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Favorite Updo of the Night

2012-01-15T22:50:00.005-05:00

Charlize Theron rock'n some sparkles @ the 2012 Golden Globes

Favorite Dress of the Night

2012-01-15T22:16:00.004-05:00

Emma Stone in Lanvin.

Cow Rides

2012-01-15T07:04:00.000-05:00

Etsy Favorites

2012-01-14T20:34:00.007-05:00

1 . Baby Kitten painting Jenny Belin

2. Outer Space Tea Towel Leah Duncan

3. Holla Wood Sign William Dohman

4. Geometric Wood Candlesticks Urban Analog

5. antler and magnolia no.6935 kari herer

Wisconsin Pride

2012-01-10T07:21:00.002-05:00

I love this Wisconsin tattoo Justin Vernon of Bon Iver has.

The tattoo says:

I said remember this
as how it should be

You can listen to a live Bon Iver performance on NPR here

photograph by Mads Teglers.

New Prints in the Shop!

2012-01-09T18:19:00.007-05:00

I added a few new prints to my Etsy shop. I hope you'll check them out here.

J.Crew Warehouse Sale

2012-01-09T07:29:00.006-05:00

J.Crew is having a gigantic warehouse sale here in Richmond, VA. Basically, they hand you a garbage bag at the door and ask you rummage through hundreds of boxes to find amazing deals. Everything is from $5-$50.
I found way too many lovely things.

J.Crew Warehouse Sale
January 7th-22nd (10AM - 8PM)
Located in a former Boarders Bookstore (near Costco)
9750 W. Broad St
Richmond, VA 23060
click here for a map

Dipped in Beeswax

2012-01-08T22:18:00.005-05:00

I took another one of Lynda Ray's encaustic wax class this fall at the Visual Arts Center of Richmond. This time, I experimented with dipping some of my photographs in beeswax and playing with circles and textures.

Ladies Night: Homemade Naan

2012-01-06T17:51:00.010-05:00

The ladies and I got together this week to make some amazing Indian fare. Viv prepared roasted cauliflower, Smitten Kitchen's Chana Masala, Heidi Swanson's Buttermilk Curry, and Aarti Party's Naan Bread. Everything was wonderful but we were all surprised by how delicious and easy to make the naan bread was. Seriously, if you can make pancakes, you make this naan recipe.

Naan: Indian Oven-Baked Flat Bread Recipe by Aarti Sequeira

Ingredients
1 teaspoon active dry yeast
2 teaspoons sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/8 teaspoon baking powder
3 tablespoons plain yogurt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon kalonji (nigella seeds), optional
1 teaspoon fennel seeds, optional
Melted butter for slathering on the finished naans
Coarse sea salt for sprinkling

Directions
In a large glass, dissolve the dry yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar with 3/4 cup warm water (about 100 degrees F). Let it sit on your counter until it's frothy, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, sift the flour, salt, remaining 1 teaspoon of sugar and baking powder into a large, deep bowl.
Once the yeast is frothy, add the

yogurt and the olive oil into the glass, and stir to combine. Pour the yogurt mixture into the dry ingredients and add the kalonji and fennel seeds, if using, and gently mix the ingredients together with a fork. When the dough is about to come together, use your hands to mix. It will feel like there isn't enough flour at first, bu

t keep going until it transforms into a soft, slightly sticky and pliable dough. As soon as it comes together, stop kneading. Cover the dough with plastic wrap or a damp tea towel and let it sit in a warm, draft-free place for 2 to 4 hours.

When you're ready to roll, make sure you have two bowls on your counter: one with extra flour in it, and one with water. The dough will be extremely soft and sticky-this is good! Separate the dough into 6 equal portions and lightly roll each one in the bowl of extra flour to keep them from sticking to each other.

Shape the naan. Using a rolling pin, roll each piece of dough into a teardrop shape, narrower at the top than at the bottom. It should be 8 to 9-inches long, 4-inches wide at its widest point and about 1/4-inch thick. Once you've formed the general shape, you can also pick it up by one end and wiggle it; the dough's own weight will stretch it out a little. Repeat this method with the rest of the dough.

Warm a large cast-iron skillet over high heat until it's nearly smoking. Make sure you have a lid large enough to fit the skillet and have a bowl of melted butter at the ready.

Dampen your hands in the bowl of water and

pick up one of your naans, flip-flopping it from one hand to the other to lightly dampen it. Gently lay it in the skillet and set your timer for 1 minute. The dough should start to bubble.

After about 1 minute, flip the naan. It should be blistered and somewhat blackened, don't worry - that's typical of traditional naan! Cover the skillet with the lid and cook 30 seconds to 1 minute more.

Remove the naan from the skillet, brush with a bit of butter and sprinkle with a little coarse sea salt. Place the naan in a tea towel-lined dish. Repeat with the rest of the naans and serve.

