Fast Food Fashion

In the March issue of Metropolis, "Revenge of the Slow" describes a local foods movement as it goes global with a networked rather than hierarchical model. The essay explains how the Slow Food movement's appeal and even marketability relies on the scarcity of authenticity.

Which got me thinking....about fashion. Recently inspired by an ever expanding collection of vintage and used clothing stores on Burnside (PDX), I headed to Anthropologie where I could buy wearables with that shiny sheen in the right size, no effort required.

Cognizant of the premium I paid on the convenience/new factor, I rationalized that I no longer have the time to invest in sussing out the thrift scores or making the modifications that would get the fit or make the feel, just right. Am I being practical or a sucker?

thrift score or fast food fashion?
I'm down with spending money on how I dress, it's become a habit, and I believe a wardrobe reflects a personal expression of creativity. But how does this jive with my interest in making actions align with values? When I consider all the bummer aspects of clothes made in China, I have to wonder, is this okay?

There is a trend afoot that is all about upcycling–that is, giving repurposed clothing a new life. It reflects a diy mentality that I embrace but don't make the time to practice. How do I walk the talk of a networked, collage-oriented belief in how I dress? And what is a fair price for my desire that it be ready to wear?

Call it an F (as in feminist) Bomb

Saturday Night Live Women's News Update
Loved this piece despite my ambivalence regarding Hillary Clinton's presidential nomination pursuit. Endorsement or not, here is the gist of my takeaway:

Bitches Get Stuff Done

If you haven's seen the skit, here's the link to SNL site (it was pulled from You Tube).
link to Tina Fey, SNL clip

Also, for the time-challenged, an excerpt:

FEY: Maybe what bothers me the most is that people say that Hillary is a bitch.
Let me say something about that: Yeah, she is.

And so am I and so is this one. (pointing to Amy Poehler)

POEHLER: Yeah, deal with it.

FEY: Know what? Bitches get stuff done.
(Amy says yeah and starts nodding her head, together they get in a rhythm, with Amy saying in response, more yeahs, uh huhs, with a ‘you go girl’ style)

Like back in grammar school,
they could have had priests teaching you but, no,
they had those tough old nuns who slept on cots
and who could hit ya and you HATED those bitches
But at the end of the school year
you sure KNEW the capital of Vermont!

Question of the Day

Do fools deserve to be pitied?


Mr. T would

Fools are cropping up everywhere. But Eliot Spitzer gets the (dis)honor of being Fool poster boy/man of this week.

Road Report-Twin Bridges

Sunday Riding was everything I hoped for plus easy Highway 20 crossings. Street shoulders have been swept from College Way down to Shevlin Road. The roads continued clear and smooth out past the park and west toward Tumalo. We encountered a sub-mile cinder stretch on the return ride on O.B. Riley. Still, it was an overall smooth, mellow 30 miler that kept me smiling well into the start of the work week.

Question of the day

Why are hoodie's the clothing article of choice for crazy bomber types?

Artist's sketch of Doctor Theodore John "Ted" Kaczynski, known as the Unabomber

Yesterday's NY terrorist joins the crazy Unabomber in perpetuating the bad rap of the comfy clothing article.

Salud!

A group of ten convened for a Sparkling Wine tasting event last weekend. Competitive pairings included varieties of Champagne, sparkling rosé, prosecco, cava and oregon vs. cali sparking whites. Our hostess with the mostest poured all evening long. Palates were cleansed with strawberries and gorgonzola-date crudites topped with balsamic reduction.
The big discovery was the humble $7 bottle of cava–Segura Viudas.

Delightful times.

What Would Chewey Do?

Advice Column Alert!


Chewbacca, despite his pants-less status, was recently dubbed one of the all-time best sidekicks in a worthy wired post.

Fortunately, the accolades have not gone to his head and he is offering counsel to those among us searching for answers.

Pose your questions in the comments and hold on for sage advice.

Question of the day

Going Underground or Off The Grid

que es mejor?

Recognize this man?

Jeff Mangum, reclusive musician and mastermind of Neutral Milk Hotel.

Slate magazine's Taylor Clark dubs him "the Salinger of indie rock". The Aeroplane Over the Sea was released 10 years ago, inspired by Mangum's reading of The Diary of Anne Frank. Clark reports that The Aeroplane Over the Sea continues to make critic's lists and is a perennial discovery though Mangum has removed himself from the grid, leaving only rumors of new projects and fans frustrated with his hoarding of talents.
Read the full Slate post here
And/Or better yet, listen to one of my all-time favorite tunes: The King of Carrot Flowers, Pt. 1

This is how we did Palm Springs

Turistas checking out the vistas.

derailing the cringe

Embarrasing moments happen regularly. There are foot in mouth incidences. Public actions & reactions that you would like to keep private occur and you find yourself mulling over the witness list to your vulnerabilities. For me it is experienced almost like a headache. I want to touch my temple over and over to provide some relief. So, too, my mind longs to revisit embarrassments.

