tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-93995072024-03-12T17:44:56.175-06:00From the Mind of the Airstream Divaairstreamdivahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18043710217550992723noreply@blogger.comBlogger399125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9399507.post-20876763317949431922015-08-20T10:18:00.003-06:002015-08-20T15:00:29.024-06:00Do the work. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://society6.com/product/nothing-will-make-you-feel-better-than-doing-the-work_print#1=45" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="500" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0DE0B333D6A/VdX9RDZyCMI/AAAAAAAAG68/eVu0vN3Sa8k/s400/Do%2Bthe%2Bwork%2B.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
<br />
Inspired by this motto today... Pic from Chihuly gardens in Seattle, Washington.<br />
<a href="https://society6.com/product/nothing-will-make-you-feel-better-than-doing-the-work_print#1=45" target="_blank">Get your own copy at Society6! </a>airstreamdivahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18043710217550992723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9399507.post-64319823333806085532015-08-12T07:51:00.001-06:002015-08-12T07:51:13.731-06:00Bourbon Peach Lemonade<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="https://instagram.com/p/6QrSI_CJ3o/?taken-by=airstreamdiva" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="530" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--WoSLIh6FNY/VctI1-tD74I/AAAAAAAAG3A/RFn8IKXqSPg/s320/11755472_10153553071004172_8641993109727899464_n.jpg" width="530" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://instagram.com/p/6QrSI_CJ3o/?taken-by=airstreamdiva" target="_blank">Bourbon Peach Lemonade</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
If this does not taste like summer in a glass, I do not know what does.<br />
<br />
Just finished up a job at beautiful, exhausting, thrilling, draining Wolf Trap Opera. One night, my costume designer and I went in search of a good meal. Large format chains are thick on the ground in Tyson's Corner (where we are housed), but a good local restaurant is much harder to find. We ended up a regional chain called Coastal Flats, and I discovered this drink (also a Kale Caesar that was to die for... also it is fun to say "Kale Caesar!" and do a Roman salute).<br />
<br />
Anyway, I've been noodling around, trying to work out the secret. Turns out... there isn't much a of secret. When you are dealing with bourbon, peaches, and lemonade, it is hard to make a bad drink. hahha.<br />
<br />
<h2 style="clear: both;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Bourbon Peach Lemonade</span></h2>
<div class="ERSIngredients" style="border-top-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); border-top-style: dotted; border-top-width: 1px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; letter-spacing: 0.5px; margin: 2rem 0px 10px; padding: 0px; width: 408px;">
<div class="ERSIngredientsHeader ERSHeading" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: none; font-size: 1.4em; letter-spacing: 0.2rem; line-height: inherit; margin: 1em 0px; padding: 0px; text-transform: uppercase;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">INGREDIENTS</span></div>
(Makes about 4 drinks)<br /><ul>
<li>2/3 cup Bourbon</li>
<li>1 quite large peach (or a couple of mediums, maybe 1.25cups)</li>
<li>1 tablespoon brown sugar</li>
<li>Lemonade</li>
<ul>
<li>Make it from scratch. <a href="http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/perfect_lemonade/" target="_blank"> Amazing recipe here. </a></li>
<li>OR if you are in a rush, store-bought "Simply Lemonade" is not too shabby. </li>
</ul>
</ul>
<ul style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"></ul>
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<div class="ERSInstructions" style="border-top-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); border-top-style: dotted; border-top-width: 1px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; letter-spacing: 0.5px; margin: 2rem 0px 10px; padding: 0px;">
<div class="ERSInstructionsHeader ERSHeading" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; font-size: 1.4em; letter-spacing: 0.2rem; line-height: inherit; margin: 1em 0px; padding: 0px; text-transform: uppercase;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">INSTRUCTIONS</span></div>
EARLY<br /><ol>
<li>Slice up your peach, quite thin. Put in a bowl with a lid. </li>
<li>Sprinkle with brown sugar. Mix around.</li>
<li>Pour bourbon over it all. </li>
<li>Put the lid on the bowl and shake it all up to mix well. </li>
<li>Let sit for a couple of hours. You want the peaches to put out a lot of juice AND get all bourbon-y delicious. Occasionally shake up the bowl to move things around a bit. </li>
</ol>
<div>
AT COCKTAIL TIME</div>
<div>
<ol>
<li>Carefully open up that bowl, and put the bourbon peaches in your blender. </li>
<li>Blend to your desired level of pulp. I generally make mine pretty smooth, but I'm not bothered by a few bits of peach. </li>
<li>In an Old-Fashioned glass (or a Mason jar!) pour about 1/2 cup of the peach blend, then add about 1/2 cup of lemonade. </li>
<li>Add ice and enjoy!! </li>
</ol>
</div>
</div>
<br />airstreamdivahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18043710217550992723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9399507.post-55054158895039934552015-08-11T16:15:00.000-06:002015-08-11T16:15:41.151-06:00Spiced Boozy Cherries will light up your life<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="https://instagram.com/p/4js0eGiJ4g/?taken-by=airstreamdiva" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="530" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MdWOcKLMR6s/VcpwwOEB9jI/AAAAAAAAG2s/LMAR3fhFJig/s640/IMG_3194.JPG" width="530" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://instagram.com/p/4js0eGiJ4g/?taken-by=airstreamdiva" target="_blank">Prep the cherries</a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: left;">Every summer I see gorgeous fruits at the farmer's markets (and grocery!) and hear tales of my mom putting up jars and jars of gorgeous blackberry, peach and plum jams, and feel nothing but jealous. Without the proper equipment, and possibly too lazy to actually do the full "make jelly" routine, I still yearn to participate... and this year, I finally did it, with Boozy Cherries. </span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: left;"><br /></span>
<br />
<h2 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Spiced Boozy Cherries</b></span></h2>
<div class="ERSIngredients" style="border-top-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); border-top-style: dotted; border-top-width: 1px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; letter-spacing: 0.5px; margin: 2rem 0px 10px; padding: 0px; width: 408px;">
<div class="ERSIngredientsHeader ERSHeading" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: none; font-size: 1.4em; letter-spacing: 0.2rem; line-height: inherit; margin: 1em 0px; padding: 0px; text-transform: uppercase;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">INGREDIENTS</span></div>
<ul>
<li>1 pound of cherries, rinsed and pitted, stems removed </li>
<li>2 cups of brown sugar </li>
<li>2 cups of bourbon </li>
<li>2 cinnamon sticks </li>
<li>2 star anise </li>
<li>Some peppercorns </li>
<li>Some cloves</li>
</ul>
<ul style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
</ul>
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<div class="ERSInstructions" style="border-top-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); border-top-style: dotted; border-top-width: 1px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; letter-spacing: 0.5px; margin: 2rem 0px 10px; padding: 0px;">
<div class="ERSInstructionsHeader ERSHeading" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; font-size: 1.4em; letter-spacing: 0.2rem; line-height: inherit; margin: 1em 0px; padding: 0px; text-transform: uppercase;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">INSTRUCTIONS</span></div>
<ol>
<li>First, sterilize your jars. You can do this by either running them through a very hot dishwasher setting OR submerging them in boiling water for 10mins or so. </li>
<li>In a medium saucepan, add the brown sugar, bourbon and spices. </li>
<li>Bring to a bubbling simmer and let simmer over medium low heat for about 5 minutes. </li>
<li>Put your pitted cherries into the clean sterilized jars, leaving a bit of headroom at the top. </li>
<li>Pour the bourbon syrup over the cherries and let macerate for 5 - 10 minutes or so. Make sure the cherries are completely submerged in the liquid. </li>
<li>Seal the jars. </li>
<ul>
<li>You can put them in the refrigerator (if you think they will be used up in the next month or so) </li>
<li>OR process them in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes (if you'd like to keep the shelf-stable for several months)</li>
</ul>
<li>Enjoy!</li>
</ol>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="https://instagram.com/p/4jtIu0iJ5Q/?taken-by=airstreamdiva" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="530" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-irqQrgEYpQw/VcpsIYXLlzI/AAAAAAAAG2Y/Gp7RmsGiPuk/s640/IMG_3195.JPG" width="530" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://instagram.com/p/4jtIu0iJ5Q/?taken-by=airstreamdiva" target="_blank">Spiced Boozy Cherries</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Here is a great article on the <a href="http://foodinjars.com/2013/07/new-to-canning-start-here-boiling-water-bath-canning/" target="_blank">hot water bath technique</a>. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
And some <a href="http://www.thekitchn.com/6-secrets-to-hot-water-bath-canning-you-might-not-know-173581" target="_blank">general canning tips from The Kitchn</a>. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The perfect drink to make use of these cherries: <a href="http://liquor.com/recipes/bourbon-old-fashioned/#EeVSZRxCwvKBV4O2.97" target="_blank">The Old Fashioned</a>.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Check me out near Christmas time for a delicious holiday twist on the classic Old Fashioned! </div>
airstreamdivahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18043710217550992723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9399507.post-90166666870517157802015-07-04T11:17:00.001-06:002015-08-13T14:08:51.589-06:00Huevos Rancheros! <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="https://instagram.com/p/4rsz6diJ8g/?taken-by=airstreamdiva" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="500" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BZVvr01gDMw/VZgQqGezCvI/AAAAAAAAGyI/mRRo95FuBec/s400/IMG_3201.JPG" width="500" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://instagram.com/p/4rsz6diJ8g/?taken-by=airstreamdiva" target="_blank">Huevos Rancheros!</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Made this for my man-friend the other day for breakfast, and the entire time we were eating we kept looking up at each other in shock. "This is really good." "We could serve this to company." "Mmmmm...." "We could have this for dinner any night of the week." <br />
