This is obvious, isn’t it?  All the time I’ve spent at the farmers’ markets in the last year and a half falling in love with fruit after fruit and veg after veg.  Well, that and the thing with the chickens* and, um, getting weirded out about the pork fat in the freezer.

I’ve been moving in this direction.  Making a transition to a place I’ve been before, but I feel like I’m better informed this time around with plenty of resources at my fingertips.  I’m, also, able to give a shrug to some veg and vegan cookbooks, not feeling beholden to them just because.

Starting to dig in to the stack above.  The Asian Vegan Kitchen and The Tropical Vegan Kitchen are really giving me life right now.  You should see how excited I am flipping through The Tropical Vegan Kitchen and seeing my childhood on page after page.

N♥

Chicken: Exhibit A & B

It’s been a bit since I’ve written about anything, really.  And books?  Well, it’s been even longer.  Russel Simmons’ Super Rich was much more interesting* than I expected.  Five Ingredient Fix, not so much.

Still looking for my pliers and at books about making jewelry.

N♥

*I appreciate that RS is speaking from his own place of truth and connecting to people.  I’d been reading the book on the train, occasionally trying to hide the cover.  As I was close to finishing, a middle-aged white man notices the book and tells me that was touched greatly by it.  This was not the audience for the book I was expecting and in some ways that’s the point of the interconnectedness of our human experience and the common pursuit of sustainable happiness.

I adore my apartment.  Without qualification.  But, with the new year, I’ve made a few changes.  Trashed the herbs and plants on the windowsill.  The, uh, natural elements are a bit much when it’s too cold to keep the window open. (♥: Bugs, eek!) Replaced them with jars of beads and other “girl, make something!” things.

Looking for a bit of inspiration and reference, I picked up a few books from the library.  Normally, Haven: Cozy Hideaways and Dream Retreats wouldn’t have made it home, but I was running behind and just grabbed the book from the hold shelf.  I know what I’m looking for and this book really wasn’t it.  The Beach Retreat had an image or two that I kinda found interesting.  This would have so been a quick flip through at the library if I had time.  If you have the opportunity, check it out.  Maybe it’s your speed.  Amazon has it used for freakishly cheap.

While I’m not sure I’d buy Penny Saving Household Helper, I am most definitely committing things to memory.  It might actually be cute in a hostess gift basket or new grad housewarming gift-bundle.  Because, really, it’s not an only gift thing, more like one of many.  I’m actually having problems finishing this because I can’t put it down.  No, really.  I stop typing and my left hand goes in.

I’m so glad I’m getting over myself.  While I noticed how “not my aesthetic” the artwork in  Creative Time and Space: Making Room for Making Art is, I’m allowing the information to be my guide.  Um, and Ricë Freeman-Zachery’s author photo is kinda badass.  Trying to judge less, so I can learn more.

The last year has been all about process and my obsession with it.  I didn’t know how to take pleasure in the doing part.  Loved starting.  Always knew how things would end.  Never really contemplated the work.  I think it was seeing Gorky at MOCA when I realized how intrigued I’d become with process, even more than outcome.  It was in the MOCA store that I first saw Inside The Painter’s Studio.  And this is my second time taking it out.  Joe Fig, you had me at the paint splattered on the cover and artist questionnaire.

I love that this takes longer to write because I keep stealing moments to read.  I really do want to just dive in.

N♥

I  got a little ahead of myself.

Months ago, I started thinking about chronicling what an amazing resource the Los Angeles Public Library is and hopefully, will continue to be.(♥: Shade to the Mayor and City Council, intended.)  It’s given me the opportunity to really spend time with books instead of being swayed by aesthetics and a discount at my old house of worship, Barnes and Noble.

I still ache a little when I think about all the books I sold when I packed up and moved west.  Okay, I ache a lot.  The cookbooks took the biggest hit because they’d cost the most to ship.  So, slowly, I’m re-building my collection, using LAPL for research.  Mindfully, looking at the books for more than just a recipe.

