Oinge

A Canoe for Two

2014-06-10T16:23:00.002-07:00

It's been a minute since I've checked in. And not unlike my presence around here, I had been pretty much a shut-in for most of last week, spending many more days in my PJ's than I'd like to admit. In my defense though, I had a pretty rushed deadline to meet (more on this later) and didn't have time to waste on personal hygiene. That's right folks, this girl's got her priorities straight.

At any rate, I didn't actually sign on today to reveal any more confessions about my distressing grooming habits (disappointing I know). Rather, I wanted to finally share an overdue post about our first Seattle canoe trip through Mercer Slough Nature Park. With the cooperation of some ridiculously beautiful weather, T and I headed for Enatai Beach Park a couple weekends ago where we rented a two person canoe for what turned out to be a pretty fun foray into boating.

Seriously Good Sammiches

2014-05-30T12:20:00.003-07:00

A couple weeks ago, we were watching Guy Fieri's Triple D on TV when this biscuit place in Portland that T's been raving about for years happened to come up. As Portland is only 2 hours away, this triggered a full on search for the cheapest available Air Bnb places in the Portland area during Memorial Day weekend so that I could finally experience the magic that is Pine Street Biscuits. Unfortunately, with such short notice, pickings were slim and we opted to stay in town for the Seattle Sketcher exhibit instead. I had just resigned myself to a longer wait for biscuit sandwiches when a crazy stroke of luck had us wandering into Serious Pie and Biscuit after our museum visit.

Here's what we got...

* Crispy hamhock, collard greens with smoked onions

It's hard for me to ever pass up collard greens and this sandwich is a great example of why. Generally sweet, savory foods are not my fav but I gladly make an exception for the hamhocks in this sandwich. Sweet, smoky, buttery goodness... I think this sandwich is my new happy place.

* Fried chicken, tabasco black pepper gravy

The chicken on this sandwich was so ridiculously moist that the juices literally started streaming out of it when T cut it in half to share. Our server kindly put the gravy on the side (T is lactose challenged) which I think allowed us to get an even larger helping of the gloriously flavorful gravy than we would have otherwise (score!). The biscuit had a great consistency that held up in all the chicken juice and gravy without being too doughy or dense.

These guys are definitely serious about their biscuit sandwiches. And we couldn't be happier.

Do It for Dad

2014-05-29T14:32:00.000-07:00

When I first started up the shop, I was living in Kenya and preparing to move back to the States. That said, I wasn't going to have the space to maintain any kind of inventory or have reliable access to a functioning postal service for awhile (which made the idea of opening up an online shop that much more ludicrous). Luckily, Etsy had recently started allowing store owners to sell digital goods that customers could download directly. Despite having some serious doubts, I decided to upload a set of printable DIY Valentine's Day cards to see what would happen. Much to my surprise, I had a handful of buyers within the first couple weeks and the digital cards continue to be my best selling items. With that in mind, I thought I'd add to the selection of printable DIY cards at the shop and came up with these origami shirt cards for Father's Day.

There are three different designs to choose from which I am affectionately calling office hero, western hero, and Olympic hero (because all dads can be heroes no matter where they work). Each card can be instantly downloaded as a "kit" which includes a shirt template and fully illustrated folding instructions. Come on over for a closer look!

Inspired

2014-05-28T14:03:00.001-07:00

Maybe it's hormornes, but I've been feeling particularly inspired lately. Between the film festival and museum exhibits, I can't remember the last time I've been this overwhelmed with creative stimulation. It's both daunting and exhilarating.

Among the many things that sent me over the moon last week is the Museum of History and Industry's (MOHAI) exhibit of Gabriel Campanario's Seattle sketches. T happened to spy a poster for this show while out to lunch a couple weeks ago. It had the look of something that would be right up our alley and after a quick google search and chat, we sealed the deal to go check it out. Come this past Saturday, with only a couple days left of the exhibit, we high tailed it over to MOHAI first thing in the morning. Despite my better judgement, I went with soaring expectations, and believe it or not, it managed to exceed them all. It certainly was one of those few love at first sight moments.

After almost two hours of wandering through the exhibit, only the most ravenous of hunger pangs could get us to even think about leaving. Even then, I honestly never wanted to go... I loved it that much. But rather than risking a hanger induced homicide I would be sure to regret, I thought it was best to to say good bye to the Seattle Sketcher and set out in search of food. Besides, I figured that's probably what Campanario would want, for us to go forth and discover Seattle for ourselves.

