Suddenly summer…

It's time to start cooking out with the beautiful One-Way Grill from Manufactum.

The beautiful One-Way Grill from Manufactum.

I don’t know about where you live, but here in NYC, the dog days of summer are suddenly upon us. Like, it is OVER 90 DEGREES already. People are freaking out and getting all sorry that they ever wished for heat back in the days (the day before yesterday?) when it was sub 40 degrees and ice drizzling.

But I am looking on the bright side and starting to think about cooking outdoors. Maybe you’re like me and don’t have room to keep a grill in your apartment. Or maybe you want to cook on the beach, or in some campground someplace (where they allow cooking over open flame, of course).

In any of those instances, our German brothers and sisters over at Manufactum have you covered with this one-use alderwood grill. It’s designed to cook your meal to perfection, and then to cook itself into a pile of ash, which you can just sweep away. It doesn’t get much better than that, landfill wise.

Manufactum grill

Here’s the grill in prime cooking mode. Perfect coals, a little smoke, just primed to cook whatever your little heart desires.

You do need a pan or a little stainless steel metal rack to cook on (these can multitask as cooling racks for cookies or fruit pies, too!) But then you are good to go. And in the end, the whole grill burns down to almost nothing and you can sweep up and move on. The ash and carbon are great to add to compost, if you’re into that sort of thing.

manufactum wood grill

Here’s the grill all used up and ready to sweep into the surrounding earth, where it will enrich the soil and help new trees grow

Now all you have to do is figure out the menu. Manufactum One Way Grill made of Alder Wood. €11

Yesterday, at some point…

Post Comey firing protests outside of schumer office

Yesterday at 5 pm I hauled myself up to midtown to shout and wave signs and take photographs and make sure that Senator Schumer understands that we will not rest until there is an independent investigation into the whole Russia/Trump relationship.

I took lots of pictures, but this one is my favorite. Because it really does just boil down to this simple request, doesn’t it?

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Yesterday, at some point is a series of photographs that describe a moment I experienced during the previous day (or some point in the very recent past). The posts are meant to be stand alone images, though at times I can’t control myself, and I end up expanding the caption into a more lengthy bit of text. Hopefully the extra information is useful, or at least interesting.

Mother’s Day Gift Guide

Yep, it’s that time of year again. This year I’m feeling the need for a little more peace and nature in my life, so here’s why I’m thinking any of these items would make a nice Mother’s Day gift… For me anyway…

Horses Atelier overalls

Because Horses Atelier has managed to make a pair of overalls that are elegant without being at all precious. Yes please. Horses Atelier overalls, $310

cork ipad case
Because covering the iPad with something as organic as cork just makes it all feel better, right? Cork iPad case, $30.

coffee pot
Because a deep purple clay coffee pot just makes the coffee taste better. $98.95.

wood wallet
Because a wood wallet is… well… a wood wallet. Walnut Wood Wallet, $65.

room diffuser
Because evidently the path to health and happiness runs through our noses and the best way to get a scent into the air is one of these diffusers and this one in particular is as good looking as it is effective. Stone Diffuser, $119.

City Skin potion #2
Because they say nothing preserves and promotes youth and energy in the skin like roses, and this new blend of Monk Oil packs a triple punch of three different rose scents in one. Monk Oil, $52.

jill platner necklace
Because this is one of my all time favorite necklaces that I almost never take off and so your mom will probably love it too. Jill Platner necklace, $255.

Monday, Monday or more links about the awesomeness of both the Earth and of science in general

walking in the woods

Here’s one of the photographs I took for Instagram’s Earth Day project. And also for myself, because even when I am far away from the woods, it is always lovely to remember that they are there.

Earth Day was this past weekend. Lets keep the party going for a bit, shall we?

350.org is building a global climate movement and their website has all sorts of great information about climate change and what we can do to stem the tide. Well worth checking out. NRDC.org is another great resource for info. And you can go straight to The People’s Climate March to find out how to join one of the thousands of Climate Marches and Demonstrations going on worldwide this Saturday (April 29).

To celebrate Earth Day, Instagram asked people to spend the weekend taking photographs of the natural beauty of our planet. The images were all tagged #whpnaturalbeauty (where WHP stands for weekend hashtag project) and the results are really breathtaking. It’s a great feed to check out when you’re feeling bleak about what’s going on in the political world…

Who doesn’t want to know how to take a picture of a black hole?

And while we’re in the land of the TED talk, take the command Know Thyself to heart and check out this playlist of 14 talks about the inner workings of our brains.

If you’re just jonesing for a short podcast about some kind of scientific topic, but don’t have anything specific in mind, check out San Francisco’s KQED’s Science. You won’t be disappointed.

Just now, at Pioneer Works, Amanda Palmer read a breathtakingly beautiful and profoundly feminist poem (written just this weekend by her husband Neil Gaiman) about how the first scientists were almost certainly women. The poem is called The Mushroom Hunters and the introduction and preamble are almost as insightful and interesting as the poem itself.

Another thing I don’t really need, but totally want regardless

The JP Clasp. $195 on JillPlatner.com.

The JP Clasp. $195 on JillPlatner.com.

Sometimes self care = treating myself to a little burst of color in the form of one of these clasp bracelets by my friend Jill Platner. Sure I will survive without another bracelet, but if just seeing this on my wrist makes me happy and helps me get through the day, then it’s worth every penny.