10 Wall Prints for Less than $20

2012-01-03T17:03:00.007-05:00

One of my New Year's resolutions is to clean house and decorate more. I would love to hang any of these prints on my wall, and they can all be purchased for less than $20.
1. Wander Wesley Bird

2. You've Gotta Have Heart Elle Moss

3. Cool Sweaters Jaakie201

4. Elvis Tamarlevine

5. Bear Sebastian Gomez De La Torre

6. French Poppa Chris Piascik

7. hello around the world Abby Hyslop (SCAD Alumna)

8. Way Up High Christina Shaffell

9. The Invincible Summer Matthew Kavan Brooks

10. Untitled (Landscape) 20110310e Tchmo

Husk Restaurant

2012-01-03T06:37:00.007-05:00

Everything ingredient at Husk restaurant came from the South and the place has been packed since it opened. We traveled to Charleston for New Year's Eve and happened to snag a table. We had duck, fried green tomatoes, and sweet potato pie. Husk is now one of my favorite restaurants in Charleston. I also really love FIG and Hominy Grill.

What Are You Doing New Years Eve?

2011-12-30T07:27:00.000-05:00

Templeton Rye Whiskey

2011-12-29T20:15:00.004-05:00

After hearing that Templeton Rye Whiskey was a favorite of Al Capone's during prohibition, my family wanted to try it out. Templeton is made in the very small town of Templeton, Iowa and it sells out quickly. We spotted a few bottles at a grocery store in Fredricksburg, IA and we each decided to buy a bottle. I got a chance to sample my whiskey tonight and it's deliciously smooth.

Merry Christmas Y'all

2011-12-23T09:04:00.000-05:00

I'm heading home to Wisconsin to be with my family.

Winter in New York

2011-12-22T18:21:00.016-05:00

I've been able to stop by NYC a couple of times this winter and visit with Laura and Feifei.

A few of my new favorite things:

1. Ladurée Macarons

2. A view of Central Park in the winter

3. Walking along The High Line

4. Dim Sum at the Golden Unicorn in Chinatown

5. Shopping at Uniqlo (A Japanese store similar to H&M)

Sweet Vintage Find: Reindeer

2011-12-20T00:07:00.002-05:00

I don't have too many Christmas decorations, but when I found these sweet little reindeer at the Antique Village, I had to snag them.

Christmas on the Farm

2011-12-19T06:14:00.000-05:00

Buster is spending his Christmas vacation with family on a farm in South Carolina. You can keep track of his every move right here.

Ladies Night: Cookie Baking

2011-12-18T19:51:00.011-05:00

Each week a group of ladies and I get together to try out a new restaurant, sample an excellent happy hour, or discuss important literary works like Mindy Kaling's new book. Earlier this month, we got together to make a Smitten Kitchen favorite, Chocolate Toffee Cookies. The cookies were delicious and I highly recommend you try them for your next holiday cookie swap.

Chocolate Toffee Cookies

Adapted from Bon Appetit

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pound bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1 3/4 cups (packed) brown sugar
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
5 1.4-ounce chocolate-covered English toffee bars (such as Heath), coarsely chopped*
1 cup walnuts, toasted, chopped
Flaky sea salt for sprinkling (optional)
Combine flour, baking powder and salt in small bowl; whisk to blend. Stir chocolate and butter in top of double boiler set over simmering water until melted and smooth. Remove from over water. Cool mixture to lukewarm.
Using electric mixer, beat sugar and eggs in bowl until thick, about 5 minutes. Beat in chocolate mixture and vanilla.
Stir in flour mixture, then toffee and nuts. Chill batter until firm, about 45 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment or waxed paper. Drop batter by spoonfuls onto sheets, spacing two inches apart. Sprinkle with a pinch of flaky sea salt, if you’re using it. Bake just until tops are dry and cracked but cookies are still soft to touch, about 12 to 15 minutes. Cool on sheets. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.)
I know that it will be impossible to let them cool completely, but they really taste a lot better cool, as they continue baking once they come out of the oven.
Slice and bake option: After struggling a bit to scoop these cookies, I rolled the dough into a log 1.5 inches in diameter and chilled it. When I was ready to bake the cookies, I cut it into 1/2-inch slices. You can store the dough log in the freezer, wrapped in waxed paper and then two layers of plastic wrap for up to a month, just baking the cookies off as you need. Cookies baked straight from the freezer may need an additional minute or two in the oven, depending on their thickness.

December Desktop Background

2011-12-01T17:15:00.000-05:00

I look forward to seeing Christiane Engel's illustrated desktop calendar each month. To see more of her calendars and other illustrations, visit her blog here.

happy birthday anne!

2011-11-30T18:04:00.011-05:00

dear anne, here are 10 reasons why i'm so happy you were born:

1. you are my oldest friend, and i never would have survived 6th grade without you. seriously. middle school was rough.

