Mes Accomplissements Culinaires

pour la semaine...

This next week is insane busy, but I'm going to challenge myself to 5 minute posts on the life's goings on. We're not only amidst multiple projects, but I have a yoga photoshoot this Friday with fantastic local photographers duo and friends of mine. Quixotic Pictures quixoticpictures.com.

Also, I set a goal of listening to France Radio while I design each day until Paris, for which the countdown has officially begun! 11 days!!! Must brush up on the rusty language skills!

Which brings me back to the post, which is culinary accompishments for the week, despite busy design schedule. Late Sunday night I made borscht. A huge gigantic pot of gorgeous dark red beet soup. I've grown up on it & I'm in love with the stuff. Only thing is, it's been so hot in Southern California, that next on the agenda is Cold Borscht. [which I feel is the actual name so I'm going to keep it capitalized]

My family recipe. Well, that's not exactly true. This is actually my grandfather's cook's recipe, but it's very close to our family's.

Up next, this is the carrot cake I made Monday night. It's a combination of several recipes I found online. One from epicurious and another the other from my new favorite gourmet boutique-ish cooking blog - SmittenKitchn. 

I accidentally threw in buttermilk that was meant for a glaze to the batter instead, but all for the better. The thing tasted amazing! It was for the first leg of Jason's birthday celebration, which took place last night. Some of us had the carrot cake with coffee ice-cream; a savvy, wise choice.

And this last image is my submittal to the gourmet grilled cheese-a-thon competition. I was going for somewhat rustic, somewhat home-down but with a twist. Ingredients include:

bakery sourdough

heirloom tomato

chipotle sauce [from Krakatoa, a local coffee & sandwich shop]

thick cut bacon

gouda cheese

muenster cheese

compe cheese

Ok, the time for these entries throughout the busy days will be increased to 10 minutes. As this one just took 15.

Last Minute Design Competition Submittal

Update: As promised I've uploaded a proper document of our submittal. On Monday we received an email from the jurors telling us that we've been accepted to participate and that our design is 'fabulous' !! We're really excited & grateful for the recognition, and we think the P U [P]AVILION is fabulous too. It'll be fabricated on a CNC using plywood, & on display in San Diego in October. More info to follow.

To the Bowhaus dog house design competition! This is just a screenshot. I don't think the design proposal brief is legible. I'll upload a proper PNG later, one that'll make the lineweights and colors read. This is all Hadley inspiration. And Jason, because without him the 3D model wouldn't be built using T-Splines. 

Disheveled Elegance

How many times has disheleved elegance been reinvented? When did it first start? I can't seem to fall asleep, so I'm considering the history of style until I do.

Jason's birthday g r a p h i c s

I realize there's more to architecture than pure aesthetics but I am admittedly graphics obsessed. I created this birthday invitation for Jason's 29th in about 20 minutes this past Tuesday when there were lots of projects to be worked on. Sometimes one must procrastinate, however, in order to play with typography. 

the inspiration for the subtractive type came from a museum exhibition invite

The composition below was inspired by an intersection of Jorgen Leth's The Perfect Human, Existentialism & maybe a dash of Dutch minimalism.   

A Short Trip to HorseShoe

On Sunday I took an hour out of the workday to take Hadley to the beach. It was a grueling competition submittal day so I almost didn't go. But then Jason convinced me we need a break and I grabbed Had & got in the car before there was time to change my mind.

Horse Shoe Beach. One of my La Jolla favorites.

 I chased Had down my 'locals only' passageway and had to blink several times once I saw the ocean. It was so much more bright, expansive and beautiful than I remembered. I sucked in gulps of salty air. I couldn't get enough.

  It was glorious. It reminded me how crucial balance is. I constantly get lost in design and start to rush around. Living downtown puts this false impession in my head that a break is a book and a coffeeshop. Which is nice. But the ocean was magnificent; a tiny vacation.  I told myself not to forget again that I live in a beach town, with beautiful beach cliff typography, deep gold sunsets, misty shorebreak, salty ocean air, and warm sand.

All It Takes

 Is Good D e s i g n . . .

To get me extremely excited.

I'm a serious sucker for cleverly designed stationary and zip cases made of  cool fiber and textured materials. That's why I had to share Almanac Industries, a Baltimore purveyor and crafter of letterpressed paper products and bound books. They also carry tasteful leather goods. 

almanacindustries.com

love. but can't justify the price.

plan and elevation. humble yet pleasing.

As I am obsessed with handcrafted just about everything, and love to bind books & my portfolio [a passion I picked up learning when I set out to perfect bind my thesis book in studio] I'm really impressed with the fact that they have a press and with just about all of their items for sale on Etsy.

shop.lamblife.com
my canvas zip case I picked up from Lamb, a design boutique in Grand Rapids, when
we passed through on the cross-country summer roadtrip



The hapticity of these items is just so alluring. Not to mention books have always been romantic to me; handling a rare or older book [read vintage if you happen to be a 'tween] or a matte cover design magazine leaves me elated, & brings out a sort of awe and sentimentality. Seriously.

