youngna park: notes + photos

On grit + working hard -- Ira Glass

2012-02-22T15:45:00.000-05:00

Ira Glass on Storytelling from David Shiyang Liu on Vimeo.

"The most important possible thing you can do is a lot of work."

The perfect video to come across after 13 bleary eyed days on the road, workin' and workin' and workin' with little sleep and lots of hustle. Two shows left on this tour: one tomorrow night in SF at Roxie Theater and one on Saturday in LA at Space15Twenty.

Jake Stangel takes a 10 Day Cruise to Alaska

2012-02-19T16:51:00.001-05:00

A really, really fantastic new body of work by Jake Stangel, made on a 10 day cruise to Alaska. (Shot for AFAR Magazine) (via Brian Ferry)

More eating and drinking in Seattle

2012-02-17T14:22:00.002-05:00

Who says you don't eat well on tour? Seattle treated us damn nice, and now we're here in Portland, eating our hearts out as well. Good thing we're on the nightly dance party diet...

Above: a beautiful brunch at the aforementioned The Fat Hen in Ballard. The pastries are beautiful, the baked eggs divine, and I had the best eggs florentine here in recent memory. It really makes the most of the gray Seattle light, which saturates the world in very nice ways.

Other exquisite eating:
Sitka & Spruce: In Melrose Market in Capitol Hill, a string of 8-10 businesses (butcher, wine shop, wine bar, flower shop, and this restaurant in the back) that are basically like being in some food fiend's glorified loft. It's hard to communicate quite how beautiful this space is, but the entire structure is a renovated all-wood former autobody shop -- cavernous but cabin-y at the same time. Our dining experience took place at the foot of a 30 foot massive wood table with candles glowing, tiny vases of flowers skirting the surface and a giant burning fireplace at the far end. We didn't actually eat the "regular" menu -- on Monday night's only they have traditional Mexican food prepared by the "Malafacha" family. And it is just phenomenal. If we had one more night in Seattle I'd demand going back to eat the daily menu, which feels so much more inventive to me than what's going on with food in NYC (someone prove me wrong). Anyhow: if you're in Seattle: go here.

Next up:
On Tuesday night we had our Girl Walk screening with guest chef Matt Costello who came in from Whidbey Island, where he's the chef and GM of the Inn at Langley. We had no idea what to expect, but he'd sent us a five course "menu" adding that he liked to throw in some "surprise courses," and we knew he liked to describe his food as "locavore meets gastronomy."

In short order: THIS WAS THE BEST MEAL OF MY LIFE. The event was held at Delancey in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle, so generously donated to us by Molly Wizenberg (aka of the blog Orangette) and her talented pizzaiolo husband, Brandon.

The menu, from memory, with many ingredients left out:

Amuse bouche: beet meringue filled with whipped camembert and a crushed hazelnut crust + a miniature "old fashioned" cocktail inside a candied kumquat
Course 1, CURED: Smoked salmon frozen mousse with sweet cucumber ice, shaved cucumbers, salmon roe and coriander. Served with prosecco with crystallized basil.
Course 2, BAKED: Fresh pretzel roll served with goat's milk butter and radish
Course 3, FISH: (Perfectly) seared butter fish on chestnut puree served beside trumpet mushrooms and a "burnt onion" filled with hazelnut hollandaise and topped with a braised mini turnip. We were instructed to "burst" the onion, which released a sauce that unified the rest of the flavors on the plate.
Course 4: SURPRISE: A hollowed egg shell filled with pea custard, fresh peas and topped with sunchoke foam and a baby sage leaf.
Course 5: GAME: Rabbit and confit with roasted mustard greens and diced pumpkin. (And about 5 other sauces and textures on the plate).
Course 6: CHEESE: Toasted hay ice cream atop a smear of soft ripened triple cream goat cheese with sesame powder, sesame seeds and sorrel
Course 7, SWEET: Panna cotta with pears cooked in truffle honey and walnut sugar. Served with the essence of smoldering spruce, cinnamon and vanilla (released in smokey wafts by the chef on the table).

Matt donated this entire meal (as well as the time and talents of a staff of 6), cooked for 25 people, because our film reached him in some way that inspired him to share his own creative craft. After the meal ended, we all sat there in bafflement, putting our hands together in thunderous applause. I've worked in a handful of restaurants, and fancy ones that at, but this was truly a rare opportunity to bear witness to someone who is a master at their craft. And, ever humble, generous and kind. As Girl Walk makes it to the world, the greatest part of the whole project is the extension of so many people's kindness, and the opportunity to watch people create in their own mediums. If you are ever in the Seattle area, take the ferry to Whidbey Island to experience Matt's cooking. It may very well change your life. (See pictures from the night here).

Happy Valentine's Day

2012-02-14T10:14:00.000-05:00

Stare out the window with the one you love. Happy Valentine's Day.

Kelli Anderson's Disruptive Wonder

2012-02-13T22:49:00.000-05:00

Treat yourself to a 16 minute break and listen to Kelli Anderson's TEDx talk, Disruptive Wonder for a Change. I heard a version of this at AIGA about a month ago, and Kelli brings an incredible thoughtfulness to design that is expertly and exactingly considered at every point from conception to actualization.

And while you're at it, take a look at Kelli's portfolio of projects: they're incredible. (p.s. Kelli made the Girl Walk logo + posters and mine + Jacob's wedding invites).

Seattle Tree Lust

2012-02-13T21:50:00.000-05:00

Experiencing Seattle tree lust. Walking and wandering, taking in the perpetually misty air that saturates the ground, the air, the trees.

Our Seattle Premiere at Neumo's was a smash hit. 500+ people, dancing their bodies into sweaty oblivion. During the days we're planning our next events, but are also eating and exploring. We've had some good bites so far at:

The Fat Hen (more on this soon), but beautiful brunch, pastries, wainscotted walls, deep gray enamel light fixtures and geode-shaped sugar cubes
Delancey: gorgeous blistering pizza, homemade fennel pork sausage, great local beers on tap, (and hey! we're having an event here tomorrow night)
Smith: great pub fare and a beautiful beer list down in Capitol Hill. Taxidermy and random found portraiture on the walls (sound like Brooklyn? Anyone? Anyone?)
Cafe D'Arte: ugly interior, but a good cup of coffee. A few blocks from Pike's Market.
Lowell's: A tourist haven, yes, but lovely view overlooking the Puget Sound and great for the fish n'chips sort of fare that you just need sometimes.
Honore: Very sweet French bakery / boulangerie next door to Delancey in Ballard. Get the Kouign-Amann, an outrageous salty-sweet pastry originally from Brittany that combines the best of a danish with the best of creme brulee.

Hi from Seattle.

2012-02-10T14:56:00.001-05:00

Good morning from gray but luscious Seattle. We're excitedly prepping for the first two screenings of our Girl Walk // All Day tour, and exploring with friends Scott + Jess. It's my first-ever trip here, so I'm learning my way around and eager to try what seems like 1,000 great restaurants and bars.

Saturday, February 11th: Our big Seattle Premiere at Neumo's on Capitol Hill with DJs Tigerbeat and RadJaw. Special performance by Anne Marsen. DANCING! $12 (adv) / 21+ [TICKETS]

Tuesday, February 14th: On Valentine’s Day we’ve got a one-night-only 20-person screening at the gorgeous restaurant, Delancey (owned by Molly Wizenberg of Orangette and her husband Brandon). Guest Chef Matt Costello will prepare an amazing 5+ course meal with wine and cocktail pairings, to be followed by a screening of the film. A pair of tickets just freed up and promise: this is going to be an incredibly special screening for a tiny audience. If you're still looking for V-day plans, I hope you'll join us. [TICKETS]

Currently looking at / reading / cooking from:
+ Jennilee Marigomen's series From the See
+ Polaroids of Ed Ruscha for Band of Outsiders
+ M.I.A. Shouldn't Have Apologized by Sascha Frere Jones
+ OEN interviews photographer Brian W. Ferry of The Blue Hour
+ PLENTY, Yotam Ottolenghi's cookbook about the beautiful possibilities of vegetables. I own a LOT of cookbooks and my brother gifted me this a few weeks ago and it is a real trophy in the pile. This is vegetarian, yes, but not about restriction, and entirely about possibility.

Various works by Niall McClelland

2012-02-08T18:58:00.001-05:00

Beautiful works by Niall McClelland (top to bottom)
Tapestry - Smashed, Folded photocopy on paper
Tapestry - Portrait, Folded photocopy on paper
Trash Bulbs 3, Aerosol paint and broken light bulbs on raw canvas
Stain - 6, Leaked printer cartridge ink on paper

Windows, lately.

2012-02-07T21:42:00.001-05:00

Upstate + Brooklyn. Love these views. By the way: doing a second edition print of my Life Near Windows books; they'll be available in the shop again soon.