The Obvi and Superficial…

Ummm, The Good Stuff Cookbook.  Spike’s cute, I watch Top Chef and he kinda had me at Old Bay Mayonnaise.  There, I’ll admit that.  But, I’m probably a little more critical of the book because of it as well.  Eh, on cursory glance, the photographs don’t grab me at all.  I don’t know why the pictures of the salads and anything with corn annoy me, but they do.  Otherwise, it looks fun.  We’ll see.

Because I Can Can…

Took a bit of a canning/putting up break over the holidays.  Still building my canning library.  Spending time with Putting Food By, The Joy of Keeping a Root Cellar, Urban Pantry, Preserve It!, Canning for a New Generation.  It’s so different reading them for pleasure/information and not looking for Can Jam inspiration.

I Like The World At My Table…

I am so lucky that my mom introduced us to the world when we were kids, even if I HATED IT. (♥: Tofu and Bulgur, still not feeling you) The flavors that I loved make the global culinary adventure exciting and familiar.  I think this year is going to be a serious South Asian exploration.  I wish it weren’t all from books, though.  There was that guy who… Oh, you don’t know that story.  I might have to actually read Ginger and Ganesh.  It’s more a memoir with recipes.

Still trying to feel my way around Japanese cooking without much luck.  Simply Japanese went back to LAPL pretty quickly.

I’m working on an In Bed With | Momofuku.  I can’t remember if this is the second or third time it’s made it home.

On Your Recommendation…

For a minute there, I thought I was losing it.  I couldn’t remember why I wanted to check out Rose’s Heavenly Cakes.  Then, it hit me.  My favorite librarian thought I might like it and held it aside for me.  J’adore her.

I always check out the book section on the Anthro site and cross-reference with LAPL to see if I can’t get my hands on the curated goodness.  It tends to take a while after release, but I’ve become patient.  I first saw The Commonsense Kitchen and Sweety Pies there.

The Odd Man Out…

I’ve been taking out fewer doing books lately.  Sometimes, I like to give up on the illusion that I’m going to make something.  It’s easier that way.  And since I’ve always had a penchant for buying expensive yarn that tends to pill like crazy, I thought it was time to take a few steps back and learn more about it with The Knitter’s Book of Wool.

Time to dig it before this batch of books comes due.

N♥

Aesthetics & Intuition…

Why didn’t anyone tell me about The Well-Dressed Home?  I know I probably wasn’t listening or was taking a blogosphere timeout.  But, really, couldn’t you have hit me over the head or something?  It’s on the wishlist (♥: Mommy!) and this will be the second time it’s come home with me for an extended stay.  I spotted Life’s Too Short To Fold Fitted Sheets during a Chronicle Books search of the LAPL catalog.  I don’t like to fold much, so this might be the “Do Less” manifesto I haven’t been looking for.

Winter’s Got Me Thinking About The Hog And Hearty Cooking…

I have a confession to make: I have pork fat in the freezer.  No meat, just fat.  I got kinda excited when I saw it in the store.  I cut up some and threw it in the pot with onions, garlic, bay leaves and dried black beans.  Hello, Ecstasy.  Glad you could join me. So, I’m thinking about the pork.  No, beef or chicken or other critters.  (♥:Eeeek!)  And what did I get from the library?  Um, Pork & Sons, The Country Cooking of Ireland and River Cottage Cookbook.

It’s going to be a bit River Cottage-y around here for a while.  The Bread Handbook looks to be an interesting read.  Reading, yes.  Doing, I don’t know.  I haven’t even made biscuit bread in ages.  So love the simple beauty of Gavin Kingcome’s photographs.  The Meat book and Preserves handbook are in the Holds Queue.

Return Engagements and Explorations…

All too frequently, time passes too quickly and I don’t have enough of it to go in deep on books that at first glance seem right up my alley.  Will definitely be spending some quality time with Tamasin Day-Lewis’ Supper for a Song.

I thought I’d revisit Baked while I wait in the queue for the new book.

I live in LA, yet most of my Latin American influenced cooking is based on flavors from the Caribbean.  To be completely honest, I’m not all that adventurous when it comes to real Mexican food.  I know I’m starting small with Antojitos, but I gotta start somewhere.

