AVENUE AVERY.

Back in Ithaca, NY, I met my friend James Comfort through the Actor's Workshop of Ithaca where we trained together via the Sanford Meisner technique.  He had written a screenplay that he was hoping to turn into a webseries about a girl who unknowingly finds a time machine while shopping at a thrift store.  After meeting for a drink one night to see if I would be interested in being involved with his project (yes!) he cast me as the lead, Avery.  Yay! It was soooo much fun to film this little show.  James is such a talented guy (he wrote, directed and produced the whole thing) and I got to know some really awesome/fun people along the way--and learned so much!  When I moved to Berkeley, I was seriously sad to leave the show and my little acting community I had built.  I've been involved in a couple of fun things out here, but I really miss it.  One of my goals it to try to get connected with some folks in England when we are living there (so soon!) and really, really get involved (audition!) when we get back to California.  James has some more ideas up his sleeve for future projects, and I can only hope we get to work on something together again in the future!  Anyway, he edited and recut the original episodes and added previously deleted scenes.  Here are episodes 1-3.  Stay tuned to his YouTube channel as he will be releasing more soon...(p.s. there is some swearing--geez! :)...

SUCH FUN!

I had so much fun in San Francisco on Sunday night!  Crazy, late night, karaoke-singing in a moving RV/bar/karaoke lounge kind of fun...Thanks to my adventurous and talented friend, Sam Friedman.  He is based in LA and has jumped on board for an exciting project featuring the RVIP Lounge and Karaoke Cabaret.  Seriously, check this out.  Free admission and bar (must be of age to participate), and cruise around in a decked out RV/turned loud, hot, sweaty, mobile dance and singing party!  You can find out where the lounge is via twitter, and they participate in festivals such as SXSW.  I met many, many fun, creative, and cool people.  For real, a night to remember...Thanks Sam!

Oh!  And check out the RVIP pre-flight video.  Sam shot footage for this.  Yay Sam!

NOW SELLING VINTAGE ON MY ETSY! :)

This is a small sample of some of the vintage items I have posted (with a lot more on the way!).  I'm going to continue selling jewelry and art (on the same site), why should a girl limit herself to one or two passions?  :)  I have all of these beautiful pieces I want to share--vintage clothing (adult, children, and baby) and housewares, textiles, craft kits, etc.   I also have new summer and wedding jewelry collections coming soon!  C'mon over and check my etsy site regularly!

Happy Sunday!

PERFECT SUMMER DINNER.

This is my third Berkeley summer.  I can't say that I have gotten entirely used to a non-scorching-hot summer yet, but it certainly is starting to grow on me.  I sometimes miss the hot, sweaty days and warm summer nights of the north east. Although to Berkeley's credit, these past few weeks have been AMAZING and perfect weather-wise.  Days that are sunny and almost really hot (but not humid) and perfect-sleeping-temperature nights.  My little garden has been loving the sun, but not needing mega watering to thrive.  I gotta say, it has been pretty fabulous.  And just when we have a day that is almost too hot, we are given a day where the fog rolls in and gives us some reprieve.  Wait, why do I ever want to move away from here?  And let's not fail to mention the produce we have in abundance here.  Dear god.  I am thinking of asking Monterey Market to marry me, I am that in love.  The organic produce: fresh and cheap as all get up.  Then I just go outside in front of my building and pick a lemon and some herbs to add to whatever it is I'm making.  All.  Year.  Long...sigh...oh California...

Anyway, I went to the market and bought some glorious fruits and vegetables  and made the perfect summer dinner:  Salad with some added veggie protein and a fruit salad.  Perfect and satisfying.

SPECIAL THINGS AND THRIFTY FINDS!