But what about the growing allure of cringe in popular culture? "Trainwreck Television" is more popular than ever and not the sort that refers to mechanical catastrophes. More like Flavor Flav looking for love on MTV or any one of the number of unreality programs currently thriving on their cringe factor.

What is the appeal and where does it end?

From the New Yorker, THE CHOICE

George Packer writes: The Clinton-Obama battle reveals two very different ideas of the Presidency.

Click this link to read the full story

Packer describes their primary differentiation as being in their conceptions of the Presidency. Working towards change through good governance is Clinton's approach. Obama, on the other hand, "offers himself as a catalyst by which disenchanted Americans can overcome...partisanship, energize our democracy and restore faith in government."

Clinton's dismissal of Obama's message as optimistic naiveté reflects a belief in incremental change through compromise and the necessity of being armed for battle. The article suggests that Obama has a quality that Clinton lacks: comfortable self-possession. Clinton's inability to be authentic continues to be her primary handicap. Especially as, the article demonstrates, she possesses political experience, intelligence, humanity and kindness in good measure. It is her self-protective manner, honed from years in the often harsh spotlight, that inhibits her ability to connect in a positive or optimistic way.

Packer quotes Greg Craig, long-time Clinton friend, past attorney and now advisor to Barack Obama's campaign. "I don't discount the possibility of her being able to inspire me. But she hasn't in the past, and Obama has."

Further on in the article Dee Dee Meyers is quoted "Hillary needs to connect two things. What's in her heart and what she wants to accomplish and why...It comes down to your ability to get people to follow you, to inspire."

Is there a candidate who inspires you?

Obey/Obama Poster that sold out in two weeks

On my radar

Transistor radios keep popping up.
Atomic Ranch magazine features a collection in their current issue.
Made to Stick uses the transistor radio 's genesis story to illustrate the power of the unexpected.
Transistor radio is also the title of M. Ward's 2005 release, recently incorporated into my playlist of choice.
What is the significance?

Marginal notes

The cook book came to me from my friend. She was going to sell it for a quarter at her yard sale. I brought it home and, feeling inspired to prepare a hot dish, I perused the pages. In addition to recipes, I found cautions, reviews and raves written in pencil.

Next to the Eggplant Rollatini with Corn Bread Stuffing "Two hours? Try four!"

Peach Crisp "Cut the butter next time, too rich."

White Bean and Vegetable Stew in Red Wine Sauce "The Best."

Essentially I had stumbled unto a treasure trove of information. All the lame guesswork of a recipe could be avoided with the simple help of my friend's notations. This wasn't some foreign cook show host, this was someone with a skill set similar to my own, providing insight. I had to wonder, is this cheating?

Marginal Notes. For some of us it is instinctive. But, thinking back, I have my 9th grade English teacher to thank. Mrs. Hawkins assigned us the task of selecting sentences that resonated with our adolescent minds. She called them "purple passages". She instructed us to copy and compile sentences and engage with them. Over the course of the year, purple passages became a habit. They were everywhere! Transcribing key points in a text became a favorite study tool. Along the way I learned that I had something to say.

Purchasing hundred dollar text books in college entitled me to the thrill of writing notes in the margins. This 5th edition of Human Physiology book was mine and I could do with it what I pleased! However, many of those comments, jotted hastily years ago are now cryptic and unintelligible. Doodles were a sad display of underdeveloped illustration skills and were best when kept to flowers. Seriously.




I now find myself compelled to respond to articles I read, or things I hear in the so-called news. I take notes. A lyric, turn of phrase that I fancy, or inspirational quote may be found scrawled in my work notebook or elsewhere, on the back of an envelope or receipt. For whom? Nobody. Until this blog.

Welcome to my cookbook pages.

Style report: hand-made bike show

Portland, Oregon played host to the 4th annual handmade bike show this past weekend. Racks galore, one-speeds, and funky commuter bikes were well represented. Bikes fabricated with bamboo & wood provided some innovative eye candy but there were also plenty of steel frames bearing names in retro fonts. In fact, nostalgia seems to be infused into many of the designs though integration of technology and/or materials provide new-school functionality.

I see tap handle potential in those bars

Legitimate craftsmanship was certainly on display. Consider the titanium sofa. 300 hours were given to the design reflected in the comfort of the seat as well as the $16,000 price tag.


On a smaller scale, there were racks artfully designed with contrasting wood patterns for the crafty commuter types that populate the Northwest.

rack it up in style

MAS was all about due diligence, trolling the aisles and checking out what's on the minds of industry influencers. I was his eager companion, and try as I may to stay focused on cable routing & disk brakes, my interest waned after awhile, and I couldn't help but notice the crowd. I can confidently report that beards, tatts, and cut-off denim have taken hold of the indie bike scene. Now, that's style.

bike & rack photos by MAS, ti sofa photo courtesy of kw @ good problem