2. you're so kind and giving. you have been volunteering, teaching, or caring for kids since i met you.

3. you're always up for a trip to cy's, bao ju's, or victoria's—and you usually let me pick.

4. you never give things up. if you had sundance & tom's wedding story episode on anything else but vhs, you'd watch it everyday.

5. you bravely left home and traveled throughout india.

6. you know and love every lyric of total eclipse of the heart and every line of super troopers.

7. i'm not sure if you still play minesweeper, but i bet you do.

8. you always had me over for thurow family dinners and i loved every single one of them.

9. you always hated being the "cute" one.

10. you fell in love, married a wonderful guy, and moved too far away. i miss your face.

Grandma Erma

2011-11-27T13:48:00.002-05:00

I traveled to Iowa this week to be with family and to say goodbye to Grandma Erma.

Grandma always had sugar cookies, lefse, or fresh rolls waiting for us when we visited. Her handmade birthday cards were the best.

This Kodacolor photograph of my grandparents was taken on their wedding night in 1951. Grandma looked ravishing. I will miss her terribly.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T05:27:00.001-05:00

Letterpress Prints

2011-11-10T22:05:00.017-05:00

A few things that Meredith and I created during our letterpress class at the Richmond Visual Arts Center this fall.

Now that our class is over, we've joined an encaustic class. More projects to come...

"In Budapest, surgeons operated on printer's apprentice Gyoergyi Szabo, 17, who, brooding over the loss of a sweetheart, had set her name in type and swallowed the type." -TIME Magazine, 1936

500,000 Cigarettes

2011-11-02T23:32:00.009-04:00

Contemporary artist Xu Bing has a wonderful exhibition at the VFMA that focuses on tobacco. My favorite piece is a large tiger-skin pattern rug that was made from over a half a million cigarettes. From one end of the gallery the rug is white and orange, on the other end the colors are brown and white. The exhibit also includes tobacco advertising & slogans as well as a 30 foot long cigarette.

Hollywood Cemetery

2011-10-31T00:01:00.001-04:00

Hollywood Cemetery is the perfect spooky place visit in Richmond. There are plenty of ghost stories and legends to celebrate Halloween.

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-30T19:45:00.004-04:00

I chose to make my costume after the honey badger this year. No one really recognized me as a honey badger, but the honey badger don't care.

Letterpress Love

2011-10-12T06:57:00.026-04:00

I'm so fortunate to be close to the Visual Arts Center of Richmond. This fall, Meredith and I have been taking a class that allows us to print on a really old platen press. So far we have learned a ton. For example, I knew that the graphic design term "leading" meant the vertical spacing between lines of type, but I didn't know it came from literally adding pieces of lead in between the lines of type.

It's also been fun to scour through large drawers of type to find the perfect letters.

Virginia Beach Sand Sculpting Contest

2011-10-11T17:34:00.000-04:00

My mom came to visit me this weekend and we headed to Virginia Beach to meet up with friends & family. We all got to check out the final results of a sand sculpting contest. Competitors from around the world came to beach to show off some serious skills. I also enjoyed a lot of yummy seafood and also some delicious pumpkin spiced pancakes.

ASOS Fall Wish List

2011-09-21T20:48:00.010-04:00

A few items that I would love to scoop up from ASOS.

1. Whistles Carrie Pleat Midi Skirt

2. Vintage Style Skinny Twisted Metal

3. Turban Knot Headband

4. Coloured Aran Cardigan With Cute Collar

5. HIDE AWAY Two Part Velvet Wedge Sandal

6. Faux Croc Tuck Lock Day Bag

7. Whistles Tiger Feather Midi Dress

Not sure if I could rock the turban headband, but I would love to try.

All the Mountains

2011-09-18T13:08:00.009-04:00

Humpback Gap is a wonderful hiking trail in the Blue Ridge Parkway of Virginia. It's a short drive away from Richmond and a perfect place to relax. Buster came along and acted like a true mountain dog. He didn't stop to rest until we reached the peak.

Happy Weekend!

2011-09-10T10:59:00.005-04:00

I'm hoping to visit the mountains and fit in some much needed hiking.

Swimming with the Fishes

2011-09-05T16:26:00.010-04:00

Things have been a little hectic during the last few weeks. I moved back to Richmond, reunited with Buster, survived a minor earthquake, and went without power for 6 days thanks to Hurricane Irene. Thankfully, things were up and running by the weekend and I was able to relax along the James River.

I was also able to experiment my new underwater camera case for small point-and-shoot cameras. The case worked well and kept my camera completely dry. I didn't realize how many little fish I was swimming next to until I viewed the images on my camera. I highly recommend this case if you're planning any trips near the water.

Happy Birthday Buster!

2011-08-15T08:42:00.001-04:00

My little puppy is now two years old! He's living it up this summer away on the farm. I will get to see him real soon!

