b l o g o r e l l i

Paul + Joe Do Perrier

Hey, has anyone seen the new labels for Perrier designed by Paul+Joe's Sophie Albou? I love buying the Perrier in the "classic" glass bottles, and was pleasantly surprised to see something fresh on the labels (a Spring/St. Patrick's Day theme, I guess?) The main Perrier site doesn't have any info, but looking around the blogosphere, I found out that there are also Paul + Joe limited edition Perrier cans which are chic and retro-Francais.) 

(Image below from Design Finds)

These commerce-meets-design partnerships always intrigue me (like Target's GO International line, of which Paul+Joe was coincidentally a part). So of course, I totally bought both versions of the new Target reusable shopping bags when I saw them in the local store earlier this month. Minneapolis-based firm Wink did the cute illustration and, let's face it, in both color and design, these bags far exceed the standard of style seen in other supermarkets (which I wrote about a while back here.) After using both bags, I'd recommend splurging for the $1.49 version, which has a box shaped bottom (better for carrying purchases) and a handy hanging loop once the bag is rolled and snapped.

(Images below from Wink)

The Dairy Queen sent me the perfect example of well-designed functionality in a product this morning: Dots Gloves. The simple, black gloves have smooth (and non-scratching) curved metal dots on the fingertips to offer iPhone and iPod users out there the ability to interface without suffering cold fingers. Genius.

Snowshoein'

Apologies for the sad amount of postings lately...I took a few days off to "organize", which turned into the weekend, which turned into the flu...

I'm back, and psyched to tell you, Inter-net, about our fun Saturday adventure. When The Bean received about 6-8" of the white stuff on Friday night, I told The Prof that I thought Saturday should be The Day. His first day on a snowboard...and my first day back on The Stinger since I broke my distal radius and met an amusing cast (of characters. HA.)

Saturday morning, even though I warned that Massholians of all shapes and sizes would be charging our chosen mountain -- Wachusett, which, according to snow reports was the closest mountain with the most pow-pow, so don't make those snooty faces -- we still managed to leave late and pull into the parking lot for a leisurely 10 am arrival. Thank goodness Cho and Bobby are in Santa Fe this week, because they might administer a swift smack to the side of my head after reading the previous sentence. When going snowboarding with the ChoBos, one is always there at least 35 minutes before the mountain opens. As that thought trotted through my mind, I saw the sign (no, literally):

"Mountain closed until 3pm"

NooooOOoo!

Not at all a glass-half-empty cynic like myself, The Prof suggested we rent snowshoes and get on the mountain in the only way we could. After 20 minutes of wrangling the attendant to let us park so we could go to the rental shop, we got our snowshoes and were ready to take Wachusett -- by FOOT!

I won't lie, trotting around on all that fresh, untouched powder made my heart ache a little at first because I wished we were whipping down the hill on snowboards not shoes. Eventually, I got into the activity at hand. Plus -- hello?!? -- turns out that snowshoeing is not so easy as the chirpy English woman in a one-piece snowsuit who took off right before us on the same trail made it look. After a few hills, I was seriously puffing.

All in all, we had a very satisfying day, complete with exercise, some outdoor time, lunch at a quaint little restaurant AND a stop at the Wachusett Brewing Company. By the time we got home, I felt exhausted -- but satiated in the knowledge that we hiked almost 4 miles in the snowy countryside AND that I can't wait to shred it something nasty the next time that I do get on the mountain...with board.

In the parking lot, pre-trek and at a rest area, mid-trek...

Go-go Blogorelli arms...

At the top, finally...

And back at the bottom, hallelujah!

LATHER, Rinse, Relax

One upside to The Prof traveling, besides drinking G+Ts late into the night, is his plunder of hotel toiletries. Upon his returns, we have a ritual unveiling, and this past trip yielded some chic goods:

I don't really know much about the "LATHER Spa Amenities" besides that
- they are provided at the posh (Marriott) Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld
- the packaging is well designed
- the scents are what I'd label "sophisticate contemporary" (helloooo, mint thyme hair wash)

YEA!

So I just finished writing a giant post about the long weekend, only the have it lost while attempting to save because our bandwidth was being dominated by someone downloading music (ahem.) As such, I'll just say that I have some "good stuff" coming up in the next few days, so stay tuned.