Shop Update - Cards for Dad

2014-05-16T18:58:00.000-07:00

It's been a very busy week here at oinge as I've been working on Father's Day card designs. Speaking of which, two of my new cards just went live at the shop. Go check them out here! And stay tuned for downloadable DIY designs coming next week!

While I'm proud of my hard work this week, I'm so ready for the weekend!

Hope you all have a good one!

See you next week.

Flick Picks

2014-05-15T21:30:00.000-07:00

Last week, a friend of mine texted me and tipped me off about the Seattle International Film Festival that's actually kicking off today. In his message, he mentioned something about it being the biggest film festival in the world. And at the time, I passed it off as an exaggeration made to impress the point that it's a damn big film festival. But then when I started looking at the line up films, I quickly began to realize that we wasn't really embellishing. To say the collection of films being shown is overwhelming is an understatement and there is certainly no shortage of critically-acclaimed films that promise to tell insightful and captivating stories. So the challenge wasn't just in going through the films but in also trimming the list down to a select and manageable few. That said, I tried to prioritize films that would be difficult to see outside of the festival and after a long morning of research, I think I've been able to put together a list of my top picks.

The Search for General Tso

Growing up, General Tso's Chicken was one of the go-to dishes that my parents would order any time we ate out at a Chinese restaurant. It wasn't until I started dating T that I learned that it's not actually an authentic Chinese dish and that it's not obvious who exactly General Tso is. Since then, getting to the bottom of General Tso is actually something that T and I have talked about a number of times so when we found out that a documentary had been made about that exact topic, our curiosity was definitely piqued. In all honesty, I don't expect that we'll be presented with a neat solution to the mystery but I'm no less excited to go check out the film.

Unforgiven

I'm not entirely sure why, but I am a total sucker for Westerns and am always hoping that they'll come back into vogue and be made more regularly. So when I discovered that a Japanese remake had been made of Clint Eastwood's Unforgiven, it goes without saying that I was pretty psyched. Rotten Tomatoes gives this latest version a 100% rating!! ...granted that's only after 14 reviews but it's a start that's promising enough for me!

Dior and I

Like so many things in my life, I have a love-hate relationship with the world of fashion. Often times the designs are as baffling as the price point, it perpetuates unhealthy body images among men and women, and it seems to epitomize the ugly materialism and superficiality of humanity. At the same time, I love experimenting and expressing myself through my wardrobe. And I'll admit that sometimes it feels really damn good to get suited up and strut your stuff. But either way, when all things are said and done, one thing always holds true for me: I can't deny nor can I resist being mesmerized by the incredible amount of craftsmanship that goes into making an article of clothing. And that's what I hope to get out of the documentary 'Dior and I.' Going behind the scenes of the House of Christian Dior, it follows newly appointed Artistic Director Raf Simons as he creates his debut collection during a harrowing eight week process. It's bound to have loads of drama and plenty of couture eye candy but I'm also betting on it to be a force of inspiration.

Dear White People

Because I don't want to get into a lengthy diatribe about race relations in America, I won't go into why I have high hopes for this film, but I will say that at this point, anticipation is nothing short of astronomical... which is is usually the perfect recipe for massive disappointment. But the reviews I've seen so far for this flick have been practically flawless (a must see by The Stranger and 100% on Rotten Tomatoes) and the cast includes Tyler James Williams (Everybody Hates Chris) and Dennis Haysbert (24) ... so I have to ask, how the heck am I supposed to temper my expectations?! All I can do is keep my fingers crossed and hope that Justin Simien doesn't let me down!

Animation 4 Adults
Before we moved to Kenya, T and I had an annual tradition of watching all the Oscar-nominated animated shorts at the theater. This past year, we just missed out as we moved back to the States just as the Oscars aired but I'm finding that we still might be able to get our fix through 'Animation4Adults,' a compilation of standout animated shorts. The line up includes Bill Plympton's 'Drunker than a Skunk' and 'Passer Passer' by Louis Morton. For the full play list and show times, check out SIFF's wesite here.

Photos: Cinema Uptown / Search for General Tso / Unforgiven / Dior and I / Dear White People / Animation4Adults

BTW

2014-05-09T11:58:00.000-07:00

Here's a handful of things I'm up and into lately in my corner of the universe...

Get the scoop...

