tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34226272024-03-13T16:33:25.978-04:00bliu blogjust the thoughts and dreams of a blithe pixelgirlchristinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01150039678504590811noreply@blogger.comBlogger470125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3422627.post-90504478837345576262009-12-19T22:17:00.002-05:002009-12-19T22:24:54.786-05:00conclusionsc o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c o u n t e r - c u l t u r e .<br /><br />the bright ones figure it out. the others shall not outlive their attempts.christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01150039678504590811noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3422627.post-68272456360320148092009-12-19T01:47:00.007-05:002009-12-19T02:10:37.705-05:00advice and bannersa mysterious, and tantalizing, prospect: <a href="http://adviceandbanners.blogspot.com/">advice and banners</a>.<br /><br />they actually live quite close to home. i wonder if i pass them in the cafe, in the market, on the bus, and we knowingly nod to our secrets.<br /><br />just so i remember: here lies a transcription, verbatim, of the 2-page typed letter (times new roman, 12pt font, white 8.5x11 copy paper) and the banner which arrived in my mailbox this week.<br /><br />[you can merely guess what question i posed.]<br /><br /><span style=";font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;" >Dear Christine,</span><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /><br /></span><span style=";font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;" >Oh man, I know exactly what you mean. It's so frustrating to feel like you know what you want, even if only vaguely, and to not have it yet. And you're left wondering, "do things just fall into place at some point, or is there some formula that I'm missing that will make everything happen </span><span style="font-size:130%;"><i style="font-family: times new roman;">now</i></span><span style=";font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;" >?"</span><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /><br /></span><span style=";font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;" >I am so far from having an answer to that, so I'm going to neatly avoid the subject and instead focus on ideas about the present, and what it actually means to be waiting for things. Because I can assure you that everyone I know who's around my age, my whole group of friends, seems to be holding their breath, holding out for something better. Jobs, relationships, roommates, hobbies, advanced degrees...we've had so many unproductive conversations about how things will be different when we're older and have everything figured out.</span><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /><br /></span><span style=";font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;" >And it makes me think of this totally cheesy bumper sticker my friend saw in Harvard Square once that said, "Don't Postpone Joy." It successfully launched the two of us into mini-crises about how we had been thinking too much about the future to appreciate all the nice things we have going for us right now. We had been doing a lot of thinking like, "</span><span style="font-size:130%;"><i style="font-family: times new roman;">When</i></span><span style=";font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;" > I have a nicer apartment..." and "</span><span style="font-size:130%;"><i style="font-family: times new roman;">When</i></span><span style=";font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;" > I have a better-paying job..." and "</span><span style="font-size:130%;"><i style="font-family: times new roman;">When</i></span><span style=";font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;" > I live somewhere cooler..."</span><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /><br /></span><span style=";font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;" >And, for me, all that thinking about the future starts to get wrapped up in thoughts about the kind of person I want to </span><span style="font-size:130%;"><i style="font-family: times new roman;">be</i></span><span style=";font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;" >...because, you know, maybe when I have a bigger kitchen I will cook more and have a more extensive spice collection and learn how to bake sourdough bread and never end up eating a bowl of cereal for dinner out of laziness. Wanting a bigger kitchen ends up being about my dissatisfaction with my cooking skills </span><span style="font-size:130%;"><i style="font-family: times new roman;">and</i></span><span style=";font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;" > an excuse to not do a single thing about it.</span><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /><br /></span><span style=";font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;" >I guess the point is that the words "patience" and "waiting" imply a sort of dissatisfaction with the present, don't they? And maybe that's the problem. Not to be someone who blames American culture for things...but I blame American culture for creating masses of high-achieving, hopeful, expectant, motivated people who are so great at preparing to succeed in the future that it's almost as though we think that five-years-from-now is more important than today.</span><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /><br /></span><span style=";font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;" >(This patience conundrum is actually really interesting to me because it's about the future vs. the present, and expectations vs. happiness, and hope vs. the unknown, all at once.)</span><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /><br /></span><span style=";font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;" >Actually, I just remembered that the first little banner I ever made was for myself, and it says "TODAY" in big yellow letters because I totally needed a reminder to focus on the present. It's on the wall across from my bed, and it's the first thing I see when I wake up. It reminds me to take a moment, before I even get out of bed, to make a mental to-do list of what I want to accomplish that day, both in terms of helping me achieve some long-term goals and also in terms of just enjoying the day.</span><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /><br /></span><span style=";font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;" >Anyway, I don't know what it is you're waiting for. But whether it's a certain job, or finding a soulmate, or moving to a new city, or a whole bunch of things, I think the formula for being content right now probably involves a mixture of doing what you can to reach those goals and doing your best with what you have right now. Plus a little dash of faith in the fact that you can't predict the future and that, no matter what happens, it will probably be okay. Can't go wrong with that.</span><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /><br /></span><span style=";font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;" >So your banner says, "working isn't waiting." Because it just feels good to be </span><span style="font-size:130%;"><i style="font-family: times new roman;">doing</i></span><span style=";font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;" > something, not only because it can help you get closer to whatever goals you have, but because doing things* and being active is intrinsically good for your mental health and happiness, right now. This is really important, and I think lots of people need this reminder. Feeling like you're waiting for something sucks so much because it's passive and stagnant. I hope the banner helps you remember that as long as you're doing </span><span style="font-size:130%;"><i style="font-family: times new roman;">something</i></span><span style=";font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;" >, and enjoying it, you aren't just waiting for something better. And that's such a relief, isn't it?</span><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /><br /></span><span style=";font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;" >Good luck!</span><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /><br /></span><span style=";font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;" >-Advice&Banners</span><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /><br /></span><span style=";font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;" >* Very vague word, I know. But I'm sure you are familiar enough with yourself to know what you like to do to [sic], and what you need to do to get what you want. If not, it's up to you to figure it out.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2578/4186139174_28eb72d5ed_o.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2578/4186139174_28eb72d5ed_o.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />thank you.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/Syx3QUhSD9I/AAAAAAAAAXU/ZAYaUfJoCug/s1600-h/workingisntwaiting.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/Syx3QUhSD9I/AAAAAAAAAXU/ZAYaUfJoCug/s400/workingisntwaiting.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5416835574089781202" border="0" /></a>christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01150039678504590811noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3422627.post-87573878838151716412009-12-08T12:47:00.007-05:002009-12-08T13:03:43.891-05:00ten tables cranks it up to 11<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/Sx6Tt9c5F1I/AAAAAAAAAXI/LHSei9__lPU/s1600-h/tentablescambridge-couple_384x216.jpg"><img style="margin:10px 10px 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 384px; height: 216px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/Sx6Tt9c5F1I/AAAAAAAAAXI/LHSei9__lPU/s400/tentablescambridge-couple_384x216.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5412926219945056082" /></a><br />if i don't write it down, i'll be remiss, because who knows how long it'll be on the hyper-seasonal menu before it vanishes completely?<br /><br />chef dave punch's ridiculously satisfying tasting of sorts last night at <a href="http://tentables.net">ten tables</a> cambridge, complete with creepy santas and dreidels with faces:<br /><br />charcuterie: country pate with parisian ham & pistachios, chicken liver parfait with with riesling gelee LIKE WHOA<br /><br />steamed PEI mussels (just the meats, no shells) with baby spinach, saffron cream, piment d'espelette & garlic crouton<br /><br />handmade potato gnocchi with braised oxtails, breadcrumbs & fresh horseradish gremolata<br /><br />cassoulet: housemade french garlic sausage, braised duBreton pork shoulder, hudson valley moulard duck leg confit, cannellini beans<br /><br />bottle: 2006 <a href="http://www.bellepente.com/html/body_current_releases.html">belle pente vineyard</a> pinot noir <br /><br />chocolate terrine with sea salt & thai basil ice cream (!!!)<br /><br />hazelnut semifreddo with bay, orange & caramel<br /><br />saffron and honey-poached pear with crushed pistachios & vanilla bean ice cream<br /><br />+ two friends sweeter than any dessert in the world.christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01150039678504590811noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3422627.post-7020458866420931052009-12-03T17:43:00.007-05:002009-12-03T18:06:32.120-05:00a lion's maineaccording to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernoulli%27s_principle">wikipedia</a>, "bernoulli's principle states that for an inviscid flow, an increase in the speed of the fluid occurs simultaneously with a decrease in pressure or a decrease in the fluid's potential energy." <br /><br />which is precisely how i felt when i finally got the time, energy, money and gumption to unfurl all my portland, maine fantasies at once. the weekend after thanksgiving, while everyone was busy napping off the last of the pumpkin pie or getting cheeks pinched anew from farflung relatives, i packed lightly, grabbed my friend alex, and fled to the amtrak station as if my life depended on it. <br /><br />30 hours + an endless list of fervent city recommendations + pent-up hopes and dreams = a whirlwind weekend. as we flew around portland with alarming velocity, the pressure ceased, the pieces soon fell into place, and we got to enjoy a staggering amount of delights--both deliberate and serendipitous. i can't wait to race back to relax ... to race once again.<br /><br />{ duckfat, micucci grocery, shipyard brewery, rabelais, random shopping, rogues gallery, 555, hugo's, fore street, local 188, bintliff's, random tide-curbing, novare res, leroux kitchen, street & co, the corner bar, inn by the sea }<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SxhDUq6zZnI/AAAAAAAAAW8/tk8PM2VMSFU/s1600-h/portland-postthanksgiving+010.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SxhDUq6zZnI/AAAAAAAAAW8/tk8PM2VMSFU/s400/portland-postthanksgiving+010.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5411148974683022962" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SxhDUYklvQI/AAAAAAAAAW0/unS7UW1esBw/s1600-h/portland-postthanksgiving+011.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SxhDUYklvQI/AAAAAAAAAW0/unS7UW1esBw/s400/portland-postthanksgiving+011.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5411148969758014722" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SxhDTy7QoLI/AAAAAAAAAWs/mVXSoxlJbE4/s1600-h/portland-postthanksgiving+018.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SxhDTy7QoLI/AAAAAAAAAWs/mVXSoxlJbE4/s400/portland-postthanksgiving+018.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5411148959652552882" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SxhDTmoqvPI/AAAAAAAAAWk/Z-LYXH1nluk/s1600-h/portland-postthanksgiving+021.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SxhDTmoqvPI/AAAAAAAAAWk/Z-LYXH1nluk/s400/portland-postthanksgiving+021.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5411148956353346802" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SxhDS5JX0ZI/AAAAAAAAAWc/zPrddUfdc24/s1600-h/portland-postthanksgiving+025.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SxhDS5JX0ZI/AAAAAAAAAWc/zPrddUfdc24/s400/portland-postthanksgiving+025.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5411148944142487954" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SxhCvOxUJgI/AAAAAAAAAWU/WYd1SZmIc8k/s1600-h/portland-postthanksgiving+028.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SxhCvOxUJgI/AAAAAAAAAWU/WYd1SZmIc8k/s400/portland-postthanksgiving+028.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5411148331471873538" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SxhCukCplOI/AAAAAAAAAWM/18H3NRr6JWo/s1600-h/portland-postthanksgiving+030.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SxhCukCplOI/AAAAAAAAAWM/18H3NRr6JWo/s400/portland-postthanksgiving+030.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5411148320001856738" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SxhCuPb9EWI/AAAAAAAAAWE/JxWE2nXh9f4/s1600-h/portland-postthanksgiving+033.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SxhCuPb9EWI/AAAAAAAAAWE/JxWE2nXh9f4/s400/portland-postthanksgiving+033.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5411148314470846818" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SxhCt_OTXlI/AAAAAAAAAV8/puV6qk5M3P0/s1600-h/portland-postthanksgiving+037.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SxhCt_OTXlI/AAAAAAAAAV8/puV6qk5M3P0/s400/portland-postthanksgiving+037.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5411148310118620754" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SxhCtUuxkwI/AAAAAAAAAV0/R_aYQooMvg0/s1600-h/portland-postthanksgiving+045.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SxhCtUuxkwI/AAAAAAAAAV0/R_aYQooMvg0/s400/portland-postthanksgiving+045.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5411148298712093442" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SxhCZrfG_FI/AAAAAAAAAVs/wOakL8V6hQU/s1600-h/portland-postthanksgiving+052.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SxhCZrfG_FI/AAAAAAAAAVs/wOakL8V6hQU/s400/portland-postthanksgiving+052.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5411147961223019602" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SxhCZdKDMpI/AAAAAAAAAVk/T2bAF5EaXFU/s1600-h/portland-postthanksgiving+066.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SxhCZdKDMpI/AAAAAAAAAVk/T2bAF5EaXFU/s400/portland-postthanksgiving+066.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5411147957376594578" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SxhCZPpSWgI/AAAAAAAAAVc/zPXHviH7IYk/s1600-h/portland-postthanksgiving+069.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SxhCZPpSWgI/AAAAAAAAAVc/zPXHviH7IYk/s400/portland-postthanksgiving+069.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5411147953749514754" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SxhCYgqWcTI/AAAAAAAAAVU/W2siVXm6aaA/s1600-h/portland-postthanksgiving+079.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SxhCYgqWcTI/AAAAAAAAAVU/W2siVXm6aaA/s400/portland-postthanksgiving+079.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5411147941137510706" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SxhCYCw9-eI/AAAAAAAAAVM/d2LV2B-Ol3E/s1600-h/portland-postthanksgiving+083.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SxhCYCw9-eI/AAAAAAAAAVM/d2LV2B-Ol3E/s400/portland-postthanksgiving+083.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5411147933112203746" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SxhCAmjlGgI/AAAAAAAAAVE/firkbm-9XWo/s1600-h/portland-postthanksgiving+086.