Ummm…

Another Confession: I got a little squeamish cutting up the pork fat.  I think the tide is too easily turned.  The pictures of all the meat in different states of being isn’t really helping.  Where my beets at?

N♥

Ideal Bookshelf 8:ST by Jane Mount

(image: janemount.com)

I’m late.  I know.  I just discovered Jane Mount through 20X200.

Loving.  And Dorking Out.  The pieces in her Ideal Bookshelf series are simply beautiful and beautifully evocative.

Loving, not just because there seems to be some similarities between Ideal Bookshelf 8: ST and books on my shelf. (♥: Ummm, right.)

I laughed a little the first time I saw Ideal Bookshelf 8: ST.  I knew how I had come to have the books that are shared with the print, as well as why I, intentionally, don’t have a few in that are in the piece.  The more I looked at it, the more I began to wonder about ST.

I’m fascinated by Mount’s Ideal Bookshelf series.  It really is an interesting way to peek into someone’s life.  Or assume that you’ve seen something.

Time to start collecting.

Nikki♥

Jane Mount

Jane Mount’s Etsy Shop

Jane Mount at 20X200

Remember how I was going to start taking book breaks.  I was going to try to read things besides cook, crafty and showmehow books.  Things Fall Apart was top of the list with a nod to the diaspora.

So, how’s that going? Kinda, not?  I’m in recipe-ville.  I’m all about cooking and stuff.  I’ve watched a lot of telly, too.  (♥:Excuses.) Fine.  Seriously, I want/need a comfy reading chair.

Remember that denim and print tote bag.

So, how’s that going? Huh? Uhhh.  I know.  The Make:Stuff List is growing and I’ve yet to get beyond the ideas in my head.  Arrggghhh.

I’ve got to live by the writing on wall.

Nikki♥

I wake up at 3am. A lot. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to get up or go back to sleep. So, I ended up watching a lot of David Chang clips online.  Ran across this one from last year.

I wandered over to gq.com and started reading the Chang/Meehan Eat A Peach! posts.

Nikki♥

Is it wrong to prefer a particular look of David’s? (♥:Yes.) Fine.

I miss reading.  I miss really getting lost in a book.  Being taken to a place in someone else’s head with my own mind painting by the numbers given.  All I can seem to handle right now are the pretty how-to/lets do! cook and create books.

I can’t seem to sit or sit still.  I’ve got this attention deficit issue that isn’t helped by my best friends ibook and dsl.  I hang out with them so much that I don’t give myself any non-visual stimulation time.  And I have to get working on making a comfortable space in the apt to just chill.  The chairs are good for writing, not reading.  And the new bed is all warm milk and counted sheep.  I can’t keep my eyes open.

So while I look for curl up-able seating, I’m instituting book breaks.  An hour a day.  Okay, maybe 30 minutes.  Just to get started.  Get my head into it, without my back complaining too much.

And since I have to start somewhere.  I think that somewhere is Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart.

Nikki♥

Coming back from lunch and a walk on the beach yesterday, I popped into B&N to browse a bit.  I don’t believe in love-at-first, you know, but I fell.  I fell hard.

Sitting on the corner of a random table with a ‘$25 and under gift’ sign were a few of the coveted Penguin Classics collection designed by Coralie Bickford-Smith, eight of which were just released here in the states.  I couldn’t quite remember exactly where I’d read about her and the beautiful editions.  (♥:design*sponge)   I just stood there for a few minutes, touching them.  And in my head, thankfully, I purred, “Mmmm, pretty.”

Penguin Classics designed by Coralie Bickford-Smith

(images: Coralie Bickford-Smith’s site)

Then, on the way to the section I was supposed to be in, I saw an endcap that had me at H-H-Hello.  Oh, Melville House, what are you doing to me?

Melville House Publishing's Classic Novellas

Melville House Publishing's Contemporary Novellas

I guess the first two hurdles are behind us.  I noticed and now, I want.  The whole obtaining thing is going to be a challenge.  I’m going to play hard to get.  I said I was obvious, not easy.

Nikki♥