Swedish Hasbeens (and I don't mean A B B A)

I dig these kicks. I dig them like the 70's-Scandinavian-mod-a-thon they invoke. Picture: Northern Cali-bohemian-gauzey-smocked-maxi-dress.....maybe a cigarette. Maybe not.

But you can bet money that you put these on your dogs and instantly you'd be in a good mood.


I'm not sure anything but metallic footwear can shake you out of the winter doldrums.



and if you're feeling noir there are these black beauties.



Swedish Hasbeens. Handmade. And from Sweden.

A Black Box comes to Brookline

A large black box sits near the heart of Brookline Village.



Planned as the Children's Chapel and Education Center for the Korean Church of Boston, it is.....a very large, black, box.

The project has been built largely without regulation from Brookline due to a state law, called the Dover Amendment, that exempts religious institutions from certain zoning laws.



Architect, Brian Healy, designed the Children's Chapel and Education Center. I encourage you to take a tour through the planned interior on Healy's website.




I think the icicle lights add a certain Je ne sais quoi to the building, no?

I wanna go to Flower School

These images and more gorgeousness from S A I P U A.

No Parking.

Living in the city, like many - we don't have a garage. Instead, we park our one car in a nearby parking garage. With other urban dwellers.

But.

If I did have a garage where we live, I might use these garage door stickers to keep anyone from blocking my path.








From style-your-garage.

Cheesecake for a cold winter's day

When the mercury is going no higher than zero the only two things a person can do is wrap themselves in a duvet. And make a nice cheesecake.

A sentimental favorite, thanks to my dad. The recipe and a 'taste' of his subtle humor follows:

BROOKLINE FINE WINE & GOURMET

One might think that Brookline Village has just enough liquor stores - but when those stores seem to be either barely holding on by a thread with dusty, empty shelves or constantly changing ownership maybe one more wine shop isn't such a bad thing.

Ever the Nosy Parker, I happened into Brookline fine wine & gourmet earlier today. Formerly the home of Le Strada (the weird shoe store that always had a shoeless mannequin in the window) I was happily welcomed in. Amidst the construction and hammering, co-proprietors, Doug Gordon and Carrie Anne Martin greeted me with warm smiles.

Because of my own particular interest of owning and operating a specialty food store, I was eager to know specifically what sort of inventory Brookline fine wine & gourmet would carry. I learned that BFW&G will carry "gourmet chocolates", bread from Clear Flour Bakery, "pre-packaged smoked meats and salmon", and charcuterie (my word, not theirs) as well as freshly cut flowers, "infused oils", along with the obvious domestic and international craft beers, wine, and cigars. Weekly beer and wine tastings will be hosted every Thursday and Friday nights, with store hours open from 9am to 11pm, Monday-Saturday.

My guess is that it will be less South End Formaggio and more Marty's Liquors in Newton - perhaps filling a need in Brookline Village, maybe not. Either way, Doug and Carrie seemed enthusiastic about their prospects and their future here in the Village. According to Carrie, they will focus on "service, quality, and price". Like all businesses in the Village, we wish them well.

So, no scratch tickets. Instead, a place to grab a Cuban tobacco product (which seems a little 1996 to me), a locally fresh baguette, flowers, and a bottle of wine. "One stop shopping" as Carrie and Doug stated.

•BROOKLINE FINE WINE & GOURMET •
27 Harvard Street • Brookline Village
www.brooklinefinewine.com
617.734.5400

Miracles of Beauty

Wilson Bentley loved snow. He loved snow so much that at the age of 19, in the late 19th century, Wilson was resourceful enough to figure out a way to capture these ice crystals on film.

Here are just a few of some of the over 5,000 images he took. I find them stunningly beautiful. And so remarkable that this man, so long ago, was able to capture these uniquely intricate and tiny frozen sculptures.

You can read more about Mr. Bentley *here* and his museum.

