Posted by Katherine Sharpe | July 3, 2009, 9:43 am | Permalink
The holiday is upon us and I’m planning a picnic and enjoying the wit and wisdom of Jason’s Wine Blog.
The blog is known for Jason’s periodically updated Trader Joe’s Top 10 Wine List, a serious vinophile’s take on wines that just about anybody can afford.
Highly recommended if you enjoy mordantly honest wine assessments written by someone who easily balances what seems to be a ridiculous amount of wine knowledge with an approachable writing style.
And now, I’m off to find myself a $6 bottle of 2007 Chateau des Cleons Muscadet Sevre et Maine “Sur Lie” and a good place to watch the fireworks.
Fireworks image from Spatulated, on Flickr
Bottle image by Rioja 1808, on Flickr
[Leave a comment]
Posted by Katherine Sharpe | July 3, 2009, 9:04 am | Permalink
“Always say please when asking your wife for a tool,” scour Craigslist for building-bust bargains, and other intelligence from Anthony Tammaro and Cristen DelBove, who are working this weekend—and the next one, and the next—on a major renovation of the colonial home they bought seven months ago in Conshohocken, PA.
So, what’s your name?
Anhtony Tammaro and Cristen DelBove.
And what’s your project?
It’s a colonial style former farmhouse. Two stories with attic. In Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Philadelphia.
When did you buy it?
January 2009.
What drew you to it?
Location. School system, Price, Stable roof and strong foundation.
How much did you pay?
Very low 2s.
What work have you already done?
We demolished the entire second floor and attic. Replaced most of the windows. Refinished the floors (6” knotty pine!). Emptied the basement filled with random junk junk junk.
What remains to be done?
Wiring, insulation, studs, drywall, bathroom, closets, lighting, AC, two more windows.
Do you have a budget (money and/or time) for the work?
10K was our material and demolition labor budget for the second floor. Before summer was our time to complete the second floor.
Think you’re going to stay on it?
We needed to replace Cristen’s car so the money budget went down and the time budget was extended. It’s been wet and cool so an uninsulated attic and second floor is not too bad.
What’s your end goal for the house?
No flipping here. We plan to stay for a while. Our design plan is to create an eclectic open plan with a lush exterior garden space. It’s a long way off.
Who’s doing most of the work?
We have a friend who is doing the electricity for a great price. Other than that it’s all us.
What are the skills that are required, and where did you pick them up (or what
are you doing to acquire them now?)
Patience is huge! Working with wood, metal, researching products and techniques, straight cuts, plum studs, lift with the legs not the back! Know when the stress meter is in the red. Always say please when asking your wife for a tool.
We have lived in number of “studio” spaces that we had to make livable. Also lots of day labor jobs after college. Going to art school was a plus too. Learned to work with our hands. Internet research also helps.
What are your day jobs and how are you squeezing in the work?
Cristen works full time as a surface designer at a flooring company. I work part time as a jewelry designer. I have two free weekdays for my art and the house. Weekends are for the house and the dogs and all these summer weddings!
What’s been the funnest/least fun part so far?
Least fun: watching three trucks get stuck in our back yard trying to haul our dumpster out. What a mess.
Most fun: Getting a fat check for the damages. Also installing our beautiful Marvin windows.
You said you were finding a lot of great stuff on Craigslist. Tell me about
that!
There is so much new stuff on Craigslist. Since the building boom went bust, builders are unloading everything for really great prices. We found doors, windows, insulation, bathroom sink, and a claw foot tub (used in excellent condition). We found a builder who needed to clean out his warehouse…free windows! It’s amazing what you can find if you have patience and are willing to compromise just a little bit.
Since we don’t have a big budget we plan to build out to a certain point then leave the luxury items for later. IE, Euro lighting, period wood trim, black chrome tub hardware, etc.Our new goal is to have the entire second floor finished by September. We will probably wait a while to demolish the first floor. Cristen needs a beach vacation next summer!
Do you have a renovation or other weekend project you’re working on? Send it along, with “Weekend Warriors” in the subject line, and you might be blogged here next.
[Leave a comment]
Posted by Amy Palanjian | July 2, 2009, 4:00 pm | Permalink
Oh Baked. How I looked forward to the days when a former coworker of mine (who lived in Red Hook, Brooklyn near the bakery) would surprise us with freshly baked whoopie pies. I loved having an unexpected treat (filled with decadent creme) at 10am, along side a big cup of coffee! I actually never made it the bakery myself since it was two subways and an unreliable bus away from where I used to live in Harlem, but everything I’ve tried—cookies, bar cookies, brownies, scones—has been blissful.
