Yum Wednesday, 9.8.10

• it smells like fall: Friday, I walked out of work & one of my coworkers mentioned that it smelled like Wisconsin Cold.  & it did.  Now that I have a name for that sensation, it's easier to recognize that there is a singular moment I know that fall has arrived, whether the temperature continues to fluctuate or not.  Mid-fifties, lightly clouded skies & a healthy breeze, I seized the opportunity by wearing tights & boots & a button-down.  Well, a skirt too, but that part wasn't as exciting. 
• Menard's: I got a jorb, & I work 5am-9am, 6 days a week, & it actually doesn't totally suck.  Most of the time. Can't wait for my first paycheck, woot woot!
• oh wait, I haven't told you about my dog.  Suki is my 4 month old beagle, & she is.. sort of a bucket of trouble.  But I have high hopes, & she's sweet & adorable regardless.  
• naps!!: Seriously, with the hours I work now, I haven't gotten more than 5 hours of sleep in one night for over a week.  So, whenever I have time to kill, I curl up on the couch & pass out, & it feels kind of great.  I used to oversleep ALL the time, & it's interesting to be on the other side of that.  
• etc: *teal & grey & mustard & coral & royal purple (this is my outfit today); *chapstick; *summer nights; *upcoming Six Flags excursions; *park benches; *banana peanut butter cup ice cream; *swingsets; *blueprints; *cookbooks; *informal art societies; *new denim.

Hasta luega & hoping you don't know spanish,
Zoe Finn.

My Bookshelf; Wonderful Tonight by Pattie Boyd

I checked this out from the library for my plane ride to Portland a few weeks ago.  It is a biographical novel by Pattie Boyd, describing, in turn, her childhood, marriages to both George Harrison & Eric Clapton, & her life thereafter. 

It was a... good book; I felt, however, that the writing was a bit dull. Tedious.  It was like listening to someone give you an overview of their life story, without any of the animation, or colorful descriptions you would expect from a woman who values creativity so highly. 

I would still recommend it, if you are fascinated/bored enough. Maybe I just don't like biographies.

--Zoe Finn.

I have been negligent.

So, these days I am living out at my dad's house in semi-rural WI.  We are having the hardest time trying to get internet out there, & consequently, au revoir to my internet life.  So, I will attempt to plan around such obstacles in the future, because I really do miss my blog.

Off to schedule some posts,
Zoe Finn.

Yum Wednesday, 8.18.10

Posting in advance from Portland, OR!

• travel & renewed perspectives: My weekend here has been great & I feel a whole bunch of renewed energy for life flowing through me. I'm really excited for.. everything.
• Atmosphere: & this random coffee shop for playing it.  I feel like I could be uber productive here if I actually had things to accomplish. :)
• a wide array of cuisines & flavor: it's been a great break from the monotony of eating from an empty kitchen in the barren cultural landscape of my small Wisconsin town.  I've had falafel, burritos, caprese sandwiches, spanakopita, baba ghanouj, greek salad, baklava, sushi, pub food, grilled cheese, ohmygodETC.  Amazing.
• charming neighborhoods with excessive foliage, great architecture, friendly people.. seriously.  I love this city.  No expectations, no disappointments. :)
• eeny meeny meiny moe: *annual India Festival in Pioneer Square; *new clothes & chilly weather; *morning rituals; *sewing projects; *Thai food; *Rum & Coke; *the beagle puppy

au revoir au revoir; à bientôt, mon amie!
-Zoe Finn

uhhhh

zomg, I've really failed at having internet for about a month.  So uh, I'll be back, I promise.  I PROMISE.

--Zoe Finn. <3

My Bookshelf; Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.

 image from here

Yeah yeah, I've read this book like fifty times.

If you recall the chapter in which Harry realizes that he was the one who conjured the full patronus to save himself & Sirius (as opposed to his father), I've experienced a renewed appreciation for the situation.  What enables him to accomplish the quite advanced charm is, in part, a belief in himself.  Simply knowing he is capable of the patronus, having seen it appear already, he manages a feat which was previously challenging for him.

