Friday Finds: Talent

October 28, 2011

Happy Friday, everyone! What a long week. That flood at the beginning of the week really threw me for a loop and I’m looking forward to recovering this weekend. I have a few projects planned, including a little more pumpkin baking, and rustling up some costumes for a Halloween party.

What do you have planned? Anything exciting? Anything pumpkin-y?

Today, I want to share with you two talents I stumbled across yesterday. First is this really lovely video. It’s simple and gave me shivers.

And because it gave me shivers, I spent the next several hours listening to the artist whose music was used for the video, James Vincent McMorrow, while simultaneously kicking myself for not having found him before! He’s Irish, and his music is just so lovely that I can’t believe I haven’t heard of him earlier.

To write the album, he secluded himself in a beach house here in Ireland for five months. All his songs sound a little like a movie soundtrack. I sat, listening, daydreaming my life with a moody new soundtrack.

What about you, loves? Any good finds lately?

***

Here are a few posts from the From China Village archives for your weekend! Enjoy!

Autumn leaves.

Dublin bikes.

Overdue books.

White floors.

Simple soup.

0 Comments

Of Grave Importance

October 27, 2011
{a gravestone photo from our trip to Ballymoney}

Growing up, we would always walk through the China Village Cemetery, looking at all of the old graves. We’d daydream what their lives were like, living centuries before us in our same little village. We were especially fascinated by the graves of children who died very young. It’s mind-blowing to think about a time when there weren’t simple antibiotics and children died of diseases they’d never succumb to today. As a child, it was terrifying and interesting at the same time.

Next week, my little book club is going to a really cool talk in the Glasnevin Cemetery. Part of the Great Writing – Great Places Initiative of Dublin Unesco City of Literature, Of Grave Importance is taking place next Wednesday, November 2nd at 7:30pm. Historian Catriona Crowe and actor Fergus Cronin are going to give a talk (with singing too!) bringing to life the work of some of the writers buried in Glasnevin. It’s free, but you have to RSVP.

{The Ballymoney cemetery was filled with centuries old graves, haphazardly scattered through craggy trees.}

Doesn’t it just sound fascinating and spooky? We’re all very excited. Although we’re kind of wondering how appropriate it would be to bring a picnic blanket, snacks and a bottle of wine? Still debating on that one!

2 Comments

Autumn Decorating: Leaf Prints

October 26, 2011

A few years ago, I saw a shop on Etsy that had hand-painted gold leaves. They were the kind that are so fragile you can see every vein. I have no idea how the artist painted them without them disintegrating under his paintbrush, but I’ve thought about them often over the last couple years.

I’ve looked and looked and can’t find that shop again. So, in an effort to recreate those delicate, vein-y leaves, I collected a whole pile of leaves and used them for this project. An easy, inexpensive and elegant way to bring autumn into your home. Enjoy!

What you’ll need:

black or white frame with a mat
thick white paper, cut to fit your frame opening
acrylic paint
paint brush
scrap paper
leaves

Process:

Choose your leaves. Half the fun of this project (for me, at least!) is collecting the perfect leaves for the job, so take your time here. The trick is to choose leaves with thick veins on the back – those veins will give you a beautiful, feathery print. And don’t forget to take a minute to breathe in that crisp, autumn air while you’re out scouting for leaves!

Choose a paint colour, but choose it wisely. With black frame, use dark, moody colours. With white frame, use strong, bright colours. Sticking with a monochromatic palette gives the piece an arty, expensive feel.

Start printing. Using the paint brush, water down your paint a little so it glides on smoothly to the back of the leaf. Give it a thin coat of paint, flip it over and press the leaf onto the scrap paper. When you’re satisfied with your print on the scrap paper, you’re ready to make your print. Paint and press the leaf onto your paper and repeat until you’re satisfied with the composition.

I liked printing the leaves so it looked like they were falling from a tree. You could also line them up across the page for a more geometric look.

Fit and hang. Fit the page into your frame, keeping in mine which direction the leaves will be pointing when it’s hung. Hang your frame and enjoy your new autumn artwork!