Suffice to say... it was a success. :)<br />
And really not too hard to make!<br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Huevos Rancheros!</span></b><br />
<br />
<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Jar of red Salsa (we like <a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href=%22http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CIVY7SA/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00CIVY7SA&linkCode=as2&tag=frotheminofth-20&linkId=GE6YNYLBNX4QGQWX%22%3EArriba!%20Red%20Salsa%20and%20Morita%20Salsa%20Combo%20Pack,%2016%20Ounce%20Jars%20(Pack%20of%204)%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=frotheminofth-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00CIVY7SA%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20!important;%20margin:0px%20!important;%22%20/%3E" target="_blank">Arriba Morita</a>)</li>
<li>Jar of green Salsa (we like <a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href=%22http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ECFHVY2/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00ECFHVY2&linkCode=as2&tag=frotheminofth-20&linkId=JAYORXI3J4FMOX7U%22%3EGourmet%20Mexican%20Salsa,%20Medium,%20Tomatillo%202%20Pack%20(1%20Lb%20Ea)%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=frotheminofth-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00ECFHVY2%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20!important;%20margin:0px%20!important;%22%20/%3E" target="_blank">Fronterra</a>) </li>
<li>Fresh corn tortillas</li>
<li>butter</li>
<li>refried beans (or a can of black if you prefer)</li>
<li>Pepper Jack cheese, shredded</li>
<li>Eggs</li>
<li>Avocado, sliced</li>
<li>Sour cream </li>
<li>Cilantro, coarsely chopped</li>
<li>Red onion, finely chopped</li>
</ul>
<br />
<b>Assemble:</b><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Put a dollop of red salsa on your plate, smooth around to approximately the size of your tortillas. </li>
<li>In a small pan, heat up some butter. Heat up 1 or 2 corn tortillas for a few moments, turning occasionally to make sure they don't get burned. When they seem fully heated and beginning to crisp, remove from heat and place on on the dollop of red salsa. </li>
<li>Layer it up with:</li>
<ul>
<li>Shredded Pepper Jack cheese</li>
<li>Beans (a few dabs if you are using refried)</li>
<li>Green salsa</li>
</ul>
<li>Add another tortilla.</li>
<li>Layer it up again:</li>
<ul>
<li>Shredded cheese</li>
<li>Beans</li>
<li>Green salsa</li>
</ul>
<li>Fry 1 or 2 eggs to taste (I like mine a little over easy). </li>
<li>Put those on top of the tortilla stack.</li>
<li>Final layer:</li>
<ul>
<li>Red salsa</li>
<li>Avocado slices </li>
<li>Dollop of sour cream</li>
<li>Sprinkle generously with Cilantro & Red Onion</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
Serve!<br />
<br />airstreamdivahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18043710217550992723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9399507.post-89259016377597706042015-07-03T08:23:00.001-06:002015-07-04T11:22:55.721-06:00Cocktail o'the Summer: Blackberry Basil Mojito<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2EO6nHnZIXE/VZaTyWwQ9RI/AAAAAAAAGxw/jMsEq_eY2qY/s1600/IMG_3094.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="500" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2EO6nHnZIXE/VZaTyWwQ9RI/AAAAAAAAGxw/jMsEq_eY2qY/s320/IMG_3094.JPG" width="500" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blackberry Basil Mojito</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Happy Fourth of July Weekend!<br />
<br />
My man-friend and I have been enjoying (ha!) a long distance relationship for a very long time now. le sigh. However, one nice thing about my wacky job is that I occasionally have long-ish periods of time between gigs, and I am able to spend much of that time with him. <br />
<br />
Do not read this as "free time." <br />
Read this as "hours and hours of angst and worry about future shows interspersed with smaller hours of actual, really productive work." <br />
<br />
Anyway...<br />
One thing I like to do to make our time together a little more special, a little more memorable, is make a "signature cocktail" for the duration. Then we have a unique taste memory for that particular visit. One winter it was Cinnamon-spiced Old Fashioneds. Last summer it was Basil-Cucumber Gin & Tonic. And this year, we may have hit the mother lode: <b>Blackberry-Basil Mojitos. </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Enough talk! Here is the recipe...incredibly precise and scientific, as always. Enjoy!<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Summer 2015 Blackberry-Basil Mojito</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Ingredients: </b><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>2 cups water</li>
<li>1 cup sugar</li>
<li>loose handful of basil (approx)</li>
<li>1/2 cup of blackberries (approx)</li>
<li>Limes (approx 2 per drink?)</li>
<li>Golden Rum</li>
<li>Mineral Water</li>
</ul>
<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Step 1: The Syrup </b><br />
(This needs to be done in advance! You will have enough syrup to enjoy several rounds.)<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Boil 2 cups of water in a medium pot. </li>
<li>Add 1 cups of granulated sugar. Return to boil, let that simmer a bit. </li>
<li>When you get tired of watching it boil, add a bunch of basil, stems and all. No need to chop it, really, unless you feel like doing some chopping. </li>
<li>Simmer for a bit. Enjoy the amazing aroma. </li>
<li>After a few minutes, strain the basil from the syrup. Return the syrup to the pot. </li>
<li>Toss in about 1/2 cup of blackberries, fresh or frozen. Or more, if you like. </li>
<li>Simmer for a bit. I usually let this go until the blackberries turn from black to a lighter magenta. </li>
<li>Remove from heat. Pour the gorgeous pink syrup into a large measuring cup for easy serving. Let it cool. </li>
</ul>
<br />
<b>Step 2: Squeeze a bunch of limes, reserving the juice and some pulp too if you can catch it. </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Step 3: Assemble the drink!</b><br />
<br />
In a small carafe, pour:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>1 part lime juice</li>
<li>1 part pink simple syrup</li>
<li>2 parts rum </li>
</ul>
<br />
In your rocks glass:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Fill to the top with ice cubes. </li>
<li>Pour 2/3 full with rum drink. </li>
<li>Top off with Sparkling Mineral Water (we like Topo Chico).</li>
<li>Garnish with some of the marinated blackberries and slice of lime. </li>
</ul>
<br />
Cheers!<br />
<br />
<b><br /></b>airstreamdivahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18043710217550992723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9399507.post-59945916672448144942015-07-02T10:33:00.001-06:002015-07-02T10:33:08.787-06:00Fostering: A kitten in every pot. <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IS1F7fBR4Aw/VZVkKu34NmI/AAAAAAAAGxQ/zcQfu6H38zQ/s1600/Screenshot%2B2015-07-02%2B11.16.57.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-v-xFcKlKP4E/SsDMkYSLruI/AAAAAAAAAjo/8TmcQf7M_z4/s1600/iphone+041.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-v-xFcKlKP4E/SsDMkYSLruI/AAAAAAAAAjo/8TmcQf7M_z4/s400/iphone+041.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Duke, my very first foster<br /> </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I've been volunteering as a Foster at the Houston SPCA for several years now, and it truly is a labor of love. Basically it is this: when the SPCA has animals that cannot be adopted, either for immaturity or illness, they need extra helping hands to care for the animal until it IS able to be adopted. In the case of kittens, that means making it to 2 pounds and full health. They also send out older animals for fostering... either because the animal is sick OR if they have just been hanging around the shelter for a long time and need a break. :( So it is my pleasure to bring these sweet animals into my life, love and feed them, and then send them off to their "forever homes." Sometimes I have them for two weeks, sometimes I have them for two months, it totally depends on my availability and the animal's need. Pretty great. <br />
<br />
I began making a list of my foster kittens in August 2012, and at the time I already had a pretty long list. When I started inserting photos, I realized this might need to be a multi-part series of posts. ha! So... stay tuned, but here is a start!<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Duke</li>
<li>Caroline</li>
<li>Black &Whites: Wilber, Wally, Matilda & Maybelle</li>
<li>Charlie Chaplin</li>
<li>Lenny & Squiggy</li>
<li>The Dillingers: Dozer, John, Chloe, Herbie the Face</li>
<li>Explorers: Amelia Earhart, Sir Edmund Hillary, Ferdinand Magellan (Nando), Sir Walter Raleigh</li>
<li>Honey Girl, Cotton & Dora</li>
<li>Steve Martin, Mellow Marshall & Sebastian</li>
</ul>