5 p.m., on the balcony

2012-02-07T00:14:00.000-05:00

From the upstairs balcony at 5 p.m. today, taking a breather. We leave NYC for the greater part of 7 weeks on Thursday. I'll miss this view.

In Grey Gardens

2012-02-01T10:06:00.001-05:00

Celebrating Audrey's birthday in Grey Gardens style. Jacob went as David Maysles, the awesome boom-mic carrying necktie-clad brother in the filmmaking Maysles brother duo. There were also at least 20 Little Edie's, 2 Big Edies and 1 Marble Faun (i.e. Jerry Torre, the gardener), who we have learned -- since the movie -- has become an amateur marble sculptor. Stranger nights have rarely been had.

In other news of excellence and oddity: at the Girl Walk // All Day premiere in December, we noticed a nun dancing in the crowd. It turned out her name is Sister Silvia, and the film inspired her to go dancing by the river at sunset. This video is probably my favorite thing on the internet in 2012 thus far.

Organic Shine Society

2012-01-31T10:05:00.005-05:00

Just got a new bed. Now thinking about these pillows from Organic Shine Society.

A very good night.

2012-01-30T11:59:00.002-05:00

Last night's dance class at St. Paul's Chapel. We got the nuns and priests dancing. This was followed by a screening of the film (dancing continued). This is the kind of event we imagined we might one day be able to do with Girl Walk // All Day. Giant screens, the old dancing with the young, husbands with wives, neighbors with neighbors, friends with strangers. This is a good thing.

See all the photos from last night on flickr.

At home and away

2012-01-27T18:58:00.001-05:00

Recent presents to myself: bed frame, smoked sea salt, rabbit planter, dried figs, long underwear. Life is very glamorous right now!

Nota bene:
+ 25 children's book covers from Korea from the 1940s and 50s. These remind me of some Korean books we had around our house when I was a kid.
+ Kelli brings airbnb data to life with this eye-popping set of infographics
+ Alain de Botton on Atheism 2.0, the religion of culture.
+ Great piece in Wired about the founding of Dropbox, and how they served a data sync problem nobody else could figure out.
+ 11 facts about Damien Hirst's spot paintings, including that Hirst himself has only painted 5 of 1,400.
+ A jazzy mix for you and you and you from RTS at More & Co.

Also, Part I: Jacob and I are subletting our apartment from 2/9 - 2/27 and 3/9 - 3/17. Email me at hi@youngnapark.com if you or a friend are looking for a place to stay in Brooklyn. 20 foot ceilings, infinite books, lots of light, and this really cute rabbit planter. [See the ad on craigslist]

Also, Part II: Come dance in church on Sunday. Drinks, dance class, mega screens, and the whole shebang all for free. RSVP.

Happy (Korean) New Year!

2012-01-23T19:40:00.001-05:00

Happy Lunar New Year! I wish I were upstate eating some dukgook (Korean rice cake soup) today, the traditional New Year's Day food. Alas, not happening in my Greenpoint apartment tonight.

Quiet here, probably for a while. Lots happening. Going to Boston at 5 a.m. tomorrow on a nervewracking-ly small airplane. Soon I head out west. Pitching a lot of projects. Developing concepts. Preparing panels. Building websites. Booking plane tickets. All exciting stuff. And, Girl Walk // All Day is having a big dance party this Sunday, January 29th at St. Paul's Chapel in Lower Manhattan (corner of Broadway and Fulton). It's the oldest public building in continuous use in New York City (since 1766). One of the priests at the parish saw our film and insisted we have a church dance party. How would we say no? There will be a free hip-hop dance lesson taught by John Doyle (Skeleton/The Creep) to kick off the night, followed by a screening of the film and a dance party. Free drinks. Good vibes. So come dance with us. Open to all ages. Bring your children. (RSVP + details here).

Mom's studio

2012-01-19T16:36:00.002-05:00

In my mom's studio. Always full of lots of jars and stones and shells and colors and vessels and tools and images that inspire.

Girl Walk // All Day: The West Coast Tour

2012-01-16T18:07:00.003-05:00

Girl Walk // All Day is going on tour. Jacob and I have been working furiously to plan a series of killer, memorable nights that are all about: MOVING, SWEATING, HAPPINESS, FRIENDSHIP, DANCE, SPACE and getting down with your COMMUNITY. We've talked to dozens and dozens of venues, figured out the best spaces to show this movie, and are ready to bring this film to Seattle, Portland, SF and LA* and make you dance.

I'm excited about each and everyone one of these shows, but I'm most excited about our Valentine's Day dinner theater event at Delancey, Seattle (the restaurant that belongs to one so-very-generous Orangette and her husband Brandon). That night, guest chef Matt Costello will be cooking 20 lucky guests a phenomenal 5-6 course meal with drink pairings. After all have dined, we'll push back the chairs, screen the film, and invite you to boogie.

If you have suggestions for places to eat and things to see and do anywhere from Seattle to LA (or anywhere in between), then please let me know! This is as much a time to share our film as it is to take deep breaths of west coast and and renew ourselves for many more screenings back east.

Below are a few of the event posters I designed for upcoming screenings (elementary design skills at work). You can get tickets to all of these over on the Girl Walk // All Day events page.

*And then Boston, Vermont, Maine, Poughkeepsie, Austin and so on...

The Joy of Books

2012-01-12T23:06:00.002-05:00

The Joy of Books, a stop-motion video by Sean Ohlenkamp made at Type bookstore in Toronto.

Another project that reminds me why passion projects, the ones that keep you up at night, with your spouse, with dozens of volunteers who you can only afford to pay in meals and hugs, are often so worthwhile.

And: an interview with Mr. Ohlenkamp.

The Light Up There

2012-01-11T10:04:00.002-05:00

Wandering around my parents' house, early in the morning, looking for moving blobs, dots and asteroids of light.

Monument Mountain: A Winter's Walk

2012-01-10T11:53:00.000-05:00

Last week took me from New York to Boston to my family's home Upstate, where we embraced the warm winter weather and headed out for a hike. We tried out a new and fairly relaxed trail, Monument Mountain near Great Barrington, Mass, and found a beautiful trail with half-frozen brooks, copious mushroom growth and impressive rocks. I recommend it if you're in the area.

p.s. If you've been following Girl Walk // All Day on Gothamist, the final chapter was released today. You can watch all 12 chapters online now. We'll also be announcing a west coast tour of screening in the next few days with stops in Seattle, Portland, San Francisco and LA. The events are a raucous intersection between dance party, film screening and joy fest, so if you're in one of these areas, stay tuned to dates by signing up for our mailing list (on the footer of our website) and times and please come out to see our film!

Jacob is also the guest speaker at January's Creative Mornings this Friday, January 13th at Galapagos Art Space in DUMBO. FREE with RSVP. The screening is sold out, but there are still a few tickets left for the talk.

Elkhorn Lodge

2012-01-07T00:03:00.000-05:00

For JBK's birthday the day after Christmas, his mom organized a surprise trip into the Rocky Mountains, and we found ourselves at Elkhorn Lodge, riding horses through snowy trails up into a glorious view of the terrain all around us. This is just before our ride, hanging out in the ranch house , warming up with hot chocolate. Stop in if you're ever near Estes Park, Colorado.

Unrelated: I'm hunting for a new bed frame, and looking for something made of real wood, preferably vintage, clean lines, queen size, available in NYC (or with reasonable shipping). Does anyone know good options for high quality vintage/used furniture aside from Craigslist?

DAM, that's a museum

2012-01-06T00:06:00.000-05:00

Jacob and I made a trip to the Denver Art Museum to catch Robert Adams' show, The Place We Live, before it came down on New Year's Day. While the Adams show made me think about the immense variability of the American landscape and the relationship of man with light and nature, and the small Ed Ruscha show a few floors up provoked a lot of chuckles, the museum experience was really defined by the architecture. Designed by Daniel Libeskind, the matte titanium surface and the jagged, crystalline shape of the museum, for the art onto un-parallel planes and ask the viewer to experience occasional vertigo while moving through the museum's floors. As the building closed its doors for the day and we headed outside into a swirling pink-purple sky, the experience was much like emerging from a space ship and trying to regain one's sense of gravity.

If you do drop by the Denver Art Museum, you should also stop by next door at the newly opened Clyfford Still Museum, featuring the rarely seen works of the Abstract Expressionist, whose estate was sealed off after his death in 1980. Still's will stipulated that his works be given entirely to a single city, willing to build a museum to house those works, and in 2004, Denver became this city. [The museum was also the unfortunate site of one woman's punching + peeing-on-art impulses last week.] I didn't actually make it to the Still Museum, but have heard rave reviews from friends.

Mt. Sanitas

2012-01-04T00:01:00.000-05:00

From last week's wander up and down the Mt. Sanitas Loop. A beautiful hike for a sunny, snowy day.

Snow gone, snow again?