In his local town of Jericho, Bentely's fascination with snowflakes earned him the nickname Snowflake Bentley. A museum there is dedicated to his life's work, housing 2,000 of his vintage prints. A book of his photographs, Snow Crystals, was published in 1931. The same year he died walking home in a blizzard. (from the guardian.co.uk)

One Girl Cookies

You've seen it before, I'm sure. The cloyingly sweet, done-to-death, cutesy-overload cupcake bakery?

Pastries and goodies that are almost too precious to eat -

-with vintage this and retro that....


-with cookies that all have their own names, like Penelope, Susanna, and Juliette.

But I'm not exactly that cynical (yet) or quite tired of the beloved or darling cupcakery.

One Girl Cookie is all that but it's still a pretty nice spot to pick up treats.

or sit at the bar and enjoy a dessert -

or stare straight into the face of a pumpkin whoopie pie.

Not everything is sweet. These savory biscotti are the perfect alternative to a
tray of Lana chocolate sandwich cookies.

Dressed in whites and baby blues and adorned with black and white photos of
real family members

I thought One Girl Cookies was pretty spectacular.

One Girl Cookies
68 Dean Street
Brooklyn, NY

(photos either procured from onegirlcookies.com or from my lousy iphone camera)

Dine in Brookline Village and travel the world

Take a walk around Brookline Village and you'll find that you can eat from nearly every continent around the globe. Twenty-five restaurants adorn our little Brookline Village. 25 eateries that range from your standard delicatessen to authentic Persian to borscht-y Russian.

Brookline Village is such a richly diverse community. I often forget that just steps out my door what options lay before me....a complete list with links to sites (where available) are below.

Please add to comments any thoughts or experiences you've had with Brookline Village restaurants.



Baja Betty's - California-style Mexican
3 Harvard Street

Bottega di Capri - Italian
41 Harvard Street

Brookline Spa - Delicatessen
75 Harvard Street

Cafe' Stoli - Russian
213 Washington Street

Cutty's - American (and not yet open)
248 Washington Street

Family Restaurant - Turkish
305 Washington Street

Japan Village Mart - Japanese (and my experience *here*)
200 Washington Street

Kookoo cafe' - Persian/European cafe'
7 Station Street

La Morra - Northern Italian
48 Boylston Street

Mangia - Italian Pizzeria
8 Cypress Street

Martin's Coffee Shop - American-style diner
35 Harvard Street

Matt Murphy's - Irish Pub (and my experience *here*)
14 Harvard Street

Minsok - Korean
92 Harvard Street

New Paris Bakery - Bakery
10 Cypress Street

Olecito - Mexican (not yet open)
6 Cypress Street

Oriental Pearl - Vietnamese
220 Washington Street

Orinoco - Venezuelan (and my experience *here*)
22 Harvard Street

Pomodoro - Italian
24 Harvard Street

Sandwich Works - American delicatessen
195 Washington Street

Sichuan Garden - Chinese
295 Washington Street

Tashi Delek - Himilayan/Nepalese/Tibetan (read my experience *here*)
236 Washington Street

Village Fare Pizza - Pizzeria
387 Washington Street

Village Pizza House - Pizzeria
312 Washington Street

Village Smokehouse - American BBQ
1 Harvard Street

Virginia's Fine Foods - European-American cafe' and catering
8A Cypress Street

Yokohama - Japanese
238 Washington Street

Zen 320 - Japanese/Sushi
320 Washington Street



**POST UPDATE**
The total count is actually twenty-seven restaurants, with the recent addition to this list of the pizzerias that reside on Washington Street.

Eddie Izzard plays Boston

Mr. Izzard will be appearing tonight, January 12, at TD Banknorth.

(and I'm going)





"...a couple of sandwiches short of a picnic...."

The Dog Days are Over

Love the song....love the video. Even with the creepy clown make-up.

Unbridled fun and joy. For you to enjoy.

Cheerful Money

I'm an avid reader. Always have been. But my days of reading books ended with either the candy-like Harry Potter series or more likely, the well known, albeit tired series, "Becoming a Mom, Vol. I - Infinity".