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EPRrzHxnvDg/SxU4eVGuZyI/AAAAAAAAAmU/Bw7yVzKmG-g/s1600/004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EPRrzHxnvDg/SxU4eVGuZyI/AAAAAAAAAmU/Bw7yVzKmG-g/s320/004.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lenny</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cVf3-6Fn654/SyOnLYR4mqI/AAAAAAAAAoE/34QAtlphsFY/s1600/IMG_4645_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cVf3-6Fn654/SyOnLYR4mqI/AAAAAAAAAoE/34QAtlphsFY/s1600/IMG_4645_2.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Squiggy</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FejdBfQMZCI/S2BY8PGyP0I/AAAAAAAAApk/Ds-B29tyK4A/s1600/wilbur+peeking.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FejdBfQMZCI/S2BY8PGyP0I/AAAAAAAAApk/Ds-B29tyK4A/s400/wilbur+peeking.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wilbur</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5D0ST1PQVgA/S2BXXiM0GyI/AAAAAAAAApM/XJoCF-xSWqw/s1600/wally+closeup.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5D0ST1PQVgA/S2BXXiM0GyI/AAAAAAAAApM/XJoCF-xSWqw/s320/wally+closeup.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wally</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DteTiiMW27E/S2g8zlRCdXI/AAAAAAAAAp8/NlaluI9CMKM/s1600/maybelle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DteTiiMW27E/S2g8zlRCdXI/AAAAAAAAAp8/NlaluI9CMKM/s1600/maybelle.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Maybelle</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wuHPY6mZ9Nc/S4faIJZmNsI/AAAAAAAAAqs/UqmACWR9Xs4/s1600/IMG_9476.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wuHPY6mZ9Nc/S4faIJZmNsI/AAAAAAAAAqs/UqmACWR9Xs4/s320/IMG_9476.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cleo (Cleopatra)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uJocYwmAAMA/S3tblTQjyNI/AAAAAAAAAqc/RZqzmXOMJwo/s1600/003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uJocYwmAAMA/S3tblTQjyNI/AAAAAAAAAqc/RZqzmXOMJwo/s400/003.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dozer Dillinger</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-O6rtv3ZgvWg/S4fb2O12GmI/AAAAAAAAAq0/dVClHlC42OM/s1600/popeye.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-O6rtv3ZgvWg/S4fb2O12GmI/AAAAAAAAAq0/dVClHlC42OM/s1600/popeye.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Dillingers, day one</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PxWElk1qIEw/S4fhRoszjKI/AAAAAAAAArU/VdhlgFG0jJE/s1600/chloe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PxWElk1qIEw/S4fhRoszjKI/AAAAAAAAArU/VdhlgFG0jJE/s320/chloe.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chloe Dillinger</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xkmTNABaIiU/VZVh44Ls5GI/AAAAAAAAGwg/MUguETXs0Kg/s1600/edmund%2B2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xkmTNABaIiU/VZVh44Ls5GI/AAAAAAAAGwg/MUguETXs0Kg/s320/edmund%2B2.JPG" width="304" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sir Edmund Hillary</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
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<tr><td><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1vKe0DLfW1Y/VZVitQ2tCCI/AAAAAAAAGwo/njNUjm4SYH0/s1600/walter.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="193" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1vKe0DLfW1Y/VZVitQ2tCCI/AAAAAAAAGwo/njNUjm4SYH0/s320/walter.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Sir Walter Raleigh</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YbRrunypTeM/VZVi2MldHpI/AAAAAAAAGww/9etOCv3ib4M/s1600/Nando2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YbRrunypTeM/VZVi2MldHpI/AAAAAAAAGww/9etOCv3ib4M/s320/Nando2.JPG" width="319" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Ferdinand Magellan (Nando)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Eo2dQ26j3xk/VZVkKrfiD8I/AAAAAAAAGxI/elNmlfSwxz4/s1600/Screenshot%2B2015-07-02%2B11.17.13.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Eo2dQ26j3xk/VZVkKrfiD8I/AAAAAAAAGxI/elNmlfSwxz4/s320/Screenshot%2B2015-07-02%2B11.17.13.png" width="319" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Mellow Marshall </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IS1F7fBR4Aw/VZVkKu34NmI/AAAAAAAAGxY/IqPmk4XJUTo/s1600/Screenshot%2B2015-07-02%2B11.16.57.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="398" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IS1F7fBR4Aw/VZVkKu34NmI/AAAAAAAAGxY/IqPmk4XJUTo/s400/Screenshot%2B2015-07-02%2B11.16.57.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Steve Martin</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4P6Iej-llzA/VZVkKoiU3pI/AAAAAAAAGxE/2QQeGDX8uaI/s1600/Screenshot%2B2015-07-02%2B11.17.24.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="318" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4P6Iej-llzA/VZVkKoiU3pI/AAAAAAAAGxE/2QQeGDX8uaI/s320/Screenshot%2B2015-07-02%2B11.17.24.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Sebastian</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7GeQBYQFZy8/VZVjoMD7i8I/AAAAAAAAGw8/6lPQJMldDDA/s1600/Screenshot%2B2015-07-02%2B11.15.12.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="318" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7GeQBYQFZy8/VZVjoMD7i8I/AAAAAAAAGw8/6lPQJMldDDA/s320/Screenshot%2B2015-07-02%2B11.15.12.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Cotton<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
airstreamdivahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18043710217550992723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9399507.post-91290323404679303632015-07-01T08:11:00.000-06:002015-07-03T14:20:34.290-06:00Summer 2015 Hi friends.<br />
It's been a while. :)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VWpqw4T8_zo/VZPmvKfce_I/AAAAAAAAGvs/Ds0YI7e8uwY/s1600/harley%2Bcloseup.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VWpqw4T8_zo/VZPmvKfce_I/AAAAAAAAGvs/Ds0YI7e8uwY/s400/harley%2Bcloseup.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: right;">Adorable foster kitten Harley<style>.ig-b- { display: inline-block; }
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<br />
I've been sharing mostly on <a href="https://instagram.com/airstreamdiva/" target="_blank">Instagram</a> these days, so be sure to <a href="https://instagram.com/airstreamdiva/" target="_blank">follow me there</a>! <br />
My handle is, of course, <a href="https://instagram.com/airstreamdiva/" target="_blank">Airstreamdiva</a>.<br />
<br />
So... to catch up.<br />
What have you been doing?<br />
<br />
I've been:<br />
<br />
1. Directing a huge heap of shows, including several brand new productions. <br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><i>Il Ritorno d'Ulisse</i> at Rice University, which was a super fun production we set in a grand villa on the Italian coast. <a href="http://www.tarafaircloth.com/gallery-1.html" target="_blank">Check out the fun pics</a> on my professional webpage! (<a href="http://www.tarafaircloth.com/">www.tarafaircloth.com</a>) </li>
<li>Gorgeous new <i>Eugene Onegin</i> at Arizona Opera, with the lovely Corinne Winters. What a blessing to work on this amazing opera, with friends old and new. Pics <a href="http://www.tarafaircloth.com/gallery-2.html" target="_blank">HERE</a>. </li>
<li>Visited the great flat North.... North Dakota State University, where my long time designer pal Rooth Varland runs the theatre department. She and I created a lovely <i>Midsummer Night's Dream </i>(opera) for the music school. I stayed with her family for the month and had a grand time working on this gorgeous score. Also staying up all hours painting banana leaves on massive scenic flats. A director wears many hats.... Pics <a href="http://www.tarafaircloth.com/gallery-3.html" target="_blank">HERE</a>. </li>
<li>Not a new production, but directed my very first <i>Nozze di Figaro</i>. At Atlanta Opera, my homeland. This show has always seemed the pinnacle of opera to me... massive, deep, important, "sacred." I did a lot of sweating in the months prior. Like so many things in life, there was a lot of dread and angst, it was hard, and it ended up being wonderful. Pics <a href="http://www.tarafaircloth.com/" target="_blank">HERE</a>, and scattered all over the website. </li>
<li>And a few other productions, but those are the highlights. :) </li>
</ul>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="https://instagram.com/p/3U5XowCJ6N/?taken-by=airstreamdiva" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6ARrdip0ECY/VZPv1Clj3ZI/AAAAAAAAGv8/L6raX5sIiWg/s320/IMG_3053.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://instagram.com/p/3U5XowCJ6N/?taken-by=airstreamdiva" target="_blank">Munger St "River" May 2015</a></td></tr>
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<div>
2. Basically spent about 5 days at my home in Houston between Christmas Day and May 17, so it was pretty wonderful to crawl into my own bed for a bit. Just in time to enjoy the crazy floods we have experienced this spring/summer! Man, I was feeling pretty smug about my decision to raise the house 18inches last summer. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
3. Did MASSIVE work on the foundation and exterior of my house, fall 2014. Another post on this to follow. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
4. Big news: my man-friend Matt moved from NYC to Austin! Not the same city, but at least we are in the same state again. Moving him was the normal pain in the rear x10 that anything involving NYC means. But now he is here, and has a lovely apartment, and I have actually been able to spend some time with him before heading off on my summer gig! Huzzah! </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Ok, that feels like enough updating for the moment. I am feeling "bloggy" this summer, so check back soon for more updates. Thanks for stopping by! </div>
airstreamdivahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18043710217550992723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9399507.post-81080243360364211532014-07-15T06:34:00.002-06:002014-07-15T06:34:48.439-06:00Opera Tools has arrived!My friends!<br />
<br />
I have a new project underway, and have been focusing my blogging activity in that direction.<br />
<br />
Meet: <a href="http://www.operatools.com/">www.OperaTools.com</a>!<br />
<br />
I have big dreams for this little site, but right now I am slowly uploading the mountain of opera production information I have amassed over the years. It has always been a major source of frustration for me that, upon getting hired for a new-to-me opera, I could not access simple resource materials... scene breakdowns, standard cut lists, bow lists, a reference list of good books to read. We (production people) all use these things, why do we have to re-invent the wheel every time?!<br />
<br />
In addition, I want to make the site singer-friendly as well, and will continually add character studies, and eventually I'd like to add a podcast section, where I interview interesting opera folk about their thoughts on character and performance, etc.<br />
<br />
So many things! So much for me to learn! <br />
<br />
In the meantime, do visit me there.... <a href="http://www.operatools.com/">www.OperaTools.com</a>.<br />
<br />
Today's post.... "<a href="http://www.operatools.com/save-brain-space-tickler-file/" target="_blank">Save your Brain Space with a Tickler File!</a>" Because you know I cannot help but offer tips/hacks in addition to academic info. airstreamdivahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18043710217550992723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9399507.post-60928248318085013982014-05-11T09:47:00.004-06:002014-05-11T09:47:56.714-06:00 A Race to the End of May<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--id5xgUBuzo/U2-Y5MtVCWI/AAAAAAAADQQ/2JxdA6Fromg/s1600/munger+front+door.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--id5xgUBuzo/U2-Y5MtVCWI/AAAAAAAADQQ/2JxdA6Fromg/s1600/munger+front+door.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