2012-01-03T23:57:00.002-05:00

Hello from the Omni Parker House in Boston, where JFK brought his mistresses, proposed to Jackie Onassis, Malcolm X was once a waiter and Ho Chi Minh once a bus boy. I'm spending the rest of this week in Boston and then upstate with my family, working, planning Girl Walk screenings and enjoying being on the move. I'm having long meetings and seasonally inappropriate cocktails and remembering a pre-Christmas snowstorm in Boulder as I wait for snow to arrive here in the Northeast. C'mon winter: where are ya?

Moved by Dots

2012-01-03T11:15:00.003-05:00

#1 + #2: Felt tip prints by Daniel Eatock, currently on view at the Walker Art Center as part of Graphic Design: Now in Production (Watch the video on how Eatock makes the prints)

#3: Yayoi Kusama's The Obliteration Room (i.e. what happens when you give thousands of kids colored dot stickers and let them wander in to an all white room).

#4 Yayoi's Kusama's The Gleaming Light of the Souls at the Louisiana Museum in Denmark

12.31.2011.

2012-01-03T10:17:00.004-05:00

New Year's Eve. Ending a momentous year with old friends and new friends. And cats, chocolate, ribbon, candles, wine. Perfect.

Gold Fireflies to ring in 2012

2012-01-01T16:29:00.001-05:00

Long exposures of gold fireflies in Japan. (via Brainpicker)

Happy 2012. May there be many moments to pause in awe and wonder.

Where I've wandered

2011-12-30T00:11:00.002-05:00

It's my last day in the mountains before it's time to head back east. The days have been filled with long drives, eating, cooking, art, films, horseback rides, skiing, wild animals, bookstores and meanders. A slice of the last 10 days:

In Boulder, and surrounding:

For margheritas + good happy hour eats: Tahona

For greasy, tasty, brunch: Walnut Cafe

For an endless selection of tea + gorgeous environs: The Boulder Tea House

For a pizza experience that makes you feel like you're back in Brooklyn: Pizzeria Locale (Get the Diavola pie)

For fantastic coffee: The Cup

For lions and tigers and bears, oh my: The Wild Animal Sanctuary

For low-key skiing with great runs and short lift lines: Eldora Mountain

For renting skis and snowboards: Crystal Ski shop

For theater, movies, or local entertainment: The Dairy Center

For snowy horseback trail rides overlooking the Rockies: Elkhorn Lodge (in Estes Park)

In Denver:

For a great bookstore experience: Tattered Cover (on Colfax)

For independent films in a beautiful theater: Denver Film Center

For beautiful flatbread pizza and excellent beer: Encore Restaurant (right next to DFC)

For an architecturally shocking art experience: Denver Art Museum (and if you go in the next 2 days, catch the Robert Adams' show, The Place We Live, and the small Ed Ruscha exhibit, On the Road)

Happy Birthday, JBK

2011-12-26T22:16:00.000-05:00

Happy birthday, Jacob. In just one year, you've made the whole world dance, sing, smile and laugh a little bit more. I feel very lucky to be your wife. Cheers to the future.

Merry Merry Merry

2011-12-25T01:04:00.001-05:00

A merry, happy, cozy, relaxed, joyous and bountiful holiday to all of you, especially to my family.

Ice Cube on Charles & Ray Eames

2011-12-25T00:20:00.001-05:00

Related:
+ Ice Cube is in the House! (NY Times)
+ The Architect + The Painter, a new documentary about the Eames by Jason Cohn and Bill Jersey

iSnow + Girl Walk // All Day in Denver tonight!

2011-12-22T13:59:00.000-05:00

A few snaps of the snow last night and first thing this morning on my iPhone. More images coming soon.

P.S. If you're in Denver, Boulder or anywhere near the Rocky Mountains tonight, brave the snow and come to our Colorado premiere of Girl Walk // All Day at the Denver Film Center, 2510 East Colfax. There will be a multitude of screens, drink specials, dancing in the lounge, and Jacob and I will be there to hang out and chat. Tickets are $7 for general admission and you can get them right here.

In which I shovel and Jacob watches ....

2011-12-22T13:45:00.001-05:00

We got 16 inches of snow here at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains last night. The sky was a dusty rose as we headed to bed, and is an earthy gray this morning. The roads are quiet, the dog parks empty; it's a perfect day to stay in and bake.

P.S. Have you seen this gorgeous video about harvesting honey on Kinfolk Magazine?

Rocky Mountain Cozy

2011-12-21T12:05:00.000-05:00

We're in Colorado for the holidays and it is cozy through and through. The sun is shining, there's snow dusting the ground, the mountains are on the horizon, and there's gingerbread in the house.

Wrap it up

2011-12-20T14:13:00.001-05:00

This year's gift wrap features concentric lines, blue blobs and golden dots and arrows. And, of course, some baker's twine. I do love wrapping after all.

Life Near Windows up through January 7th, 2012

2011-12-19T11:03:00.003-05:00

Life Near Windows is up at Saffron in Fort Greene (31 Hanson Place) for just 2 more weeks, and will come down on January 7th. They have some incredible flora and fauna in the shop now as well, and if you're hunting for holiday gifts, I rarely walk out of here empty-handed. There are also a few copies of the Life Near Windows book left in the shop as well as one copy left for online sale.

Structures and stripes

2011-12-19T10:49:00.000-05:00

Shooting architectural models for my brother, who is 2/3 of his way through grad school.

Disco dance party

2011-12-16T17:27:00.002-05:00

Turn out the lights, turn up the lights and turn on the disco ball. We danced hard at last night's Girl Walk // All Day screening. It was glorious.

My life has been full of dance lately, and I've had the chance to see more dance this year than ever in my life. I wanted to share a few performances I've attended or have caught my eye.

+ Pina, the Wim Wenders film about Pina Bausch, the legendary choreography, ballet director and dancer, is coming to IFC Center on December 23rd.
+ Traces is a heart-thumping show combining circus and street theater currently playing at the Union Square Theater. It melds acrobatics, dance, theater, aerials and music for 90 non-stop minutes. JBK took me for my birthday, and I can't recommend it highly enough.
+ Tonight we're headed to Kiss the Air!, choreographed by MacArthur Genius Award winner Elizabeth Streb, another high-flying performance that "incorporates ziplines, ladders, trampolines, hoops and bungee cords" at the Park Avenue Armory. Streb's work looks to stretch the human body to its limits. There are several more performances through Sunday, 12/18 + you can get tickets here.
+ Yvonne Meier's The Shining, originally created for P.S. 122 in 1992, is being recreated at New York Live Arts with a new set of dancers and asks, "how do we hide from fear, play with thrills and terrors?" I've only read the NY Times review of the piece thus far, but my interest is piqued. Tickets are available for performances through December 18th, and December 20th - 23rd.

Pretty things in the post

2011-12-16T17:21:00.002-05:00

A gorgeous holiday card in the mail from Lena.

You can get her books MAPS, which features whimsical illustrations of urban landmarks, parks and favorite destinations in 40 cities around the world, for just $25 for the holidays ($10 off the regular price).

Girl Walk at the Denver Film Center

2011-12-15T09:11:00.001-05:00

We're doing a screening in Denver next week. If you're out in the Rocky Mountain area, I hope you'll come out. Jacob and I will be there to answer questions in person, and the film is showing on FOUR screens at once at the Denver Film Center. There will be drink specials, dancing, a DJ and maybe even a dance competition. Pass the word on to all your CO friends!

[Tickets available here]

Me + JBK

2011-12-13T13:12:00.001-05:00

So many great photos from the photobooth at the Girl Walk // All Day premiere. See the full set. (Photos by Shootbooth).

Iacoli & McAllister

2011-12-12T16:50:00.001-05:00

I'm in love with this light fixture by Iacoli & McAllister, which I saw in a shop downtown today. File under: "Future Home" and "When I'm Rich."

Kinfolk Volume 2 is out

2011-12-12T12:42:00.000-05:00

Kinfolk Magazine, Volume 2 is out. So excited. I've got a story all about the coziest wool socks in here.

$18, 144 pages, offset printed and perfect bound. A compendium of thoughts about winter and small gatherings with contributions by over 60 artists from around the globe. Get yours here.

Shirt shooting

2011-12-12T11:05:00.003-05:00

A few photos from yesterday's shoot of Girl Walk // All Day t-shirts with my dear friends Sam + Viki. We'll be launching the shop this week. Stay tuned.

Girl Walk // All Day: The Premiere

2011-12-12T10:43:00.003-05:00

We had a film premiere last Thursday. It was amazing. moving. joyful. spirited. emotional. I've never been in a room with an energy quite like that. I want to help create that feeling over and over again.

If you want to bring Girl Walk // All Day to a place near you, and can connect us to a venue, please email us at hi@girlwalkallday.com or request a screening here. We want you to see this movie and we are doing everything in our power to get this movie to you. And you. And you.

If you are in NYC, we're having another screening this Thursday, 12/15 in the Back Room at The Gutter. Only 100 tickets (and about 30 left as I type). It's going to be a blast. You can get a ticket here.