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SxhCAmjlGgI/AAAAAAAAAVE/firkbm-9XWo/s400/portland-postthanksgiving+086.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5411147530402863618" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SxhCABnaLuI/AAAAAAAAAU8/j-G8GIPbbC8/s1600-h/portland-postthanksgiving+093.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SxhCABnaLuI/AAAAAAAAAU8/j-G8GIPbbC8/s400/portland-postthanksgiving+093.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5411147520486813410" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SxhB_xcjN2I/AAAAAAAAAU0/CTgClp62ZgA/s1600-h/portland-postthanksgiving+099.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SxhB_xcjN2I/AAAAAAAAAU0/CTgClp62ZgA/s400/portland-postthanksgiving+099.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5411147516146300770" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SxhB_a900RI/AAAAAAAAAUs/KwGFhRtoTO4/s1600-h/portland-postthanksgiving+100.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SxhB_a900RI/AAAAAAAAAUs/KwGFhRtoTO4/s400/portland-postthanksgiving+100.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5411147510111850770" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SxhB_J_8xMI/AAAAAAAAAUk/4rPxubsgmjY/s1600-h/portland-postthanksgiving+104.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SxhB_J_8xMI/AAAAAAAAAUk/4rPxubsgmjY/s400/portland-postthanksgiving+104.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5411147505557357762" /></a>christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01150039678504590811noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3422627.post-4993163636950926332009-09-14T11:13:00.016-04:002009-09-21T15:14:46.251-04:00online private sales compendiumthank you, recession + web 2.0 wonks, for making "online private sales" (i.e. members-only discounts) proliferate faster than sequins on a mcqueen ensemble.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/Sq5gbcDvNzI/AAAAAAAAAUQ/IYJsXzSKT88/s1600-h/hipsterlady_original.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 280px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/Sq5gbcDvNzI/AAAAAAAAAUQ/IYJsXzSKT88/s400/hipsterlady_original.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381344629258925874" border="0" /></a><br /><br />here's an ongoing list, to be renewed accordingly. let me know if you would like invites, or if something's missing from this list.<br /><br /><a href="http://ideeli.com/">ideeli</a> [women's designer accessories]<br /><a href="http://gilt.com/">gilt</a> [women's designer apparel/accessories]<br /><a href="http://giltfuse.com/">gilt fuse</a> [women's trend apparel/accessories]<br /><a href="http://jetsetter.com">jetsetter</a> [luxury travel]<br /><a href="http://ruelala.com/">rue la la</a> [women's/men's apparel/accessories, home goods]<br /><a href="http://hautelook.com/">hautelook</a> [women's apparel/accessories]<br /><a href="http://thetopsecret.com/">the top secret</a> [women's apparel/accessories]<br /><a href="http://editorscloset.com/">editor's closet</a> [women's apparel/accessories]<br /><a href="http://onekingslane.com/">one kings lane</a> [home goods]<br /><a href="http://jackthreads.com/">jack threads</a> [men's streetwear]<br /><a href="http://thefairest.com/">the fairest</a> [cosmetics]<br /><a href="http://private.portero.com/">portero private</a> [luxury brands]<br /><a href="http://beyondtherack.com">beyond the rack</a> [luxury accessories]<br /><br />temporary custody of high-end stuff (like netflix for goods)<br /><a href="http://thredup.com">thred up</a><br /><a href="http://avelle.com">avelle (formerly bag borrow or steal)</a><br /><br />power-in-numbers discounts<br /><a href="http://groupon.com">groupon</a><br /><a href="http://qponus.com">qponus</a><br /><a href="http://buywithme.com">buy with me</a><br /><br />more nicety deal miscellany<br /><a href="http://getsugarrush.getsugar.com">get sugar</a><br /><a href="http://www.dailycandy.com/deals">dailycandy deals</a><br /><a href="http://www.bostonusa.com/visit/restaurantweek">restaurant week</a><br /><a href="http://www.spaweek.com">spa week</a><br /><a href="http://hubeats.com">hub eats</a><br /><br />& altogether awesome discounted designer shopping<br /><br /><a href="http://www.theoutnet.com/">the outnet</a> [net-a-porter's clearance]<br /><a href="http://yoox.com/">yoox</a> [euro-flavored]<br /><a href="http://badjoan.com/">bad joan</a> [west coast flow]<br /><a href="http://inventorynyc.com">inven.tory nyc</a> [boutique outlet]<br /><br />last updated: 2009.09.14christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01150039678504590811noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3422627.post-25411837642761667672009-08-21T22:59:00.007-04:002009-08-21T23:38:55.314-04:00cheated, a littlewouldn't you take a warming, intoxicating, melt-you-all-over sip (or two) of <a href="http://www.thebalvenie-whisky.com/">balvenie</a> single-barrel 15 year-old single malt scotch, especially if it was graciously passed in the luxuriously modern salon at <a href="http://www.lespalier.com/">l'espalier</a> for a <a href="http://www.google.com/profiles/josef.kijewski">dear friend</a>'s 28th birthday celebration?<br /><br />well, wouldn't you?<br /><br />so, such is my lapse. but oh! mercy on this forgivable trifle. truthfully, i am glad that i did stick to my abstinent guns, for the summer refreshers that english bill prepared were blissfully boozefree, yet absolutely exquisite. <br /><br />the first, paired with an <a href="http://www.islandcreekoysters.com/">island creek oyster</a> topped dramatically with a pouf of cucumber foam and smidge of fruit and glistening roe, stood head to head with any cocktail worth its mettle: an ethereal elixir of watermelon granita muddled with lemon verbena "plucked this morning from frank's own farm." <br /><br />heck yes.<br /><br />the second beverage that materialized also burst forth in all sorts of sun-kissed pleasure. passion fruit juice, steeped with a cinnamon stick for a day or so, is shaken with honey syrup and then taken over ice; sipped daintily from a straw, if you would do so kindly. really perfect, presiding somewhere in that nebulous middle ground between simple fresh juice and meticulous mixology. it drinks like a dream.<br /><br />there was plenty of emotional flux throughout the day. a sweet yet sentimental goodbye over breakfast, the stupefying stifle of what became the sauna-city, some stolen moments with a bohemian who has nothing to lose and all to gain.<br /><br />up next: <a href="http://sugarbomber.com">sugarbomber</a> <a href="http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/food/dishing/2009/08/ice_cream_showd.html">ice cream showdown</a>. may the best delights reward a patient, passionate following of frozen dessert. in other words: the most righteous guerilla dessert feast in a somerville parking lot! sounds like trouble. sweet, sweet trouble.christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01150039678504590811noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3422627.post-22243913800593521732009-08-21T00:51:00.007-04:002009-08-21T01:15:40.927-04:00darkly brightcan't wait to participant in <a href="http://linebreak.org/80/jacobs-dream/">adam tessier</a>'s collaborative project, <a href="http://ourdailysonnet.com/">our daily sonnet</a>. i'll spare you the details of how i know him (about six ways to sunday, tucked within the folds and loops and gnarls of cambridge's social pool), much less how i managed to meet him about a year after we last spoke. but here we are, enthralled by shakespeare and people and internet and whatallthisreallymeans.<br /><br />every day, one video is added to the published tally: one speaker, one sonnet, in singular style, until all 154 are recited.<br /><br />there have been 10 sonnets performed as of today; <a href="http://ourdailysonnet.com/2009/08/14/sonnet-3/">holly's glimmering rendering of #3</a> is my favorite thus far.<br /><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/S4lmnR41P0c&hl=en&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/S4lmnR41P0c&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="344" width="425"></embed></object><br /><br />after reading a few dozen tonight of the enormous remainder (my summer camp culturefest must truck on), i committed myself to sonnet #43:<br /><blockquote><br />When most I wink, then do mine eyes best see,<br />For all the day they view things unrespected;<br />But when I sleep, in dreams they look on thee,<br />And darkly bright, are bright in dark directed.<br />Then thou, whose shadow shadows doth make bright,<br />How would thy shadow's form form happy show<br />To the clear day with thy much clearer light,<br />When to unseeing eyes thy shade shines so!<br />How would, I say, mine eyes be blessed made<br />By looking on thee in the living day,<br />When in dead night thy fair imperfect shade<br />Through heavy sleep on sightless eyes doth stay!<br /> All days are nights to see till I see thee,<br /> And nights bright days when dreams do show thee me.<br /></blockquote><br />word after word, each burns with proof. this shall be the one.christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01150039678504590811noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3422627.post-2584645343029811032009-08-19T23:44:00.010-04:002009-08-20T00:46:18.048-04:00HAM!♥ p o n y o ♥ p o n y o ♥ p o n y o ♥ p o n y o ♥ p o n y o ♥ p o n y o ♥ p o n y o ♥ p o n y o ♥ p o n y o ♥ p o n y o ♥ p o n y o ♥ p o n y o ♥ p o n y o ♥ p o n y o ♥ p o n y o ♥ p o n y o ♥ p o n y o ♥ p o n y o ♥ p o n y o ♥ p o n y o ♥ p o n y o ♥ p o n y o ♥ p o n y o ♥ p o n y o ♥ p o n y o ♥ p o n y o ♥ p o n y o ♥ p o n y o ♥ p o n y o ♥ p o n y o ♥ p o n y o ♥ p o n y o ♥ p o n y o ♥ p o n y o ♥ p o n y o ♥ p o n y o ♥ p o n y o ♥ p o n y o ♥ p o n y o ♥ p o n y o ♥ p o n y o ♥ p o n y o ♥ p o n y o ♥ p o n y o ♥ p o n y o ♥ p o n y o ♥ p o n y o ♥ p o n y o ♥ p o n y o ♥ p o n y o ♥ p o n y o ♥ p o n y o ♥ p o n y o p o n y o p o n y o p o n y o p o n y o <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ponyo_on_the_Cliff_by_the_Sea">p o n y o</a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SozIklRm5TI/AAAAAAAAATM/54t6tEXbIMs/s1600-h/ponyo-artwork-031.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 315px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SozIklRm5TI/AAAAAAAAATM/54t6tEXbIMs/s400/ponyo-artwork-031.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371888986352969010" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SozTdcbQ_AI/AAAAAAAAAUE/vVIQvHeL790/s1600-h/127194-9-ponyo-sur-la-falaise.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SozTdcbQ_AI/AAAAAAAAAUE/vVIQvHeL790/s400/127194-9-ponyo-sur-la-falaise.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371900958346378242" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SozIkKEpWQI/AAAAAAAAATE/6bzw8VbpDac/s1600-h/ponyo1.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 398px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SozIkKEpWQI/AAAAAAAAATE/6bzw8VbpDac/s400/ponyo1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371888979050846466" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SozIlx4Os7I/AAAAAAAAATk/QgHfE3Fl5J8/s1600-h/ponyo-movie-2-source_pbj.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 237px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SozIlx4Os7I/AAAAAAAAATk/QgHfE3Fl5J8/s400/ponyo-movie-2-source_pbj.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371889006916055986" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SozIlQxX4vI/AAAAAAAAATc/j6vxV2ccZ0o/s1600-h/PONYO.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SozIlQxX4vI/AAAAAAAAATc/j6vxV2ccZ0o/s400/PONYO.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371888998028927730" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SozIk3xXwGI/AAAAAAAAATU/WmNGjCaOc5g/s1600-h/ponyo3.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 216px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SozIk3xXwGI/AAAAAAAAATU/WmNGjCaOc5g/s400/ponyo3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371888991318032482" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SozJ7ynb5YI/AAAAAAAAATs/zXPGwVjZ8S8/s1600-h/papet-ponyo.gif"><img style="margin: 0pt 0px 10px 10pt; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SozJ7ynb5YI/AAAAAAAAATs/zXPGwVjZ8S8/s200/papet-ponyo.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371890484582802818" border="0" /></a><br />just witnessed miyazaki's film <span style="font-style: italic;">ponyo</span> this evening with <a href="http://secondhusk.wordpress.com/">jenna</a> at the <a href="http://www.coolidge.org/">coolidge corner theatre</a>. i left inspired, wide-eyed, delighted, altogether rosied with a wonderful story and old-school animation. you just need to watch it -- the humor, voicing and timing is not easily portrayed secondhand -- but instant wins in my book:<br /><ul><li>the gorgeous, silent introductory scene exploding with detail, supporting a serene balance of an ecosystem shimmering in tandem</li><li>jellyfish! so many jellyfish!</li><li>the mutually neurotic tendencies of the stripey-suited father and earthbound lisa</li><li>the extreme evocation of the ocean, the light, the color, the fluidity</li><li>octopus sneaking its way into the house<br /></li><li>the intoxicating magic of ramen</li><li>mass-guppy tickling of scary-eyed water demons<br /></li><li>casual appearance by enormous, scaly, prehistoric fish</li><li>the dry, crazy humor of cranky old people<br /></li><li>the vaguely Renn-faire speak, "kiss this bubble, child, when you reach to the surface"<br /></li></ul>and, as an aside, the haunting resemblance between ponyo and <a href="http://www.blumandpoe.com/yoshitomonara/index.htm">the little pilgrims (night walking)</a> by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoshitomo_Nara">yoshitomo nara</a>:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SozTcnpghsI/AAAAAAAAAT0/ZcwHWARlKxs/s1600-h/3003-2.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SozTcnpghsI/AAAAAAAAAT0/ZcwHWARlKxs/s400/3003-2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371900944179037890" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SozTdL7iX6I/AAAAAAAAAT8/yjyk1M9Ukz4/s1600-h/2irnn5y.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 216px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SozTdL7iX6I/AAAAAAAAAT8/yjyk1M9Ukz4/s400/2irnn5y.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371900953918332834" border="0" /></a>christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01150039678504590811noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3422627.post-5144357589472457292009-08-19T01:44:00.021-04:002009-08-19T02:56:17.695-04:00the glass menagerielots of unexpectedness today: a tumultuous start in the morning, an honest-to-goodness free lunch (out-for-hours leftover pizza harkens back to grad school-worthy small victories), windows-hate technical difficulties, and the miraculous chance that i didn't get anything on my purple silk harness <a href="http://www.filippa-k.com/">filippa k</a> dress that i was foolishly, swelteringly traipsing in all day. score.<br /><br />the reason for the outfit (the concept of day-to-night dressing is like a sofa bed; it doesn't really do proper justice for either function) was for the 500-or-so attended <a href="http://www.yelp.com/events/cambridge-yelps-red-carpet-gallery-gala-the-guest-list-is-full">yelp gala</a> at the <a href="http://www.hmnh.harvard.edu/">harvard museum of natural history</a>. the 'gala' aspect of it was silly but fun -- an excuse for ladies and gents to get dolled up for each other (rather than in front of the computer tapping away at yelp.com, ostensibly). i invited jake along for the ride, and looked forward to seeing a slew of familiar faces.<br /><br />traversing through harvard yard on a breezy summer evening like tonight was pure pleasure. all nostalgia, tender familiarity. silent, wise trees saying hello like they've known me for years -- and they have.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SouXPujJqNI/AAAAAAAAASk/HHiIwBJ2tAI/s1600-h/museum.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 231px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SouXPujJqNI/AAAAAAAAASk/HHiIwBJ2tAI/s320/museum.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371553277018745042" border="0" /></a>any excuse to see the glass flowers is a treat in itself, but the frozen-in-time venue held a precarious balance between an eye-opening collection of animals and a pathetically retro appeal (some taxidermied specimens were so distressed you could see the armature; glass was warped; walls and surfaces were accidentally stained or painted a mustard yellow that hadn't seen the light of day since 1962). even for me, who usually has squeamishness in the negative, the idea of chomping on pork burritos or steak tartare while standing next to a dozen creatures in various stages of fur and formaldehyde was a little disquieting.<br /><br />one gastronomic and personal highlight: seeing chef marco suarez at the <a href="http://www.bonsavor.com/">bon savor</a> table, with a most exquisite bacon-wrapped pheasant terrine. (notwithstanding the fact that a brilliantly plumed pheasant, caught in outstretched prostration, was strapped on display in a diorama near the museum's entrance.)