Movie of the Moment

( http://www.history.umd.edu/Faculty/BCooperman/NewCity/AngelLevine.html )

Close your eyes...

and listen to one of my favorite Handel compositions

Handels - Rinaldo

Winging It!

I'm not one for hot wings. I prefer my wings fried or baked, but today I wanted something saucey, sticky and finger licking good so early this morning I washed and singed the hair off 12 chicken wings.

I put them into a glass bowl

Doused them with 2-3 tablespoons of thin low-sodium soy sauce

followed with 2-3 tablespoons of Sriracha Hot sauce

and 1-2 tablespoons of Zaatar Spice.

(It has seasame seeds and salt mixed in)

I covered the bowl with plastic wrap and put in it the fridge for a few hours

About 2 hours before we were to eat I took the bowl out so that the wings could come to room temp

About 1-1/2 hours before we were to eat I turned the oven to 375F and sprayed a baking dish with non-stick spray before lining it with foil.

I  turned back to the wings adding 2 tablespoons of fig jam and 2 tablespoons of apricot jam to the bowl

Using my hands I mixed the jams into the marinated wings and

poured everything into the prepared pan, topping off with the left over jam marinade

I was about to put my experiment into the oven when inspired by the aroma of the left over cardamon coffee I poured about 3/4 cup of the black gold into the bottom of the pan.

The wings baked for about 1 hour.

I left them in the turned off oven for another 20 minutes before we devoured them.

They were so tender and flavorful!

Sorry the finished product isn't plated to look pretty...

But tust me, they tasted much better than they look!

Sew What....

Anything you want if you take advantage of

Vogue, Butterick & McCall Patterns $1.99 Sale

http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/v1303-products-22877.php?page_id=1261&utm_source=V20120703DD48&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=V20120703DD48_V1303&utm_source=V20120703DD48&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=V20120703DD48

Music Video Break

Movie of the Moment

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Factory_Girl

I Scream, You Scream...

We all scream for Ice Cream!

The heat way has returned to NY this weekend and after a morning running errands in 90 degree plus weather stopping at my new favorite Bayridge ice cream parlor & pastry show, Cedars Pastry, was just the thing I needed to cool off.

Their ice cream is so thick, so creamy, so rich that all you need is the single $2.00 scoop to satisfy.Try my favorite the Kashta (the Lebanese name for a heavy cream obtained by simmering whole milk) Pistachio or any other of the 10 flavors offered up daily.

7204 5th Ave, Brooklyn NY 11209

www.baklavastore.com

Movie of the Moment

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_and_Tonto)

Have I recently

told you how much I love Brooklyn?

(Eastern Parkway, June 2012)

All Images © Simone Rene 2012

Tuesday's Mental Musings....

In an ideal world we would be individually responsible for our behavior with the understanding that what we do isn't just about ourselves. We would understand that our actions create waves with ripples of affect and response. We would know that our words and deeds manifest a reality that others must also live in.

There was a time when I allowed the misbehavior of others to go unchecked. I didn't confront or react to someone when they chose to dump their emotional baggage. Instead I watched as they threw tantrums and spewed all manner of negativity without any regard to how it made those of us in the immediate vicinity feel. I believed that by ignoring and distancing myself from their behavior I wouldn't be affected, which is so untrue.

How others treat us isn't the lesson; it is how we let others treat us that is. Our acceptance and/or refusal to conform to the conceit of others helps define who or what we believe we are in this world. When we allow others to speak to us with disregard for our emotional welfare we begin to believe we don't deserve the basic respect all beings should be given. When we accept being treated as if our sole purpose is to serve those selfish enough to demand rather than ask we begin to see ourselves in roles that can and often do stifle our sense of self-worth; we become servants to the intent of others which can leave us impotent in all aspects of our lives.

Eliminating the brats in our lives is easier said than done. Most of us shrug at their misbehavior pacifying the hurt with the belief that "that's who they are", "they'll never change", "either you accept them for who they are or let go". But something must be wrong with that acceptance because most of us continue to bitch and moan about it all and distract ourselves from our hurt and shame with how it should have been handled instead of just confronting the misbehavior at the source of incident.

The word confrontation makes us uncomfortable; with it we sense aggression and other negative innuendos. Though it can be all those things, especially when we are new to dealing with it, it can also be a cathartic beginning to new level of self-definition and understanding. We choose to define how we confront others, whether in a calm and direct or passionate and direct manner the choice is ours. When we choose to address those who have wrongly decided it is OK to dump on us we teach them how they can or cannot treat us but more importantly we teach ourselves who and what we are in this world.

Grapes of Wrath...

I know it's not Autumn but I had a craving for  A Torta D'Uva.

It's a grape pizza/focaccia usually made and eaten during the picking season.

It's easy to make and enjoy any time of the year.

I let the Tradder Joe's pizza dough sit out  for about half hour plus 

until it reached room temp and then while the oven preheated (400 F)

I kneaded the dough for a bit,  adding a teaspoon or so of chopped fresh Rosemary

before rolling it out on a floured surface to a 10" x 14" pie size.