See more photos from Fred Benenson of Kickstarter, Winnie Au and our official photographer, Sam Horine. (All photos above by Sam Horine)

Taryn Simon: Shot True

2011-12-07T18:20:00.001-05:00

Taryn Simon: Shot True on Nowness.com

I've been a fan of Taryn Simon's work for many years and own two of her books, An American Index of the Hidden and Unfamiliar and Contraband, which I probably bring up in conversation more than most of the other photo books I own. More than the individual images themselves, which are indices of objects and people who fall into categories of things and people who have been undignified by a system -- like the criminal justice system or the system of importing and exporting goods -- I'm interested in the thought process that leads her to in-depth and systematic investigations using the medium of photography. In An American Index of the Hidden and Unfamiliar, Simon unveils secret sites and objects within the U.S. just after 9/11, when the government was scapegoating and chasing after many sites of the same nature outside the U.S. In Contraband, she photographs contraband (and often very mundane) goods that were seized at JFK International Airport upon the entry of thousands of individuals into the United States. Alongside her images are often encyclopedic amounts of text, explaining context, biography or background of her subjects.

Simon's work is currently up at the Tate in London and will be exhibited at MoMA starting next May, 2012. She will exhibit A Living Man Declared Dead and Other Chapters, a project that captures the images of individuals wrongfully convicted of crimes that put them on death row, and the role of photography in the prosecution process. I eagerly await this exhibit.

The Coziest Place

2011-12-07T12:16:00.001-05:00

Jacob and I both woke up feeling worn down and out of sorts. We decided to make our way through the grayness to EAT, just a few blocks away. They've started serving breakfast as of yesterday, and have also adding beautiful new woodwork to the already-beautiful space. The warmth of the room is restorative. All the food is made with the freshest ingredients. No refined sugar. All the pottery and dishes are homemade by Jordan Colon, one of the two brothers who runs the space, and Arla Bascom . (Jordan's brother Jonathan does all the woodwork). They dry their own herbs. There's a record player softly playing tunes. Coffee is brewed to order, by the cup.

They are also selling pottery, woodwork and wooden spoons, and have a holiday fundraiser auctioning off some of these items next Monday, December 12th.

Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner Tues - Fri, 8 a.m. - 10 p.m. and Saturdays + Sundays from 10 a.m. - 10 p.m. You can check in on their daily menu on their facebook page.

Touch of Evil

2011-12-06T22:15:00.001-05:00

Beautiful work by the NY Times. Ryan Gosling from Touch of Evil, a "video gallery of cinematic villainy."

Scarf season

2011-12-05T23:06:00.001-05:00

It's scarf season; my favorite. These three are on heavy rotation right now. The big wooly ones are still in the closet, waiting for a real rush of cold.

Nota Bene:
Look: The Year's Most Powerful Photos (wow, what a year it was)
Look / Procure: Gorgeous prints + totes available from the crew at More & Co. from their exhibition, Come Darkness
Read: This remarkable profile of the sculptor Carl Andre in the New Yorker, perhaps most (in)famous due to the tragic and mysterious death of his third wife, Cuban artist, Ana Mendieta. (Only available in-part online, so get yourself a copy)
Watch / listen: Todd Selby's short film about deaf performance artist Christine Sun Kim who collects found sounds and experiments with their feedback and physicality.

Jacob in the waiting room at CBS

2011-12-05T09:23:00.001-05:00

They're not so big on decor, but hey, we'll take it.

[See the CBS Morning Show segment].

Things are taking shape

2011-12-04T23:56:00.001-05:00

An afternoon spent with lots of tissue paper, rope and hot glue guns in preparation for the Girl Walk // All Day premiere on Thursday. (Thanks to my helpers, CT + AE). Have you RSVP'ed yet?

Related, some great film press in the last few days from: CBS Morning Show [video clip of live segment], The Daily News, Portable.tv, Huffington Post Canada, Wired, The Atlantic, SPIN, The Hairpin, Pitchfork and more.

Also related! Jacob and I love working together and with our many talented friends. We will continue to make things as a growing "creative and collaborative flock" under the heading, Wild Combination. Not so much there yet, but it's a place for budding and blossoming collaborations, brainstorms and future projects, that just might include you. (We are also on twitter: @wildcombo). Say hello.

Richer Poorer

2011-12-02T16:26:00.001-05:00

Jacob's big on socks, so I'm always on the lookout for new men's socks. As of late, Richer Poorer has become my favorite sock source. Jacob claims that they're also incredibly comfy and don't feel like they'll wear out too quickly. I wish they made socks for women, though my go-to socks/tights source is Hansel from Basel.

Warby Parker Holiday Pop-Up

2011-12-02T09:29:00.001-05:00

We stopped by the Warby Parker holiday pop-up (after randomly running into CT on the street!) the other night where they were having a holiday party with letterpress cards by The Arm, hats by Yestadt Millinery, decorations by Confetti Systems, a book sale by McSweeney's, drawings by Jason Polan and free eye exames for $50. Jacob just got a pair of Warby Parker glasses a few weeks ago at Bird, and, as everyone already knows, they look great and are a damn good deal. If I could justify needing a new pair of glasses, I would probably get these (hint hint).

On a tangent, speaking of holidays + wishlists, I was glad to see yesterday that my favorite-place-to-save-things-I'm-lusting-for (aka Svpply), now has holiday wish list, gift guide, and gift finder capabilities. Really cool, and think as soon as Svpply (or another universal wishlist type site) can figure out how to do live inventory updates and notify users when products they've bookmarked from 3rd party sites are no longer available, then I'd be a super happy camper.

New business cards

2011-12-01T09:14:00.001-05:00

I finally got around to making new business cards -- or contact cards. I went with a blind impression for my name, gold edge painting, and a dark gray font on 600gsm Lettra paper. The cards were printed by Red Circle Letterpress, and I can't recommend them highly enough.

Nota Bene:

+ Portable.tv asked me to do an interview with them about my photography and other creative projects. Read it here.

+ Photographer Jake Stangel collaborated with Dwell on a fantastic new project where he photographed a living space or park that reflects or is "informed" by the borough that surrounds it, in each of the five boroughs of NYC. See: 5 boroughs in 48 hours for Dwell.

+ Lena Corwin has a great roundup of independent artist + designer sales happening in the next few weeks for the holidays.

A pause in the midst of madness

2011-11-30T08:43:00.001-05:00

Days are a whirlwind now as I help Jacob race full speed towards the Girl Walk // All Day premiere next Thursday. Meetings, constant running around the city, phone calls and then late nights preparing emails and newsletters and announcements and making t-shirts. Oh, and my job too. But it is exhilarating and rewarding and so exciting to feel this project coming alive. People have been incredibly generous and excited by the project and continue to share their joy with us and with others.

When the world freezes for a minute -- the second I wake up or before I fall asleep -- I register how fast time feels like it is passing right now. This quiet morning upstate, when nobody was yet awake and I tiptoed around in the frosty grass -- it was already a week ago. And like that: the holiday season is here (though not the chill temperatures). Soon it will be 2012. I'm trying to savor the moments between now and then.

Girl Walk // All Day: Live on Gothamist Today!

2011-11-29T10:04:00.001-05:00

The first chapter of Girl Walk // All Day will be released on Gothamist today. Read all about it.

The Magic Flock

2011-11-28T09:38:00.001-05:00

We walked back to the public parking lot in Saratoga Springs, to retrieve our car and head south towards home. Dad looked up and noticed some birds. They came in waves, five or ten seconds apart at first, some in tight V's and other in loose bracket formations. Mom looked up. I looked up. It was endless. They cascaded in from all directions, just passing through, but to us, it was a vision of unity and the magic of a language we can't understand . As we drove off, the sky swirled with neon and burnt umber, casting a silhouette on leafless trees. Nature can put on a perfect show.

Nota Bene (Art with mirrors):
+ Beautiful collages made of broken glass and mirrors by Iranian artist Monir Farmanfarmaian (via Paris Review)
+ Geometric mirrors aged through an accelerated oxidation process by Dutch artist Lex Pott. (see the series Transience)

What We Ate

2011-11-27T00:33:00.001-05:00

Start with 3 cheeses + lots of baguette:

+ Gorgonzola Cremificato (a stinky, beautiful creamy blue)

+ Tomme de Chataigneraie (a soft, chestnut-y goat)

+ Isle of Mull (a fruity, grassy sharp cheddar)

Follow with:

+ Roasted garlic mashed potatoes

+ Arugula + fennel salad with toasted walnuts, feta & red onion (Note: onion addition is mine, try adding tahini to the dressing, via 101 Cookbooks)

+ Carrot + white asparagus salad with cilantro jalapeno dressing (via 101 Cookbooks)

+ Roasted cauliflower with raisins + pine nuts (Note: used regular balsamic, rather than white, nixed the bread, roasted the cauliflower + cut down on olive oil, via Farm House Table)

+ Panko + parmesan crusted butternut squash (via Sprouted Kitchen)

+ Mom's stuffing

+ Wild mushroom gravy

+ Roasted turkey

+ Jacob's awesome cranberries

Finish with:

+ Spiced Pumpkin Pie (Note: double the spices in the recipe, via Epicurious)

+ Caramel cranberry almond tart (Note: I only used a 1/2 batch caramel and added a layer of spiced bosc pears atop the crust before baking, via Lottie + Doof)

All year long I keep a running list of recipes I'd like to make, so when Thanksgiving rolls around, it feels like the best excuse a handful all at once. All of the recipes linked here were new ones we tried this year and everything was a huge hit. I've noted how I adapted the recipes above; I can't recommend them enough.