Kina Grannis / The Odyssey / Seattle International Film Festival / Artisan Stand Mixer /

Herkimer Coffee

Taco Libre and the Birthday Boy

2014-05-08T21:46:00.000-07:00

T turned a year older last Sunday and to celebrate we went to a couple festivals that were going on in the city, starting with the Cinco de Mayo Mobile Food Rodeo. While we missed the actual Taco Libre that took place the day before, we didn't let that stop us from conducting a taco taste test of our own... nor did we let the rain clouds get us down either. With two solid blocks of food trucks, we were expecting to be more than overwhelmed with choices but there turned out to be just enough to fill us up for lunch without busting a gut.

Nosh, The Food Truck

The most memorably delicious taco that I've ever had to date was a lengua taco that was served up at the picnic wedding reception our friends threw for us in Golden Gate Park. That taco has since been seared into my mind with legendary status so when we saw that Nosh was serving up Taco de Lenguas, I was eager to relive that experience. Unfortunately it wasn't quite what we were hoping for but still no less interesting. Nosh's lengua was incredibly tender, taking on an almost stew like taste and consistency. While it was very different from what we were expecting, it still served as a promising beginning to our taco tasting journey.

Contiga

Parked next door to Nosh, Contiga offered a carnitas taco so we didn't have to go far for our next fix. While it looked and smelled promising, I was surprised at how underwhelming the flavors turned out to be. I'm not sure why but it was as if the whole thing was on gustatory mute. I know this place gets consistently rave reviews on yelp so we may have to give this one another try some day.

Marination

The defending champion of last year's taco battle, Marination is known for its Korean/Hawaiian fusion menu. True to form, they had a Kalbi taco and an "al pastor" variation inspired by spicy Korean pork BBQ. One bite of each and I could understand why they were last year's winners. They had the biggest flavors of any of the tacos we had eaten that day... Unfortunately maybe even a little too big as I thought the Kalbi was a bit on the salty side. I was however intrigued by their Nunya Sauce, a Marination original invention, which is mainly made with kochujang, mayo and a slew of other secret ingredients (can't wait to try at home). The Taco al Pork Star was a lot more balanced as the pineapple added a welcomed dose of sweet acidity.

Barriga Llena
While all the tacos we had eaten thus far were interesting, I found myself kind of pining after a more O.G. taco while reminiscing about the tacos I used to get in the Mission district and Oakland when I was living in the Bay Area. That said, Barriga Llena was a welcome sight and ended up being our favorites of the day. Goes to show, you just can't beat a classic.

After getting our fill of tacos, we headed to Belltown's Cinerama to partake in another festival celebrating yet another one of T's favorite things: Sci-fi movies! Neither one of us had seen the original Tron that apparently came out in the 80's but we both enjoyed the more recent version so we figured we'd give it a try. I have to say I was a little apprehensive about seeing it as I'm not the biggest sci-fi enthusiast but it ended up being pleasantly surprising ride. While it was clearly dated, the special effects were still impressive and many of the ideas and concepts it brings up were pretty intriguing.

All in all, I think both T and I enjoyed the day and I was pretty thankful to be living in a city that seemed to celebrate many of things that we love. I know it wasn't like Seattle the city had planned things around T's birthday but it certainly felt that way and let me tell you it felt pretty special.

Photo Credits: Tron poster from Tron Wiki , Tron screenshot from the Disney Wiki

Date Night

2014-05-07T21:51:00.001-07:00

The weather was so ridiculously beautiful last week that T and I decided to get out and explore more of Seattle. So we suited up and headed downtown on the 73 bus for an evening of fun. Our first stop was the Seattle Art Museum to catch the Miro show that we'd been meaning see ever since we moved here.

First Thursdays

As it was the first Thursday of the month, we got into the museum for free and paid a discounted rate to get into the Miro special exhibit. Thursday also meant that the museum was open till later (9pm to be exact) so we could take our time getting lost in the art.

As the exhibit was on the third floor, we couldn't help but pass many pieces from the museum's more regular collection on the way. With so much to see, it was hard not to get distracted and quite a challenge to stay disciplined enough to make it the the Miro exhibit.

SAM vs. DAM

Among the "distractions" was The Bronco Buster, a bronze statue by Frederic Remington which is on loan from the Denver Art Museum. Apparently the two museums made a bet about whose team would win the Superbowl. Thanks to the Seahawks victory, Seattle gets to proudly host the iconic piece.