Instead, I've morphed into the avid online reader or the avid mag reader.

Avid.





And I rarely ask for books for Christmas or birthdays, unless it's a gorgeous one that I want to display on a table or shelf. Or one that might inspire some fantastic evening or meal or athletic feat.





I love giving books...and usually I give them with that sort of longing a mediocre runner might have with a marathon: love to get to that some day or good luck with that! But I do some mighty thorough research on books for my father-in-law (of the conservative, Fox-watching ilk) and my sister-in-law's husband (of the impossible-to-buy-because-of-endless-financial-means ilk).

This year for my birthday or Christmas I generously received three books:

• Mastering the Art of French Cooking,
• Born to Run, and
  
• Cheerful Money.
  

Something on food, sport, and insightful humor. All very key to my state of well being...and getting me through the Boston six months of insufferable winter.

I've thumbed through Julia's tome, I've got the book on running right on my bed stand, but Tad Friend's memoir and clever commentary on all things Wasp has me hooked.

I've always enjoyed reading Tad Friend's contributions in the NYer. I have found his style to be wicked smaht, self-deprecating, and perceptive. I relate. And a book that pokes fun at a family history that's a little like mine is worth my focus and energy.



(photo from the New Yorker)

My background, I would say, is probably more Wasp than not Wasp. To be Wasp also requires a certain economic status that my heritage hasn't really enjoyed.....my disclaimer is that we're more indentured servant-y, farming, laboring drones Wasps as opposed to the money-ed, entrepreneurial Industrial Age Wasps.

While the Vanderbilts, Rockefellers, Carnegies, and Astors were creating wealth my people were probably standing in an open field with earth under their finger nails. Or actually, probably more likely talking about what pig should be slaughtered for dinner. And how the potatoes will be mashed.

(A non-relation Colonial Farmer from flickr)

My DNA goes back to something like 1630 and Anthony Colby getting New Hampshire land from King George. That's my mom's side. On my dad's side, the Halls came over in the early 1700's. Both families owned land and farmed. We are hearty, chatty, and we love nothing more than having a good laugh at ourselves. And farming is the one constant throughout these dozens of generations. Maybe that would explain my dad's ambition to raise his kids in Kansas?

Mr. Friend's anecdotal story weaves you through his background to present day, explaining the whys and the wherefores of his and general Waspiness. I've always thought I had a handle on Wasp. I get the blue blood thing. I know about American Nobility and the Social Register. But I wasn't aware of the Wasp Code of Conduct necessarily, which Mr. Friend chronicles throughout this book. A brief sampling:

"Wasps name their dogs after liquor and their cars after dogs and their children after their ancestors." (‡)

"Waspiness is an overlay on human character, like the porcelain veneer that protects the biting surface of a damaged tooth." (‡‡)

-and

"Life is a scavenger hunt run backward as well as forward, a race to comprehend. But with Wasps, the caretakers lock the explanatory sorrows away, then swallow the key." (‡‡‡)

I am thoroughly enjoying this book. I find it brilliant and funny. And personal. The personal part not exactly Wasp. I'm half-way through and don't wish it to end when I'll just have to go back to ezines.

You may never see me post a book recommendation again, unless it's Tintin or the latest Newbery Medal winner. I heartily endorse this book. Cheerful Money. It brought me back from the no-I-don't-read-books world to the hunched-over-my-book-I-can't-hear-you world.

‡, Tad Friend, Cheerful Money, page 144.
‡‡ Ibid, pg. 86
‡‡‡ Ibid, pg. 20

It's all so vaguely familiar....

I definitely would not say that our winter break was anything like a shipwreck. Nor did we ever feel like we were on a three hour tour. On the contrary, it was mostly a controlled sail through the bay. With a couple of very knowledgeable, seasoned captains alternating at the helm.

Although on occasion I did feel a little like Gilligan, the Professor, and Mary Ann. Did not feel like Ginger. Or Thurston Howell. No, no, not really.