(I like my crust fairly thick)

I transfered the dough to a cookie sheet that I had greased

with a couple teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil. 

(pssst I heated the oiled cookie sheet before transferring the pie)

(now is the fun part)

Using about 2 cups of clean/dry small purple grapes I  decorated it,

pushing the grapes as deep into the dough as possible,

squishing some so that that juice soaked the dough a bit.

(I ended up using a lot of grapes!)

I sprinkled the top with some more chopped Rosemary,

a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil

and a liberal sprinkle of white sugar

(when baked it carmalizes and adds a nice crusty crunch)

The pie baked for about 30 minutes

(until the edges were brown and the grapes collapsed)

I could barely wait until it cooled to eat it.

Yes, I burned the roof of my mouth!

Enjoy! 

Movie of the Moment

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Group_(film)

Music Video Break

Music Video Break

Swinging In The Plaza!!

On Wednesday, June 13, 7:00 PM, there will be Western Swing at
Grand Army Plaza

Can't dance? Come at 6:30 PM and take swing dance lessons with Eve Polich
The bank starts swinging at 7! 
http://catalog.brooklynpubliclibrary.org/record=g1004862&searchscope=63&SORT2=R

Something to think on....

http://prezi.com/yziuhanooo9n/native-americans-vs-urban-outfitters/

RIP Doc Watson

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doc_Watson

Rememberance Day

“A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself.”

-Joseph Campbell quotes

Where the Books are..

This is the Grand Army Plaza Brooklyn Library

I love this place and can remember heading there after school to hide between the book shelves in the adult section. It's been years but with improved facilities, free classes and activities the magc is still there.

http://www.brooklynpubliclibrary.org/locations/central

All Images © Simone Rene 2012

Happy Remembering Day

This coming Monday, May 28, the US celebrates Memorial Day. The holiday started in the US South as a way to commerate the soldiers that fell in the Civil War but now it serves as a day to recall the men and women of the US Armed Forces that died while serving.

Most of us think of the holiday as the first weekend of the summer and true to this concept the city overflows with activites both honoring those to be remembered and welcoming the promise of the warm summer months.

Here are just a few in and around the city -

On Saturday, May 26,  there is a family festival on Governer's Island -
http://www.governorsislandalliance.org/2012/05/governors-island-alliance-family-festival-may-26-noon-4pm/#more-836

The Cloisters Museum has its own Family Festival on Saturday
http://www.metmuseum.org/events/programs/family-programs/festivals/medieval-artist?eid=A001_{B036E84A-EC1D-44B4-97F6-82E62F9E350D}_20120307145536

On Monday, May 28, The New York Philharmonic Orchestra performs at Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine
http://www.stjohndivine.org/MD12.html

And of course there will be Parades!
The Kings County Memorial Day Parade
http://www.brooklynmemorialdayparade.com/
The KCMDP is in its 145th year and is the oldest continously run Memorial Day Parade in the US. It kicks off at 11AM at 87th Street/3rd Avenue and ends at John Paul Jones Park (https://foursquare.com/v/john-paul-jones-park/4bd02803046076b0dd6e6f71 )

Remember, Recall & Honor

Movie of the Moment

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highlander_(film)

Tuesday's Mental Musings...I am who I am...

There was a time not too long ago when I spent too much of my energy trying to prove myself to those who had already pre-determined my worth based on the color of my skin, the texture of my hair or my social and financial status. I wanted others to see me for who I was and I did all I could to break any illusions that contradicted the truth of my personal history. Then I stopped; it was tiresome trying to change the understanding and prejudices of others. Instead I invested that energy on researching my family so to validate the history I had been given and defending all my life. I hoped that by finding those who came before me I could cement a defensive line against those who daily asked me to prove that I belonged.

I sat with family elders recalling stories that confirmed the facts proved by the unearthed documents and records and by doing so recalled stories of my own. I spent hours scanning and printing photos of people whose faces and features varied in their familiarity and by gathering them together drew the line from them to me further defining my truth. This personal journey became validation for me and me alone so rather than carry my papers with me to prove who I am I began to make art, a journey I am still on.

As I draw line and cut fabric to create collages I find myself less defensive and more accepting of the ignorance of others. I find myself full with the knowledge that behind me are ancestors of both greatness and humble origins and that because of them I am here and I belong regardless of the opinion of others.

Finally Home

It's been a year since I moved into this Bayridge, Brooklyn apartment and I am still loving the space and the area.

It's been over 6 months since I posted and for that I must apologize. I have no excuse, just an explanation. After posting almost every day for close to two years I was burnt. I needed the time to refill the well and fill the well I have so stay tuned!

In the meantime enjoy some photos from this weekends Bayridge Scandinavian Parade...

All Images © Simone Rene 2012

Holding My Breath....

Until November 1 when the much anticipated Lou Reed & Metallica team up album releases...

Lust...

Sam Edelman Renzo Ankle Bootie $250

You will be mine....after you go on sale....