But wait - THERE'S MORE

Roaring 20s or 1960s Greenwich Village folk scene?


Classic leopard for keeping me warm in my LBD... where'd I put my cigarette holder?


Winter white, for my purer moments.


Perfect plaid for picking apples (as Katherine Hepburn).

Song to dance around the kitchen to

Based on a tune from Rossini's Barber of Seville, but so much more dance-able!

Vacation Project (Part I)

So last week was my first week-long vacation in three years.
I stayed at my uncle's cabin on Kelleys Island - three days alone and the rest of the week with my parents since dad starts chemo in a week.

Nineteen years ago, he was into basket-making, and got charmed by Nantucket Lightship Baskets.
He made his first baskets while on vacation at the cabin, and I told him I wanted to learn how (on an island - it only seemed natural).

We started the weekend before I left, ordering supplies, digging out the molds and making the bottoms and ears.

Making the basket bottom


Before you start, you have to whittle down the ribs... he remembered that last time he built a jig and did it on an electric sander... this time all hand done.

Shaping the ribs


So here are the finished ribs, in one of his original baskets, with the mold in the background.



Once the tips are shaped, you soak them and place in a groove in the bottom. We kind of free-handed this, but it turned out well. Then you have to secure the bottom and ribs to the mold... very nitsy work.

Ribs secured to mold


Finally, you have to bend the ribs (while keeping them wet... and evenly spaced... and in the groove) and secure with a band to let them dry to the shape of the mold.

Molding the ribs


More in the next post, Blogger seems to have a photo limit...

Vacation Project (Part II)

So where were we?

Baskets. Yes.

So we started weaving the basket.
Again, nitsy work.
You have to whittle down the end and get it secured in the groove with the ribs... lots of detailed, swear-inducing work (at least for my dad).

The first couple of rows are tense, trying to get them woven tightly, making sure the ribs stay in the groove, keeping the damn thing damp and working with a 36" piece of cane that tends to twist and break.

Starting to weave


Weaving went fairly quickly, he'd weave while I went swimming or for a bike ride, I'd weave while he read or took a nap. It was done before we knew it!

Almost done


We got it off the mold and attached the rim to keep its shape. And then...

TRAGEDY!

The next morning my father picked up the dry basket and POP - the bottom fell out!



My theory is that the ribs got loose around the mold, so we were weaving the whole thing 1/4" larger, which was fine when the basket was wet and the wood was expanded (I'm really stifling the urge to make a shrinkage joke here - come on! WET WOOD GETS LARGER??? Who can resist!)

Anyway, when the wood dried, the rim, approximately 1/4" larger than the mold, pulled the ribs out of the groove.

My solution (after rending my clothes and gnashing my teeth) was to create a new bottom, about 1/4" LARGER and instead of a groove, split that thing in two, put it in place and glue it together.

I'll let you know how it turns out.

Lago

Tonight I went to Lago in Tremont.

I always, ALWAYS forget about this place.
It was MoJo when I moved here, became Theory (which I loved loved loved, especially for the raw bar) and then closed.

I was working out of an office in that building when Lago was moving in and I took offense to their Painters' Tape Blue sign.

I've been there 3 times this summer - once for a birthday dinner (duck confit ravioli), once for pre-SATC happy hour (don't recall through haze of wine) and again tonight.

We did the Happy Hour at the bar: half price drinks and a decent wine list along with half price apps and salads.

We split the Arugula salad... melon, goat cheese and crispy prosciutto (plus if you say you're splitting, they'll even plate it up for 2 in the kitchen).
Next time I'll get one for myself.

We followed with the Tuna Carpaccio, which is just tuna tartare with an Italian name (but always a winner) and the Lago Pizza, a flatbread with smoked mozz, coppa and fresh tomatoes. This was SPECTACULAR, but only if you love salty crispy cured pork.

All told: 4 drinks and 3 plates was $48... not bad for a full belly, a satisfied palate and hell of a buzz on.

I need to remember not to forget this place, a mere block from home, next time I'm looking for a good, quick meal.

Fun with Sincerity

I love the oldie-timey candy called Valomilk.
I'm a total latecomer to marshmallow, but I have all the zeal of a convert and I found my faith in 'shallow filled chocolate cups available through places like the Vermont Country Store.

According to a recent catalog , their slogan is...

"If it runs down your chin, you know it's a Valomilk!"

*giggle*

Um... yeah... if it runs down my chin I - uh - think I... um... need a tissue.

JUST DON'T GET ANY IN MY EYE!

Seriously.

Bainbridge Scarf

When I was on a homespun yarn buying jag, I picked up this skein called "Prep School."
LOVED it.
It was all rugby shirt colors: red & white and yellow & grey and yellow & red.
It was enough to make me get out my spankies, start an eight-count and do a Herkie.

Anyway, sometimes a colorway just doesn't knit up as well as you hope it will.

I chose Pepperknit's Bainbridge Scarf - easy and unique and good for about 100 yards of yarn.

So this was the first attempt.
See how pretty the ball is... I had such high hopes.


I thought maybe it would better if the colors were more closely stacked...

Nope.


It'll still be winsome with a navy peacoat on a crisp fall day.

See how winsome (more the model than the scarf, natch).