friday love

Happy Birthday E.  I just like you and yours so much.  So so much.  xxo

boo humbug ... what to watch that's smart and scary

My guy Nathan B. has totally totally obliged me here.  RIGHT now, this is what I LOVE; i love Nathan's writing and i like when he tells me to watch something.  and his recommendations always work out, no matter how random or elite ist or low brow.  and how often do we get a personal heads up from one of NY Post's finest arts & entertainment editors?!  it's like our very own AO Scott -- but handsome r & funnier.  without further ado, i present his words of wisdom on what to
watch tonight.  or any night you want to be "smartly scared" .... (i didn't even know there was such a thing.  one of the many reasons I luv this man.)  thanks nathan for "guest" posting here ! xo

(a big PS:  ok, i just went to try to find a "pleasing-enough" visual to pair with this tasty bit of writing and i couldn't.  like, all the pictures associated with the film look scary & I just don't think RNL does un pretty visuals.  it looks like there is an attractive & bang sy brunette but she had blood on her neck in all the photos.  all to say, no visual for this post.  but read on, for nathan & his idea of a spooky night. )

At the risk of sounding judgmental, what is wrong with you people?

I'm addressing myself, in this specially themed Halloween post, to the bloodthirsty hordes who make huge hits out of slasher flicks and "torture porn," the latter of which is surely one of the most odious cultural innovations of the past decade.

First, a digression: I acknowledge, in this guest-writing gig, that I am a snob - one of those effete, overeducated coastal liberals who deserves death by stoning, at least according to Michele Bachmann's Bible. But in my defense, I'm aware of this, and realize that not everyone shares my vaunted tastes. So while it depresses me that "Two and a Half Men" is a gigantic success and that the Kardashians have turned their vapidity into a fortune, I accept these things. I realize that "Community" isn't for everyone and that some people just don't like subtitles on their movies.

That said, it genuinely gives me the creeps that so many people are into slasher movies. Yes, as humans we are all constitutionally obsessed with sex and death; all the same, I object to the fact that so many people take pleasure in the graphic suffering and dehumanization of others, even when it's just make-believe. When a movie has a broader purpose - such as to portray a real event, or to say something about the human experience - I can understand the use of violence, even if I personally am squeamish about it. But the fact that so many people enjoy the sadistic, shrieking bloodshed of the "Saw" and "Hostel" films is deeply unnerving - I think it reflects badly on us as a species.

In other words, I am not a fan of slasher flicks. So I was surprised not just to tolerate, but actually to admire, "Rabies," a killer-on-the-loose movie that screened at the Tribeca Film Festival earlier this year.

"Rabies" is unusual for a number of reasons, the most obvious being that it is Israeli (and in fact was promoted as the first Israeli horror movie). But even if you have no familiarity with the Middle East, it quickly becomes clear that this is not a typical slasher movie. The talented writer/directors are obviously having fun with the conventions of the genre - the film is a smart satire of the sexual politics and narrative cliches of the form. (For example, the preppy foursome driving around in the SUV: no one in the Middle East has ever dressed that way, and I can only assume that the clothes were specially brought in from an Abercrombie or J. Crew thousands of miles away.)

I almost turned the movie off before the opening credits because it was obviously going to involve lots of stabbing and bludgeoning and people being scared out of their minds. Not being a sicko, I don't enjoy watching these things.

Happily, the movie is not that violent - in contrast to its Hollywood counterparts, most of the bloodshed is implied, rather than graphically portrayed. But what makes the film notable is that it only appears to be a slasher flick - in actuality, it is an existential fable mixed with incredibly black humor. Unbeknownst to most of the characters - who include a good cop, a rapey cop, a brother-sister duo and a dog - the psycho killer actually spends most of the movie unconscious, and so their actions and reactions are all triggered by a scenario that they have fundamentally misunderstood. (Existential statement: even when we think we know what's going on, we really have no idea what's going on.)

Most of the characters are good, or are at least trying to be good (an accurate reflection of humanity?), but they respond to perceived threats in ways that aren't rational, and which harm rather than help them. Lust and jealousy also play a role, as does a landmine.