Last Week in Philly

2011-08-12T11:30:00.003-04:00

I just finished an amazing internship at Red Tettemer + Partners. Now I'm packing up and getting ready to leave this wonderful city.

Philly Food Trucks

2011-08-09T08:11:00.000-04:00

Iron Chef and restauranteur Jose Garces opened the Guapos Tacos food truck earlier this spring. I found the truck today in Love Park and had amazing short rib tacos. Sweet Box Cupcakes also parked close by and I tried her strawberry creme cupcakes. Cupcakes + Tacos officially makes the best lunch ever. Follow @GuaposTacos and @SweetBoxTruck to find out where they'll be next.

Birthday Gift: Cutting Board

2011-08-08T00:12:00.007-04:00

My sister has been to and lived in quite a few places. She has actually uttered the phrase, "I'm going to fit in a quick trip to Guatemala this weekend." So, I decided to make her a birthday present that celebrates her adventurous spirit. I designed an image featuring some of her favorite places, then I had Printfection print my image onto a glass cutting board.

California Vacation: Old Oakland Farmers' Market

2011-08-06T11:43:00.008-04:00

When I lived in the bay area, I visited the Oakland Farmers' Market every Friday. The market was located right outside my office, so it was impossible for me to forget about it. I took my dad there to stock up on vegetables for our trip. We went a little crazy and bought some random things, but how can anyone turn down huge bunches of mint leaves for only $1? I also introduced my dad to the French guy's bakery stand. The almond croissants were even better than what I remembered.

California Vacation: Mendocino

2011-08-04T22:27:00.015-04:00

We spent our last few nights at The Whale Watch House in Mendocino. The house had an amazing ocean view with a few whales sightings. Right up the road was the Point Cabrillo Lighthouse and beautiful hiking trails. A very relaxing weekend indeed!

California Vacation: Sonoma Valley

2011-08-03T15:26:00.010-04:00

My parents are not big wine drinkers. In fact, my dad usually puckers his lips in disgust after having a sip of any sort of wine. My sister took us to her favorite tasting room to sample Muscardni and Ty Canton wines. After more than a few tastes, my father was suddenly trying to convince me that we should go in on a case of wine together. I agreed, and Ty Canton the winemaker signed our purchase and watched as we tried to fit the 12+ bottles of wine into my sister's fully packed Volkswagen Rabbit. My dad was a champ and carried most of the bottles in his lap during our 3 drive to Mendocino.

California Vacation: Oakland Athletics Game

2011-08-03T14:55:00.009-04:00

We started our Johnson Family Vacation off by heading to the Oakland A's game. The weather was unusually sunny in Oakland, so my unprotected Norwegian arms suffered a slight sunburn. We had amazing seats thanks to my former boss. The A's did not end up beating the Tampa Bay Rays, but it was an exciting game.

City Hall: Philadelphia

2011-07-27T14:15:00.007-04:00

Without a doubt, City Hall is one of my favorite buildings in Philadelphia. The unique detailing and classic style makes this structure stand out from all of the other buildings around it. Construction of City Hall lasted 30 years until it was completed in 1901. On top of the building is a statue of William Penn who founded the Province of Pennsylvania way back then.

I adore this color photograph below taken by ipdegirl. She photographed City Hall using expired Polaroid film. You can see more of her work here.

These vintage black and white images of City Hall are from the Library of Congress.

Happy Birthday Dear Alissa!

2011-07-26T18:00:00.002-04:00

Today is my sister's birthday! I will see her tomorrow in San Francisco to celebrate. Can't wait!

Atlantic City

2011-07-25T22:17:00.007-04:00

Just a mere train ride away from Philly, Atlantic City is the closest beach. I decided to take a quick day trip to avoid the ridiculous heatwave. The ladies of Sex and the City visited the Taj Mahal casino but I didn't have anything I wanted to gamble. Overall, it was an interesting adventure.

Mayhem in Muck

2011-07-20T10:55:00.007-04:00

Hannah and I ran a 5k mud race last weekend in Philadelphia's Fairmount Park. The course started off in the grass, but soon turned into military obstacles and pits of mud. No one left the race remotely clean.

Meet Buster's Sister

2011-07-13T19:21:00.004-04:00

My dog Buster's mother had another litter of puppies! It is taking everything I've got not to scoop this little puppy up for my own. If you like ridiculously cuddly king charles cavaliers and you are near the Iowa region, let me know and I will hook you up.

NEW YORK TRIP

2011-07-09T15:06:00.008-04:00

I had a great little visit to to New York over the Fourth of July weekend.

Some of my favorites:

The Meatball Shop

Avenue Q

Crêpes du Nord

Hyatt Andaz

Crumbs Bake Shop

Completely Bizarre: Horse Diving

2011-07-06T17:42:00.006-04:00

From the early 1900's to the late 1970's spectators watched horses dive into a pool of water in Atlantic City, NJ. I doubt PETA would be okay with this today.