Lovey, on the other hand, came to me on the first day back after vacation was over. Kids back to school, husband back to work....and me.....like a fury, I cleaned, scoured, chucked, heaved, moved, rearranged. Like a woman possessed....

No, really more like Lovey on radioactive sugar beets!



The famed episode, in it's entirety, for your viewing pleasure:

Gilligan's Island/Pass the Vegetables.

this frozen gnome says, "happy holidays!"

{and will be taking a brief respite until early 2010}

brookline village tees....the perfect any time gift!

This adorable yet simple tee shirt comes only in black. It is a fitted tee with a scoop neck. 100% pre-shrunk, ring spun cotton. Womens sizes S, M, and L.

They are $18.

Contact me if you're interested!

Hôtel Pont Royal

For five days and five nights in Paris, I would highly recommend the:

Hotel Pont Royal - Saint Germain des Près

7 rue de Montalembert
75007 Paris - France




Located right off of Rue St-Germain, on a quieter side street, Montalambert, this sweet little gem was perfect for our brief but full jaunt to Paris in December.

(and you'll notice that all these polished, stylized photos were taken straight from the website.)

the lounge.....


a view...



another view...



and the lobby...


We stayed here for two reasons, the location and the restaurant.

The location was right in the heart of the 6th arrondisement. Right where we like to be....walking distance to the Seine, the Latin Quarter, the Marais, and beyond.

And the restaurant is L'atelier de Joël Robuchon Restaurant.







Dressed only in red and black, the impression from this Michelin three-star chef's eatery is not one of warm and welcoming but stark and serious. That all dissipates the minute you sit down and waiters surround you with smiles, greetings, bread, information, and humor.

If you look closely at the photos, you can see the perfect example of food as art. Floating slices of cukes, carrots, and red pepper in oil? water? Colorful lentils layered in a vase. Perfectly placed apples.....all just there for you to stare at and enjoy along with the handsome staff of young men manning the stove, grill, oven, and crockpot. Okay - no crockpot but there was a load of quiet mystical culinary action just an arm's length from our seats - absolute cooking wizardry with wooden spoons as wands.

It's hard to go into all the detail about the 3 course meal we had without sounding a little repetitive. I can, however, easily point you in the direction of a better written review from NY Times, Mark Bittman.

Suffice it to say, it was absolutely the most amazing meal I have ever had. In my life.

Relais de L'Entrecote

We had five days, well, really four and a half. Our primary goal was to cover as much ground as we possibly could by foot while making sure we ended our day with some off-the-charts fabulous meal.

My husband and I have a couple of strategies when we travel - we never return to the same destination or spot twice, we never eat at the same restaurant more than once, and we basically plan our day around dinner - meaning we research, we plot out our walk, and we find gems along the way that are usually spontaneous and magical.

Yet, for this return to Paris we through out our reliable strategies and went back to a favorite haunt for our first dinner. Mostly because it's an institution, it's cheap, and it's solidly good, comfort, French bistro food. And maybe too much to choose from can be a bit overwhelming.

Le Relais de l'Entrecote - or L'Entrecote - as it's more widely known, is really more diner than bistro. We went to the original, in the 6e, right off of St-Germain for steak frites. The best steak frites.

There is no choice in food. And with decent options for wine, it's still best to go with the house wine. You are greeted with only one question: Quelle cuisson? (how would you like it cooked?). I went with rare, my husband went with medium.

You are served by one of a dozen women, dressed in a stereotypical french maid's uniform, handling deftly a pair of spoons in one hand, dishing out your cut of meat, frites, and the secret sauce on top.


With only one two course meal on the menu that includes a salad with warm walnuts and this crazy-awesome mustard vinaigrette:



and steak dressed in a mysterious greenish, savory goo, and fries:




(A word on the secret sauce: here's what I'm guessing - tarragon, maybe herbes de provence, mustard, parmesan, and maybe chicken livers?)