And that, my friends, is a certain kind of magic we could all use a little more of in the day-to-day.

Feelin' cheesy,
Zoe Finn.

Yum Wednesday, 7.7.10

• the BESTIE'S BIRTHDAY: well, yeah. She's 21 & it's awesome, even if she's not terribly excited herself.
• plummeting temperatures: It's got to be like 60 degrees out today, & cloudy, & a little bit rainy.  (I know it's wrong, but it feels oh.. soo.. riiiight).  I'm listening to a Fleetwood Mac pandora station; it's cold enough for my red cargo jacket.  Sneakers! Jeans!  I could probably rock a scarf if I wanted.  I'm going to drink so much tea today.
• planning things: I have lists a'plenty, notes to myself on the back of envelopes, marble-shaped ideas rolling back & forth in my skull.. Things I have to look forward to:
• a cupcake bonanza, for which I need to brainstorm cupcake (or cup-pies..?!) recipes, as well as compile an outfit that fully captures the essence of a cupcake.
• my dad & sister coming to visit me; we have approximately 3 days in which to cram all the Denver awesomeness we can handle.  
• the move to Milwaukee.  Moving requires lists. And organization.  These are things I like.
• my trip to Portland! Where to eat? What to pack? I am actually crafting my own City Notebook, because Moleskine doesn't make one for Portland.  Nerd-joy.
• a new feature on Zoetry; My Bookshelf: I've been reading a lot lately. So, I'm thinking every time I finish a book I will share my thoughts & observations, whether it is a quick blurb or a full on wax-poetic-fest.
• etcetera: *really big, old trees; *guava daifuku; *lavender flavored things; *potlucks & dinner parties; *blank postcards; *knitting; *veganism; *pie crust recipes which call for vodka; *winding mountain roads; *Netflix; *Pride & Prejudice; *non-pareils.

 happy about the rain,
Zoe Finn.

A Roundup

So, way back on my birthday, I made this Grapefruit Almond cake for myself.  It was vaguely coffee-cake-esque, with a glaze-like syrup poured over the layer of sliced almonds.  I don't really know what to compare it to, except something exquisitely delicious.

At the end of May, I took a road trip to Wisconsin for my cousin's High School graduation &/or some general recharging.  It was so good for me; I got solitary-driving-contemplation time; visited with my best friend & my family; I learned to play poker; I helped my dad move into his new house (which is awesome); I went to Six Flags with my cousin & found out that I'm not afraid of rollercoasters anymore - in fact, I love them; drove a moped for the first time; fired my stepbrother's shotgun (another first); drove my friend's Jeep (firsts all over the place!); got food from a taco truck... To name a few things.  Then I flew from Milwaukee to Denver, trekked back to my apartment & slept for 12 hours, before getting up to repack & catch a Greyhound to Pueblo for some quality time with my ex-roomie.  Anyway, here is a photo from a Nebraska rest stop:

One of the things I did while in Pueblo was go to their Reservoir for a picnic.  It kind of stormed a lot, but then the lighting did crazy amazing things for some photographic opportunities.  Of the many (many, many) pictures I took:

The sisters Leach, being artist & muse.

 & again, together.

beautiful.

Rabble rabble, summer stuff of which I don't have photographic evidence.

Yesterday I went over to a friend's where we baked Sweet Potato cupcakes, drank amaretto sours, & picked up Middle Eastern food for supper.  Then we drove around in a crazy rainstorm looking for somewhere we could watch the fireworks, which we never did see.  I was too busy loving the weather to be too miffed about not having fireworks on the 4th of July.  There's always next year. :)

 

Going to read Prisoner of Azkaban,

Zoe Finn.