Hi, my name is Jenn and I am a thrifting junkie.  Have been since high school.  My then-boyfriend and I both were.  We were addicted to cruising flea markets, antique malls, auctions, and garage sales.  We would sometimes get up REALLY early on a Saturday to hit the sales that were in the paper...do teenagers really do this?  So funny.  I also had a subscription to Country Living (they had awesome thrift and antique articles and even DIY projects to make with your "junk").  I actually remember getting competitive with him over some items, and when we broke up, there was one unique jacket in particular that we both wanted--it fit him better in the end, but sheesh!  :)  Anyway, to this day, I drive by a garage sale or thrift store and I am rubber-necking it to see if it looks quality.  I get an adrenaline rush.  I love collecting odd and pretty things and repurposing them, but mostly i just love vintage (household, clothes, textiles, ephemera, you name it).  I don't believe in paying full price for anything, love haggling for a bargain, and love the fun of finding that perfect and unique item, one that probably nobody else has.  It has definitely allowed me to have an extensive (and cute!) wardrobe, a pretty snazzy looking living space, and a million projects in the works.  If I had a dream job, it would be hunting for treasures...I am working on a way to make that a reality!  Here are some special treasures I have added to my collection recently (and some not so recent, but worthy of sharing!)...

These (and the photo above) are vintage MINT GREEN dishes from Spain.  Okay, so if something is mint green, I will probably love it.  But the major selling point for me was the butter dish.  This cracked Raf right up.  He seriously thinks the butter dish is very silly.  But I have wanted one!  And it is mint green!  These dishes are really very pretty, and a welcome addition to my kitchen.  

Um...little, vintage, yellow, enamel tea pot--hello!  I, for some odd reason, have always wanted a bright yellow tea pot.  I walked into Thrift Town one day and spotted it right away--it was SINGING to me!  I make loose ginger tea in it regularly.  It is perfect and precious!

Enameled, vintage, avocado green canisters.  I needed (preferably pretty) counter storage for flour and sugar.  These were $2.99.  Done and done!

Four vintage, embroidered pot holders.  These were a (99 cent) purchase for a special tiny someone, but she doesn't know it yet.  Perfect find for a little gal with a tiny kitchen.  Yes!

So cute.

I want more bright throw pillows.  Silly?  Maybe.  This beautiful, hand-embroidered rooster and flower tapestry was 49 cents.  And pillow sized.

I REALLY wanted this hand-embroidered and framed vintage tapestry.  To hang in my studio.  It was really cheap, but I wasn't sure.  I walked away from it.  Three times.  At the last minute I ran out of the check out line at the thrift (like a crazy person) and I grabbed it.  Sigh...it is handmade and beautiful and inspiring for about 3 projects I have cooked up in my head.

So pretty.

This was not a thrift find, but has a special story... My big brother, Jeff, who is a talented guy with REALLY GOOD taste gave this to me (and I KNOW it was hard for him to give up).  He found it in an old storage barn at my family's farm in New York.  It is from the 1960's, back when my grandfather and his brother had a little maple syrup business.  They tapped trees right on the property and boiled the syrup there too in a little building back in the woods.  So special, and sincerely one of my most treasured possessions...thanks Brother!

I bought this vintage tin sign at an antique shop in Syracuse, NY, when I was visiting a couple of my dearest pals.  I bought it when I was going through a rough time and was moving into my first apartment by myself.  Whenever I look at it, it makes me remember that special place I lived and my sweet, sweet buddies who always lift/ed my spirits!

This print has been traveling with me forever.  I think I got it in 2003, when I was working as a barista in a coffee shop in Nashville, TN.  It was a much-coveted screen print that our shop had a few of (hanging in our window, advertising something or other).  My sweet boss knew I wanted it and stashed it aside for me (much to the chagrin of everyone else who wanted it!).  I finally put it in a frame a couple of months ago and I love it.  It is hanging above my stove and it makes me smile every time I look at it.

The end.  For now...

FUNNY SIGNS.

I'm a sucker for funny signs.  I always have a camera ready, because there is comedic gold everywhere you turn!  Here are a few of my favorites:

 This is near Point Reyes Station here in the Bay Area.  We had to pull over on our way to the beach to get a shot of this one!  Wha?

