For me, 2012 is going to be a year of creativity.

When we get back from Spain, here are some things I will do.

• learn to contradance at Tapestry Folkdance Center! they have weekly dances, and it will not require much use of my bad arm (still dealing with shoulder pain), but will require lots of smiling.

• try new vegetarian recipes, like the stuffed mushroom caps I just learned to make from Loren (pecorino cheese mmm!). We also had a great quinoa salad, and he makes a delicious soup with butternut squash and other veggies.  I made them with him the other day, and they are banoodles. I have plenty of cookbooks.

• take up beading again, and use those beading supplies I have lying around.I've been getting lots of inspiration from Spanish accessories stores.

• knit a scarf with the lovely Malabrigo wool from Argentina that I bought two years ago! It's sitting there, right by the sofa.

• Use my Mr. Bento to bring my lunch on the days I teach: here is a Flickr pool for inspiration. This one just involves remembering. I won't go as far as making it a daily thing, but three times a week is a good start. Saves money, more healthy, but also aesthetically pleasing.

Just a few New Year's resolutions that don't involve grim decisions about weight loss, a gym, or work. I want 2012 to be the Year of Creativity. After January, I have some other projects in mind, but these will do for a start.

Urban art in Zaragoza: 3/3

Urban art in Zaragoza: 2/3

Urban art in Zaragoza: 1/3

Just a few blocks from the apartment is an old neighborhood where demolished buildings have left walls exposed. This is the sixth year that the city and graffiti artists have collaborated in an "Asalto" (assault) of urban mural art, with guest artists and local artists leading workshops, creating new murals, and making us look in new ways at urban spaces otherwise seen as "vacant" or "unused."

Nochebuena

The table  set, waiting for the family to arrive:


Mr. Lobster.


Quique was the chef for the evening.



Los tíos: Florencio, Blas,  Carmen and Quique.


Los primos: Alba, Rosemary, Rubén


Rubén y el yayo Daniel.

Holidays in Zaragoza

We are going to spend the holidays with family in Zaragoza, Spain. One of my favorite CDs is by the Orquestina del Fabirol, called "Albada al Nacimiento"--a collection of solstice/Christmas music from Aragón, sung in aragonés. In this video, they play a tango! but they use traditional instruments and arrangements. They are going to be doing a series of concerts this season while we are in town, so I'm hoping to see them perform!

A recipe for the season is "Cardo con almendras"(cardoons with almond sauce).

Cardo (Cynara cardunculus) is a member of the aster family, thistly like the artichoke. In English, it's called the cardoon. Originally from North Africa, it's grown in Sicily, Italy, France and Spain. It's especially prized in Aragón. The plant has elements that can be used to in cheese-making (as a coagulating agent), and some medicinal properties.

Here in the U.S., I have no idea if cardoons can ever be found in Minnesota farmers' markets because it's a very Mediterranean plant, but they are used as a decorative garden plant here, and requires covering and protecting in the winter. You can get them in the San Francisco organic market at the Ferry Building, according to this  NPR story with a recipe. In Spain, it's easy to buy the cleaned and cooked stems already prepared in jars or frozen in grocery stores, but in this video you see how you have to peel the prickly part off  the fresh stems; the little spines can be very painful. If you're willing to do the prep, though, they are delicious.

For the sauce, you sauté in olive oil onion, garlic, parsley, jamón (like prosciutto). Thicken with a little flour, and some pine nuts and almonds that have been ground. Add broth, salt, and cook it to the desired consistency.

Bgirl stars!

11 years old!!! 

Bgirls MOVIE ONE v. NADIA battle.


A reel of bgirl stars that highlights powermoves. It's not longer true that only the bboys can do spins and flares, but it's not all about power either.

UPDATED: Leee! suggested I check out Narumi and Shie Chan. They are part of the crew Queen of Queenz from Japan.

vertical gardens

*cracks knuckles*
I have to grade the last set of papers before the students turn in their finals next week. So, one last round of procrastination, and then it's ALL WORK!
Procrastination activity the first:
While walking in the Mission in SF, we came across this cool store that was growing succulent plants using a vertical garden arrangement. I dearly would like to put one of these on my back porch, which gets Western sun exposure, to grow herbs and veggies in the summer. The store was using Wooly Pocket planters, but there are other kinds around.

Mash-ups: "X" with the Dragon Tatoo

 This is an early trailer (a "teaser") for David Fincher's film "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo." Apparently, he is adapting the books and not remaking the Swedish films (that also adapted the books). The cuts in this trailer are (according to an editor) at half-second intervals, or 12 frames each. The song is a cover of Led Zeppelin's "Immigrant Song" by Trent Reznor, with vocals by Karen O of the Yeah, Yeah Yeahs.



Everyone and their sister has mashed up the soundtrack and edited their favorite movies to make versions of this (The Lion King, Dark Knight, Inception, The Cable Guy, Harry Potter!)
Fincher's previous film The Social Network gets the treatment:

Back to Minnepolis

Mark Mallman has a new song called "Minneapolis" that has been trotting through my head, it's so catchy.  I am reconnecting with the winter after our five dreamy days in San Francisco.

Yesterday was relatively mild, and the squirrels were out, going crazy. They knew we were in for our first real snowfall, and I'll bet they are curled up in their little nests this morning. I had my first real shoveling-of-the-walk experience. It'd the fluffy kind you can push away where it hasn't been stepped on, but the tramped-down stuff needed a foot on the shovel to scrape up the plaques. No ice, though, so there's that. There is fluffy snow on the branches, the scrape-scrape sound of the neighbors shoveling their walks, and we are about to clean off the car to go out and about.

Thanksgiving in San Francisco

We spent five days in San Francisco for the holiday. The ocean air and the view of the bridge from China Beach are a refresher for my soul, before returning to face the next five months of Minnesota winter.

Coyotes have been spotted near the Museum of the Legion of Honor, not surprisingly.

The cousins have both grown so much!

Yes, there is a hill. Thanks for the reminder!