Thankful

2011-11-23T16:24:00.001-05:00

A year of many things to be thankful for: the best husband, an amazingly supportive family, 10 cases of leftover wedding wine that we managed to work through before the year was out, the leak above our bed no longer leaks, the bounty our fruit CSA, my photo show at Saffron, feeling creatively challenged and creatively inspired, Girl Walk // All Day, dancing in the streets, a new niece, good health, boat rides in New York, serendipitous modeling experiences in Texas, and a future that feels full of the best possible unknowns. Happy Thanksgiving to all of you.

The Light for Feasting

2011-11-22T08:43:00.001-05:00

Getting ready to head upstate for baking and eating and long walks through the woods. We'll light lots of candles, have slow meals, or slower than usual, at least. The meal won't be sandwiched by hours at the computer, it'll be squished between a book and a nap. Thanksgiving is my favorite time. We're bringing 3 kinds of cheese home, an unseemly weight of rind and goo for a train ride: a cheddar, a blue, and a tomme. And chestnut cream and wine and so on. It'll be a feast.

Fulfillment

2011-11-21T10:33:00.001-05:00

If you ordered a Life Near Windows book to-date, then it should be arriving in your mailbox any day now. The first shipment went out on Saturday. Hip hip. Thank so much for all of your orders and support.

Leaves up, down, around

2011-11-18T09:19:00.001-05:00

The fall I've been waiting for is finally here and the neighborhood agrees. A walk around Greenpoint this week revealed carpets of leaves lining the sidewalks, color creeping up the ivy and leaves-covered wall that sits opposite our apartment and branches nearly bare when looking up.

This weekend will bring lots more development on the Girl Walk // All Day premiere (have you RSVP'ed yet?), shipping out my Life Near Windows books (just a couple left!), and a Thanksgiving potluck to practice a few of the recipes I'm trying out for next week. Speaking of: what are you making? I'm still recipe-hunting and would love some recommendations.

Nota Bene (good things elsewhere):

+ Contents Magazine is alive and kicking, with new columns and articles to be released each Wednesday. The content strategy world (what I do in a lot of my freelance life) desperately needs more definition and great documentation as the field rapidly grows. Have yourself a look.

+ Audiofil.es, a new aggregation and bookmarking tool for audio pieces, arrived in the world yesterday. If you, like me, are one of those people who is constantly looking for more to listen to, and to find sources for excellent stories outside of the regulars (This American Life, everything on NPR, Radiolab), then this is looking to be a great source for sharing, bookmarking and discovering new areas of sound.

+ If you're looking for holiday baking tips and recipes in a bound set of books that are also surely to be beautiful, then peek at Scratch Baking Co's Baking Notes. There are 2 issues out so far, which you can get together for $20, put together by the clever and talented crew at More & Co. I think my copies will be showing up in the mail today.

Girl Walk // All Day: The NYC Premiere!

2011-11-16T17:29:00.001-05:00

I couldn't be more proud or pleased to share that Jacob, the Girl Walk team and I are partnering with Kickstarter for our NYC Premiere on Thursday, December 8th at the Brooklyn Masonic Temple. We're planning a fabulous night of audiovisual performances, an awesome DJ, the first-ever showing of the film and yes: A DANCE PARTY.

Thanks to the incredible support of Kickstarter, the event will be free and open to the public. And that is a wonderful thing, because all through the making of the film, the point has been to both make and show it in public spaces.

Jacob, the dancers, the film crew and I have poured our hearts and souls into this project for many months and there is nothing we want more to have our friends, family and strangers from all reaches gather in a room and see this film, and then dance till you can't dance any more.

So, come join us December 8th to celebrate this film, to celebrate dance, community, energy, vitality and the city of New York. It's going to be a damn good time.

Girl Walk // All Day (NYC Premiere)
Brooklyn Masonic Temple
317 Clermont Avenue
Fort Greene, Brooklyn
Doors: 9 p.m.

RSVP required for entry (and it's first-come, first-served on the day-of): RSVP HERE.

Thursday Night: 3 Things To Do

2011-11-16T03:00:00.000-05:00

If you are looking for something to do on Thursday night (11/17), here are three things I'd love to be at all at once:

1. My friend Winnie Au has photos in the Milk Gallery Underground Autumn 2011 exhibition. Thursday night, they're having an opening for the 74 artists participating in the show with music and drinks.

Milk Studios
8 p.m. - 12 a.m.
450 West 15th Street, NY, 1st floor
RSVP to rsvp@milkstudios.com to attend.

(Photo by Winnie Au)

2. Lucky Gallery in Red Hook is hosting a book release party for my buddy Andy Vernon Jones who is publishing his first collection of images, Here in Red Hook. The gallery will also exhibit a selection of images from the book for the evening, which were all made in the streets, alleys and abandoned lots of Red Hook, Brooklyn over the last 5 years. So, come out and celebrate Andy/Vern's book, and have some food, drink and get yourself a copy.

Lucky Gallery
7 - 10 p.m.
360 Van Brunt Street
Red Hook, Brooklyn

(Photo by Andy Vernon Jones)

3. Partners & Spade is hosting a book release and store grand opening party for a shop based on the new Miranda July book, It Chooses You. From her website:

In celebration of “It Chooses You”, Miranda July and her team scoured the New York classifieds, buying up once-meaningful objects and interviewing the sellers. These items, ranging from a modest bottle cap collection to a massive work of art, will be resold for the original asking price (plus tax) at Miranda July’s resale shop within Partners & Spade. Specially-designed packaging will offer insights into the lives behind the hundreds of unique objects, and the local sellers will be in attendance — as will Miranda July herself, signing copies of “It Chooses You”.

Partners & Spade
6 - 9 p.m.
40 Great Jones Street

Perhaps I will see you in one or more of these three places on Thursday night.

Best Bread

2011-11-15T23:10:00.000-05:00

For last night's dinner, I grabbed one of my favorite loaves of bread in the city. It's made in the beautiful oven at Roberta's, the Bushwick pizzeria that Sam Sifton called "one of the more extraordinary restaurants in the United States." I remember first seeing Roberta's loaves sold at a card table on North 6th St. in Williamsburg on an occasional weekend day with the baker humbly hawking her loaves to anyone who would try. Now you can regularly find their baguettes and "french sticks" (a shorter, stouter baguette) at Brooklyn Kitchen. They're dense, chewy, deep in flavor and hold a fine crisp crust.

I've always thought somone ought to put together a Best Bread list. If I were to start, I'd put my votes in for the Roberta's French Stick, and also:

The raisin walnut bread from Grandaisy Bakery

The pain de mie from Bakeri in Williamsburg

The pugliese loaf from Bien Cuit on Smith Street in Cobble Hill

All of these breads are beautiful themselves, but one of my favorite snacks is to top a slice with fresh ricotta, honey, sea salt and thyme. I got my first little tub of Narragansett Creamery fresh ricotta the other day, and if you've never tried it, you are missing out. Slice the bread, top with ricotta, sprinkle with salt and pepper, drizzle with honey and a few leaves of thyme.

Nota Bene (Good things found elsewhere):
+ CDR's new printshop is open!
+ The new Sigur Ros album, Inni, is out. Have you heard it? What do you think?
+ Entertaining conversation between David Lynch and Melena Ryzik at the NY Times about his new album, Crazy Clown Time. I've only listened once, and it's pretty dark. Regardless, the conversation is a good read.
+ 01 MAGAZINE interviews CONFETTISYSTEM
+ The Selby's video of Lucy Chadwick for Zara

My Favorite: The Potluck

2011-11-14T11:30:00.001-05:00

I think potlucks sometimes get a bad rap, but it's my favorite way to share a meal with friends. Everyone brings a little something to the table, and magically, everything always goes well together.

Last week, I hosted a small potluck for five lady friends. This is what we ate:

Spicy southern squash
Braised cabbage with apples and onions
Butternut squash, kale and quinoa salad with a lemon tahini honey dressing
Whole wheat pasta with mushroom tomato sauce and fresh ricotta
Rosemary roasted potatoes with a creamy dill sauce
Oatmeal pumpkin chocolate chip cookies
Frozen yogurt with fresh mixed berries

And of course, lots of wine.

