Bruises be gone

I'm not sure how it happens, but right around summer time when I'm ::gasp:: ready to bare arms in tank tops and swimsuits (perhaps less so the latter), I start to notice all the tiny bruises I've somehow managed to inflict upon myself in my daily wanderings. I suspect some happen without my even noticing as most are smaller than a quarter, but there's always a fond memory or two of running into the coffee table or cutting a corner too close. Ahh, memories.

Fear not, my pallid friends- there's help out there for you and your splotchy spots! Brown Butterfly of Bellevue, WA makes a fantastic body oil called "Athlete" that contains natural ingredients helping to bring back the healthy coloring of your skin after a nasty bump. If I recall correctly (and with the help of my own bottle's label), among the fantastic ingredients of Athlete oil are arnica, sweet marjoram, black pepper, and hazelnut oil. Arnica is the sneaky little helper that works to heal your bruises, while the black pepper works like magic, creating a warming sensation as the oil meets friction, be it between your hands or working on weary muscles.

I first met Fran, the husband of BB's founder at one of the many summer festivals in Seattle when I worked a booth as regional brand manager for a national food company. Fran is the cutest, most sincere gentleman you'll come across at one of these events- unassuming and polite while offering a bevy of details about the products his wife has created. He patiently explained that Brown Butterfly's oils are processed differently than your average body oil which results in smaller beads (molecules?) that absorb into your skin more easily- leaving less of the residue that gives you that greasy afterglow... which is great. Plus- it smells heavenly. Earthy without the dirty mustiness of the natural oil black sheep- patchouli, and warm without the heavy-hitter scents such as cinnamon or clove.

You can find BB products online or at local farmer's markets throughout Seattle. I've had my 4 oz. bottle for probably four years- a little bit goes a long way, and the stuff has yet to go rancid or otherwise lose potency. Plus, the packaging is clever and minimal which is another winning feature. All in all- a must have for anyone who bruises easily or enjoys a nice back rub from time to time. Christmas in July, anyone?

Jet setting with Salty (Part IV, Section I)

I love the San Francisco Ferry Building Marketplace! All these awesome small-ish vendors are housed in a beautiful old building on the docks, with vaulted ceilings and huge windows to let the sunlight pour in while the chilly air stays out.

It just so happened to be the Mycological Society of San Francisco's Fungus Fair while we were visiting and man- never before have I seen such an odd conglomeration of mushrooms. From all manner of containers... bags, jars, cartons, etc. were sprouting the spongy umbrellas of a variety of fungi. I'm not even a big fan normally but something about their massive organic shapes and neutral tones begged me to take a stowaway for the plane ride home. In the end I resisted the urge in order to avoid any run-ins with the Department of Agriculture.


These cute, squat, 7.5 oz glasses were also hard to resist at The Gardener. I'm not sure what it is, but somewhere in my genetic code- buried deep between my pack-rat codon and and my decorating codon, is one for oggling glassware. Despite having plenty at home, I have to use the force for good and not evil [read: collecting massive quantities of unnecessary housewares] to avoid grabbing any liquid vessel in sight. At $4.00 a piece, a set of six wouldn't have broken the bank but I remained strong. Interestingly, I also heard recently that when drinking from short, wide glasses, our brains are fooled into drinking more. Hmmm...

I love what people are doing with merchandising these days! So clever. Also at The Gardener, the natural woods and cast iron panel make a fantastic backdrop for the softer fabrics and glass baubles on display. Secretly I'd like to imagine a time when I can craft these sorts of interior collages so I can live out my fantasies of a staged home without actually having to live in a shop window. This particular shop transformed a typically cold space, with floors of industrial gray, poured concrete, into a warm and inviting home decor destination.

Glasses! Again! This time from The Kingdom of Herbs. Focusing primarily on buds and blossoms, with a healthy accent of indoor and outdoor gardening accessories, KOH felt like an verdant indoor forest retreat. Several items caught my eye- not the least of which were these glasses in a wire tray or a collection of bark-covered storage boxes stacked by the register.

These simple pots with loose geometric shapes carved into the glaze were... I'll say it... precious. Really. Paired with a small, baby succulent, these would make a great addition to a compact workspace or maybe do time kitchen-side to bring a little nature indoors. Also from The Kingdom of Herbs.

