tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-50258473402082089432024-03-13T23:28:23.774-04:00exactlyLiz Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15412926213195105608noreply@blogger.comBlogger368125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5025847340208208943.post-49965469576029260372016-09-28T09:59:00.003-04:002016-09-30T14:31:36.547-04:00A Food-Filled Weekend Guide to Charleston<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzk3R0VA15suxmASqkqHz68HZmbRjespplI1_MNCYPP0gT2w8vwvggHevfVlbwm0_1Q9VmT-bE7vXs52TwvNMaTzWmkw7N54Mr_ZEG6ewCXS0PH1Dm5uGwbh0I0G85x_XPWzLt3Wapxps/s1600/BroadStreet_Wide.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzk3R0VA15suxmASqkqHz68HZmbRjespplI1_MNCYPP0gT2w8vwvggHevfVlbwm0_1Q9VmT-bE7vXs52TwvNMaTzWmkw7N54Mr_ZEG6ewCXS0PH1Dm5uGwbh0I0G85x_XPWzLt3Wapxps/s1600/BroadStreet_Wide.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My husband and I just got back from a whirlwind weekend in Charleston, South Carolina. Combine that with another quick trip we took last summer, and we’re officially hooked on its Southern-meets-European-meets-beach-y vibe. If I had to combine the best experiences of both trips, here’s how I’d do it all again:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl6D07DEHm5EnoNt_4ooRJ30SNipUevqIYU7UAWLaA8FLFNE99FW7IMz0h87OkfjaK8uudO2fbHUTq9cHJO9RLJFS94v9080RXtsMwtonJBkbZclNWaIp0-xAmySz7L_VwyPLkZJqIzXQ/s1600/TheDarling_SeafoodPlateau.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl6D07DEHm5EnoNt_4ooRJ30SNipUevqIYU7UAWLaA8FLFNE99FW7IMz0h87OkfjaK8uudO2fbHUTq9cHJO9RLJFS94v9080RXtsMwtonJBkbZclNWaIp0-xAmySz7L_VwyPLkZJqIzXQ/s1600/TheDarling_SeafoodPlateau.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Raw bar & cocktails at </span><a href="http://thedarling.com/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Darling Oyster Bar</span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is the first place we visited upon arriving on Friday afternoon, and it was my overall favorite experience. The Darling has it all: amazing seafood plus Southern classics, a full and creative bar, and vintage ambiance & design. It was like a crazy blend of a French brasserie and Wes Anderson movie set, and it was delightful. We got the “seafood plateau,” hush puppies with sorghum butter, several drinks, and a fun introduction to King Street nightlife.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxjOPhV5A1ofSEvfu9OKmBAuzhp5oZbVPkllx6PWxg3AWe9D_sdh7q8dsFTjD-VLcFpa0xmjvPv2_k1i9rCbfXdlpI6IbyTvyQ853S8_jpwvFWGsW4CjwoF3f21uxeOot3plsL7H6Sma8/s1600/CharlestonFood_Diptych1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxjOPhV5A1ofSEvfu9OKmBAuzhp5oZbVPkllx6PWxg3AWe9D_sdh7q8dsFTjD-VLcFpa0xmjvPv2_k1i9rCbfXdlpI6IbyTvyQ853S8_jpwvFWGsW4CjwoF3f21uxeOot3plsL7H6Sma8/s1600/CharlestonFood_Diptych1.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Callie’s pimento cheese sandwich, and food souvenirs a-plenty. Left photo by Micah Johnson.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Breakfast biscuit at </span><a href="http://calliesbiscuits.com/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Callie’s Hot Little Biscuit</span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Callie’s serves perfectly flaky biscuits with an array of sweet and savory fillings. We tried the pimento cheese sandwich and a jam-slathered option. This place is cute but tiny – it’s advisable to grab-and-go (unless you can snag one of the stools – then stay forever.) </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Another great grab-and-go option for breakfast or lunch is </span><a href="http://www.caviarandbananas.com/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Caviar & Bananas</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, a gourmet market and cafe with a few locations in Charleston. I love buying food items as souvenirs; there are always those specialties you can’t quite justify when at home but are a great way to relive a specific place or meal. There’s a lot of things like that at C&B. This time we brought home some freshly-roasted coffee beans, handmade pasta, pepperoncini-infused oil, and a few bottles of craft beer.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaW1FyQc7RC6NVfup9ErKxAxDqKVGAZ9bU4uakl3QNUt6S4VgbeZW9vjdIxjib1g9EzlxOEkqAPdF_MTor33Jz2uLqIA7mVwx2ukQKCFzSo7aR5HIyyYovBXXLcy9eYSv1ioVJ_iqc6tc/s1600/SouthOfBroad_OldHouses.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaW1FyQc7RC6NVfup9ErKxAxDqKVGAZ9bU4uakl3QNUt6S4VgbeZW9vjdIxjib1g9EzlxOEkqAPdF_MTor33Jz2uLqIA7mVwx2ukQKCFzSo7aR5HIyyYovBXXLcy9eYSv1ioVJ_iqc6tc/s1600/SouthOfBroad_OldHouses.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Walking around South of Broad </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">You’ll inevitably get a good feel for King Street (Charleston’s main commercial drag) from just navigating your way around downtown. But we also carved out time on Saturday to walk around south of Broad Street – which is basically the tip of the peninsula – home to Charleston’s older residences and a lot of history. