Brown Paper Packages

Looking at Photographs

2008-10-15T23:09:00.007-05:00

Copyright (the amazing) Judith Joy Ross

Advertising, billboards, tv, movies....controlling, affecting, influencing, shaping. The Internet. Flicker. Blogs, blogs, blogs.... (The Year In Pictures) Mind*blowing access to seemingly infinite imagery. I can't seem to get enough. I can't stop staring.

What would Rembrandt have done if he had access to the internet?

Is this the time that our eyes have been waiting for? Are our intellects keeping up? Are our hands ready? It's time to CREATE! It's time to TAKE ACTION! What are we waiting for? Where is the ART?

Or, am I visually over-stimulated? Shall I close my eyes? Try to glimpse what lies in shadow or in glaring light? What can my heart see that my mind cannot assess?

Waiting

2008-09-13T08:54:00.003-05:00

I mostly patient. It was such a tease. Since December, I walked by the IBM building hoping that the famed Obika Mozzarella Bar would "open soon" as it promised. No such luck. I could have had fresh mozzarella every day I was at work.

Now, it is open. Damn.

So dreamy!

2008-09-11T18:49:00.001-05:00

http://peoniesandpolaroids.blogspot.com/2008/08/just-for-you.html

Wow.

Someday

2008-08-28T09:00:00.002-05:00

I would like to have a meal in a field. I know, it's pretentious.

http://www.outstandinginthefield.com/home.html

Much like Marie Antoinette dressing up like a shepherdess.

Frugality

2008-08-27T10:48:00.001-05:00

Today, I am going to start saving money on groceries.

Motivation and I have an on-again-off-again relationship.

Inquiring minds want to know

2008-08-26T08:27:00.003-05:00

From The Affected Provincial's Almanack

I like your style, Lord Whimsy.

2008-08-21T15:53:00.000-05:00

{ blue }

Meme

2008-08-21T08:40:00.009-05:00

20 years ago. I was ten. I think this was the summer my family moved from Aurora, IL (infamous home of Wayne & Garth of Wayne's World) to Wheaton, IL.

10 years ago. My family moved from Wheaton, IL to Roanoke, VA the summer between my Sophomore & Junior years of college. I moved out of the dorms & into a small living unit on campus.

5 years ago. I had moved to NYC in January. August 14, 2003 was the date of the Great Blackout. I was fortunately away on vacation visiting my parents & watched the whole event on TV. Once again, the people of the City of New York proved to be amazing adapters.

3 years ago. I managed to fulfill the dreams of the sixth-grade me and went to Paris.

1 year ago. I got married in May to the dearest man. I love him more than anything in the whole wide world. More than bed, more than the color red.

So far this year. I quit my job. Had a spring fling with NYC. Moved to St. Louis, MO.

Yesterday. I explored Ladue, MO. Talked flowers and fabric. Dreamed of all that is to come.

Today. It's a rainy day. I think I may curl up and snuggle with the cat.

Tomorrow.

The rest of this year.

In peace

2008-08-20T17:46:00.003-05:00

Visual poetry by Maize.
Thanks for the introduction Periwinklebloom!

About Time

2008-08-20T15:29:00.006-05:00

After 5 1/2 years, NYC finally felt like home. I knew my way around. I made the city my own. I could tell you were to get the freshest loaf of French bread and best tiramisu. I could tell you where the oldest, free-standing farmhouse was. I could tell you where to go to catch an outdoor jazz concert. I was even up on celebrity gossip. I survived the transportation strike and walked four miles home across the Queensboro Bridge in the middle of December. My husband was finally there. I finally made friends there. Life was good.

Life is still good. We've been here nearly a month now and I'm starting to get a little more settled. Hubby's job is starting up and his future there is bright. I've got friends here and room to breath. My dining table is on its way. Now I sit in the driver's seat, not the backseat of a yellow cab. Now I drive to Target instead of taking the subway deep into Queens and I've been there more times than I can count.

Yet, I feel uprooted. An aimless wanderer in a foreign town.

Admittedly, I'm a little impatient - a little scared. I'm stifled by "What if's". What if I don't like it here? (Driving is stressful and there are crazy people walking out into the middle of the street.) What if I can't find a job I like? What if the world falls apart because I didn't do enough to make it perfect?