Oh, and we ate the last of our Soup Swap selections on Sunday night. Thanks to Knox for the sweet words on his official National Soup Swap blog and also much gratitude to all the participants in our swap, who allowed The Prof and I to not buy dinner groceries for the past three weeks. Check out all of the recipes from our swap here. I'd highly suggest making the Plum Tomato and Corn Bisque or Butternut Squash Soup with Brown Butter, which were my two faves from our picks. I'm already collecting recipes for next year, and here are two I plan to try from the Wegmans magazine's Take It or Make It section:

Morrocan Lentil w/Chickpea Soup
Spicy Red Lentil Chili

And below are some shots that I meant to post of our Soup Swap prep night...that's right, we just can't get enough of the liquid nutrition.
See ya soon!
Blogorelli

Purgatory In Providence

Depending on perspective, the city of Providence might already seem like a "place of temporary punishment, suffering, expiation, or the like." I mean, look at Buddy Cianci's saga. Through next Wednesday, though, you can check out purgatory baked up nice and neat with a crispy crust -- at the Purgatory Pie Press exhibit (at RISD library.)

A little background on PPP:

"Dikko Faust started Purgatory Pie Press at the University of Wisconsin, Madison when he spilled (or pied) an overfilled case of 8 pt century oldstyle his first day at Walter Hamady's letterpress class.

Esther K Smith entered Purgatory when they made their wedding invitation in 1980."

The letterpress studio now operates out of NYC and specializes in collaborating with artists to produce prints, books, and the letterpress application du jour these days, wedding invitations.They set all type by hand; Faust and Smith also publish and teach.

Luckily, The Prof and I are headed down to Provi tomorrow morning to attend a paternal family reunion/Providence College basketball game with the Murphy clan and I have a few a.m. hours to myself while Mark is tutoring in Final Cut. I think I'll try to catch the PPP exhibit, check out a store (Rocket to Mars) that I've had my eye on for over a year, then end with some leisurely browsing on Wickenden Street.

I also found a great post on things to do for a super-packed day in Provi (and everyone who knows me knows that I love to overbook). Read the post here and look a few fun photos.

Yea!

Love, With A Side of (The) Nachos

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

Who knew love could be so cute...and so deliciously cheesy?

The Nachos made Boston.com's Valentine's Guide!!! A perfectly sappy and sweet display for the day, I think. Frankie, you better be taking her out for some of your namesake food tonight!

In related news, I guess my man today will be Elvis...at least the one on the Russell Stover tin, anyway. The Prof and I are going out to dinner tomorrow for our weekly "Date Night," which is in no way different because it happens to take place anywhere near VD. Le sigh.

"Couch Weekend"= Success

In case anyone is wondering, our new couch did arrive bright and early (7:31 am!) this past Saturday. I am loving the new piece of furniture, while trying to control my obsessive leanings to vigilantly protect it from stains like a newly Crest Strip-whitened tooth. Someone else is enjoying the new sofa too:

Yep, that's The Prof lounging on our new Corona immediately after he returned from Florida on Monday night.

In an funny coincidence, Cho and Bobby (whose tip led us to our couch) also had their new couch delivered on Saturday morning. How "Nicole and Christina" are we?

The Stinger Finally Resurfaces

...at Taos? As of March 19, 2008, Taos (one of only four remaining mountains in North America which bans snowboarders) will open its slopes! Even though we weren't able to secure tickets out west for late February, I'm not completely giving up hope for the season. I'd love to take The Stinger out for his second day on the slopes ever with the scornful eyes of Taos skiers burning into my back.

"Dear Media Partner,

We are pleased to make you one of the first to be know that Taos Ski Valley will open to snowboarding beginning March 19, 2008.

After years of discussion and planning this exciting new chapter in Taos Ski Valley history and putting many of the pieces in place, the time is right. We are excited about this change and look forward to welcoming a whole new group of snow enthusiasts to our mountain.

There will be events and festivities to kick off this new era during the final 2 ½ weeks of the season (more details to come). We’ll plan to spend the summer addressing any issues that arise and continuing to prepare our facilities and staff to take care of both our new guests and our long time friends. We’re committed to attending to all of our guests in the personal manner that TSV is known for, and which the Blake family is committed to preserving.

We would like to offer you our heartfelt thanks for being a part of our nearly 55-year tradition. It would be our pleasure to share this new era with you. Please let us know if we can arrange a visit.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,
Alejandro, Adriana and Mickey Blake"

YESSSIR!
After a day on the slopes, I'd follow with aprés ski and perhaps a cozy dinner in one of the town's "wintry dining rooms."

Zooey Deschanel, Songbird

The masses may recognize Ms. Deschanel  as the quirky character in movies like Almost Famous, Eulogy, Failure to Launch, and as a shower torch singer and deadpan Santaland inhabitant in Elf.

Turns out that the ingenue is a singer in real life, too, as half of the L.A. cabaret group 'If All the Stars Were Pretty Babies' (with fellow actress Samantha Shelton). Now, she's in another duo: with songwriter M. Ward as She and Him...and releasing an album in mid-March.