I have been away from my sweet little home for far too long... and am now on a countdown to my return.... 14 days! As delighted as I am, I really cannot believe my time in Chicago is coming to an end. I've survived the Great White Winter, some very trying show situations, and made a heap of lovely friends. <br />
<br />
Here is what I am up to from now until the end of May:<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>Epic packing (of course). How can one single gal accumulate so much STUFF in one rented room???</li>
<li>Finishing this endless endless show at Lyric. Saying goodbye to my lovely colleagues. </li>
<li>Returning to my sweet little home. Spring cleaning and time in the garden!</li>
<li>Production plans galore! </li>
<ol>
<li>This week: meeting in Madison to see the town and the company I am working for in the fall.</li>
<li>Next week: major production meeting for the show I am directing in JANUARY. </li>
<li>Getting serious about detailed plans for my summer show.... much of the big picture stuff is taken care of, now I just have to figure out how it all happens. hahah</li>
<li>Spending time on slow and steady learning Nozze di Figaro, due next spring. </li>
</ol>
</ol>
airstreamdivahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18043710217550992723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9399507.post-7197686653994367652014-03-12T09:41:00.001-06:002014-03-12T09:42:18.292-06:00Make.Thrift.Mend.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://mccallpattern.mccall.com/newsletters/img.sewingtoday.com/cat/40000/add_img/M6607.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://mccallpattern.mccall.com/newsletters/img.sewingtoday.com/cat/40000/add_img/M6607.gif" height="158" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
I've been flirting with an idea, and I think I am about to take plunge:<br />
<h3 style="text-align: center;">
A Make/Thrift/Mend Challenge.</h3>
Basically this: that I purchase no NEW clothing for 6 months. I'd like to say 1 year but I don't trust myself. hahah.<br />
<br />
Lisa Congdon <a href="http://lisacongdon.com/blog/2014/01/sewingodyssey/" target="_blank">is doing it</a>.<br />
Magpie Girl <a href="http://www.magpie-girl.com/20091008/8things-a-year-without-clothes/" target="_blank">did it</a>.<br />
<div style="background-color: white; clear: both; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px; width: 301px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Katrina Rodabaugh <a href="http://katrinarodabaugh.blogspot.com/2014/03/dyeing-with-onion-skins-makes-me-squeal.html" target="_blank">is doing it</a>. </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; clear: both; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px; width: 301px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">This gal <a href="http://intentionallysmall.com/2013/03/21/a-year-without-buying-clothes/" target="_blank">did it</a>.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; clear: both; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px; width: 301px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">This gal <a href="http://www.nonewclothesforayear.com/" target="_blank">did it</a>. </span></div>
<br />
<h3>
Why? </h3>
<b>1. Money.</b><br />
It is not like I am some crazy shopaholic, but I do tend to buy a couple of items on a semi-regular basis. Things I don't truly need. It is a waste of money, and I don't even really love many things I am spending my money on. <br />
<br />
<b>2. Large-scale commercialism.</b><br />
It really pains me to walk into a big box store (or really almost any dept store) and see racks and racks of horrible, cheaply-made (but still expensively priced!) factory clothing. The materials are synthetic, usually ugly, and the conditions under which they are made are highly suspect, from a humanitarian perspective. I know my tiny spending budget won't make a big difference to the global economy (ha!) but there is no need for me to add my monetary vote to the current system.<br />
<br />
<b>3. Waste. </b><br />
Alternately, the thrift shops are full to the rim of gently used clothing just begging for a new home. Why let all that beautiful material and workmanship go to waste?<br />
<br />
<b>4. Creativity. </b><br />
I am HOPING this will spur me to break out the ol' sewing machine and get to making some of my own clothes again! <br />
<br />
So, here we go... from now until Sept 1, 2014, I shall purchase no new clothing. I shall rely only on my current closet, and/or anything I can make, thrift or mend. airstreamdivahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18043710217550992723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9399507.post-13876807560035284512014-03-11T08:00:00.000-06:002014-03-11T08:00:03.826-06:00Artist Crush: Becca StadtlanderI was browsing around Anthropologie the other day (because browse is really all I can do... ps. hysterical blog post about that <a href="http://thebillfold.com/2012/08/lets-discuss-the-merits-of-anthropologie-the-clothing-store-not-the-discipline/" target="_blank">HERE</a>) and ran across a gorgeous notebook, featuring the work of new-to-me artist <a href="http://www.thatvideosite.com/v/13400/50-cent-dubbed-over-a-jehovahs-witnesses-trying-to-get-deaf-people-to-stop-masturbating" target="_blank">Becca Stadtlander</a>. She was <a href="https://www.etsy.com/blog/en/2012/featured-shop-becca-stadtlander/" target="_blank">featured seller</a> on <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/beccastadtlander" target="_blank">Etsy</a>, so I guess her talent is not really a secret. <br />
<br />
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<a href="http://thepantechnicon.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/becca-stadtlander.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://thepantechnicon.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/becca-stadtlander.jpg" height="400" width="392" /></a></div>
<br />
I am entranced. Love the color, detail, naive style. This is singing my song!!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.designshuffle.com/blog/files/2011/08/6-Nature-Themed-Art.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.designshuffle.com/blog/files/2011/08/6-Nature-Themed-Art.jpg" height="370" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
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<a href="http://www.artisticmoods.com/wp-content/uploads/livingroom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.artisticmoods.com/wp-content/uploads/livingroom.jpg" height="292" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Other bloggers love Becca Stadtlander too....<br />
A peek inside her studio <a href="http://www.sweetpeachblog.com/journal/2012/8/16/becca-stadtlander.html" target="_blank">HERE</a>.<br />
Another homage to her lovely work (and many many others!) <a href="http://www.artisticmoods.com/becca-stadtlander/" target="_blank">HERE</a>.<br />
<br />
See tons of her work at her <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/beccastadtlander" target="_blank">gorgeous Etsy shop</a>. Enjoy.airstreamdivahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18043710217550992723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9399507.post-79231288518711389002014-03-09T09:47:00.000-06:002014-03-09T10:08:54.193-06:00The In-Between Time; and Rake notes<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I'm in that strange time in the life of an opera.... the show has opened, so rehearsals are over, and after a couple of days of rest and recovery, I am suddenly adrift in unaccustomed free time, with my work duties limited mostly to show days. Don't get me wrong, I have a million things I SHOULD be doing, but somehow I am fairly useless, mostly reading, diving the internet rabbit holes, feeling bereft. After a day or so, I will get truly sick of this and find some project to dive into, but for now I am just flirting with productivity..... polishing up a cut list here, typing translations there, reading old blog posts. Like you do. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">This morning I looked at <a href="http://airstreamdiva.blogspot.com/search/label/opera" target="_blank">my various posts on "opera" </a>and was pleased to find so many of the program notes I've written over the years. It was a real walk down memory lane for me, and brought back so vividly my concerns about each of these special shows. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
Ironically, I did not manage to post my notes from what was arguably one of my most satisfying projects to date: <i>The Rake's Progress</i> at Wolf Trap Opera. Perhaps because I struggled so mightily with them, and the opera itself. Wrestling that beast was a massive task. haahaha. So, without further ado....<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8QO0Z7f2A-U/UxyLNOdxQiI/AAAAAAAADMo/5Kb9CkUdXiM/s1600/grave+nick+laughs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8QO0Z7f2A-U/UxyLNOdxQiI/AAAAAAAADMo/5Kb9CkUdXiM/s1600/grave+nick+laughs.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In the graveyard: Craig Colclough, Eric Barry <br />
(pic by Kim Witman)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<h3 style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;">
A Hero for Our Time? Looking at Stravinsky's <i>The Rake's Progress</i></h3>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">On
the heels of World War II, Stravinsky and Auden offer us a frothy
confection concealing a rather grim modern outlook. Listening to the
score, one is immediately aware of the dichotomy presented by its
creators. Relying on classical forms and textures, Stravinsky
nonetheless has created a musical world all his own, one that sounds
vaguely familiar, yet is askew and often unsettling. Similarly,
Auden’s libretto features a flowery language that calls to mind
times past, but the content is modern, with a complex psychological
viewpoint. The two paint a hero who, while beautifully
constrained in the trappings of a traditional classical opera,
struggles to find meaning and purpose in a world that simply does not
make sense anymore. An unlikely hero, but one that may be
all too familiar for today’s audience. </span></span> </div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">The perhaps
ironically named Tom Rakewell actually does not</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"> do “rake”
</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">very well. To quote the opera itself, “He’s but a
shuttleheaded lad: Not quite a gentleman, nor quite completely
vanquished by the bad.” Tom has everything going for him…
looks, charm, a nice inheritance, the love of a good woman… but he
cannot seem to find the internal motivation to realize his full
potential as a human being. He thinks he will find
meaning in material pursuits and schemes, but it all ends in ruin.
