another library list

on tuesday night, i went to my local city library branch and had one of those awesome moments when every book i came across seemed just right. the library (any library) has been a favorite location of mine for as far back as i can remember. wandering the shelves, amassing a pile, and checking out a stack of new-to-me books gives me a strange but special thrill.

often the subjects are totally unrelated, many of the books i never read from cover to cover, but always i am delighted by all the text and images and ideas and inspirations that a pile of books can offer.

here is my library list from tuesday:

+ alone in the kitchen with an eggplant (hilarious essays on cooking solo.)
+ the girl with the gallery (the title caught me, and the topic's held me.)
+ what i talk about when i talk about running (haruki murakami is fantastic.)
+ paris cafe: the select crowd (illustrated thoughts on the paris cafe scene.)
+ superman: the complete history (for an upcoming exhibition at work.)
+ armageddon in retrospect (kurt vonnegut is genius.)

what books are piled up on your nightstand at the moment?

clementine cupcakes

life has felt especially busy lately. but still good. last night, i made a batch of clementine cupcakes with chocolate buttercream frosting to bring into work today. perfect for a december birthday!

this recipes uses the whole clementine--skin and all. it makes a dense, moist cake with little flecks of orange and a tangy sweet taste. i think the rich chocolate frosting (my addition) turned out to be a perfect topping.

i started using nigella lawson's clementine cake recipe, but revised it with some suggestions from her web reviews.

except for the whole cupcakes-sticking-to-their-liners issues (how does one avoid that??), these turned out great.

clementine cupcakes
+ 5 clementines (about 1 pound)
+ 6 eggs
+ 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
+ 2 1/3 cups ground almonds (or flour equivalent)
+ 1 heaping teaspoon baking powder
+ 1-2 tsp vanilla extract

place clementines in a pot of cold water. bring to a boil, and then turn down the heat and simmer for 2 hours. drain the fruit. once it's cool, cut in half, remove any seeds, and then pulverize the fruit/skins/pith. you can use a food processor for this--or a good knife.

preheat the oven to 375F. butter your pan of choice and line with parchment.

put the fruit pulp in a big bowl, and mix in the sugar and vanilla. add one egg at a time, mixing well. in a small bowl, combine the almond/flour and baking powder. then, fold the dry ingredients into the wet. mix completely, but don't overstir.

pour the cake mixture in your pan, and pop it in the oven. bake for 40-60 minutes until golden brown. enjoy!

:: photo from lillieinthecity / flickr

thanksgiving in los angeles : a day in photos

:: thanksgiving breakfeast with holiday magazines.



:: out for a walk - glorious cloudy blue skies.



:: crowds at the grocery store.



:: apron from grandma.



:: pie from nana. my first solo pie-baking : success!




:: sunset - more gorgeous clouds.



:: giving thanks chez schwartz.



:: and one more slice of pie.


see more photos of my thanksgiving day in LA at lillieinthecity/ flickr.

happy thanksgiving!

in my family, thanksgiving is all about the pies.
and today, i will be making a pie (or two) of my own!

:: images (top) from my mom and (bottom) from me

national day of listening

storycorps has declared the first annual national day of listening on friday, november 28.

each day this week, npr has been playing a story from a different person/place, and on friday, they will play stories throughout the day. this is a "call to action" for americans to take time on friday to sit down with someone you love, ask a question or two, and really listen. read more in this interview.

for today's story, george w. bush's sister doro interviewed the outgoing president and first lady about what they will miss about life in the whitehouse, and like most storycorps responses, the answers were surprisingly sweet.

video: fifty people / one question

what do you wish for by the end of today?



Fifty People, One Question: New York from Crush & Lovely on Vimeo.

sweet potato & butternut squash soup

sweet potato & butternut squash soup from nytimes

art: patrick dougherty

Dougherty's works allude to nests, cocoons, hives, and lairs built by animals, as well as the manmade forms of huts, haystacks, and baskets, created by interweaving branches and twigs together. Many of his works look 'found' rather than made, as if they were created by the natural force of a tornado sweeping across the landscape. He intentionally tries for this effortless effect, as if his creations just fell or grew up naturally in their settings. - Linda Johnson, Curator

currently on view at the LA arborteum & botanical garden. (via lacma unframed)

also on view at wheaton college in norton, ma. and more photos available ihere.


:: image from orngejuglr

more advice

from nana...

you owe it to us all
to get on with what you're good at.

- w.h. auden (1907-1973)

i whole-heartedly agree.

sick days & comfort foods

i was home sick today and indulging in some much needed sleep and comfort foods. my non-medicinal cure-all's include: campbell's chicken noodle soup; stouffer's macaroni & cheese; and cold ginger ale. whether it's my stomach or my throat or my head that hurts, any combination of these make me start to feel better, take care of myself, and slow down.


:: campbell's soup by andy warhol