library list for march

my new favorite destination is the main branch of the santa monica public library. it's gorgeous and modern and full of glass and light--and brimming with a million books to read. it has a cafe and its own bookstore, and it's environmentally friendly! oh, library love.

the latest books that i've check out have been almost all about food. inspired by this good idea at the kitchn, i decided to "test out" some new cookbooks before purchasing. needless to say, i now want to own each one of them...

+ chez panisse vegetables & chez panisse fruit are treasures from alice waters. each book is beautifully designed with gorgeous illustrations and bursting with recipes that celebrate fresh produce.
+ the new moosewood cookbook, a 1970s vegetarian classic, is handlettered and illustrated, which makes it feel extra personal, like the recipes are coming to you from a great, food-loving friend.
+ nigella express & nigella's how to eat made me understand why people adore nigella. her recipes are delicious, but simple--and her attitude towards food is celebratory, but down-to-earth.
+ good poems got thrown into my pile for good measure. just as i hoped, this collection of poems from garrison keillor (a prairie home companion) is lovely and surprising and gives a sense of hope and perspective in this crazy world.

so that's what's piled up for me at the moment... what about you?

more cookbook recommendations are always welcome!

listening to: mushaboom by feist (listen)

on community sustained agriculture

voila! my latest bushel of veggies from my local community sustained agriculture (CSA) program: the south central farmer's coop. a rough explanation of a CSA: it supports local agriculture by organizing people to "invest" directly in a farm--and in return for your share, you receive a regular assortment of seasonal, local farm fresh goods.

encouraged by a CSA-loving coworker, i started buying a bi-weekly box from south central. in the past month, i have experimented with more mixed kales, beet greens, and rainbow chard than ever before. i've discovered that a box of "greens" has a lot more flavor and personality than i ever expected. and i've also learned that when all else fails, everything tastes good sauteed in garlic and olive oil.

if you are in the LA area, check out south central and their many pickup locations around the city. if you are in elsewhere (including new england!), check out local harvest where you can search for a csa's in your area.

listening to: i don't know by lisa hannigan (listen)

:: image from lillieinthecity / flickr

a few things

today i am... loving the extra sunlight each day, even if it makes waking up in the morning a little harder. frustrated that my laptop is temporarily out of commission, which means no new photos and not much blogging. still full after a monday night dinner party with a six-degrees-of-separation group of friends and a georgian-themed feast. hoping to share more about my letterpress adventure soon. excited about having lots of visitors in the next two months. and eating too many cadbury mini eggs.

what are you up to?

listening to: a cover of electric feel by MGMT (listen)

:: photo from lillieinthecity / flickr

learning letterpress

i'm excited to be attending a one-day letterpress workshop tomorrow at the book arts institute. i've been wanting to do this for months, but timing, cost, and location never seemed to work. and then days after making a resolution to myself, i landed on the book arts website. perfect!

it's a part of the international printing museum, which also sounds fantastic, and located just south of los angeles.

this is a great next step with one of those "new projects" that i mentioned. i'm hoping to share some fun stationery and paper designs soon...

p.s. check out my photo of a Heidelberg letterpress being pushed down the middle of a street in san francisco. crazy! and one of my favorite memories of last weekend.

:: image from moontree press in brooklyn, ny

san francisco weekend

a few photos from my weekend exploring san francisco...

i'm in love with every aspect of this city: historic buildings, art and music, neighborhoods with big personalities, car-free living, so many city parks, delicious fresh food, and lots of coffee shops. although a dose of southern california sunshine wouldn't hurt. it's a near perfect city just as it is.






see more of the weekend's photos at flickr / lillieinthecity.

listening to: her morning elegance by oren lavie (listen)

::images from lillieinthecity

cilantro pesto

i am about to jump in the car and head north to san francisco for a weekend visit with my little brother in his new city home. but first, i couldn't resist making one more batch of farm-fresh greens. (this week my life has involved an endless puree of greens and garlic.)

a few days ago, i made this pesto with a big bunch of cilantro from last week's CSA bushel. the pesto was a huge hit with friends at a "homemade happy hour" night. and so i was excited to find another cilantro bunch in this week's bushel. this pesto has a big fresh zesty taste with an awesome punch of garlic. if you like cilantro, you will love this.