Unlike many of opera’s rakish bad boys, he has a </span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">conscience</i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">,
and that makes Tom a decidedly modern hero, with a decidedly modern
resolution… that is to say, not a clear one at all. Rather
than finding greatness in true love, heroic deeds or other
traditional operatic pursuits, Tom’s only real quest is to save
himself…and he cannot. </span> </div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">Our
production seeks to illustrate visually the musical and dramatic
complexities found in the score. The story begins
in a dreamlike place. While firmly rooted in the familiar, it is
almost too perfect. Tom’s departure from the country means a shift
from his classical norms. His world becomes more surreal as he
struggles to appropriate the values of a more modern existence.
The people he encounters on his progress are not quite “real,”
but symbols of his experience. The opera proper ends
where it began: with Tom, alone, gazing into the fathomless
sky, full of questions that will not be answered.</span></div>
</blockquote>
airstreamdivahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18043710217550992723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9399507.post-18342807704925414012013-10-30T14:53:00.000-06:002015-07-04T15:45:44.334-06:00Drink this Delicious Drink: the Michelada<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://hungry-again.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Micheladas-540x435.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://hungry-again.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Micheladas-540x435.jpg" height="321" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">from <a href="http://hungry-again.com/michelada-a-mexican-tomato-beer-cocktail/" target="_blank">Hungry Again</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Let me tell you about the most perfectly satisfying and delicious cocktail in the known world:<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> <b>The Michelada.</b> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
I cannot believe more folks do not know about this beverage.... it is salty, spicy, refreshing and inexpensive. It is easy to make and there are endless variations. But enough talk...<br />
<br />
<a href="http://sageoftech.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Choula.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://sageoftech.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Choula.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a>Begin with a normal pint glass. <br />
Quarter a lime, then rub the rim with lime juice. <br />
Dunk the rim of the glass in some coarse salt (margarita salt, if you have some lying around).<br />
Add a few cubes of ice to the glass, then squeeze the rest of your lime on top. <br />
Add several generous glugs of your favorite chili sauce. Like Cholula or Tapatio. I use a tablespoon or two.<br />
Throw in a dash of Worcestershire sauce. If you forget this, no biggie.<br />
Pour in the mexican beer of your choice. Tecate, Modelo.... your choice. <br />
Stir. Enjoy.<br />
<br />
Some people add other spices. Some add Maggi, or even chicken broth. Tomato juice or Clamato is popular. I am a simple gal and cannot be trusted to have such fancy ingredients on hand. Luckily, the michelada is practically foolproof. Enjoy one this evening. I will be!<br />
<br />
<br />
A great article (and recipe) from the New York Times Magazine: "<a href="http://tmagazine.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/07/19/case-study-its-michelada-time/" target="_blank">It's Michelada Time</a>"<br />
A nice blog post with some variant recipes: from <a href="http://hungry-again.com/michelada-a-mexican-tomato-beer-cocktail/" target="_blank">Hungry Again</a><br />
<br />airstreamdivahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18043710217550992723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9399507.post-75188881912285855902013-10-11T09:28:00.000-06:002013-10-11T09:28:19.814-06:00Summer/Fall Reading 2013<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Book Roundup Time!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
So, I was looking through my Kindle history and realized I hadn't shared in a while, but I've certainly done some GOOD reading this summer and fall. As you can see below, I seem to have a strange affinity for both horror and young adult lit... pure escapism, my friends. I am quite sure there are other books missing from this list, because.... I discovered my public library has e-books! Free checkouts on some awesome titles. You get them for 2 weeks, then they are returned through the magic of Wifi. Anyway, if you are looking for a good read, here you go... all my favorite reads since June of 2013. </div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004TLHPZ4/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B004TLHPZ4&linkCode=as2&tag=frotheminofth-20"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B004TLHPZ4&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=frotheminofth-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=frotheminofth-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B004TLHPZ4" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /></div>
airstreamdivahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18043710217550992723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9399507.post-42546881592646943242013-09-24T17:47:00.000-06:002013-09-24T17:47:08.642-06:00Is this thing on?Hello my friends. I am so delinquent in writing. But this is not news, is it?<br />
<br />
I am on a gig right now. The life of an itinerant performing artist is a constant flow of:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
wishing you had a gig...<br />deep dread of doing the gig...<br />the odd exhilaration/stress/loneliness of being on a gig...<br />and then the sadness that the gig is over. </blockquote>
It is a strange, strange life we lead.<br />
<br />
I believe this is exacerbated when one is an introvert by nature. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8OwvPBq7VIc/UkHYvnSBzVI/AAAAAAAADHQ/OB61JQCrouE/s1600/enhanced-buzz-21694-1375726548-18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="259" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8OwvPBq7VIc/UkHYvnSBzVI/AAAAAAAADHQ/OB61JQCrouE/s320/enhanced-buzz-21694-1375726548-18.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/erinlarosa/problems-only-introverts-will-understand?sub=2495971_1467919" target="_blank">from here</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
There are tons of great articles about this online, but the gist for me is this: though I like people and enjoy spending time with people, it is a drain on my energy. I get "recharged" in my alone time. Extroverts feel the opposite and think that people like me are insane. hahahahha<br />
<br />
This Huffington Post article is enlightening: <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/29/introvert-myths_n_3569058.html" target="_blank">Six Things You Thought Wrong about Introverts</a>. <br />
<br />
And of course there is a BuzzFeed for that: <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/erinlarosa/problems-only-introverts-will-understand" target="_blank">27 Problems Only Introverts will Understand</a>.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MbMs7RpdJis/UkIjbdisqPI/AAAAAAAADHg/pM8WQ3LRFLk/s1600/enhanced-buzz-15374-1375726529-28.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MbMs7RpdJis/UkIjbdisqPI/AAAAAAAADHg/pM8WQ3LRFLk/s320/enhanced-buzz-15374-1375726529-28.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/erinlarosa/problems-only-introverts-will-understand" target="_blank">from here</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />airstreamdivahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18043710217550992723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9399507.post-15722318664774561062013-09-12T10:00:00.001-06:002013-09-19T07:45:07.965-06:00Hot off the presses!!!<br />
I may or may not have just e-published a little book:<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://gum.co/zzKi"><span style="font-size: large;">Freelance Budget Matters Ebook</span></a> <script src="https://gumroad.com/js/gumroad.js" type="text/javascript"></script></div>
<br />
I've been developing this workshop for some time (<a href="http://airstreamdiva.blogspot.com/2012/11/budget-planning-for-freelancers.html" target="_blank">remember this post???</a>), and I've given it twice now. About 1000 people have suggested I write a book about it, so here it is! Very short and sweet. <br />
<br />
To be completely honest, I feel a bit like this guy.... Just sub "I WROTE A BOOK!" whenever he says "I'M ON A BOAT." (Not safe for work!)<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/avaSdC0QOUM" width="560"></iframe>airstreamdivahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18043710217550992723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9399507.post-11938172041522803242013-08-29T07:42:00.001-06:002015-07-04T09:08:45.321-06:00Tips from the Road: Avoiding Fatness & Financial Ruin<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_tjFM__Dlg4/Uh9JgQjSE4I/AAAAAAAADFk/7ETVWMIkoH4/s1600/breakfast.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_tjFM__Dlg4/Uh9JgQjSE4I/AAAAAAAADFk/7ETVWMIkoH4/s400/breakfast.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
I was giving a budget workshop to some young singers the other (yes, I am doing that now! Let me know if you have some young minds in your grasp you would like me to infiltrate). We were looking at budget items and of course dining out came up. I had a figure I was using and someone astutely asked "how did you come up with that figure?" Having come up with the figure quite some time ago, and thus not really remembering, I blithely said:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"Oh.... just add up what you think you might actually spend on food in a day.... say, $5 for breakfast, $10 for lunch, maybe $25 for dinner & drinks.... so... what is that?.... $40 a day? Then multiply by 30 days... and that is...hmm.... OH MY GOD..... No, No, there is NO way I spend $1200 a month on dining out!!!" </blockquote>
<div>
And no, of course I do not, but the experience was eye-opening to say the least. Because I could spend that much. I certainly could.<br />
<br />
There is a tendency, at times, to think, "oh, I'm out of town. It's almost like vacation, except I'm working really hard too.... I deserve a nice hot dinner at the end of the day." </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
And that, my friend, is the road to financial ruin, not to mention fatness. <br />
<br />
The answer is simple of course: <span style="font-size: large;">Make your own damn food. </span><br />
When I talk to other vagabonds, it is the number one thing they say they wish they had learned sooner.<br />
