So I’ve been eating New York alive.  Or it’s eating me.  Maybe it’s some mobius strip of a food chain where the city eats me up and spits me back out just so I can create something to consume this city in tiny little pieces.  Living comfortably in a landscape of pastries, pizza, burgers, and chocolate… I’ve said I’m eating like a sophisticated twelve-year-old, it’s the best of the best comfort foods I have ever imagined.  Thankfully it’s done more than add a few on a certain number and subtract a ton on another.  Everything I’m eating or even reading about is getting stored in some mega-mind-rolodex of cooking possibilities.  It’s all just inspiring, really.  Who knew I would move to New York and teach myself how to cook? Well, I’m doing it.

I’m obsessed with the Green Market in Union Square, and I plan my work days on M/W/F/Sat around it.  An occasionally overwhelming amount of local farmers and small food purveyors gather round with their tents and produce and goods and attract all kinds throughout the year.  I usually shove my way through the crowds after a grueling shift at the cafe, stained and smelly from espresso grounds rubbed deep into the cracks of my hands like grout on tile. The variety on the tables tempt me from all angles, and I usually splurge between $2 and $20 every time.  I gather my usuals: eggs, honey, garlic, onions.  Beyond those it’s really up to me and how much I feel like eating with the season.  Right now tomatoes are just about gone, with all varieties of squash popping up in their places.  Then there’s the couple of meat tables, flower tents, old ladies with gift-wrapped preserves.  I love them all.

So tonight I made some dinner.

 

I bought some pretty bizarre greens that were dark in color, bitter in taste, and sharp around the edges. No clue what they’re called, but delicious nonetheless.  With that I used some fresh mushrooms, roasted beats, and topped with some radish sprouts.  Also roasted some kabocha squash with cinnamon, nutmeg, soy sauce, and chili oil. YUM.  I might be making this rather frequently now.  Raw, kabocha smells like honeydew, and when roasted in these seasonings is so so sweet and spicy and soft.  Perfect fall foods.  Comforting.

So in the new apartment it seems as if places of extreme importance come together first.  We have our kitchen pretty much finished, and we have a table to eat at now! Yeah! And while we’re on the topic of STUFF, this guy‘s paintings are madness!

wtf!?

Atlanta-bound next weekend.  Looking forward to the warmer weather for a minute.

dg

The state of things thus far

I am quickly learning what one means when referencing time spent underground. Until the moped gets juiced up with better breaks and a headlight, I’ll be pedestrian and train driven, which, I don’t mind, but i do appreciate and understand the importantance of staying near the sun.

I’m lucky to pretty much have Prospect Park as my front yard. It’s quiet on that side of town, and walking out of the subway and into the green is something I didn’t realize I would appreciate so much.

Aside from Park Slope (or “Pork Slap” as we are affectionately calling it), I’m spending a good amount of time in Carrol Gardens. Today Ed took me for lunch to this retarded delicious Thai restaurant on Smith called Ghang… it’s just one of the many places I’ve eaten out at so far that I’m falling in love with, and it’s slightly overwhelming. I am beginning to wonder how often I’ll be cooking at home… Small fear of losing the “knack.”

My roommates cook often in the smidge of a kitchen we have, so I’m sure I’ll be encouraged. They are also supplying small amounts of love in the form of two white kittens. Omg so freaking cute. I miss Bruce Righteous, but thankful for the stand-ins.

Pictures to come, promise.

The rain finally stopped, off for more deliciousz…

you stream me

so the world got a little smaller yesterday as Milwaukee had its first throwdown at the Alterra training center.  Competitors were watched via ustream, the friday night internet crowd commented, and three sets of judges from three corners of this great nation cast their judgments upon the lattes.  truly epic.

Team Coffee judged from Octane, beers in hand.  New York had Twitchy and MikeWhite, and Tiesel hailed from the great SF.  Judging went on through flickr, where when cued, we’d refresh and comment our scores. The winning pour?  Lucey’s.

