Friday is for Favorite Things: Top Ten Edition!

Well Dear Reader(s), here we are on the threshold of Labor Day Weekend. Summer has come to an end. The weather today is chilly and cloudy, but my spirits are not! This was an awesome, awesome summer. So for today's Favorite Things, I share with you my Top 10 Memories From Summer '08. 

(Note: I couldn't possibly rank some of these over others, so I'm listing them as they happened chronologically. Everyone knows that for me, under different circumstances, The National would obviously rank far higher than #8.)

1. Memorial Day Weekend Summer Kick-Off Natalie's Birthday BBQ on the Clinton Street Historical District Rooftop.  Ummm . . . Cheddar Horseradish Stuffed Burgers, anyone? Photo courtesy of Tootsdawg.

2. The mid-July Impromptu Fireworks Show on the pier in DUMBO.

3. Sitting on my stoop, Little Jackie Style, drinking beer.

4. Aimless bike rides to Fairway for lobster rolls on the water.

5. Sitting on the beach in Lavallette with a book in one hand, and a Coor's Light (canned water) in the other. Thanks again, Tootsdawg:

6. The Friday afternoon at Red Hook Pool, that turned into one drink at B61.  That turned into three more.  That turned into a trip to Moonshine.  That turned into a bike ride to Sunny's. That ended at 3 in the morning. In a bathing suit.

7. Jamie Lidell in hotpants at Summerstage.

8. Matt Berninger for being Matt Berninger at Summerstage.

9. The South Street Seaport show in the rain.

10. Sunday Best at The Yard. This is the most surreal and serene music venue I've ever been to. Sitting on a folding chair, in a dusty gravel lot overgrown with weeds, overlooking the Gowanus Canal. What? Awesome.

Gentle Reminder

In the wake of the kick off of the DNC last night, I'm posting a gentle reminder to make sure you are registered to vote come November! While the policies vary from state to state, many states require that you submit your registration form 30 days prior to the elections.  (For you New York State Readers, registration forms need to be postmarked no later than October 10.)

A super easy and super fast way to register is through Rock the Vote. You'll fill out an automated form, print it, and mail it.  Hell, if you don't have a stamp, come find me  . . . I'll personally donate one to your (our) cause.

If the Deli's Out of Stella, Settle for Corona

Boomp3.com

M is for Monday is for Mp3

This morning I post on the Unofficial Last Monday of the Summer. What better way to wrap it up than with a song that, to me, is the epitome of Summer 08?  While it wasn't the tune playing in every bar, taxi, and deli . . . it probably should have been.  In fact, Neighbor J (who introduced the song to me ), even lobbied a local radio station to make it the No. 1 tune of Summer '08.  Unfortunately, due to some politics with Little Jackie's record label not releasing this song as a single, the dream was lost . . . but not forgotten.

I actually got to see her perform this song live at Summer Stage in Central Park.  It was, without question, the hi-lite of her very short set. So friends, without further hesitation, go ahead and check it out. No doubt, it's a little bubble-gum(ish), but it's just so damn catchy.

Be True to Your Pool

Friday is for Favorite Things + Bonus Edition Mp3!

I cannot begin to hi-lite all of the great memories I'll be taking from this summer. (More on this next Friday.) But no doubt, one of my Favorite Things of Summer 08 has been taking advantage of the Red Hook Pool.  This place is a JAM! Adjacent to to the famous Red Hook Ball Fields, and tucked just behind the housing projects, it is a complete oasis. The pool deck is bare bones, and it is commonly known that the rules here are more strictly enforced than any other pool in the city, but the experience is awesome. The area is huge, and never crowded. And once you find your little patch of pool deck to settle on, if you lay down on your back at just the right angle, all you can see is sky and treetops—nary a building, crane, scaffolding, or water tower in sight. It's like you're not even near the city. As if the setting alone wasn't enough, for me, the best part of the pool is the staff.  There's a PA system that is run out of an office in the main building.  Throughout the course of the day, the staff will get on the loudspeaker and give shout outs, sing songs or tell jokes. It's kind of ridiculous and kind of awesome—particularly because you can't see where this ubiquitous voice is coming from.  Last Saturday, a member of the staff, Big Dog, was playing songs into the PA, and below was one of his hits. So there we sat, taking in the sun, feeling the breeze . . . and rocking out. To the Manhattans.

Boomp3.com

This place is unquestionably one of my favorite spots in Brooklyn. But hey, don't take this on my word alone.  Even Bloomberg digs the Red Hook Pool:

Getting Baked Without Having to Call Your Dealer

Wednesday: What I've Been Eating, Drinking, Craving, Etc.

This summer has been choc full of splendid bike ride adventures through Red Hook. The conclusion of this past Saturday's adventure, however, has taken the cake. Taken the cake both literally and metaphorically, that is. After reading about it, hearing about it, and cruising by it, I finally made my way across the threshold of Baked.

I could sit here and attempt to review it, but really, there's no need. The place rocks. The atmosphere is chill. The staff is friendly. And the sweets . . . oh God . . . the sweets. Get on your feet, your bike, your roommate's bike, your Vespa, the IKEA Shuttle, whatever . . . and check it for yourself.  

