I was surfing my regular design blog haunts today, when I stopped at this poppytalk post. I am totally digging that look.
I had seen neat little bucket stools just like those in London this summer at this great little chain diner they have all over there called Leon (I would eat out ALL the time if I had one of those around the corner from me here - and they were so cute and retro too) - such a great idea, such a great way to recycle both fabric scraps AND old paint or olive buckets.
Perhaps I’ll do something like this (with some waterproof oil cloth) on my new deck. They’d be great as additional seating when there’s company coming - totally a low rent, industrial version of the Moroccan “pouffes” I was talking about earlier in the fall. Plus they’re small and compact, easy to tuck away, and I bet you could store stuff in them too.
And all this reminded me that Liam posted a bunch of our pictures of England on flickr last week.
Sorry it took so long guys!
We spent pretty much all of the weekend painting our new apartment.
Our living-room/kitchen and entryway are now a very subtle, pale turquoise.
The bedroom has a coat of stark white on 3 out of 4 walls, and the 4th wall (the one we’re putting the bed on) is going to be an intense green. Grape green, to be specific (seriously, the paint chip is actually called that - I love accurate paint names). It’s actually a little too intense, so we may be doing some kind of subtle texturizing paint effect over top (like one of those Ralph Lauren dealies that make walls look like linen). I forgot the paint chip at the apartment, so it is not pictured.
I am incredibly stoked to be painting everything a colour I have chosen myself. I have never, ever gotten to do that, in all of my 25 years. Sad, huh? I have always had to live with a colour not of my own choosing (usually chosen previous to my inhabitancy) often due to financial or legal concerns (you’d think painting walls something other than off-white was akin to keeping a camel in your apartment with the way many landlords treat painting - have they not heard of primer?).
So to be able to make everything in the new apartment look exactly the way I want it to, and be a colour I chose myself (and is - most importantly - not icky, rental beige) is so, so exciting.
You have no idea.
It’s like Christmas.
I am having trouble sleeping I’m that excited.
My little brother and sister came over to visit last night - one last time in the old ‘hood before we move. I was going to make them dinner, but I was at a loss as to what I would make.
Then we started discussing how the other night we had been watching one of our new favourite shows of the fall: Chuck, and this weeks episode centred around a Chinese restaurant entree called “sizzling shrimp.”
We were intrigued. But alas, we had never eaten such a dish.
So I decided I would do my best and improvise, based on nothing more than a name.
What follows is that improvisation. It is probably nothing like what real sizzling shrimp is like, but it is delicious, it is spicy, it sizzles and it’s tastes vaguely like something you might get at a really good little restaurant in Chinatown.
Sizzling Shrimp
- 1 pound shrimp (raw but peeled or zipper-back)
- 1 tbsp butter (melted)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 teaspoon chilli-garlic sauce
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 lime (zest and juice)
- 2 green onions (chopped)
- salt to taste
- Toss the shrimp with the butter, oil, chilli-garlic sauce, soy and lime zest. Let the shrimp hang out and and marinate for 10-30 minutes while you pre-heat oven to 400.
- Place the saucy shrimp in a single layer on a baking sheet (you can skewer them - 3-4 per skewer if that makes them easier to handle). Broil for 10-20 minutes, or until the shells of the shrimp are lightly browned, flipping once at the halfway mark.
- As soon as the shrimp are browned evenly on both sides remove them from the oven and sprinkle a little bit of salt on top, then the green onions on top so they absorb the heat and wilt slightly and then squeeze the juice from the lime onto them.
- Serve while hot, preferably with retro, classic, Chinese-restaurant-style accompaniments - like fried rice and egg-rolls.
I have been feeling unmotivated (as I occasionally do). Without the spark of life that leads to ideas and work. Granted, things are pretty understandably out of sorts right now - all the things I normally run to in situations like this are getting packed into boxes, and I’m trying to avoid buying or finding any new things, because it’s just more to lug to the other side of town (as it is, I’m trying to eat my way through my pantry just so that I don’t have to bring that with me).