Love, Buster

2011-07-04T08:01:00.002-04:00

Happy 4th of July! Love, Buster

See more of Buster's adventures on the Buster Blog.

Happy Fourth of July!

2011-07-03T22:13:00.001-04:00

Philadelphia Skyline

2011-06-26T18:03:00.004-04:00

Ad Age recently stopped by Red Tettemer + Partners to film the office. My favorite part is the view from the 25th floor.

Jersey Girl in Philly

2011-06-25T21:20:00.013-04:00

Laura came to visit me here in Philadelphia last weekend. We had fun eating at El Vez, drinking a boot of beer at Brauhaus Schmitz, and picking up a giant bag of pasta at the Italian Market.

George Morton Clark

2011-06-22T17:10:00.004-04:00

UK painter George Morton Clark's work is deliciously creepy.

Katy Grannan: Boulevard

2011-06-20T19:06:00.008-04:00

Katy Grannan spent a few years photographing strangers next to a white wall on the streets of L.A. and San Francisco. The simplicity of the background removes any distraction from the subjects and allows you to focus right on them. Absolutely beautiful. You can see more on the Fraenkel Gallery website.

Ryan Matthew Smith: Food Photography

2011-06-15T15:47:00.008-04:00

Apparently real photo assignments do exist on Craigslist! Seattle-based photographer Ryan Matthew Smith answered a posting to photograph food for a cookbook project. That project ended up lasting 3 years and created Modernist Cuisine: The Art and Science of Cooking, a six-volume, 2,400-page set that reveals science-inspired techniques for preparing food. Smith's images are fantastic and they focus on a completely new way of showcasing food.

Karen Elson and Jack White

2011-06-13T15:19:00.005-04:00

I'm disappointed that supermodel Karen Elson and musician Jack White couldn't make it work. They were too cute to be true.

Currently Streaming: Bon Iver

2011-06-10T12:08:00.005-04:00

NPR is streaming Bon Iver's new album right here.

Enjoy!

Revealing Mystic Truths

2011-06-07T06:21:00.000-04:00

My favorite piece at the Philadelphia Museum of Art:

"The True Artist Helps the World by Revealing Mystic Truths" By Bruce Nauman

A Summer in Philly

2011-06-06T23:09:00.003-04:00

I moved to Philadelphia this weekend to begin a three month internship at Red Tettemer + Partners.

Come visit!

Detroit Visit

2011-06-06T22:33:00.015-04:00

I spent this Memorial Day in Detroit and had so much fun. I was able to see Trish & Tony, enjoy a Tiger's game, eat breakfast at Café Muse, sushi at Ronin, and of course—chicken and waffles .

My New Favorite Blog

2011-05-26T20:50:00.004-04:00

Keep track of my buddy's summer on this new blog.

Mmmm...Mellow Mushroom

2011-05-17T17:30:00.001-04:00

I took a sweet little road trip to Charlottesville, VA this weekend. We stumbled upon my favorite pizza chain, Mellow Mushroom. I haven't been to one since I lived in Savannah, so it was a little too exciting.

Missing Buster

2011-05-09T20:57:00.003-04:00

I'm on a business trip and away from Buster. It's tough to leave him behind.

Aled Lewis:Toy Stories

2011-05-08T23:00:00.005-04:00

I love this simple idea from illustartor Aled Lewis.

rawr roar dinosaur love

2011-04-22T00:20:00.002-04:00

♡♥♡ Arian Behzadi ♡♥♡

2011-04-18T07:39:00.001-04:00

Images via Arian Behzadi

Maymont Park

2011-04-17T08:00:00.000-04:00

Sally and James Dooley left their 100-acre estate Maymont, to the City of Richmond to be used as a public park and museum. The estate opened to the public in March 1926 and still features a mansion, gardens, and a variety of animals.

Happy Record Store Day!

2011-04-16T16:27:00.002-04:00

Today is national Record Store Day! Happy shopping!

The Bird Book

2011-04-14T21:26:00.006-04:00

Images via Library of Congress

Vintage Savannah Postcards

2011-04-09T22:50:00.011-04:00

There are so many things I miss about Savannah, and these postcards that I found really embody them. Forsyth Park, Tybee Beach, and shopping on Broad Street. I need to plan trip back soon!

Picasso.

2011-04-07T22:09:00.004-04:00

"God is really only another artist. He invented the giraffe, the elephant and the cat. He has no real style, He just goes on trying other things." -Pablo Picasso

The Picasso: Masterpieces from the Musée National Picasso show is in Richmond at the VFMA until May 15th.

I highly recommend. Cheeky Bastard.

