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LAPL at Home | The Inevitable

i’ve got 29 books and 1 doc out on loan.  these are just a few of the books i’ve got at home.

This is obvious, isn’t it?  All the time I’ve spent at the farmers’ markets in the last year and a half falling in love with fruit after fruit and veg after veg.  Well, that and the thing with the chickens* and, um, getting weirded out about the pork fat in the freezer.

I’ve been moving in this direction.  Making a transition to a place I’ve been before, but I feel like I’m better informed this time around with plenty of resources at my fingertips.  I’m, also, able to give a shrug to some veg and vegan cookbooks, not feeling beholden to them just because.

Starting to dig in to the stack above.  The Asian Vegan Kitchen and The Tropical Vegan Kitchen are really giving me life right now.  You should see how excited I am flipping through The Tropical Vegan Kitchen and seeing my childhood on page after page.

N♥

Chicken: Exhibit A & B

 

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LAPL at Home | Catching Up

I’ve had 30 books out on loan for the last couple of months.  This is just some of what’s been at home.

It’s been a bit since I’ve written about anything, really.  And books?  Well, it’s been even longer.  Russel Simmons’ Super Rich was much more interesting* than I expected.  Five Ingredient Fix, not so much.

Still looking for my pliers and at books about making jewelry.

N♥

*I appreciate that RS is speaking from his own place of truth and connecting to people.  I’d been reading the book on the train, occasionally trying to hide the cover.  As I was close to finishing, a middle-aged white man notices the book and tells me that was touched greatly by it.  This was not the audience for the book I was expecting and in some ways that’s the point of the interconnectedness of our human experience and the common pursuit of sustainable happiness.

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LAPL At Home | Making Spaces

i have 25 books out on loan.  this is just a little of what’s at home.

I adore my apartment.  Without qualification.  But, with the new year, I’ve made a few changes.  Trashed the herbs and plants on the windowsill.  The, uh, natural elements are a bit much when it’s too cold to keep the window open. (♥: Bugs, eek!) Replaced them with jars of beads and other “girl, make something!” things.

Looking for a bit of inspiration and reference, I picked up a few books from the library.  Normally, Haven: Cozy Hideaways and Dream Retreats wouldn’t have made it home, but I was running behind and just grabbed the book from the hold shelf.  I know what I’m looking for and this book really wasn’t it.  The Beach Retreat had an image or two that I kinda found interesting.  This would have so been a quick flip through at the library if I had time.  If you have the opportunity, check it out.  Maybe it’s your speed.  Amazon has it used for freakishly cheap.

While I’m not sure I’d buy Penny Saving Household Helper, I am most definitely committing things to memory.  It might actually be cute in a hostess gift basket or new grad housewarming gift-bundle.  Because, really, it’s not an only gift thing, more like one of many.  I’m actually having problems finishing this because I can’t put it down.  No, really.  I stop typing and my left hand goes in.

I’m so glad I’m getting over myself.  While I noticed how “not my aesthetic” the artwork in  Creative Time and Space: Making Room for Making Art is, I’m allowing the information to be my guide.  Um, and Ricë Freeman-Zachery’s author photo is kinda badass.  Trying to judge less, so I can learn more.

The last year has been all about process and my obsession with it.  I didn’t know how to take pleasure in the doing part.  Loved starting.  Always knew how things would end.  Never really contemplated the work.  I think it was seeing Gorky at MOCA when I realized how intrigued I’d become with process, even more than outcome.  It was in the MOCA store that I first saw Inside The Painter’s Studio.  And this is my second time taking it out.  Joe Fig, you had me at the paint splattered on the cover and artist questionnaire.

I love that this takes longer to write because I keep stealing moments to read.  I really do want to just dive in.

N♥

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LAPL At Home | Let’s Take It From The Top

i’ve got 26 books and a horror flick out on loan.  this is most of what’s at home…

I  got a little ahead of myself.

Months ago, I started thinking about chronicling what an amazing resource the Los Angeles Public Library is and hopefully, will continue to be.(♥: Shade to the Mayor and City Council, intended.)  It’s given me the opportunity to really spend time with books instead of being swayed by aesthetics and a discount at my old house of worship, Barnes and Noble.

I still ache a little when I think about all the books I sold when I packed up and moved west.  Okay, I ache a lot.  The cookbooks took the biggest hit because they’d cost the most to ship.  So, slowly, I’m re-building my collection, using LAPL for research.  Mindfully, looking at the books for more than just a recipe.

The Obvi and Superficial…

Ummm, The Good Stuff Cookbook.  Spike’s cute, I watch Top Chef and he kinda had me at Old Bay Mayonnaise.  There, I’ll admit that.  But, I’m probably a little more critical of the book because of it as well.  Eh, on cursory glance, the photographs don’t grab me at all.  I don’t know why the pictures of the salads and anything with corn annoy me, but they do.  Otherwise, it looks fun.  We’ll see.

Because I Can Can…

Took a bit of a canning/putting up break over the holidays.  Still building my canning library.  Spending time with Putting Food By, The Joy of Keeping a Root Cellar, Urban Pantry, Preserve It!, Canning for a New Generation.  It’s so different reading them for pleasure/information and not looking for Can Jam inspiration.

I Like The World At My Table…

I am so lucky that my mom introduced us to the world when we were kids, even if I HATED IT. (♥: Tofu and Bulgur, still not feeling you) The flavors that I loved make the global culinary adventure exciting and familiar.  I think this year is going to be a serious South Asian exploration.  I wish it weren’t all from books, though.  There was that guy who… Oh, you don’t know that story.  I might have to actually read Ginger and Ganesh.  It’s more a memoir with recipes.

Still trying to feel my way around Japanese cooking without much luck.  Simply Japanese went back to LAPL pretty quickly.

I’m working on an In Bed With | Momofuku.  I can’t remember if this is the second or third time it’s made it home.

On Your Recommendation…

For a minute there, I thought I was losing it.  I couldn’t remember why I wanted to check out Rose’s Heavenly Cakes.  Then, it hit me.  My favorite librarian thought I might like it and held it aside for me.  J’adore her.

I always check out the book section on the Anthro site and cross-reference with LAPL to see if I can’t get my hands on the curated goodness.  It tends to take a while after release, but I’ve become patient.  I first saw The Commonsense Kitchen and Sweety Pies there.

The Odd Man Out…

I’ve been taking out fewer doing books lately.  Sometimes, I like to give up on the illusion that I’m going to make something.  It’s easier that way.  And since I’ve always had a penchant for buying expensive yarn that tends to pill like crazy, I thought it was time to take a few steps back and learn more about it with The Knitter’s Book of Wool.

Time to dig it before this batch of books comes due.

N♥