Plus what’s not to love about supporting an amazing locally based woman-owned business?

Yesterday, at some point…

AlizaNisenbaumMOIAswomenscabinet1

Ok so I finally made it to the new Whitney Museum. Way more conveniently located (for me) at the last stop of the L train, but for some reason, the new meat packing locale been far more elusive than the museum’s previous Upper East Side location. It was the Biennial that finally reeled me in… And I found the show to be full of work that speaks to what I feel is one of the most important issues facing us today– that of intersectionality, and the overlapping layers of our combined, shared but very different histories on this Earth.

This photo is jut a detail, but Aliza Nisenbaum’s monumental portrait of a diverse group of women meeting to address the urgent plight of immigrants (MOIA’s Women’s Cabinet, 2016) spoke to me personally as I think of the work I’ve been doing with the Women’s March organizers and of how much power a group of women can have if they choose to wield it. It is an image of hope and strength in a time that seems to be full of dark clouds.

You should all go to see the show– as usual there is a lot of work to look at, to think and argue about, to question and to enjoy. The Whitney Biennial is nothing if not guaranteed food for thought.

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Yesterday, at some point is a series of photographs that describe a moment I experienced during the previous day (or some point in the very recent past). The posts are meant to be stand alone images, though at times I can’t control myself, and I end up expanding the caption into a more lengthy bit of text. Hopefully the extra information is useful, or at least interesting.

Monday, Monday… or more links to help get us on the road to positivity

looking up

The view from the ground.

Last week, we took a trip into the Berkshires and I went cross country skiing for the first time. I fell. A lot. but the view was so beautiful from the ground, I could have cared less. And thus began my effort to actively seek positivity in a world that feels full of chaos and negative energy right about now. These links all lead to things that celebrate the good in one way or another. Please enjoy.

And have a nice day!

Here are 10 simple ways to raise more creative kids.

Listen to this playlist curated by my friend Luisa for our friend Jill Platner’s blog. It’s called Summoning Spells with good reason…

Spending just 10 minutes a day on mindfullness can completely change the way you react to just about everything. Or at least that’s what the folks at the Harvard Business Review think. And they should know.

Be kind to your immune system by making some of this Astragalus Chai.

Read this amazing piece on the history of recorded jazz music. With photos and sound to go with. It’s a great way to close out Black History Month, if you’re looking to do that kind of thing…

An inspirational and incredible story of an escape from the Holocaust killing grounds of Lithuania.

Yesterday, at some point…

washington sq part revolutionary love protest

My family spent the evening of Valentine’s Day in Washington Square Park with all sorts of artists and activists celebrating Revolutionary Love. I am finding that we are spending lots of time in crowds, holding up signs these days. And also I am finding that there is something really beautiful in standing up, together, for something that you believe in. It is the silver lining in a huge dark cloud. Welcome to the new normal.

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Yesterday, at some point is a series of photographs that describe a moment I experienced during the previous day (or some point in the very recent past). The posts are meant to be stand alone images, though at times I can’t control myself, and I end up expanding the caption into a more lengthy bit of text. Hopefully the extra information is useful, or at least interesting. If not, feel free to ignore it.

Monday, Monday (on Tuesday which is also Valentines Day), or a few links about how to love ourselves just a little bit…

origami valentine hearts

The fruits of this year’s Valentine’s Day labor. After we got over the upsetting new No Candy rule at school. Origami to the rescue!

This Valentine’s Day, we all need to treat ourselves to a little love. So for this week’s set of links, I give you some lovely suggestions for ways to escape from the crazy that we have all been inhabiting lately. Happy Valentine’s Day to us!

14 chocolate treats that you can make in under an hour. Need I say more?

Read something sweet, like these really cute things my friend Joanna’s 3 year old son says to her, and smile.

Make something for yourself, damn it. This Scandinavian wall art/hanging thing is the kind of object I see in stores but don’t buy because I think I can make it myself. Which actually wasn’t true till I found step by step instructions online. Thank you Internet.

Exfoliate, exfoliate, exfoliate. This is supposedly the answer to all of our problems. But we have to do it right. Luckily, the good ladies at Goop are here to guide us.

Listen to some music. ALL of the playlists on here we go now kick ass. For reals.

Maybe just give in and go to Florida for the weekend? Or you could just fantasize about any of the places on Design Tripper

Who knew that pine pollen has been used for centuries as a powerful aphrodisiac? It also balances hormones, boosts metabolism and increases energy. You can add some to your daily smoothie, or use it to make these delicious raw lemon rose truffles.

Earthshakers, or People to know about: A series of profiles for Black History Month and beyond

betye saar

Betye Saar, 90 year old mixed media artist and force to be reckoned with. Photo by Ashley Walker.

I was hunting for Valentine’s Day ideas and came across this profile of African American artist Betye Saar in Design Sponge. She has long been one of my favorites, both because she makes work out of all sorts of things (some of her pieces are paintings, some quilts, some sculptures and everything in between…) and because each piece has a narrative that seems to flow out of it effortlessly. Nothing is preachy, yet they all have a strong message to convey that is at once deeply personal, magically surreal and culturally relevant. She is a true modern master.

So if you don’t know her work, please take a minute to read the Design Sponge profile, and watch the video below in which she speaks about racism in southern California between the World Wars.

And here are three examples of her work, just to whet your appetites to dig deeper.

Stay tuned for more inspirational people as Black History Month continues…