Venison The Family Way

I come from a solid meat & potatoes family. When I was a kid in Montana we ate a whole lot of venison because that is what my dad hunted. We weren’t the wealthiest folks so we really relied on what my dad brought back from his hunting trips and what my mom grew and/or canned. We ate venison stew, venison jerky, BBQ venison, venison burger – you get the idea. It was a pretty simple way of living but it is also exactly the ethos at the core of the localvore movement experiencing a major resurgence today. I have to give my parents major credit for starting me off right. It definitely shaped who I was, in particularly it taught us to value the food that ended up on our table. Continue Reading →

A Tin Can & A Big Question

I am currently spending a gloriously long weekend at our family lake home in northern Wisconsin. My family and my boyfriends family are all here and we’ve been spending lazy days swimming in the lake, sipping cocktails on the pontoon boat and eating tons of delicious food.

Right before we sat down to dinner on Friday night – only a few hours after my little sister showed up from New York as a surprise – Ryan brought me out to show me the tin can phones he had made. Tin can phones are a running joke between the two of us and so I didn’t really think much of it when, left with a little extra time on his hands, he actually made some. So I gamely took my can out into the yard to have a chat. This is what happened next….

I said yes

I am beyond excited to marry this man and see what kind of adventures lie ahead.

Never separate the life you lead from the words you speak

-Paul Wellstone

Watch This! Busses – Liars

Philly’s Busses just premiered this new live video on YVYNL and I really like the feel of the new jam. Busses is one of the local acts I really dig – a little more with every listen. There is much to be said for their restraint, instead of blowing all their sound out they let it trickle out over guitar lines that strut and lyrics that build slowly and effectively.

The next show on their calendar is this Thursday at Rogues Gallery in Philly.

LIAR (live) from Busses on Vimeo.

LIAR (live) from Busses on Vimeo.

[MP3] Stationary

Peaches & Cream Phyllo Tart

Phyllo dough has been calling my name for a few weeks now and ideas for exactly what to do with the finicky pastry. Finally, yesterday inspiration and time were both on my side so I set to work to make a tart that combined the gorgeous Jersey peaches I picked up at the market with my hankering for toasted almonds. The result was a wonderful success and much easier than I had anticipated.

Recipe after the jump…

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Daytrotter Barnstomer Coming Out East

One of my absolute all time favorite music sites Daytrotter is bringing their much lauded Barnstormer tour out East. For those of you unfamiliar with Daytrotter

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The Mountain Goats Are Back

The masters of the jaded romance reflection ballads are back with a new album All Eternals Deck and a tour with Bright Eyes. While it’s fair to day they haven’t really evolved their sound with this album it is still a reflection of their lyrical and instrumental prowess.

The lead video from the release is for “Real Estate Sign” and features the incredible animations of Awesome and Modest. Somehow the delightful visuals paired with the woe-is-me lyrics makes for some bittersweet viewing.

The Mountain Goats – Estate Sale Sign from Merge Records on Vimeo.

[MP3] One Fine Day (Chiffons cover)

I see my path, but I do not know where it leads.  Not knowing where I’m going is what inspires me to travel it.

– Rosalia de Castro

Watch This! New Joan As Police Woman

My love for Joan As Police Woman was slow to develop but I am now thoroughly entrenched in her amazing lyrics and sultry delivery. This is the first video from her new album The Deep Field due out August 1.

Gazpacho

When temps get as insanely high as they have been here in Philly for the last few days two things happen:

1. I become functionally delayed and constantly tired.

2. I make a huge batch of gazpacho.

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