<br /><br />another highlight was getting my eyebrows threaded gratis at the <a href="http://www.nazkupeliansalon.com/">naz kupelian salon</a> booth in the 'mineral hall'. how often do i get my eyebrows done, and do i usually get them waxed or threaded? er... no comment. i take pride in the fact that i'm pretty low-maintenance (and do everything at home as much as possible), but goodness, it always feels good to be groomed upon. if the hair on my head could grow fast enough, and money wasn't an issue, i'd get my coif cut at a salon every day. there's something about the element of transformation, and having your head at the absolute mercy of an artist.<br /><br />but seriously. thank you, leighann, for organizing this absolutely tamed circus. it was a wonderful event to see everyone in their sunday best, and the array of tasty sponsors amidst a historical institution. plus, we bore witness to a wicked funky air conditioner with ducts and foil that looked like it came out of tomorrowland. that: priceless.<br /><br />afterward, stopped by <a href="http://upstairsonthesquare.com/">upstairs</a> for a chit-chat and zebra-lined comfort. while dipping grilled cheese odds and ends into vats of impossibly creamy tomato soup, i received my mocktail experiment for day 2. matt, in attempt to make something "not so sweet" for me, came up with this, which i adored: mint muddled with lime, shaken with lino's housemade ginger beer, dashed up with peychaud's and fee bros whiskey-aged bitters, and fizzled with a bit of soda water. sensually spicy and mintalicious, and totally refreshing in such a season. shall i bestow the moniker... "jamaican patience"?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SoudSQ3EUtI/AAAAAAAAAS0/sau2oQxkMB8/s1600-h/catholic.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 313px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SoudSQ3EUtI/AAAAAAAAAS0/sau2oQxkMB8/s320/catholic.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371559917658591954" border="0" /></a>though it didn't entail going out, i did maintain the summer-campy cultural experience promised to myself. tonight i unearthed a lot of gems while preparing for my show, <a href="http://wmbr.org/www/sched-tue#serif">sans serif</a><a>, on </a><a href="http://wmbr.org/">wmbr</a> 88.1FM. (listen to the hour-long show in MP3 <a href="http://headphones.mit.edu/archive/Sans_Serif____8_18_09_5:58_PM.mp3">here</a>). you can recount the <a href="http://www.track-blaster.com/wmbr/playlist.php?id=5045">playlist</a> for yourself, but what struck the hardest was how modern the work of <a href="http://www.myspace.com/cowleysocarras">patrick cowley & jorge socarras</a> sounded, despite its recording in the late 70s. the synthy proto-techno stuff spawned and influenced the likes of depeche mode and lcd soundsystem. they were absolutely artists before their time. though cowley died in 1982, a bunch of tracks of unreleased work from 1976-1979 is being released in the album <a href="http://www.discomusic.com/cds-more/14396_0_3_0_C/">catholic</a>, which i got the privilege of queueing up tonight.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SouefwwDuNI/AAAAAAAAAS8/5SGjGs6KT6g/s1600-h/codfish.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 195px; " src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SouefwwDuNI/AAAAAAAAAS8/5SGjGs6KT6g/s320/codfish.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371561249069054162" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SouXQPUyVMI/AAAAAAAAASs/PTU8WT4c6_Y/s1600-h/whiskeybash.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 195px; " src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SouXQPUyVMI/AAAAAAAAASs/PTU8WT4c6_Y/s320/whiskeybash.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371553285816865986" border="0" /></a><br />by the way, some <a href="http://stuffboston.com/photos/partypics/tags/Whiskey+Smash+Bash+at+Eastern+Standard/default.aspx">visual evidence</a> surfaced from last sunday's <a href="http://www.boston.com/thingstodo/gotoit/2009/08/just_smashing.html">whiskey smash bash</a> at <a href="http://easternstandardboston.com">eastern standard</a>. in my natural habitat, of course, washing down pork product with <a href="http://www.greatbourbon.com/eagleraresb.aspx">eagle rare</a>. and it feels. so. good.christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01150039678504590811noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3422627.post-35429306955928045172009-08-18T01:16:00.007-04:002009-08-18T01:39:17.706-04:00camp liu-anna-wanna<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/Soo9JazNo7I/AAAAAAAAASc/qqC6k4zbrxo/s1600-h/smores.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/Soo9JazNo7I/AAAAAAAAASc/qqC6k4zbrxo/s320/smores.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371172737614980018" border="0" /></a>i've declared a staycation of sorts. not necessarily the kind where you sit by a hotel pool, dipping your toes idly while reading a dogeared novel, dreaming about the riviera while figuring out what mbta bus route to eventually take back home. but rather one of the emotional getaway, one where i declare summer camp is now: it's my party and i'll macrame if i want to.<br /><br />so every day this week, i will spend my evenings on something performative and enjoyable--a film, a concert, a furtive harmonium wailing in someone's backyard, whatever--rather than the constant oot and abootness that usually characterizes the liu. not to say i'm not aboot, but doing so as a solo act. it's commitment.<br /><br />tonight i went to see <a href="http://www.foxsearchlight.com/500daysofsummer/"><span style="font-style: italic;">(500) days of summer</span></a> at the harvard square cinema, and absolutely adored it. oh, it was heartstring-pulling and teeming with sharply timed dialogue and endless flirtations with the audience that makes it impossible to hate. the acting was impeccably strong on both accounts. and can i please, please, please have summer's pastiched, art-strewn, toile-papered apartment? long-lashed girl has serious, vintage-drips-sex style that's real, yet irresistible. her pants wrinkled after a work day; her face gloriously un-botoxed in a smile; the you-can-draw-on-my-arm candor.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/Soo5mYrVbpI/AAAAAAAAASU/-z4AtZhw1I4/s1600-h/2009_500_days_of_summer_002.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/Soo5mYrVbpI/AAAAAAAAASU/-z4AtZhw1I4/s320/2009_500_days_of_summer_002.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371168837214760594" border="0" /></a>i think what i loved so much is that, watching it, you really get the the-world-can't-be-more-perfect swellings of infatuation and the subsequent burn-and-crash catastrophe of confusion, breakup and constant rumination. i literally felt the rush in my heart, deep and fast, with the grandiose zig and zag of the narrative. a sensation at once intimately familiar and, alternatively, a vicarious deal. this isn't anything new, but for some reason it was especially resonant--perhaps because the protagonists are pretty much of 'my' 'generation'. it unleashes the escalation of anxieties after you finally come to the realization that life only moves forwards, never backwards.<br /><br />not sure if the director meant this, but in hindsight, it almost seemed like an american version of amelie--in a good way. the artful reinterpretations of tom's perspective in different cinematic modes (the french scenes emphasized this connection). the interplay between reality and fantasy with overlapped graphics; the moment when amelie melts, heartbroken, into a waterfall that splashes dejectedly in the cafe is translated here when tom angrily busts out of summer's rooftop party and disappears at a standstill, black silhouette against a misty void of the city. the recollection of each of the characters' upbringing, with that-explains-it childhood quirks and parallel do-all-things-lead-to-this-fateful-moment framing. also: tom and summer (not to mention amelie) watch a lot of films together. and i imagine many couples in various stages of their relationship are watching <span style="font-style: italic;">(500) days of summer</span>; watch the ripples go!<br /><br />the ending-ending is endearingly silly, but the end of the '500 days' is extremely moving. my heart still sort of hurts thinking about it. but somehow we all manage to find the strength to say goodbye, get off the bench and prepare for the next day: (1)<br /><br />in other news, i'm doing a little simultaneous experiment: 7 days of dry. or would that be (7) days? it's the best way to research mocktails, which are <span style="font-style: italic;">totally</span> the new bacon-wrapped cocktail.<br /><br />after the film, i met up with the lish and some industry people i haven't seen in a while at the bar at <a href="http://www.cliorestaurant.com/">clio</a>. todd fixed me up a nameless frothy concoction with raw egg white, lime juice, lemon juice, dash of grenadine, and ginger ale. shaken like crazy and served sans ice in a collins, the foam floated deliciously about halfway down the glass. a sip revealed the drink's bearings as super-fancy version of middle-school prom punch--totally reminiscent of fruity sherbet scooped into a vat of citric soda. kinda fun, kinda sweet, and incidentally fitting right in my grown-up summer camp shtick.<br /><br />hit me with any and all suggestions for what else i should see, attend, or sip this week in terms of pleasure-seeking. at the moment i may not have a bonfire to toast my s'mores, but impaled food? now <span style="font-style: italic;">that's </span>a given.christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01150039678504590811noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3422627.post-19502352148083369612009-08-16T15:33:00.017-04:002009-08-20T02:35:05.640-04:00the writer's plight in julie & julia<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SohsGU4pmYI/AAAAAAAAAR8/UBkP-lXlqfE/s1600-h/julia-cambridge.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SohsGU4pmYI/AAAAAAAAAR8/UBkP-lXlqfE/s320/julia-cambridge.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370661411580647810" border="0" /></a>irony always finds its way to bite.<br /><br />who would expect that a film depicting everything that i find exasperating, self-absorbed and flash-in-pan-fame about modern media and blog culture would be just the impetus for me to fervently jot down my response online?<br /><br />more than most, i would only assume.<br /><br />i had been looking very forward to seeing <a href="http://julieandjulia.com/"><span style="font-style: italic;">julie & julia</span></a> since the frenzy started, from the previews to the screenings to the opening weekend (last) and subsequent film writeups. naturally, being a complete food obsessive and starving-artist writer, i was piqued from the get-go. and despite many opportunities to watch it from last friday on, i kept the suspense so i could watch it with fresh eyes with my friend frank (a classifiably starving artist who chooses to eat exceptionally well) last night at the illuminated-owl lined screening room in the <a href="http://www.somervilletheatreonline.com/">somerville theatre</a>.<br /><br />to prepare our minds and bellies, we supped at <a href="http://hungrymothercambridge.com/">hungry mother</a>, where i always manage to feel, in foolproof measures, better and better with each subsequent visit. seeing duane warmed my heart (the becherovka-laced no. 57 took care of the belly), not to mention learning that alon and rachel just celebrated the birth of their baby daughter, mira. john emerging from the sweltering kitchen in an apron and ear-to-ear grin, jennifer stashing a 40 of miller high life in a brown bag before delivering it to a table, naomi retelling stories with aplomb--such small, yet persistent details contribute to the indescribable pleasure of everyone here, there. everywhere.<br /><br />chenin blanc, viognier, clams with housemade chorizo and hominy and refreshingly <span style="font-style: italic;">al dente</span> potatoes, baked grits with house smoked bacon and cheddar, a succotash-esque side whose name i don't remember but starts with M and was addictive beyond measure [<span style="font-style: italic;">edit: john helpfully reminds me it's </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maque_choux">maque choux</a>], swift demitasses of espresso and eager developments in <a href="http://brillet.fr/">brillet</a> pineau des charentes, <a href="http://www.meletti.it/">meletti</a> anisette and amaro.<br /><br />it lingers.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SohsFiepEVI/AAAAAAAAARk/Hs98rYEBBv0/s1600-h/julia.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 196px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SohsFiepEVI/AAAAAAAAARk/Hs98rYEBBv0/s320/julia.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370661398049788242" border="0" /></a>so yes, the film. i'll get the obvious bits out: streep is nothing short of incredible. the shots of food elicit gasps and egg-wash-golden murmur-gasms. the husbands are amusing but totally secondary. the stomach-lurching arcs of drama lead gracefully into a rose-colored ending. and, apparently, julia child had an amazing taste in shoes.<br /><br />but for some reason, i felt especially nonplussed, even indignant, about the julie powell narrative. it came across as extremely narcissistic, and well--yes--a bit disrespectful to the real julia child in her apparently worshipful tribute to her. and despite julie's ambitious project and fervent followship ("i can't let down my readers!"), the questions raised (even explicitly in the film) really didn't have satisfactory answers:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SohsF5HwWGI/AAAAAAAAARs/N4lTb-MP4yk/s1600-h/julie.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SohsF5HwWGI/AAAAAAAAARs/N4lTb-MP4yk/s320/julie.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370661404127811682" border="0" /></a>what was the motivation--to make her feel better about her vapid-seeming life or to motivate and equip others with skills and morale? could she herself be her own role model instead of clinging to her projected perfection on a talented, though mortal, figure? if she were so poor, how did she manage to purchase so many ingredients in such a short span of time? was it really that easy to secure a book/media/tv/fame-in-fifteen in less than a year of a sweet, yet small, project? and something that perhaps is beside the point, but crucial nonetheless: perhaps she could weave a tale, but could julie really, actually cook?<br /><br />though incidentally, i could completely empathize with the phone conversations between her and her mother regarding the blog. (hi mom, i know you're reading this very post, and you probably will call me to laugh and say you're just trying to look out for me. it's cool :)) but having the constant pressure of a fun, perhaps flippant, very public project. having your mom be the only one who, depressingly but supportively, comments. being immediately concerned after misinterpreting a faux-dramatic posting. all that, very true.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SohsGKj4zLI/AAAAAAAAAR0/49nukgUjJhw/s1600-h/julia2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SohsGKj4zLI/AAAAAAAAAR0/49nukgUjJhw/s320/julia2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370661408809209010" border="0" /></a>i tried to find the seed of my restless annoyance at julie (or at least the one portrayed in the film). she took less than one year of tapping away at an invisible, yet quantifiable audience, whereas julia took major strides in surmounting the sex and class ceilings, had to deal with the thorns of teamwork and constant travel, and took eight painstaking years on a very uncertain project that she, somehow, managed to make certain. that julia is so much greater a respectable artist than julie is obvious, and the juxtaposed stories just made the contrast ever more so.<br /><br />then again, am i just jealous that julie powell lucked out with all this success as a writer? perhaps. but it also gives dashful hope that doing the right things at the right time, no matter how precarious, can lead to events beyond expectation.<br /><br />encouragingly, many changes afoot.<br /><br />anyway, the point is, julia child was a kick-butt rogue and inspiration to all subsequent (and specifically american female) cooks and writers. i mean, just look at her:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SohsGwyTGPI/AAAAAAAAASE/GNwJm56OIMc/s1600-h/julia-monkfish.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 218px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SohsGwyTGPI/AAAAAAAAASE/GNwJm56OIMc/s320/julia-monkfish.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370661419070200050" border="0" /></a><br />and, in indulgent tribute, two drops in the sizzling saute of julia child footage.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ohiUbQyDhk">fowl</a> ("the CHICKEN SISTERS!") and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWmvfUKwBrg">eggs</a> (with not one, but two pan-flipping demonstrations)<br /><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/LWmvfUKwBrg&hl=en&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/LWmvfUKwBrg&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="344" width="425"></embed></object><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">bon appetit!</span>christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01150039678504590811noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3422627.post-73285246066800866252009-08-16T13:54:00.012-04:002009-08-16T15:06:08.464-04:00the touch of summeri cannot ask for finer adventures, more gracious friends, the beauty of serendipity and tenacity. in mid-august reflection: you have treated me well, boston, as well as i hope i have treated you.