Harsh and Exciting

Perhaps this is interesting only to me, but I have ALWAYS found my detritus more interesting than my applied arts. That is to say, the scrap paper under my art projects without fail turns out to be more interesting to me visually, than the applied project I'm working on. Because it is entirely random. So at long last I wised up.

Traditionally I've used a pad of newsprint as a desk blotter and just thrown away each page as I've worked on each project. But I've always loved those newsprint pages. Alas, they are notorious for being riddled with acid. Not unlike my soul (not really).

So, 'lo at this advanced year of mine I finally wised up and bought a tablet of Strathmore Drawing Paper 14x17 inches and I put that underneath my laptop and my art projects. This time I saved
my sheet and was so happy with the ink remainders that I added just a few stencils and 'lo, it came to pass that I actually for once liked something I made.

Point of fact, I live in a dungeon without natural light, so all of my photos look a bit...palid.
But this paper came out so pink and blushing and lovely. And my Cosmo looked so pretty with it.
I shall post the lovely Mary Oliver poem next from whence this page was inspired.

Also, the bracelets. They are from Forever 21. I always feel like alarms are going to screech, "Middle-aged woman in the store! Middle-aged woman in the store!" but who would even know over the deafening shit-soundtrack the store plays ad nauseam. But at any rate, I buy a fair amount of jewelry from them because it's so fun and fresh and CHEAP!  Plus, huzzah huzzah, it actually comes in tiny wrist sizes, as the Lord saw fit to give me tiny wrists but a honkin' ass. Still...for the record. I wouldn't trade for huge wrists and a tiny ass because there's no disguising huge cankles and wrists. Poor dears.

What was my point? Oh...I can't stand bangles falling all over the place so I add just a tiny chain around them to hold them all together. I haven't actually done that in reality but I plan to with that pile of bangles you see pictured. Just in time for summer with my janky fingernails from all the art shit also picture here. What's a girl to do.

Barkeep, a Ramos Gin Fizz for Sis and in the name of God take a day off.

 

http://fredhuergo.wordpress.com/2011/06/14/stop-motion-saturday-the-ramos-gin-fizz/

Sis Fooch got the Captain (my twin brother) and I hooked on the Ramos Gin Fizzes at the Buena Vista Cafe in San Francisco. In spite of uber cranky Snidley Whiplash, the bartender who apparently has not had a day off in 50 years and the surly waitresses who passive-aggressively toss the cocktail napkins and bark that the tables must be shared, we do enjoy our Irish Coffees, our Ramos Gin Fizzes and some seriously lackluster toast and english muffins. The Buena Vista may be an institution, but good lord, they are like the Soup Nazi of Irish Coffee.

That said, one does feel spiritually purged, having a Ramos Gin Fizz, after a bracing early morning cable car ride to the Buena Vista: Full of protein and creamy white jagged shards of ice. You get that nice cold milkshake shaker of the surplus too, which feels like a special little present just for you. Oh, the glory of it all!

Sissy posted this great animated gif on her blog, Smart Dame Tales. Want to know how to actually make one? Check it out.

All hail the Monarch

For, oh, at least 15 plus years now (!)  my friend Gary and I have met each December to go Christmas shopping in San Francisco. He used to be my boss at UC Berkeley; we worked together for many years. I called him "chief" and we had a great working partnership and stayed close friends.

(Note to self: resurrect "Dynasty" shoulder pads. Very slimming) 1997

This year we had lunch at Tartine on Guerrero street, which was delicious, shopped up and down Valencia Street, and finally had a pre-ferry boat/BART boarding cocktail at The House of Shields. It was fun to go to such an old-school SF bar. Gary had a Manhattan while I asked the bartender to make something light. He came up with delightful cocktail, lemony and lovely, and informed us it's a "Monarch" minus the mint. Naturally I had to recreate it at home, and quelle surprise, I had all the ingredients, thanks to my sister giving me a giant bottle of St. Germain.

Hail to the Chief and the Monarch. Long may they live. 

• 1 1/2 oz gin
• 3/4 oz St. Germain elderflower liqueur
• 1/2 oz lemon juice
• 1/2 oz simple syrup

Ice in a shaker; shakey, shakey, shakey. Lemon peel around the rim and twisted in the glass.
Simple and refreshing.  Need I say, use quality gin. 


Here's the actual Monarch Cocktail recipe, courtesy of Chris Paciorek.