It occurs to me that I am writing this for a blog that is principally about food, fashion and interior design. This is what is sometimes referred to as "writing for the wrong audience." So I will simply conclude by saying that "Rabies" is a surprisingly redemptive experience because it makes you realize that, with a little creativity and wit, you can subvert a genre whose practical effect is desensitizing us to violence by feeding off people's creepy enjoyment of pain and anguish inflicted on others. It shows you can transform cheap, ugly cinematic exploitation into something that could almost be interpreted as a philosophical statement. It is amazing to finish the movie and realize you're thinking about the characters' fates not in terms of how many limbs they lost or how vividly they were disemboweled, but in terms of what their situation and responses suggest about the world.

And so, I say, check out this obscure movie that will probably never make it to U.S. theaters! Check it out and ponder the nature of human frailty and evil! Check it out in the pre-stomach-ache stage of your annual Halloween binge. Long live Skittles and Snickers! Long may ye reign.
 
see the trailer for this scary smart movie ...  if you dare.  boooooo :) ash

Easter meal was delicious.

Last Sunday night's Easter meal was beautiful and delicious.  I wore a big zebra necklace and some killer grey boots with a jean skirt.  It was so nice to enjoy my family and we played a hysterical alphabet game at the dinner table where pretend careers included moth ball removing and cha cha dancing.  During the appetizer hour, everyone gathered in the kitchen area and drank lemon champagne cocktails made by Wesley or wine.  For nibbles, there was tomato toasts with fresh mozzarella and basil garnish and prosciutto dates, salty Spanish almonds, green olives and a gorgonzola dip. Dinner menu included lamb, salmon, salad of mandarin orange and hearts of palm, roasted potatoes and asparagus.  And for dessert? Homemade mint chocolate pudding and meringue with lemon curd and strawberries.  Oh my, some good eating, wonderful company and a nice end to a happy, meaning-filled day.

Hostess Julie wore a nice blue dress with great buttons all the way down.  Too bad she's turned around in this picture.

The cocktail napkins were almost too pretty to use.

Hostess Margot wore a pretty blouse.

Thyme dinner rolls.

Centerpiece for dining room table.

Big shells looks so fresh with lilies and a simple blue and white tablecloth.

After the meal, we put little tiny sparklers over our head.  It felt goofy and special.

Happy Easter season!  xoxo

Laura love.

Picture taken around 1900 of Laura Ingalls Wilder.  She was thrifty when it came to herself, but very generous with others.  Also, her daughter was named Rose.

This is a picture of  Laura Ingalls Wilder who wrote the series, Little House on the Prairie.  Ingalls Wilder was about thirty one or thirty two years old when this was taken.  I know it's out of focus or something, but I like the shadow on her face, the way her hands look against her dress and the little pool of water that separates the looker-on from her.  It would be a cool painting.  (And speaking of Laura's ... cheers to the Laura in my life.  Happy happy 30th birthday night to my prettae Californian friend.  I'm so happy we're amigas and I hope the day was filled with boy kisses and red wine. xxo)

Alouette Saint Bergeland

Alouette Saint Bergeland with her momma, Elizabeth .
Born today.  Tuesday.  19th of April, 2011. 5:49 AM
Montclair, New Jersey.
7 lbs 9 oz.  Red haired.  Already beautiful.
Congratulations Bergeland family. 
xxo

Friday Love.

Elizabeth and Worth.
Salt Lake City, 2010.

Boy love.

Photo by Rebekah Kaskubar

Great Girl in Pink Dress.

This is a vintage pink dress I bought my friend Mayan.  She looks so pretty.
Summer of 2008, Boise Idaho.

A Home Birth Plan.