Yes, it is mildly inconvenient, and a bit less social, but eating a nice bowl of homemade chili at home, even with all the fixings, will knock you out about $2 max. Go, crazy, have a beer.... even a fancy one.... you've just set yourself back another $2. <br />
<br />
Mark Bittman wrote a great little piece about this called <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005OKGVT0/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B005OKGVT0&linkCode=as2&tag=frotheminofth-20">Cooking Solves Everything: How Time in the Kitchen Can Save Your Health, Your Budget, and Even the Planet</a>." Check it out:<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005OKGVT0/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B005OKGVT0&linkCode=as2&tag=frotheminofth-20" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B005OKGVT0&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=frotheminofth-20" height="200" width="128" /></a><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;">So.... the tip (part 2!): </span><br />
Go ahead and make yourself a universal grocery list that includes all the things you need to pick up to really get going in the kitchen. You might have two versions of this: one for times when you have a full kitchen, and one for times when you have to be a little more creative with a microwave and mini-fridge. <br />
<br />
I know this can be tough. EVERY SINGLE GIG I start off with big plans to revamp my eating habits. But I find that if my fridge is ONLY stocked with kale and spinach and other virtuous items, and someone says “wanna grab a beer?” after rehearsal, then I am 100% more likely to grab a beer and a meal. Healthy eating fail. So I try to be realistic, and of course include healthy options, but also make sure to pick up a bottle of red wine or some other nice treat that will help me make the choice to come home and cook instead of living it up at the brew pub down the street.<br />
<br />
Obviously, your universal grocery list is going to be full of your own personal choices, but mine looks a little like this: butter, coffee, eggs, mayo, mustard, hot sauce, spinach, broccoli, lemon, dried beans, ground beef, onion, can of tomatoes. red wine, dark chocolate. It used to include milk and yogurt, but I am trying to wean myself off of the dairy. I eat ALOT of eggs, and usually have a few hard-boiled on hand as well. I'm also a fan of a big pot of chili that will last for days and days.<br />
<br />
Stuff I try to remember to bring with me from home: a good knife, chili powder, salt & pepper, some small ziploc tupperware. <br />
<br />
WHAT IS ON YOUR UNIVERSAL GROCERY LIST? I AM DYING TO KNOW.<br />
<br />
Ps. <a href="http://www.bonappetit.com/test-kitchen/cooking-tips/article/lunch-al-desko" target="_blank">Great article from Bon Appetit</a> on making a better desk lunch.<br />
<br />
<h3>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Interested in other Tips from the Road? Check 'em out:<br /><ul>
<li><a href="http://airstreamdiva.blogspot.com/2013/08/tips-from-road-remember-your-secrets.html" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">Remember your Secrets</a></li>
<li><a href="http://airstreamdiva.blogspot.com/2013/08/tips-from-road-packing-for-absent-minded.html" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">Packing for the Absent-minded</a></li>
<li><a href="http://airstreamdiva.blogspot.com/2013/08/tips-from-road-rock-down-to-electric.html" target="_blank">Electricity!</a></li>
</ul>
</span></h3>
</div>
</div>
airstreamdivahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18043710217550992723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9399507.post-22474875911485949322013-08-26T06:00:00.000-06:002013-08-26T06:00:07.231-06:00The Perfect Food: Grilled Chicken Thighs<br /><div style="text-align: justify;">
My man-friend and I did a LOT of grilling this summer. Don't tell anyone, but he managed to find a very respectable one-bedroom apartment in NYC's Upper East Side THAT HAS A BACK PATIO. That's right, folks.... outdoor space for days. If you have never lived in NYC, you cannot know what a precious commodity this is. But try to imagine. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In any case, we do try to make use of it by grilling out 3 or 4 times a week or more, even in the winter, if possible. And what is the best food for grilling? CHEAP-ASS CHICKEN THIGHS. Seriously, they are almost impossible to beat, flavor-wise, price-wise and screwing-meat-up-on-the-grill wise. </div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
At home in Houston, I am trying to replicate that success. I came across <a href="http://deadspin.com/how-to-barbecue-chicken-thighs-a-guide-for-people-who-5939738" target="_blank">this great article</a>. Here's a taste (get it?): </div>
</div>
<div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
The great joy of barbecuing chicken thighs—well, apart from the taste, and the fact that you can cook a dozen of them for less than it costs to get a Frosty with your double cheeseburger at Wendy's—is that thighs themselves are so accommodating, so ready and willing to yield rich, juicy, tender delight, that damn near any cockamamie method you noodle up for barbecuing them will work. Want to marinate them for hours beforehand? Fine! Want to plop them on the grill straight out of the refrigerator? Grand! Cook them nearly to carbon dust on one side before flipping? Go for it. Turn them continually, reapplying sauce every two minutes like a neurotic? Why not? Go nuts. Chicken thigh don't give a shit.</blockquote>
</div>
<div>
<a href="http://deadspin.com/how-to-barbecue-chicken-thighs-a-guide-for-people-who-5939738" target="_blank">Read it</a>, then get out there and enjoy some delicious charred meats. Happy summer!</div>
airstreamdivahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18043710217550992723noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9399507.post-2009892273267404612013-08-25T12:42:00.002-06:002013-08-25T12:42:32.265-06:00So You're an Opera Director? <span style="vertical-align: baseline;"><br />Recently I was asked to talk a bit about what it means to be an opera director, my process, etc. This was what I came up with:<br /></span><br />
<h2>
<span style="vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: large;">So You're an Opera Director?</span></span></h2>
<span style="vertical-align: baseline;">Getting the call to direct an opera, especially with a “new-to-me” company, evokes an immediate Sally Field response: “You like me! You really like me!” This wave of excitement and happiness is followed by a sense of creeping desperation: “But how will I DO it?” The next year or so is spent riding the highs and lows of this emotional roller coaster, with no real sense of resolution until the final curtain on opening night. Such is the life of a young opera director. <br /><br />A friend of mine describes our role as “co-pilot” (along with the conductor), steering the dramatic and visual landscape of the entire production. I think of myself as the ultimate negotiator. Long before the singers gather to begin rehearsals, I’ve worked out schedules and casting issues with the company administration; looks, colors and intent with the costume designer; use of space and the physical world with set designers and the technical department; and most importantly, an understanding of the world we are creating in a constant negotiation with the sometimes unruly elements of music, historical practice, modern sensibility, and my own creative ideas. <br /><br />But how is this done? <br />It is like eating an elephant: <span style="font-size: large;">one bite at a time. </span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C3zRlMhjuhs/UhpP7QBFoKI/AAAAAAAACt4/oyPOTknY7ho/s1600/IMG_1268.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C3zRlMhjuhs/UhpP7QBFoKI/AAAAAAAACt4/oyPOTknY7ho/s320/IMG_1268.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="vertical-align: baseline;"><br />I love a good system, and I am constantly refining my process for putting a show together. This is generally how it goes: Get an offer, enjoy moment of jubilation. Obtain music score and a few recordings, listen. Wallow in personal angst, listen more. Write in translation, and if possible, watch a video recording or see a live show (I like to see as many productions as I can to get a sense of both the traditions and also wacky modern takes on the piece). Procrastinate (actually a key element...I think of it as putting all the ideas in a pot and letting it stew). Keep listening, begin to think I will never have a good idea again. Then one day, when I least expect it: BAM! THE GERM OF AN IDEA. For me this is often a color palette, or maybe a specific image, but whatever form it takes, I get excited about the show again. Negotiations ensue (see above). As we get closer I actually sit down with a calendar and plan very specific study...“I will work out scene 5 on Tuesday.” And then, before you know it, we are in the rehearsal room and off we go!<br /></span><br />
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 13px;">
<h4>
<span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Top 5 Things You Might Not Know About This Director: </span></span></h4>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
</div>
<ol>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;">I get my best ideas for shows while driving long distances. Saving those ideas usually involves listening to the music at really high volume and recording a voice memo into my iPhone. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the next 9 months, I will sleep in my own bed for about 6 weeks total. The rest of the time, I will be on jobs out of town. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;">My background (and degrees!) are in Voice. I like to think my singing background gives me a bit of compassion in the rehearsal hall. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;">When I was starting out in this business, I sold most of my things and moved into a vintage Airstream trailer for 3 years (hence the blog name!). I was able to take almost any job that came my way, including stage managing Shakespeare shows, and gathering props for a modern ballet company. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: normal; white-space: pre-wrap;">I love potatoes. </span></li>
</ol>
</div>
airstreamdivahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18043710217550992723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9399507.post-19445632828365391652013-08-24T06:59:00.002-06:002013-08-24T06:59:50.652-06:00Tips from the Road: Rock down to... Electric Avenue!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XSLMVR4OOHw/UhisPubpRGI/AAAAAAAACtc/2YRV7cbmZH4/s1600/IMG_1291.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XSLMVR4OOHw/UhisPubpRGI/AAAAAAAACtc/2YRV7cbmZH4/s320/IMG_1291.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div lang="en-US">
<h3>
<br />Another in my continuing series on travel tips.....<br />This time: ELECTRICITY! </h3>
</div>
<div lang="en-US">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">The
night before I travel, perhaps when I am logging on to print my