I look forward to many potlucks this winter.

New wares from Wiksten

2011-11-13T21:20:00.001-05:00

(Photos by Wiksten)

Like many others, I've admired Jenny Gordy's knit and textiles work for a long time. Her line and shop, Wiksten, including these beautiful pieces, opens tomorrow. For the first time, she'll also be selling jewelry and other wears made by friends and collaborators. Sign up for the Wiksten mailing list to be the first to know when the pieces are available.

Life Near Windows books are here!

2011-11-10T16:33:00.001-05:00

I'm excited to share that Life Near Windows, the book, is here! It is the first in a series of small photographic collections I hope to print going forward. The book is 24 pages, staple-bound, and accompanies the exhibition of the same name currently up at Saffron. The books are available in a limited and numbered edition of 30 and will be on sale at Saffron (31 Hanson Place, Brooklyn, NY) starting this weekend as well as in my shop online.

Life Near Windows
Numbered edition of 30
7-1/2 x 10 inches
16 original photographs, 24 pages
Publication Date: 11/11/2011 $18.00 + shipping (US only)

CAMP DAWN!

2011-11-10T10:37:00.000-05:00

I've never met Dawn Bridges, but yesterday she sent me this beautiful package. It reminds me how the Internet is powerful and sharing and giving, and how the lives of friends and friends-of-friends that we quietly observe over the years on the shiny, bright screen of our computers can sometimes translate to surprises in your mailbox that really make your day. Dawn reached out to me a week ago, after noting it was my birthday and asked for a mailing address. I had no idea what to expect. And certainly not to receive a neon pink mesh tape art wrapped package full of clever, colorful homemade goodness: a custom TWENTYNINE tank, beaded necklaces on hot pink nylon, and amazing initialed pouches. All are wares from her CAMP DAWN line (Dawn! Where can we get your lovely goods online??).

Thank you Dawn, for this wonderful explosion of brightness.

Pickles + Pie

2011-11-09T19:17:00.000-05:00

Last night we gathered to eat the fruits of our picklin' labor: the vegetables, fruits and roots we dunked in elixirs of vinegar a few weeks ago at our pickling party. We feasted on pickled carrots, green beans, tomatoes, ginger, cucumbers, onions, plums and blueberries, with the winning votes seeming to go to the batch of sweet ginger pickles and to the pickled blueberries. (All of the recipes came from The Joy of Pickling).

On top of the pickles, there were these incredible apple pies you see above, baked in miniature weck jars, brought to us by the so-very-talented Meagan Bennett. They were sweet, nutty, buttery, and full of a caramel-y brown sugar goodness. Meagan even hand-lettered each tag on each jar: "If you wish to make an apple pie, you must first create the universe."

Timber Jewelry Hangers by Stampel

2011-11-09T13:29:00.001-05:00

(Photos by Stampel)

I love these recycled timber jewelry hangers by Stampel. If you're anything like me, your necklaces and bracelets and rings are constantly getting tangled and lost. This would be the perfect solution.

5 P.M. LIGHT

2011-11-08T10:01:00.002-05:00

Daylight savings always takes me by surprise, and this year was no exception. Last week we took a work break in search of a sweet treat, and reveled in the glowing light of 5 p.m.. This, to me, is exactly what autumn is about. Long sideways sunsets, the kind you always feel in San Francisco if you're walking down 18th Street towards Mission Delores Park.

As the days get shorter, it makes the seasonal occasions the rest of the year feel more real: Thanksgiving is in just over two weeks and we're already talking about Christmas plans. Unlike some others, I savor the holidays: in addition to the copious baking and family visits, it usually means time to soak up more books, magazines and films that've been stacking up in real and virtual queues.

I've also caught wind of a few holiday happenings already:
+ The amazing Rena Tom is working with Maggie Mason (aka Mighty Girl) on a limited edition set of advent bags (for kids and adults alike). 50% of the proceeds will go to Charity:Water. Order now, so you have your bag in time for December 1st!
+ Lots of talented designers, including -- Lines & Shapes, Fort Standard - Designers & Makers, Lauren Manoogian Collection, MCMC Fragrances, Edith A Miller, OPUS, BAGGU, Erin Considine, DIEPPA RESTREPO, Bodkin, Wool and the Gang, Wiksten, Mociun, shop shabd and JF & SON -- are getting together for a holiday sale on Saturday, December 3rd at the Baggu shop in Williamsburg.

Rainbow Parade Sparkler Dance Party with Jessi Arrington: Friday 11/11/11

2011-11-07T12:29:00.001-05:00

(Photo by Jason Hawkins)

Do you know Jessi Arrington? Well, you should. She runs the design studio WORKSHOP, helped create Brooklyn Beta, loves color and has the most unbridled enthusiasm of anyone I've ever met. Ever.

This Friday, 11/11/11 at 8:30 a.m., she'll be speaking at Creative Mornings at Galapagos in DUMBO. Her talk will be followed by an electrifying rainbow parade. With a Balkan marching band. I'll be filming and photographing the parade alongside Jacob and a small crew. There will be dancing and sparklers.

So, this means: get your free ticket to Jessi's talk, dress in your favorite color of the rainbow from head-to-toe (this is very important! outerwear included!) and come to Galapagos on Friday morning. There will be breakfast and coffee. And did I mention dancing? There will be dancing.

See you there!

3 Marathon-watching Dogs

2011-11-07T10:11:00.002-05:00

Marathon morning. A Sunday. Crisp. Blue skies. Blinding sun. An impressive crowd gathers in our neighborhood, Greenpoint. There is an abundance of dogs, Veterans, Polish cheerleaders, Subway employees, proud moms, dads, wives, husbands and sleepy children. There are flower salesman stopping to watch, 99%'ers rallying for runners, churchgoers in their Sunday best, shielding their eyes from the sun with Bibles as the runners stride up Manhattan Ave. It's a unifying morning. One cannot help but cheer. We all call out the names of those we don't know, rooting them on, trying to lift their spirits if only for a second as they pass us on the way to 26.2. Yeah, New York.

Recovering from last night's gala

2011-11-04T12:26:00.003-04:00

Recovering from last night's gala and heading to The Armory for the International Print Fair with my mom today. Have a wonderful weekend. The sun will be out! Be back in this space on Monday.

Help Amit! Brown Bones Swab Party -- Friday, 11/4

2011-11-03T12:55:00.002-04:00

My friend Amit Gupta has been diagnosed with leukemia and desperately needs to find a South Asian bone marrow donor before the end of the month to save his life. Nick Gray is hosting a Brown Bones Swab Party in Williamsburg this Friday, November 4th, where you can come swab your cheek and be a possible match to save Amit's life.

Friday, November 4th
6 - 9 p.m.
Nick's Tea Room
132 North 5th St. #4i
Brooklyn, NY 11211

There will also be a party at BabyCastle's from 9 p.m. - 2 a.m. with the Wu Tang Clan. It's $15 for tickets to the concert and you can swab your cheek inside.

See www.AmitGuptaNeedsYou.com for details. Don't delay; he needs to find a match soon.

Upstate in the morning

2011-11-03T10:40:00.001-04:00

When I am Upstate, these are my three favorite windows to photograph, the accouterment of each just different enough every time. Last week AE and I were there for two homemade meals and one restful night of sleep. Then, back to the city again.

Also, have you heard?

The new Maira Kalman + Michael Pollan collaboration is out. Ms. Kalman transformed Pollan's Food Rules: An Eater's Manual into an illustrated book. (via Brain Pickings)
Tonight is the wonderful Jessi Arrington's LIGHTS CAMERA AUCTION! A real. live. auction. where you can bet on real. live. stuff. The event benefits Film Biz Recycling and for $10 you can join in on the fun, and also get beer, dollar tacos and live music. (540 President Street, Brooklyn, NY at the Film Biz Prop Shop).
Jonathan Harris' Balloons of Bhutan is a beautiful portrait of happiness visualized through balloons.

Tonight, I'm going to be shaking it up with Team Girl Walk // All Day at the Dia Foundation's Annual Gala. The dancers are putting on their first site-specific live performance. Super exciting. I will report back from the dance floor.

Beautiful work by Sasha Prood

2011-11-02T16:18:00.002-04:00

I am really loving the hand-drawn typography and pattern work Sasha Prood does with watercolor, pen and pencil. (All images by Sasha Prood.)

Snow sprint

2011-11-02T10:20:00.001-04:00

Running through the snow at Stormking!

Stormking in Sun and Snow

2011-11-01T13:16:00.000-04:00

Can you believe these were taken in October? We headed up to the Stormking Art Center on Sunday. The sunshine was glorious. Trees were down on the roads along the way there, heavy with wet snow, red and orange and yellow leaves glistening under melting flakes. As we approached the gates, we were briefly dispirited to see that the roads were blocked and Stormking was closed. But, it seemed a few renegades were heading in to explore. We put on our boots and trucked along. It was peaceful, blindingly silent. The Serras and Calders were covered in snow. Maya Lin's Wavefield was just a series of white humps. The sky was a crisp shade of blue. The sunshine was piercing. The leaves lay on top of the white stuff like foliage confetti.