Last year, I was delighted to receive a copy of the bakery’s cookbook, Baked: New Frontiers in Food, and I’ve been meaning to start baking from it ever since. I think that the Whiteout Cake—filled with white chocolate buttercream and a hint of real vanilla— might be my first project because I love the drama of the monochromatic finish. Plus, I’ve heard that it’s a favorite of Matt Lewis (he’s one of the owners), so I think that guarantees that it will be a hit.
The White Out Cake
Yield: 1 (8-inch) CAKE
For the white cake layers
2½ cups cake flour
¾ cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon salt
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
½ cup vegetable shortening
1¾ cups sugar
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 large egg
1½ cups ice cold water
3 large egg whites, at room temperature
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
For the white chocolate frosting
6 ounces white chocolate, coarsely chopped
1½ cups sugar
¹/ ³ cup all-purpose flour
1½ cups milk
1/3 cup heavy cream
1½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, soft but cool, cut into small pieces
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
To assemble the cake
White sprinkles or white nonpareils
Make the white cake layers
1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter three 8-inch round cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment paper, and butter the parchment. Dust with flour, and knock out the excess flour.
2. Sift the flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together into a large bowl. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and shortening on medium speed until creamy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the sugar and vanilla and beat on medium speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the bowl, add the egg, and beat until just combined. Turn the mixer to low. Add the flour mixture, alternating with the ice water, in three separate additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Scrape down the bowl, then mix on low speed for a few more seconds.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk the egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Do not overbeat. Gently fold the egg whites into the batter.
5. Divide the batter among the prepared pans and smooth the tops. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through the baking time, until a toothpick inserted in the center of each cake comes out clean. Transfer the cakes to a wire rack and let cool for 20 minutes. Invert the cakes onto the rack, remove the pans, and let cool completely. Remove the parchment.
Make the white chocolate frosting
1. Using either a double boiler or a microwave oven (see page 23), melt the white chocolate and set it aside to cool.
2. In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, whisk the sugar and flour together. Add the milk and cream and cook over medium heat, whisking occasionally, until the mixture comes to a boil and has thickened, about 20 minutes.
3. Transfer the mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on high speed until cool. Reduce the speed to low and add the butter; mix until thoroughly incorporated. Increase the speed to mediumhigh and beat until the frosting is light and fluffy.
4. Add the vanilla and white chocolate and continue mixing until combined. If the frosting is too soft, put the bowl in the refrigerator to chill slightly, then beat again until it is the proper consistency. If the frosting is too firm, set the bowl over a pot of simmering water and beat with a wooden spoon until it is the proper consistency.
Assemble the Cake
1. Refrigerate the frosting for a few minutes (but no more) until it can hold its shape. Place one cake layer on a serving platter. Trim the top to create a flat surface, and evenly spread about 1¼ cups of the frosting on top. Add the next layer, trim and frost it, then add the third layer. Crumb coat the cake (see page 22) and put the cake in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes to firm up the frosting. Frost the sides and top with the remaining frosting. Garnish with a few white sprinkles or white nonpareils and refrigerate for 15 minutes to firm up the finished cake.
2. This cake will keep beautifully in a cake saver at room temperature (cool and humidity free) for up to 3 days. If your room is not cool, place the cake in a cake saver and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Remove the cake from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for at least 2 hours before serving.
[1 comment]
Posted by Katherine Sharpe | July 2, 2009, 3:43 pm | Permalink
Reader Tori Bishop has rescued and rehabilitated this slightly Space Age-looking magazine holder table (which looks to be just about the right size for a year’s worth of ReadyMade).
What do you think?
[7 comments]
Posted by Amy Palanjian | July 2, 2009, 12:05 pm | Permalink
I spent some time at the Fancy Food show—a gourmet food products trade show at the Jacob Javits Center in NYC— earlier this week (and I wish I’d known about the Unfancy Food Show that was going on at the same time!) and it was, as always, an interesting experience. The biggest trend I saw? BACON. Vegan bacon mayonaisse, maple bacon lollipops, chocolate bacon pancakes, and wowbacon.com (you just need to click that link to see what it is). There were also products infused with tea, more fancy water-esque drinks, and plenty of brands reimagining their products for kids (I did enjoy the prototypes of just such a product from Larabar). All of that aside, and the awesome cheese house above, here are the items that truly impressed me and I’d gladly purchase at the market.