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5tExEiTdEgDWtDYA7C030JXSGUFXPx-QxvXC1U4_5Jx8gOQkszwxCZRgRo-ks9ksWJBJpHB63MNpijCms7xPSoAMXREEqJbYlE9eqhOtI9KCMP4YSM_4bKbORsO09SVMxJkSxUY1Fn3I/s1600/XiaoBao_HalfEaten.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5tExEiTdEgDWtDYA7C030JXSGUFXPx-QxvXC1U4_5Jx8gOQkszwxCZRgRo-ks9ksWJBJpHB63MNpijCms7xPSoAMXREEqJbYlE9eqhOtI9KCMP4YSM_4bKbORsO09SVMxJkSxUY1Fn3I/s1600/XiaoBao_HalfEaten.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lunch or dinner at </span><a href="http://xiaobaobiscuit.com/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Xiao Bao Biscuit</span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is the only place we went to on both trips, and will continue to frequent on all future trips to Charleston. Housed in a reincarnated gas station, Xiao Bao Biscuit brings together the tastiest plates from several different Asian traditions, “inspired by kick-ass grandmothers everywhere.” It’s all guaranteed to be great, but the okonomiyaki (“cabbage pancake,” but also </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">so</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> much more than that) always stands out. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We hit up </span><a href="https://jenis.com/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> on the way home for inventive, seasonal scoops like “Gooey Butter Cake” and “Sun-Popped Corn.” Note to self: next time, bring a cooler for potential food souvenirs that would need to be kept cold on the drive home. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9VlSjG7VUMf83TDTdVqMnqNma90CxFjvOeTIciiVcOAcxoxucZ1i9Rxl83a64rVugRZkTtlDINOhF0c80iR_WWXHezAALhRrYLRkr623_ma9pGlxDSHNpFoRmpXflapVoPCQB1dccgV8/s1600/ButcherBee_Diptych1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9VlSjG7VUMf83TDTdVqMnqNma90CxFjvOeTIciiVcOAcxoxucZ1i9Rxl83a64rVugRZkTtlDINOhF0c80iR_WWXHezAALhRrYLRkr623_ma9pGlxDSHNpFoRmpXflapVoPCQB1dccgV8/s1600/ButcherBee_Diptych1.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Folly Beach & Final Brunch</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">On Sunday morning, we visited </span><a href="http://www.follybeach.com/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Folly Beach</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, mostly just to feel the sand between our toes, and take in the view from “the Edge of America.” Then we headed to north Charleston on our way out of town for one final meal, at </span><a href="http://butcherandbee.com/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Butcher & Bee</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. They specialize in fresh, local sandwiches, bowls, and drinks, and have a majorly fun and bright interior.</span></div>
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<a href="http://edmundsoast.com/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Edmund’s Oast</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is right next to Butcher & Bee, and it’s impossible to visit one without wanting to stop by the other. We shared a snack and cocktails, but their beer list is most impressive (featuring dozens of in-house and regional brews), and the whole place feels like a cool modern Viking hall. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Enjoy!</span></span></div>
<br />Liz Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15412926213195105608noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5025847340208208943.post-16334656691611076552015-02-16T09:20:00.001-05:002015-02-17T16:45:00.066-05:00IN PROGRESS: RUGS<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Our den was an addition to the original house, added on about two years after it was built <i>(<a href="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3702/10316272466_3d8abeea5c_o.jpg"><span style="color: #999999;">here's</span></a> what it looked like when we bought it)</i>. It's by far where we spend most of our chill time. I love the built-ins, the wood-burning fireplace, the huge windows and sliding door to our patio... but not the faux-slate tiles. When we moved in I bought some neutral cheap rugs from IKEA to create a cozy "island" in the middle of the room. When when we got our bigger couch a few months ago, it seemed... not enough. I wanted that cozy island to become a whole cozy room, with a little more life in it – and the den seemed like a good space to go a little more vivid and out-there since we also have a more chill, mid-century modern <a href="http://instagram.com/p/x69S6mu8Um/?modal=true"><span style="color: #999999;">"formal living room."</span></a> Replacing the tile with carpet or wood isn't an option at the moment. I also realized it was the only room in the house without pattern... so I bought that pouf on clearance at Target. But then the pouf looked totally sad and out of place.<br />
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It was time to buy some crazy rugs.<br />