<br /><br />to wonder.<br /><br />+ + +<br /><br />there was adventure.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SohLSS7DEsI/AAAAAAAAANs/pncBy6BMbIg/s1600-h/chezpanisse.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SohLSS7DEsI/AAAAAAAAANs/pncBy6BMbIg/s320/chezpanisse.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370625333328548546" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SohLSxOIesI/AAAAAAAAAN8/ab4TqIJvEF4/s1600-h/paschicken.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SohLSxOIesI/AAAAAAAAAN8/ab4TqIJvEF4/s320/paschicken.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370625341461658306" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SohQXCwR_iI/AAAAAAAAAP0/1aevLJB_MyA/s1600-h/ropes.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SohQXCwR_iI/AAAAAAAAAP0/1aevLJB_MyA/s320/ropes.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370630912445906466" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SohX6zF7B6I/AAAAAAAAAQs/O2WpUYTG100/s1600-h/butcher.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SohX6zF7B6I/AAAAAAAAAQs/O2WpUYTG100/s320/butcher.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370639223298394018" border="0" /></a><br /><br />there was music.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SohNgTfCY0I/AAAAAAAAAPc/zPQC-rcOEYA/s1600-h/hulahoop.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SohNgTfCY0I/AAAAAAAAAPc/zPQC-rcOEYA/s320/hulahoop.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370627773020922690" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SohLbnHtl6I/AAAAAAAAAOc/py8aOBztJp4/s1600-h/mintjulep.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 180px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SohLbnHtl6I/AAAAAAAAAOc/py8aOBztJp4/s320/mintjulep.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370625493369198498" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SohLy2NhGaI/AAAAAAAAAO8/v6YrrMJ2by8/s1600-h/betahouse.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SohLy2NhGaI/AAAAAAAAAO8/v6YrrMJ2by8/s320/betahouse.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370625892557068706" border="0" /></a><br /><br />there was mirth.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SohLShiiAkI/AAAAAAAAAN0/XPqZHGa55SQ/s1600-h/trio.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SohLShiiAkI/AAAAAAAAAN0/XPqZHGa55SQ/s320/trio.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370625337252250178" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SohLSG3GNWI/AAAAAAAAANk/V5nYA-0esf0/s1600-h/gilsons4th.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SohLSG3GNWI/AAAAAAAAANk/V5nYA-0esf0/s320/gilsons4th.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370625330090751330" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SohLzN4RiLI/AAAAAAAAAPE/Ho3s6Z_X0tA/s1600-h/wedding.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SohLzN4RiLI/AAAAAAAAAPE/Ho3s6Z_X0tA/s320/wedding.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370625898910419122" border="0" /></a><br /><br />there were goodbyes.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SohM2tdSJFI/AAAAAAAAAPM/We7LX27p2ZM/s1600-h/danny.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SohM2tdSJFI/AAAAAAAAAPM/We7LX27p2ZM/s320/danny.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370627058438382674" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SohQavUwE5I/AAAAAAAAAP8/_tcs2ZmIkRA/s1600-h/hug.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SohQavUwE5I/AAAAAAAAAP8/_tcs2ZmIkRA/s320/hug.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370630975949640594" border="0" /></a><br /><br />there was sunshine.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SohLax61ZQI/AAAAAAAAAOM/LGMW5srOCKQ/s1600-h/patiokeyse.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SohLax61ZQI/AAAAAAAAAOM/LGMW5srOCKQ/s320/patiokeyse.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370625479088104706" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SohYg8AqwVI/AAAAAAAAAQ0/mNaIqiSXwb0/s1600-h/sowa.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SohYg8AqwVI/AAAAAAAAAQ0/mNaIqiSXwb0/s320/sowa.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370639878527304018" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SohOFAPemBI/AAAAAAAAAPk/7Y5trcW8XXY/s1600-h/beach.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SohOFAPemBI/AAAAAAAAAPk/7Y5trcW8XXY/s320/beach.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370628403510548498" border="0" /></a><br /><br />and ... take a wild guess.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SohLcGPepVI/AAAAAAAAAOs/NOgR5XOi3HA/s1600-h/vegantoro.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SohLcGPepVI/AAAAAAAAAOs/NOgR5XOi3HA/s320/vegantoro.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370625501723272530" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SohLbwH0pYI/AAAAAAAAAOk/1GQ9_dIIcm4/s1600-h/route7grill.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SohLbwH0pYI/AAAAAAAAAOk/1GQ9_dIIcm4/s320/route7grill.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370625495785579906" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SohNfxww7nI/AAAAAAAAAPU/6m8i2ifBW14/s1600-h/soiree.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SohNfxww7nI/AAAAAAAAAPU/6m8i2ifBW14/s320/soiree.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370627763968470642" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SohLTfzkzcI/AAAAAAAAAOE/sFiJx595rb8/s1600-h/salad.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SohLTfzkzcI/AAAAAAAAAOE/sFiJx595rb8/s320/salad.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370625353966734786" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SohLbCbLL7I/AAAAAAAAAOU/05dFxtKRVZU/s1600-h/charcuterie.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/SohLbCbLL7I/AAAAAAAAAOU/05dFxtKRVZU/s320/charcuterie.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370625483518717874" border="0" /></a><br /><br />and all of it, salt-kissed sweet.christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01150039678504590811noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3422627.post-2651308003892608532009-02-13T21:06:00.002-05:002009-02-13T21:13:07.193-05:00a year laterno fixed points: many loves flowing--spatially, temporally, spiritually--in flux.<br /><br />the heart is a lonely hunter, but at least the subsequent venison sausage assuages the pain.<br /><br />(to be continued.)christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01150039678504590811noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3422627.post-56618392432654851342008-02-17T14:53:00.005-05:002008-12-10T16:14:56.332-05:00the liu is lovedthe light outside today is clear, sunny and sharp as a tack ('she's touring the facility, and picking up slack'...). considering we've had some strange weather days of sno-nados and creepy apocalyptic heat, it's beginning to look a little rosier around here.<br /><br />after a couple weeks of sore-throating-fatiguing-coughing my brains out, i'm beginning, as well, to see the therapeutic light. i went to the gym today after a long lethargic hiatus, and feel much better, with my training sessions picking up again this week and an impulsive massage super-early on wednesday morning. i can't wait until my trip back to my parents' in maryland, when i go home to get treated like the pwincess i ought to be. ;)<br /><br />in technical news, my <a href="http://cmliu.com/articles.html">list of clips</a> on my <a href="http://cmliu.com/">website</a> is synchronized to the latest updates, and my <a href="http://sansserifmusic.org/">radio show</a> will <strike>continue to be aired on tuesdays 7-8pm</strike> be changed to <b>thursdays 6-7pm EST</b> starting this week on <a href="http://wmbr.org/">wmbr</a> (both streaming live online and archived). get dancin'.<br /><br />the <a href="http://weeklydig.com/">dig</a>'s spring style guide will be coming out this wednesday, the 20th, which—with its merch sourcing and model seeking and photo shooting—has been a serious <i>oeuvre</i> of late. i hope everyone will enjoy it.<br /><br />happy belated valentine's day.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://flickr.com/photos/liuliuliu/sets/72157603925421065/"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2352/2270569260_917c38c2cd.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://flickr.com/photos/liuliuliu/sets/72157603925421065/"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2122/2269777393_7296a09204.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://flickr.com/photos/liuliuliu/sets/72157603925421065/"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2409/2269777475_29a831d425.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiki%27s_Delivery_Service"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/R7iT-7amJkI/AAAAAAAAAJg/S71vGFV751Q/s200/p1002841303.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5168043281718060610" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiki%27s_Delivery_Service"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/R7iRWLamJjI/AAAAAAAAAJY/wq3ePyarv6w/s200/Jiji.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5168040382615135794" border="0" /></a>and little black kitty <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiki%27s_Delivery_Service">jiji</a> says <i>gorogorogorohellooo</i>...christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01150039678504590811noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3422627.post-17780322712756147232008-01-27T19:33:00.001-05:002008-01-27T19:44:51.112-05:00incomprehensible.utterly epic.<br /><br />last night was one of those unbelievable life experiences, time stopping and racing by at once with friends and strangers and a spectacular feeling of freedom. its instance of sheer glory is only rivaled by only by a few very memorable events, including going insane during guy boratto's live set at metropolis in montreal for mutek 2007 and one life-changing party i attended at harvard co-op. times like this make me remember again why i love boston... i saw so many people i'm met from all sorts of layers in my life: stages as student, editor, outgoing and upright citizen.<br /><br />emf. unbelievable.<br /><br />at times when i get itchy to leave the city, somehow boston manages to reel my heart and sentiment right back in. eight years, an investment that's blooming uncontrollably.<br /><br />i wonder, if at age 18 i saw how my life were to be at age 25, if i would have even believed myself. this is how things have become, how life has recaptured the magic that never seemed possible. it's a wonderful yet vulnerable thing. how much more can i look forward to in the coming years?<br /><br />hopefully much more than i could ever comprehend. there is so much love, and i can only but embrace it fully.christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01150039678504590811noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3422627.post-48448926628431835642008-01-13T16:33:00.000-05:002008-12-10T16:14:57.950-05:00notable five in 2007: food editiona curious last few days: a healthy dose of tummy gratification interspersed with meetups (coincidental and non-) with college friends and a necessary tending-to of the laundry/grocery/clean variety. <br /><br />saturday afternoon i got to meet the ocean of new, shiny faces that can only belong to the plucky legions we call 'dig interns'. heh. after i came home and showered and creatively (i.e. with the seat of my pants) threw together a deconstructed guacamole out of my last <a href="http://bostonorganics.com">boston organics</a> delivery, my friend sam (of harvard, mit and the requisite array of collegiate asian-american activities) called me up out of the blue to, naturally, eat something delicious. i took advantage of the fact that he has a car (wow, technological breakthrough) so we headed to <a href="http://laosichuan.com">sichuan gourmet</a> in honey-baked-ham framingham. we drowned our desires for spicy chinese food with the following: a starter cold dish of wood-ear mushrooms (think floppy flowery mushrooms with the soft chewy wet texture of seaweed) tossed gorgeously with scallions, cilantro and tiny slices of small red peppers; heaps of gangou dry-fried fish fillets topped with an amazingly complex chili-oiled mix of green onions, garlic, peppers and fermented black beans; chengdu spicy style lamb with various greens and the most tender (tenderized? fatty? miraculous?) meat i have experienced in recent memory; and soothing sides of shanghainese green vegetables and white rice to balance the stupendous hotttttness happening on the table. there was the requisite nose-blowing, but the flavors were so rich and nuanced along with the spice and not a merely straight-on dumb heat. i'm so glad i got to finally visit one of these places that i usually only read (and drool) about on <a href="http://chowhound.com/boards/12">chowhound</a>. for the next suburban sichuan destination: <a href="http://www.redpepperroute9.com/">red pepper</a>!<br /><br />today has been a smattering of getting some work out of the way, but this morning's straightforward errand-running in davis square had a wonderfully unexpected twist. not only was the weather absolutely stunning (a warmth and light that rarely peeks through at this point in january), i noticed little things usually overlooked (the robbins smoke shop and convenience store which i hope doesnt shut down due to the new cvs; a specifically advertised brand-new timbuk2 bag in the window of goodwill) and i ran into my friend john who i've known since college and is now finishing up his math ph.d. at mit. we always bump into each other out and about in cambridge or somerville, almost always in a cafe where he gets his studying done. even more encouraging, we're now practically somervillian neighbors. small surprising things like this brighten my day in a way that few things do. i may have lived in boston for an insane amount of time (i'm on my 8th year, folks), but small-town coincidences like this never get old. <br /><br />ok, i'll stop with the unicorns and rainbows now.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.lisafrank.com/"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/R4qb9qp6woI/AAAAAAAAAI4/DWIO5i94vj8/s320/lisafrank.gif" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5155104207203385986" /></a><br /><br />(just kidding.)<br /><br />i meant to go running but now the sky is dark and i'm a bit paranoid since i dont have reflective gear. i can has gym session monday morning? the kickboxing bootcamp i signed up for begins this week, so see you soon with my sick, sweaty PYTHONS and fierce, twichy jabs. :)<br /><br />alright, without further ado, here are yummy things from 2007. (i never specified *which* weekend i'd update my notable picks, which supposedly should mitigate my embarrassment at being tardy...)<br /><br /><b>#1: everything at o ya</b><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/o-ya-boston"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/R4qT6Kp6wjI/AAAAAAAAAIQ/DaxxbZkUZck/s320/oya.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5155095350980821554" /></a><br /><br />tristan and i died and went to heaven at our wonderfully luxurious meal here, overwhelmed by the sheer amount of detail that went into the food and how much complexity could be squeezed into such concentrated bites. it's an upscale modern japanese "tavern" with small plates, the precious prices and wonderful sake sommeliering juxtaposed with a modest location and beach boys on the muzak. we had only but a few plates from the lengthy, dense menu, but the ones i remember most vividly are the chanterelle and shiitake sashimi and an uni-topped mound of deliciousness. i hope that we can experience this restaurant at least once during 2008... it's an undeniable splurge but extremely, fittingly so.<br /><br /><b/>#2: paired cheese with cocktails at <a href="http://www.no9park.com">no 9 park</a></b><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://no9park.com"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/R4qZiKp6wnI/AAAAAAAAAIw/KogBl8BxBz8/s320/no9park.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5155101535733727858" /></a><br /><br />i apologize for the total lack of detail regarding this occasion (i wasn't taking notes, surprisingly) but it still was extremely notable and begs for a return investigation. john gertsen, bar manager at the moneyed no 9 keeps it real on tuesday and saturday evenings, eager to share philosophies behind his newest concoctions and veritable history lessons on the classics. we were enjoying some of seasonal cocktails and the restaurant's resident cheese expert came out with an array of cheeses matched specially to "pair well with our cocktails." she explained each one, the names and origins which escape me now, but the cheeses were like nothing i had ever had before: one unbelievably saturated with nutty walnut undertones; another with a rind immersed in red wine; and the third insanely rich and creamy. it was remarkable to try them in tandem, a pairing of flavor profiles that never even occured to me before. no 9 park is also a rare, occasional splurge (even when not eating) but this experience truly blew my mind.<br /><br /><b>#3: red beet salad and endives with soft goat cheese at <a href="http://www.petitrobertbistro.com/">petit robert bistro</a></b><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.petitrobertbistro.com"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/R4qT6Kp6wkI/AAAAAAAAAIY/FV9NnfgoQA4/s320/petitrobert.