I should be banned from Sur la Table. Despite our massive collection of kitchen, and kitchen-related goods, it's nearly impossible for me to leave the store without some new thing I just can't live without. And during their holiday sale, they were offering 20% off their classy collection of cloches. Just say it with me: cloche. Finally SLT has caught on to the trend that swept across homes, stores, floral shops, and the webernets at large a year ago (or more)... satisfying our dark, inner desires to make the most common of items- a lemon, a cupcake, a pine cone or small potted flower- display-worthy under the delicate bell shape of these glass beauties. Ultimately, I was weak. So weak. To avoid mid-flight glass breakage, I waited until we landed back in Portland to buy the two middle sizes. And my lemons and shallots have never looked so regal.

Stay tuned for Part IV, Section II to hear about all the things I wanted to buy, but didn't at the San Francisco MOMA.

Jet setting with Salty (Part III)

Day three of San Francisco brought in the characteristic fog of the city. Getting a late start to the day after a lazy morning and delicious breakfast of cranberry clafoutis, we headed south on Route 1 to Pescadero.

We pulled into the parking lot at San Gregorio beach to check our map when we realized we were on empty- and quite possibly miles from the nearest gas station. This cozy couple hid from the drizzle under their umbrella as they walked the path watching the waves roll.

Unable to discern our exact distance from our destination, we popped into the San Gregorio Post Office. We didn't stay long but this cute little all-in-one bar and general store was absolutely charming. As icing on the cake, there was a four piece band playing to a small audience of bundled up locals enjoying beer, coffee, and snacks. With a few twirling kids peppering the audience, I think this is exactly the kind of place I'd want to be on a foggy fall day.


Destination: Harley Farms. American Cheese Society award winners for the last five years, Harley Farms offers a variety of tasty and attractive goat cheeses in their small shop adjacent to the farm. Since we took a while to get there, we missed our opportunity to get a tour of the farm and cheese-making process. But that didn't stop us... okay, me from sampling as much sweet, sweet, goat cheese as humanly possible in the last twenty minutes before the shop closed. I enjoyed their edible flower-adorned, tomato basil, cranberry walnut, and apricot pistachio "tortes." I also tasted their herbes de provence, peppercorn, and dill versions.


Sadly, I missed my opportunity to try their feta and chevre in oil but I did get a few toothpicks of their subtle, dry ricotta salata. We considered buying some to add to the subsequent night's dinner menu of fresh pasta and roasted chicken, but ultimately decided a small tub of their pumpkin spread and a log of their chive chevre would suit us well for pre-dinner noshing. And did it ever! The pumpkin spread was delicious with plain water crackers and would have made an excellent ravioli filling on its own.


Dinner brought us to Ebisu, a favorite sushi joint of Mr.Mr.'s and his brother, conveniently located only a few blocks from the latter's apartment. Sitting away from the bustle of the sushi bar, we enjoyed our meal in the tatami room, sitting cross-legged, shoe-less on small, soft pads. Given that Mr.Mr. and I eat a majority of our meals at the living room coffee table, the casual style of the tatami room feels a bit like home to us. While he and his brother indulged in such oddities as fresh scallop, spider rolls, and things with eels in them- I stuck to a tempura vegetable and california roll. If you look closely, you can read Mr.Mr.'s brother's t-shirt from 826 Valencia. It reads, "Canons don't sink ships. Pirates with canons sink ships." So ridiculously clever.

After dinner we rented a couple of movies from the local video store and sat down together in the glow of an 11" laptop screen (Mr.Mr.'s brother has no tv) to enjoy Mrs. Pettigrew Lives for a Day. Described on the case as a "delightful, champagne of a comedy" or some such nonsense- I worried it might be too fluffy for my male cohorts... and my concerns were confirmed when, forty minutes in, I was voted off the island and we began In the Valley of Elah instead.

The former was, (just as described), a pure sno-cone type treat of a movie with lush interiors, fabulous wardrobes and a perfect portrayal of fictitious movie star of the minute, Delysia Lafosse by Amy Adams. In stark contrast, the latter was a dark, raw, and disturbing perspective on the war in Iraq and the reach of its destructive, malignant wake. What struck me most about In the Valley of Elah was its portrayal of the veterans of war and how the violence experienced, first hand or otherwise, becomes an unshakable memory. Worse, how sometimes that memory becomes ghost-like... completely separate or removed from the actual act and the implication(s) of participation in those acts.

... Part IV to follow shortly.

Getting framed

A couple of weeks back it crossed my mind that a smart artist on a limited budget (that's me) would get crafty and learn how to frame their own work. Given my past experience framing some Flatstock posters by Chicago's Jay Ryan of The Bird Machine, I learned the hard way that framing is not cheap. Don't get me wrong- framing is not the easiest thing in the world and using good materials like attractive moulding, ph-neutral matting, and museum glass will never be inexpensive. But- there's definitely another way.