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One of the many upsides of being a designer is the power to use Photoshop to imagine things. I've done this with paint colors and artwork before, but never shared it. I wasn't even planning on sharing this <i>(you can see my Starbucks cup on the desk in the background, nothing is styled or smoothed or fluffed...)</i>, but I'm too excited by how my room is going to look that I can't help it.<br />
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This is the beginning of the Great Rug Layering of 2015. I got all three of these on <a href="http://www.overstock.com/"><span style="color: #999999;">Overstock</span></a> <i>(though I also love <a href="http://www.rugsusa.com/rugsusa/control/rugs"><span style="color: #999999;">RugsUSA</span></a>)</i> for under $400 total. I'm honestly not super comfortable with pattern, so I wanted to make sure the combo wasn't too crazy, that the colors tied together well, and just see what it did to the vibe of the room. I wasn't even going to buy the rugs that day... but after seeing this I just had to immediately <i>(I also didn't want to over-think it)</i>. The power of Photoshop!<br />
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They'll be arriving in the next week or two. Down the road I think I'll buy another, larger jute rug for under my desk / the back half of the room, and maybe some smaller <i>(grey-based?)</i> rugs to fill in holes. But this is a solid, cozy start.Liz Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15412926213195105608noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5025847340208208943.post-78096032396399032752015-01-28T09:01:00.001-05:002015-01-28T09:01:14.177-05:00CLICKING<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Above: some <a href="http://instagram.com/lizactly"><span style="color: #999999;">Instagrams</span></a> of recent favorite corners of the house.<br />
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I use this blog as a journal, to remember, and I love randomly checking posts from a year or two ago, just to see where I was in contrast to where I am. Last late January I was <a href="http://lizfabry.blogspot.com/2014/01/expanding-and-contracting.html"><span style="color: #999999;">expanding and contracting</span></a> during a time of intense change and growth. It was one of those "everything is very bright and a little overwhelming and when will winter end" times, that thankfully has passed. </div>
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A year later, things are just now clicking into place <i>(except for that peskily-cyclical winter bit)</i>. I can finally look back with some clarity and appreciate, by contrast, the calm of my life right now. We chose to <a href="http://lizfabry.blogspot.com/search/label/elopement"><span style="color: #999999;">elope</span></a> and it was absolutely the best decision for us. Micah found a <a href="http://www.fullsteam.ag/"><span style="color: #999999;">job</span></a> – and it ended up being better than anything we could have imagined. We were able to start saving up for things again, and bought <a href="http://lizfabry.blogspot.com/2014/10/master-bedroom-after.html"><span style="color: #999999;">a big new bed</span></a>, and a cozy new couch <i>(photos soon)</i>. Our house is feeling more like a home. We're both building creatively-fulfilling careers. </div>
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I just wanted to acknowledge this period, to validate Past Liz, and to reassure Future Liz. Everything contracts and expands, this too shall pass, just keep swimming, all that. And when in doubt, read the archives of your own silly blog, to see how far you've come. It's always further than you remember.</div>
Liz Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15412926213195105608noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5025847340208208943.post-20566360840311962062015-01-26T17:17:00.000-05:002015-01-27T08:19:31.417-05:00JUICE<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I've officially jumped on the juice bandwagon, and so far I'm loving it. As per <a href="http://www.bonappetit.com/test-kitchen/tools-test-kitchen/article/best-juicer-affordable"><span style="color: #999999;">Bon Appétit's recommendation</span></a> <i>(my favorite magazine subscription right now)</i>, I bought myself <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000MDHH06/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1"><span style="color: #999999;">this juicer</span></a> a few weeks ago, plus a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1844839737/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1"><span style="color: #999999;">book</span></a> of recipes to get me started and keep me out of ruts. So far my favorite combos are <i>(from top to bottom)</i>: carrot + grapefruit + ginger, beet + apple, and kale + spinach + celery + lime.<br />