Almanac Industries: leather enclosed notebook



It seems the arrival and widespread use of the iPad & Kindle for reading has thrust me further into my love affair with graphically pleasing and quality crafted books, [actually any physical books at this point] and letterpressed stationary. 

xpollinatestudio.com

A bit random, but the texture of x - p o l l i n a t e s t u d i o ' s cardboard lamps is 

in lockstep with the types of textures I love & of which I can't get enough.

The Time We Felt Small Victories

Last Thursday Jason Abe & I met with the owners of The Village and delivered our proposal. If you're thinking this is only a sign, then maybe I need to explain the scale. The sign's roughly 12-14' x 5'. 

intense discussions. our lamps overhead. can be found at  xpollinatestudio.com

But what was most exhilirating about the presentation is that the concept that we, along with clients Emma and Cynthia, collectively decided upon was a fusion of our three visions. It's three distinct yet intertwined ideas that layer to create the whole, which emphasizes how our varying strengths play together. 

a render of one initial proposal from the package.  

The next day was also the launch of our resource-spurred designed object series. You can check them out soon on our website. xpollinatestudio.com

cardboard lamps + graphic labels by X-P o l l i n a t e  S t u d i o

A Friday in August

Today was one of those mornings where I got up, staggered to my laptop, plopped down somewhat ungracefully and just got to work. Forgoing all of my morning rituals. I even denied Hadley her morning walk. These types of mornings happen once in a while. They can be traced back to grad school - when life had no balance, and was all about studio. About the push and getting your ideas out of your head.

But they're also a really effective way for me to growth spurt my way through a portion of a project, so this morning I accepted the urge and spent the first 4 hours of my morning glued to the laptop screen. No toothbrush, no breakfast, not even a coffee.

Around 11, I finally showered and dressed myself, pleased to find that old packed away clothes I haven't worn in a long while came together into a fairly pleasing outfit. 

It was also a day that the temperatures were so high that Hadley was panting as she lay on her bed. I went through a usb full of architecture office tour photos and found this image from the REX studio in NY. http://rex-ny.com Styrofoam concept and massing models, some stark white while others bright shades of orange and red. 

Jason came by on his lunch hour to discuss x-pollinate studio agenda. Hadley was pleased as always.

That evening, I headed out to meet Erin, my friend from Estudio; a super sharp girl with the keenest sense of humor. We met for happy hour at Jayne's Gastropub, one of my favorites, and a true gastropub, not the self proclaimed gastropub of our days with funny saucesand greasy bar food; the real deal.  We stayed through the beautiful dusk and into the night.

photo: lgbtweekly.com

   

The Devil and A Profanity-Spewing, Gun-Shooting, HInd-Leg-Walking Black Cat Come to Moscow...

As much as I love design, I am equally enamored with literature. I love to read. And am dangerously obsessed with books. And reading in a cozy coffee shop with a mug of quality light-roast coffee or an expertly made dry cappuccino while reading an actual, physical book? Well that's like jumping on a trampoline after an incredible yoga class just before a gourmet brunch. It's ideal, in other words.

Nessum Dorma. MKE, WI

A graphic I liked of Behemoth, the novel's black
gun-slinging, fully speech capable
cat on the interwebs a while ago.
Once I locate the artist or site it belongs to, I'll post it here.

One of my favorites is The Master and Margarita, a unique novel by Mikhail Bulgakov. A satire with acute cultural & socio-political criticism on the ills of Russian life in the 30s and Moscow's literary circles, the book is an epic, glorious tale of absurdist hilarity. It's in my opinion one of the mindblowing pieces of literature this side of the century. 

coffee + book.

After reading two English translations I picked up the Russian original, and it took me over a year to finish it, since at best, I read Russian at a 4th grade level. But it was stunning, and it is profoundly disappointing just how much of the subtle yet stabbing humor is lost in translation. 

Happy 1 Year Anniversary P U P ! ! !

It's been exactly 1 year [ok, one year + 1 day... I'm a bad blogger] since the tender-in-my-heart, love-of-my-life, ridiculously pleasant & delightfully spunky pup I named Hadley joined my inner circle!

a 10 week old Hadley

When I rescued Hadley last August from the suburban terrors of Orange County, she was tiny, yet so self- aware. Initially her size concerned me; I always found small chihuahuas annoying, [I didn't want to fall into the trap of context available breeds] and worried that she wouldn't handle an active lifestyle of hiking, climbing and the occassional camping trip.

But her engaging, penetrating gaze and her confident, charming personality were instantly enticing. Jason was more level headed: he was concerned that by taking her home I'd be settling for a dog rather than holding out for the Australian Shepherd mix of which I've been ranting non-stop all through grad school. But it's a year later and I suspect he's even more in love with Had than I am.

CULTURED CANINE: Haley enjoys Screen on the Green and fancies she's a marsupial.
12 whole weeks old!! 