Sweet Potato and Rosemary CrispiThins from Polka Dot Bake Shop in Charlotte, North Carolina. For as long as I can remember, my mom has made roasted sweet potatoes with rosemary, and these crackers capture that flavor with the addition of a pleasantly crisp crunch. I also loved that they tasted like a better version of their ingredients and that they are made with local sweet potatoes. These aren’t quite in stores yet, but based on their reception at the show, I bet they will be available in no time.
Dark Chocolate Crispy Rice Wafer bar from Qbel. I’d seen these in Whole Foods and read about them on other blogs, but I hadn’t actually tasted one yet. They are stellar! It’s an all natural candy bar, plain and simple, but it tastes really great—sort of like a sugar wafer crossed with a Three Musketeers. But so much better.
I’m totally hooked on the Hibiscus and Vanilla sparkling soda from Ooba. Hibiscus has a really bright and vibrant flavor, but when paired with vanilla, it suddenly has a delicious side of creme soda. The product is pretty minimal as far as processed drinks go, with just five ingredients. I’m hoping to see it in a store near me soon!
Little Ragghi’s Crackers were another favorite. They are a flat bread cracker with olive oil and parmesan—super crunchy and really flavorful. Plus, part of the profit goes to the Native American Family Camp. (The company is named after Raggatha, a Native American woman who works with and teaches young girls. She’s a good friend of the owner and he let her choose the charitable component.)
Cupoladuva Oven makes crunchy cookies (I tried the chocolate cashew variety) that are all natural and gluten free—they have a nut and egg white base—so they are appropriate for Celiacs. But besides that, I liked how subtle their flavor was and that they seemed like an ideal way to end a meal on a light, yet satisfying, sweet note. The company is also a mother daughter baking team, which makes me like it even more!
[Leave a comment]
Posted by Katherine Sharpe | July 1, 2009, 6:45 pm | Permalink
Great news: I’m going to be a judge…and there isn’t even going to be a lengthy confirmation process!
Howcast, the website known for producing engaging how-to videos running three minutes or less (topics have included “How to Fry an Egg on the Sidewalk” and their biggest-ever hit, “How to Look Great in Photographs“), is holding an open how-to video contest. And they’ve tapped me to be on their panel of judges!
First prize is $2,000 and distribution. The deadline is Tuesday, July 28.
Full instructions and entries submitted already are available on the contest landing page; I hope I can say without compromising my judicial impartiality that some of them are really entertaining and funny.
The other judges for the contest, whom I hope I’m going to get to meet in person because they sound like an awesome bunch, are:
• Peter Baxter, Cofounder/President, Slamdance
• Jeff Cooperman, Managing Producer, The Colbert Report
• Justin Johnson, Promotions Director, Next New Networks
• Charles Merzbacher, Chair, Dept. of Film and Television, Boston University
• Tim Sullivan, Director of Development, Magical Elves
• Hunter Walk, Director Product Management, YouTube
• Darlene Liebman, Howcast’s Vice President of Production
So make a sweet video and sock it to us.
[Leave a comment]
Posted by Andrew Wagner | July 1, 2009, 12:55 am | Permalink
Last fall, when I was with American Craft, I started working with the good people at Socrates Sculpture Park, R 20th Century Gallery and the Noguchi Museum to put together the first ever Makers Market in New York City. Well, after many months of planning the event finally happened this past weekend and it was something special in many ways.
Putting together an event of any kind is just like throwing a party (which of course is an event of sorts so shouldn’t come as a surprise)—you spend the hours and minutes leading up to it wondering if anyone will come. This particular anxiety was compounded with the planning of the Makers Market due to the fact that the venue (Socrates Sculpture Park in Long Island City, New York) is outside and the weather leading up to the weekend had been nothing short of awful for the past month all over the east coast. So, I spent much of the day, Friday, June 26th staring out the window and cloud watching, hoping for the puffy white ones as opposed to the ominous gray ones.
Gray was the order of the day, however, until around 4:45 when miraculously things started to clear up. “Amazing,” I thought, “it’s going to clear up just in time for the opening night party!” I ran out of our New York offices in midtown Manhattan in full sunshine and into Grand Central to catch the train out to Long Island City. As my wife, Heather and I approached the stop for Socrates things drastically changed. Not only had the gray returned but incredible (though depressing, given the circumstances) thunder, lighting and rain had come with it. And I’m not talking your run of the mill thunder, lighting and rain. I’m talking unbelievable downpours and crackling lightning with thunderous, you guessed it, thunder.