Golden Birthday

2011-10-31T12:22:00.001-04:00

Saturday was my golden birthday and despite sniffles, sneezes and a scratchy throat, I had a lovely, blizzard brunch with a few friends at my favorite North Brooklyn spot, Anella. If you're there for brunch, I dare you not to get the maple toasted pecan & banana french toast. It is unequivocally the best french toast on the planet.

My dad thinks early snowstorms are auspicious, and I have to agree with him. I take it as a sign of a fatefully good year to come (knock on wood). And besides, there's nothing cozier than drinking a hot mug of coffee by candlelight in a warm room with your friends, while winds are whipping and the snow is fluttering past the window outside.

S + V gifted me the amazing new cookbook by Ferran Adria, The Family Meal. The book is organized by meals for every occasion, and the instructions for every recipe are illustrated by beautiful annotated photographs. Each of the ingredients needed to create each meal are also photographed before the recipes are presented. I'm so excited to cook from this. J + J gave me "Jeu Du Tigre," a french balancing game, which I fell in love with based on the packaging alone. CP sent me a gorgeous new chef's knife and a copy of Christina Tosi's Momofuku Milk Bar cookbook. I see a lot of Milk Bar-inspired baking happening at Thanksgiving and Christmas. And JBK took me to see Traces, which describes itself as "high energy urban acrobatics" and combines theater, music, tumbling, aerials, pole work, skateboarding and dance into a 90 minute show. I can't urge you to go enough; the show is in New York for a 5-month stint at the Union Square Theater.

Opening Night at Saffron + Salted Caramel Macaroons

2011-10-29T15:27:00.000-04:00

Thanks to all who came out Wednesday night to my opening at Saffron. That was a room full of love. I promise to let you all know when the small books I'm making in conjunction with the exhibit are available. Kana, the owner of the shop, gave me this beautiful bouquet on my way out that night. The hairy, verdant and Seussian stem you see in the bottom photo is called "Green Tree" and apparently lasts 3-4 weeks in fresh water.

For those who asked about the salted caramel macaroons I made for the opening, I wanted to share the recipe, adapted from one I found on Serious Eats. Unlike other macaroons I've made in the past, this recipe starts with a homemade pastry cream, which you fold into the whipped egg whites and coconut. I thought the batter was much more "pasty" and less runny, which helped create a nice exterior shell and keep the cookies extra moist. The salted caramel is super simple to make, and to die for. Make sure to use a good quality large-crystal sea salt.

Pastry Cream

1/2 cup whole milk (I like Ronnybrook)

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

generous pinch of kosher salt

2 egg yolks

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cookie Base

14-ounce bags sweetened shredded coconut

3 egg whites

1/2 cup sugar

Pinch of kosher salt

Salted Caramel

1/2 cup sugar

1/8 cup water

1 tablepoon light corn syrup (I use the type from Wholesome Sweeteners)

1/3 cup + 1 Tbsp. heavy cream

2 tbsp unsalted butter

3/4 teaspoons sea salt

Start by making the pastry cream. Stir together the 1/4 cup sugar, 2 Tbsp flour and salt in a small bowl. In a small bowl, lightly whisk the egg yolks, then add to the dry mixture, until the texture is pasty. In a saucepan, heat the milk until you see a ring of bubbles around the edges, then slowly add it to the egg/dry mixture while whisking. Return the mixture to medium heat, whisking it vigorously for several minutes until it thickens. (2-3 minutes). Take the pastry cream off the heat, and whisk in 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Allow pastry cream to cool completely.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line your backing sheet with parchment paper. In a mixing bowl, whip the egg whites until they hold stiff peaks, but are not dry and stiff. Fold in the coconut, sugar, salt and pastry cream.

Using a teaspoon (and your hands), form the dough into small rounds and place on the baking sheet. You can place them pretty close together; they should spread too much. Bake until golden, about 18 minutes. Allow cookies to cool on the parchment paper while you make the caramel.

For the caramel, bring the remaining 1/2 cup sugar, water and corn syrup to boil in a saucepan and continue stirring until it turns a warm amber color. Remove it from the heat and add the cream, salt and heavy cream. Let the caramel cool 10 minutes until it is a good drizzling texture, then streak over the cooled macaroons.

The recipe makes about 40 small macaroons.

14 Seconds at Amon Tobin's ISAM

2011-10-26T11:17:00.000-04:00

We went to the first of three Amon Tobin ISAM performances this week at the Brooklyn Masonic Temple, which is an outright audio visual assault on the senses. Tobin performs from within the enormous 25' x 14' x 8' structure, while highly calculated 3-D projections of industry, cogs, mechanics, fractals, soundwaves and countless other forms and shapes pulse onto its exterior with alarming intensity. In my mind, the ISAM performance is much more installation art than music show, and I am far more interested in the construction of the built structure and the visuals than I am in the sounds that accompany them.

The tour trailer explaining the construction of the structure is really fascinating, and looks into the technology and thinking that went into this project.

Hanging the Show

2011-10-25T18:04:00.003-04:00

My show has been hung and opens tomorrow! Jacob and I spent an afternoon hanging the 11 pieces, and I am really happy with how they turned out. These are a few images from the set-up. The shop has the most incredible flowers right now and I'm excited about how the colors and textures of the plant life reflect and shape the room.

Saffron also has a very distinct storefront that is largely mirror-like during the day (making it hard to observe what's going on in the store) but at night, the store is like a glass box cabinet of curiosities; the succulents, flowers and objects that make up its innards have an incredible variety of shapes and textures and these become very exposed. A large part of developing this show was to connect the idea of variable ways of seeing through the same window at different times of day and how that in turn affects your experience of a place. So during the day, you really have to come inside and be close to the images to see them, but at night, the windows seen through the larger frame of the storefront are intended to act as tiny portals to other places.

I hope to see you tomorrow night. I'm baking salted caramel macaroons and fudge meringue cookies for the occasion!

Life Near Windows

Opening reception: Wednesday, October 26th, 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.

On view: October 26th, 2011 - January 7, 2012

Saffron (31 Hanson Place)

Brooklyn, NY 11217

Mass MoCA Light

2011-10-24T17:07:00.000-04:00

While we were up in Lenox, MA last weekend, we meandered 25 miles north to Mass MoCA, up in North Adams. I first visited this museum, which occupies the former Sprague Electric Company headquarters, during a German class field trip in middle school, but hadn't returned since. I had only faint memories of the space, and of Natalie Jerimijenko's Tree Logic piece in the museum's entrance, which challenges a handful of small maple trees to grow against the forces of gravity. When I learned that a major Sol Lewitt retrospective was going up last year, I knew that we would have to pay another visit.

Lewitt's exhibition spans three floors and encompasses his early, middle, and more recent years of work, which are largely defined by the choice of his predominant material during each phase --respectively, respectively, graphite, then inkwash, then acrylics. The work from the early and middle years is the work I'm most familiar with, but I'd only seen a few select pieces in-person prior to this exhibit. All three floors are an astounding execution of Lewitt's intricately detailed and mathematical drawing instructions applied directly onto the walls over the course of 5 months by 55 draftsman using countless pencils, crayons and other materials.

If you are anywhere near North Adams, I can't recommend seeing this show enough. These are a selection of images I made of the light observed in the museum during the hours we were there, 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Like at Dia:Beacon, where an industrial space has been converted into a museum space, the textures of the original structure are an essential factor in one's experience of viewing the art. The space is predominantly lit by natural light, so the time of day you visit also has a major impact on how you experience the work.

Mass MoCA has put together amazing online resources to accompany the exhibit, so you can view his drawings by grid, view them by the floorplan, and watch timelapses of the drawings. (But, this is no excuse not to go see the show; it's on view until the year 2033!)

Also, have you seen:

This short film about Gerhardt Richter's painting technique by Corinna Belz
These astounding photos of Japan -- just after the tsunami, during cleanup, and then now (6 months later)

Clear Blue Skies + Type Truck!

2011-10-21T11:11:00.000-04:00

The last week has been full of clear blue skies and billowing clouds. The blues seem richer, perhaps because the days are crisper and clearer and the leaves have started falling off the trees, giving way to more sky.

Today, I'm headed off to install my show at Saffron and can't wait to see everything up. Thanks for all the kind emails about the show.

If you're around in Williamsburg this weekend, the Movable Type Truck is here! Kyle Durrie has been driving around the country for months, letterpressing out of her custom-designed truck and teaching people how to letterpress. Where to find the truck:

Friday, 10/21:
The Arm
281 North 7th Street
between Havermeyer and Meeker
Williamsburg, Brooklyn

Saturday, 10/22
Brooklyn Flea
Lafayette Avenue
between Clermont and Vanderbilt
Fort Greene, Brooklyn

Brit & Mike!