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5155095350980821570" /></a><br /><br />even for the couple times i've actually dined at this restaurant, i love the french atmosphere and truly authentic dishes (e.g. andouillette or tripes provençales). also, the basket of bread (allegedly imported from montreal) is incredible. this particular occasion was the last class of the language course i was taking at the <a href="http://www.frenchlib.org">french library</a>, so we could practice our conversation in a real-world environment. although the restaurant's not particular <i>cher</i> i didnt want to spend too much on dinner, so i decided on just this salad (after my <i>aperitif</i> of lillet blanc, <i>bien sur</i>). i wish i had a real photograph of the dish, because the composition of the salad was surprisingly chic, with layers of ruby, white, and green melding beautifully--both visually and on the tongue. tangy chevre paired with beety earthiness and bitter endives, not to mention the melange of textures (plump, crisp, creamy) transfixing my smitten thoughts.<br /><br /><b>#4: curry mee soup at <a href="http://www.penangusa.com">penang</a></b><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://penangusa.com"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/R4qcT6p6wpI/AAAAAAAAAJA/_uj4AcIGgmY/s320/currymee.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5155104589455475346" /></a><br /><br />because of the dig's proximity to chinatown, at least in the cooler months i almost always go there for lunch for a hearty bowl of noodle soup. i rotate between pho pasteur, pho hoa, suishaya, and penang most frequently, but i will never forget the day i tried the curry mee. (i even called my mom because it was such a revelation). Description reads: "Rice & egg noodle with eggplant, bitter melon & tofu stuffed with minced fish served in a clear chicken broth or spicy curry broth." but it's so much more... i wax a bit more eloquently in my year-end soup <a href="http://weeklydig.com/department-commerce/eats-drinks/eats/200712/super-bowls">roundup in the dig</a>.<br /><br /><b>#5: truffled polenta logs at <a href="http://thesavantproject.com">the savant project</a></b><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://thesavantproject.com"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/R4qT7ap6wlI/AAAAAAAAAIg/jrjRhJoqli4/s320/savantproject.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5155095372455658066" /></a><br /><br />you can't eat too many of these, or else one might become physically more a log than desired, but it's a worthy challenge of restraint. i never really was a polenta enthusiast, but these things truly turned me around. mission hill's sharp newcomer savant project serves their signature finger-shaped wads of crisp, fried cheesy polenta infused with the unmistakable essence of truffle, to be dipped into a glassful of creamy decadence. you sigh, dip, and sigh some more. the classy fragrant snackers get their own little shoutout in the savant project's <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/department-commerce/eats-drinks/eats/200709/savant-project">review in the dig</a>.<br /><br />honorable mentions: the tiny perfect burger at <a href="http://restaurantdante.com">dante</a>, the jamaican jerk chicken sandwich at <a href="http://redbones.com">red bones</a>, brunchy things at <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/renees-cafe-somerville">renee's cafe</a>, the one perfect rib at <a href="http://eastcoastgrill.com">east coast grill</a>, nuclear tacos at <a href="http://2007.sxsw.com">sxsw</a>, clams + chorizo at <a href="http://www.restaurantcasaportugal.com">casa portugal</a>, kobe hamburger at <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-squealing-pig-roxbury-crossing">squealing pig</a>, the list goes on...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://flickr.com/photos/liuliuliu/422116002/"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/R4qY3qp6wmI/AAAAAAAAAIo/7xP-6oTLjog/s320/christineeating.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5155100805589287522" /></a><br /><br />yummmmmmiez. please tell me other things i can't bear to miss out on!<br /><br />i'm sure all this eating is making you thirsty, so upcoming: notable five in the libationary category!christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01150039678504590811noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3422627.post-66510090932366165732008-01-04T16:54:00.001-05:002008-12-10T16:14:58.256-05:00notable five in 2007: home decor + design editionyippee with an extra two sparkle stars: my <a href="http://cmliu.com">website</a> is finally transferred over (with thanks to <a href="http://zeitkunst.org/">nick</a> for putting up with my technological fuss), so now i can actually edit the pages with more up-to-date information. wow, i am so getting used to this internet thing. ;) relevant content, here i come...<br /><br />although i'm not one to change my profile photo on <a href="http://facebook.com">facebook</a> every weekend (i think mine still stems from fall 2006), it's good to give a good fresh start to things after a good while, lest one ends up like the ageless <a href="http://www.dr.dk/NR/rdonlyres/D7C1A348-47FD-4683-9D7E-81FF4095B195/3248/savant.jpg">marilyn vos savant</a>. <br /><br />scary.<br /><br />anyway, let's get on with the 2007 notables. i absolutely hate moving and try to minimize <i>stuffffffffff</i>, but it's amazing how much small, well-designed objects can make a significant impact on living. (not to mention sleeping and eating and breathing and...)<br /><br />#1: <a href="http://www.adagio.com/teaware/ingenuiTEA_teapot.html">ingenuiTEA teapot</a> from <a href="http://www.adagio.com">adagio teas</a> (gift from <a href="http://joysoftea.blogspot.com/">mom</a>)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://spicetopia.biz/images/ingenuiTEA_teapot.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://spicetopia.biz/images/ingenuiTEA_teapot.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />call me paranoid, but it seriously took me a good ten minutes to poke around and actually put utter faith in its workings. how, indeed, would it know when to brew quietly with no chance for spillage, and when to eject its tea-leaf-infused waters into a waiting vessel? the last thing i wanted was a kitchen countertop glazed in boiling water, but of course my worries were all for naught. this thing is MAGIC. my former methods such as tea balls or blank tea bags for loose tea seemed so quaint compared to this system... you just brew, place the thing on a cup, watch the tea get 'peed' from the pot (seriously, i can't think of any other metaphor); the leaves are left inside to enjoy 2nd or 3rd brewings. the tea spurts into mugs, my media lab pint glass, whatever cups are lying around. only caveat: you can't use it on wide-mouthed mugs. but otherwise, it's a fantastic little tool.<br /><br />#2: tangiers tile sheet set from <a href="http://urbn.com">urban outfitters</a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/R36rXap6wgI/AAAAAAAAAH4/ehNEfqUusJ4/s1600-h/sheets.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/R36rXap6wgI/AAAAAAAAAH4/ehNEfqUusJ4/s320/sheets.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5151743442538906114" /></a><br /><br />i rotate two sheet sets throughout my sleeping/laundering patterns, and one set sourced from when i was in college (i think i bought it secondhand too; you can go 'ew' now) was really looking worse for wear. ergo, time for a replacement to supplement my neutral ikea sheets. i've never indulged in such graphic sheet sets (i've been tempted, but i always dread the less expensive ones will be itchy or thin), but these were on sale at urban. so i made the plunge. and now i relish in my favorite color, bright green, as it cocoons me all night! luckily, they've surpassed my humble expectations and are putting up with use quite nicely.<br /><br />#3: <a href="http://www.target.com/Silicone-Zone-Strainer-Red-9-25/dp/B000IMSNRM/">silicone zone strainer</a> from <a href="http://target.com">target</a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/417VERYNVNL._SS384_.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/417VERYNVNL._SS384_.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />i have the red one, and the soft silicone allows it to smoosh flat. which means, of course, the better to squish it in the jumbly pots and pans cabinet, flattened against the lids or wedged in a lonely corner. the bright color and rubbery texture make straining pasta and veggies that much more fun (sad but true); it wins alone on a tangible level, but the collapsible form is supernice.<br /><br />#4: <a href="http://totoro.org">totoro</a> plush <i>susa-atari</i> from <a href="http://tokaijapanesegifts.com">tokai</a> (gift from <a href="http://syntheticpawn.com">tristan</a>)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/R36vQap6whI/AAAAAAAAAIA/QrBbkKkxqDg/s1600-h/dustball.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/R36vQap6whI/AAAAAAAAAIA/QrBbkKkxqDg/s320/dustball.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5151747720326332946" /></a><br /><br />this gets a warm-fuzzy prize of tenderness; tristan gave this to me on our first datey kind of night (although i suppose officially we were still friends) as we got gussied up for an unparalleled dinner at <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/o-ya-boston">o ya</a>, followed by a chill-out session at <a href="http://winebar.com">les zyg</a>. a leather district fantasy, one might say. but this little fur ball on a suction cup makes my days a little brighter, as he hangs out on a window or any glossy surface in my bedroom. now he greets me in the mirror every morning in his curious and black-foofy way.<br /><br />#5: <a href="http://www.target.com/KitchenAid-Citrus-Juicer-Cast-Metal/dp/B000O5UU2O/">kitchenaid citrus juicer</a> from <a href="http://target.com">target</a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41bZb8r85xL._SS384_.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41bZb8r85xL._SS384_.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />although i would kill for an antique cast-iron juicer (it'll come in time), this gadget's been super handy for extracting juice from fresh lemons, limes and oranges, and the shiny chrome surface not only is handsome and easy to clean, it matches perfectly with my classic stainless steel boston shaker. it's not the most efficient thing for, say, making a gallon of lemonade, but for cocktails and marinades and desserts it does the extraction deed with solid performance.<br /><br />so, perhaps this edition was not so glamourous, but i have all the respect for intelligent industrial design. (and how!)<br /><br />coming up this weekend: notable dishes eaten in boston (or otherwise) in 2007! i'll give you a hint: at least one is spicy :)christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01150039678504590811noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3422627.post-12855883858031655022008-01-03T13:28:00.000-05:002008-01-03T13:30:16.178-05:00we're halfway therewoooooooAOOAAAAAAAAHHHHHH LIVIN' ON A PRAYER!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.cmliu.com">www.cmliu.com</a> is up and at 'em while <a href="http://cmliu.com">cmliu.com</a> seems to be having the sniffles. patience and kind words and the occasional latte might be what the doctor ordered.christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01150039678504590811noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3422627.post-4613350935196768932008-01-03T11:10:00.001-05:002008-01-03T11:16:26.365-05:00cmliu.com is getting some "work" "done"no cause for alarm (just yet); i'm switching my website, <a href="http://cmliu.com">cmliu.com</a>, to another server (yippee! it's been about time to cut my umbilical cord from ye olde <a href="http://www.media.mit.edu">alma mater</a>). though the site's out of commission right now, wayward issues should be cleared up by the end of the day. <br /><br />i'll just pretend that all the kids at <a href="http://joker.com">joker.com</a> look like this:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://icanhascheezburger.com/2008/01/03/funny-pictures-mam-i-r-the-suprvizer/"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://icanhascheezburger.files.wordpress.com/2007/12/funny-pictures-call-center-cat.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01150039678504590811noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3422627.post-90319404894533367442008-01-02T21:40:00.000-05:002008-12-10T16:14:58.287-05:00notable five in 2007: beauty and skincare editionok, so i pretty much use the same cosmetic regime again and again, but i do have to confess that 'routine' doesnt always mean 'mundane.' (just pretend those two words rhyme in your head.)<br /><br />here we go... <br /><br /><b>notable five things in 2007 new to christine's beauty + skincare regime</b><br /><br />#1: <a href="http://www.mothernature.com/shop/detail.cfm/sku/55425/S/10000">cleanser from earth science</a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://images.mothernature.com/Products/250/55425.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://images.mothernature.com/Products/250/55425.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />so i've done everything from neutrogena to shu uemura cleansing oils and back. i tried earth science's formula on a lark when it was on sale on whole foods (at which i'm not necessarily a diehard fan), and it turned out to be the best cleanser for my skin in a long, long time. i tend to break out here and there, but peeling skin is not my idea of a walk in the park. this cleanser has definitely helped me clear up, yet keep a balance and lasts for a while without breaking the bank. you can purchase it from <a href="http://wholefoods.com">whole foods</a> to <a href="http://www.cambridgenaturals.com">cambridge naturals</a>, and at least for me, it's a true-to-form investment. i don't think i can go back to anything out there, at least just yet. i'm sensitive yet oily, and this has been a lifesaver.<br /><br />#2: <a href="http://www.mothernature.com/shop/detail.cfm/sku/55464/S/10000">facial moisturizer with spf 15 from earth science</a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://images.mothernature.com/Products/250/55464.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://images.mothernature.com/Products/250/55464.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />so i've gotten on the moisturizer bandwagon, doing it religiously morning and night. however, this has been the best so far in the spf + moisture category, since it goes on light and doesn't leave a film afterwards. it doesn't get weird if i start sweating or put on makeup or anything (you know the ones that ball up or discolor or go completely SNAFU when you layer it, right?). it may be because it's the same manufacturer of my cleanser, but whatever the case, it does the duty well and good. i tried many a spf-moisturizer combination and gotten burned so many times. this, again, is my salvation.<br /><br />#3: <a href="http://www.lorealparisusa.com/_us/_en/default.aspx#page=top{nav|media:_blank|overlay:_blank|diagnostic|main:brandpage:hip|userdata//d+d//}">h.i.p. cosmetics</a> from <a href="http://lorealparisusa.com">l'oreal</a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.skincareblog.org/images/hip1.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://www.skincareblog.org/images/hip1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />i've realized, both from traveling overseas and talking with people who've worked from the international corporation (hi, matt!) that l'oreal is a serious brand that pretty much got short-changed in the US. everywhere else in the world, it's a luxury department store brand to be reckoned with; but here in the US, it's a battle against everything else in CVS. the h.i.p. eye shadow pairings are nothing less but genius, and they stand the testament against the urban plight. namely, they are intense for a long period of time. plus, the products are just as good as shu uemura (at least on the surface; they have the same motherbrand) and a million times cheaper (i still love you, shu!) not to mention, beyoncé and scarlett johannsen have been pretty smokin' spokesmodels.<br /><br />#4: vincent longo velvet riche rejuvenating lipstick in 'dakota red'<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://a1377.g.akamai.net/7/1377/8278/20070906182222/www.sephora.com/assets/dyn/product/P156209/P156209_hero.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://a1377.g.akamai.net/7/1377/8278/20070906182222/www.sephora.com/assets/dyn/product/P156209/P156209_hero.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/R3xSG6p6wfI/AAAAAAAAAHw/UZSsEP0tnZ0/s1600-h/IMG_0008.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/R3xSG6p6wfI/AAAAAAAAAHw/UZSsEP0tnZ0/s320/IMG_0008.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5151082352582771186" /></a><br /><br />i don't do it often, but when i do, it's fierce. *red*. i got this for free at some gift-baggy sort of event, but i've held onto this tightly as it gives a girl some imminent danger. a blue-ish red goes better for me than a brick or orange-y kind of tint; i feel drawn to it when either holidays or diffcult times come upon me. war paint, it is determined.