i love fall

Zach and Stina's Board of Fun Stuff

I love the fall. I enjoy being back at work (this may be edited out come february). I enjoy a hoodie and jeans, and I LOVE having tons of concerts on my calendar. Tonight kicks off fall with Ra Ra Riot at the Music Hall of Williamsburg. Though I feel as though I shoulda/coulda/woulda loved them from the start, I didn't fall for them until last year when I saw them rock out at All Points West. And wow, who knew a violin and a cello could be so fun?! Here is what's coming up:


Avett Brothers @ Radio City Music Hall on 10/13

Tom Tom Club @ Santos Party House on 10/14

My Morning Jacket @ Terminal 5 on 10/19 and 10/23
Cloud Cult @ Le Poisson Rouge on 10/30


Concert Wish/To Do List:
Florence and The Machine
Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros

Adios, Summer!

Last night marked the end of the summer softball season. Shed a tear. Our softball team was originally comprised of members of Zach's office, but featured guest appearances from everyone's friends (what up Melissa, Kopes and Dovman!). We played in McCarren Park in Williamsburg, BK and hit up the Turkey's Nest for huge $4 beers in styrofoam cups before and after the games.



From the field you had a view of the trees in the park and the Manhattan skyline, which really sent the message that you are no longer in Manhattan. I often lost track of the score while spacing out in the outfield. Good thing right field doesn't get a whole lot of action. Except of course, when the team playing on the field behind us is hitting bombs. Then I paid attention (so I didn't get a baseball to the back of the head).



Softball was fabulous. There was lots of laughing. Zach and his two friends, Zach and Ian, created the league, NoPro Sports, out of their unsatisfying experience with Zog Sports. They created an awesome, laid back and friendly league of strangers. I made new friends and thanks to softball, had an excuse to befriend Williamsburg, my favorite new friend of all.

A Culinary Sneak Attack

Zach got me the Sundays at Moosewood Restaurant cookbook for my birthday and working through this book has quickly become my new favorite hobby. It is organized into regional cuisines, my favorite of which have been Armenia (tapas and Mediterranean, mmm!) and Africa South of the Sahara. Each section is written by one of the chefs at the restaurant and gives a brief background on the family and cultural significance of the food, which has allowed me to appreciate the importance of these dishes to other peoples.

Last night I decided to make Capetown Fruit and Nut Curry. Surprisingly, I had most of the ingredients except for green beans, green apples and zucchini. As I was lining up my troop of spices that were going into this curry, I felt a sense of pride in my spice cabinet. Finally! After years of purchasing obscure spices like Cardamom seeds and recovering from the devastating divorce from my former roommate, Elise's wonderful spice collection, I was able to reach into the cabinet without having to purchase a new member of my spice family!


Zach was home early, so he jumped in for garlic mincing and brown rice duty. I always love kitchen experiments, but it's always more fun with a sous chef :) As we began dumping the ingredients into the pan, the kitchen blew up with amazingly fragrant spices... ginger, curry, garlic, onions oh my!


The rice was simmering and the anticipation brewing... Zach looked into the pan and asked, "Did we just make a vegan dinner?" Bah! Vegan! "Vegans are silly," was my immediate reaction. A minute passed. "I think it's gluten free too." Gluten free?! That's even more ridiculous. But alas, we accidentally made a Vegan, Gluten Free dinner. And it was the bomb.

NYC, you're such a show off

My friend Jamie came from Rochester to NYC this weekend to visit. She left the agenda completely in my hands and had one simple question, "Do we have lots of fun activities planned?" So many fun activities.

Our first activity was the train. Though not usually considered a "thing to do in NYC," it is both necessary and entertaining. The trusty 5 train took us to the Upper East Side, where we explored the Met and ogled the bamboo structure on the roof. It was a pretty crazy exhibit. The whole concept was that the thing was organic and growing (the artists worked on it every day- including the 95 degree borderline miserable day we were there).


After hot dogs on the steps of the Met, we bopped through the shady Ramble, my favorite spot in Central Park. I love that as much time as I have spent in the park, I always find new spots. This time it was a deliciously cold, trickling stream. Right in the middle of our concrete jungle. Who knew?

Thursday night we walked over to the Canal Room to see a great show by Sophistafunk and meet up with friends from 'Cuse.

Funky tunes. Great crowd. Lots of love. Dancing. Smiles. Then pizza, obviously. I learned two new things this evening:

1. Blue cheese dressing with pizza is both disgusting and amazing.
2. Rock paper scissors with the person behind the register. Winner names the price. I love this.

Friday was a lazy day, and perfectly so. After a killer lunch at Morandi on Waverly and 7th Ave, (Pulled pork with rosemary pesto? Yes please.) we meandered in and out of streets in the West Village, SoHo and back to the Lower East Side.

Friday night was one for the books, but maybe not the blog. Brooklyn Brewery --> bowling --> rooftops --> a surprise dance party. Good times had by all.

The highlight of the weekend though, was Warm Up at P.S. 1, Moma's annex. Jamie put it best when she asked, "How am I going to explain this?"


Public school turned museum, DJ dance party, funky outfits, art you can play with, delicious microbrews, kiddie pool for adults, and the creme de la creme of people watching. I suppose that is a start, but the experience doesn't translate to words. Try the video at the bottom.



All in all, the best NYC weekend I've had in ages. It was riddled with live music, bizarre art and out of control good food, sprinkled with unexpected, hilarious moments. While there is always so much to see and do here, there's nothing I love more than assembling an exciting weekend showcase of the city I love. Thanks NYC and thanks Jamie :)

Back to school

Coming back to my naked classroom is always a weird experience. It's as if the stuffy, brown room is not mine. Mine is usually a lively, colorful place, but takes many hours of plastering the walls with paper and sparkly borders to create this home away from home.


I am lucky enough that Morrison, my awesome coteacher, gets restless and comes back to school a few days before me (and also doesn't hold it against me that I milk the final days of summer). After two 95 degree days setting up, it is beginning to look like a place that I can live in for the next 10 months.


Blue and orange. Crabs and beer. Jeans and a white t-shirt. Some things are just perfect together. (Go 'cuse!)


There is still work to be done, but I'm pretty sure it would be unAmerican to lift a finger over Labor Day!

How to wash a tent in Manhattan

Tents get hosed down in the backyard then hung on the line to dry. So, what to do when you have neither a backyard nor a clothesline? Wash it in the tub then jerry rig it in the shower so it will dry.