July 14, 2012 0

saturday morning

By deborah in i like

good morning.

growing up, saturday mornings were ruled by bowls of sugary cereal and music video clips. that’s if things went my way.

i wasn’t much into cartoons so there was always a bit of a morning rumble-tumble for the remote control. whoever got a hold of the remote first inevitably ruled the morning’s entertainment. it was cartoons for my sister and music video clips for me.

save for the slight moment of weakness when you left the remote control unattended. being a late riser that’s when i came in and rage or video hits was turned on.

looking back it was the music video clips which influenced me the most. usually american, always a new york back drop.

you knew where this was going right?

i need to write about the clips one day. not today. it’s a rushed morning here in grown-up land. there is laundry to be done, errands to be run and the bowls of sugary cereal have been replaced by sensible portions of greek yoghurt with berries. the music video clips stay the same.

i’ve been listening to kindess’ album during every waking moment this week. it’s taken over and has me in a place of pining. not sure for what yet. lost time perhaps? lost chances, people, places? with all that, it also gives me hope for new music. that heady moment of love/new music, which i’m pleased to report is still alive in my grown-up land.

this clip has it all – new york in the summer, shot on 16mm. a nice deep beat and the vocals – oooh boy! i’m going back to listen to it again before the morning is over.

On beginning (and story telling)

By deborah in inspiration

With thanks to Ira Glass and David Shiyang Liu

March 1, 2010 2

that time of year

By deborah in food & drink

shallots on polaroid

the autumn switch has been flipped around these parts and i couldn’t be happier with a few months of cooler climes ahead of us. the real excitement, however, is the promise of vegetables made for braising, roasting and for making soups with. so i took the first cool day of autumn to welcome them in.

i’ve wanted to braise shallots ala molly stevens for some time now and the final push came via the spilled milk podcast (have you listened to it yet? it’s a fortnightly riot, i tell you). i took in the concept of the recipe and adapted it to the two bunches of green sitting in the crisper.

the whole process is rather simple really, and why it took me so long to try i will never know. all it requires is the buttering of a baking dish and laying out the stalks along with water, flat leaf parsley, a squeeze of lemon, a sprinkle of pink salt and freshly ground pepper. the whole mess goes into the oven at 190˚c with a sheet of foil to create a little sauna until the shallots turn buttery soft. after about 30 minutes, i peeled back the sheet of foil to allow the juices caramelise just a bit more. they looked nothing like the spritely specimens you see above. rather they are wilty and become a tangled mess on your plate. all of which makes a mighty supper with a side of crunchy bread to mop up the juices.

February 17, 2010 8

change a little

By deborah in photography

you know i suffer from this affliction where i travel, journey and explore only to come home and mope around for months. months and months of sulking about the place. it’s rather tragic really. most people like to write about those travel experiences. some people have been known to hold gatherings where they will set up a projector and beam happy holiday snaps for friends and family.

i kind of avoid it.

ask me how my travels were and i have a standard response: “it was great and i want to go back. now” yes, i am no fun to be with once i arrive back home. pity my travel partner; this time my husband who has had to withstand the moping in real life.

well today, i’ve changed. i can’t promise that it is a permanent change, but today i share some photos with frankie magazine of a city which i took quite a fancy to: portland, or. do check it out if you get the chance.

and of course you can see a whole bunch more from our trip seattle, portland and new york right here.

October 18, 2009 3

hei + film

By deborah in photography

fika

hei!

astrid has been compiling a lovely series called why do you shoot film?

today my words and photo [from a photo walking when we were i soho last month] feature on hei astrid. check it out and the rest of her lovely blog.

the photo above was not taken in soho, rather at my graduation ceremony which took place a few weeks ago. the university served refreshments afterward. i only had my natura classica in tow and snapped some quiet scenes from the morning.

good day!

October 14, 2009 2

remember to look ahead

By deborah in photography, travel

portland magic

just as i was sulking about, i read this and felt inspired enough to start scanning some polaroids from our trip. this is one of 60+ shots which i’ve had sitting on my desk for the last month.

this one is from the stairwell outside our room at the ace hotel. it was a pretty nice place to stay.

October 13, 2009 1

somewhere in between

By deborah in travel

swib

you’d think i would have my act together by now. we’ve been back from our travels for a month now and yet my mind still wonders. i really admire those who can slip straight back into their everyday routine. i am not one of them.

i’m trying though. i set up a little container garden on the balcony. i moved some furniture around. i got a hair cut. i’m even moving offices. and yet.

tell me, how do you settle back into your routine after travelling?

September 28, 2009 3

the photo album by frankie

By deborah in photography

frankiephotobook

the lovely people at frankie have been hard at work compiling a book of inspiring photographs. and i am humbled to have a favourite film shot from my london vaction in 2007, included.

londonlight