Eventually we were able to drag ourselves away from the regular collections and make it to Miro. Unlike the exhibit we saw a few years ago in Washington, DC which focused on Miro's earlier work, this exhibit focuses on the last twenty years or so of his career. By this point his style has evolved into the style that I most associate with Miro. While it was obviously inspiring to see his work, it was also unexpectedly comforting to see his more familiar looking pieces again.

That's not to say there weren't a few surprises however. While I am familiar with many of Miro's paintings, I wasn't aware that he had also been a prolific sculptor as well. Included in the exhibit are a number of Miro's sculptures that were often made with found objects. It was therefore fun to dissect each one and identify how and with what it had been assembled. I also enjoyed how some of the titles for his sculptural works seemed to be a bit more colorful than those of his paintings.

By the time we stepped out the Miro show, we were both starving so we high tailed it over to a little Japanese restaurant in the International District called Maneki. T had eaten there weeks before with work colleagues and had been raving about it ever since so I was super excited to finally be introduced.

With great anticipation we walked into Maneki only to be stunned by the news that it would be an hour long wait for a table. Luckily however we were able to snag the last two seats at the bar which is my preferred way to dine at Japanese restaurants anyways. We quickly got to work on the menu and I have to say everything we ended up trying was every bit as good as T had hyped... maybe even better. The vibe is unpretentious, the price point more than fair, the portions large, and the flavors even larger. And just when I thought that I couldn't love Maneki any more, we found out that it's been around for over a hundred years!! First established in 1904 and having survived the Japanese American internment of WWII, it's not only a restaurant but something of a historic landmark in the history of Asian Americans in Seattle.

Deliriously full after our meal, we stumbled to a nearby station and bus-ed it back home in food induced bliss before succumbing to full blown food coma at home. Not the most romantic ending to a date night but certainly no less happy.

Photo credits: William Cordova's 'Machu Picchu After Dark,' Frederic Remington's 'The Bronco Buster,' and all pictures of Miro and his work taken from the Seattle Art Museum webpage. Maneki store front from Cameras and Cuisines. Black Cod collar bone from Zagat.

Shopping for Mom

2014-05-01T15:01:00.002-07:00

1.) Assorted French Cards from Rifle Paper Co.

Ever since I left for college, I've lived pretty much half way around the world from Mom. While we talk, text, and email pretty regularly, I know what she cherishes most of all is a handwritten card or letter. Why not get a box of pretty cards to get the ball rolling and help us stay in touch the old skool way?

2.) Verbena Hand Lotion from L'Occitane

Mom is always getting on my sister and I about wearing gloves while washing dishes and moisturizing regularly to make sure we don't end up with rough hands. But I feel like she rarely ever does these things herself. Maybe it's time we looked after her and made sure she takes her own advice.

3.) Nixon Time Teller Mini Watch

The last time we were in Korea, Mom's faithful watch of several years finally died. With such a busy schedule, I know keeping track of time is a must for her. I'm sure she'd appreciate a replacement, especially one that's as sleek as this.

4.) Sophia Zip Wallet from Banana Republic

It's been awhile since either my sister or I bought Mom a new wallet... and I'm willing to bet money that she hasn't bought herself a replacement. When it comes to wallets, she's always veered towards the ever practical colors of black or brown that "go with everything." I think this Mother's Day might be the perfect time to give her a more colorful update.

5.) Felt Brooch from PinkiWorld on Etsy

Mom has an awesome collection of unique and beautiful brooches so when I saw the brooches made by PinkiWorld on Etsy, I immediately thought of her. Each is handmade with felt, beads, Swarovski crystals, and zippers (my favorite part) and shaped into a unique, one-of-a-kind design. I could totally see Mom rocking one of these while attending a work meeting or social event.

Element of Surprise

2014-04-30T17:01:00.000-07:00

I love pop up cards. Maybe it's the engineer in me, but I love figuring out how they're built and I love the way they literally add another dimension to an otherwise 2 dimensional affair. But most of all (and I may be stating the obvious here), I love how they all rely on the element of surprise. No matter how simple or complicated, I have yet to meet a pop up card that hasn't surprised me in some way. So when I set out to design some Mother's Day cards for the shop earlier this month, I knew I wanted to make cards that not only delivered a message but a pleasantly surprising experience as well. As Mother's Day was just a month away and we were (and still are) living among many yet-to-be-unpacked boxes, this proved to be a pretty formidable task. But after a handful of late nights and thanks to the help of a very patient husband and Amazon Prime, I present to you two new Mother's Day pop up cards!