At least in NYC I could be quietly anonymous - perfect for the shy me. I didn't even know my neighbors' names. Here, anonymity isn't quite as simple. Everyone has been so welcoming. People talk with you everywhere you go. I've made nice with store owners and restaurant managers all over town. I've even chatted up my neighbors! Why is the universe conspiring against me, drawing me out when all I want to do is hibernate and wait for spring?

I need to relax. I need to let go. I need to stop being afraid. I need to stop taking this all so seriously and just be.

Cafe Osage - Bowood Farms

2008-08-19T15:42:00.002-05:00

I was going to write about the most terrible Chinese food in St. Louis (Yen Ching) & how I paid a fortune for it by having it slowly delivered by 569 Dine. I don't expect much from Chinese food but, come on, even the man whose motto is "eat it up" wouldn't eat it. (Ok, I wrote about it anyway.)

Fortunately, I found Cafe Osage at Bowood Farms Nursery on Olive. Tucked inside a lovely garden shop & nursery is a charming cafe open about two weeks. Although the place was bustling, I was attentively served at the bar by both waitresses & had a pleasant chat with the chef & manager. My farm-fresh, open-faced egg salad sandwich was divine. I can't wait to try their breakfast menu! Hmmm, french toast....

Ripples

2008-08-19T10:19:00.002-05:00

Noblility

2008-08-19T09:03:00.005-05:00

Sharon, of Tiny Buildings, creates small paper sculptures of her favorite restaurants and (love this) has even made little chapels as invitations/gifts for her children's wedding ceremonies.

Sharon's buildings call to mind William Christenberry's iconic southern structures.

Sprott Church, Alabama
Copyright William Christenberry

"For this work manifests and reinforces all that we mean when we occupy a place and possess it nobly, small and mortal as we may be."*

*From "Of Time and Form", by A.G. Harmon, Image: A Journal of the Arts, Number 35, p. 62.

One pose per second

2008-08-18T10:33:00.001-05:00

http://www.thedirectorsbureau.com/bureau1/mills/BlondeRedhead-TopRanking.mov

Feeling a little cooped up, perhaps?

2008-08-17T18:20:00.002-05:00

Ceramic picnic sets (by Heath Ceramics) are impractical purchases for klutzes. (Who's a klutz?)

I want it anyway. Nevermind that it is $548 and I have two wonderful sets already.

Fine living

2008-08-17T13:14:00.002-05:00

A taste of Summer at Daylesford Organic.

Porpoise?

2008-08-17T09:40:00.002-05:00

To identify the objects I have in my home & contemplate their significance.

"Give us this day our daily bread"

2008-08-16T13:07:00.016-05:00

Which bears more spiritual weight?

B:The religious significance of bread is obvious, but what is the significance of the basket?

How has the basket been historically represented in art? "The Last Supper", 1620-1621, by Peter Paul Rubens is a good starting point. The basket can also be seen as an illusion to the wooden bin filled with hay where baby Jesus lay. In 2007, the Vatican made a radical change to the typical Nativity scene. Referring to two passages in St. Matthew's gospel, Jesus now lies in Joseph's shop, complete with "the typical work tools of a carpenter". He lies in Joseph's home.

Aside: In 2004, the Fondation Cartier held an exhibition titled "Pain Couture", by Jean Paul Gautier. The French sure do love their bread!

Graceful Abode

2008-08-16T10:56:00.007-05:00

* Can household objects have spiritual significance?
~ No.
~ Yes, only if the owner assigns significance to them.
~ Yes, only if the maker assigns significance to them.
~ Yes, of course, God is in all things!
~ Why is this difficult to see?
* Is this significance purely nostalgia?

* Can material "worldly" goods help us connect with God? Or, should we follow in St. Francis' footsteps and place our wealth at the altar of God?

* Define "household objects".
* What about natural or machine-made objects used/placed in the home?
* We are wasteful. Why do we buy objects we do not like? Why do we buy objects we do not need? Why do we buy objects that do not work? Why do we buy objects that have no meaning to us?
* Why are some objects easier to throw away than others?
* If an object is functional (i.e. kitchen sponge) but not beautiful, is it less significant than an object that is functional and beautiful?