boarding pass, etc., I spend a few moments plugging in and <b>syncing</b>
my devices with my laptop (like ipod, iphone, kindle). Most of mine
sync up remotely, but if there is some update that requires a plug
in, this is a good time to have that complete. Also, I like to make
sure I have plenty of freshly downloaded podcasts in place, and that
there is a good Kindle book ready to go. While I am at it, I plug
in my devices so they have a full charge.</span></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br /><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">If
I am looking for efficiency gold stars, I use this opportunity to
backup my hard drive. You are probably already amazing and do this
regularly, but I simply cannot seem to make time for this important
task. So I do it now, before I accidentally toss my laptop down a
runway or something. Of course, since the advent of online storage
(thank you <a href="http://db.tt/VSLMTsG" target="_blank">Dropbox</a>!), I feel even less inclined to keep up with
backups, but there you go. </span></span></div>
<div lang="en-US">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-owqLr5Ogprg/Uhis5SV3VdI/AAAAAAAACtk/b9ezWuBo5dw/s1600/IMG_1292.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-owqLr5Ogprg/Uhis5SV3VdI/AAAAAAAACtk/b9ezWuBo5dw/s320/IMG_1292.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div lang="en-US">
<h3>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>Interested in other Tips from the Road? Check 'em out:<br /><ul>
<li><a href="http://airstreamdiva.blogspot.com/2013/08/tips-from-road-remember-your-secrets.html" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">Remember your Secrets</a></li>
<li><a href="http://airstreamdiva.blogspot.com/2013/08/tips-from-road-packing-for-absent-minded.html" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">Packing for the Absent-minded</a></li>
</ul>
</span></h3>
</div>
airstreamdivahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18043710217550992723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9399507.post-77197777853197601792013-08-17T06:05:00.000-06:002013-08-24T07:00:01.535-06:00Tips from the road: Packing for the Absent-minded<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="710" scrolling="no" src="//instagram.com/p/cuKbhviJ0P/embed/" width="612"></iframe>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;">One
of the most frustrating elements of a semi-regular traveling lifestyle
is the feeling that maybe senility is creeping on a bit sooner than normal because WHERE THE #$%#%# DID YOU PUT YOUR HOUSE KEYS???!!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;">And... breathe.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;">It can be a challenge to keep up with trying to keep up with important things when your address changes every month. I have stumbled upon a very simple solution: ALWAYS PUT THE IMPORTANT THINGS IN
THE SAME PLACE. (Tip #1)</span></span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;">For
instance: I keep all of my electronic cords together, in a
quart-sized ziploc, in the top small outside pocket of my carry on
rolling bag. I do NOT keep one cord with my computer, one with my
kindle, one in my purse. I keep them all together, always there. Also, I keep my daily medicine in my makeup bag. Always. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">Tip #2: If
I decide to put something "in a safe place" for a few days I make a note
in my Calendar where that item is stored. For example: I just spent
2 months in NYC. My car stayed with my parents in Georgia. I did not need to keep my car keys on my person the
entire time, so I stored them in my (also seldom used) computer bag.
Then, in my calendar, I put a little note on the date of my return:
“Car keys in computer bag.” Travel date arrives, freak out
avoided. Boom. </span>
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
What do YOU do to keep up with the important things when you are seeing the inside of your suitcase more often than the front door of your own home? </div>
airstreamdivahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18043710217550992723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9399507.post-76595992690468661562013-08-08T09:29:00.003-06:002013-08-08T09:29:50.251-06:00Tips from the Road: Remember Your Secrets!<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="710" scrolling="no" src="//instagram.com/p/bRWmmuCJ4K/embed/" width="612"></iframe><br />
<br />
In the course of my career, I often return to the same cities every year or two. I spend a lot of time getting to know these cities, and in my early days, was sometimes frustrated that I did not do a better job of keeping up with the little secrets I learned. What is worse than looking forward to "the best walnut-cream-cheese bagel I ever tasted".... but not remembering where you found it?<br />
<br />
For a long time I tried to remember to keep an analog journal of such things (and I still do, to a degree), but lately I've been trying to make technology my friend: ENTER THE IPHONE CAMERA.<br />
<br />
What is easier than taking a quick snapshot of the restaurant or store you've found? With <a href="http://instagram.com/airstreamdiva" target="_blank">Instagram</a>, you can even label it with hashtags for easy access later on. Genius. <br />
<br />
<b>Analog tips:</b> <br />
Keep a large manilla envelope for each city you visit. When you are scheduled to return to this city, pull out the envelope and you are ready to go! I include....<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>public transit maps</li>
<li><b>partially used subway cards</b></li>
<li>take-out menus</li>
<li>foreign currency</li>
<li>business cards</li>
<li>partially used laundry cards</li>
<li>IF I am really on the ball, I put a little index card with NAMES of people I've met</li>
</ul>
<br />
<b>Digital tips: </b><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Make use of <a href="http://instagram.com/airstreamdiva" target="_blank">Instagram</a> for good food, good stores, nice people you want to remember, fun places to visit.</li>
<li>Make a <a href="http://pinterest.com/tfaircloth/boards/" target="_blank">Pinterest</a> board for each city you visit... fill it with your pics, but also pin ideas from other folks!</li>
<li>Be sure to check in with your Facebook friends to see what they recommend.... and if any of them will be in town!</li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="710" scrolling="no" src="//instagram.com/p/cqzY55iJy2/embed/" width="612"></iframe><br />
Follow me on <a href="http://instagram.com/airstreamdiva" target="_blank">Instagram</a> to see my travel secrets!airstreamdivahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18043710217550992723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9399507.post-76571385978802326502013-04-04T14:28:00.000-06:002013-04-04T14:33:12.003-06:00Meaningful Music and Lyrics: Steal me, sweet thief<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
"Steal me, sweet thief" by Menotti</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">From <i>The Old Maid and The Thief</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I loved this song from the moment I first heard it, about a million years ago, in high school. I studied voice with a wonderful teacher named Phoebe Odom Settles. Also in the studio (a few years ahead of me) was <a href="http://leahpartridge.com/" target="_blank">Leah Partridge</a> (now a soprano of some repute) and she sang this piece in a studio recital. It totally took me by surprise: First, it was a full bodied lyric aria in ENGLISH, which was terribly exciting to a young gal just discovering what opera was all about. Secondly, it has a terribly comic intro, and then the second half sweeps in and breaks your heart. </span><br />
I sang the aria in college and shortly after. It is a difficult sing (as evidenced by the many many approximations available on Youtube!) and to really pull it off takes both a heap of acting chops and a willingness to open your heart and be wildly vulnerable. So often it is tossed off as the simple wish of a young girl, but the older I get, the more it means to me. As an older person, the press of time feels much more present, and I now feel the weight of Letitia's situation. Losing her youth is no longer some horrible future prospect, but an every day reality, and it makes her feel terrified and desperate. <br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I scoured the internet and finally found a really GREAT recording. I don't know this gal but I love her warm voice and her grown-up approach to the song. Press the "play" button and a new window will open for you to listen...<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://a3.ec-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/6/d1049fb8a963455f924edbdc61d01cbe/l.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://a3.ec-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/6/d1049fb8a963455f924edbdc61d01cbe/l.jpg" width="133" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Donna Maria Pimental</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a class="my_play my_27" href="http://www.myspace.com/dmpimentalsoprano/music/songs/steal-me-sweet-thief-46913986" style="background-image: url(http://x.myspacecdn.com/modules/common/static/img/playbuttonsprite.png); background-position: 0px -85px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border: 0px; display: inline-block; height: 27px; margin: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; text-indent: -9999px; width: 27px;" target="_blank" title="Steal Me Sweet Thief">Steal Me Sweet Thief</a> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The set-up: In a household normally devoid of any male presence, the elderly Miss Todd has taken in a handsome wanderer. News hits the town of an escaped convict, and the description sounds a lot like Bob. Titilated and terrified, Miss Todd and her maid Laetitia have grown used to having a man around, and thus scheme to keep him cozy and out of trouble...but Laetitia is beginning to want more. </span><br />
<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 13.5pt;">What a curse for a woman is a
timid man!</span><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br />
<span style="background: white;">A week has gone by, </span></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 13.5pt;">he's had plenty of chances,</span><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br />
<span style="background: white;">but he made no advances.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Miss Todd schemes and labors to get him some
money,</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">she robs friends and neigbhours, the club and
the church.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He takes all the money </span></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 13.5pt;">with a smile that entrances,</span><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br />