The first design (above), is a play on the ubiquitous Mother's Day bouquet of flowers. People have often complained about the price of flowers this time of year, especially since they rarely last more than 2 weeks. So here's a bouquet that's bound to never wilt. It packs flat like a normal card but then push the "hinged" card stock pieces into place and you instantly have a 3D bouquet of beautiful blooms!

My second design (below) is a nod to my childhood days when I used to print out giant banners on our dot matrix printer to surprise my parents on their birthdays. This time I fit the banner inside a 8.5" x 3.5" card and suspended it between two sunflowers that stand up on their own as the card is opened. It may not be as big as a full sized banner, but I'd argue that it's no less surprising!

So if you haven't already figured out what you're getting Mom for Mother's Day, it's not too late to place an order with us. Your purchase will be sent out within one business day and shipping is free! So comm'on over! We'd love to see you there!

Cute as a Button

2014-04-24T09:35:00.000-07:00

Going along with the African kitenge theme, I've also uploaded a handful of kitenge button earrings onto the shop. Unlike the tote bags that I introduced the other day however, I can't take any credit for bringing these beauties into the world. They are in fact a Kenyan crafts fair find that I fell in love with at first sight.

While I have always been fond of kitenge fabric, it has also always been a little bit intimidating to "pull off," especially in the form of a two piece suit or full maxi dress. And as someone who isn’t African, the risk of it back-firing seemed to escalate ten fold. So when I ran into Pauline's kitenge button earrings, my heart leaped for joy. Her earrings captured the funkiness and vibrancy that I love about kitenges but in doses that I totally felt confident rocking. I had arrived at my entry point into the world of African fashion.

But when I learned more about her process and how all of her accessories are made with recycled fabric and local artisans, I really couldn’t put any of them down or out of my mind for that matter. Having found a product that I love made by people that I admire, I really felt compelled to share them with a wider audience which is why I'm proud to include them in my shop.

Hope you'll stop by for a closer look! While the earrings have less to do with Earth Day, you can still use the code HEARTEARTH15 for 15% off your entire purchase! Valid till the end of the month so hurry on over

Happy Earth Day!

2014-04-22T15:44:00.000-07:00

It's been pretty quiet around here on oinge for a while but that's not to say we haven't been up to much. We've been moving, unpacking, building, cleaning, shopping, eating, and generally living it up in our new digs (more on that later)! But one of the things I'm most excited about is the new line of products I've developed and added to the store!! So without further ado, I present to you oinge's African Kitenge Packable Totebags!!

I started making these bags while we were living in Kenya when I combined my love for kitenge fabric with my need for reuseable grocery bags that could be carried around easily. I had seen and used other packable tote bags before but never liked how they usually involved fumbling with straps or searching for small separate carrying pouches. So I tried sewing in a little pouch on the inside of the tote into which the rest of the bag could be folded or stuffed. After a handful of iterations, I came upon this packable design.

And when the pouch isn't being used to store the bag, it can be used to hold your keys, cellphone, or change purse to prevent them from getting lost or damaged at the bottom.

Handmade by me with beautiful African wax print “kitenge” fabric, each bag is one-of-a-kind as the fabric print aligns a little differently on every bag. Handles are made with cotton fabric in complimentary colors and topstitched with an “X” for extra strength. Come have a closer look at my shop!!

Earth Day Sale!!

Get 15% off your purchase if you use the code: HEARTEARTH15.

Valid until April 30, 2014.

BTW

2014-03-25T11:16:00.000-07:00

Since signing the lease on our new apt, things have been a lot calmer... but that's not to say it's been any less busier. Binge watching Netflix, dried kim chi, new appliances and apps... these are a few of the things that we've been up to this past week or so. Here's the skinny on some of the highlights...

For a closer look ...

The Wind Rises / Brother CS 6000i / Chinook Book / Miss Representation / Trader Joe's Dried Kim Chi

Window Shopping

2014-03-20T11:23:00.001-07:00

When asked what I wanted for my 14th birthday, I decided on an armchair for my room. As my contemporaries were asking for belly button piercings and electric purple Doc Martin's, I think my parents were pretty relieved while my friends were mildly confused by my request. For the life of me, I can't remember what brought me to decide on a chair but to this day I credit that moment as the beginning of my love affair with furniture design and interior decorating.