Hear preview tracks through this link or this MySpace fan page.

I've been listening to the 'leaked' (?) tracks on my commute and in the office. Verdict? Solid. Personally, I like Deschanel's speaking voice, sort of dark and rich with a sweetness underneath and unique inntonation. Her singing is very similar...like a shot of espresso poured atop a scoop of Belgium chocolate ice cream.

Exploring A New Hood

One thing I appreciate about living in Roslindale is that I stumble upon new and interesting places all the time. Back in 'Da Ville, I pretty much knew all my favorite destinations for shopping and eating and trash picking, and even where to find the most lovable local riff-raffs. Although there's always more to discover about delightful Somerville, I'm warming more and more to my new neighborhood. And for someone who seizes at the mere mention of "change," this is a great realization.

Some insight came from friends...

Beth discovered that Pazzo Books " had a great selection of used and rare books, some new graphic novels, coffee and hot cocoa and SKEE-BALL! ...The Skee-Ball was a little smaller than the standard boardwalk arcade variety and fit into the basement of the bookstore, wedged into the bargain book section."

Now I can finally win that airbrushed unicorn mirror I've wanted since 5th grade! Here's Beth skee-ing it up:

During our Soup Swap, Trinity told me about a cool knitting salon nearby called Circles. Apparently, they have knitting groups, so perhaps when I'm finally ready to make myself a Pidge, I'll head over for the supportive atmosphere.

The Prof and I have gone on several date nights, and managed to try basically all the Roslindale Square restaurants so we ventured  over to Jamaica Plain to try out Ten Tables, a little organic gourmet venue with, that's right, only 10 tables. We had to sit at the bar but I felt lucky that they could accommodate us since we did just walk in. Plus, being right in front of the open kitchen allowed us to watch the chefs prepare everything. I loved the intimate yet low-key setting and even bravely ordered the $25, four-course, vegetarian tasting menu. DELICIOUS. For more details on the Ten Tables experience, check out La Tartine Gourmande's description.

A zebra can only hide her stripes for so long though, which is why this week we hit up The Halfway Café in Dedham for what The Prof swore were the best burgers he's had near our apartment. Originally opened in 1964 and famous for its "steamers, pizzas, and pitchers of beer," The Halfway is sort of akin to O'Sullivans in Somerville. Solid food, pretty good prices, and local color.

Traditional vs. Modern Heart

I got an email this morning from The Prof, surprising me with tickets to a Boston Bruins game on March 15! I've gone on for the past month about how I've wanted to attend the  Beanpot (or any hockey game, actually) ever since moving to The Bean *7* years ago. I did see the Pittsburgh Penguins play once during my high school years, but our seats weren't just in the 'nosebleeds' -- my head was actually almost touching the top of the Civic (now Mellon) Arena's dome!

The Prof tried to get tix for the Bruins vs. Penguins game, but everything was sold out...so we're going 'second best' on PA cities, and will see the Bruins vs. Philadelphia Flyers. I'm mentally circumventing the fact that Mark doesn't "believe" in the principles behind Valentine's Day and considering the tickets an early present...even though I told him that he totally could have gone more utilitarian and just bought me Booze Bra.

A Snowy Day...

...calls for some snow angels.
(oh, come ON, how could I not take it there when the cheesy, Kincaid-esque opportunity so perfectly presented itself?)

Greta
(getting so big and using her cool green Bumbo -- a present from moi!)

Linc
(if at first the Nordic heritage does not succeed, try try again...in the backyard)

Kendall
(looking her usual perfectly put-together girly self)

And a few more gratuitous shots of BBK and Auntie Titi (I'm trying to embrace the moniker; smart off and I'll kick you in the weiner.)

I'm Dreaming of Spring (Colors)

Even though it's only early February AND snow fell this morning in The Bean, I'm ready for Spring, with its bright colors and abundant sunlight!

Various sources of inspiraion, seen and noted during my daily travels this past month...

Obtaining oilcloth, with its cheerful palette and fun patterns, used to mean a trip to Santa Fe (not that I minded) but now locals can get their fix at Tags Hardware in Porter Square for $7.99/yd. I'm thinking of buying some for the bottom of a set of kitchen dinette chairs I'm refinishing.

Could JaquelineKnits Ltd. Apple and Pear Jackets be any cuter, either in name or look? They are like little fruit-protecting babushkas!

I got my red Hunter Wellies years ago, ordered direct from the Scottish source. Of course, now they're "hot." Grrr. One good thing about popularity, I suppose, is that we Yanks can get the cozy "Welly Socks" (shown above in a shot that I took at Tannery's new store in Harvard Square) stateside. I love the idea of my feet being all warm and snug in a big fleecy sock while I tromp through puddles.