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So far, I'm averaging about one big juice every other day. I've been careful to always use more vegetables than fruit <i>(sssugarrr)</i>. These aren't meal replacements for me – more like hearty snacks, or a supplement of sorts, to make sure I'm getting enough plant power. I recently worked with a client who was trained as a raw food chef, and during one of our meetings she said, "Raw food is alive, and it will transform you from a cellular level. You're literally putting life and light into your body." It's really stuck with me, and I can totally feel that in those first few sips. So bold and fresh and potent – just the COLOR alone is transformational, no?<br />
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As healthy as all this jazz is, my mind can't help but wander off to the delicious cocktail possibilities that my new toy also opens up. We had fresh-squeezed orange juice for mimosas <a href="http://instagram.com/p/xuW_K-vh7p/?modal=true"><span style="color: #999999;">last weekend</span></a>, and that green juice got me thinking about combining cucumber + lime + maybe a little jalapeño? + gin, or making a home-made Bloody Mary mix...Liz Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15412926213195105608noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5025847340208208943.post-77052010473714105542014-12-08T08:34:00.000-05:002014-12-08T08:34:04.002-05:00THANKSGIVING<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Micah and I just enjoyed our first alone-together Thanksgiving. Without any restriction or obligation to familial tradition, we planned out a menu that began some traditions of our own. We bought a great bottle of wine <i>(to complement the duck)</i>, set the table the day before, then prepped the meal over the course of a few Bloody Marys. The best part? We were finished eating <i>(table cleared and dishes in the dishwasher)</i>, and watching a Harry Potter movie in our pajamas by 3:30pm.Liz Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15412926213195105608noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5025847340208208943.post-32036857586499724652014-11-18T17:56:00.002-05:002014-11-18T17:56:36.118-05:00OUR ELOPEMENT, PART THREE<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I'm working from Oklahoma City this week, missing my husband... and just now realizing we totally missed our six-month anniversary a few weeks ago. What better excuse to post some of our "portraits" <i>(the more candid, the more I like it)</i> from our elopement in May? Here's to another six-and-a-half-ish months <i>(AT LEAST)</i> of boozy adventures and insuppressible laughter.<br />
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Additional viewing: <a href="http://lizfabry.blogspot.com/2014/06/our-elopement-part-one.html"><span style="color: #999999;">part one</span></a> and <span style="color: #999999;"><a href="http://lizfabry.blogspot.com/2014/06/our-elopement-part-two.html"><span style="color: #999999;">part two.</span></a> </span>Liz Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15412926213195105608noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5025847340208208943.post-33138017484041167032014-11-01T14:11:00.001-04:002014-11-01T14:11:50.013-04:00FIRE CIDER<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I've been hearing about fire cider for a few years, but always assumed it some sort of secret folk medicine that was too complex or arcane for anyone but like, Appalachian witch healers to make. Turns out, it's basically raw apple vinegar cider, infused with all kinds of powerful immune-boosting, anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, anti-viral, decongestant, and circulatory-assisting plants and herbs to literally and figuratively warm your ass up and protect it from illness during the cold winter months. And all it really takes to make, is patience.<br />
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There are a lot of recipes out there, but they all center around a base of chopped horseradish, onion, ginger, garlic, and citrus. I followed the basic proportions of <a href="http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-fire-cider-recipes-from-the-kitchn-199972"><span style="color: #999999;">this recipe</span></a>, but didn't add some of the "extra" herbs like thyme, parsley, or the peppercorns <i>(though those all sound like awesome additions)</i>. Some of the more esoteric recipes also call for making this on a particular moon phase, and burying the jar in your yard for a month for extra... potency. I happened to make mine on the new moon in Scorpio <i>(also known as grocery day)</i>, and it sounds badass, so it can't hurt. I'm storing mine in a cool dark cupboard, and shaking it whenever I remember to. There also seem to be a lot of differing opinions on how long the cider needs to "steep" – from two weeks, to two months. I think I'll wait a month <i>(or a full moon cycle)</i>, then strain out all the non-liquid, and add raw local honey to taste – and for additional health benefits.<br />