The future is now! My love for the internet grows exponentially as I feel like I am “hanging out” with the crew while I sit at Octane drinking a beer.  It’s on some virtual reality level, as Ben and I were sitting directly next to one another on our own computers, headphones plugged in to hear the cacophony of sound coming from Milwaukee… it was slightly shocking to be interrupted by someone from the “real world” during the whole thing.  There was also the weird point of removing ear buds to discuss latte art scores. I almost felt the need to chat online with Ben just to keep my attention focused appropriately.

Bizarre, but so much fun.

doing it and a drink for dark days

Last week I purchased my one-way ticket to NYC.

I hadn’t planned on doing it that Monday morning, but Delta had sent out their weekly fare specials and $74 was hard to pass up.  I was still half-asleep, no coffee, and I wondered if I had made the right decision.  I’d already broken the news to Octane, but I still hadn’t really talked to my parents about it.  I believe they’re particularly sensitive to the idea seeing as how they made a huge move from Atlanta to Dallas, TX last year and are beginning to realize how good they had it here.

Regardless of outside input, I’m going.  I leave on June 30th.

One of the weirdest parts of this whole transition so far has been dealing with Sleep Creeps.  Last night the “new girl” came over to my house so I could teach her my parts.  It became a surreal moment as I realized that I would no longer play with these people in this house in just a couple of weeks.  They are going to write new songs together and play at places we haven’t yet… and maybe one day they’ll play in NYC and I’ll get to play on an old song or something.  Until then, you can see us on June 12th at 529 and then our last show (and farewell party) at the Highland Inn Ballroom on June 27th .

This weekend we had a Memorial Day party at the house.  Tons of people, fooods, brews, dogs, pie… and rum?! I had no clue some of my friends shared a love of cocktails until they all showed up with supplies.  I busted out some dark and stormies.  If you haven’t had one before, I suggest ordering them on a humid day right before a storm breaks out.  Eye-patch and beach optional.

1.5 oz. Goslings Black Seal Rum in a cocktail glass, top off with spicy ginger beer, and squeeze a serious lime wedge into it and you’re set. oh yeah, and ice.

absorbing atlanta and a strawberry imparfait

It is with no serious sense of urgency or ill feelings towards my current lifestyle that I have made the decision to move to New York City.  In fact, I feel like I may be eating my own words off a silver platter at the moment, as I’ve always been one to promote cultural growth and investment in one’s own community.  I’ve seen plenty take off from Atlanta, claiming there’s nothing here for them.  And now, I, too, will leave this city, but not without praise.

This week Liz and friends Magik Markers spent a day in Cabbagetown, and they continuously remarked on how beautiful the neighborhood was.  It’s true, it’s stunning in its history and green overgrowth, small quaint houses with bizarre cars parked in the street and random public art nailed to fences and walls.  It was at a particular moment when Liz asked me if I looked at the city differently now that I knew I’d be leaving it. And it was right then when I was thinking of the answer to this, and it’s yes.  Of couse I felt positively about it beforehand, but now every glance is a concerted effort to ingrain an image/sound/smell, a moment, into my memory.

It is with irony that I realize my camera is broken.

With that, I wish I could show you the concoction I came up with tonight for dessert. But alas, I must review in words the amazingness that it was.  Feel free to try this at home.

3/4 cup Fage yogurt

2 tbsp Rhubarb Ginger preserves

3 sliced straberries

1 crumbled grahm cracker on top

Just stir first three ingredients together and top with crumbled cookie cracker.  It’s delicious.  I thought I finished everything but apparently my cat has found a way to lick the bowl clean.

the freshness

it’s been so long that it only seemed appropriate to start over. so, here we go.

there have been a few anthems that have struck strange chords within me, resonating longer than anticipated. here’s one:

his recorded stuff is great, but watching him play is pretty ridiculous. I had the pleasure of seeing him play in Portland during the USBC, and I have to say it was rather mesmerizing.

along with broderick, i can’t keep my hands off of anything associated with the producer david axelrod. best known for his stuff in the early 70s, he put out some incredible jazz, psychedelic, and funk that has yet to be matched and only borrowed since. He worked with Lou Rawls in 67, the Electric Prunes in 68, and the Cannonball Adderley Quintet throughout his career. Highly, highly recommend any of it, but if you can get your hands on the comp the boys over at stones throw put out, then do it. Here’s a sneak:

recognize it?