cilantro pesto (an estimated recipe)
+bunch of cilantro
+5 cloves of garlic
+1/2 cup of olive oil
+juice of half lemon
+some parmesan cheese
+salt & pepper
(optional) chopped nuts--pine nuts, walnuts, etc.

rinse the cilantro, and try your best to remove the softer leaves and steams from the hard, lower stems. then mince the garlic. put cilantro, pesto, and all other ingredients into a blender. puree until smooth. eat on pasta, toasted bread, crackers...or eggs!

more soon with reports from the beautiful city of san francisco!

listening to: oh what a world by rufus wainwright (listen)

:: photos from lillieinthecity / flickr

white bean and kale soup

last week i received my first bushel of farm fresh produce through my local CSA program (more on that soon). this first box was a mix of winter root vegetables and a wild assortment of mixed greens--some still unidentified.

in my race to cook the greens before they wilted away, i made a yummy soup that turned out to be creamy, delicious, tangy, and garlicky. it totally hit the spot.

my version of this soup is based on the recipe at mothering. i love pureed soups in the winter, so unlike the original recipe, i put the entire soup through my blender. a messy process, but well worth it!

white bean & kale soup
+ 2 cups kale, washed and chopped
+ 2 large cloves garlic
+ 3 cups cooked cannellini beans
+ 2.5 cups vegetable stock
+ 1 tablespoon tomato paste
+ 4 fresh sage leaves
+ 1-2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
+ olive oil
+ salt & pepper
+ grated cheese

in a soup pot, heat olive oil and briefly saute garlic. add the cooked beans and vegetable stock. heat for a few minutes, and add in tomato paste and sage leaves. add salt and pepper to taste. mix kale into soup and simmer until kale has wilted (10 to 15 minutes).

then, working in small batches, puree the beans and stock in a blender. add lemon juice and enough water to give the soup your desired consistency.

serve topped grated cheese and a piece of crusty, buttered bread. delicioso!

:: image from lillieinthecity / flickr

sun after the rain

it's hard to stay grumpy in los angeles. even though it's been raining here off and on for too many days. and the heat in our apartment is only sometimes working. and it's february, the dreariest month of the year, agh.

but even after it rains all day, the sky here clears up just before the sun sets. and in that moment, you get the most gorgeous views: blue skies, soft clouds, golden rays, and a glimpse of the snow-capped mountains that surround the urban jungle of LA.




hope your days are ending with a little bit of sunshine.

listening to: for beginners by m.ward ( listen)

:: photos from lillieinthecity / flickr

keep calm & carry on

hello! it's been a while, once again. and although things have been quiet here, some good little projects are in the works--and i'm excited to get back online to share more of them!

this week marked the second anniversary of life in the city of los angeles. two years ago, allison & i landed at the beach in santa monica at sunset. and wow, when i stop to think about it, the time here feels like both forever, for all the changes & ups & downs--and then, like no time at all, as it still feels like college just ended. but i'm happy to say that this ongoing california adventure has been unfolding in the best (if sometimes unexpected) ways possible. and i'm excited for year #3, whatever it has in store.

just about a year ago, i bought this keep calm poster for its upbeat message and sunny color and solid design. february is a good time of year for a cheerful pick-me-up, right? it's based on a british poster from WWII. [poster is available here & here.]

one of my latest little "projects" is a new site for collecting the photos / words/ links that i find on the web : lillieinthecity.tumblr.com. if you ever considered blogging, then you should really check out tumblr. or at the very least, come visit me there!

more soon. xo lil

:: images from lillieinthecity / flickr

welcoming the new year

hello 2009!

this new year has had a slowwww start--or maybe it's just me. i am still trying to get a handle on all of the projects and adventures and plans and resolutions for the next 12 months--while cleaning and organizing and making sense of the clutter left in the wake of 2008.

but i'm feeling optimistic.

i will get to writing more soon.
for now, a few favorite photos from my time at home...





see more photos of my holidays at home at lillieinthecity / flickr.