But it made me think about the things that get me going, get me working, get me coming up with new ideas and exploring them.
And so I started writing a list of those things, in lieu of actually being able to have them… And then expanding and expounding on that list… And then the list took on a life of it’s own and became:
creative sparks
Go, check it out. It will probably grow as time goes on (I left out some things - plays and fiction and tv and music - they will find their way on there eventually, but the thing is massive as it is).
I tried to include things that were instrumental in how I approach life, art, the universe and everything - as well as some things I am constantly hearing have helped fellow artists and friends get those friendly lightning bolts of imagination.
I hope it’s helpful to more than just me.
Go see it.
Seriously.
It’s beautiful.
If you like Wes Anderson you will love it. If you consider yourself to be a student of cinema and literature you will love it’s depth and elegance (although if Hollywood movies and best-selling books are more your thing you might not). If you’re looking for a bit of a visual boost, some eye candy to jangle your creativity, it’s perfect too. If you’re looking for inspiration for decorating your home, then this is the movie to see this season.
The India depicted is (like in most Anderson movies) not so much of the present, or even of the past, but one of dreams captured cinematically. The set pieces and locales are astonishing - everything is drenched in a vibrant, fairy-tale exoticism. However, it’s not quite as much of a fashion flick as other Wes Anderson movies have been - despite the help of Mark Jacobs and a large set of absolutely divine Louis Vuiton luggage.
I found this poster for it, and it’s a bit of a odd find as it depicts only Natalie Portman and a tiger. While both are certainly in the movie, they do not appear as more than spoken-of-mirages, and blink-and-you’ll-miss-it cameos. But I do absolutely love it’s retro illustrative style, reminiscent of mid-sixties movie posters. It certainly hints to the mystery and style of the movie.
Script-wise, Anderson is back to form - recalling his first (and most critically acclaimed) film: Bottle Rocket.
Anderson’s trio of brothers are, though a return to a familiar subject of disaffected families, one of his most emotionally interesting depictions. Although he does receive a lot of help from his always impeccable casting.
Brody? Schwartzman? Wilson? You can’t go wrong
I’m really hoping that he never collaborates with that Noah Baumbach ever again. I actually quite like Roman Coppola (his CQ was entirely underrated) so I think he was a much better choice as a collaborator than that other guy. They certainly share a certain retro, new-wave, colour-drenched sensibility. I could tell he added a lot of sparkle and elegance to the cinematography and script - but then again, it’s well established that I have a thing for the Coppola family.
Speaking of which, Jason Schwartzman is also quite effective here - I think it’s his sense of humour which most comes out in both his performance and the script (which he also co-wrote), bringing levity to Wes Andersons darker inclinations. .
Here’s also hoping Owen Wilson never succeeds in his recently publicized attempts, because he is a woefully wonderful actor who adds so much undertones and depth to a performance - but damned if doesn’t ever get to show it except for in Wes Anderson movies.
They like to clean Liam on Weekend mornings. It is both adorable and disgusting
So, in all my garden planning and moving preperation and decorating fervor and well, cat related sadness… I have been neglecting to update the internet on the state of my multi-kittened household.
I mean, you guys don’t even know how they got here, do you?
We were spending a lot of time at the vet with Kaylee, and our amazing, wonderful Queen West Animal Clinic had started putting out little, teensy, adorable kitties with little, teensy, adorable sob-stories.
These particular kittens had been found playing all by themselves on a country road. They were very closely bonded and played together all day (I’ve seen them pass a ball back and forth between them like little kids) and slept huddled together in one little ball of fluff at night.
So, the vet did not want them to be separated.
They had almost been adopted - and even spent the day with a young family - but had been sadly sent back to their cage at the vets office.
So we took them home.
I mean, how can you say no to a story like that?