Back at her Orange Country home she was known as Coco. A brown pup named Coco, how distastefully unoriginal, I thought. No, this dog was different. She was pure spunk. Pure fun. On top of that she was fully aware of how awesome she was.  She was a Hadley.

Sleeping Puppy; 1 year 1 month old.

I must admit I knew nothing of Miniature Pinschers when the Hadley opportunity first arose. Let alone min pin - chihuahua mixes.  But now I can't imagine life without this design - er...breed. Hadley is the perfect intersection of crazy spastic fun and cuddly snuggler dog. But now several breed specific books later, I am pleased to know that these pups are super sharp, incredibly engaged, sweet & demanding. Also, they have copious amounts of energy.

a 5 month old Hadley flies to the Midwest

A Hadley-specific example is what I've dubbed the Figure Eights, where she dashes around 10 minutes straight as though running from base to base, looking like a bullet, with paws invisible on account of speed.

10 month old Hadley understands style:
Harness by FOUND My Animal
Dog Tag by X-Pollinate Studio

Wondering about Hadley's designer dog tag or plaid designer harness? Custom made tags are made in limited amounts and can be found at xpollinatestudio.com. The harness can be purchased at olivegreendog.com.

a 1 year 2 month old Hadley stands on Utah soil.

It's only a year later and I already don't remember what life was life without this sassy adorable little family member. I am the luckiest pup parent ever!!!

Je M'en Vais à Paris!

I just found out that in September I’ll be traveling to France! The epic trip entails spending some relaxation time on the Mediterranean coast with my wonderful family, taking the speed train to nearby Nice & Cannes, then heading to the dearest, most close-to-my-heart place of all, Paris, for 4 days of flanerie, art, gastronomie & an office visit to BRS Architectes.  How awesome is that?! 

It's probably important to note that I have had a dangerous obsession with Europe, and especially Paris, ever since I lived and studied there my junior year in college. Realistically speaking the intrigue and devotion toward Paris spans a good 9 additional years, prior to studying abroad. I've been learning francais since the 5th grade and have been speaking it fluently since college.

What all of this means is that I'm already compiling, in every residual moment of my days, the places I'll go and cafes I'll sit in and gardens I'll walk through in September.

While skyping with my mom, working out the details of our trip, and searching for a hotel in Paris to assess a desirable arrondisement or two, a thought crept into my head: 
It's been 9 years since my study abroad? How?!!

x - p o l l i n a t e s t u d i o Is Badass

Currently x - p o l l i n a t e  s t u d i o [which is pronounced cross-pollinate, as in the transdisciplinary nature of design and ideas] is busy with a number of projects. We're finally at a point where we're working on both spaces and objects. While it's true that architecture at large has it tough at the moment, if you look hard enough, there are projects and opportunities all around. We're even working on a few graphic logos and brand roll-outs, which has flung open the pandora's box on my obsession with typography. But that's an entirely different post.

As of last week, our UPcycled Lights, which are made of discarded cardboard, are now available for purchase[!!] at the hands-down-coolest furniture & design boutique in San Diego: the appropriately named, Progress. They're always on the cusp of what's new in design, carry a number of local designers and have an environmentally conscious lean.

So back to our projects: one of our design endeavors is signage for a local coffee shop/wine bar called The Village @ 631. It's in the East Village [hence, the name], a newer addition to San Diego's central district. We're designing a sign and concept for their storefront. We love the location and feel it's got the potential to activate the community aspect of this developing part of town. We're kind of into their coffee too.

one of 3 options from our design proposal.
material: reclaimed wood, steel
fabrication method: C&C machine

In actuality the East Village is speckled with posh and sadly over-gentrified nodes, but as a neighborhood it doesn't have a cohesive feel. Yeah, that's where we come in... We're going to engender all of that with a 3-dimensional sign. But we also get the chance to text out a few fabrication techniques, so it's a win-win, as we of the fifty states like to say. Check out a version of the concept above [that one entails c&c'ing reclaimed lumber].

current 2D sign + UPcycled cardboard lights. [photo courtesy of Quixotic Pictures]

 The photo above is of the current sign. If you click to enlarge it, you can just make out one of
x - p o l l i n a t e  s t u d i o 's coolest designed objects: a cluster of our UPcycled cardboard lights! They're hanging by the wine bar! That's them, in the lower left hand corner!


After a flatteringly high number of inquiries of where one can purchase the basswood laser cut tags [[Hadley was sporting] [as a result of my being fresh out of grad school and broke last year], we decided to take the resourceful + upcycled wood design to a level of mass customization and are making them available for purchase through our website, which is now just about ready. Check it out at xpollinatestudio.com. Any day now our online shop will be up & running and you'll be able to fill out a form with info like your pet's name, your email or digits, and where we can ship the goods.

PUPTAG: x - p o l l i n a t e s t u d i o 's response to the lack of cleverly designed pet ID tags.
This one sits well not only w/ the Discerning Puppy but her servants as well.