And you sit, take it all in, and dine on a fabulous plate of beef and potatoes. Old Style.

Paris au mois de décembre

Off to celebrate 15 years of marital bliss in 5 short days in Paris. I'll return with a full report.

Adieu.

Get your holiday on!

(double click the image for better viewing)

If you happen to be in Brookline Village this Thursday, December 3rd, please come by 28 Emerson Street from 5pm until the wine runs out. We are celebrating local talent and offering everyone an opportunity to get a jump on their holiday shopping.

Making our way to BUTTERMILK CHANNEL

It all started with a stroll through Brooklyn Heights, Cobble Hill, and finally to our destination in Carroll Gardens. We were headed to Buttermilk Channel.


Named after an essential waterway between Brooklyn and Governor's Island that dairy farmers would cross to deliver their milk to the markets in Manhattan, this sweet little restaurant seemed just as essential in making our trip to New York City for Thanksgiving with family a memorable one.


The menu was both simple and decadent. We began our evening with a rum cocktail, the Fairharbor, which is rum of two kinds, Ginger Beer, Pomegranate juice and lime. It went down way too easily. (Decadent.)


We then moved to a mysteriously delivered bowl of bacon maple roasted almonds that had a slight dusting of mustard. Hard not to rifle all down in one handful. (Simple.)


During our little menu perusal, we found ourselves faced with one of each appetizer (since my brother knew the owner and all). We had a pork rillette. We had a silky-smooth chicken liver with roasted grapes (seriously). We had a country pork terrine with home-made pickles. And we had a couple of thick slices? slabs? bricks? of bacon that were dressed in this mustard goo-y glaze that was way more better than the hot-sweet mustard packets that you get at Chinese restaurants, but just as crazy. (Decadent)


And then our entrees arrived. I had a short rib beef stew that I didn't really want to share-even a bite-it was so good. My husband, Scott, had the duck meatloaf that came with the world's largest onion ring. My brother ordered their famous fried chicken with cheese waffles, and my sister-in-law had the warm lamb and romaine salad. We were speechless for about 20 minutes save for the occassional guttural moans and groans coming from our throats. With two bottles of a super-fine Pinot Noir, our evening could not have been more perfect. (Simple.) (Decadent.)

Oh.


Wait.

There were the desserts and the Sauternes. It was not perfect. It was sublime.

(photos from *here*)

"Thanksgiving, after all, is a word of action"

No, not pigeon for our Thanksgiving dinner...but maybe we'll see him on our way as we head to NYC to join my bro and his family for the extended holiday. Happy Thanksgiving to one and all. May your holiday be safe and delicious.


(above is quoted from W.J. Cameron)

days with my father

More of a somber than uplifting post today....but I felt so compelled to share this website with you.

Philip Toledano is a photographer. By trade. He recently released a photo essay titled Days With My Father. This touching compilation of photos was taken after the death of Toledano's mother. The images give an intimate look at the father-son relationship and serve as a time capsule of the period. Although very simple and sparse, the series captures a spectrum of emotion.

The elegant design and functionality of the site compliments the work by allowing the photos to stand on their own and speak for themselves. I found it to be inspiring and at times heart-wrenching. Grab a tissue, visit Days With My Father and then go call your family.

Sassafras Bindery

I know this bookbinder, see.....

Who makes the most beautiful books.





and boxes.



and books


and boxes


by hand. Her hands.

Schooled at the North Bennet Street School, where students have been learning handcraft trades since 1885, and residing in Brookline, Jessica Roland makes mighty fine books, boxes, and enclosures. Her craftsmanship is amazing, with incredible precision and creativity.

But most importantly, Jessica makes bespoke items.....from Sassafras Bindery:

I make blank books, albums, and editions of self-published work. All work is hand done and all materials are acid free.

Collect your children’s artwork and I will bind it into a coffee table book as a beautiful and meaningful way to preserve memories. Make one for each year of school or present one as a graduation present or a keepsake for a grandparent or teacher.