Printmaking

2011-04-06T19:52:00.005-04:00

I recently came across some fun prints I did during my senior year at SCAD. The colorful back ground was created by smearing ink onto glass and transferring the ink to the paper. After the background dried, I ran a lithograph print of Savannah street scenes.

Spring on the Farm

2011-04-03T19:01:00.016-04:00

Van's family lives on a cute little farm in Leesville, South Carolina. Every time I visit there are new animal friends to meet.

Happy Birthday Feifei!

2011-03-28T07:23:00.002-04:00

dearest feifei, today is the day you never thought would come. you're now 25 even though you once uttered the words, "eew...you're 25? gross." you my dear, are even more fabulous now then you were then.

here are some reasons why i'm so glad you were born:
1. you gave up facebook for lent and it's been harder on me then you.

2. you had drinks with robin williams, saw santogold perform at a party, and attended a lecture featuring hilary clinton, diane von furstenberg, & iman,-all in one fabulous new york week.

3. you're my go-to person for literature advice. i've discovered some amazing books thanks to you.
4. you're one of the few chinese girls that can pull out her southern savannah-style accent whenever necessary.

5. you have excellent taste in music and we share an undying love for broken social scene, new pornos, spoon, feist, and phoenix.

6. you had the best college side job: bar mitzvah dancer. and you were great at it.

7. you blew out your car speakers because we were listening to the ying yang twins. totally worth it.

8. we met during a college work trip to the gulf coast and i'm pretty sure it was love at first sight.

9. we were early obama supporters, and you were one of the few people that knew he could make it.

10. your name is feifei.

National Cherry Blossom Festival March 26-April 10, 2011

2011-03-25T17:05:00.001-04:00

The National Cherry Blossom Festival begins tomorrow and ends on April 10th in D.C.. I'm hoping to take a trip to D.C. during this "peak blooming" time. The cherry trees were given to our nation's capital in 1912, by the people of Japan.

New Spring Music

2011-03-19T20:14:00.011-04:00

1. Party Store - The Dirtbombs
In Detroit, liquor stores are called "party stores" because they hold the contents to start your party. I love that The Dirtbombs pay tribute to Detroit's decaying party stores and to it's early techno music. Rolling Stone could not describe the music better: "Detroit's music has always driven across racial and genre boundaries. But when a longstanding garage-rock band with a black frontman loads its album with covers of Euro-inspired Motor City techno classics, galaxies implode." It's a crazy album, and it's fun to listen to.

2. Wounded Rhymes - Lykke Li
I saw Lykke Li perform at The Fillmore in San Francisco and it was one of my favorite concerts. She's an energetic performer with a unique voice AND she can cover Lil Wayne like no other Swed before her. I love her new album and I have the track "Get Some" on repeat.

I'm also looking forward to new albums by

Peter Bjorn And John (March 29), The Kills (April 5), TV On The Radio (April 12), Architecture In Helsinki (May 3), and of course, Lady Gaga (May 23)

Pennsylvania Adventure: Part 2

2011-03-17T23:12:00.012-04:00

Thankfully, Pennsylvania is starting to warm up and it is beginning to feel like spring! These photos were taken in Pennsylvania last month during a much colder time.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

2011-03-17T07:01:00.001-04:00

Cheers to a wonderful day !

Postcards from Michigan

2011-03-11T18:19:00.002-05:00

I had a lot of fun treasure hunting at an antique store here in Virginia last weekend. I managed to find some wonderful postcards from the great hand-shaped state of Michigan. The Flint postcard is from 1909 and the illustrated building cards are from the 1930s. I also picked up postcards from all over the place, so more to post later!

March Desktop Wallpaper

2011-03-07T22:04:00.003-05:00

Christiane Engel has kindly shared this wonderful horse illustration for your desktop. You can see more of her work here.

Favorite Dress of the Night

2011-02-27T23:17:00.002-05:00

Mila Kunis in Elie Saab Haute Couture

Baked Potato Soup

2011-02-22T20:00:00.005-05:00

Virginia was colder than I'd like it to be today so I decided to stay in and make something warm. I was close to choosing a Paula Deen recipe that included heavy whipping cream and bacon drippings, but I opted for a Cooking Light version instead. I'm so glad I did.

Cooking Light's All-Time Best Soup

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: about 1 1/2 cups soup, 1 1/2 teaspoons cheese, 1 1/2 teaspoons onions, and about 1 tablespoon bacon)

Ingredients

4 baking potatoes (about 2 1/2 pounds)
2/3 cup all-purpose flour (about 3 ounces)
6 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
1 cup (4 ounces) reduced-fat shredded extrasharp cheddar cheese, divided
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup reduced-fat sour cream
3/4 cup chopped green onions, divided
6 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled
Cracked black pepper (optional)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400°.