Yum Wednesday, 6.30.10

• reading lists: I've taken it upon myself to read more this summer.  Lately; Galapagos by Kurt Vonnegut, The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath, The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, & White Oleander by Janet Finch.  Next up, Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen.  I'm like a reading machine.  I also have this urge to seek out used bookstores & buy stacks & stacks of cheap, worn in literature, cookbooks & poetry. 
• pie: I started watching Pushing Daisies again.  I want to open a pie shop. I want to have long wavy hair & wear scarves with large sunglasses.  Why did I never eat pie as a child? It's such a beautiful thing.
• decent sleep schedules: something I don't tend to appreciate until I really mess it up.  Related; silk pajama pants & slinky cotton tank tops; body pillows; crawling into clean sheets after soaking in the bathtub; cuddle-fests.
• Pacific Mercantile Market in downtown Denver. They have a section of housewares that I cannot resist, not to mention all the yummy snacks.  I visited while I was at the Cherry Blossom Festival on Sunday with a few friends, & left with a rice bowl & a mug covered in fish.  Also, mango ramuné.  I am possibly going to start doing my grocery shopping there.
• tidbits; *slouchy beanie hats; *rainy weather; *handwritten letters; *pancakes; *bottles of good beer; *Meiko; *ginger ale, vanilla coke, root beer, grapefruit soda, et al; *purchasing plane tickets; *"Thrash Unreal" by Against Me!; *rooftops & rendez-vous; *phoenixes.

Sleepy & content,
Zoe Finn.

RE: A Letter To Men by Christina Hendricks

There was a letter which I believe was published originally in Esquire; I discovered it via Gala Darling .

I found it to be interesting, & it prompted me to ponder my thoughts on the subject.  What follows is my preliminary response to the piece.

Yes, I do love your body.

And yes, you do smell good. Most of the time.

But when you talk about other women, it should be okay because I am strong and know that in the same way that all men have differences and flaws, so do women. I don’t have a steel box full of notes and obsession and poison, and I don’t want one.

I like it when you say nice things about my body. I like it when you say nice things about my personality. I know that if you didn’t really like me the way I am, you would move on and so would I. I’m not perfect and neither are you and that’s why we fit.

I really hope I don’t have to complain to you about my friends. If I wouldn’t want you to rag on them, I probably shouldn’t be doing it either.

Gifts that show you’re paying attention are nice. So are hugs, holding hands, sitting and talking to me while I wash the dishes, or vice-versa. I probably wont sob over any of these small acts, but they will build up in my heart and I will give them back in ways that reach your heart if I figure out the path.

Order scotch if that’s what you’re in the mood for. I might join you, and we can draw on mustaches and quote Ron Burgundy. Introduce me to your favorite libations, try mine. Drink lemonade with me on the front porch when you have to get up early tomorrow.

Chivalry.. is okay. I can hold my own and so can you and I would like to think that we are equals. Or maybe I will hold the door open for you sometime?

Wear what you want. It’s up to you.

Facebook. Have your own opinion about it, because I’m on there probably too often and respect your views either way.

I hear guys don’t really care much for lingerie anyway, because we’re naked soon enough anyway, but that’s a blanket statement so I’ll stay away from it. Tell me what you like, and sometimes I’ll make the effort to surprise you, and sometimes you’re going to get me in whatever underwear went with my mood today. I think there can be charm in most looks.

I don’t really care what word you use for my undergarments. Stop talking about them and start pulling them off with your teeth.

Ogling is an awkward word. Let’s try to go about our lives in a more charming manner. Flirt with me if I’m worth ogling at. Let me see you too.

Alternative adjectives are nice, but spew off as many of them as you want and it wont be the same as knowing that you really really mean the one you chose. Be honest in your praise and don’t limit it to my appearance.

I don’t want marriage to change me or to change you, if we get married at all. Keep growing and being the wonderful human you are, because that’s what it comes down to. We both have lives and I’m glad you’re part of mine.

Best,
Zoe Finn.

Sartorial Playground: 6.25.10

It's mega hot today, I'm lusting after city-ventures & fall weather. 

wanting some fall weather.. by cosmosaur featuring Rebel Yell hoodies

Going home to drink Seagram's & lemonade,
Zoe Finn.