My beautiful friend Laura is 39 weeks along.  Incredibly, she agreed to share parts of her home birthing plan with RNL readers.  I am thrilled for their family and thrilled that she is allowing us "in" to her labor goals.  This will be Laura and husband Jonathan's second experience of labor (their adorable son Tyler is almost two).  Tomorrow, Laura will be revving her system up with the help of a breakfast smoothie made with castor oil, ice cream and fruit nectar; she wants the labor to begin in the near future because her sacrum is terribly locked up (not to mention they're ready to meet their boy).  So here is Laura, in her words, to share what she has planned for the long awaited birth day...
(All photographs by Julia Fregoso) 

"Learning to trust my body and understanding the natural birthing process has been transformative for me.  With the help of Ina May , I have learned about my birthing options and felt encouraged by so many others' insights and personal stories. I'm looking forward to my birth and wish todeliver my son peacefully. Naturally. Gently. Drug free. Intervention free.  Minimal monitoring. At home, in water.   This is our first birth at home and we're looking forward to having a natural birth. We have completed childbirth classes in the Bradley method and have read as much as possible to prepare ourselves. We have decided to have two midwives present to assist us in staying relaxed, comfortable and medically supported. The main areas we feel strongly about are the environment at the birth and some of the procedures. Home Birth Goals: Feel empowered, safe, free, focused, able to ride my labor waves. Give birth in the peace and security of my home. Trust Birth, let my body naturally give birth. Not be overly checked. No chemical pain relief offered. The birth environment is very important to us: privacy, dim lights, candles. I plan on wearing my own clothes, or no clothes, during the birth. I plan to eat in early labor and sip during 2nd stage contractions... Pain Management Goals: We plan to handle pain with relaxation, massage with oils, and warm water in the labor tub. Delivery Goals: I will push at my own pace (Mother-Directed Pushing). No episiotomy. Jonathan would like to be included in the "catching" of our son as he chooses.  After birth, I will nurse my son immediately and any evaluations will be done while I’m holding him. Umbilical Cord: We wish for the cord not be cut until it stops pulsing. (Jonathan does not want to cut the cord.) Can't wait to spend the night in our own bed with our new little one ... hopefully tomorrow night!"                            -LAURA    

Katerina Rose turns 13.

My cousin Kate turns 13 today.  Sometimes my aunt call her "Katerina", which I love, because I can pretend we are Russians.  Rose is her middle name.  Thirteen years old is such a big deal -- really.  I just can't believe she's so grown up.  I picked out an advertisement for Pink Sparkle to commemorate her birthday.  It's Kylie Minogue's specially blended fragrance and it fuses white peach, pink grapefruit, fresh lily of the valley with a radiant fizziness of the champagne accord, gardenia and Arabian jasmine. Base notes are musk, bourbon vanilla and vetiver bourbon. In this perfume ad for Pink Sparkle, Minogue is sitting on top of champagne crates.  So HAPPY 13th BIRTHDAY pretty cousin!  I wish I could throw you a sweet party and look good wearing Kylie's festive pictured frock.

last wknd's love

Haley Rose eating breakfast at the Oak Table.

Pears for sale in tomato crates.

Pretty.

View from the ferry boat.

Ashley E. doing the side profile: coffee love, brunette shot.

Me (other Ashley) doing the side profile: coffee love, brunette shot.

Bonbons.

Pears in a tin tub.

Last Holiday Post.

I couldn't let December leave us without posting some pictures from my friend's dreamy home.  As some of you might recall, I featured her yard on RNL a month or so back.  Now, it's her home we can all fawn over.  Using a color palette of bold reds, varying shades of blue, lots of white and touches of ocean green, Joleen's home is both classically "Christmas" but also totally Northwest-old-world-beautiful.  I particularly admire her tendency to blend warm touches of greenery and or wood elements with a more laid back beachy / shabby / retro feel. 

Stockings and pine cones and tools.

San Pellegrino & green glasses on checkerboard.

Corner of mantle.  I think the white thing is a shell.  Great texture, whatever it is, and I like the red bowl it's sitting in.

This bench is a great example of Joleen's talent at blending.  Here she has pretty blue rocks, a basket of shells, a single tulip all looking natural and in place next to the holiday bush.

This is a wonderful still life.  Love the greenery and use of white.

Wood burning stove keeps water warm for a cup of tea.

The tree has retro tiny bright lights & icicles.

A larger look at lots of details.

Salmon is served on a vintage aluminum tray with brown paper.  Classic.