This one with little spots on her nose is Piglet. We were going to call her Dorothy (after Dorothy Parker), but they had already named her Piglet at the vet’s office, and it stuck as she’s clingy, and sweet, and just a little bit chubby, and… piggy.
She’s got short, little legs, and sometimes when she’s been running around like crazy (which happens quite a lot, actually) and it’s hot out, she pants and snorffles exactly like a little puppy. She’s built like a little puppy too.
She loves to cuddle as much as she likes to run, and she growls at you if you come near her when she’s got her favourite toy (a little squishy pink ball she’s nearly destroyed).
Actually I think she might be a puppy in disguise.
She has a crush on Maeby and follows her around (which Maeby is totally not into).
This one’s Flora. She’s quieter and gentler and prefers things that make noise to things that move.
I think she might be slightly older than Piglet because she often takes care of her. Flora makes sure Piglet cleans her box properly, and eats first and always knows where she is, and if she’s sleeping lies down next to her and snuggles.
Flora demands more attention from us than Piglet, meowing for us to wake up in the morning, greeting us cheerfully, rubbing on our legs and hopping into our laps. This sorta confirms my theory about her being older and having to take care of her sister, because I think she’s really happy to have someone to take care of the both of them, and that they’re not alone and locked in a cage or out in the wilderness anymore.
I found this image when surfing around, I believe it is an entry at last years Canada Blooms. I am totally taking it as my inspiration for my garden to be (and am I the only one who is very much reminded of Fred Penner’s Place and his awesome forest garden shed? Am I the only one who remembers Fred Penner?).
I love the juxtaposition of very vibrant saturated colours (the purple birdhouses, the yellow wellies, the electric blue stakes) popped against a rough, rustic, natural background with splashes of verdant and chartreuse gardens.
Although I’m gonna probably rock saturated oranges and pinks, rather than purples and blues because I have a couple big orange berried rowan trees (also known as Mountain ash) to work with. Totally using the “bright lights” swiss chard I want to grow as a colour inspiration.
I have also bought You Grow Girl, and am reading my way through - it’s pretty awesome. It’s got neat crafts, simple instructions, beautiful photography and a youthful/urban/girly attitude that is super easy for a youthful/urban/girl to relate to. The author actually lives down the street somewhere here in Parkdale, so I know all her advice is workable for me here in Toronto’s micro-climate. Perfect!
Things I am dreaming of growing in my garden when I have one (very soon!):
- black, red, purple and yellow carrots
- heirloom and cherry tomatoes
- pink, purple and blue potatoes
- tiny chilli peppers
- stringbeans
- patty-pan and spaghetti squash
- lettuce
- neon coloured “bright lights” chard
- strawberries
- raspberries
- chocolate mint
- basil
- rosemary
- chives
- strawberry, coconut, lime and almond scented geraniums
- lilly of the valley
- tulips
- snapdragons
- petunias
- poppies
I am also dreaming about pink trowels, chartreuse clogs, electric-blue patio furniture and red-rubber wellies.
Geeez, how can you not hate Gwyneth Paltrow?
“Hi, I’m an internationally recognized beauty, with a British rock star husband, and the most pretentiously named babies in the world.
“I was just hanging out in my Hamptons apple orchard wearing a silk Etro mini-dress in front of House and Garden editors (here to shoot my preternaturally beautiful summer home) when I decided to whimsically pick up a hula hoop I just found lying around. Oh, and look at that. My Oscar. Who left that lying in the rhododendrons?
“Aren’t I whimsical? Aren’t I pretty? Aren’t I skinny? Aren’t I wonderful?”
Meanwhile, whenever she goes out to pick up diapers she looks like a fat schlub. Which is cool, cause she’s a mommy and stuff, and that’s what’s realistic.
It’s just seems like she seems to be working awfully hard to win us all over… And you know how well that always worked out on the playground.
backwards »