<br /><br />#5: TIE: lumene arctic touch exfoliating cleansing cream from <a href="http://www.cvs.com">cvs</a> and <a href="http://www.sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P109933&shouldPaginate=true&categoryId=5809">laura mercier's oil-free foundation</a> from <a href="http://beautyandmain.com">beauty and main</a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i10.ebayimg.com/06/i/000/9f/43/61e0_1.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://i10.ebayimg.com/06/i/000/9f/43/61e0_1.JPG" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://a1377.g.akamai.net/7/1377/8278/20050902180041/www.sephora.com/assets/dyn/product/P109933/P109933_hero.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://a1377.g.akamai.net/7/1377/8278/20050902180041/www.sephora.com/assets/dyn/product/P109933/P109933_hero.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />so the exfoliator has really been an uplifting aspect of 2007, but i fear that it has been discontinued in the beauty line for CVS. as a finnish company, it really has the natural-beauty-euro-cleansing luxury to it, but the arctic touch line is awesome because you really fantastize about lying in a hottub in scandanavia as you spread the cloudberry extract all over your face. it's not too rough, but still gives a good scrub; the blue color and delicious scent really make it worth your while. i would give a thumbs up to the rest of line, at least for its natural/scientific skincare bent.<br /><br />laura mercier's foundation has been steadfast throughout the harsh boston winter, tempering my shine without going overboard on the skin-drying. i feel flush and happy, versus matte and ghastly, and as long as i apply with a sponge (as instructed) i think that i'll look lovely and natural as long as this vanilla-beige bottle follows through.<br /><br />yaaaaaay.<br /><br />coming up tomorrow: notable five in home decor and design!christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01150039678504590811noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3422627.post-5451299752195946832008-01-01T22:40:00.001-05:002008-12-10T16:14:59.222-05:00notable five in 2007: wardrobe editionlots of quality time snoozing in bed could be seen as a good way to start off the year. (not to mention a tidy plate of toast, eggs, and ketchuppy home fries.)<br /><br />to jump start 2008, let's revisit a few choice items in cmliu-land in 2007, shall we? the next few entries will be going down the <b>notable five</b> in various categories that are completely subjective and as fickle as the fingers that type it so. it'll span everything from eats and drinks to homeware design, from live concerts to books and articles. but today, in perfectly materialist form, will be...<br /><br /><b>notable five things in 2007 new to christine's wardrobe</b><br /><br />those who know me can attest that my inventory is modest (i tend to work creative rotations of layerable pieces from h+m and tall boots), and my means ever more so (writers aren't especially equipped to coup any semblance of medium- or high-end design), but i'm happy that i've managed to collect a few items of pride. i'm always trying to follow the dictum to acquire few pieces of high quality instead of many pieces of low quality. for the sake of sartorial sanity, i think i've done a bang up job.<br /><br />#1: charcoal 'maid in form' bag by <a href="http://tanobag.com">tano</a>, special ordered from <a href="http://lunaboston.com">lunaboston</a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/R3sJlqp6wbI/AAAAAAAAAHQ/Ppr9sn2CxK8/s1600-h/tano.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/R3sJlqp6wbI/AAAAAAAAAHQ/Ppr9sn2CxK8/s320/tano.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5150721141538210226" /></a><br /><br />it took me forever and a half to find a replacement for my former do-everything-everywhere shoulder bag, a black canvas zip-top number by <a href="http://www.ordning-reda.com/">ordning & reda</a> that i got in vienna a few summers ago. with a tall list of requirements (big enough to hold the latest issue of <a href="http://nymag.com"><i>new york magazine</i></a> plus a sweater, not so big that it becomes a bother, a zipper top is a MUST HAVE, has to go from daytime to evening, needs to last through constant beating, etc) it seemed i would never find something that fit both my lifestyle and my budget. (have you <i>seen</i> the pricetags at <a href="http://barneys.com">barney's</a>? it's painful.) but tano, with its sumptuous leathers and quality handiwork, seemed to fit the bill. oh, what agony in the process of choosing exactly which model from the collection, but it seems like this duo-pocketed one is faring just fine :)<br /><br />#2: amp eyewear from <a href="http://www.eye-q-optical.com/">eye-q</a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos-a.ak.facebook.com/photos-ak-sf2p/v159/76/83/56/n56_33626392_7315.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://photos-a.ak.facebook.com/photos-ak-sf2p/v159/76/83/56/n56_33626392_7315.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />to supplement my (currently needs to get repaired) 'upside-down' frames, i managed to finagle a new set of eyeglasses from eye-q. both designs are in-house makes, so if you're dying to get some of your own, call up the boys at the boston eyewear shop. i spent a lot of my years in the past wearing contacts, but nothing beats the instant incognito powers of bold frames. not to say they dont get foggy or smudgy from time to time, but in terms of ease and remembrance, i wouldn't ever give up my specs.<br /><br />#3: <a href="http://nymag.com/fashion/fashionshows/designers/bios/rachelcomey/">rachel comey</a> dress from <a href="http://stelsinc.com">stel's</a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/R3sMmap6wcI/AAAAAAAAAHY/ZvxVtbeMD2E/s1600-h/rachelcomey.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/R3sMmap6wcI/AAAAAAAAAHY/ZvxVtbeMD2E/s320/rachelcomey.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5150724452957995458" /></a><br /><br />the crew at stel's get a gold star, not only for putting up with our barging into their store and fondling pretty much all the merchandise almost every weekend. but i knew karma would come around, and i managed to score the perfect dress for holiday parties (and year-round fanciness), plus tailoring perfection for a chic petite fit. the puckered texture is at once comforting and avant-garde, and the pockets come in handy for stashing top-secret items.<br /><br />#4: knit wrap vest pullover by <a href="http://hossintropia.com/">hoss intropia</a> from <a href="http://stilinc.com">stil</a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/R3sNpqp6wdI/AAAAAAAAAHg/3re2i-6kQms/s1600-h/IMG_0113.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/R3sNpqp6wdI/AAAAAAAAAHg/3re2i-6kQms/s320/IMG_0113.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5150725608304198098" /></a><br /><br />i can't explain it, but this thing is awesome. patterned lambswool knit makes one snug as a huggable slug, especially layered over a slim <a href="http://store.americanapparel.net/rsa8340.html">dress from american apparel</a> or over a tee and jeans. it's a very particular piece (a bit of coordination and thought has to accompany its wearing) but i relish its unique construction.<br /><br />#5: helena alto lace-ups by <a href="http://www.camper.com">camper</a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/R3sP0ap6weI/AAAAAAAAAHo/hKBrIpE0OwM/s1600-h/camper.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/R3sP0ap6weI/AAAAAAAAAHo/hKBrIpE0OwM/s320/camper.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5150727992011047394" /></a><br /><br />so i must admit i was a staunch opposer of the whole ankle bootie trend; i thought they made women's legs look stumpy and were a bear to pull off properly. however, these beauties seduced me despite their suspicious bootie silhouette, but the open front and laces pulled a girly (and elongated) spin, upon which i forgave the whole business entirely. a complete splurge for sure, and i'm lucky if i find an occasion to wear them once a week (or month), but i'm all for comfort in heels (they've worn in nicely) and an unexpected bit of sass. (p.s. you can also see a cute view of them from the front at camper's <a href="http://www.camper.com/web/en/autumn_winter.asp">autumn/winter preview</a>)<br /><br />coming up tomorrow: notable five in beauty and skincare!christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01150039678504590811noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3422627.post-2867854407068960402007-12-31T15:08:00.000-05:002008-01-02T14:35:15.418-05:00bliuberry turnoversi look to my right and 2008 is right there, waiting patiently. <br /><br />and in terms of blogging, ever so.<br /><br />but there i was in the early bits of the year, whisked into the spectacular world of (<i>gasp</i>) writing for living and finding myself with less and less time to type for myself rather than for research, clips, articles, reviews. that was the logic, anyway; when i was a student, blogging was excellent thesis procrastination (especially if it had to do with shoes, all things kawaii, or cashmere). now i stand, dazed, in the midst of a life that i only once dreamt, writing about fashion, food, and culture around the clock. i couldn't ask for anything more from 2007.<br /><br />(except perhaps meeting the one who makes me smile everyday. that was a bonus.)<br /><br />december leaves us in the fleeting wake of warm memories. surprises at the <a href="http://wmbr.org">radio station</a>. belting out our best at <a href="http://www.doremikaraoke.net/">karaoke</a>. petting cats. sipping <a href="http://www.jbftasteamerica.com/city/boston.html">belle de brillet</a>. playing fashion police on a <a href="http://equinoxfitness.com">back bay balcony</a>. late nights in central square and finding ourselves once again at <a href="http://thegreenstreetgrill.com">green street grill</a>. <a href="http://bostonfixed.us/forum">gear wenching</a> and people watching. lazy afternoons at <a href="http://www.boston.com/news/globe/magazine/articles/2005/05/22/the_five_best_day_trips/">minot beach</a>. disassembling an <a href="http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/00019924">ikea wardrobe</a> and other heavy-lifting activities. harassing the people and pets at <a href="http://stelsinc.com">stel's</a>. <a href="http://www.jplicks.com/">ice cream</a> despite the tears. <a href="http://theshoegame.com/blog/?p=861">stupid sneakers</a>. <a href="http://www.myspace.com/dayvidday">dj dunkies</a>.<br /><br />and the holidays mean looking like this on the outside<br /><br /><a href="http://flickr.com/photos/liuliuliu/2139003510/"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2009/2139003510_033afcd59e.jpg" /></a><br /><br />yet feeling this way on the inside :)<br /><br /><a href="http://www.nickydigital.com/index.php?/gallery/photo/65609/"><img src="http://photos-056.ll.facebook.com/photos-ll-sctm/v170/76/83/56/n56_33560329_6113.jpg" width="500" /></a><br /><br />i'm already happy, healthy (thanks <a href="http://healthworksfitness.com">girls</a>) and always up for an adventure. yet as resolutions go, here's to better writing (online and otherwise), better loving, and altogether trusting myself to do anything i put my mind to.<br /><br />happy liu year's, everyone.christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01150039678504590811noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3422627.post-86191076650023682232007-12-30T15:54:00.070-05:002009-01-02T10:15:17.146-05:00christine's writing clips*UPDATED DEC 18, 2008*<br /><br />the ongoing list of web-accessible writing clips by christine liu:<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://boston.com/globe"><img src="http://cache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/glogo.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />2008.12.18 <a href="http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/fashion/articles/2008/12/18/the_sweet_smell_of_success/">the sweet smell of success</a><br />2008.10.23 <a href="http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/fashion/articles/2008/10/23/plume_crazy/">plume crazy</a> [+ <a href="http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/fashion/gallery/fascinators">photo gallery</a>]<br />2008.09.18 <a href="http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/fashion/articles/2008/09/18/hes_got_you_covered_from_80s_fashion_to_60s_music_to_film/">he's got you covered, from '80s fashion to '60s music to film</a>: shawn cotter, trendsetter<br />2008.07.31 <a href="http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/fashion/articles/2008/07/31/at_vegas_expo_its_shoetime/">at vegas expo, it's shoetime</a><br />2008.07.10 <a href="http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/fashion/articles/2008/07/10/ramped_up_decked_out_ready_to_roll/">ramped up, decked out, ready to roll</a>: john nichols, trendsetter<br />2008.07.10 <a href="http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/articles/2008/07/10/pampering_your_pets_in_style/">pampering your pets in style</a> [+ <a href="http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/pets/gallery/espeso/">photo gallery</a>]<br />2008.06.26 <a href="http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/fashion/articles/2008/06/26/this_summer_go_posh_or_penny_wise/">this summer, go posh or penny-wise</a><br />2007.12.27 <a href="http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/fashion/articles/2007/12/27/unique_couture_is_a_call_to_auction/">unique couture is a call to auction</a> [+ <a href="http://boston.com/lifestyle/gallery/couture_auction/">photo gallery</a>]<br /><br /><a href="http://dailycandy.com/boston"><img src="http://static.dailycandy.com/i/gfx/logo-regular.gif" float="left" border="0" /></a><br /><br />2008.12.08 <a href="http://www.dailycandy.com/boston/article/40353/Give+Paws">give paws</a>: 2008 winter pet guide<br />2008.12.05 <a href="http://www.dailycandy.com/boston/article/40302/Ray+of+Light">ray of light</a>: munstre lightboxes<br />2008.11.17 <a href="http://www.dailycandy.com/boston/article/39773/Knit+Picking">knit picking</a>: lara kazan sweaters<br />2008.11.07 <a href="http://www.dailycandy.com/boston/article/39986/Milking+It">milking it</a>: cafe fixe coffeehouse opens<br />2008.11.03 <a href="http://www.dailycandy.com/boston/article/39590/The+Crying+Game">the crying game</a>: crocodile tears jewelry<br />2008.10.29 <a href="http://www.dailycandy.com/boston/article/39721/Queen+Bee">queen bee</a>: design hive market starts saturday<br />2008.10.24 <a href="http://www.dailycandy.com/boston/article/39705/Shes+Crafty">she's crafty</a>: bead + fiber: gallery and craft shop opens<br />2008.10.17 <a href="http://www.dailycandy.com/boston/article/39506/Get+a+Round">get a round</a>: circle restaurant opens<br />2008.10.16 <a href="http://www.dailycandy.com/boston/article/39439/The+Weekend+Guide">the weekend guide</a>: what to do this weekend<br />2008.10.10 <a href="http://www.dailycandy.com/boston/article/39440/Get+Your+Jollies">get your jollies</a>: jollybike dutch bicycles<br />2008.10.06 <a href="http://www.dailycandy.com/boston/article/39207/Fine+Herbs">fine herbs</a>: erbaluce restaurant opens<br />2008.10.02 <a href="http://www.dailycandy.com/boston/article/39086/The+Weekend+Guide">the weekend guide</a>: what to do this weekend<br />2008.09.30 <a href="http://www.dailycandy.com/boston/article/38783/Soap+Opera">soap opera</a>: stella marie soap company<br />2008.09.23 <a href="http://www.dailycandy.com/boston/article/39084/Ill+Be+Damed">i'll be damed</a>: dame vintage fitting and styling<br />2008.09.22 <a href="http://www.dailycandy.com/boston/article/39083/In+Distress">in distress</a>: prps jeans for girls<br />2008.09.19 <a href="http://www.dailycandy.com/boston/article/39058/Victorian+Secret">victorian secret</a>: lauren blais jewelry<br />2008.09.04 <a href="http://www.dailycandy.com/boston/article/38579/Writing+on+the+Wall">writing on the wall</a>: chalk home gallery-cum-store opens<br />2008.08.27 <a href="http://www.dailycandy.com/boston/article/38040/About+Time">about time</a>: circa vintage store opens<br />2008.08.14 <a href="http://www.dailycandy.com/boston/article/38139/The+Weekend+Guide">the weekend guide</a>: what to do this weekend<br />2008.07.18 <a href="http://www.dailycandy.com/boston/article/37760/Pint+Size">pint size</a>: the beer garden at charlie's kitchen opens<br />2008.07.15 <a href="http://www.dailycandy.com/boston/article/37713/Feed+Your+Mind+and+the+Rest+Will+Follow">feed your mind, and the rest will follow</a>: market in the square food store opens<br />2008.07.14 <a href="http://www.dailycandy.com/boston/article/37474/Hot+Flash">hot flash</a>: p.m.s. dj nights at good life<br />2008.07.01 <a href="http://www.dailycandy.com/boston/article/37429/Your+Dogs+Are+Barkin">your dogs are barkin'</a>: espeso pet boutique opens<br />2008.06.11 <a href="http://www.dailycandy.com/boston/article/37054/Hamming+It+Up">hamming it up</a>: estragon opens<br />2008.06.02 <a href="http://www.dailycandy.com/boston/article/36950/Tripping+the+Light+with+Plastic">tripping the light with plastic</a>: tupp-a-lamps<br />2008.05.27 <a href="http://www.dailycandy.com/boston/article/36820/You+Frontin">you frontin'?