Wednesday, July 13, 2011

minimalism

VIA

Much Ado About (Nearly) Nothing
By Amy M. Spindler
New York Times, June 13, 1993


Minimalism is as noncommittal as fashion gets without leaving a body naked.
At its best, minimalist fashion is like Mission-style oak furniture: inviting, architectural, sturdy, elegant. At worst, it's plain. It can put demands on the wearer. It won't inspire your friends to apply adjectives to you that you couldn't inspire alone. A minimalist dress is the only $2,000 one that you might wear to meet the Dalai Lama without feeling obscene.

What sets the minimalists on this page above the rest is their deceit and their conceit. Deceit because these clothes look so simple but can in fact be the most difficult: many are cut on the bias (diagonlly, across the grain of the fabric). The bias cut makes them drape. The conceit is the richness of the fabric. There is nothing plain about chiffon backed with silk, or cashmere woven into the rib knit of a sweater.

Minimalism is best described not by what it is, but by what it lacks. There's no lace. No tulle. No fringe. No flouncy tiers. No rows of pleats. For those who subscribe, it is defined the way obscenity ofter is: they know it when they see it.

Friday, July 08, 2011

jean hack man

inspired by Stop It Right Now

thrifted Rag & Bone jeans

hacked

CSA dinner

multicolored carrots, ginger and garlic scapes sauteeing in olive oil

dinner's ready! barley, CSA stir fry of bok choy, leeks, and the above mixture, pork chop, and CSA salad of cucumbers, romaine, red leaf lettuce, and red oak lettuce, carrots, sunflower seeds and egg

Rockaway Beach

We spent the Fourth of July holiday weekend locally in Brooklyn.  The city is very quiet on these long summer weekends, with lots of people retreating to beach or country homes.  

On the 4th, we took the A train to Rockaway Beach -- our first time there.  The area is getting a lot of attention lately with their Rockaway concessions, and no denying, 
that's what brought us out there.  We had a beautiful day all-around, though.  I doubt I'll ever get totally used to crowded beaches after growing up visiting the foggy beaches of the Oregon coast, but I am learning to appreciate this kind of beach life too.


a view of Rockaway Beach sun worshippers

from Rockaway concessions (top to bottom):
Ode to the Elephants veggie spring rolls; Rockaway Taco's "Cucs" (cucumbers, jicama and pickled mango in lime and chili flakes); Ode to the Elephants' Bangkok Burger


Wednesday, July 06, 2011

Friday, July 01, 2011

the sights at La Boqueria











What we ate in Barcelona, Part 1: La Boqueria

the buzzing Kiosko Universal, where we grabbed a table

sauteed wild mushrooms in olive oil and sea salt

grilled razor clams in olive oil and a light pesto

grilled pulpo

La Boqueria's overhead view

a more tame seating area off to one side of the main event

Sang Lee Farms visit

We've been proud members of the Crown Heights CSA now for a little over a full year, purchasing shares in both the regular 2010 and 2011 seasons, as well as the winter 2010 season.  Back in May we got to visit the organic farm that produces all the food for our CSA, Sang Lee Farms, along with other members of our branch of the CSA, as well as a few people from the DUMBO branch.

a view of baby lettuces

another view of the field

inside a greenhouse

Farmer Fred, who runs Sang Lee, is a wealth of knowledge on agribusiness, and organic farming.  We could've happily listened to him all day long.

another greenhouse

little herbs and ground cover





the hard working bees of Sang Lee Farms

concerts, recently

the kills @ terminal five

css at webster hall

sleigh bells @ webster hall

gordon voidwell @ music hall of williamsburg


theophilus london @ music hall of williamsburg

smith westerns @ terminal five

yeasayer @ terminal 5

punch brothers @ prospect park

justin townes earl @ prospect park