<span style="background: white;">but still makes no advances.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The old woman sighs and makes languid eyes.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">All the doors are wide open,</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">all the drawers are unlocked!</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He neither seems pleased or shocked.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He eats and drinks and sleeps,</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">he talks of baseball and boxing,</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">but that is all!</span></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 13.5pt;">What a curse for a woman is a timid man!</span><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br />
<span style="background: white;"><br />
Steal me, oh steal me, sweet thief,<br />
For time's flight is stealing my youth.<br />
And the cares of life steal fleeting time.<br />
Steal me, thief, for life is brief and full of theft and strife.<br />
And then, with furtive step,<br />
death comes and steals time and life.<br />
O sweet thief, I pray make me glow,<br />
before dark death steals her prey.<br />
<br />
Steal my lips, before they crumble to dust,<br />
Steal my heart, before death must,<br />
Steal my cheeks, before they're sunk and decayed,<br />
Steal my breath, before it will fade.<br />
Steal my lips, steal my heart, steal my cheeks,<br />
Steal, oh steal my breath,<br />
And make me die before death will steal her prey.<br />
Oh steal me!<br />
For time's flight is stealing my youth.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->airstreamdivahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18043710217550992723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9399507.post-2663929707450864092013-03-12T18:11:00.001-06:002013-03-12T18:11:05.204-06:00A return to 100 foodsHello again!<br />
It is "winter" in Houston..... the most wonderful time of the year. I spent the afternoon puttering around in my yard, planting geraniums and petunias and just enjoying the sun on my back. <br />
<br />
I thought I would revisit this old gem ... "100 Foods You Should Eat." I did it last <a href="http://airstreamdiva.blogspot.com/2008/08/100-foods-you-should-eat.html" target="_blank">back in 2008</a> and I have improved my score quite a bit! <br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">This is kind of fun! (From foodie blog: </span><a href="http://airstreamdiva.blogspot.com/2008/08/www.verygoodtaste.co.uk" style="background-color: white; color: #e55900; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-decoration: none;">Very Good Taste</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">)</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">1) Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten. MY NEWEST ITEMS ARE BOLD AND RED!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">3) Cross out any items that you would never consider eating.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">The VGT Omnivore’s Hundred:</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 18px;"></span><br />
<blockquote style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-weight: bold;">1. Venison</span><br /><span style="color: #222222;">2. Nettle tea</span><br /><span style="color: #222222; font-weight: bold;">3. Huevos rancheros</span><br /><b><span style="color: red;">4. Steak tartare</span></b><br /><span style="color: #222222;">5. Crocodile</span><br /><b><span style="color: red;">6. Black pudding</span></b><br /><span style="color: #222222; font-weight: bold;">7. Cheese fondue</span><br /><b><span style="color: red;">8. Carp<br />9. Borscht</span></b><br /><span style="color: #222222; font-weight: bold;">10. Baba ghanoush</span><br /><span style="color: #222222; font-weight: bold;">11. Calamari</span><br /><b><span style="color: red;">12. Pho</span></b><br /><span style="color: #222222; font-weight: bold;">13. PB&J sandwich</span><br /><span style="color: #222222;">14. Aloo gobi</span><br /><span style="color: #222222; font-weight: bold;">15. Hot dog from a street cart</span><br /><span style="color: #222222;">16. Epoisses</span><br /><b><span style="color: red;">17. Black truffle</span></b><br /><span style="color: #222222; font-weight: bold;">18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes</span><br /><b><span style="color: red;">19. Steamed pork buns</span></b><br /><span style="color: #222222; font-weight: bold;">20. Pistachio ice cream</span><br /><span style="color: #222222; font-weight: bold;">21. Heirloom tomatoes</span><br /><span style="color: #222222; font-weight: bold;">22. Fresh wild berries</span><br /><span style="color: #222222; font-weight: bold;">23. Foie gras</span><br /><span style="color: #222222; font-weight: bold;">24. Rice and beans</span><br /><span style="color: #222222;">25. Brawn, or head cheese</span><br /><b><span style="color: red;">26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper<br />27. Dulce de leche</span></b><br /><span style="color: #222222; font-weight: bold;">28. Oysters</span><br /><span style="color: #222222; font-weight: bold;">29. Baklava</span><br /><b><span style="color: red;">30. Bagna cauda</span></b><br /><span style="color: #222222; font-weight: bold;">31. Wasabi peas</span><br /><span style="color: #222222; font-weight: bold;">32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl</span><br /><b><span style="color: red;">33. Salted lassi</span></b><br /><span style="color: #222222; font-weight: bold;">34. Sauerkraut</span><br /><span style="color: #222222; font-weight: bold;">35. Root beer float</span><br /><span style="color: #222222;">36. Cognac with a fat cigar</span><br /><span style="color: #222222;">37. Clotted cream tea</span><br /><span style="color: #222222; font-weight: bold;">38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O</span><br /><span style="color: #222222; font-weight: bold;">39. Gumbo</span><br /><b><span style="color: red;">40. Oxtail<br />41. Curried goat</span></b><br /><span style="color: #222222;">42. Whole insects</span><br /><span style="color: #222222;">43. Phaal</span><br /><b><span style="color: red;">44. Goat’s milk<br />45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more</span></b><br /><span style="color: #222222;">46. Fugu</span><br /><span style="color: #222222; font-weight: bold;">47. Chicken tikka masala</span><br /><span style="color: #222222; font-weight: bold;">48. Eel</span><br /><span style="color: #222222; font-weight: bold;">49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut</span><br /><b><span style="color: red;">50. Sea urchin<br />51. Prickly pear</span></b><br /><span style="color: #222222;">52. Umeboshi</span><br /><b><span style="color: red;">53. Abalone</span></b><br /><span style="color: #222222; font-weight: bold;">54. Paneer</span><br /><span style="color: #222222; font-weight: bold;">55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal</span><br /><span style="color: #222222; font-weight: bold;">56. Spaetzle</span><br /><span style="color: #222222; font-weight: bold;">57. Dirty gin martini</span><br /><span style="color: #222222; font-weight: bold;">58. Beer above 8% ABV</span><br /><span style="color: #222222;">59. Poutine</span><br /><span style="color: #222222; font-weight: bold;">60. Carob chips</span><br /><span style="color: #222222; font-weight: bold;">61. S’mores</span><br /><b><span style="color: red;">62. Sweetbreads</span></b><br /><span style="color: #222222;">63. Kaolin</span><br /><span style="color: #222222;">64. Currywurst</span><br /><span style="color: #222222;">65. Durian</span><br /><span style="color: #222222;">66. Frogs’ legs</span><br /><span style="color: #222222; font-weight: bold;">67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake</span><br /><span style="color: #222222;">68. Haggis</span><br /><span style="color: #222222; font-weight: bold;">69. Fried plantain</span><br /><span style="color: #222222;">70. Chitterlings, or andouillette</span><br /><span style="color: #222222; font-weight: bold;">71. Gazpacho</span><br /><span style="color: #222222; font-weight: bold;">72. Caviar and blini</span><br /><span style="color: #222222;">73. Louche absinthe</span><br /><span style="color: #222222;">74. Gjetost, or brunost</span><br /><span style="color: #222222;">75. Roadkill</span><br /><span style="color: #222222;">76. Baijiu</span><br /><span style="color: #222222; font-weight: bold;">77. Hostess Fruit Pie</span><br /><b><span style="color: red;">78. Snail<br />79. Lapsang souchong</span></b><br /><span style="color: #222222; font-weight: bold;">80. Bellini</span><br /><span style="color: #222222;">81. Tom yum</span><br /><span style="color: #222222; font-weight: bold;">82. Eggs Benedict</span><br /><span style="color: #222222;">83. Pocky</span><br /><span style="color: #222222;">84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant.</span><br /><b><span style="color: red;">85. Kobe beef<br />86. Hare<br />87. Goulash</span></b><br /><span style="color: #222222; font-weight: bold;">88. Flowers</span><br /><span style="color: #222222;">89. Horse</span><br /><span style="color: #222222;">90. Criollo chocolate</span><br /><span style="color: #222222; font-weight: bold;">91. Spam</span><br /><span style="color: #222222; font-weight: bold;">92. Soft shell crab</span><br /><span style="color: #222222;">93. Rose harissa</span><br /><span style="color: #222222; font-weight: bold;">94. Catfish</span><br /><span style="color: #222222; font-weight: bold;">95. Mole poblano</span><br /><span style="color: #222222; font-weight: bold;">96. Bagel and lox</span><br /><span style="color: #222222;">97. Lobster Thermidor</span><br /><span style="color: #222222; font-weight: bold;">98. Polenta</span><br /><span style="color: #222222; font-weight: bold;">99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee</span><br /><span style="color: #222222;">100. Snake</span></blockquote>
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I'm so close!!! </div>
airstreamdivahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18043710217550992723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9399507.post-6127870408818992062013-02-13T14:15:00.001-06:002013-02-13T14:15:22.088-06:00Tiny is beautiful<br />
I'm kind of obsessed with tiny space living.....makes me nostalgic about my Airstream days. Watching vids like this makes my 550sqft feel palatial!<br />
<br />
Like this guy who lives in 78 square feet... what???!!<br />
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But I really like the stories about people who are building their own tiny homes...<br />
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I love how these people are taking control of their own lives, deciding that they are not going to be slaves to a big mortgage, or that owning STUFF is less important than living a quality life. <br />
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Very inspiring, don't you think?airstreamdivahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18043710217550992723noreply@blogger.com1