Pierce potatoes with a fork; bake at 400° for 1 hour or until tender. Cool. Peel potatoes; coarsely mash.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Place flour in a large Dutch oven; gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until blended. Cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly (about 8 minutes). Add mashed potatoes, 3/4 cup cheese, salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, stirring until cheese melts. Remove from heat.

Stir in sour cream and 1/2 cup onions. Cook over low heat 10 minutes or until thoroughly heated (do not boil). Ladle 1 1/2 cups soup into each of 8 bowls. Sprinkle each serving with 1 1/2 teaspoons cheese, 1 1/2 teaspoons onions, and about 1 tablespoon bacon. Garnish with cracked pepper, if desired.

A Little Obsessed: Kim Gordon's Watercolors

2011-02-21T22:51:00.013-05:00

I'm so inspired by Sonic Youth's founder, Kim Gordon's series of "noise paintings" depicting her blurred vision of the audience from the stage. She describes what it's like to perform,

"I’m trying not to look directly at anyone in the front so the spell of concentration won’t be broken. Instead they appear as a collective mood."

Gordon's series also inspired inky prints for Cacharel's Spring 2011 womens wear. You can purchase her book of water colors here.

Happy Valentine's Day!

2011-02-14T07:30:00.000-05:00

image via flannelanimal

Artist Profile: Debora Oden

2011-02-12T14:07:00.007-05:00

Debora Oden was a printmaking professor of mine at SCAD. She taught me to love fibrous Japanese paper, chaotic mark making, and mono chromatic color themes. Her personal work is so very inspiring. She mainly uses a process called etching. Basically, she scratches a glass plate and fills the scratches with ink. Then she rolls the glass plate through a printing press onto paper. She explains the wild marks that are found in her pieces by saying,

"My prints are a record of my movement through place—the back and forth movement of the press, the folding and arranging of paper, of the rhythmic repetition of a tool scratching a plate, the scraping and wiping of ink. It is about the litany of inking and printing, the hand over hand movement as I strain to turn the wheel of the press, the clang and the roll of the press bed as it breaks free from the pressure of the roller. This print process structures my uncivilized marks and allows my work to contain both passion and grace. "

Last Minute Valentines

2011-02-11T17:22:00.002-05:00

Maybe it's too late to send valentines out through the mail, but you can still send some love via Kate Spade's BMINE e-cards. I especially like a valentine that can combine love and bacon.

Game Day Recipe: Super Easy BBQ Pulled Chicken Sliders

2011-02-06T13:12:00.015-05:00

Okay, so this isn't really a recipe because all you do is buy things and combine them. That being said, it is also really easy to make.

Ingredients:
Rotisserie Chicken (Found in the Deli section of most grocery stores)
BBQ Sauce (It's worth it to spend a little more on good sauce, I like Stubb's Original)
Mini Buns

1. Pull the chicken from the bone and add to a glass baking dish

2. Combine chicken with bbq sauce and bake for 20 minutes at 400°

3. Serve chicken with mini buns or biscuits

Go Pack!

Arrested Development Paper Dolls

2011-02-03T22:12:00.006-05:00

It's been almost five years since the last episode aired, and I'm still hanging on to any Arrested Development action I can get. Will there really be a movie in 2012? Probs not, but at least illustrator Kyle Hilton created these paper dolls to hold me over for a bit. See more on Paste.

Holy Snowstorm!

2011-02-01T22:27:00.005-05:00

More snow tomorrow? Hopefully it's all hype, but PA has been pretty ridiculous to drive in this week. Below is a photo of today's massive snow attack as seen from space.

Images via NASA

Desktop Wallpapers for February

2011-02-01T06:47:00.000-05:00

So excited it's finally February. Not only is it the month of love, it's also one month closer to spring! To celebrate, I'm giving away free desktop wallpapers. Double click any of the images below to download the high resolution version. Enjoy!

XXXO
Andra

Put a bird on it!

2011-01-31T22:31:00.006-05:00

I'm loving IFC's new comedy series Portlandia. Especially this video poking fun of crafters that get a little carried away creating items with birds. The series also pokes fun of hipsters, organic eating, fixed geared bikes, and how Portland is the place where young people go to retire. Below are some Portlandia inspired crafts from wonderful world of Etsy.

Bird Pillow by Classic by Nature
Glasses Print by Nan Lawson
Oregon Print by Two Sarahs
Bike Glassware by Vital
Portland Bingo Print by Bishopart

♡♡♥♡

2011-01-29T22:44:00.008-05:00

"For what it’s worth, it’s never too late to be whoever you wanna be. There’s no time limit. Start whenever you want. You can change or stay the same. There are no rules to this thing. We can make the best or the worst of it. I hope you make the best of it. ”

-The Curious Case of Benjamin Button via kiss these stars

image by Oh My Cavalier

Encaustics at Fulton Hill Studio

2011-01-19T22:03:00.009-05:00

I had a wonderful time working on some encaustic paintings in Lynda Ray's studio at the historic Fulton Hill School. Her studio was packed full of inspiration and contained lots of circular textures for me to experiment with. I hope to have a cozy little studio too one day.