Yum Wednesday, 6.16.10

• adventures:  I just spent 2 weeks in Wisconsin, & another 5 days in Pueblo, CO.  I did all sorts of awesome things, & then came back to Denver where I continue to do awesome things.  But that's another blog post for another time.
• asian food:  ate at Tommy's Thai last night on Colfax, yum.  I'm actually just loving any kind of cuisine that is not canned corn or fried eggs, considering that's the kind of stuff I've been living on due to severe, self-inflicted budgeting.  
• travel!: speaking of said budgeting, this is not because I am a complete masochist.  I actually have plans to go to Portland in August, & I want to have money to do so!  Tonight holds a furtive plotting session with the compatriots I am voyaging with, where we shall assess flights, hostels, nosh-fests & the like.  So stoked.  
• Kurt Vonnegut:  I was reading the back cover of my copy of Galapagos the other day; the description states: "Here, America's master satirist looks at our world and shows us what is sadly, madly awry - and all that is worth saving".  Exactly what I love about his writing.
• intending to not blog about cute boys sitting at the other side of my coffee shop for want of not becoming a total creeper: but doing it anyway, because he has dark hair! & a slightly-scruffy beard!  & the ever ubiquitous white t-shirt! & there's no harm in looking, guys, okay?
• un-creeperly other things:  *I got a haircut yesterday, *ferrets, *the way some incense has slight undertones of burning wood (obviously), *tomatoes, *Elliott Smith on a rainy day, *sisterhood, *hammocks, *bamboo, *braids, *perfectly inky pens, *messenger bags, *thrifting, *friends on the same wavelength as yourself.

--Zoe Finn.

Sartorial Playground: 6.14.10

This is kind of how I feel about summer right now.  Jack Johnson & Modest Mouse come to mind; coffee stretched with half&half; enjoying alcoholic libations under the stars; wind flicking through my [growing!] hair as I zoom along on a moped; mascara & lip balm from a pot.

summer in a nutshell by cosmosaur featuring TOMS shoes

Bring it on.

--Zoe Finn

Yum Wednesday, 5.19.10

• building forts: yesterday was.. one of those days.  I emptied out my giant closet, squeezed my air mattress in there to make a wall, piled up a bunch of floor cushions & fluffy comforters, hung a blanket over the doors, & read Sorcerer's Stone in one go.  Actually, I didn't feel like moving all my stuff back out for bedtime, so.. that's where I slept.  My dreams were quite interesting.
• tattoo aspiration: ink ink ink, I'm just so excited.  Right now I am thinking magnolias for my shoulder tat; a friend in Wisconsin is going to help me draw out some ideas when I am home next week.  
• vegan food: I've found the act of reading through recipes for lengthy units of time to be extremely comforting, especially so when they are based around really exciting, wholesome ingredients.  I need more people to cook for!
• the miscellane-i:  *cheap jewelry that fades to copper when you wear it for a while, *wearing headphones at the coffee shop, *brunch, *kittens, puppies, et al, * www.stereomood.com , *finishing books, *rereading old Notes From the Universe & astrology emails from Rob Brezsny, *optimism, *new friends, *old friends.

Looking up,
Zoe Finn

Yum Wednesday, 5.12.10

• pho:  Am I getting sick?  All I want is soup.  Especially yummy vietnamese noodle soup with tofu & veggies everywhere.  Pho 95 is supposed to be the best in Denver.  I've only experienced one other location, but I don't have a hard time believing it.  Yum yum yum.
• getting old:  I turned 21 yesterday!  & it was fun!  Thank you everyone for the wishes & drinks & presents. <3
• road trips:  late may sunshine, sunglasses & black fedoras, a well-stocked iPod, grapes & chocolate & almonds & bananas & coffee, pavement passing under my wheels, weird gas stations & diners..  Dear lord I am stoked.
• painted apartments: it must be the restriction on painting in my current place, but I am feeling more passionate about the nuances of color & the possibilities & the energy that comes from slathering a mood all over the wall than ever.  
• everything else: wanting a dog & knowing that when the time is right, it will happen. * that song by Marcy Playground. * pedicures. * typewriters. candy-colored ones. * quality Amaretto Sours. * mangoes!!

What are you grateful for today?

--Zoe Finn.

Sometimes a Quickie can be healthy.