* What is "kitsch"? What purpose does it serve?

* What do the objects you surround yourself with say about you?
* How do these objects affect how we feel about ourselves?
* How do these objects affect visitors?
* How do they affect our quality of life?
* How can these objects help us think about / meditate on our relationship with God?

* Are contemporary American artists & artisans concerned with spirituality?
* Are any of these artists in the mainstream?
* Where are these artists?
* What are they making?

* What is the history of craftsmanship and the church?
* What does the contemporary church have to say about art and its purpose in the home?

Tinkerbell

2008-08-15T20:47:00.007-05:00

I heart my new earrings from Dean Harris for Target

~ tink ~

little pearl drops
dangle
from golden bells

~ tink ~

A Work in Progress...

2006-08-27T20:04:00.000-05:00

Memes float around the web like those little subscription postcards that are always falling out of magazines. Sometimes I enviously want to play along, othertimes I find memes just a tad annoying. To be honest, I've never been much of a list maker (or follower) and not much of a goal setter. With the knowledge that I won't be in New York too much longer, I figure it is probably a good time to start figuring out what exactly it is I want to get out of my time here.

As role models, I will look to my friend from freshman year of college (I pride myself on introducing him to snowmen and s'mores) and my "twin" from those good ol' sorority days. The former (I'm sad to say) is leaving NYC after six and a half years for an exciting new life in London. The latter, a newcomer to NYC who is painting the town red.

What would you do if you knew you only had _ amount of time left in what David Letterman rightly calls "the greatest city in the world?"

First off, the superficial:

Hungry, Hungry:
Chickalicious
The Grocery
Fleur de Sel
Spotted Pig
Il Cantionri
Tortilla Flats
Saigon Grill
Del Posto (to round off the Batali list)
Corner Bistro
Ito En
Veritas
Norma's

Oral Fixations:
Damn good sushi
Gelato
Chicken & Waffles
Cheese 101

Artsy:
South Street Seaport Museum
Japan Society
El Museo del Barrio
City of the Museum of New York

Toe Tapping:
Swing dancing @ Lincoln Center
Jazz @ Lincoln Center
Concert @ Madison Square Garden

The Goods:
Le Fanion
La Perla
Manolo Blahnik
John Derain
Mimi's Closet
Barney's

Clue

2006-08-27T17:36:00.000-05:00

Miss Scarlett in the kitchen with a candlestick

Saturday

2006-08-26T22:11:00.000-05:00

Noted:

When speaking -- she whispered. When walking -- she hummed.
Her presence -- purposeful, calming.

On the platform, she stood indulging in a pint of Hagendaaz.
Spoon licked clean.

On the train, crowded. Lanky gent, one sock short, pink -- one sock taller, blue.

Departing friend, six-year New Yorker -- finally noted the emerald hue
of the Emipre State.

Gray day -- golden light.

Forward...

2006-08-08T20:52:00.000-05:00

My dearest, he's to blame for this whole blogging thing. Bless his heart. He couldn't get me to talk about politics, or read Bleak House, or eat soft shell crabs, but he introduced me to the ever-so-addicting blogosphere. I've been lurking around for awhile now, checking out the scene and finially am compelled to wade into the shallow end.

Now he's told you about my little page and maybe you've stopped by to take a peek. Hi. Perhaps you're a bit surprised to note the polarity of my site and his. If you give me a moment, I can tell you about the five years I spent on a submarine (ok, that was he, but I have had the good fortune of hearing his stories often enough that I'm sure I could relay them, if you'd like) or repeat to you what my office thinks they think about the President. I'm sorry to dissapoint you with the sugar-coated appearance of my posts. I can't say exactly why I've decided to take the plunge, but I'll give it a shot:

BPP is a cheaper version of therapy and BPP is mine. I have no paid endorsments or sponsors. After my surgery, I was reminded (what causes us to forget?) about all of the good things out there in the world. I'm not talking solely about rainbows or whiskers on kittens -- rather all of those little things that make me happy and keep me moving through my stressful little New York life. Like the group of school girls playing a hand-clapping game out front of the Sony building today or the broken ice cream truck which plays the same *(%*# portion of the ice cream truck song over and over and over and over...Or, the memory of my dearest cleaning the snow off of my car in the frozen tundra of South Bend.