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Fire cider can be taken straight, as a shot, or in a tea with hot water and more honey; some even use it in salad dressing. I think I need to taste it first. I actually like the taste of vinegar <i>(and garlic, and ginger, etc, etc)</i>, but horseradish is a different story; even chopping that was a sinus-clearing, nosehair-burning experience of its own. Luckily, I've still got a few weeks to get my courage up.Liz Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15412926213195105608noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5025847340208208943.post-89332886134211481322014-10-30T11:58:00.000-04:002014-10-30T11:58:03.358-04:00HOUSE-IVERSARY<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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A few weeks ago we celebrated the one-year anniversary of <a href="http://lizfabry.blogspot.com/2013/10/our-house-before.html"><span style="color: #999999;">buying our house</span></a>. We strung <a href="http://www.target.com/p/room-essentials-clear-globe-lights-25ct/-/A-12958843"><span style="color: #999999;">globe lights</span></a> around the patio, and continued a tradition that we started last October... or did we only "start" it now, the second time around?... semantics. Anyway. One of the first things we did after getting the keys, and crossing the threshold for the first time, was <a href="http://instagram.com/p/fTmVohu8Yn/"><span style="color: #999999;">crack open a bottle</span></a> of <a href="http://www.fullsteam.ag/beer/forager/"><span style="color: #999999;">2012 Fullsteam First Frost</span></a>, that we had been saving for almost a year. We had kept it through the long home-buying process, and promised ourselves we would open it only once we got a house – or the first frost came. Luckily it was the former.<br />
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So this year, on an unseasonably warm night, we enjoyed a bottle of 2013 First Frost. We talked about all the work we've done on the house, and everything we'd still like to do. The top of my personal list was painting the kitchen cabinets, and buying a new, comfier, larger sofa. Since then we've started a "couch fund" <i>(there is something so satisfying about putting cash in an envelope and watching it get fatter and fatter as the weeks pass)</i>. I'm planning on tackling at least the upper cabinets over my Christmas break <i>(which is actually the week after Christmas)</i>.<br />
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And of course, the 2014 First Frost will be released within the next week or two – and we need to stock up for next year.Liz Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15412926213195105608noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5025847340208208943.post-29586273915456078272014-10-21T09:46:00.002-04:002014-10-21T09:54:58.423-04:00TREAT YO SELF<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I'm a big believer in celebrating everything, big or small. Sometimes it's obvious, like planning a weekend away to celebrate an anniversary or birthday with my husband. Sometimes it's as simple as buying myself a $50 bottle of wine to celebrate making it through a <a href="http://andkathleen.com/2013/09/im-not-crazy-busy/"><span style="color: #999999;">"wildly productive and living the dream"</span></a> week <i>(...like I did last Friday)</i>, or scheduling a massage for yourself after a long weekend of yardwork. This fell somewhere in between.<br />
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I follow <a href="http://instagram.com/marbleandmilkweed"><span style="color: #999999;">Marble & Milkweed on Instagram</span></a>, and am totally entranced by Briar. I think it's because I'm becoming more and more interested in plants: growing them, eating and drinking them, and being healed by them. It all feels cyclical and honest and connected and just the right amount of magical. She's made a beautiful business <i>(and life, really!)</i> out of that. Her <a href="http://www.marbleandmilkweed.com/shop/autumn-getaway-kit"><span style="color: #999999;">Autumn Getaway Kit</span></a> seemed like the perfect way to try out a few of her products, and reward myself for making it through the first three quarters of what has turned out to be a very volatile year <i>(in the best way!, but still)</i>.<br />
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The nourishing body oil and solid perfume <i>(IN AN ACORN CAP)</i> smell like some sweeter-yet-spicier version of one of my <a href="https://catbirdnyc.com/shop/product.php?productid=17868"><span style="color: #999999;">all-time favorite scents</span></a>. I still haven't tried the chai, but I love that she offers <a href="http://www.marbleandmilkweed.com/shop/?category=tea"><span style="color: #999999;">different, "modern" translations of it</span></a> from time to time. I think I'll try a tea sampler next. Spicy masala chais are my favorite tea. Plus, I've been wanting to make my own tea blends for some time now – so I think it's half about actually enjoying the teas, and half about being inspired by their differences, and getting my gears turning around that.<br />