Let me preface this by admitting that I didn't actually try apple pie until I was 19-20 years old.  So, maybe my tastes for it in a nostalgic sense aren't as deeply rooted as they are for normal people.  But!  I still think this alternative is really delicious in its own right.

Oh, you thought I was talking about that kind of quickie.  ;)

You will need:

• 1 tortilla (I like the flaky whole-wheat ones)
• some apple slices
• honey
• cinnamon
• butter (I use Earth Balance; to each her own)

Heat a skillet on medium or medium-low & butter the tortilla.  Pile a bunch of really super-thin apple slices on one half of the tortilla.  Squeeze honey all over the apples & douse liberally with cinnamon.  Fold & cook like a quesadilla.  Cook until everything seems warm, or until the apples are soft or really however you want to eat this thing. 

Dump it onto a plate & eat it. Orgasmic, isn't it?  

--Zoe Finn

d'awwww

My coffee shop knows how to make a Saturday morning better.  My coffee gives a jolt of caffeine to wake my body up & the Black Eyed Peas are matching that jolt, but for my soul.

Yeah, it's still early for me. Haha.

Go forth & have a wild day!
--Zoe Finn.

Yummy Thursday, 4.29.10

Uh, hey!  I went to the mountains yesterday & forgot to share my yums.  It happens.

• well numero uno has to do with everything about my day yesterday.. : the scenery, running into elk in small mountain towns, the East End Kind Coffee in Estes Park, adventures in general.
• a good friend turned 21 today!  Hope my lovely lady had a fabulous day.
• the Denver Cupcake Truck.  I feel kind of hypocritical posting about this while I sit at The Shoppe, but I got a Zippy Lemon cupcake from the truck & it was amazing.  Also, the dude manning the truck was super friendly & upbeat.  Please come back to my neighborhood soon!
• new plans for a shoulder tattoo...!
• loaded bookshelves; bare feet; fruit smoothies; roasted veggies; road trips; growing hair; foliage; coffee; building a recipe collection; really good denim; naps; pilates; going home at the end of an emotionally heavy day.

Happy Thursday!
-Zoe Finn.

Yum Wednesday, 4.21.10

It's a shortie today, as I have to go home soon & get ready for a group interview at Anthropologie! 

#following through: I'm pretty sure the only reason I got invited to said interview is that I was in the store & decided to ask about the application I'd submitted.  Mine was buried in a huge stack of other applicants, & if I hadn't stopped in they might have just skipped over me.

#my 20's:  I turn 21 in 2 weeks & 6 days.  Judging by the year I've had so far, I just think this is going to be a really good decade.  I am feeling optimistic, full of potential, & a little bit reckless.

#assorted:  *I feel yet-another vegan bender coming on.. I am amped, *boba-tea, *this long grey cardigan I've been living in, which indulges my desire for simplicity lately when paired with black skinnies & brown Frye's, *colorful pens, *a certain garçon, *clean nails, *coffee, *walking 7.5 miles yesterday, used in part to retrieve a vegan "ice cream" cone


Happy Wednesday,
-Zoe Finn.

As of Late, 4.20.10

Mercury is definitely retrograde.  Not that I'm one to hinge my life on astrology, but.. I really can't argue with it this time around.

Saturday I baked these cookies.  Honestly, the best part was the dough, which tasted just like fudge, seconded closely by the cookies straight out of the oven.  After that, the day-afters could not really compare, despite the many compliments bestowed by those who consumed them.


I think it was Friday, that I made this grilled cheese, as discovered via  Food Gawker.  Pepperjack, avocado, (in my case, fake) bacon, & apple slices.  She mentions using sourdough bread, but I only had multigrain & it was still craaazy delicious.  Go forth & experience!


I recently forgot & remembered the bag of potatoes in my cupboard, resulting in this:


& from a while back, Peanut Butter Button Cookies. 

As cute as they may be, however, I think that smooshing them as such kind of detracts from the taste quality of the cookie. 

Today is very cloudy, & ripe for an adventure. 

--Zoe.

Yum Wednesday, 4.14.10

Oh my god it's Wednesday! 