I figure I have a good year left in the Apple before I move elsewhere and I want to enjoy it. Perhaps I'm too New York-centric, but many of the blogs that I've found and followed are written by New Yorkers. I look to these gifted folks for weekend inspiration, restaurant recommendations and style tips (my favorites are listed on the side). After visiting a local Astoria establishment, which was recommended indirectly by another blogger, it dawned on me that I, too, could have something to share. Although I have lived here for 3 1/2 years, I still consider myself a tourist. I know I'm no travel writer or food critic (and never put commas in the right places) but, as my loved ones will attest, I'm opinionated.

Too, I feel the need to actually go out and experience this wonderful city, not just read about it on the internet. Instead of simply writing about what others have already discovered, I want to step away from my computer screen and take note of the tangible, the real. I am getting to the point where I am sick of reading about the next cool wallpaper designer and would rather lay in the grass and ponder the texture of the clouds.

So, this is my blog. I don't know where it will go and, frankly, don't care. I hope you come back and visit again. I promise I won't always post about lawn ornaments.

Home sweet home

2006-08-08T19:44:00.000-05:00

Elderly ladies blockading entrance...
Aspiring operatic neighbor singing scales...
Unidentified odors eminiating from under neighbor's door...
Patient faucet waiting to spray unsuspecting prey...

Why do I stay?

Why live in Italy when I can have a vineyard in Astoria?

Lawn Ornamentation II

2006-08-06T20:17:00.000-05:00

Gnome Power!

This little guy cracks me up! I know that his lantern is simply missing, but the way he mischievously grins -- it sure looks like he's up to rallying the gnome masses...

Better keep a close eye on your gardens folks, something fishy is brewing...

Pinwheels

2006-08-05T19:38:00.000-05:00

When I was recovering at home in June after surgery, my dearest and I would take our afternoon constitutional down my block. At first, I didn't have the strength to walk far and, like a child, needed a bribe of sorts to go the short distance.

Gray and brown. Brick, brick, brick. The buildings on my street are rather uninspired. Brownstone is a term too filled with charm to describe these habitats with few trees and fewer gardens. This small home is an exception. The owners have decorated their small yard with a variety of pinwheels, from the simple to the elaborate. Full of whimsy and color, each pinwheel almost seems to have it's own personality. Ordinarily, I'm wholeheartedly against lawn ornamentation (and people who feel the need to put stuffed animals in their car windows), but I can't help but love this home. It cheered me up when I needed it most and seeing the silly rooster's tail spin in the wind makes me smile every day when I walk by.

Mimi's Closet

2006-08-05T00:44:00.000-05:00

Another visit to Ditmars, another reason to smile.

Mimi's little store is a true gem. Thanks for the tip Roving Gastronome! The store is adorned with Mimi's beautifully tailored clothes and expertly selected artisan jewelry. I don't know how I restrained myself -- I wanted to go home with everything.

I've worn my purchase, beautiful hoop earrings by Brodie Made It, for the past three days. I plan on wearing them again tomorrow. I'm in love. This is the type of jewelry I always wanted to make -- but couldn't quite pull off. I'm so jealous of my earrings!

I should want all of New York to check out this store -- it's that wonderful. Yet, knowing that it is a secret in my little Astoria sure does make me proud.

Cool breath

2006-08-05T00:31:00.000-05:00

Humor Me...Please

2006-08-04T20:05:00.000-05:00

My Favorite Things

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens
Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens
Brown paper packages tied up with strings
These are a few of my favorite things

Cream colored ponies and crisp apple streudels
Doorbells and sleigh bells and schnitzel with noodles
Wild geese that fly with the moon on their wings
These are a few of my favorite things

Girls in white dresses with blue satin sashes
Snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes
Silver white winters that melt into springs
These are a few of my favorite things

When the dog bites
When the bee stings
When I'm feeling sad
I simply remember my favorite things
And then I don't feel so bad