Archival boxes and enclosures for documents and books or custom made boxes to fit personal photographs or business cards.

If your grandmother’s cookbook or your favorite read from high school has fallen apart, let me rebind it so it can be part of your life again.

I welcome artist collaborations.

I invite you to check out her website, Sassafras Bindery, and see her incredible work.

If Shoes Weren't Weird Enough......

How about gettin' around in a Formula 1 Sports car made entirely out of........ BREAD.

Talented chefs from the Royal Plaza on Scotts hotel in Singapore have created this awesome life-sized Formula 1 race car out of different types of bread.

It took a total of 14 liters of water, 15 kg of yeast, 2 kg of salt, 10800 ml of food varnish and 549 hours of hard work to complete the car.

Mmmmm.....food varnish.

Superstition or Supreme Control?

I never really thought of myself as superstitious. Not really. I don't avoid walking under ladders. I don't really care about crossing a black cat's path. No big whup when my umbrella flies open indoors. Spilled salt, crack mirror, 13th floor or aisle.....*yawn*. No biggie.

But. I do have the 'habit' of absolutely needing to knock wood whenever I say something like, "My kids haven't had H1N1, yet." Or, "Stitches, but no broken bones here", or "My daughter's never lost a leg and been to the emergency room".....really anything that temps fate I really have to literally knock on wood.

Freaky like.

Another must-do is when I'm on a plane, either alone or with my husband or even with the kids, I go through the whole mental imagery of my death, my memorial service, the music played at the memorial service, life without me around or with my family.....I do this because in my wacky brain I somehow believe that I can thwart death and disaster by playing it all out in my head. It's magical thinking. And it works like a charm.

Like I have supreme control or something.

The Maple Syrup Cocktails (that are dancing in my head)

"What are you doing today?"

"I'm driving to Connecticut to spend the day with some good friends. Alone."

"Why can't I come?"

"You have to be taller than 4 feet to be invited."


Last Sunday, I had the pleasure of spending the day with friends that recently moved to Pomfret, CT. I've known these friends for some time and selfishly planned the day so that I could have them and their near 2 year old all (that's not quiet 4 feet but he might be some day) to myself, while my husband and kids were flittin' around doing other things. In Brookline.

Pomfret sits in the Quiet Corner of Northeastern Connecticut. It is verdant, hilly, and for now covered in green grass and almost-bare gray trees. It's an amazingly lovely and peaceful area.

(CA on flickr)

Part of our day included some art projects that Dave had planned. Another was walking around an old Colonial farm that has been in the family for centuries.

It was over the art project (and midday gin and tonics) and our discussion of a recent trip that Dave and Linda had taken to Quebec City that Linda began describing a cocktail that she had that has stuck in my head ever since.

I think it was either Linda's skill at chronicling this maple fantasia or Linda's ability to set the stage and take you right into the dark wood bar, fireplace, and serve you your drink....and

it. just. sounded. delicious.

Maybe, because to me, nothing beats a well-crafted cocktail?

Maybe because the ingredients seem particularly timely and autumnal?

or maybe I'm just forever looking for an excuse to try a new libation-seasonal or not?

The cocktail was basically a whiskey with maple syrup. And with some research, I found three concoctions worthy of sharing:

The Maple Leaf


(a variation on the Whiskey Sour)

2 oz Bourbon

½ oz Maple Syrup

½ oz Lemon Juice

Shake and strain into a cocktail glass filled with crush ice. Drink on a porch with an old dog.

and for something that doesn't require an old dog or a porch.....

Pure Canada Cocktail

2 oz Canadian whisky

1/2 oz maple syrup

1/2 oz fresh apple juice

3 dashes aromatic bitters

1/6 of a fresh lemon

In a cocktail shaker full of ice, combine all ingredients. Squeeze the lemon segment over top and drop in the rind. Shake well and strain into a chilled martini glass.

