Ice Cream Heaven

Upon walking home tonight from dinner, we encountered this mirage-like dessert paradise glowing from the dark street.

Getting rid of the blues

... No, I am not sad. Just getting rid of all the blue paint from yesterday. I painted these flowers on the leftover wood during breakfast because I felt like drawing stripes, but it's too cheesy to keep around here. I'm not gaga about it, so I will send it to my mother because mothers appreciate everything you do. And flowers.

Color coordination

I realize I was sloppy with this. At least it matches my outfit...

Merci, Joyce

Thank you to Joyce Su Chang for helping me figure out things like aligning text. And also thanks for informing me via blog post that I can remove rust with potatoes and brighten my sink with lemon rinds.

Flipping through my notebook of patterns - post two

The next couple of pages:

A friend for the vase by the window

That sounded like the beginning of Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds, no? Picture a friend for the vase by the window... SeewhadaImean?

Annnnyway, this is a little something I painted last night on more wood that Morrie, the eccentric handiman, left me. At first I thought it was a little too "cougar" with the retro and the bright colors... But I think it's found a nice home by the window next to the blue vase.

I Coulda Been A Contenda...

Didja see my new header? I am trying things out here. I can't figure out if I like this or not. It reminds me of a bad Tuscan restaurant logo. It could also pass for the font of a lousy Diane Lane romantic comedy. Perhaps it just seems like I'm trying to be sexy, all I gotta add is the red lipstick kiss mark... Or maybe the font for a Lane Bryant or New York & Co. type of store. Never heard of those? Then you probably have not been to a shopping mall before (think mom jeans store that has had the same designers for the last 20 years). Perhaps you have an aunt who wears outfits that look like she's been keeping them since the 80s, and when you comment on her loud ensemble, she reveals that she in fact "purchased it a couple of days ago". She probably got it at one of those two stores. Back to the header, the only thing compelling me to keep it is that it is my handwriting... I'll keep tinkering with it.

Other contenders:

"Leftovers lunchime" yields an amazing hybrid: The Bahn Mi Hot Dog

There has been a bahn mi loving epidemic sweeping over New York faster than its bedbug plague. I had one of the key ingredients to make this Vietnamese sandwich (sweet chili mayo) leftover from last night, an apple gouda sausage and hot dog buns, so I dug up some cilantro from the fridge and topped it with a little bit of sweet relish.

Sidebar, for the best bahn mi sandwich in New York go to:
Num Pang Sandwich Shop.
21 East 12th Street
New York, NY 10003

I'm! Comin'!.... Out!

This lemon basil plant was no more than 5 inches when we got it, and look!
One month later...

I've found it to be the best when a few leaves are tossed into a mixed greens or arugula salad. You're crunching along, and then out of nowhere- BAM! You're hit with a zesty burst of both lemon and basil.

Flipping through my notebook of patterns - post one

I haven't gotten around to deciding what the system will be in terms of painting these.
I guess we will just see as we go along.

Last minute meal turned dinner extravaganza

Before:

That small package in front of the bread is the (long awaited to be eaten) doha sample that my favorite restaurant in Barcelona gave us to take home, containing an Egyptian breadcrumb-like powder with hints of cardamon, cinammon and cumin.

After:



Some delicious apple gouda sausages were grilled and eaten with chili mayo and sweet relish.

I always forget to buy sweet chili mayo. And when I do remember, the stores I go to never have it. So I mixed honey and mayo...

Added a tiny bit of sugar and Sriracha Rooster sauce...



End result- homemade sweet chili mayo!



Found ten lonely brussel sprouts in the fridge, dipped them in garlic, oil, salt and pepper...



... and tada!

Better (blogged) late than never

Picked up some yummy mini-chocolates in Montreal named... ehhhh... I forget. Let me check...



Ahhh, Chocolat Dolfin!

They come in really amazing flavors like earl grey, cardamon, anis and my personal favorite- cumin. Here it is with some raw cows milk cheese and honey. It was quite the bittersweet moment. Sweet because, well... it's chocolate. Bitter because now there is only one left in the chocolate jar- the cardamon.

Another treat from the same trip to this special market was this black soap:



Once your soap goes black, it never goes back.

A pink octopus on wood Morrie left me

Bienvenidos

This blog was born thanks to a combination of some extra free time, an excellent camera phone and the desire to share the things I've been making and seeing around me.

Enjoy!