Dear Ms. January,

2011-01-16T22:42:00.006-05:00

♡♡♥♡ I thought it was impossible for you to out do the blue Versace dress you wore to Emmys last year, but you look even more amazing in tonight's red Versace dress. ♡♡♥♡

Tonight: Big Love!

2011-01-16T13:01:00.002-05:00

So excited for the final season premiere of Big Love tonight. It's on at 9 PM EST on HBO.

New Girl Talk Album: All Day

2011-01-12T18:01:00.006-05:00

Girl Talk is a mash up artist and a favorite musician of mine. You might not think that the Jackson 5 and Britney Spears could work well together, but Girl Talk is able to blend them, along with 100s of other pop artists, together in a single track. His albums are really fun and great to workout with.

Because Girl Talk illegally samples from other artists, he is unable to sell his work. Fortunately, he can provide it to us for free under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial license.

You can download his new album All Day for free here.

Guilty Obsession: Beyoncé

2011-01-10T17:03:00.006-05:00

There's nothing like coming home from a long road trip and finding Beyoncé in your mailbox! Trish gifted me the Beyoncé: I Am... World Tour DVD for Christmas, and it's seriously insane.

Now it's time to learn some dance moves.

Pennsylvania Adventure: Part I

2011-01-10T16:13:00.012-05:00

Looks like I will be spending A LOT of time traveling to Pennsylvania over the next few months for a work assignment. So, I've decided to explore America's 2nd state as much as possible.

First on the list was a brief stop at Chocolate World in Hershey, PA. While there, I learned a little about the history of the Hershey family and I got to devour a delicious s'more.
Next, was an excursion to Philadelphia where I walked along the river at Penn's Landing and had sushi at Morimoto (Restaurant by Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto) I'm not sure what I'll encounter on my next trip, but I hope there will be lots to see!

Catstudio Embroidered Designs

2011-01-08T07:56:00.002-05:00

Not sure if they're kitschy or trendy, but I love these hand embroidered geography pillows by California company Catstudio. There's a pillow for every state and even some cities and countries. They also sell glasses, dish towels, and bags. I picked up a San Francisco towel for my sister's Christmas gift. I think it'd be fun to have a pillow for each of the areas I've lived in.

Cooking Love: Smitten Kitchen

2011-01-06T17:41:00.004-05:00

I’ve been in Pennsylvania for work all week. Although I’ve enjoyed checking out some of the restaurants here, I can’t wait to get home and make something delicious.

Deb Perelman’s blog Smitten Kitchen is favorite go-to of mine for excellent recipes. Deb is like a scientist in her kitchen, testing classic recipes and modifying them to make them even better. She also photographs her cooking process with beautiful imagery. I’m excited to make a very wintry vegetarian dish of hers:

Mushroom Bourguignon

Serves 4

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter, softened
2 pounds portobello mushrooms, in 1/4-inch slices (save the stems for another use) (you can use cremini instead, as well)
1/2 carrot, finely diced
1 small yellow onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup full-bodied red wine
2 cups beef or vegetable broth (beef broth is traditional but vegetable to make it vegetarian; it works with either)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (1/2 teaspoon dried)
1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup pearl onions, peeled (thawed if frozen)
Egg noodles, for serving
Sour cream and chopped chives or parsley, for garnish (optional)

Heat the one tablespoon of the olive oil and one tablespoon of butter in a medium Dutch oven or heavy sauce pan over high heat. Sear the mushrooms until they begin to darken, but not yet release any liquid — about three or four minutes. Remove them from pan.

Lower the flame to medium and add the second tablespoon of olive oil. Toss the carrots, onions, thyme, a few good pinches of salt and a several grinds of black pepper into the pan and cook for 10, stirring occasionally, until the onions are lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook for just one more minute.

Add the wine to the pot, scraping any stuck bits off the bottom, then turn the heat all the way up and reduce it by half. Stir in the tomato paste and the broth. Add back the mushrooms with any juices that have collected and once the liquid has boiled, reduce the temperature so it simmers for 20 minutes, or until mushrooms are very tender. Add the pearl onions and simmer for five minutes more.

Combine remaining butter and the flour with a fork until combined; stir it into the stew. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 more minutes. If the sauce is too thin, boil it down to reduce to the right consistency. Season to taste.

To serve, spoon the stew over a bowl of egg noodles, dollop with sour cream (optional) and sprinkle with chives or parsley.

*Image by Deb Perelman

Etsy Love: United Thread

2011-01-04T22:20:00.007-05:00

How adorable are these chicken watercolors? Etsy seller United Thread has all sorts of animal prints in her shop but my favorite have to be her chickens.