Anyone Can Be a Designer

In general, I like my blog to be all about positivity. However, when my dear friend Jason alerted me to Chloe Sevigny's new line of clothing, I knew a rant was in order. I have long loathed Chloe Sevigny's unique and almost unequivocally figure unflattering fashion sense. Ms. Sevigny's wardrobe abominations and reluctance to powder her nose have gained her the rare status of "frequent offender" on the Go Fug Yourself site (my favorite guilty pleasure). Some would argue that Ms. Sevigny is a fashion impresario and if one sticks to the dictionary definition of "a person who puts on or sponsors an entertainment," this could be an accurate description. I'm just trying to imagine if Marc Jacobs or top American fashion designer Michael Kors or those cuties Lazaro Hernandez and Jack McCollough at Proenza Schouler are amused by Ms. Sevigny's audacity at assuming the role of designer. I know it chaps my a** when type bastardizing buffoons with a cracked copy of Photoshop call themselves graphics (with an "s") designers.

By the way, the look above is the most tasteful of the entire collection.

Clafouti-licious

A couple of weeks ago, I can across a recipe for CLAFOUTI on Design*Sponge. A French dish with a great name that could be assembled in a blender: what more could a busy gourmand want. I knew instantly that I had to add the clafouti to my repertoire of puffy custardy pancake-esque dishes that could be served either for a brunch or at afternoon tea.

The original recipe courtesy of Karen Combs at nama rococo:

PLUM CLAFOUTI

Ingredients:
-4 or 5 fresh PLUMS, pitted and sliced (about 3 cups)

for the batter:
-2 eggs
-2 egg whites
-1 cup buttermilk (235ml)
-3/4 cup unbleached white flour (95g)
-1/2 cup sugar (100g)
-1/2 teaspoon fresh-grated lemon peel (5g)
-1 teaspoon vanilla extract (5ml)

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees (180C)
2. Butter a 9" or 10" non-reactive pie pan. Loosely arrange the sliced plums on the bottom of the pan.
3. Put ALL of the ingredients for the batter into a blender and whirl until smooth. Pour the batter over the fruit in the baking dish, and bake at 350 degrees (180C) for 45 – 50 minutes or until the clafouti is puffed and golden and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
4. Cool for a few minutes before slicing into servings. This tastes especially great if you can eat it while it’s still a bit warm from the oven.

****************

Since plums are not in season, I decided to try frozen sweet cherries (a 16 oz. bag). They worked like a charm and didn't require any pitting or slicing. Since I was too disorganized to thaw the cherries in advance, I just threw them right from the freezer into the batter. This definitely added to the cooking time and I nearly swooned in anticipation when the clafouti-licious aroma wafted through my kitchen, but it was totally worth the wait. I served the clafouti slices with some lightly sweetened whole milk yogurt to which I added some leftover lemon zest: a match made in heaven and a work of culinary inspiration, if I do say so myself.

Why Can't They Place Nice?

Here's what happens in my fantasy world: Barack and Hillary are disco partners:


Those JibJab guys are truly brilliant. Thanks for making us laugh in our hour of need.

Ritz + Peanut Butter = TLA

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I am so excited by the spunky and fresh new Ritz crackers ad campaign. The commercials are quirky and fun, as promised by Kraft's new agency Euro RSCG. The print campaign transforms the distinct scalloped shape of the Ritz cracker into an instantly recognizable icon (great, dare I say it: branding). I think the most successful aspect of both the print and t.v. campaigns is the use of simple, bold shapes and happy colors that have a retro appeal (a little Paul Rand-ian, even):


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I just want to have a Tupperware party with lots of mayonnaise-based dips served on buttery, totally non-healthy Ritz crackers.

Typography as Art: Tauba Auerbach

I first saw S.F.-based artist Tauba Auerbach's work a few years ago. Quite simply: it blew my mind. Witty and impeccably drawn, her typographic interpretations are stunning. I want them in every room of my house. Look at that "I" created from a tangle of flourishes (by the way, it's ink on paper, not digital). Tauba Auerbach is my official Valentine's Day artist crush.

In Praise of Citrus

There are many things that drive my crazy about California: the exorbitant price of housing, the preponderance of Ugg boots/flip flops (at the same time, no less) on college campuses, and governance by proposition. Yes, there is definitely a surcharge to live in California, but it's one I'm willing to pay during these temperate winter days that bring the glories of citrus season. Behold my recent citrus purchases from the farmer's market—sweet little satsumas, decadently juicy blood oranges, and a new discovery: the enormous Tahitian pummelo (sometimes spelled pomelo).
The Tahitian pummelo was described by the teenage vendor as having a very sweet lemon-lime flavour similar to Sprite. I'd actually describe it as more Squirt-like; the lemon-lime is cut with a faint hint of pink grapefruit. I'm already dreaming of the cocktail possibilities: the Tahitian Pummelo Margarita (Tahitian pummelo juice and silver agave tequila with a splash of Cointreau) or the Tahitian Pummelo Martini (two parts Grey Goose vodka, one part limoncello, one part Tahitian pummelo juice). It would be hilarious to garnish a drink with a ridiculously large half-slice of pummelo. The only problem: the juice from one of these over-sized beauties would yield enough for about a dozen martinis. No matter. They're quite nice for breakfast, too.

Gifts for Type Lovers

What to buy for the lover of typography? How about these pretties from Fishs Eddy (one of my absolutely favorite NYC spots for housewares: thanks to good friend Jason for bringing me there many years ago). These luverly alphabet mugs are highlighted on the Hoefler and Frere-Jones Type Foundry site. My Iain would look so cute, sipping his chocolatte from this sweet "I" mug: