Catching Up pt. VI: Cute Stuff I Made

It's an owl bag! I got a sweater to give to Gabby when I went to New Jersey, but then I wanted to give Kevin, her boyfriend, a gift too. I started making him a shirt, but I decided it was weird to give him something I made and her something I bought (as well as another reason not to give her the sweater...a secret reason) so I made her a little owly bag.

When it's closed you see this cute lil owl guy:


And when you flip open the cover the owl is sleeping:

Catching Up pt. V: Books

I wanted to look smart, so I filled my desk shelf with books.

1. A Pictorial History of Radio-I found it around the same area as The Strand, but it didn't have a price tag or sticker anywhere in or on it, so I took it. It's what it says. A whole book full of pictures from the 20s-50s maybe, showing how radio became more and more popular, and some stars of the era.

2. Rites of Fall: a book about Texas high school football. Doesn't sound that great but it is. I got it for $2 at some book store (on University I think) that I don't remember the name of.



3./4. Tonight at 8:30 and The View from the Fortieth Floor-these two were books that I found outside the repetoire theater right across the street from Parsons' 55 W. 13th building. Perhaps they were props at one time? I don't know. But they were just sitting there on a box, so I snatched 'em up. I haven't read them, and probably won't now that I know that one is about the fall of major publishing companies in the 60s, and the other is a play, or a series of plays I'm not sure.

5. Leonard Cohen (Selected Poems 1956-1968)-I LOVE Leonard Cohen. I love this book even more because it used to belong to my dad. We had it in the house, but when I went home for break I brought the book back with me. Every one of his poems is glorious.

Catching Up pt. IV: Another Recipe

As promised, here's a recipe for meatballs that comes from, you guessed it, my dear sweet mother.

about half pack of ground beef
2 eggs
2 Tbsp onion soup powder
Bread crumbs
cooking oil
1 jar tomato sauce

1.In a bowl, mix beef, eggs and soup powder. Add enough bread crumbs to make a dry mixture.
2.Cover bottom of a large saucepan with oil and heat up over medium heat. Form balls by rolling them between your palms, measuring about 1 tablespoon of beef for each. Drop in the oil one at a time, about half the mixture. Turn when brown, about 5 minutes, cook another 2 minutes and remove to a plate. Finish the other half of mixture the same way.
3.Add the meatballs on the plate to the pot and pour the tomato sauce over them, stirring gently.
4.Cover and lower heat to low. Cook for about 30 minutes, checking that sauce does not get too dry. Add ¼ cup water at a time if it does.

I only used one egg when I made this, but I didn't use that much beef, so I guess it depends on how much you have. I paired this with some homemade garlic mashed potatoes and it was delish.
To make the mashed potatoes I usually just cut up one or two potatoes into cubes, boil them with a pinch of salt and let them boil for 10-13 minutes. Then when they're soft I strain them and mash them up with some salt and butter.
For the garlic, I used half a clove minced and cooked in butter until a little brown, and then mixed in with the already-mashed potatoes.

P.S.

It snowed in NYC again this morning!

Catching Up pt. III: Bushwick Show

Went to a show/art show in a warehouse in Brooklyn. This cute girl band (Coasting) played-just watch.

Catching Up pt. II: Minibook

Like I mentioned a few posts ago (the one where I said I would feature cute things I've created) I made a cute little book for a friend of mine (Jordan, who was mentioned in a post a while back). I sent it in the mail sans envelope or anything, just a stamp. He got it, but luckily I took photos of it just in case. I showed a bunch of people who agreed it was cute. I've blacked out his last name and address because, well...this is the internets.
Sorry some of the images came out all sideways, I couldn't change them. Have a look-see!

Here we goooo!

Well everybody I'm back in New York (fortunately and unfortunately). I spent a little time in New Jersey before Winter Break ended as well and got to see some great stuff. But I promised I'd post some specific stuff, so specific stuff I shall post starting today.

December seems SOOO long ago but I really have to write about the BUST Holiday Craftacular.

it.
friggin.
RULZ!
If you are in New York (or now L.A. and London too!) when BUST hosts a craftacular, I highly recommend attending.



This year it was held at the Metropolitan Pavilion, which was a few L Train stops away from where I live. I went with Gabby REALLY early in the morning because the first 500 people in received free goody bags with all sorts of awesome stuff. The whole thing was awesome. We had to wait in line for a while which was freezing, but the kind people of Joe provided some free coffee.



When we got inside all these bags were being dumped onto the floor which were full of great stuff like gum and coupons and bumper stickers and popchips. They also had magazines displayed on a little counter that you could just grab. All of that for free (with $2 entry). They had a ladydj, food samples, and a demonstration of silkscreening and craft-cutting machines (on canvas bags...which were also free). Basically I just got a whole bunch of free stuff. In addition to all the free stuff though, a bunch of amazing independent artists and companies were selling their wares. Most of them were pretty expensive, but supporting them is worth it.



When we left, there were a lot more people than when we came in and it got really crowded. Plus there was a ginormous line outside.



After having lunch at Goodburger, which was better than I thought it would be (I got grilled cheese and fries-yum!)I'd say it was a pretty good day.