Finally, for those early adopters reading, check out the official color forecasts for Spring and Fall (!) 2008...

Ketchup Potato Chips: Urban Legend No Longer

To everyone who has scoffed at my dedicated four-year search for Herr's ketchup flavored potato chips since they disappeared after I initially bought them in Pittsburgh during a visit home:

They're baaaaack!

Not only is Herr's finally producing ketchup potato chips again, but they're also working in conjunction with my exclusive and favorite ketchup-making company to boot, Heinz. My case is already on order, and no need for that guarantee, Herrs, I'm ALREADY satisfied!

A Wii Problem

My first night at home without The Prof went surprisingly well. As I realized the last time he traveled for work, I have somehow learned to depend on his actions to trigger my daily routines. However,  I managed to remember to brush my teeth last night AND even got up on time this morning. One bonus to getting out of bed? Using my new Origins products, a present from my friend Tara in gratitude of designing and programming her new web site. She's an amazing makeup artist (and person) -- check out her work at TadaYourself.com !

Anywway, when The Prof and I stopped into Best Buy a few nights ago to look at portable hard drives (and the MacAir!!!), I was pleasantly surprised to find out that the store was selling Wiis for only $249. Yes, I know that $249 isn't super cheap or maybe doesn't even deserve the preceeding "only", buuuut the price is significantly less than the one I had imagined ($400.) Could my dream of a Wii finally come true? Would I master Super Mario Galaxy and lose 10 pounds on my Wii Balance Board before The Prof's plane even took off  from Orlando?

So far, Inter-net, my fanta-Wiis (like that?) go unfulfilled due to zero stock of Wiis at local Best Buy stores. I've got another five days until The Prof returns and at least four states with Best Buy stores in drivable range...don't count me down and out yet!

Until the day I see Wii, guess I'll just satiate my gaming appetite by watching some time lapse videos of people playing Wii. And yes, the man below is Wii-ing while holding a newborn. Bad-ass.

T5

Joy!

Last night, while searching for flights to anywhere warm for a short getaway, I saw on JetBlue's website that their new home at JFK Int'l will be Terminal 5. Why is this announcement so special? Because "it means that Terminal 5, the gorgeous Eero Saarinen-designed space that used to be the TWA terminal, will reopen"

Joy x infinity!

Those in the design know will likely recognize Finnish architect Saarinen in connection with structures like St. Louis' Gateway Arch and MIT's Kresge Auditorium, as well as the iconic  Tulip table + chairs he designed for Knoll. Terminal 5's future has been somewhat of a hot topic between the Municipal Art Society  and Port Authority since its closing two years ago. Due to deficiencies in security features and limited accessibility for the handicapped, T5 will technically serve as an entrance to the new JetBlue building (which will be built behind T5, with tunnels connecting the two,) for those travelers who want to enter through the mid-century decadence of T5, or, and the Gothamist so succintly put it, experience "a glorious memory of what air travel used to be like when it was glamorous and exciting, versus the tension-fraught chore it seems now.

Amen.

Want to see more? Me too...
check out these photos of the amazing Terminal 5 from lightningfield.com.

Now I'm defintely going to #53 this fall!

 

Aubergine Tuesday

Primary day is here -- so get out the vote!

(As per usual, CNN.com is the Blogorelli site of choice for following the races...that banner and chart below belong to them. The shirts, however, are pure Kitson.)

On The Road Again

The Prof is off once more, traveling to Florida for the next week on business. At least he's staying at SeaWorld, which means maybe this year for Valentine's Day, I'll get a little something special:

Behold, the Shamu "Believe" toothpick holder. I can't imagine a gift more fitting of our love or decor. Of course, over the next week, I'll mostly miss our constant banter.

While watching a movie...

BLOGORELLI: "Did that lesbian in the movie just say something about her cheese pot?!? Is that some secret hot lesbian sex move?"

THE PROF: "She said 'G Spot.' G SPOT...for the love!"

(Just ask Famke Jenssen if you want to know about cheese pots...she brought it up!)

While surfing the Inter-net...

BLOGORELLI: "Sweetie, your blog won't come up. Are you having technical difficulties?"

THE PROF: "I don't think so."

BLOGORELLI: "Nevermind -- I accidentally typed in 'dongsfromamixtape' instead of 'songsfromamixtape!'"

(Making a fake home page for DongsFromAMixTape.net was taking too long, so use your imagination on how I might have taken it there...)

Talking about apartment decor...