Filibuster Cocktail

(adapted from Food & Wine's Cocktails 2008, from a recipe developed by Erik Adkins for the restaurant Flora in Oakland, CA)



1 1/2 ounces rye whiskey (bourbon can be substituted)

3/4 ounce fresh lemon juice

1/4 ounce pure maple syrup

dash Angostura bitters

1 egg white

lemon twist (for garnish)

Place all ingredients (except for the garnish) in a cocktail shaker and shake thoroughly. You should begin to feel a slight difference in the way the liquid moves in the shaker as the froth develops. Now add the ice and shake briefly again, to chill. Strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with a lemon twist.

Notes: Described as a very sophisticated, well-balanced cocktail. It has a smooth texture and a complex flavor. The maple flavor doesn't stand out here as noticeably as it does in the more rustic Maple Leaf, but blends in almost seamlessly with the bitters, bourbon, and lemon.

(More on the Maple Leaf and Filibuster recipes and notes can be found *here*)

For loafing around

For the kids, too....


Found *here*

What's for lunch?

Fast Food.

• Gruyère
• Peasant bread or ficelle.
• Shallot, minced.

Slice and toast the bread. Top with a slice of cheese. Broil for only minutes. Top with a pinch of minced shallots. Thyme was added as an afterthought for more color than taste. Turns out the thyme adds a nice round earthiness to the whole fast-food creation.

Yeast paste, Anyone?

Have you ever had Vegemite?

Quintessentially Australian. And not unlike American Peanut Butter, basically a condiment that is viewed as utterly disgusting by the rest of the world.

Well, the folks at Kraft Foods were dying to change the name of Vegemite. Not because of the taste, but because it seems it was overdue for an update.

This salty, gooey, yeasty, paste is, well, gross. Just gross. But it's beloved by all Australians.

"Australians are passionate about Vegemite. Travel almost anywhere and you are likely to find an Aussie with a tube of the brewer’s yeast extract stashed in his bag. Babies are weaned on it. Schoolchildren eat it on sandwiches. Adults revere it as a hangover remedy, a vital source of Vitamin B and a staple breakfast food — spread lightly on hot buttered toast." -from the NYTimes.


But living in a country with beloved and iconic foods such as sliced white bread, peanut butter, and maybe something I found called 'frito pie', who are we to judge a national sticky paste favorite?

So, no more Vegemite Sandwich, from the Men Down Under.

Welcome: iSnack 2.0.

For now, at least.

**CORRECTION AND UPDATE TO THIS POST**
From a reader (and more thorough "investigative research") I understand iSnack 2.0 was scrapped.

Vegemite is now:
It's all really so very fascinating.....

I'm all over the map

I've always had a fascination with maps.

(from bombusdesign on flickr)

When I was a kid we had these old, plastic, place mats that were nautical maps of the Maine coast.


Between the dribbles of applesauce, tuna melts, and chipped beef I would stare and stare and imagine what it would be like if I placed myself right. there. They weren't particularly colorful but they were an awesome orientation to mappery.

Years later, in search of a clever gift for my husband, I grabbed a couple of his father's old roll-down-teaching maps, from his years of teaching history at Cranston East High School.


I framed the pre-WWI map of Europe. It still hangs in our dining room. Serves as an excellent conversation starter, day-dream-instigator, and where-would-you-like-to-be initiator.

And recently I purchased some world map place mats. They come in a tablet of 30, of New York, London, Tokyo, and Paris. I doubt I'd let a plate of mac'n cheese be placed upon these....but you never know. It would be cool and I would love my kids-any kid-to ask about these locations, ponder what it would be like to live there, look for the funniest named street, etc.

I recently stumbled upon this website....and I marvel at the ingenuity of the work and use of maps.

(from bombusdesign on flickr)

Put your feet on a London coffee table.

(from bombusdesign on flickr)

Sit on East London.

(from bombusdesign on flickr)

Go to Italy with a lacquered catchall.

(from bombusdesign on flickr)

Put your fruit in the streets of Paris.

Yeah. I would definitely have to say I'm all over the map.