P.S. One of the guys who started this place is also the guy who started Chocolate Bar in the city. They recently moved locations from the West Village to the East Village. You may want to check that too.

Keen for Quinoa

I've been reading about the mighty grain Quinoa (pronounced: KEEN-wah) for quite some time now.  It keeps popping up in recipes and articles being heralded as an excellent source of protein, fiber, and iron. I only first sampled it a few months ago at a delicious little hippie-healthy-organic restaurant, Siggy's, in Brooklyn Heights. The closest thing I can compare the cooked grain to is a bulgur or a brown rice.  The quinoa grains are round and smooth though, and almost a little chewy. Ever since that first encounter, I've been thinking I need to get my hands on some of this stuff to try cooking it myself.

My initial impression of the cooked grain was that it sticks together more than say, couscous or rice, and so it would be good for making a cake or patty. The natural progression of this thought was, "Why not try to make a falafel type patty?"  (It is no secret that the Charm School Graduate is a Falafel Fanatic.) So, with a mission to create a healthier (not fried) version of this middle eastern goodness, I began researching various falafel flavors and techniques. Below is the recipe I crafted last night in my first (and incredibly successful, if I say so myself) attempt:

1 cup of dry quinoa

1-2 T. olive oil

1 yellow onion

3-4 cloves of garlic

2 t. ground cumin

1/4. t. cayenne pepper

1 t. kosher salt

fresh ground pepper

3 T. tahini (plus more for serving)

3/4 C. chopped fresh cilantro

1/4 C. plain bread crumbs

Nonstick cooking spray

1. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil and add quinoa. Reduce heat to simmer, and cook for 12-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Meanwhile, finely chop onion and garlic, and sautee in olive oil until the onions are translucent and soft.

3. Once quinoa is cooked (there should be no water left in the pan), transfer to large mixing bowl and add cooked onion and garlic. Add cumin, cayenne, salt, pepper and cilantro blending everything in. Gradually mix in tahini, then bread crumbs.

4. Taking heaping tablespoonfuls, shape into small patties and lay out on baking sheet.  (This recipe should make 12 patties, depending on how large or small you make them.) 

5. Refrigerate patties for 30 minutes.

6. Spray your sautee pan with nonstick spray, and cook the patties on med-high heat for about 6-8 minutes on each side, so they are heated through, and the outside gets crunchy.

I plated mine with lettuce, tomato, red onion and tahini. They'd be delicious wrapped up in a pita too. Not that I just did that with the leftovers for lunch or anything...

V-v-v-v

Boomp3.com

M is for Monday is for Mp3

Friday night, some friends and I went to the free concert series at South Street Seaport. White Williams and The Dirty Projectors were the lineup. Threats of tornadoes and hail, torrential downpours, and seeking refuge in a very quaint, charming, off-the-beaten-path bar actually inhibited us from seeing White Williams' performance (which was only four songs long). Extreme flashes of lightning over the East River prevented us from catching more than thirty minutes of The Dirty Projectors. Still though, despite the soggy feet, the bangs curling in the humidity, and puddle hopping the cobblestone streets, it wound up being a really fun night.

So today I share with you a little White Williams gem that I would have loved to have heard live . . . had I not been so busy repeatedly reaching the bottom of my pint glass at the bar.

A Green Clean

Friday is for Favorite Things

Friends, neighbors, and lovers: Today I write you with a hot tip on one of my most favorite things for The Home. With this post, I officially declare myself a Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day Junkie.  Anyone who has ever been chez Charm School Graduate knows that I keep the Mrs. Meyer's hand soaps at every sink (all two of them), and her delicious smelling candles throughout my glorious 650 square feet. I shamefully admit that I was initially drawn to these products by their very smart [looking] packaging. That was enough to get me to pick the products up off the shelf. Untwisting the lids and smelling these fragrances inspired by garden-fresh flowers and herbs sealed the deal, and got me to commit to a purchase. (And this is coming from someone who generally detests that "stinky stuff" fragranced lotions, sprays, etc.) I began to love the brand not only because of the high quality product, or how cute I think the bottles and jars look in my apartment, but the company also has a commitment to making natural and environmentally safe (biodegradable) products. Just last week, I purchased my first Mrs. Meyer's household cleaner—the Lemon Verbena Counter Top Spray. My home has never smelled fresher. (And it's probably never been cleaner, as now I suddenly find myself wiping down perfectly clean counter tops...just to be able to use the stuff.) 

A 16 oz. spray bottle of the Counter Top Cleaner set me back $4.99.  More money than say, a spray bottle of Fantastik or Windex. The value, however, comes in when you buy the All Purpose Cleaner in bulk: 32 oz. for $7.99.  This cleaner comes concentrated. Meaning: Once you've used the entire spray bottle, you simply need to add a few tablespoons of the All Purpose Cleaner and then fill the bottle up with water from your tap. Voila! An instant and inexpensive refill. Not only does this reduce packaging, but by mixing these up in your own home, you're helping to reduce the number of bottles being shipped (driven in big-frightening-fuel-guzzling-trucks) around the country.  Thusly, with each spray of the bottle, you're helping to reduce the size of our carbon footprint. Now that's a whole lot more than just a clean home.