</a>: front home store opens<br />2008.05.05 <a href="http://www.dailycandy.com/boston/article/36343/Get+the+Thrift">get the thrift</a>: the alter eco consignment boutique opens<br />2008.05.02 <a href="http://www.dailycandy.com/boston/article/36341/Money+in+the+Bank">money in the bank</a>: claw money tank tops<br />2008.04.30 <a href="http://www.dailycandy.com/boston/article/36422/Beer+and+Now">beer and now</a>: publick house provisions opens<br />2008.04.15 <a href="http://www.dailycandy.com/boston/article/36162/Cheap+Date">cheap date</a>: ten deals for $10 (sourcing credit)<br />2008.04.02 <a href="http://www.dailycandy.com/boston/article/35960/Independent+Day">independent day</a>: oak craft boutique opens<br />2008.03.31 <a href="http://www.dailycandy.com/boston/article/35833/ChocaBloc">choc-a-bloc</a>: aroa fine chocolate opens<br />2008.03.28 <a href="http://www.dailycandy.com/boston/article/35523/Brewed+Awakening">brewed awakening</a>: timeless teas seminars<br />2008.03.12 <a href="http://www.dailycandy.com/boston/article/35417/Wilde+Childe">wilde childe</a>: feral childe<br />2008.02.22 <a href="http://www.dailycandy.com/boston/article/35042/Sweet+Breads">sweet breads</a>: citrio catering & provisions co. opens<br />2008.02.15 <a href="http://www.dailycandy.com/boston/article/34904/I+Came+I+Raw+I+Conquered">i came, i raw, i conquered</a>: grezzo opens<br />2008.02.13 <a href="http://www.dailycandy.com/boston/article/35075/Kick+It">kick it</a>: concepts opens<br />2008.01.30 <a href="http://www.dailycandy.com/boston/article/34807/Beauty+and+the+Geek">beauty and the geek</a>: seamless computational couture<br />2008.01.07 <a href="http://www.dailycandy.com/boston/article/34499/Hey+Neighbor">hey, neighbor</a>: highland kitchen<br />2007.12.12 <a href="http://www.dailycandy.com/boston/article/34046/Animal+Crackers">animal crackers</a>: a pet ahead<br />2007.11.27 <a href="http://www.dailycandy.com/boston/article/33821/Shabby+Chic">shabby chic</a>: vintage pillows by hudson<br />2007.11.26 <a href="http://www.dailycandy.com/boston/article/33806/On+a+French+Roll">on a french roll</a>: la voile opens<br />2007.11.21 <a href="http://www.dailycandy.com/boston/article/33805/Sharper+Image">sharper image</a>: 379 club<br />2007.11.12 <a href="http://www.dailycandy.com/boston/article/33598/Its+in+the+Male">it's in the male</a>: robert geller<br />2007.11.05 <a href="http://www.dailycandy.com/boston/article/33380/Footloose+and+Fancy+Free">footloose and fancy free</a>: quoddy trail footwear<br />2007.11.02 <a href="http://www.dailycandy.com/boston/article/33201/Twice+As+Nice">twice as nice</a>: michelle willey and vessels gallery<br />2007.10.19 <a href="http://www.dailycandy.com/boston/article/33185/Say+Your+Prayers">say your prayers</a>: church opens<br />2007.10.09 <a href="http://www.dailycandy.com/boston/article/32491/Teas+Me">teas me</a>: 2nd cup cafe opens<br />2007.10.03 <a href="http://www.dailycandy.com/boston/article/32275/Great+Finnish">great finnish</a>: samu-jussi koski at marimekko<br />2007.10.02 <a href="http://www.dailycandy.com/boston/article/32083/Put+It+on+Ice">put it on ice</a>: icelandic foods hit boston<br />2007.09.18 <a href="http://www.dailycandy.com/boston/article/32213/Just+the+Artifacts">just the artifacts</a>: reliquiae<br />2007.08.13 <a href="http://www.dailycandy.com/boston/article/31734/Do+the+Math">do the math</a>: davis squared boutique<br />2007.08.06 <a href="http://www.dailycandy.com/boston/article/31587/Snack+That">snack that</a>: fun food snackery<br /><br /><a href="http://bostonmagazine.com/"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/R7W3uLamJiI/AAAAAAAAAJQ/QPYYbLkVMvA/s400/boston_mag_logo.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5167238151443719714" border="0" /></a><br /><br />2008.03 <a href="http://www.bostonmagazine.com/dining_food_wine/articles/afternoon_delights/">Afternoon Delights</a>: Skip tired sandwich platters in favor of inspired in-office sustenance from these full-service caterers<br />2008.02 <a href="http://www.bostonmagazine.com/dining_food_wine/articles/raising_the_wine_bar/">Raising the Wine Bar</a>: The Other Side Café creates a vino list with a conscience<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://beeradvocate.com/mag"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_u7-mcI6i95Q/R4vDv6p6wqI/AAAAAAAAAJI/MkYH4o7Zdx4/s400/beeradvocatemag.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5155429426422006434" border="0" /></a><br /><br />2008.05 <a href="http://cmliu.com/images/BAWaresMay.pdf">Beer Wares</a>: Fiscalini Farmstead Hopscotch Scotch Ale Cheddar, Bass Brolly, <i>300 Bears to Try Before You Die!</i> by Roger Protz<br />2008.04 <a href="http://cmliu.com/images/BAWaresApril.pdf">Beer Wares</a>: Wheeler's Black Label Vegan Ice Cream; <i>The Book of Beer Knowledge: Essential Wisdom for the Discerning Beer Drinker</i> by Jeff Evans; Glasi Hergiswil Pilsner Glass<br />2008.03 <a href="http://cmliu.com/images/BAWaresMarch.pdf">Beer Wares</a>: <i>Grape vs. Grain</i> by Charles Bamforth, <i>Zen and the Art of Cooking Beer-Can Chicken</i> by Cary Black, Keg Stool<br />2008.02 <a href="http://cmliu.com/images/BA_FebWares.pdf">Beer Wares</a>: Official Beer Glove, <i>The Best of American Beer & Food: Pairing & Cooking with Craft Beer</i> by Lucy Saunders, The Cure: the After-Drinking Drink<br />2007.12 <a href="http://cmliu.com/images/BA_DecWares.pdf">Beer Wares</a>: BACTRACK Breathalyzer, <i>Ambitious Brew: The Story of American Beer</i>, Beer Mug Candles<br />2007.11 <a href="http://cmliu.com/images/BA_NovWares.pdf">Beer Wares</a>: The Perfect Beaker, Geeky Tees, Countertop Beer Cooler and Tap<br />2007.10 <a href="http://cmliu.com/images/BA_OctWares.pdf">Beer Wares</a>: Widmer Brothers online games, LittleEarth beer cap belts, <i>Louis Pasteur's Studies on Fermentation</i><br />2007.09 <a href="http://cmliu.com/images/BA_SeptWares.pdf">Beer Wares</a>: The Beerbelly, Arrive Alive, Bottle Popper<br /><br /><a href="http://weeklydig.com/"><img src="http://alumni.media.mit.edu/%7Ecml/images/weeklydig.gif" /></a><br /><br />2008.12.03 [feature] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/news-opinions/feature/200812/kiddie-kroakers">Kiddie Kroakers</a>: The 16th Annual Dangerous Toys List<br />2008.11.26 [eats] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/department-commerce/eats-drinks/200811/rachel-klein">Rachel Klein</a>: Your job's to eat. Her job? Way harder.<br />2008.11.19 [eats] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/department-commerce/eats-drinks/eats/200811/diy-thanksgiving">DIY Thanksgiving</a>: These personal chefs advise beyond cranberry-in-a-can<br />2008.11.12 [feature] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/news-opinions/feature/200811/dig-awards-2008">Dig This! Awards 2008</a>: Bombs away!<br />2008.11.12 [eats] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/department-commerce/eats-drinks/eats/200811/squirts-till-dirts">Squirts till the dirts</a>: School gardens flourish through CitySprouts<br />2008.11.12 [words] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/arts-entertainment/words/200811/french-milk">French Milk</a>: by Lucy Knisley<br />2008.11.05 [words] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/arts-entertainment/words/200811/andrew-rimas">Andrew Rimas</a>: Does have a cow, man<br />2008.10.22 [eats] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/department-commerce/eats-drinks/eats/200810/tavolo">Tavolo</a>: Where Nonna's kitchen meets fabulous warm-fuzzy<br />2008.10.15 [eats] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/department-commerce/eats-drinks/200810/dinner-and-move">Dinner and a move</a>: Snack before shimmying<br />2008.10.15 [feature] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/news-opinions/feature/200810/kyle-brandse">Kyle Brandse</a>: Gets awesome (fall club guide)<br />2008.10.08 [eats] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/department-commerce/eats-drinks/eats/200810/team-orts">Team orts</a>: Beyond chips and Cracker Jack<br />2008.09.17 [eats] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/news-opinions/feature/200809/shot-heart">Like a shot to the heart</a>: Hunters and gatherers, it's time to eat (fall dining guide)<br />2008.09.10 [eats] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/department-commerce/eats-drinks/200809/its-great-pumpkin">It's the great pumpkin!</a>: A zillion renditions of fall's favorite gourd<br />2008.09.03 [news] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/news-opinions/feature/200809/welcome-back-students">The unofficial 2008 college handbook: how, where and wtf</a>: <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/news-opinions/feature/200809/how-buy">How to buy</a><br />2008.09.03 [eats] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/department-commerce/eats-drinks/200809/dig-boston-burrito-index">The Boston burrito index</a>: little donkeys everywhere!<br />2008.08.20 [style] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/department-commerce/style/200808/new-adventures-flashion">The new adventures of flashion</a>: Heroic dress cues (fall fashion guide)<br />2008.08.13 [style] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/department-commerce/check-it-out/200808/sock-it-me">Sock it to me</a>: Jan Willett helms the zoo at MonkeyShineStudio<br />2008.07.30 [style] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/department-commerce/check-it-out/200807/artifaktori">Artifaktori</a>: We've got it made<br />2008.07.23 [feature] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/news-opinions/feature/200807/good-bostonians">Good Bostonians</a>: <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/news-opinions/feature/200807/union-square-main-streets-executive-director">Mimi Graney</a>, <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/news-opinions/feature/200807/food-project-executive-director">Margaret Williams</a><br />2008.07.23 [eats] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/department-commerce/eats-drinks/eats/200807/dinner-and-movie">Dinner and a movie</a>: Film nights at the bar make for eat-in theater<br />2008.07.09 [style] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/department-commerce/style/200807/bag-thang">Bag that thang up</a>: Carry on, carry on<br />2008.07.09 [eats] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/department-commerce/eats-drinks/eats/200807/scampo">Scampo</a>: Shire raises the bar -- incidentally, behind them<br />2008.07.09 [feature] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/news-opinions/feature/200807/summer-travel-staycation">Summer travel: staycation!</a> Wish you were here -- oh, wait. You are.<br />2008.06.25 [eats] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/department-commerce/eats-drinks/eats/200806/aye-aye-kernel">Aye aye, kernel!</a>: Veg out and meat up with the Dig's summer dining guide<br />2008.06.18 [style] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/department-commerce/check-it-out/200806/suneri-boutique">Suneri Boutique</a>: Local booty of global beauty<br />2008.06.11 [commerce] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/department-commerce/check-it-out/200806/latex-loves">Latex loves</a>: Global Protection keeps you covered<br />2008.06.04 [style] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/department-commerce/style/200806/hear-hear">Hear, hear!</a> Block your drums from the sound and the fury<br />2008.06.04 [green] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/department-commerce/greenland/200806/roots-touch">A roots touch-up</a>: Gearing up for Bikes Not Bombs' annual fest<br />2008.06.04 [eats] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/department-commerce/eats-drinks/200806/filling-toothaches">A filling with the Toothaches</a>: Pop band's dinner proves anti-scurvy, anti-scrawny<br />2008.05.28 [commerce] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/department-commerce/check-it-out/200805/graphic-nature">Of graphic nature</a>: Drawing mass appeal at Hub Comics<br />2008.05.21 [style] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/department-commerce/check-it-out/200805/sugar-hi">Sugar hi</a>: Futzing with ice cream makes us melt<br />2008.05.21 [summer preview] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/news-opinions/feature/200805/get-wet">Get wet!</a> 50 fluid-inspired summer fun activities<br />2008.05.14 [green] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/department-commerce/greenland/200805/bicycle-benefits">Bicycle Benefits</a>: Pedal your way to awesome free stuff<br />2008.05.14 [eats] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/department-commerce/eats-drinks/eats/200805/hungry-mother">Hungry Mother</a>: Open wide for an uncanny spunk du Sud<br />2008.05.07 [commerce] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/department-commerce/check-it-out/200805/holy-spokes">Holy spokes</a>: Freewheelin' with the Dutch Bicycle Company<br />2008.05.07 [shop] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/department-commerce/shop-talk/200805/felix-doolittle">Felix Doolittle</a>: Throw out your toaster oven: Fu's illustrated papers warm hearts faster<br />2008.05.07 [drinks] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/department-commerce/eats-drinks/drinks/200805/boston-shakers">Boston shakers</a>: Toasting the broads of LUPEC<br />2008.04.30 [shop] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/department-commerce/shop-talk/200804/smells-tom-finland">Smells like Tom of Finland</a>: Homoerotica in a bottle at Motley<br />2008.04.30 [green] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/department-commerce/greenland/200804/market-market">To Market, To Market</a>: Nose-to-nose with the source at Vela<br />2008.04.30 [defyo] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/department-commerce/eats-drinks/eats/200804/defend-yourself-0">Defend Yourself!</a> Katy Childs, co-owner of Silvertone<br />2008.04.23 [profile] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/department-commerce/check-it-out/200804/meating-hes-doinitrite"> Meating—he's doinitrite</a>: Chewing the fat with Kevin Healy<br />2008.04.23 [green] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/department-commerce/greenland/200804/haley-house-bakery-caf">Haley House Bakery Cafe</a>: Fortifyng teh city, one muffin @ a tiem<br />2008.04.23 [eats] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/department-commerce/eats-drinks/eats/200804/i-can-has-cheezburger">I can has cheezburger?</a>: Hunger. I has it.<br />2008.04.16 [style] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/department-commerce/style/200804/youthful-stylings-kooter-brown">The Youthful Stylings of Kooter Brown</a>: Don't worry—it'll only shirt a little<br />2008.04.16 [shop] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/department-commerce/shop-talk/200804/shake-tree">Shake the Tree</a>: Goodies staple replants in North End<br />2008.04.16 [eats] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/department-commerce/eats-drinks/eats/200804/winging-it">Winging it</a>: Four fixes for the chicken-lickin' craving<br />2008.04.02 [letter] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/news-opinions/letter-editor/200804/dear-reader">Dear Reader</a>: Letter from the editor<br />2008.04.02 [feature] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/news-opinions/feature/200804/boston-cocktail-party">The Boston cocktail party</a>: New England lore deserves a tipple or two<br />2008.04.02 [style] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/department-commerce/style/200804/oak-aye">Oak, aye!</a> Handiwork gets a home at Back Bay boutique<br />2008.04.02 [shop] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/department-commerce/shop-talk/200804/brix-broad">Brix on Broad</a>: Message in the bottles<br />2008.04.02 [green] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/department-commerce/greenland/200804/join-soda-club">Join the Soda-Club</a>: It's time to get a little gassy<br />2008.04.02 [eats] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/department-commerce/eats-drinks/200804/face-time">Face time</a>: When the going gets rough, the rough eat at the bar<br />2008.04.02 [drinks] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/department-commerce/eats-drinks/drinks/200804/brains-shaken-stirred">Brains</a>: shaken, stirred<br />2008.03.26 [style] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/department-commerce/check-it-out/200803/cocoa-channel">Cocoa channel</a>: Aroa Fine Chocolate arrives<br />2008.03.26 [shop] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/department-commerce/shop-talk/200803/heavy-metal">Heavy metal</a>: Bicoastal jewelry rocks out at Topaz<br />2008.03.26 [green] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/department-commerce/greenland/200803/party-poop">Party poop</a>: Natural fertilizer Wormjava starts from the ground up<br />2008.03.19 [style] <a href="http://weeklydig.com/department-commerce/style/200803/curtain-call">Curtain call</a>: The dying art of the photo booth<br />2008.03.19 [shop] <a href="http://weeklydig.com/department-commerce/shop-talk/200803/scrubya">Scrubya</a>: Suds for your Bush<br />2008.03.19 [eats] <a href="http://weeklydig.com/department-commerce/eats-drinks/eats/200803/lost-austin">Lost in Austin</a>: A tiny taste of Texas mess<br />2008.03.19 [drinks] <a href="http://weeklydig.com/department-commerce/eats-drinks/drinks/200803/chillin-brazilian">Chillin' like a Brazilian</a>: Cachaça brightens any day<br />2008.03.12 [drinks feature] <a href="http://weeklydig.com/news-opinions/feature/200803/sibling-rivalry">Sibling Rivalry</a>: 5 drink minimum<br />2008.03.12 [style] <a href="http://weeklydig.com/department-commerce/style/200803/smoke">Up in smoke</a>: Cancer sticks get a whole lot sweeter<br />2008.03.12 [green] <a href="http://weeklydig.com/department-commerce/greenland/200803/transglass">tranSglass</a>: Hope in a bottle<br />2008.03.12 [eats] <a href="http://weeklydig.com/department-commerce/eats-drinks/eats/200803/vee-vee">Vee Vee</a>: The fresh, friendly bee's knees in JP<br />2008.03.12 [music] <a href="http://weeklydig.com/arts-entertainment/music/200803/mia-doi-todd">Mia Doi Todd</a>: Contextual healing<br />2008.03.05 [style] <a href="http://weeklydig.com/department-commerce/check-it-out/200803/shoetube">Shoetube</a>: Oh, my God, shoes.