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You can call me SL, this is about living.  |
left: Gravlax, red bell pepper, avocado
right: imitation crab, red bell pepper, avocado, radish sprouts from my 2011 archive July 5, 2011 Rolls The Fourth of July is all about spending time with family and friends, barbecuing, and watching fireworks. Unfortunately, a work commitment prevented The Swede and I from celebrating the way we normally do, which is going to Prospect Park to barbecue with friends. In lieu of hamburgers, hot dogs, ribs, and chicken wings, we made sushi. We had Gravlax, purchased from IKEA, in the fridge that needed to be eaten so we decided to try it in a roll. The Swede could not get over the taste, and I could not get over the color combination. Amazing. The only thing missing was a bit of wasabi, we were out. Years ago, when sushi was not yet mainstream, a friend of mine mistook wasabi for avocado. She put the entire chunk of wasabi served with her sushi in her mouth... archives: Food, Miscellaneous |
fireworks
Astoria, NY from my 2011 archive |
fireworks seen above a subway station
Astoria, NY from my 2011 archive |
fireworks seen above a passing train
Astoria, NY from my 2011 archive |
fireworks
Astoria, NY from my 2011 archive July 2, 2011 Happy Fourth of July! Although Fourth of July is not officially until Monday, it seems celebrations are starting early. Two nights ago, The Swede and I were walking home from the garden and heard booming sounds. We realized they were fireworks. Once home, I spotted the fireworks in the distance from our bedroom window. I went up to the roof to enjoy the spectacular show that lasted a good 20 minutes or so. It looked as though they were set off from a barge on the East River, but it could have been the Hudson River. Literally, a minute or two after the fireworks ended, a young girl who lives in my building came out onto the roof with her camera. She frantically asked, "Did I miss them, are they over?" Unfortunately, for her, they were. But fortunately for her, they will be another chance. Monday will guarantee another round of those lovely fireworks. archives: Miscellaneous |
English lavender from my 2011 archive
snow peas from my 2011 archive
sugar snap peas, snow peas, Kuroda carrots, Tonda di Parigi carrots, sweet basil
from my 2011 archive 
Genovese basil seedlings from my 2011 archive
plum purple radish from my 2011 archive
June 30, 2011 Lush It has rained quite a bit in recent weeks. New York City has had its fair share of severe thunderstorms. Following these rains, we have also had many intensely hot days. This has resulted in lush crops in the garden. Plot95 has been producing a steady supply of sugar snap peas, snow peas, radishes, lettuce, herbs, chamomile, tomatoes, and an occasional strawberry. The Swede and I decided to thin out the carrots and beets after noticing they were crowded. I have read that a single beet seed will typically produce more than one beet plant, so you have no choice but to thin them. Interesting. I find thinning crops hard to do. It seems wasteful, but it must be done. This year, I am growing both Genovese basil and sweet basil. Some of my friends claim sweet basil makes superior pesto. I have transplanted seedlings around the garden without marking them, so I am relying on my memory. We will have to wait and see; I am hoping I will be able to identify them by sight if my memory fails me. Surprisingly, my favorite plant in the garden at the moment is an English lavender. I planted it last season as a small transplant, and it did not fair well all summer. I left it to overwinter, thinking it was a lost cause. It not only survived, but has thrived. I have always admired a survivor. archives: Garden |
graffiti artists at work
Astoria, NY from my 2011 archive 
tomato plant
Astoria, NY from my 2011 archive June 27, 2011 Over the weekend, a group of graffiti artists were at work changing murals near Plot95. Some new works were a welcome change, others were not. The majority of my favorite works were spared, which is great luck, however Roa's ferret/weasel is getting a new background. I did not stay long enough to see what the artists were painting, but I hope I will like it. Maybe I will even love it. I was also concerned that Peat Wollaeger's Statue of Liberty would be touched, luckily it was not. "The Eyez" on the door are, however, painted over with new work. It was a good reminder of the impermanence of Street Art, enjoy it while it lasts. I also received a surprise while walking around looking at the works in progress, a tomato plant. A tomato plant that was growing from a crack between a wall and the sidewalk. It gave me a smile to find it in the unlikeliest of places. It has been raining quite a bit, so I think it has a good chance at surviving and possibly setting fruit. I know that the wind takes seeds to other locations, but I always imagine this happens in open places, not urban areas with buildings. I like to think the seeds that gave this plant life are from the garden, one block away. A few summers ago, I complimented my Mother on her luscious and bushy tomato plants. I commented, "Wow, you planted tomatoes, they are huge." She replied, "Oh, no, I just threw (fresh) juice pulp out the door and they grew." archives: Garden, Street Art |
Mark di Suvero's work (Title Unknown), Socrates Sculpture Park
Long Island City, NY from my 2011 archive 
Mark di Suvero's work (Title Unknown), Socrates Sculpture Park