Scouring the interwebs for tutorials, I came across the Portland Free School- one of many community-run organizations dedicated to offering instruction on a variety of subjects, taught locally by people in the know. I don't specifically say, "experts" because pretty much anyone is welcome to "teach" a course through the Free School. Have you mastered the art of macrame plant hangers? You could teach a class. You get the picture. So the downside is that your "teacher" may be the guy from the coffee shop. The upside is that you can meet people and learn new skills that you might otherwise be unable to afford to learn in a traditional setting. I'm a fan thus far.

It was through the Free School that I came across a class being offered at a place called Artery (disclaimer: there's not much on the site yet). This gallery and frame shop aims to offer a more creative solution to framing than your average U-Frame It, and a more affordable alternative to folks in the price-range of say, Museum Quality Framing. Their plan to accomplish this goal is to offer the space and materials for artists (and Joe Public) to choose the bones of their project (frame, mat, & glass), and then guide them along a path to customizing their frame.

For me, this meant that I chose a 5" x 7" unfinished wood frame for $12 and was given free reign to use the brushes, paints, dryer, masking tape, and finishing sprays to create a decorative finish. I began with something resembling an upscale Ikea frame, and finished with this:

It may not look like much but I started with a basic red acrylic, and used a flat brush with a combo of gold and bronze paint to create a vaguely fan-shaped, all-over pattern over the base. Finally I created a black border around the edge of the frame closest to the wall to add interest.

Honestly- I was really pleased. And I get the impression that the possibilities are virtually limitless and entirely dependent on just how much time and money you want to spend. Of course- had I wanted to frame an actual photo or piece of art- the price would have increased with the mat (about $7), the glass (about $7) and the fitting (up to $25). All prices are based on the size of your frame and there's a decent selection of pre-made frames as well as custom materials.

Since the workshop, I've finished another frame at home using my cordless dremel, some black and white acrylic paint, and a satin varnish spray. (I repeated the graduated pattern shown on the opposite side of the frame as well.) At this point, I'm thinking the techniques I learned could prove very valuable in elevating the frames I use for my collage work and that the friendly and knowledgeable staff at Artery are at the ready should I need some additional support in the construction arena.

On December 5th, Artery will host another frame clinic geared toward holiday shoppers looking for creative, affordable gifts. The word is, for $10, you can decorate and frame a photo or other work in a 3" x 3" ornament-style frame with help from Debo Kerr and Artery staff. Space is limited but I've already reserved my spot. If you're interested, follow the link. Cheap is definitely the new black this Christmas/Non-denominational December holiday.

Artery

4114 N. Vancouver Ave.

Portland, OR, 97217

Jet setting with Salty (part II)

Okay- I took 73 photos on our second day in San Francisco so you can begin to understand why this post has been so egregiously delayed. Here are the highlights:

Just a visual taste of what dazzling desserts are on offer at Tartine Bakery in the Mission. Having heard a ton about the delicious treats these folks whip up, I asked for the cookbook last year for Christmas. Packed with photos of beautiful tarts, cookies, and cakes- I expected a Willy Wonka-style feast upon arrival. I was slightly underwhelmed by the scale of the bakery in person but I was still impressed by the perfect lemon meringues and sculptural baked goodies.

For lunch, Mr.Mr., his brother and I, and a former co-worker in town for the day, enjoyed a round of sandwiches from their lunch menu. While each was a bit on the oily side and heavy on the carbs with each hefty slice of bread- the fillings were quite good. This particular sandwich was a fresh basil spread with ham and with melted mozzarella. My favorite part by far, was the tiny pickled carrot that accompanied each plate... a perfectly tangy match for the overindulgence of cheese and meat.

This central mural adorns the facade of the Women's Building. Truly the crowning glory of a work that spans the entire building from the pavement to the roof- it shows a female at the center of a huge, colorful, flower-like form- with her pregnant belly exposing a baby in utero. the entire thing was breathtaking and I can't even begin to imagine how long it took to complete. Amazing.

If you're in the market for dead things- Paxton Gate is the place to find them. From taxidermied mice (with or without costumes), to squirrel skulls, penis bones to sea urchins- they've got it all. This place has such a curious collection of oddities that I couldn't resist. I picked up what I believe to be a sort of petrified starfish for three dollars flat and had to resist the urge to buy a collection of leaf fossils and tiny glass vials with rubber stoppers for future use [to be determined, of course]. At first a very creepy shop, Paxton Gate quickly grows on anyone with a sense of history or an appreciation for nature.

And fortunately, the ratio of dead to alive items is balanced out nicely with a collection of plants and containers in the back of the store. If I had $200-300 on me, I might have caved and bought one of their beautiful metal [mini] greenhouses. The detailing on each was very nice and I could see using them both in and outdoors.

