also pretty terrifying to be reversing on the shoulder as they come barreling at you. But again I am glad I made the effort. Really like the images I got and it's way more motivating to look forward to painting what's meaningful rather than just making due with something that just feels average.

Camels Swimming.

2010-08-19T19:54:00.000-07:00

This image of the camel in the water I saw recently on 2 or 3 Things (07.05.2010) is torturing me. I have an extremely vivid memory of seeing camels swimming laps in a swimming pool. Men with swamis and long white robes are standing on deck with large oars and they are sort of "stirring" them along, keeping them in their lines. It's so totally strong and clear – this image – that I feel as though I must have truly seen it.

But...?

Is that even possible? Why on earth would camels swim laps? Could it have been a dream? Although they are clearly not in a pool, the colors in this photo are so exact to what it looked like. I keep looking to find that image of camels swimming laps. I can't.

Image by Rick Smolan via 2 or 3 Things.

Leah Giberson.

2010-08-18T20:39:00.000-07:00

I had to order one of these prints. Can you guess which one I picked? The Jealous Curator has been knocking my socks off lately. When I saw this artist (and others – this spider web repair is unbelievable) on her post recently on SF Girl by Bay, I just got lost in the looking. Blogs, flickr pages, personal sites, etsy... The world wide has made so many artists out there accessible and I truly love the internet for connecting me to all these amazing creative people and their work.

Pool season, summer, is slipping away from me, and glancing at this little reminder of good things to come might help me get through the winter ahead. Love that the pools appear to be empty.

It's dark again when I wake up and I keep thinking as my eyes are opening, It must be because it's raining. But then the sun rises through the window in the shower and I feel a little despair. Oh how I love Summer. The light, heat, humidity, cicadas singing, bonfires, fruit and vegetables, and an excuse to let all things just... SLACK. Thank god for September, who lets us ease into the holidays slowly. I'm actually looking forward to you too!

10 Years Old.

2010-08-18T04:39:00.001-07:00

When I smell fresh, ripe cantaloupe like this, I am instantly transported back to the little pass-through breakfast bar at our cottage in Lake Geneva. My grandmother is on the other side of it in the kitchen, drying dishes with a hand towel, and my brother and I, sitting on stools, legs dangling, on either side of him, stare in disbelief as we watch our grandfather put black pepper on his.

Peterbilt.

2010-08-17T04:12:00.000-07:00

When I was in a sales job about a million years ago and drove around a lot, for some reason semi's drew my attention – but none so much and often as a Peterbilt. I've been in love ever since. If you've never taken the time to notice big trucks and you happen to be out on the road, look around. I swear, none of them ever look as pristine, have as much character or carry themselves quite the way a Peterbilt does. And if they ever change that logo, I seriously might cry.

Chicken on the grill.

2010-08-16T18:20:00.001-07:00

Steve showed me this cutting out the backbone/splitting the bird technique and cooking it on the grill Friday night and yesterday I tried it out. I think I finally made a really good, really tender, really flavorful chicken. All I did was split it, rub olive oil on it, and sprinkle it generously with salt, pepper and oregano. Also of course, turmeric, the wonder spice. Cooked it skin side down over direct flame for about 5 minutes, then on indirect rotating it twice for about an hour. When I brought it in I covered it with tin foil and let it sit for about 10 minutes before cutting it up.

I ate it with my fingers.

Not the whole thing.

Dalton Ghetti.

2010-08-13T19:53:00.001-07:00

This is one of the coolest things I've come across on the world wide in a long time. Artist Dalton Ghetti creates these miniature sculptures carving carefully, slowly and meticulously into the graphite of pencil tips and sometimes their wooden bases.

This hand saw is my favorite. But seriously, these things take like, forever to create. And he has a "graveyard" of about 100 pieces that were broken close to completion. Can you imagine? It makes me smack my head in despair for him! Originally from Brazil, and a professional carpenter, he currently lives in Connecticut and is working on a commemorative piece for the victims of 9-11, carving single tear drops for the 3,000+ people who were killed that day. He's trying to do one a day, and estimates it will take about 10 years to complete. I shared this with some friends and we spent a good half hour tonight talking about this man and his work. HE DOESN'T USE A MAGNIFYING GLASS! It's truly fascinating.

He also does not sell his work, but instead, gives it away. I love that! To learn more and view more images, take a look at the Telegraph article.

Via the Jealous Curator. That colored pencil log sculpture is pretty rad too.

Working.

2010-08-12T20:32:00.000-07:00

Just because.

Bricks.

2010-08-08T07:23:00.000-07:00

I don't know why walls like this one make me happy but they do.

Favorites.