Every time we've moved to a new home since then, I always get practically giddy with excitement over the prospect of redecorating a new place (or as I like to think of it, a new blank canvas). Of course, we've never been such high rollers that a new place constituted buying a whole new set of furniture, but it does usually open the door for one or two new additions to join our existing "collection." Our upcoming move on Apr 1 is certainly no exception and I've already been transfixed with the idea of getting a couple new armchairs to replace the two that we had to leave in Kenya. Here are a couple that have recently caught my eye during my obsessive internet window shopping sprees...

Get the deets...

Cushioned Woodwork Chair from Anthropologie / Pennie Chair from Crate and Barrel / Strandmon Wing Chair from Ikea / Gobelin Chair from 'name design studio' via Etsy / Elton Chair from West Elm

New Kids on the Block

2014-03-19T11:53:00.001-07:00

It's hard to believe, but we actually made it! We. Are. In. Seattle!! And what's more amazing is that no one got arrested by immigration and we didn't lose any of our seven checked bags in the process! I know what some of you may be thinking... arrested?! seven checked bags?!?! But if you had any idea of what our international travel track record has been like this past year and/or have ever had to move your entire life cross hemispheres, you'd think of this as nothing short of a minor miracle too.

So we've been here for about two and a half weeks now and I have to apologize for the extended radio silence around here in the meantime. To say that we've been through a lot both mentally and physically since we arrived is kind of an understatement. As T only had the first week off from work, we wasted no time with kicking our housing hunt into hyper drive. In the meantime, as we found ourselves looking at 4 to 5 apts a day all across Seattle, it became apparent to us that a car would be imperative to our housing hunt (among other things). So what do we do? We start shopping for a car in addition to our housing search... as if finding a house wasn't enough of a challenge by itself.

It's right about now that I came to fully understand why moving between countries is so difficult. Normally when you move, you're just moving your old stuff into a new home that you've found. When you move between countries, you're moving your entire life... so it's not just the house you have to find, but everything else... like a new cell phone plan, a new car, and new health insurance just for starters.

Speaking of health insurance, by now, the stresses of moving were now starting to take it's toll on me in the form of a mysterious little "sore" that exploded into a blistery rash across my face. A frantic trip to the Immediate Clinic in Ballard, revealed that I had come down with a case of the shingles. Seriously, shingles?!?! T and I have often described ourselves as "old and boring" thirty somethings going on 60 but it was a little disturbing how much of this was becoming true. At any rate, with the help of some awesome prescription drugs, I'm slowly making a comeback.

Despite my health taking hit, we did manage to buy a car and sign a lease on a house in the end so it wasn't all for naught. These days, I've just been taking my time nursing myself back to health and enjoying our surroundings. Seattle truly is a city of neighborhoods... most of which we've found to be insanely hip and friendly. As far as we can tell, mix Brooklyn with Berkeley together, flush out the pretension with a healthy does of rain and you've got Seattle. For now, we're based in a temporary studio in Phinney Ridge until we move into our new home on April 1. Our new place is in University District (which I've heard is just as nice) but I'm worried that by then, it'll already be hard to tear ourselves away from Phinney Ridge, which we're coming to love more and more with each passing day. And here's a couple reasons why...

For a closer look...

Sip & Ship / The Flourish Collection / Bluebird Ice Cream / Terra Bella Flowers & Mercantile / Ludlow / Fire Station 21

Ready or not...

2014-02-28T02:53:00.000-08:00

...here we come, Seattle! Our bags are packed and our flight is scheduled to take off tomorrow. I just hope everything continues to go smoothly for the next 48 hours. If all goes according to plan, we should arrive with plenty of time to settle in and tune into the Oscars! Our first week will probably be busy... getting over jetlag, scouring craigslist ads, figuring out neighborhoods... it might be a little while before I can get back on here again but stay tuned. The next time you hear from me, hopefully it'll be from our new home!

Photo: Wikipedia

BTW

2014-02-27T01:27:00.000-08:00

A handful of things to note this week...

For a closer look...

1. LeanIn.org and Getty Images in the Times / 2. The Story of Legend and Song / 3. Mazda Miata / 4. The Oscars Trailer ; photo credit - Standard Examiner

Test Kitchen - Chocolate Chunk Honey Walnut Cookies

2014-02-26T03:18:00.001-08:00

With all my baking pans sold and our pantry still half full, I decided I'd try and tackle a cookie recipe next. As we had a large bag of walnuts and a whole jar of honey, I did a google search for a recipe that would incorporate both ingredients. I eventually settled on this recipe from Baking Bites.