The best for last.  I LOVE this.

New York Pasta Dish a la Adrian.



Chopping parsley for a delicious dinner.



While in NY recently, I enjoyed a phenomenal pasta dish on two separate occasions, (it was so good my hostess, Adrian, made it twice.)  I was a little skeptical at first; the ingredients seemed too simple and no one can afford an empty tasting carb.  But that was my thought before I tasted it, and I was so wrong.  This is not an empty carb.  It's a fragrant & flavorful bowl of heaven.  It's delicious and classic and a dish that we should all be able to make for a celebratory event, even if it's not the main course.  It's known as Spaghettini with Oil and Garlic by Lidia, but I will always think of it as Adrian's Pasta.  Total yum.

My thought on the pasta is that you should follow the recipe, even though it seems simple.  I think it could easily lose it's special ness if the recipe is not adhered to.  So here it is.  Please let me know what you think.

Adrian's Pasta.

Ingredients:

salt
1 pound spaghettini or vermicelli  (I think you should just use a noodle you like, doesn't make a difference. Just adjust cooking times accordingly.)
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
10 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper, or more to taste
½ cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped
1 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, freshly grated, or Pecorino Romano (optional)

How to make it:
Bring 6 quarts of salted water to a boil in an 8-quart pot over high heat. Stir the spaghettini into the boiling water. Return to a boil, stirring frequently. Cook the pasta, semi-covered, stirring occasionally, until tender, but still very firm, about 6 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, shaking the skillet and stirring, until pale golden, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and add 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper.

Ladle about 1 1/2 cups of the pasta cooking water into the sauce. Add the parsley, the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and salt to taste.

If the skillet is large enough to accommodate the sauce and pasta, fish the pasta out of the boiling water with a large wire skimmer and drop it directly into the sauce in the skillet. If not, drain the pasta, return it to the pot and pour in the sauce. Bring the sauce and pasta to a simmer, tossing to coat with sauce. Cook until the pasta is coated with the sauce and done, about 1 minute. Remove the pot from the heat and toss in the grated cheese, if using. Check the seasoning, adding salt and crushed red pepper if necessary. Serve immediately in warm bowls.

THANKSGIVING.

Elizabeth & Jeffrey are having a girl.  Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Holla.

Sam is modeling one of her new gifts on her head.

I spent the better part of last week in NYC. The big event was a delicious baby shower (think lots of wine, calamari, hand stretched pizzas, salmon & tiramisu from Celeste, a phenomenal Italian place on the Upper West Side). My friend glowed and rocked wonderful white bangle bracelets from India and a eight month plus belly. Her guests rocked various black ensembles, minus Genevieve in a terrific floral frock, partially inspired by a certain flower dress that is no longer with us. Vintage diamond rings were shown off and a good time was had by all. Congratulations Samantha & Sonia. Can't wait!

Antique diamond rings go great with Italian food.

Rose Cookie.

                                                                

Malted Milk Cookie.

The bag the cookies come in.

While in NY, I ate delicious miniature trio of cookies ("rose", "malted milk", and "exotic seduction" from my very favorite cookie shop, Ruby et Violette. What I have to say about this is simple: I will not stop until I can share with you the rose & "exotic seduction" cookie recipes. Think lots of curry and dark chocolate in the "exotic" treat. Besides cookies, I got some thrifting in at some of my old, beloved haunts, including the Salvation Army in Hell's Kitchen and St Frances on 96th. Found treasures include a vintage French blouse, a long sleeved tight yellow Gap piece and a set of shot glasses with sweet, etched rims.  Not sure what I'm going to do with the glasses, as I'm not much of a shot girl, but I'll figure it out and let you know.

This is a delightful and important cookie.
"Exotic Seduction"

Beppino Occelli butter, oh oh so pretty.   At Eataly, I thought about buying this extremely expensive butter because the packaging was so beautful it stopped my heart, but decided even I can't be that frivolous and settled happily for pretty little pastilles.  Notice the brackets and wonderful folding on the seams of the back of the butter.                                                                                             

So smart looking.

Expensive.

Just great.