Boston Brown Bread.

I have great memories of Boston brown bread as a kid. There was a restaurant in my hometown in Pennsylvania that always served you a slice when you ordered a salad. I’d slather it with butter or cream cheese and slowly devour the molasses and raisin-filled delight. I’ve never actively searched for a recipe to make it before, but just happened to trip across this one last week. It’s a little complicated to make (it involves steaming!) and is actually more of a traditional pudding than bread I found out. Beware that if you do decide to try the recipe that the bread itself doesn’t keep very long, so eat it up fast. Which wouldn’t be a problem in my house…

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Eco-cook.

Kechenyl Camille’s dining in 2015 entry – eco-cook – is design brilliance.

The artist describes it best saying “In 2015, environment problems from energy will become more and more serious. I believe that everyone’s life will be concerned. Thus kitchenware will be modernise to reduce energy consumption. My eco-cook is an object that helps to save water, energy and time. Everyday, everyone, has to cook pasta, rice or various vegetable. Therefore different pots are needed. In a unique pot, the eco-cook enables to divide 2 or 3 space and to boil different food at the same time. Thereby, water and gas or electricity is saved. Moreover when food is taken out the eco-cook, it will automatically drain out, allowing to win precious time. In 2015 I also believe that most people will always be in a hurry. The eco-cook design permits to help 2015 people that pay close attention to energy and time.”

:: via Boing Boing

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Unitea Teaware.

At some point during winter I switch from coffee-guzzler to tea-guzzler. It just feels more therapeutic. And the fact that it has more caffeine tends to help out a girl who shows up and leaves work when it’s still dark out.

The Unitea Teaware at Rare Device is so, so pretty. Unfortunately, the tray isn’t included and all the pieces – including mugs – are sold separately.

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On the Rocks Spiced Apple Martini.

The poison-du-jour this Wednesday is the Spiced Apple Martini. Mainly because it’s about 15º outside and I can rationalize its relationship to apple cider in my head.

Ingredients:
– 2 1/2 oz 10 Cane Rum
– 2 oz apple juice
– splash of amaretto
– 2 pinches ground cinnamon
– cinnamon/sugar mixture

Garnish: cinnamon stick

In a mixing glass, add rum, apple juice, Amaretto, ground cinnamon and ices cubes. Shake vigorously and strain into a superfine sugar and ground cinnamon rimmed chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with cinnamon stick.

:: image and cocktail via Cocktail Times

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Nicholas Lorden.

Photography is one of my absolute favorite forms of artistic expression, so I’m not exactly sure why I don’t feature more photographers on Design Crush. Maybe since I have more personal experience in this category versus illustration it takes more to bowl me over. I’m not quite sure. Regardless, whenever a photo emotionally paralyzes me I have no choice but to share it and such is the case with this image by Nicholas Lorden. The framing is amazing as is the perspective. The silhouettes are perfect. The flare on the snowflakes is magical. And the black and white lends itself to all of the above oh-so-well. Lorden captured the moment so that I want to be a part of it and to me that makes a true photographer.

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Arc Table Lamp.

As if I need any more obsessions I’ve recently developed a pension for table lamps. As in I purchased not one, but two in the course of a few weeks. It would be one thing if I’d been on the lookout for some light sources, or even if I knew specifically where they were going, or had room for them. Nope, I just bought them because I couldn’t say no. One is a an acrylic ball-based lamp that I’ve had my sights set on for awhile and the other a beautiful oversized dark purple glass gourd lamp.

This Arc table lamp is the next on my hit list. I love how the steel arc dangles the white linen shade so elegantly. The best part – in my opinion – is that the top of the shade has a sheath of linen over it to help diffuse light. Oh wait, I changed my mind – the best part is that it’s actually affordable!

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Snow Squall Hat.

Short of brewing up some mulled wine tonight when I get home from work, I can think of nothing that will warm me up more than this snow squall hat. It’s the kind of cold today where that hat wouldn’t come off once I got inside.

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Monday Goodness: Some Days.

MOMA recently acquired this piece entitled Living: Some days you wake and immediately… by artist Jenny Holzer. The 8 x 10″ bronze signage really spoke to me – everyone has had a day like this. You wake up able to feel its presence and it feels like a cloud hanging over you. You’re literally just waiting for the bomb to drop. Ugh.

So now you’re saying, “But today’s Tuesday. You’re Monday Goodness is a day late!” And you’re right of course. Yesterday our office was closed for MLK Day. It’s taking awhile to get used to having bank holidays off, but I’m not complaining! I apologize for not giving a heads up last Friday about my Monday absence. I hope everyone had a crazy-great weekend.

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