<br />2008.03.05 [shop] <a href="http://weeklydig.com/department-commerce/disposable-income/200803/moore-massage">Moore Massage</a>: The knead for speed<br />2008.03.05 [green] <a href="http://weeklydig.com/department-commerce/greenland/200803/green-house-effect">Green house effect</a>: The walls have cheers<br />2008.02.27 [shop] <a href="http://weeklydig.com/department-commerce/disposable-income/200802/fold">In the fold</a>: Paper gets props for leap day<br />2008.02.27 [green] <a href="http://weeklydig.com/department-commerce/greenland/200802/truth-and-beauty">Truth and beauty</a>: Slather like it matters<br />2008.02.20 [letter] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/news-opinions/letter-editor/200802/dear-reader">Dear Reader</a>: Letter from the editor<br />2008.02.20 [style] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/department-commerce/style/200802/tipping-our-hats">Tipping our hats</a>: The <i>Dig</i> flips its lid on spring style<br />2008.02.13 [style] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/department-commerce/check-it-out/200802/scientificmatch">ScientificMatch</a>: Smellementary, my dear<br />2008.02.13 [eats] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/department-commerce/eats-drinks/eats/200802/offal-romance">An Offal Romance</a>: Love with all of your heart, tongue, tripe ...<br />2008.02.13 [drinks] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/department-commerce/eats-drinks/drinks/200802/aphrodrinksiacs">Aphrodrinksiacs</a><br />2008.02.06 [style] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/department-commerce/style/200802/snowboarder-patrol">Snowboarder Patrol</a>: Dope on a slope<br />2008.02.06 [eats] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/department-commerce/eats-drinks/eats/200802/dim-sum-death-match">Dim Sum Death Match</a>: Last bun standing<br />2008.01.30 [style] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/department-commerce/check-it-out/200801/sunshine-box">Sunshine in a Box</a>: Conquer bi-solar disorder<br />2008.01.30 [dvds] <a href="http://weeklydig.com/arts-entertainment/movies/dvd-reviews/200801/indoor-funtime">Indoor funtime</a>: Ten TV-On-DVD Boxes for Cabin Fever<br />2008.01.23 [style] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/department-commerce/check-it-out/200801/make-me-sustainable">Make Me Sustainable</a>: Saving the earth one pixel at a time<br />2008.01.16 [style] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/department-commerce/style/200801/fine-piece-workout">A Fine Piece of Workout</a>: Snap into a slim gym<br />2008.01.16 [feature] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/news-opinions/feature/200801/sweat-dreams">Sweat Dreams</a>: Four fitness formulas designed to swiftly kick your ass<br />2008.01.09 [style] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/department-commerce/style/200801/boston-coasters">Boston Coasters</a>: See the city differently... like under your beer<br />2008.01.09 [eats] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/department-commerce/eats-drinks/eats/200801/highland-kitchen">Highland Kitchen</a>: Gastropub oozes comfort all over<br />2007.12.26 [style] <a href="http://weeklydig.com/department-commerce/style/200712/brush">Brush Up</a>: It’s time for a change—no really, it is<br />2007.12.26 [eats] <a href="http://weeklydig.com/department-commerce/eats-drinks/eats/200712/super-bowls">Super Bowls</a>: Use your noodle wisely<br />2007.12.26 [eats] <a href="http://weeklydig.com/department-commerce/eats-drinks/eats/200712/eating-new-year-s-eve"> Eating New Year’s Eve</a>: Plethora of prix-fixe parties<br />2007.12.26 [drinks] <a href="http://weeklydig.com/department-commerce/eats-drinks/drinks/200712/grape-expectations">Grape Expectations</a>: Wine down with The Second Glass<br />2007.12.19 [eats] <a href="http://weeklydig.com/department-commerce/eats-drinks/eats/200712/haru-sushi">Haru Sushi</a>: Stylish bites sometimes worth battling yuppies over<br />2007.12.12 [style] <a href="http://weeklydig.com/department-commerce/200712/jeffrey-fournier">Jeffrey Fournier</a>: Please don't eat the art<br />2007.12.12 [eats] <a href="http://weeklydig.com/department-commerce/eats-drinks/eats/200712/south-end-morning-after">South End, Morning After</a>: The lust for butter is no more apparent<br />2007.12.12 [arts] <a href="http://weeklydig.com/arts-entertainment/visual-arts/200712/zhang-daqian">Zhang Daqian</a>: Homeboy is dishonest, though redeemably so<br />2007.12.05 [style] <a href="http://weeklydig.com/department-commerce/style/200712/coat-arms">Coat of Arms</a>: And other body parts you’d prefer to keep warm<br />2007.12.05 [drinks] <a href="http://weeklydig.com/department-commerce/eats-drinks/drinks/200712/dante">Dante</a>: It’s gettin’ hot in here<br />2007.12.05 [def yo] <a href="http://weeklydig.com/arts-entertainment/defend-yourself/200712/cake">John McCrea</a> of Cake<br />2007.12.05 [dvds] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/arts-entertainment/movies/dvd-reviews/200712/holiday-unclassics">Holiday Unclassics</a>: Muppet Christmas Carol<br />2007.11.28 [commerce] <a href="http://weeklydig.com/department-commerce/200711/father-surger">Like Father, Like Surger</a>: Guinness goes new-fangled for an old-school pour<br />2007.11.21 [commerce feature] Gift Guide: <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/department-commerce/200711/under-25">under $25</a>, <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/department-commerce/200711/25-50">$25-50</a>, <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/department-commerce/200711/50-100">$50-100</a>, <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/department-commerce/200711/100-200">$100-200</a>, <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/department-commerce/200711/200-500">$200-500</a>, <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/department-commerce/200711/over-500">over $500</a><br />2007.11.14 [eats feature] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/department-commerce/eats-drinks/200711/throw-down-happy-holiday">Throw Down a Happy Holiday</a>: Unleash the party, animals<br />2007.11.07 [style] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/department-commerce/style/200711/map">Off the Map</a>: Be slightly less likely to get lost<br />2007.11.07 [eats] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/department-commerce/eats-drinks/eats/200711/eastern-not-so-standard">Eastern Not So Standard</a>: An offal experience with Chef Marco Suarez<br />2007.11.07 [arts] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/arts-entertainment/visual-arts/200711/f-lix-gonz-lez-torres">Félix González-Torres</a>: A gold-flecked fantasy of oceanic candy<br />2007.10.31 [style] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/department-commerce/200710/brother-cleve">Brother Cleve</a>: Philosophically inclined to dance, discover and drink well<br />2007.10.31 [drinks feature] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/news-opinions/feature/200710/church">Church</a>: 5 drink minimum<br />2007.10.31 [dvds] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/arts-entertainment/movies/dvd-reviews/200710/ratatouille">Ratatouille</a>: Cooking digital rodents<br />2007.10.24 [style] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/department-commerce/style/200710/art-flamb-e">Art Flambée</a>: Wads of wax to light up your life<br />2007.10.24 [def yo] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/arts-entertainment/defend-yourself/200710/dominique-keegan-glass">Dominique Keegan</a> of The Glass<br />2007.10.24 [dvds] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/arts-entertainment/movies/dvd-reviews/200710/casshern">Casshern</a>: Myopic dystopia<br />2007.10.17 [commerce] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/department-commerce/200710/ca-hing-auctionpal">Ca$hing in on AuctionPAL</a>: Selling your shit online just got a little easier<br />2007.10.17 [words] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/arts-entertainment/words/200710/andreas-viestad">Andreas Viestad</a>: Stomachs summoned by the spice whisperer<br />2007.10.10 [style] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/department-commerce/style/200710/barbershoppin">Barbershoppin'</a>: That razor's real sharp, son<br />2007.10.10 [eats] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/department-commerce/eats-drinks/eats/200710/mission-imbibable">Mission: Imbibable</a>: Three nights of flights for the wine-drinking ninja<br />2007.10.03 [eats feature] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/department-commerce/eats-drinks/eats/200710/edible-compendium-z">An Edible Compendium from A to Z</a>: 'Tis not a curse, to bestow in verse<br />2007.09.26 [style] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/department-commerce/style/200709/tobias-wong">Tobias Wong</a>: Helping art lovers shit glitter since 1998<br />2007.09.26 [eats] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/department-commerce/eats-drinks/eats/200709/savant-project">The Savant Project</a>: Thoughtful, earnest food is a no-brainer<br />2007.09.19 [eats] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/department-commerce/eats-drinks/eats/200709/fall-eats-drinks">Fall Eats + Drinks</a>: Stuff yourself with restaurant influx<br />2007.09.19 [arts] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/arts-entertainment/visual-arts/200709/fall-arts">Fall Arts</a>: Get cozy with culture<br />2007.09.12 [eats] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/department-commerce/eats-drinks/eats/200709/christopher-myers">Christopher Myers</a>: On blogs, crazed Asians and noisy, noisy nights<br />2007.09.12 [drinks] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/department-commerce/eats-drinks/drinks/200709/lycheers">Lycheers!</a> Rethinking the pink drink<br />2007.09.05 [style] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/department-commerce/200709/hit-me-your-best-shot">Hit Me with Your Best Shot</a>: Adjust your glasses<br />2007.09.05 [feature] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/news-opinions/feature/200709/mit">MIT</a>: schooled<br />2007.09.05 [feature] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/news-opinions/feature/200709/cambridge-school-culinary-arts">The Cambridge School of Culinary Arts</a>: Plan B!<br />2007.09.05 [eats] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/department-commerce/eats-drinks/eats/200709/boston-slice-index">The Boston Slice Index</a>: Gooey slivers of love courtesy of your local pizza joint<br />2007.09.05 [arts] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/arts-entertainment/visual-arts/200709/mit-s-student-loan-art-program">MIT's Student Loan Art Program</a>: Sure beats that Belushi poster<br />2007.08.29 [drinks] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/department-commerce/eats-drinks/drinks/200708/100-organic-spirits">100% Organic Spirits</a>: Getting buzzed the way nature intended<br />2007.08.22 [commerce] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/department-commerce/200708/jana-eggers">Jana Eggers</a>: Spreadshirt CEO, triathlete and big-time geek<br />2007.08.22 [eats] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/department-commerce/eats-drinks/eats/200708/grilled-sandwiches">Grilled Sandwiches</a>: Toast just done went and grew up<br />2007.08.15 [style feature] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/department-commerce/style/200708/fall-style-guide">Fall Style Guide</a>: Because naked is so last season<br />2007.08.08 [style] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/department-commerce/style/200708/pick-sticks">Pick-up Sticks</a>: Your ramen doesn't stand a chance<br />2007.08.08 [feature] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/news-opinions/feature/200708/ilene-bezahler">Ilene Bezahler</a>: Owner, publisher and editor of Edible Boston<br />2007.08.08 [feature] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/news-opinions/feature/200708/misty-kalkofen">Misty Kalkofen</a>: Bar manager at Green Street Grill<br />2007.08.08 [drinks] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/department-commerce/eats-drinks/drinks/200708/beer-cocktails">Beer Cocktails</a>: Experience a brewed awakening<br />2007.08.01 [style] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/department-commerce/style/200708/lookin-good">Lookin' Good</a>: Blind and def<br />2007.08.01 [eats] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/department-commerce/eats-drinks/eats/200708/fermented-foods">Fermented Foods</a>: Work that tang like it ain’t no thang<br />2007.08.01 [music] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/arts-entertainment/music/200708/booka-shade">Booka Shade</a>: Make requests at your own peril<br />2007.07.25 [style] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/department-commerce/style/200707/it-s-raining-meh">It's Raining (meh)</a>: When God cries, you won’t<br />2007.07.25 [music] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/arts-entertainment/music/200707/dj-rupture">DJ /rupture</a>: Your booty is on his to-do list<br />2007.07.18 [drinks] <a href="http://www.weeklydig.com/department-commerce/eats-drinks/drinks/200708/tease-riesling">The Tease of Riesling</a>: No mo’ hatin’ on this grape<br /><br />+ + a million other articles i have yet to link up<br /><br />+ view <a href="http://cmliu.com/articles.html">supplement</a> for less recent farechristinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01150039678504590811noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3422627.post-25332157168329520852007-08-01T10:28:00.001-04:002008-01-02T14:40:55.853-05:00trading placeschristine has officially transplanted herself from cambridge into somerville.<br /><br />emotional ties to extensions of self, severed and strengthened. neat, scattered, a melting sort.<br /><br />i am so happy, but so tired.christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01150039678504590811noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3422627.post-86850386228044896382007-07-27T10:33:00.000-04:002007-07-27T11:11:51.323-04:00this morning, as the sun blazed down upon the city, i felt the rays warm my skin. another layer of tanned cells, the deep heat. as i hustled down my usual walking route down to the subway, i saw a couple strolling down the sidewalk, the boy embracing his companion with one hand, holding an umbrella overhead with the other. as seen very often in asia where people use umbrellas (or specially designed light-colored ones) to shelter their faces from the sun, he cast her smiling face under their personal, totable shade. the health of pale, smooth, unwrinkled skin. <br /><br />to witness this tender moment, a mutual protection from the elements. a slight throwback to the antiquated parasol-stylin' days of yore. history is still in the making. romance still lives, with or without a drugstore mass-manufactured umbrella. they looked very happy.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://epicurious.blogs.com/features__editor/images/2007/07/10/luvlibeetjuice2.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px;" src="http://epicurious.blogs.com/features__editor/images/2007/07/10/luvlibeetjuice2.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>on another topic entirely, a fishytini (rimmed with scales! wouldn't that be pretty?) isn't too from the far reaches of one's imagination. introduced at the 2007 <a href="http://www.specialtyfood.com/do/fancyFoodShow/LocationsAndDates">fancy food show</a>, the new product from boston-based <a href="http://www.luvlijuices.com/">luvli juices</a>, mega beet (an "all-natural vegetable + anti-oxidant juice drink blend"), is a bottle of beet juice fortified with fish oils (anchovy, sardine, and tilapia, to be exact) for a ravishing dose of omega-3. they're looking out for our health, god bless 'em, but something about <i>drinking</i> a mélange of fish oils (rather than taking oil capsules, which already kind of leave a slight fishy tang on an empty stomach) makes me kind of feel awkward. perhaps i'm not ready for the future of experimental fortification. although, you can feed me some super-smelly-with-anchovy pasta puttanesca anytime, please.<br /><br />peppy <a href="http://www.bevnet.com/news/2007/07-09-2007-Luvli_Beet.asp">press release</a> here, along with gag reflexes at <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/features/blogs/editor/2007/07/worst-of-the-20.html">epicurious</a>, <br /><br />fish on the beet! FISH ON THE BEET!<br /><br />p.s. thank you to those who actually still listen to my radio show, <a href="http://sansserifmusic.org">sans serif</a> on <a href="http://wmbr.org">wmbr 88.1fm</a>. on this week's playlist, there's a <a href="http://negrophonic.com">dj /rupture</a> tribute, of sorts. will i see you dancing at the bouncement 2 show this saturday? will you see me?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://myspace.com/BASSTOWNPRESENTS"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://babel.massart.edu/~flackett/bounce2web.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01150039678504590811noreply@blogger.com1