Long Island City, NY from my 2011 archive June 21, 2011 The largest outdoor exhibit of Mark di Suvero's work in New York City since the 1970's is up at Governors Island. I took my sister a few weeks ago when she was visiting, and the forecast predicted a day of fair weather. I managed to snap two photos of his work before it started to rain. I have no idea why I even bother checking the weather. Last time I was at Socrates Sculpture Park, I noticed a new work of di Suvero's out on the grounds. There is a fenced area to the left of the sculpture where he houses works in progress. (That is an assumption.) It was nice to view the work unobstructed, peeking through a fence is not the ideal way to view sculptures. Fortunately, there will be another chance to see the exhibit at Governors Island. My sister is coming back in August, this time with my nephew and niece. Since we were rained out, she wants to go back. It should be interesting to see how my nephew and niece interact with Di Suvero's work. I have witnessed kids walking up to his sculptures and instinctually climbing them. I am sure my nephew and niece will not be permitted to climb the work, but they will get a chance to ding a bell that is installed on one of the pieces for the purpose of interaction. I should bring an umbrella this time, just in case, and earplugs are not a bad idea either. archives: Art |
Green String Farm, a field of Lacinato Kale
Petaluma, CA from my 2009 archive 
Green String Farm, rosettes of greens
Petaluma, CA from my 2009 archive 
Green String Farm, a rooster and his hens
Petaluma, CA from my 2009 archive June 18, 2011 Dreams I have been obsessively thinking of three things (1) more space to garden (2) rosettes (3) and chickens. I am extremely grateful for the 9 x 13 feet of earth that I call Plot95. Without it, I would go mad in this concrete jungle of a life. I am still, however, constantly dreaming of more space to garden, to raise a few hens (and perhaps a few ducks), to cook outdoors, and to sip iced tea and wine sitting by a wood fire with family and friends. I also have rosettes on the mind, rosettes of lettuce, rosettes of collards, rosettes of flowers, and rosettes of succulents. I think my dreams are realistic. I already downsized them from my dream of cold pressing olive oil in the orchards of my Tuscan villa. archives: Garden |
photo credit: I.Theorin, Peat Wollaeger's "Eye Love 1984!"
St. Louis, MO from 2011 June 16, 2011 Street Art continued... Mystery solved. The artist behind "The Eye" has been revealed. To make a long story short, The Swede was in St. Louis, Missouri for work and met someone who knows the artist. I have mixed feelings about finding out the artist's identity. He was my supposed to be "my new Banksy." The good thing is that Wollaeger sells his work on his website, so perhaps an artwork of his will make it into my collection one day. (Hint hint to anyone looking for present ideas for me.) He sells small panels from his "Eyez Series" for $40. They are currently sold out but be assured, I will keep checking (and hinting). archives: Street Art |
plum purple radishes from my 2011 archive
June 13, 2011 Radishes continued... It is radish harvest time. They are continuously revealing themselves by pushing their way out of the soil which is their way of saying, "Harvest me." There is something immensely gratifying about pulling up crops. They have been beneath the soil for weeks and it is nice to finally see them. The Swede and I decided to take the radishes home instead of eating them on the spot. He put them in his backpack for the bike ride home. Then he forgot about them. So did I, until a few days later. The radishes survived, and we ate them diced in a potato salad. They were a wonderful addition. Their flavor had mellowed, and they were not as spicy as the first time I had eaten one in the garden. The lettuce in the background is called "Tom Thumb" lettuce. It is a tidy and compact butterhead variety with a mild flavor and a soft crisp texture. The delicate rosettes are easy to grow and are by far the most elegant lettuce heads in the garden. My new favorite. archives: Garden |
Black Swallowtail and Swiss chard from my 2011 archive
June 11, 2011 Visitor I had a garden visitor on one of the Swiss chard plants that bolted and is about to set seed. It was a black butterfly with yellow and blue markings. I googled and found out it is called a Black Swallowtail. This Swiss chard plant was one of three that survived the brutal winter. It was fairly productive for a few weeks this spring until the weather began to warm. Then it bolted. Although there is always risk of bolting in hot weather, my Swiss chard plants were productive throughout Summer 2010 without doing it. Through research, I found that chard does overwinter, but then tends to bolt early in the spring. I am allowing all the plants in my garden to set seeds since I am determined to collect and dry the seeds for future use. I did it skeptically a few times last year, and I am happy to say a few plants in the garden this year are from seeds I collected last year. Back to the absolutely stunning butterfly. I hope this type becomes a regular visitor. This was the first time I had ever seen one with these markings and colors. Strange enough, later that day I spotted one at the Farmers Market in Union Square. Two lucky sightings in one day. archives: Garden |
Robert K. Otani's "Transformative Kayak"
Governors Island, NY from my 2011 archive June 9, 2011 Hammock Geez, it was hot yesterday. It was roughly 93 degrees with 30 percent humidity. By 10am, it was already 86 degrees...it was a long day. All I needed was a hammock and a shady tree. In that dream, an imaginary outdoor air conditioner would have also been nice along with a bottomless glass of iced tea. I went to Governors Island this past weekend and spotted a set of hammocks in an art installation from afar. As I approached, there was a preteen with a football physique also approaching the same hammock. I was slightly faster than him, so he diverted to the next hammock. He stepped up his gait, then excitedly plopped into the hammock. Rip! He immediately sprang to his feet and walked towards his family blushing and waving his hands warning them not to sit in the hammock. I felt bad for him and really bad for the artist. But--I could not stop laughing. I tried hard to hold it in, but sometimes funny is funny. archives: Art, Miscellaneous |
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