I was pleased to find that not only was the recipe super easy to follow, it also yielded a dozen of the chewiest cookies ever. Thanks to the honey, they also had a unique sweet flavor that we soon found to be pretty irresistible. With more honey and walnuts to go, I decided to make a second, third, and fourth batch to which I added some dark and white chocolate chunks (left over from when I made peppermint bark). The result was the chunkiest, chewiest cookie I've had in recent memory. We still can't decide if we like the white chocolate or the dark chocolate cookies better, but I guarantee that either are bound to put a smile on your face.

Chocolate Chunk Honey Walnut Cookies
Adapted from Baking Bites

1 c. all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 cup brown sugar (pref. light)
1/4 c. vegetable oil
1/3 c. honey
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/3 c. chopped walnuts
1/3 c. white/dark baking chocolate, chopped into chunks

1.) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2.) In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar.

3.) In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, honey, and vanilla extract. Then pour into the flour mixture. Stir until almost combined.

4.) Stir in walnuts and chocolate chunks until they are well distributed throughout the cookie dough.

5.) Shape the dough into 12 round balls (approx 1-inch in diameter) and place onto the prepared baking sheet.

6.) Bake for 10 minutes or until cookies are slightly browned around the edges.

7.) Cool on baking sheet for 2-3 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Assembly Line

2014-02-25T06:13:00.001-08:00

It's hard to imagine that we only have four days left in Kenya. While I'm excited to be in Seattle. I am trying to appreciate all the things we love about Kenya while we can... namely the great friends we've made here, the tangy baby bananas, and the beautiful weather. Today's forecast for Seattle according to google calls for 90% chance of precipitation and a high of 55 degrees F... guess it'll be awhile before I can wear something like this again...

1. Skye Floral Print Playsuit / 2. Stone Cluster Hard Bangle from Free People / 3. Ribbon-Wrapped D'Orsays from Anthropologie / 4. Mar Y Sol Sanibel Tote via Pink Mascara / 5. Ray-Ban Classic Wayfarer Sunglasses via JCrew

Workspace Envy

2014-02-21T06:25:00.001-08:00

While I can not stress how much I hate moving, I have to admit that I'm pretty excited about being in Seattle and finding a new apt. Maybe it's because our current apt is drastically disappearing, (we've been frantically selling as much of our stuff) but I've been finding myself fantasizing about my new home and especially my new workspace more and more. For the past couple weeks, I've been stalking 2 bedroom apartments on craigslist and as T will probably work from home on most days too, we'll probably end up designating one of the bedrooms as our "office." Here are a handful of inspirational pins I found while daydreaming on pinterest today.

One of things I've always wanted to try taking the time to do is resurrect old furniture. That said, I'd really love to incorporate more vintage pieces in our new home, maybe even starting with the office?

When working on a project (or 2 or 3..) I'm pretty notorious for taking over all of the horizontal surfaces of the house. Maybe if I invested in getting a large, centralized work surface, I'd be less inclined to spill over into the rest of our home.

While perusing through pinterest, I noticed that the workspaces I was most drawn to had less to do with the configuration of the space or the furniture that had been incorporated and instead had more to do with the artwork hanging on the walls. I guess that's why they call them "inspiration boards." I've been a fan of Joy Cho's blog for awhile now but her recent post seemed to coincide perfectly with what's been on my mind lately.

The flip side to having a large, centralized workspace is having a workspace that wraps all the way around with you in the center. I remember taking a similar approach one year when setting up my classroom and loved that I was no more than a couple feet away from every student in the class. I'm betting that this strategy could translate well into my home office too.

For more inspiration, check out my inspirational workspace board on pinterest!

1. Duitang / 2. Apartment Therapy / 3. Decorology / 4. Joy Cho / 5. Curbly

BTW

2014-02-19T07:50:00.000-08:00

Here's a round up things that have caught my attention this week...

Get it from the source...