This was on the bathroom wall at one of my favorite Thai restaurants in Berkeley.  I'm glad I got a photo because this one was long gone the next time I went there!

 This one was in a rest stop bathroom in upstate New York.  I was cracking up when I walked out and got a peek at the poor teenage boys working the counter at McDonald's.  I'm sure it is just what they want to deal with...   :)

This is my all time favorite, hands down.  I found this beauty taped to my young nephew's bedroom door...so amazing!

Happy Monday!  xo, Jenn

VEGETARIAN "CLAM" CHOWDER

 
I really, really love this recipe.  I have never been a fan of seafood, but was always still intrigued by clam chowder.  I have been wanting to veg-ify a clam chowder recipe for a while--and it turned out great!  The nori gives it a bit of a sea flavor, and the chewiness of the shiitake mushrooms fill in for what I imagine the texture of a clam is like.  I also thought about buying Old Bay seasoning, but kept it simple.  Maybe next time... And, oh my goodness, I am in need of a better camera.  So sorry for the out of focus pics--my current one requires perfect lighting, and it was fading fast when I made this...someday soon! You get the idea of what the ingredients look like though...

Nori in hot water.

Shiitakes.

Vegetarian "Clam" Chowder:
* 3 large carrots
* 3 large stalks of celery
* 2 large potatoes
* 1 large onion
* 1 Tbsp. olive oil
* 3 sprigs of fresh thyme
* salt and pepper
* 1 c. of hot water + 1 sheet of nori, crumbled
* 2 c. water
* 1 c. milk (I used unsweetened soy)
* 2 Tbsp. cornstarch
* 1/4 lb. shiitake mushrooms, chopped
* 3/4 c. corn (fresh or frozen)
* 1 vegetarian boullion cube (I use Rapunzel)

Chop onion, celery, carrots, and potato into about 1/2" chunks.  In a large dutch oven or soup kettle heat oil on medium.  Toss in vegetables, fresh thyme, salt and pepper (I used about 1/8 tsp. of each).  Saute, uncovered for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add hot water/nori combo along with 2 c. of water and bring to a boil.  Cover, then reduce heat to simmer for about 20-25 minutes, let vegetables get tender, and stir occasionally.  Add the boullion.  In a separate cup or bowl, stir the cornstarch into the milk until dissolved and chunks are totally broken up.  Add immediately to the soup and stir to mix it through.  Add the corn and mushrooms, stir to combine (don't cook the mushrooms too long, you want them to stay chewy and have a "clam" like texture).  Adjust the salt and pepper to taste.  Serve with crusty bread or crackers.  Yum!

JAM: NECTARINE BASIL & CHERRY!

It's jamming season again!  My friend Jeanne was just in town last week from Ithaca, and she loves fruit picking as much as I do.  So--we headed out to Brentwood, CA, where there are a ton of u-pick farms and spent the day picking cherries, peaches, and nectarines.  So yum!  We ate many of them, I froze a bunch, and what was left was turned into jam...It was a local affair--of course the fruit we picked-- but also lemons from our tree and basil from my garden.  I have been dreaming of using basil in sweet jam for the past few months, and settled on a basil/nectarine combo--delicious!  Holy wow!

I used Pomona's Universal Pectin, as usual.  I get mine at Whole Foods.  I also just use the VERY simple recipe included in the box.  I always make my jam with the minimal amount of honey or agave called for in the recipes--this is fruit, not candy, people!  :)

Raf was on his way out the door for a stroll, when he saw I was about to pit cherries with my new/vintage cherry pitter (69 cents at the thrift!).  These things are pretty fun to use (it launches the pit right out), so he changed plans and helped me instead.  Cutest helper ever...

Yikes--it looks like a bloody mess when you pit cherries!

I only made a small quantity of each--I am going to hoard those babies this year!

Deliciousness on a graham cracker...

So pretty!

p.s.  I added about a handful of chopped basil to the nectarine batch--it gave it just the right amount of basil essence.