Monthly Archives: January 2012

Things You Notice When You’re Bored

Firstly I have to say that I am rarely bored…if I’m not doing something my mind still is, it is for this reason I’ll often watch a movie, simply to go on vacation from myself. With that said, yesterday was one of the infrequent times I can honestly say I became bored, but I believeContinue reading “Things You Notice When You’re Bored”

Five Photos of NYC (with a few words)

You’ve probably gathered by now that I enjoy taking urban photography. The opportunity is seemingly limitless, even in my tiny hometown. But I was in NYC this weekend–just a quick overnight jaunt–and was like a kid in a candy store…I see art and photos almost everywhere I look and have to consciously put my cameraContinue reading “Five Photos of NYC (with a few words)”

Whole Wheat-Oatmeal Pizza (crust) with Rapini and Three Cheeses

This is really a variation on two themes I’ve touched on before…vegetables cooked aglio e olio and a pizza recipe. In this version I used rapini, which I cooked with oil, garlic, and hot pepper, and the pizza crust was made using a hand-kneaded oatmeal crust (click here for the recipe). The main difference withContinue reading “Whole Wheat-Oatmeal Pizza (crust) with Rapini and Three Cheeses”

On Being Kneady

If you’ve been to this blog before you know that I like to bake bread…a lot. And like many bakers over the years I have come to rely on the mechanical means of an electric mixer to do the tough work…knead the dough. Most of my bread recipes, in fact, include a direction something likeContinue reading “On Being Kneady”

Five Quotes from Thomas Merton

Monk, activist, writer, poet, and artist, Fr. Merton was a true renaissance man. He was friends with Thich Nhat Hanh, and the Dalai Lama, and a contemporary of Martin Luther King, Jr. Before his untimely death he penned a huge number of books pertaining to spirituality, poems, artwork, and an incredible and moving autobiography. HisContinue reading “Five Quotes from Thomas Merton”

A Few Photos of Snow, Slush, and Rain

  I’ve commented a few times recently on what wacky weather we’ve had this winter, it seems to change daily…but today hourly. The above photo and the one immediately below were taken this morning as I left for work. It had snowed a little overnight and there was ice on the roads, but as theContinue reading “A Few Photos of Snow, Slush, and Rain”

Things That Can be Carried on a Bike (#393)…and how my bikes are therapeutic

Things on the bike and in the Bike Rev trailer… $127 (US) of groceries from two separate stores.3 liters of red wine4.4lbs. dog foodA gym bag full of wet clothsA canvas bag containing books and an extra cameraTwo portions of Chinese take out One (of the many) ways my bikes are therapeutic (to me)… IContinue reading “Things That Can be Carried on a Bike (#393)…and how my bikes are therapeutic”

Three Photos and Six Recipes

Did you know that January is NationalSoup Month? Well it is, and rightly so. It’s perfect for the cold weather and seemsto nourish both body and soul. Soup is delicious and nutritious,and it’s easy to make. If you can boil water you can make soup. Andthere’s something about a simmering soup pot…it’s the originalcomfort food.Continue reading “Three Photos and Six Recipes”

And Now For Something Really Interesting…

I have long been interested in the history of the bicycle. I’ve also been to California numerous times, though never to Los Angeles. And quite frankly, I would never think of bicycle history and Los Angeles in the same thought. More likely, and this is stereotyping (please, Los Angelers, don’t send me hate mail), IContinue reading “And Now For Something Really Interesting…”

A Few Random Photos

Here’s a few random photos I’ve taken over the last few days. The one above and immediately below were taken this evening, and were in fact the reason of this post…the sunset was so incredible–even on a cold night and in an inner city–that I felt the need to share it. They were both takenContinue reading “A Few Random Photos”

The Miracle of Controlled Spoilage (or, the art of live foods)

Fermentation. That, of course, is what the title of this post is referring to. Every culture has their versions, and things you may not think of as fermented are in fact just that…beer, bread, yogurt, sour cream, buttermilk, wine, and of course all sorts of  vegetable pickles. My favorite is kim-chi, or Korean style sauerkraut.Continue reading “The Miracle of Controlled Spoilage (or, the art of live foods)”

Curried Red Lentils with Shrimp, Potato, and Peas

This recipe is so easy and delicious you’ll wonder why you don’t make it more often. It’s a classic dal recipe that can be used with shrimp–as with this recipe–chicken, lamb, beef, or vegetarian. It’s good to make a large batch of the spiced lentils because they freeze well and you’ll have them in aContinue reading “Curried Red Lentils with Shrimp, Potato, and Peas”

A Garden of Eden in Hell

The above image is that of Alice Herz-Sommer, who is also the interviewee in the below short but very inspiring video. At 108 years young she is the oldest known living Holocaust survivor. A few years ago–at the age of 104–she wrote a book called A Garden of Eden in Hell, retelling her amazing lifeContinue reading “A Garden of Eden in Hell”

Things That Can be Carried on a Bike (#391)…and a few comments about repairs

Things on the bike: A cardboard box containing two hand-crank pasta machines and two ravioli plates, a plastic bucket containing a partially mixed batch of Ezekiel Bread, and a canvas bag containing–among other things–a few books and a mini tripod. A couple comments: The reason the dough on the bike is partially mixed is becauseContinue reading “Things That Can be Carried on a Bike (#391)…and a few comments about repairs”

Handmade Pasta

Homemade pasta is not only simple to make but also fun. And besides that I really believe it is one of the most brilliant foods there is. Think of it’s versatility, nearly every culture has a version of it, and its most basic form it is nothing more than a paste made with flour, andContinue reading “Handmade Pasta”

More Photos of Winter (the serious stuff)

The city of Buffalo, which is not only my home town but also the city in which I currently live, is of course located at the eastern most tip of Lake Erie. And it’s because of this, and eastern winds, that we sometimes get the brunt of sudden lake effect snow storms….storms that barrel acrossContinue reading “More Photos of Winter (the serious stuff)”

Lifecycle…a year in the life of a parked bicycle

This is really cool. Last year the design group, Red Peak, in conjunction with Hudson Urban Bicycles, parked and locked up a bicycle on a street in Soho…and then took a photo of it every day for a year; the result is this video. I was surprised it lasted as long as it did. Anyhow,Continue reading “Lifecycle…a year in the life of a parked bicycle”