Sunday, November 29, 2009

holiday yummies


After my exams are over, I am planning to make this dessert. Maybe we can have a wrinkle(boro) blogger party of food and spirits. This will be my contribution!

Prep: 30 min., Bake: 20 min., Chill: 1 hr.

Yield: Makes 2 (9-inch) tarts

Ingredients

  • 4 (1-ounce) unsweetened chocolate baking squares
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup semisweet chocolate morsels
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1 (16-ounce) package powdered sugar
  • 1/3 cup milk
  • 1/4 teaspoon peppermint oil
  • 1 Chocolate Glaze
  • 1/2 cup crushed peppermint candy canes

Preparation

Microwave chocolate squares in a microwave-safe bowl at MEDIUM (50% power) 1 1/2 minutes, stirring at 30-second intervals until melted. Stir until smooth.

Beat 1 cup butter and 2 cups sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Add melted chocolate, beating just until blended.

Add flour, beating at low speed just until blended. Stir in vanilla and chocolate morsels. Spread batter evenly into 2 greased and floured 9-inch tart pans with removable bottoms.

Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until center is set. Cool completely on wire racks.

Beat 1/2 cup butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add powdered sugar alternately with milk, beating at low speed after each addition. Stir in peppermint oil.

Divide butter mixture between each tart, spreading evenly over cooled brownies in pans; cover and chill 1 hour or until firm. Divide Chocolate Glaze evenly between each tart, spreading over chilled butter mixture in pans. Sprinkle crushed peppermint candy around outer edge of each tart.

http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1133822&adsqs=raid:1684339

Balloons & Bungas

I was looking on the internet over the weekend with my nephew trying to find a video of balloons per his request. I stumbled onto some really rad videos on Youtube that I thought I would share just in case you care:

This one is a cool snippet of some hot air balloon festival. I noticed that some of the balloons never made it off the ground.


Here's some skater punks shredding it up and somehow it's not so tough with all of the multicolor balloons...but still pretty awesome (sorry, but I couldn't embed this but you can click to see it).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWGGG2Tas3Y

Last one is all about bubbles. It's an excerpt from the Discovery Channel and it features this bubble artist. Excellent bubble visuals!


Also, my partner bought me a variety pack of Saranac beer tonight and I've gotta say that the Maple Porter is supreme. I've gotta get more. There's a slight hint of pancakes...the perfect breakfast beer.
http://www.saranac.com/page/maple-porter#

Happy Belated Thanksgiving!

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Beach House "Norway"


"Norway" will definitely be playing at my Thanksgiving dinner. This album is a bit lighter and more upbeat, compared to Devotion.
Pitchfork says, "Norway" is radiant with the sunshiny 70s pop vibes. It's Stevie Nicks territory, for sure. Climate change has come to Beach House, and the weather suits them beautifully.

Friday, November 20, 2009

an unexpected soundtrack


I have been a fan of Cinematic Orchestra for some time now, and if you have not listened to them I suggest that you do. I recently discovered they did a soundtrack for a Disney film about flamingos, sort of their answer to that cute penguin movie (not Surf's Up, the other one). check it out here:

The Cinematic Orchestra - Les Ailes Pourpres

Monday, November 16, 2009

Rainbow Body



I've been tripping out on this new album by Robert A.A. Lowe called "Fazo IV: La Kvalito de Speguloj." It's got some low-key hypnotic komische type synth rhythms going on, and it is soothing my tenderized legs at the moment. I've been listening to it while inebriated and it's got my mind a-turning. This is the same guy that now plays with Om. He also has a solo project called Lichens where he loops his vocals into drones and then mostly plays guitar over it. Some spooky shit sometimes (but it doesn't compare to my Halloween tale of terror). I wish I could find a sound sample to post, but I can't. However, you can listen to one here if so inclined:

http://www.mimaroglumusicsales.com/labels/rainbow+body.html


Check out this site if you have a few moments. Mimaroglu has a ton of off-the-wall hard to find experimental music for the discerning listener.

Meteor shower tonight...

the xx marks the spot


pretty excited about this one.
been listening to these folks for a while now.

and tonight, for one night only, at the local 506, hailing all the way from London(as in england) for their first ever performance in NC, It's The XX!! let's make it a wrinkleboro experience to remember.
L'Engle style.

the xx - VCR(mp3)

**UPDATE***SOLD OUT***SO I HOPE YOU GOT YOUR TICKETS ALREADY****

Harry Smith

Here's a crazy awesome video collage piece from Mr. Harry Smith:


Sunday, November 15, 2009

Getting Started

Hey, hey!

Now that I've figured out how to invite folks to post to this contraption, I thought that I would just start off by offering a question that y'all could feel free to respond to. I'd love to know what music is currently keeping everybody afloat. If that question doesn't appeal to you, maybe you could offer some commentary on a book that you've recently been excited about or even enthralled with. Or post a sweet holiday recipe that everyone could impress their friends with.

I'm really new to this format of communicating, so I don't intend to pose questions regularly, but I just wanted to set some dialogue in motion. We need more here than just my crappy stories and ramblings, which are few and far between.

Happy posting...

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Strangers laying across the railroad

I started to dream, ad infinitum, the program must complete
To win the kinkku, wonder ihmetellä, sunset fallow cream
frank partaa, sullen sea crowding air, woven goldy poly-into me