John Gold

There are so many fun ways to find new music (festivals, magazines, blogs), but the best and most reliable recommendations are always those from friends. My friend John texted me the other day asking if I listen to John Gold, from which I inferred that if I hadn't, I should. . . And I hadn't, so I did.

He suggested the song "cactusflower" from Gold's 2004 album, the eastside shake. It's excellent of course. (Take a listen at left.)

And, per my usual over-enthusiasm, I downloaded both that album and Gold's new album, a flower in your head. (Click the cover art to be directed to Gold's site, where you can download it for yourself at a pick-your-own price.)

Enjoy a couple of my current favorites from that album:

"skyscraper"

"augusta vail"

Lemon Goodness

I had a free day, so what do I do with my time? Do I do things I should do, like read or work on the presentation I'm giving next week? Of course not. Instead, I go to the grocery store, buy 2 pounds of powdered sugar, a pound of butter, and a few lemons.


I have previously listed a few cupcake recipes I'd like to attempt, and this is one of them. I used my time today to make these lemon cupcakes from mybakingaddiction.com.

Lemon Zest Cupcakes 

with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients (Cupcakes):
2 1/4 cups flour (The recipe actually says "cake flour". Is there a difference? I don't know. I used "regular old flour," and they turned out just fine.)
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
4 large egg whites (I use eggbeaters or the equivalent. Too much work to separate the whites from real eggs.)
1 1/2 cups sugar
Lemon zest from 2 lemons
1 stick (8 tbsp) unsalted butter, room temperature (I only had salted butter. Again, turned out ok.)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp lemon extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. (I don't have a sifter, so just mixed them together in a bowl. If you're using a stand mixer, use a different bowl for this. You'll need your stand mixer in step 4.)
3. Whisk together the buttermilk and egg whites in a medium bowl.

4. Put the sugar and lemon zest in your mixer bowl (or other large bowl) and rub together with your fingers until the sugar is moist and fragrant.
5. Add the butter to the sugar and lemon zest. Then beat at medium speed for 3 minutes.
6. Beat in the vanilla and lemon extract.
7. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture still beating at medium speed.
8. Beat in 1/2 the egg mixture.
9. Beat in 1/2 of the remaining flour mixture
10. Add the rest of the egg mixture.
11. Add the rest of the flour mixture and beat for another 2 minutes to ensure it is thoroughly mixed

12. Place the batter into cupcake tins (Makes 24 large cupcakes. I made 12 large cupcakes and 24 mini-cupcakes.  And yes, those are aluminum mini-cupcake pans. Someday, I'll buy a real one.)

13. Bake for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean.
14. Allow to cool on a wire rack.

Ingredients (Frosting)*:
2 packages of cream cheese (8 oz), softened
1 stick butter, softened
2 pounds confectioners' sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
Juice of one lemon


1. Mix the butter and cream cheese together until well-combined (a mixer is definitely helpful for this).
2. Gradually add in the confectioners' sugar until fully mixed.
3. Add vanilla extract and lemon juice.
4. Frost!


*This makes enough frosting to thoroughly cover approximately 112 cupcakes. As the recipe doesn't make quite that many, you could probably safely cut this in half.

The wife of my co-worker is due to have their second baby tomorrow. I'm hoping that happens, so these cupcakes can become a bit more celebratory. Everything tastes better with an occasion!

Hipster Pairs

I spent last year in the neighborhood of Wicker Park in Chicago. Zion for hipsters. And I loved being surrounded by hipster-ness. 

Now I live in reality, and I am a clean cut Wisconsin girl working in a relatively conservative field. I can sport skinny jeans on the weekend, but high tops, fauxhawks, and baggy belted flannel are not a practical part of my daily life. However, I can live on the fringe by appreciating indie-rock and ridiculous sunglasses.

Here are my current favorite pairs (paired with some solid indie music):

Neko Case, "People Got A Lotta Nerve"

Purchased, quintessentially hipster-like,
from a booth at Lollapalooza

Tokyo Police Club, "Favourite Color"

Imitation Ray-Bans. When you sit on them on a regular basis,
the real thing isn't worth the money.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs,  "Shame and Fortune"

Target. What can't you get there?

Surrounding myself with greatness

Blagh. Been too busy with work to put together a coherent post (I'm on call as I type). However, here are a few randomly great things.

There are so many people I've been lucky enough to have in my life, and so many of them are doing much more interesting things than me. I love to share their amazingness.

My friend Sarah is the world's greatest art teacher, creative and hilarious.

Here is her blog (newly updated!) with gorgeous photos of her classroom and works of her budding artists: http://polkand2nd.com/


Check out her Etsy shop:

She is currently selling these beautiful felt cuffs. I adore the large button closures.

And I don't think my college friend Kate knows that I stalk her, but I have definitely checked out her website. She is a medical illustrator and has an incredible talent. (She even has cataract surgery illustrations! Yay!)

http://www.ktb-studios.com/
Better than Netter!