BLOGORELLI: "Look! We can buy instructions on how to make a Murphy bed out of IKEA parts! I've always wanted one...can we make it?"

THE PROF: "What for? You've already got a Murphy in the bed!"

At least our new couch is being delivered on Saturday morning, so that's exciting...but the BKP and I will miss you during the inaugural sitting, babe.

(Admittedly, this whole post was a mere excuse to use the following...)

To Hell With The Yogurt Machine After All

Enough about Fage already, has anyone met my newer, more expensive, and Icelandic-style favorite yogurt?

Allow me to introduce Siggi's:

My co-worker brought the Pear & Mint variety to work one day, and by 9pm that night, I possessed three kinds (purchased at Whole Foods) for tasting. Siggi's has not only a creamy deliciousness, but also a great story. Siggi, a NYC transplant from Iceland, missed his homeland's special skyr (a strained, fat free type of yogurt) so much that he started producing it himself in the U.S.

Since I'm currently reading a book about healthier, more natural eating, I especially like the fact that Siggi's is all natural, using milk from grass fed cows and produced without using rBGH. The yogurt is also sweetened using agave syrup, which is low on the glycemic index, which means...no aspartame, sucralose, gelatin, artificial colorings, preservatives, or high fructose corn syrup.

For those disbelievers, here's the nutritional info from the Pomegranate & Passion Fruit label:
Ingredients: Skim Milk, Agave Nectar, Passion Fruit, Pomegranate, Live Active Cultures, Vegetable Rennet

Refreshingly pronounceable, don'tcha think?

After tasting all three varieties shown above, I can say that the flavors are subtle and the yogurt definitely tart. However, I felt full and satisfied after eating a container for my afternoon work snack.Even though I didn't try the Plain variety, its basic richness would probably taste delish as a sauce, with some fresh dill mixed in perhaps. Finally, the label possesses such a simple and elegant design that I didn't want to peel it off, as instructed, in order to recycle the container. But I'm glad that I did -- because there's even more of Siggi's story on the inside label!

Ice Princess(es)

A few Sundays ago brought an anticipated ladies' brunch date with The Dairy Queen at Henrietta's Table (located in the Charles Hotel, Harvard Square.) During this fateful brunch, I not only received my new favorite read, The Daring Book for Girls but I also ate something which may be the absolute best food in the world. You ask, Inter-net, better than bacon? And I say, "Indeed." More delicious than all the hamburgers in the world? Y  E  S.

Creamed Beef on Biscuits!!!!

This item was listed under "New England Favorites" and I was slightly hesitant about ordering it until the waiter said that the dish was "really salty," which for most people is a turn-off. Bingo!

Inter-net, I cannot describe the complete decadence that was a bite of the fluffy homemade biscuit topped with the amazingly salty and thin slice of (corned?) beef, all bathed in a rich and cheesy (béchamel-based?) sauce. Oh...mah...gawd.

Apparently,this delight of the palette is also called "Shit On a Shingle" (S.O.S) and is the stuff of U.S. military legend. In fact, I think that I've even eaten S.O.S. at a party in Cincinnati. However, S.O.S. is definitely the un-groomed adolescent sibling of Henrietta's Creamed Beef on Biscuits.

After stuffing ourselves, we decided to work off some of our brunch by ice skating at the Charles Hotel's small outdoor rink. I haven't been on skates in two years, but luckily I can still pull out the moves:

No, I wasn't using the crates!

The Dairy Queen worked on her free skate program:

And did use the crates...my back was acting up and we couldn't do our normal pairs' lifts. Hee hee:

Smitten Minus A Mitten

Ever see a lone glove sadly lying next to the stairs near a T entrance, dirty and flattened by hurried commuters' soles? Me too! Luckily for all those Desperately Seeking Snowmittens out there, warm-hearted Pittsburgh transplant Jennifer Gooch started OneColdHand.com.

For Gooch, a student pursuing her Master's of Fine Arts degree at Carnegie Mellon, the collection of "forlorn, abandoned lumps, useless without their mate" started with a single lambskin glove. She picks up hand coverings of all sorts around CMU's campus and the city in general, replacing them with a cute cartoon sticker asking if anyone is"MIssing a Glove?" She even has collection boxes around the city for strangers to turn in strays.

I especially love the "REUNITED!" announcements on the OCH blog and the fact that Gooch is franchising to other cities. OneColdHand Beantown sounds like a plan to this collector of discarded treasures!

(below, a OneColdHand collection box, and a few other things that promote pairings -- shoes from Finland for a parent + child to dance together, a similar idea for mittens [link unknown], and the eye-catching results of a Flickr search for "mittens.")