1. The Walking Dead on AMC / 2. Build Your Own Marshmallow Catapult by Seedling for goop / 3. The Rise and Fall of Penn Station on PBS / 4. Episode 101: Cover Story on 99% Invisible

Test Kitchen - Bin Dae Dduk

2014-02-18T04:18:00.000-08:00

Moving forward with "Operation Eat My Pantry," I found half a bag of peeled, split, and dried yellow mung beans which instantly brought back memories of helping my mom fry up countless bin dae dduks the night before Chuseok dinner. While I had watched my mother make them numerous times throughout my childhood, I had never actually made them myself. Feeling very grown up, I decided it was high time that I have at it on my own.

One of my favorite places to go in Seoul, is this hole-in-the-wall bin dae dduk place called "Yul Cha Jip" that my parents have been going to since they started dating in college. It used to be located along this incredibly narrow alleyway near Gwanghamun that actually traced the original dirt roads taken by peasants back in the day as the main roads were only reserved for the "yangban" upper class. Sadly, these alleyways have recently succumbed to the unrelenting tread of commercial development but Yul Cha Jip has still managed to live on in a new location. Back when I was visiting my parents last March, I was able to visit their new site. The tables were cleaner, the benches not as rickety, but I was happy to find that they had still managed to stay true to their roots as a humble neighborhood watering hole.

Interestingly however, aside from its association with the humble Yul Cha Jip, bin dae dduk has otherwise always been associated with fancy holiday meals. As mung beans tend to fetch a rather a high price in Korea, bin dae dduk, especially those made with freshly ground mung beans, are considered something of a minor delicacy. And as my mother likes to stuff hers with a generous dose of pork and kim chi, I've always thought it was kind of a shame to just call it a side dish.

While it wasn't a conscious decision, I didn't look up any recipes online in preparation for making bin dae dduk. I instead worked off my memory, piecing together what I remembered seeing my mother do and following my gut instinct any time I drew a blank. In the end, both T and I were pleasantly surprised, especially at how crispy they turned out. Dare I say, I think even my mother would have been proud!

Korean Bin Dae Dduk

For Pancakes
2 c. peeled, split, and dried yellow mung beans
3 large eggs
1 medium onion, sliced into thin, lengthwise strips
4 green onions, sliced thinly into 2 inch strips
1/2 red pepper, sliced into thin, lengthwise strips of about 2 inch in length
1/2 lb. of pork, cut into 1/4 inch thick strips
1 1/2 c. kim chi, chopped
2 tsp. soy sauce
2 tsp. minced garlic
2 tsp. sesame oil

For Dipping Sauce
4 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 tsp. brown rice vinegar
1 tsp. sesame oil
1 tsp. of toasted seasme seeds
1 tsp. green onion, finely chopped
pinch of Korean red pepper flakes

1.) Rinse mung beans in a large bowl a few times. Then fill the bowl with water until the beans are completely submerged. Soak beans for at least half a day or overnight until they are bloated and slightly softened.

2.) Drain the mung beans and transfer to a food processor. Grind beans until they form a thick, smooth batter. If beans seem too dry, gradually add water one tsp. at a time until you reach the desired consistency.

3.) Transfer the beans into a large bowl. Break in eggs and stir mixture until they are well incorporated.

4.) Add all remaining ingredients and mix until you have an even distribution of ingredients throughout your batter.

5.) Generously oil a frying pan with cooking oil and heat over medium to medium low heat.

6.) Spoon batter into frying pan and form pancakes of about 4-5inches in diameter. Cook until edges begin to brown and then flip with a spatula. When both sides of the pancake have turned golden brown, remove from the pan.

7.) To make the dipping sauce, combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Serve with pancakes while they are still hot!

Extra Tips:

* Be sure to add more oil to pan before starting a new pancake.

* Bin dae dduks freeze really well. Once they have been fried, allow them to cool down to room temperature. Wrap in plastic wrap or bag them up in a ziplock and freeze. When ready to eat, defrost and fry them up again in a pan until hot and cripsy.

Gearing Up

2014-02-17T05:22:00.000-08:00

Now that Valentine's Day is over, I'm already thinking about gearing up for another design cycle for my next batch of cards for the oinge shop. To help get the creative juices flowing again, I spent some time this morning wandering around Etsy for inspiration. Here are a couple of stand outs that caught my eye.

Get it from the source...

1. Better Than an Email Rubber Stamp from Wit & Whistle / 2. Flying Butterfly Pop Up Card from Crankbunny / 3. Cheapest Therapist Mother's Day Card from Emily McDowell Draws / 4. Embroidered Mother's Day Card from Quill & Fox

V-day

2014-02-14T05:58:00.000-08:00