2010-08-07T07:23:00.000-07:00

This is one of my favorite trees in the city. Isn't it great? The house behind it is also one of my favorites. I have to stop and look at it every time I pass by. See how it's wedged between new construction on both sides? Developers tried to buy up the whole block but this one person would not sell. There is – no joke – at most about 2 inches of space separating it from walls on either side. Walls that now block windows, on all stories, the full length of the house.

The tree basically blocks any light that might get in the windows out front. But what a beautiful tree! You can stand under it's canopy and peek in the windows and imagine what could possibly go on in there – what kind of character lives there. It looks like there could be a museum full of treasures inside. And a little old lady with terrific stories.

I also love love that it's August and there are still Christmas wreaths out front. Isn't that wonderful?

Baby Toys.

2010-08-06T08:28:00.000-07:00

I haven't gotten or made Emerald a single present yet. I haven't even looked for anything until today. I don't know why that is. I thought at first it was because I haven't been there yet, had an opportunity to see her and deliver it myself, but on second thought I think I have an aversion to baby gifts in general.

I never really thought about it before but I typically don't buy kid stuff unless I have to because I'm going to a party, or it's Christmas. Of course I think the clothes and some toys are cute and everything - it's just not something I ever spend time looking at I guess. Well, that and the fact that I know they'll outgrow, destroy or ignore whatever I've gone and spent my hard-earned cash on!*

I like to joke to my brother that the only things I'll ever buy her are going to be plastic, neon colored, or make some terrible obnoxious noise. But I'm pretty sure I'll never really do that. So I started browsing. A lot of the toys from Hazelnut Kids are kind of nice. Simple and classic. I'll tell you what I really look forward to is buying her a plane ticket and shipping her out to visit me for a week. Pink tutu's and ballet slippers and wands.

*Probably subconsciously why I started giving drawings and paintings? That and they're free!

One down...

2010-08-01T14:35:00.000-07:00

Grass. 30"x 30". Acrylic, oil pastel and graphite on canvas.

Only 8 to go – 5 are currently in the process. Here's a new painting and a photo I took of the place that inspired it (my commute).

Working: Tools.

2010-07-31T17:18:00.001-07:00

Been out in the studio today. Hoping to: 1. Finish three this weekend. [X-only 1 done]

Also need to:

2. Get an oil change [X + tire rotation, battery cleaned, tail light fixed]
3. Wash the car [X-sorta]
4. Mow the lawn [X]
5. Weed [X-sorta]
6. Clean the house [X]
7. Do laundry [X]
8. Cook: Chicken Curry, Pesto [X] [X]
9. Grocery shop [X]
10. Rearrange bedroom
11. ~~Spend time at the pool~~ Rescheduled for next weekend.
12. Nap [X-solid 2 hours!]

Two days is not enough time off for all these things. I'll update later what actually gets done.

[X] Updated. A few more hours left in the day for ~~cooking~~ and ~~laundry~~... Final Update: Done and Done.

After the Rain.

2010-07-24T09:01:00.001-07:00

I love the way the yard looks after a really good rain and man, did it pour last night. I especially love the color it makes the fence and deck, and how all the green looks really green next to them. I'd like to eventually stain them to look like this all the time. My yard is an overgrown mess right now, but I kind of like the look of it being unruly. I'm eating bread with cheese and apricot preserves for breakfast and am on my 3rd cup of coffee.

Earlier I ran my fingers up the stem of some rosemary and the scent is still on my hand. I'm going to go to the store after I paint for a little while and tonight I'm finally going to make that roast chicken with my own fresh herbs!

I Swear...

2010-07-23T18:52:00.000-07:00

This won't be a baby fest from now on but this pic of my Mom with my niece is killing me after the past couple of weeks we've had as a family. I'm so happy to see them together! Look at her feet! I am just... ahhh.

After the survivor lap at the Relay for Life in Steamboat at a free concert!

I (might) write like...

2010-07-22T11:24:00.000-07:00

David Foster Wallace.

I thought it was kinda funny that when I cut and pasted a sample of my writing on the I Write Like site, I matched David Foster Wallace. Infinite Jest has been sitting on my night stand stuck on page 131 since this time last year. It's not that I don't like the book. I quite like it actually. But it's a commitment to read it. I think this would be a great one to take on a leisure vacation where all you have to do all week is read. Those footnotes are kind of brutal. I tried skipping past them to keep a flow going, but found that impossible to do as well. I didn't want to miss anything. So there it sits.

I realize I don't update or keep track of what I'm really reading like I had originally planned. Maybe I should try to do that a little more diligently. I'm about to finish The Sound and the Fury. This also took me a ridiculously long time to read. I'm going to read Oscar Wao next, which everyone seems to really love, so maybe that will get me back on track.

For the record the last book I read that I really loved was Any Human Heart, by William Boyd.

Image via here.