We got off the train and quickly saw there was no way we were going to be able to walk the 10 blocks to the park so we camped out under an awning and waited the storm out. While we were o.k., we cringed imagining what was happening at the park which sits right on the East River. Makers Market consisted of three tents full of ceramicists (like Sanam Emami), glass artists (like Esque Studios, whose work is shown below)
bicycle makers (like Circle A Cycles - check them out for a nice lil’ recap too), motorcycle makers (like Walt Siegl - Amazing!), woodworkers (like Platform), felters (like Hope Ginsburg, whose work is shown below)
furniture makers and smaller manufacturers (like Atlas Industries and Teroforma, whose booth is shown below)
and jewelers (like Satomi Kawakita and Eric Silva). The good folks from St. Germain were out there with a full bar set up not under any tent at all! Watching the storm from under the relative safety of our awning on Broadway and 30th in Queens, we could only imagine the worst.
As the storm cleared after a good 45 minutes, we made our way down to Socrates (shown below on a brighter day).
Amazingly enough, though everyone looked frazzled (”I thought we were going to die!” is a phrase I heard more than once) everyone had wide smiles on their faces and the comradery built from having survived a mighty storm (relatively) intact was infectious. People clutched their St. Germain Cocktails and happily walked amongst the puddles and amazing wares chatting each other up like nothing had happened. Though the electricity in the tents had to be killed for obvious reasons, candles were lit and all who braved the great outdoors despite the weather reports were rewarded with not only a unique experience (to say the least) but a new group of friends.
Though the saying “whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger” definitely holds true and this was no exception, I’m happy to report that Saturday and Sunday were beautiful and we pulled over 4,000 people through the doors over the weekend. While I wish I could share some photos with you from Friday night’s stormy activities, I wasn’t on the ball enough to snap some shots. Saturday and Sunday proved much better for photography anyway and the folks at Otto snapped some good shots (including the ones seen here) and wrote a great recap as well. We just talked today about the second Makers Market in 2010 and we are all looking forward to getting to work on it soon! Till then, take care and remember, if lighting strikes, don’t lay down!
[1 comment]
Posted by Katherine Sharpe | June 30, 2009, 11:22 pm | Permalink
A (relatively) easy as pie DIY shelving unit made from fir boards, threaded metal rods, nuts and washers from Ali of Design Public, over at Hatch.
Full instructions and fun process shots at the original post.
I love that this technique seems endlessly adaptable—to different shelf materials, different heights and shapes of shelf, and so on. A raw edge on the front side of the shelf boards? Yes.
[1 comment]
Posted by Katherine Sharpe | June 30, 2009, 4:22 pm | Permalink
She gardens, she builds…Michelle Obama may already be hands down the ReadyMade-est First Lady ever.
Here’s a picture of Ms. Obama with California First Lady Maria Shriver at the Bret Harte Elementary School in San Francisco on June 22. She was there as part of a playground build organized by KaBOOM, an organization that facilitates community-built playgrounds. (And a design-forward organization at that—check their collaboration with architect David Rockwell.)
The playground build was part of the National Conference on Volunteering and Service, and kicked off the Obama Administration’s “United We Serve” initiative, which calls on Americans to volunteer in their communities this summer. Over 600 volunteers came out to build the playground and paint a mural of labor leader César Chávez.
The images were sent by Chronicle Books editor and ReadyMade reader Christina Amini, who was on hand with a passel of playground-building volunteers to cheer Eugenie Harvey, the author of How To Change the World for Ten Bucks, who gave the keynote address at the NCVS opening session on Monday.
More pictures from the build after the jump.
[Read more →]
[1 comment]
Posted by Katherine Sharpe | June 29, 2009, 5:59 pm | Permalink
Just when I think I’m over lamps and lamp projects, another stunner comes along.
The tiered Romanesque chandelier from Re:Design Technologies is custom made to order from “thousands of paper clips.”
Buy one for $320 on Etsy or become inspired to get yourself a box of clips and settle in for a rainy afternoon of experimentation.
According to the Re:Design blog, the designers (Penelope Bridge of Merritt, British Columbia, and her husband) acquire the circular parts of their chandeliers from vintage lampshades, which they strip for the stainless steel hardware. Bridge’s Etsy profile says that her favorite materials include “used building materials and ordinary household items used outside of their intended context.” Nice.
(via Notcot)
[6 comments]
