Category: Awesome Things

20/10 VISION this Thursday at gallery hanahou

Posted on by Anna

Update: You can now see photos from the opening on the gallery hanahou Flickr page.

20/10 VISION is a group show opening at gallery hanahou this Thursday (1/21) featuring local NYC and not-so-local artists’ takes on the new decade. I’ve been watching the pieces come into the gallery, and it’s really an amazing mix!

The gallery and the participating artists will donate 20% of the proceeds from this show to relief efforts in Haiti.

There will also be a collaborative live drawing at the opening created by the artists, which will be sold at silent auction with 100% of the proceeds going to Haiti.

20/10 VISION: perceptive artists focus on the new decade
January 21 – February 19
Opening reception (with collaborative live drawing!): January 21, 7-9 pm

gallery hanahou
611 Broadway, Suite 730, NYC

Random Acts of Holiday Hearts

Posted on by Anna

For lack of a better introduction (holiday travel has sapped my writing powers today), here is a very heart-warming holiday project I heard about through Ravelry!

miffygirl knitted up a bunch of Hearts with two friends, tied them up with candy canes and holiday notes…

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…then left them in random public places in their city for others to find!

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You can read more about their holiday “random act” (which included other knits left around town) and see more photos on miffygirl’s blog.

I love this idea of spreading Christmas cheer to strangers. My husband’s family has a similar tradition, and I have good memories of the two of us leaving small toys with holiday messages attached around our city in Japan one December. We weren’t sure what the people who found them would think, but it certainly got us into the spirit of Christmas!

2009 “Best of”s

Posted on by Anna

How about some “best-of” lists for 2009? I don’t keep up with all the latest in any media, but here’s what I enjoyed this year anyway.

Best new movies
In the Loop
Up in the Air

Best new-to-me movies
Paris, Texas (1984)
Notes on a Scandal (2006)

Best new album
Animal Collective’s Merriweather Post Pavilion

Best new-to-me albums
The Fiery Furnaces’ Blueberry Boat (2004)
Parenthetical Girls’ Entanglements (2008)
John Coltrane’s A Love Supreme (1964)

Best new TV
Mad Men
Friday Night Lights
Parks and Recreation
Community
Curb Your Enthusiasm

Best new-to-me TV
Friday Night Lights (The first 3 seasons)

Best new book
Turns out I didn’t read any 2009 books this year! But I read a lot of new short fiction, particularly from Tin House.
Oh, I forgot The Believers by Zoe Heller!

Best new-to-me book
Beloved by Toni Morrison (1998)

Best new game
Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure

Best new-to-me games
LEGO Batman (2008)
Rock Band 2 (2008)

Best new cats
Soupy and Nipsey!

soupynipsey_bestcats

Saffron in Brooklyn

Posted on by Anna

My friend Kana recently opened the loveliest store in Fort Greene, Brooklyn!

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Saffron is a little gem at 31 Hanson Place where you can find fresh flowers, vintage clothing, and items made by local artists. It’s the kind of shop that you dream about opening with a best friend. In Kana’s case, she opened Saffron with her mother, and along with Kana’s brother and her boyfriend, they completely renovated a space and made their dream come true.

Here is Kana in her store that she has worked so hard to realize.

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I visited Saffron on Sunday, and I was happy to see it quite busy, with visiting friends and plenty of drop-ins. The store has been getting a lot of press, and it seems that people in the neighborhood are very excited about it. If you’re in Brooklyn, please check it out! (If you’re not in Brooklyn, it looks like they will open an online shop at some point.)

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Oh, and I almost forgot to say that Saffron will start carrying some Tiny Things handmade by me very soon. I’m so excited about that!

Kittens

Posted on by Anna

kittens

It is going to take all my restraint to keep from switching this blog to the all-kitten hour, all the time. These guys are just wonderful. (And pretty easy on the eye, too.) We got them through the SaveKitty Foundation, which is based in Queens.

They need names, but we’re trying to get to know them a little before assigning those. Another excuse for a kitten post when we come up with them!

Hello Brooklyn!

Posted on by Anna

John and I moved to a new apartment over the weekend. We’re now living in Brooklyn near Prospect Park. I’m so in love with our new place and the new neighborhood!

This is the window that my desk is now facing. Those are actual trees that you can see outside! Sometimes there are also actual birds chirping. And look—that’s molding on the walls!

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It is all very exciting. And tomorrow we’re expecting two new furry additions!

Sunday at the Fair

Posted on by Anna

John and I squeezed in a couple of hours at the Tulsa State Fair on Sunday before returning to New York. Despite some cool and cloudy weather, it was a lot of fun.

We saw cute chickens!

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I rediscovered Pineapple Whip!

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There was a big display of fancy cakes!

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Including a clock cake…

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a wind-up “chattering teeth” cake…

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and this cake shaped like a can of chewing tobacco.

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There were also these mysterious barrels sitting around outside the pavilion, which I found to be almost as intriguing as the cakes.

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I hope we get to go to a fair next year too!