Love thy neighbor? This type of city planning combined with residential construction is what I call, "too close for comfort." While the architecture of the city is admirable- I think I would miss the green gardens, grassy yards, and sense of privacy that a five foot buffer between buildings just can't afford.

I spotted this beautiful teal couch at X21 Modern. I think it's what most would call, Hollywood Regency or some such nonsense- but I call it gorgeous. I can just picture it in a room with lush, baroque wallpaper (like this) and a few of those round, glass, bar tables that are edged in silver with rolling feet. "Help me put on my mink stole, won't you, dear? Where's my cigarette holder?"

These over-sized, wooden letters were also on sale at X21. While the scale of our apartment couldn't bear their addition- I really like the weathered look and the shape of the font.

Ahhh- Bi-Rite. Heidi of 101 Cookbooks recommended this market as her go-to destination and I can totally see why. While diminutive in size- Bi-Rite packs a visual punch with its displays of fruits and vegetables cascading out of wooden baskets and offers a smorgasbord of samples for the wary market-goer. I was particularly impressed by the Wall of Cheese. Any shop that dedicates this much square footage to dairy products- gets my vote.

Stem is a cute little boutique on 18th that seems to have joined the ranks of floral/gift shops offering a smart variety of low to mid-priced bits as well as arrangements to order. I found these adorable clay stones with words like, "Grow," "Ponder," and "Belong" stamped into them in a turned wood basket. I think they're made by the same person who made the "Vote" rock featured on a couple of other design blogs around election day.

These tree bark wraps were also appealing (no pun intended) and made for a nice display element with the moss and wrapping paper. The entire aesthetic of Stem was very calm and woodsy-feeling. The dark hardwood floors were a great compliment to the large window front and warm grey tones on the wall.

We had to stop twice at the Bi-Rite Creamery during our five day trip. You know that's a good sign. This small companion shop to the aforementioned market offers about 16 flavors- four or so are traditional, and the rest ratchet up the creativity a bit. The first time around I gorged myself on salted caramel and malted vanilla with chocolate and peanut brittle. I was painfully full for about two hours after the fact and would highly recommend the kiddie size. The Creamery pulls out all the stops when it comes to quality ingredients and amazing flavors. Trust me- you can always go back for more. And I did- but I kept it simple and went with the malted vanilla again... this time in the kiddie size.

The last stop of the day took us over to the Double Punch gallery to see the San Francisco installation of Seattle's original Plush You! show. Double Punch is a cute little space with the top floor dedicated to a cozy gallery space and the bottom floor artfully arranged to capitalize on storage and display of collectible figurines, japanese toys and other gifts. The show's curator, Kristen Rask did a fantastic job bringing together some very talented folks to show SF how plush is done. The above preying mantis was created by Hansigurumi of Seattle, WA.

This delightful "cotton monster" was crafted by Jennifer Strunge of Baltimore, MD. Jennifer also had some pieces in the Seattle show- one of which you could actually put your whole hand into, from it's mouth down to its belly. Very impressive.

Stay tuned for Part III of my San Francisco trip. All I'm going to say is that there will be goats. Lots and lots of goats.

Sweets for the sweet

Stopping by Ink & Peat the other day in an effort to reduce the creative sloth setting in and infuse my day with pretty things- I became weak with cravings and bought a small bag of salt caramels from Little Flower Candy Company. Out of Pasadena, California, these clever people have definitely won over my sweet tooth. Wrapped in small rectangles of parchment paper, and packaged sparingly in a cellophane bag, these treats are simply divine. Pam tells me these folks are enjoying a burst of press lately care of at least one daytime food personality so you're sure to see this sweet & salty, buttery combo in a store near you soon (if not already). If you can't make it out, they sell online for $7.00 per 1/4 pound.

Trust me- it's worth the splurge. See photo for proof.

Incredible inedibles

Anyone in my family will tell you that I have no problem pushing the standard boundaries of what's "edible" in the fridge and the pantry. Moldy cheese? No problem. Milk seven days past the expiration date... does it smell bad? No big deal. Homemade, frozen vegetable stock made last year and rediscovered way in the back of the freezer tundra? Sounds delicious. But- when I realized during our most recent move that I still had the packet of Chocolate Cherry Quick Bread I bought (on sale, mind you so it was likely closing in on the expiration date already) at Williams-Sonoma almost two years ago- even I thought twice.