#  I quit smoking a week ago, & it was strangely easy.  Seriously, on Monday I was mid-cigarette when I decided that.. I just didn't want to smoke any more.  And so I haven't.  I'm quite astonished, but pleasantly so.

# the Northwest: At least two of my lovely lady-friends & I are planning a trip to Portland & Seattle at the end of June.  Through my research so far, I think I am falling in love, particularly with Portland.  The vibe, the scenery, all of it!  I want to eat at vegan bakeries & grow my hair out & run around in the rain. 

# long walks:  the other day, I was bored, so I put my running shoes on with the intention of "breaking them in" on a walk.  I started going, & accidentally covered almost 5 miles.  (I know this thanks to this google pedometer tool).  Denver doesn't feel so small anymore.

# the assorted:  *cute boys seem to be everwhere lately, *black nail polish, *vegan baking, vegetarian cuisine, et al, *pending hair adventures, *cosmetology school, *hula hoops, *the realization that cold weather is disappearing for the year, *skin ink, *my coffee shop, *wait, coffee also, *food gawker.

Have a grateful day. :)
--Zoe Finn.

Sartorial Playground: 3.8.10

I am thinking about running away & becoming a vagabond, but I'm not sure if this outfit conveys that.  Regardless, I think it is cute.

March 8 2010 by cosmosaur featuring Frye boots

Tschuss, my lovelies.
-- Zoe Finn

A Belated Sort of Yum Wednesday

Because.. I am feeling quite appreciative & open today.

*  legwear & assorted stockings, garter belts, et al.  I have been walking everywhere & climbing all sorts of stairs lately, so hopefully I will start seeing some definition in my gams, & I want to show that off!  Not to mention, you can wear these pretty things under the most unassuming of denim, & you can walk around all day with this little secret dose of sauciness to fuel your attitude..

*  "sometimes you climb out of bed in the morning, & you think 'I'm not going to make it', but you laugh inside, remembering all the times you felt that way"  - Charles Bukowski

*  exploring new heights in the kitchen.  Now that I know I can get those chocolate chip cookies to perfection.. it's not as fun.  I just found a bunch of recipes on THIS blog, & they all look super amazing.  Check it out.

*  lazy fridays, because I've spent all week being geared up about everything on my plate & all of the things that are GOING to be on my plate, & getting overwhelmed in general.  I overslept this morning, read the newspaper, played solitaire on my Nintendo DS, took a nice long soak in the tub while reading Laren Stover's The Bohemian Manifesto, & then ventured out to the coffee shop to screw around online.  Seriously, that's all I have accomplished today & I think it's really making the prospect of getting back into the grind seem so much less frantic.

*  delicious ambiguity.  Realize your own definition of this & relish it.

To a happy weekend,
Zoe

How's it goin'?

I did a major purge of my closet a few days ago, & am kind of running out of things to wear.  I am very grateful for the fresh start, & I know it was good for me, but... I have nothing to wear!  This upcoming weekend will probably contain a run to Buffalo Exchange...

In the meantime, there is always Polyvore.

assorted pretties by cosmosaur featuring Comme des garÇons skirts

Items 1-4, are from Modcloth.  The rest were just featured in Polyvore's archive bit.  And, you know, the panda... is for good measure.

 

These are the two prints I was talking about.  They will be hung when there's actually furniture to work around. :)

Signing off (to enjoy a bowl of Life with almond milk..),

Zoe

Sartorial Playground: 2.2.10

New series alert:  Sartorial Playground is a feed of my assorted Polyvore musings & various fashion moods, or rather, what my life would be like if I had buckets & buckets of dough.

a day in the life by cosmosaur featuring kate spade bags

I am in the process of declaring my major right now, & I would like to get a job as an art teacher.  Perhaps this is something I might wear while instructing the bitty-folk on the finer points of papier maché. :)

À bientôt,
Zoe

Happy Homework, 1.26.10

I would like you to bake a batch of cupcakes.  Choose a theme, go wild decorating,  & document.

Thx & Love,
Zoe.