4 Comments

Tweed Designs

October 25, 2011
{photo from here}

Photos of last week’s Tweed Run in New York have been floating around the internet, and I couldn’t help joining in the fun from far away!

Tweed Runs have happened in big cities around the world since 2009, and they look like such a fun costume party each time! People put together their tweed outfits, head out on their bicycles, and ride together through the streets of their city. They even stop for tea, served with scones in china cups!

I’ve loved scrolling through photos – they each seem like a beautiful escape to a different era. I didn’t realize so many people have closets full of tweed!

I’m quite smitten with their artfully designed posters – a little different for each event, with backdrops of great buildings. Here are the posters from London, New York and Florence.


 But even better than the posters? Photos of the Tweed Runners. So elegant in their tweed outfits!

{Photos from the Toronto Tweed Run over on the Dandyhorse blog}
{Lots of gorgeous photos from the New York Tweed Run on the beautiful New York photography blog From Me To You}

Don’t the photos just make you want to live in a different decade? Everyone looks so romantic, cruising through the city on their bicycles. Who’s up for starting a Dublin Tweed Run?

Here’s Bill Cunningham from the New York Times talking about the event and sharing his photos.

1 Comment

Sculpture Mysteries

October 24, 2011

Happy Monday! How was your weekend? Did you get all your pumpkins carved or painted or wrapped in stockings? I had a busy, productive weekend with a little baking and a lot of time with friends.

This morning, I have the little sweetest little mystery to share with you.

An artist has been leaving these intricate sculptures at libraries around Edinburgh. No one knows who the artist is, and the sculptures appear as if by magic.

The artist does leave a little note for the recipient, making it obvious he or she is a lover of books, words, ideas and imaginations. The sculptures almost seem like the artist’s crusade to show everyone the importance of books and reading and writing.

Aren’t they incredible? They make me want to hop over to Edinburgh to get a really close look at the details.

In the meantime, you can see more pictures, and read all about the details of the mystery sculptures here.

Found via this cool chick.

 

2 Comments

Friday Finds: Pumpkin Treats

October 21, 2011

Happy Friday, everyone! Did you have a nice week? Mine was slow and fast at the same time. Do you ever have those weeks? Work crawled by but everything else went by so quickly!

I’m looking forward to the weekend – I’m working on a big project and hopefully I’ll have something to show for it next week! I’m also planning to do a little baking – and these pumpkin recipes are all on the list. Maybe I’ll just make them all!

(If you’re looking for canned pumpkin in Dublin, Fallon & Byrne has some in stock, or you can order it here. If you’re looking for it in America, go to the grocery store, lucky goose!)


1. The Kitchn’s (Amazing) No-Knead Pumpkin Rolls – I’ve posted about these before, but they are that amazing and that easy. They’re for sure happening this weekend.

2. Pumpkin Carrot Muffins with Orange Glaze – these look like they’d be a great afternoon snack with a cup of tea. All those veggies, they’d be practically healthy!

3. Whole Grain Pumpkin Pancakes with Apple Maple Compote – those would make one cozy breakfast.

4. Pumpkin Spice Layer Cake with Caramel and Cream Cheese Frosting – If Michael wasn’t insisting on cheesecake for his birthday next week (some nerve, right?!), I’d be making this.

Do you have a favorite pumpkin recipe? I’m also thinking of trying these pumpkin chocolate chip brownies, and I’m on the hunt for a great pumpkin chocolate chip cookie recipe like they had when Michael and I were at Colby. I even contemplated emailing the dining hall to ask for the recipe! I still might.

Have a lovely weekend, readers! See you next week!

1 Comment

For the Wimps

October 20, 2011


Aren’t these neat ideas for not carving pumpkins? For the wimps out there who aren’t so into the goo on the inside of pumpkins.

You already heard exactly how I feel about pumpkin carving. Practically mandatory. So if you’re going to replace your carved pumpkins with any of these pretty ideas, just don’t tell me!

As for me, I think I’d just like one of each and a few carved ones too!