2011-10-20T10:03:00.000-04:00

Here comes the bride...

And there goes the wedded couple!

We were giddy guests at Brit & Mike's wedding in Lenox last weekend. Festivities were held at the breathtaking Elm Court Estate, a Vanderbilt mansion. The textures of the house were incredible -- the kind of place where you just can't stop touching everything -- the drapes, the lamps, the moldings, the furniture -- and then you catch yourself in the mirror fawning over a lamp shade.

The eve of the wedding we had a giant bonfire -- it was the first truly cold night of the year. The smell of smoke and leaves and the rustling of the air was just what I needed from a weekend away. We also discovered the fantastic breakfast spot, Haven Cafe & Bakery, so if you're up in Lenox, make sure you stop in for their special omelet or breakfast pastries and a hot cup of coffee. The earlier you go, the better, and I think on most days they open at 7 a.m.

Life Near Windows | Opening Wednesday, 10/26!

2011-10-19T10:41:00.000-04:00

Friends! I'm excited to invite you the opening reception of Life Near Windows next Wednesday, October 26th from 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. at Saffron (31 Hanson Place) in Fort Greene. I'll be exhibiting 11 photographs and have a limited set of small books for sale. Join me for wine + baked goods!

12 Eggs Make a Dozen

2011-10-18T12:00:00.000-04:00

The last 10 months have been hectic, so it feels especially important to hang onto small routines. One of my weekly routines is to get a dozen eggs from the farmers' market in McCarren Park. Garden of Eve has my favorite eggs, but you have to get to the market early to claim your dozen. I usually hardboil one or two in the morning, and have them for breakfast or for a snack in the afternoon. Every week I marvel at the speckles and gradients that comprise the shells. Sometimes they are hues more bluish, or reddish. Other times a shade or two darker from top-to-bottom. Some are over-sized, others dwarfed; some are long, some are squat. I always regret that I can't save the shells, preserving the armor. These are the 12 eggs from this week's dozen.

New lights

2011-10-14T10:11:00.000-04:00

We have two new lights in our home. I love the silhouettes they cast.

2011-10-14T00:10:00.000-04:00

(The crowd at Brooklyn Beta)

Last night officially goes down as PURE MAGIC. We previewed a rough cut of Girl Walk // All Day to about 200 people at the creative conference, Brooklyn Beta. It was the first time anyone other than Jacob or myself would see the film, and we had our fingers crossed, waiting for the response.

We need not have worried. The audience was screaming and cheering and laughing and tapping their feet for the entire 74 minutes. When it was all over and the lights came back on, Jacob and I unlocked from a happy embrace to see a roomful of smiling faces raucously cheering, clapping, crying and dancing. It was one of the most wonderful moments I can remember. I'm so proud to be part of the team that made this film. And, we can't wait to show it to the rest of the world.

Proofing Prints

2011-10-13T12:24:00.000-04:00

In the midst of all other kinds of wonderful madness, I'm also in the process of preparing prints for an upcoming exhibition at Saffron. The opening party will be the evening of Wednesday, October 26th. I stopped by the printer the other day to take a look at proofs and was so excited to see these mini-prints. As a photographer who spends most of my time looking at images on the Internet, putting images on paper and considering physical layout, sizing, matting, framing and installation, forces you to think about whether an image really stands up on its own and whether it really deserves its own place on a wall.

Jacob really dislikes one of the images I've selected for the show and really doesn't think it "works" at all. At first that stung, but it also made me think about how to defend each image that is there as part of my bigger practice and body of work, and figure out how it fits in -- or if it fits in at all.

Girl Walk // All Day: Redesign + Trailer!

2011-10-12T09:04:00.000-04:00

As most who know me know, for the greater part of the last 9 months, Jacob and I have been working on Girl Walk // All Day, a dance music video that we hope is going to take this city by storm. We filmed for over 40 days with hundreds of different dancers in dozens of locations, and are ecstatic-nervous-giddy about bringing the film into the world.

Our first screening is tonight at Brooklyn Beta, a kick-ass conference taking place at The Invisible Dog Art Center over the next 3 days. Yesterday, we released the film's official trailer on Gothamist.com and unveiled our brand spankin' new web presence. While Jacob is the captain behind the film itself, the website was my pet project, and I worked closely with two extraordinary guys: designer/html-izer Casey Gollan, and with David Yee, who put the robot together. I'm excited about lots of parts of the new site and wanted to highlight a few of my favorite features:

Timeline
It was important to us to showcase the story behind Girl Walk, and let people know it's an evolving project that's grown new legs since the notion of the film first existed, so we came up with the idea of visualizing process, in the form of this timeline. This will continue to grow as we march forward.

Watch the Film, by Chapter
The full film will be 74+ minutes, and we knew this was an impossible length of time to hold anyone's attention online. But, we also have the good fortune of having a film soundtrack that enables a very logical segmentation. We decided to create "chapters" and have partnered with Gothamist.com for to release the chapters week-by-week starting in November.

A Way to Get Involved
Since the film first hit the Internet back in January, we've been getting emails asking how people could be part of the project. And, we want you + you (+ you + you) to be part of the project! We now have a form that lets you fill out the way you'd like to get involved. We envision entire communities being parts of our live events series. Imagine a large scale dance party with local DJ's spinning tracks and all your favorite food trucks parked outside. And free dance classes to boot. That's what we want to happen. And if there's some other way you'd like to get involved that you don't see here: by all means.

A Way to Request a Screening Near You!
We're excited by the diversity of our fans, and the diversity of their locations. We want our audience to tell us where we should hold screenings, so we set up this map, run by Crowd Controls, to let anyone and everyone make a request near them. We're going to do our best to get to those big (and little) blips on the map.

This site is still a work-in-progress, but pushing it live felt like what I imagine sending your child off to school for the first time is like. You hold his/her hand till you get to the school doors, then you let them fly. I hope you enjoy the site and the film-to-come.

Paper Anniversary

2011-10-11T12:26:00.000-04:00

Gorgeous anniversary gifts from Jacob: a pressed cotton POSTALCO notebook with micro graph paper and the most giant and beautiful and cozy wool blanket that's ever done been made.

We celebrated with an incredible dinner at Gramercy Tavern last night, my favorite special occasion spot. The waiters make you feel like stars, regardless of the occasion you're celebrating. Our waiter also looked like Sal from Mad Men, which led to recurring fits of laughter throughout dinner. We were debating over a few desserts, and since the waiter could tell we were having trouble deciding (as usual), he just decided to bring us all three: a chocolate blackout cake with salted caramel chip ice cream, a pear pistachio crisp with pistachio ice cream and a almond cherry cake with sour cherry sauce and lime sherbet. How's that for service?

p.s. If you have the chance to go, then also be sure to walk to the bathrooms to check out their excellent series of posters about churning butter.

10.10.11

2011-10-10T16:21:00.000-04:00

Jacob and I got married one year ago today. A year passes impossibly fast when you get to spend everyday with the person you love. We are lucky. (Photo by Scott Munson)

Pickle....Dance Party?

2011-10-10T15:43:00.000-04:00

Yesterday's pickling shoot spontaneously turned into a dance party. There were dishtowels flying everywhere. No complaints. Huge thanks to Ksenya for hosting + to Cassie, Audrey + Meagan for modeling, chopping, cutting, canning and boiling.

Stocking up on Dill

2011-10-08T13:22:00.000-04:00

Nearly all of my shoots seem to involve some element of food or entertaining, so I often find myself "prop shopping" beforehand at the farmers' market. Today, I went in search of dill flowers and found these lovely ones from Garden of Eve farm to use for tomorrow's pickle shoot. After I put the stems in my bag, the farmer chuckled and said, "watch out for all the caterpillars"; dill is (apparently) often crawling with little inchworms. After an internal anxiety attack and an external caterpillar probe, I was relieved to discover my stems were crawler-free.

10 Photos from a Crosswalk Near Occupy Wall Street

2011-10-08T11:49:00.000-04:00

Light in the Morning

2011-10-06T10:48:00.000-04:00

I've been working from home more, so I get to be in the apartment over long mornings watching the sun move across the walls. I forget it's there sometimes, until I walk downstairs for water and catch the familiar flicker. This light is so much of the reason we live in this apartment.

My photos + Saffron

2011-10-03T09:57:00.000-04:00

In a few weeks, I'll be exhibiting a dozen photos from my series Life Near Windows at Saffron, a beautiful flower and vintage store in Fort Greene. I'm going through the exercise of editing, proofing, printing and framing right now and also working on a small book to sell in conjunction with the exhibition. It'll be my first time seeing a lot of these images on a larger scale, framed, and I'm always amazed by that first moment seeing images off the screen. These are a few photos I took of Caitlin Mociun in the store last year (outtakes from Brooklyn Diary). More details soon on the opening date + party.