fancy footwork

Ok: it's no secret I love shoes. I also LOVE to dance, although sadly it is something I don't do nearly enough of these days (maybe I should start going "clubbin'"? Do people still do that??) So when Elizabeth rang me up a few weeks ago, offering me a rad pair of Aldo shoes in exchange for shakin' it on camera one morning with several amazing young ladies, it was kind of a no-brainer. It was a bit on the early side for a dance party (many a grande americano had to be wrangled from hand before we rolled...) but it was really great to finally meet so many faces theretofore familiar only as an extension of my laptop.

But what does it all meeean, Basil? Long story short, ALDO is hosting a pretty rad contest right now, involving--you guessed it--shoes, dancing, AND no less than $2500 in prize money. Think of the video above as a kind of jumping off point for you and your killer moves. I mean, come on, you can do better than us right???

P.S. There MAY be a video solely featuring my physical stylings floating around out there...but to see it, you'd have to follow this link. I can say no more.

for your listening pleasure

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - Heart In Your Heartbreak by forcefieldpr

Wahoo! The Pains have a new single out, the first--and one of my very favorite--from their sophomore album which will be released early next year (yes, I've heard it and yes, call me biased but it is GOOD.) I've been anticipating this moment literally since, ahem, I heard them open up sound check with it in Kobe, Japan all the way back in February (just being real, guys.)

Don't forget, these dudes just embarked this morning on a West Coast tour, followed by a couple weeks in Europe. I can guarantee several new songs are in the mix, so if you think you've already seen the Pains, well my friends, think again!

strange magic

My ears are still ringing from one singular, INSANELY amazing ELO cover band (I mean...they had a cello and a violin and back-up singers and a freakin' vocoder!!) and my stomach is rather sad concerning the paltry amount of fun-size candies I've consumed in the last 24 hours (one mini York patty and one tiny box of Jr. Mints, come ooooon) But I just wanted to stop off and leave visual proof of how totally fucking weird my face looked tonight!

This is probably the most effort I've put into a Halloween costume in many, many years--though that's not really saying so much--and I was sewing those damn ruffles up until the minute we left the apartment. Still, though my face did kinda feel like it was falling off by the end of the night and I did get called a mime once (occupational hazard of the Pierrot, I suppose) it was totally worth it!

P.S. Can you guess A's costume? He really stole my heart, that one...eheheheh.

le fou

I always enter into Halloween season with the best of intentions, I do. But every year, my costume plans always seem to loose steam in the face of my inescapable aversion to spending money on things I'm going to use/wear only once. More often than not, this leaves me having to source nearly my entire outfit from my own closet--but there's only so many times one can go as a "Seventies Disco Queen" or "Spooky 60's Babydoll" before people start calling foul...

Honestly, I had pretty much given up all hope of coming up with anything even vaguely impressive this year (especially since I'm pretty sure I totally peaked last year...nowhere to go but down, right?) That is, until I came across this photo on Refinery29 and realized that--yes!--75% of what I needed to totally rip the girl on the left off was already in my closet! It's fitting because I feel like my whole life I have sort of been haunted by those creepy Pierrot dolls with the porcelain faces and soft bodies you find at thrift stores and on your best friend's Mom's mantle piece.

Anyways, I feel this post is totally begging the question: what are you gonna be for Halloween??

do this now: world's best pancakes

Friends, today I am issuing you a plea. As I am a simple girl, I make only a simple request: in the name of all that's delicious, find a reason to make pancakes this weekend (or tomorrow...or RIGHT NOW.) Why? Because I truly believe that I've found what can only be described as the world's greatest pancake recipe--and I'm here to spread the gospel.

Let me preface by saying that these are no ordinary pancakes: they are Pumpkin Spice pancakes. So if you don't like pumpkin and you don't like spice...I suggest you get the hell outta my kitchen! I found this recipe, of all places, on the Opening Ceremony blog a little over a week ago, and have made them twice since then (and that is a serious show of self-control.) Both times they cooked up like fluffy little piles of warm, soft, moist clouds from heaven--and in the perfect quantity for two hungry people who REALLY like pancakes.


Assembling the troops.


Mmmmm, spice pile.


Go whole or go home!



A couple of tips:

• I've been adding a good spoonful (or around a tablespoon) of molasses to my wet ingredients, which gives the finished product an amazing gingerbread flavor.

• Seeing as it's fall and all, I really gotta urge you to make the pumpkin puree from scratch. Pumpkins are cheap and in season, and those things practically cook themselves. Here's a quick how-to. (And while we're at it: here's how to make buttermilk from scratch.)

• I haven't gotten around to making the Vanilla Bean Syrup they recommend (though I can only imagine the wonder) but I cannot impress upon you enough how crucial the Cinnamon Butter is. Seriously, it takes all of five minutes to whip up, and it will increase the yum-factor twenty-fold.



Aaagh looking at these photos is literally like torture right now. Maybe we can make these a new Halloween breakfast tradition? Or like...a Tuesday breakfast tradition?? Whatever it takes guys, I'm telling you: do this now!!