1 and 2, 3, 4, 5.

0 Comments

Dublin Bikes

October 19, 2011
{all photos by my super-talented and always helpful friend, Sebastian Rasch}

On Saturday, I joined a dear friend for a ramble around Dublin on some snazzy blue Dublin Bikes.

Every time we walk through town, I think We have to try those! They just look so fun and seem so quintessentially European. Dublin bikes were only introduced a year ago, but they’ve been a huge hit and they’re expanding their stations and bikes soon due to the high demand. One day last week, they had over 7,000 people use a bike!

Here’s everything you need to know to get biking. Or cycling, as they really don’t call it biking here!

1. You can register online for a long term hire card, or you can stop at a station to pick up a 3-day pass. The long term hire cards have to be mailed to you, and take up to three weeks, so they’re not really suited for tourists. On the other hand, if you’re going to buy a 3-day pass, you need to make sure you stop at one of 15 stations where you can buy them since you need a credit card. Some stations are just for using the bikes, not making purchases.

2. A long term hire card is only 10 euro, and a 3-day pass is only 2 euro. Such a steal. If you’re using a long term hire card, it’s no extra charge as long as you only use a bike for thirty minutes at a time. If you cycle for more than thirty minutes at a time, there’s a small charge of 50 cents per half hour.

3. It’s BYOH. Helmets aren’t provided, obviously, so if like wearing a helmet, bring your own. Unlike Amsterdam, where no one wears helmets, it’s about 50/50 here in Dublin. You won’t be an outcast if you wear one, and you’ll be in good company if you do.

4. Watch out for one way streets. There are lots around the city centre, so map out your route before you set off. Street signs in Dublin can be a little tricky, too, so an iPhone would be a great companion – that blinky blue dot on the Google Maps app is always such a help!

5. Stop at lights. In Dublin, a yellow light means you’ve got loads of time to get through. And a red light means at least a few more cars can squeeze by. Never trust that when the light turns green, the line of cars going the other way will stop. Take a minute and make sure the last one’s through before you pedal through.

Overall, I’d recommend them to tourists and Dubliners alike. We had so much fun!

What do you think? Would you give them a try?

16 Comments

Goo as an Important Tradition

October 18, 2011
{image from here}

Last year, I insisted we carve pumpkins. We sat around with my brother-in-law and his wife on our newspaper-covered living room floor, and carved pumpkins.

And my husband and his brother were shocked and appalled at what the inside of a pumpkin feels like. Angie and I were likewise shocked and appalled that they didn’t know what the inside of a pumpkin feels like. That goo is an important autumn rite of passage.

A little concerned that my husband and his siblings maybe had a sad, neglected childhood, I later asked my mother-in-law if she had ever carved pumpkins with the kids growing up. She thought about it for a minute, and then said yes, probably once or twice. I nearly cried. But then she explained that pumpkins weren’t too common in Ireland until the boom.

Phew. Tragic, but not intentional. Man, our not-even-on-the-horizon unborn children are darn lucky they will have at least one parent who can teach them about pumpkin goo.

Now in Dublin, you can find pumpkins at the big grocery stores. Although the great thing is that they usually go on sale for 50 cents in the days leading up to Halloween. I haven’t a clue why, but I’ll take it!

They also only come in a few sizes – small, smaller and smallest. No gigantic big pumpkins to carve with a scary face. But since they’re so little, I chopped mine up last year and used them for baking! Baked, scooped, drained and pureed, they worked great for cakes and whoopie pies.

Did you have traditions growing up you know you’ll have to pass on? Do you love carving pumpkins? And don’t you just love that goo?

 

3 Comments

Here and There

October 17, 2011
{Howth, Dublin}

Happy Monday! How are you all doing? Did you have a nice weekend? Mine was pretty packed and very productive, and I’m working on a fun post for later in the week.

In the meantime, I’m sharing my Dublin travel tips over on Bucket List Nation this morning with one of my absolute favorite Dublin spots. Come on over and say hello!

And can I ask a favor? Come like From China Village on Facebook? Thanks!

3 Comments