If you'll permit me...

It's summer and the weather makes me feel disinclined to cook or write or do anything of use.  So today I'll give you a self-indulgent photo post.  These are from a trip I took with the Whole Family back in 2006.  We were on a cruise and spent a day in Barbados, which I found poetic.  Hope you enjoy.  Back soon with food.

Fig. 1. Ragged Point Light.

Fig. 2. Doorways and windows, Ragged Point Light.

Fig. 3. St. James Parish Church.

Fig. 4. Vegetation.

Fig. 5. Cemetery at St. James Parish Church.

Fig. 6. Harbor.

Fig. 7. Beach walking.

Food Photo Extravaganza: Ramsey's, Lexington, KY

Please pardon the inclusion of approximately forty-two photos in this post.  It may seem excessive, but just assume that the number of photos is directly proportional to the absurd happiness this restaurant made me feel.

Fig. 1. Very, very happy.

Last week, I had to travel to Lexington, KY for an academic conference (Riveting! Thrilling! Hold on to your hats!) and had the distinct pleasure of my mom's and sister's company on the trip.  On our first evening in town, we debated whether we ought to try one of the yuppie/hippie/foodie restaurants in the area, but all of us agreed something slightly less fussy was in order.  So we looked around and found Ramsey's Diner, near the university.  (It turns out there are four locations of this restaurant in and around Lexington, but I'd bet good money this one was the original.)

Now, before you start thinking this was a diner diner, just hold your horses.  Ramsey's is more tenderloin sandwiches and $5 bourbon than burgers and shakes.  This was a diner specializing in Kentucky Cuisine - a.k.a. The Food of My People (nods to Blue Jean Gourmet, whose series of this name is a joy to read).  No, I didn't grow up in Kentucky, but most of my family comes from the Hills of Eastern Kentucky (a phrase so often-repeated in my youth that I sometime hear it in my sleep) and my blood runs UK blue (thanks to my grandpa for instilling in me a true and deep respect for Wildcats Basketball).  I grew up with the smell of ham hocks melting into pots of green beans, cornbread puffing up (but not sweet, Yankee style) in the oven, and fried green tomatoes dredged in cornmeal hitting pans of sizzling oil.

Fig. 2. Clockwise from Mac & Cheese: Pinto Beans, Green Beans, Fried Green Tomatoes, and Cornbread.

It's these tastes that I remember and crave when I've gone just a little too long between visits home.  So, imagine my delight when Ramsey's served up all my favorites (Green beans like my mom makes and her mom before her!) just like I like them!

Fig. 3. Clockwise from pinto beans: fried okra, collard greens, stewed tomatoes, and cornbread.

They also served me another favorite of my childhood - the great, the legendary, the incomparable, irreplaceable, so-rich-you-might-keel-over Kentucky Hot Brown.  When I was little, I occasionally went over to Henderson, just across the Ohio River from our hometown to have lunch with my dad, who was working over there in those days and we'd mostly go to Wolf's Tavern, a semi-dingy tavern whose walls were lined with portraits of the great racehorses (Secretariat, Man-O-War, Citation).  Every time I ever ate there I ordered the Hot Brown, an open-faced 'sandwich' that involved bread, ham, turkey, tomatoes, and a seriously delicious Mornay sauce.  Oh, and BACON - how could I forget?  I don't want to blow this all out of proportion, but it might just be the most delicious thing in the entire world.

Fig. 4. Kentucky Hot Brown.

Well, I ordered up one of these for dinner at Ramsey's and it blew precious Wolf's attempt clear out of the water.  It brought tears to my eyes, something that food does to me on occasion - the most memorable of which involved Blood Orange Gelato at a really sweet gelateria in Trastevere.

Fig. 5. Clockwise from Green Beans: Cornbread, Corn Oyster, Apple Fritter, Mac & Cheese.

This was almost a two-hanky situation, but I calmed myself down enough to enjoy tastes of my sister's "veggie plate" (Ramsey's is the kind of place that counts Mac & Cheese as a vegetable), which featured these ridiculously delicious apple fritters - I don't know how in the world they made the batter stick or managed to cook them so that they were crisp on the outside and the apple cooked through, but with a little crunch and not burned.  Amazing.

Fig. 6. Chicken & Dumplings, Creamed Corn, Green Beans, Cornbread.

Anyway, I could go on and on.  Suffice it to say that we went back for lunch the next day.  Chicken and Dumplings.  Creamed corn.

Fig. 7. Lemonade that was squeezed to order at the bar.  

Utterly amazing, this place.  If you find yourself in Lexington in the near future, you know what to do.  I'll be envious.

A dozen

Back in October, Dan and I took Lucy on a little road trip out to Northampton (as you know) and, for once, we got to Smith in time to see the last of the golden Valley Light flowing away over the hill. If you've been there in the late afternoon, you know the light I'm talking about - it's as bright and focused as a spotlight, but honey colored and strangely soft at the same time. It's perfect light, flattering to every face, intensifying every color, and warm even on the coldest days.

Another October day found us driving north with my family in search of the Maine coast. You've already seen a few images from this startlingly blue day (and to think it rained for fourteen hours the day before). More bright sun and clear skies made for more intense colors and sharp lines.