I'm sure the nutritional value was, at this point, questionable. I'm also sure I don't give a hoot about that on a regular basis so why would that stop me with this shelf stable mix? It didn't. I added the water, butter, and eggs, and whipped that baby up as fast as you can say Tallahassee lassie. And I'm still alive and well today. While the experience proves that I am far too stingy to throw out something I paid a good $5.99 for- it also proves that expiration dates are [not always, but often] for suckers.

Okay, it's safe to roll your eyes now, family.

Best buys

Oh baby did we hit the jackpot. Friday afternoon we headed south to Bridgeport Village to visit the nearest Crate and Barrel. I received a gift card for my birthday that I had been hoarding until I could enjoy the tax-free bounty of Oregon state, and we had a couple of items we had been meaning to pick up to flesh out the registry.

So we wandered around the expanse of stuff we likely didn't need. The "engineered wood" and veneer furniture, the newest flavor of wicker baskets for the fall season, and glass baubles that have absolutely no purpose. Now, don't get me wrong. I love me some unnecessary interior items but I try to remind myself that I don't need to complete my collection of "stuff" today. Because really, then how would I spend tomorrow?

And then we found this (but in cognac instead of natural). Copeland Furniture is a company out of Bradford, VT that has contracted with Crate and Barrel for a line of beautiful and functional bedroom pieces. Though they do use some veneers (it turns out almost everyone does from what we can tell), they have excellent craftsmanship with dovetail joints, sumptuous finishes and smart lines. Not to mention, I haven't seen a piece of furniture made in the US distributed by a megastore in - well, I don't know how long. So are you ready for the reveal?

...

We got it for $399.00.

What did you say?

I know, holy crap! Right? This piece lists for $1499.00 and we got it for the price of the mirror! Turns out, floor samples are occasionally drastically reduced in price to make room for new pieces and when they do- they don't hold back with that red clearance pen. And thank god for that because their willy-nilly price reductions are helping us put together a real, live, adult house piece by piece. Now we just have to keep an eye out for the matching six-drawer dresser (lists for $1699.00) to take a dive in price. I've got my eyes open and my penny jar front and center. Time to start saving.

Oh, and with our gift card and returns, we only paid $294.32 in the end. Isn't that nuts?

PDX part two: gratuitous paper shots

I don't need any more paper. I don't need any more ribbon. And I most definitely don't need any more greeting cards that I can barely stand to send for fear the recipient won't truly treasure it as much as I did while it gathered dust in my desk organizer.


All that being said- I do love me some paper. And ribbon. And cards. So Oblation Papers & Press is a great place to indulge. It was almost two years ago when Mr.Mr. and I were just about heading out of town and on our way home when I spotted that ever-alluring word on a storefront that nearly stops my heart: Paper. Fortunately, even then, Mr.Mr. knew better than to stand between me and that fantastic fibrous drug. That love affair has been raging since long before he came along and as the smart man he is, he knows when he's fighting a losing battle.


This time around I picked up a couple of small bits and pieces including a housewarming card to celebrate our new place, and a smart little note pad with a rather inspiring quote on the front. It reads, "Have you begun today what you want to be tomorrow?" I'm thinking it will be a nice place for Mr.Mr. and I to write short notes to ourselves and each other in the mornings before work. I'm not sure if the practice will stick but I think this move is a great opportunity to work on starting some really great new habits. Ones that will encourage us to focus our time and energy into building a great new life for ourselves together.


...That and to buy lots of new paper.

Indulgences

The night before my wedding I had a wee bit of a breakdown. I was having a late dinner and drinks before with friends and family and I became literally overwhelmed. In the truest sense. I couldn't really discern what it was all about beyond that I was frustrated with virtually everyone and that I wasn't supposed to be that upset. Mr.Mr. ended up staying at our apartment with me that night and while that helped calm my nerves significantly, it didn't do crap for my post cry-a-thon puffy eyes.

The next morning while my sisters, my mom and I got our hair cut, blown, back-combed and bobby-pinned at Derby Salon in Wallingford, I wondered exactly how I might reduce the signs of my breakdown before the 4pm ceremony. Fortunately, one of my sisters had been planning to pick up some Zia Essential Eye Gel from the Whole Foods next door and she thought it might help with my post-meltdown mess. And did it ever. It's about $24.00 in the store (and am I ever pissed to find it for $14.00 and eligible for Amazon Prime!) and with two quick applications of the slightly zingy gel, my eyelids quickly deflated. I'm so not a $24.00 eye gel kind of girl but as someone who's prone to off the chart emotions, anything that makes my mood swings less obvious to the outside world is totally worth it.

So if you're prone to ballooning eyelids after a particularly sad movie, weepy argument or while PMSing, I can happily endorse a dose of Zia's eye gel. It sure beats cold spoons.