Photography Disorder

Challenge no. 12 was to make a conceptual photo series and preferably print it into a book. I ended having too many ideas and went back and forth on a few and started one and then another until, WHAT DO YOU KNOW, the year is almost up. So instead of doing one photo series, I did more than one. And I'm printing them all into one book, which I ordered today via Mixbook.com. I'm calling it MULTIPLE PHOTOGRAPHIC SERIES DISORDER.

So there's my photo series(s). Challenge no. 12 is now done, although I will do another post once my book arrives. Tada!

Important Smash Book Entry

Congratulations, Mr. President.

Suprise, Suprise

The issuer of challenge no. 9 (make my own wine) sent me an incredible gift in honor of Plot Notes being finished and bottled. The gorgeous decanter is exactly what my bar cart needed, and the monogrammed stopper matches our apartment's rustic-ish decor perfectly.

Thank you, Beverly, for such a wonderful surprise:

Self Portrait(s)

Challenge no. 28 was to learn to sew, design my own outfit, make it, and take a self portrait in it. The last step proved to be the most challenging as I prefer to be the one behind the scenes. If someone pulls out a camera, I tend to hit the ground as if it were a loaded gun.

So, with that in mind, here they are (I made the shorts and the shirt). Many thanks to my stylist and photographer, one Kaleigh McBride, who has finally proven herself to be relatively useful:

The Quiet-Riter

Challenge no. 11 involves me writing a story on my typewriter, so I thought I'd introduce you to it: one Remington Quiet-Riter made in 1952. I found it on Craigslist in Atlanta a few years ago (right before we moved to NYC) and fell in love with the mint green color, the portability, and of course all the hipster points I'd be racking up (they don't let you into Williamsburg without one):

 

Tacos Two Ways

Traveling on business for the past two weeks, I was not able to "make and bring my own lunch" (challenge no. 20), and this week I have been stranded in Brooklyn. But I feel very, very lucky to have power and open grocery stores in my neighborhood. So today I made my lunch and "brought" it to work, even if work is my dining table for the time being.

Oh, and I pretty much discovered the best raw vegan BBQ sauce ever (just blend the following ingredients in a food processor or high-speed blender and add some water, if needed, to get the right consistency):

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup tomatoes
3 sun dried tomatoes
3 pitted dates
1/4 clove (or one small clove) of garlic, minced
1/2 tbsp stone ground mustard
1 tbsp chili powder
1/2 tsp paprika
1/3 tbsp onion granules
pinch of black pepper
pinch of cayenne
pinch of sea salt

With this sauce I made mushroom BBQ tacos: sliced portabella mushrooms, the BBQ sauce, and diced onion wrapped in a lettuce leaf:

I also made balsamic mushroom tacos with guacamole. For this I marinated the mushrooms in balsamic vinegar and soy sauce before placing them in a lettuce leaf and topping with guacamole and diced onion:

Monster Smash

My Smash Book (challenge no. 26) is close to bursting. With only a few pages left to fill, it's crazy to look back at all the bits and pieces that landed a coveted gluey spot. Here are my latest:

Storm gloom + Hurricat + our marionette costumes.

Photo from Wicker Park, Chicago + some textural framing.

Squirrels go to Chicago for a week, then San Francisco.

Card from the Clift Hotel in San Francisco.

And also, just because, here are some haunting phone shots I took earlier today after venturing out into the city. Happy Halloween:

Subway stairs to nowhere. 

Con Edison trying their damnest.

Union Square Park got slapped around some.

Spoiled Fruit-ball!

Fallen awning.

Batteries and flashlights for sale on the street (Lower East Side). 

Fallen gas station sign (at 2nd Avenue and 1st Street).

More people than I've ever seen making their way across the Williamsburg Bridge.