And then, on November first, the day after the clocks fell back, we went to the beach with our good friends Seth and Christine. We were there for the waning of the light, the first truly early evening of Fall. More blue, but tempered this time, less flamboyant, as if it knew the cold was coming.

This is just my favorite dozen images from those happy days. There are many more here. I'm embracing color film again after a long break and am oh-so-pleased with the results. 120 film was shot with my trusty brick of a Mamiya and 35mm was shot with my buddy the Canon EOS300.











1. Impression of the Smith College Boathouse. (120 Fuji Reala 100)
2. Chapin House and the Green House, Smith College. (120 Fuji Reala 100)
3. Crabapples (Liz tells me) at Smith. (120 Fuji Reala 100)
4. Boathouse reflection, Smith College. (120 Fuji Reala 100)
5. Whately Diner, interior. (120 Fuji Reala 100)
6. Sandy Lucy, Singing Beach (35mm Kodak Ektar 100)
7. Singing Beach, November, Christine in the water (35mm Kodak Ektar 100)
8. Lucy and tide patterns, Singing Beach (35mm Kodak Ektar 100)
9. Cape Neddick Lobster Pound (35mm Kodak Ektar 100)
10. Rocks at Nubble Light (35mm Kodak Ektar 100)
11. Nubble Light (35mm Kodak Ektar 100)
12. Beachy reflections, Singing Beach (35mm Kodak Ektar 100)

Back into the Archive: Rome 2005

1. Santa Maria in Cosmedin, Rome, 2. Cat & Car, 3. Rome, 4. Piazza Navona - Fontana dei quattro fiumi

More here. Also, more to come.

A taste of Southern Indiana

Every year in my home town they have this fundraiser for the American Heart Association called the Taste of Southern Indiana. It's just what you would expect: samples from all the local restaurants with a bunch of cardiologists on hand. While I can't give you a taste of all my favorite restaurants at homes (Jaya's, Jimmy Jeng's Szechuan, Los Bravos, DiLegge's, Turoni's), I can give you a little taste of what I like to do and where I like to go when I'm in my old home town. This is just a small taste... many many more photos are here. More are coming soon. In the meantime, enjoy!P.S. I'm totally digging Google Analytics telling me where my readers are! A big hello to Melbourne, Montevideo (do I know someone in Uruguay?), and Birmingham! An equally big hello to Falls Church, South Bend, and Los Angeles! And Bloomington! And, naturally, Boston! You're all most welcome here! Leave me a comment and let me know what's going on in your corner of the world!

Lessons I learned in Ireland

Figure One. Scones are better in Ireland. So is the butter.
Figure Two. Guinness is good for you.
Figure Three. When asked the question "Would you like a bit of cream with your raspberry crumble," say yes.
Figure Four. When making a sandwich, good bread is obviously a necessity (good Irish brown bread, in this case). Also highly recommended, however, is shredded cheese instead of sliced.
Figure Five. Even if it doesn't look like much, fish and chips is truly a memorable meal when you're near the sea and have lots of salt and vinegar at your disposal.
Figure Six. If you ever find yourself in Kenmare, County Kerry, go to Mulcahy's. Order the pork.

Radio Silent

I'm off to the land of Guinness, shamrocks, and Leprechauns. Don't expect to hear much from me for a couple of weeks.

To Do before 12/19

It's the lead-up to going home for Christmas and the Wedding! Crunch time to-do list (in no particular order):

1. Get on top of grading a little bit
2. Read for meeting on Wednesday
3. Pull together Wedding accessories
4. Get together Christmas presents
5. Finish shopping for Christmas presents
6. Underwear shopping
7. Return stuff to Gap
8. Pack: don't forget DF's shirt and tie, cameras, batteries, wedding accessories
   
9. Fill out paperwork at the Core office (12/15)
10. Pay bills/rent
11. Buy Guest Book
    

To-Do

I make Dan do this all the time, so I may as well. Things to do before he gets here.

1. Obviously, work.
2. Buy wedding lingirie. Go to Lady Grace and/or Intimacy.
3. Buy wedding shoes.
4. Buy dress/outfit for civil ceremony.
5. Buy sandals.
6. Figure out Adjustment of Status and Social Security Number paperwork.
7. Get plane tickets for August.
8. Get the apartment sorted a little better.
9. Stop being a pathetic sap.
   

I sometimes (often) miss the "fragmented life in regard to US and Europe" and the kinds of late night emails it inspires. It may be time to run away again soon.

Graffiti aus Berlin

While in Berlin, I took a lot of photos of graffiti that I found amusing or impressive. Here's an example of the former, seen on Oranienstr. in Kreuzberg. (This is arguably my favorite street in the world.)

I assume this sort of graffiti is done with a stencil, but I always wonder if they're made by hand or mass produced. Is there some magical shop where you can buy snarky graffiti stencils? Or do you have to order them online?

Now, I'm not a vandalism kind of girl, but I do find myself sort of itching to come up with a brilliant idea, and to take to the street with my home-made stencil, a can of spray paint, and no fear whatsoever. But maybe I'm just feeling a touch rebellious.

Also, why don't you see this often in the States?

A list of relevant links:

Stencil tutorial
Gallery of stencil graffiti
The Hipster/Yuppie version
Ostensibly the original