I Do the Dishes, I Mow the Lawn

Boomp3.com

Thursday Bonus Edition Mp3!

Last night I saw Wilco at McCarren Park Pool. The show was wonderful—definitely the best I've seen this summer. The weather was great, the crowd was great, and the sound was awesome. I'm not going to get into reviewing the show though.  You can read some moderately crabby, but overall accurate sentiments about the show here. With each tune they began, I'd think to myself, "Oh, I have to post this one to the blog tomorrow." Then they'd belt out an even stronger song, and I'd think the same thing all over again.  Ultimately, it came down to which tune got me moving my hips the most. This was it. A total jam. I realize now I've consecutively posted three soft, fluffy, weepy songs.  Next week: Megadeth. But for now: Bring it, Jeff Tweedy.

You Can't Make This Stuff Up*

Just five short days after releasing this blog into the wild, I'm thrilled to report that I've received tons of wonderful feedback. You, friends, neighbors, and lovers are simply too kind. So kind, in fact, that I cannot keep all of your thoughtful words to myself. That said, a few hi-lites from the Charm School Graduate reviews thus far:

I love it on there! I love it on there! I love it on there!

Blogger, please!

I promise to read it regularly and not post annoying comments if you promise to shout out to me at least once a week. (Herewith, your first fucking shout out, friend.)

*You are by far one of the prettiest, smartest and best blog writers I've ever known.

I am not fucking around when I say this: If you ever steal one of my ideas and write about it on this blog, I will sue your ass into next week.

Thanks again for all the love. Really.

I'll Run Away With You

Boomp3.com

M is for Monday is for Mp3

I tend to go back-and-forth on where I stand with covers. If they're too similar to the original, they seem a little sellout(ish) to me.  This cover, however, is top-notch. The Watson Twins, of Jenny Lewis & The Watson Twins fame, recently released a solo album, Fire Songs. (Is it considered solo if it's recorded by twins?)

I think the album, beginning to end, is terrific.  It's got a warm, folksy, country feel that is somehow neither too folksy or too country.  Really, it's just right.  While their originals certainly show that these two can stand alone, out of the Jenny Lewis Spotlight, it's the Just Like Heaven cover that stands alone to me.

Taking a 1987 British Alternative Rock tune and turning it into a soft, twangy, delicate harmony? Definitely not sellout(ish).

Gorgeous Gotham

Friday is for Favorite Things

A friend recently asked me what my favorite font was.  The answer to this question changes about as often as my bangs do.  At present, however, I have a steadfast and unwavering answer to this question. This week (at least), my favorite font is Gotham. All caps? Bring it. Letter-spacing so open you could drive a truck between the characters? Oh my!  In different sizes, treatments, styles, and contexts, this font can take on so many different feels.  It's so clean and so understated.  It also may happen to be the font used in the header of the blog you may be reading right now. Ahem.

Forget my little sketches and doodles though.  There's one specific place Americans have been seeing lots and lots of Gotham these days:

Preach on, Barack. Preach on.

Michel-icious

Wednesday: What I've Been Eating, Drinking, Craving, Etc.

Last week I had my first ever encounter with the Michelada.  Actually, my particular breed was a Michelada Cubana if we're going to get into specifics. I encountered this cold + salty + fizzy + tangy + divine concoction at Hecho en Dumbo, a delicious and unpretentious Mexi joint down in DUMBO.  I strongly encourage checking out both the restaurant and the barkeep.  Errr...I mean the bar.

The Michelada is a Mexican cocktail that mixes dark beer with lime, hot sauce, Worcestershire, and salt, served over ice.  By adding tomato juice, you get the Michelada Cubana. (Which winds up being sort of like le Bloody Mary sans le Vodka.)

After spending 6 days fantasizing about my next encounter with this drink, this past Sunday, I finally tried my hand at mixing one up myself.  As a rule, I tend not to refer to recipes when cooking or cocktailing.  So this is roughly how it went:

-the juice of 1 lime

-two dashes of Worcestershire

-two dashes of tobasco

-a good pinch of salt

-1-2 oz. pour of tomato juice

-1 Negra Modelo (added gradually as you drink)

Mix the first five ingredients in a tall glass with ice. Then add the beer. We rimmed the glasses with a 50/50 mix of salt and Old Bay. Yum. 

Most of these ingredients are staples in any fridge/cabinet.  That said, I urge you to put down the mouse and go get Michelada Mixin'. Like, now.

Broken Bottles

boomp3.com

M is for Monday is for Mp3.

This little gem comes from an old EP by The National.  I've chosen it for today because:

a) I'm going to see them at the Summer Stage in Central Park tonight.

b) I love these lyrics.

c) I must have listened to this song over thirty times last night.

d) Anyone who knows me knows that the first song I would post to this blog would [obviously] be one by The National.