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...which is, in the end, what celebration and reward are all about for me. Anyone who has spent a birthday or New Year's with me knows I'm all about capturing the highs and lows of the last year, and then setting an intention for the next <i>(whether it be conceptual or very, very literal)</i>. Sometimes "celebrating" is as simple as saying out loud, "I did this rad thing / I made it through this hard time / We did it our way" and really hearing yourself. Acknowledging what you've learned and what you accomplished, and letting it guide you <i>(without weighing you down) </i>to where you want to go. Just don't forget to <a href="http://lifeteen.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/parks-and-rec-treat-yo-self.gif"><span style="color: #999999;">treat yo self</span></a> once in awhile.Liz Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15412926213195105608noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5025847340208208943.post-28288911063619648272014-10-03T13:28:00.003-04:002014-10-03T13:28:59.836-04:00MASTER BEDROOM, AFTER<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I just tried to recreate the <a href="http://lizfabry.blogspot.com/2014/09/master-bedroom-before.html"><span style="color: #999999;">before photos</span></a> for ease of reference.<br />
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So now our bedroom is black, and has a larger bed. We love it! – it gave the room instant personality, and now it somehow feels bigger and cozier at the same time. I also love the transition from dark bedroom to bright bathroom. It's the sexy sleep cave our gothy inner teenagers <i>(and badass outer thirty-somethings)</i> always wanted.Liz Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15412926213195105608noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5025847340208208943.post-48795413254316202042014-10-02T14:37:00.004-04:002014-10-02T14:38:02.955-04:00WATERMELON<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This is the largest thing I've ever grown. And I can't even really take credit for it.<br />
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Micah planted some <a href="http://www.clydeoak.com/shop/urban-farm-seed-collection"><span style="color: #999999;">Crimson Sweet watermelon seeds</span></a> in the spring, and I honestly didn't think anything would come of them. Watermelon just seemed to big for us to successfully grow!, I don't know why. But, vines sprouted, and snaked through the monkey grass... flowered... and started putting out tiny watermelon babies. We planted them where a wood pile used to be, and I think they were getting some primo organic matter.<br />
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When I realized it was October <i>(and saw the stem was drying up)</i>, I thought it might be time to pick. We ended up harvesting two; this one was the largest. They were both sweet and juicy and actual real-life watermelons, that we grew, somehow.Liz Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15412926213195105608noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5025847340208208943.post-64550958212421067452014-09-27T11:16:00.004-04:002014-09-27T12:28:13.175-04:00FALL SATURDAY MORNINGS<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Ever since I got back from Michigan, I've slipped into a new Saturday morning ritual.<br />
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Micah is out the door by 4:30am <i>(to prepare for the <a href="http://www.durhamfarmersmarket.com/"><span style="color: #999999;">Durham Farmers Market</span></a>)</i>, and usually doesn't get back home until about 1:00pm. The mornings have cooled down, too. I don't set an alarm, but I usually wake up at about 8am, make coffee, and enjoy it on the patio while I see what Instagram has been up to during the night. Then, because I'm sitting there staring at all the plants around me, I'm usually compelled to pinch a few weeds, trim off a few dead flowers, etc. I mean, feel compelled to do it during the week <i>(I can see most of the patio from my desk)</i>, but usually can't prioritize it – or enjoy it – as much as I want to.<br />
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This morning was no different. Some of my annual herbs were done for the season, so I pulled them up; I trimmed back some of the monkey grass border to keep it in check; I swept away the first fallen acorns; I laughed at how far the mint has shot out runners, but did nothing to stop them <i>(can you see that purple vein stretching all the way across the top of the bottom photo?)</i>. I think I'll plant <a href="http://lizfabry.blogspot.com/2014/09/birthday-presents.html"><span style="color: #999999;">my new fig bush</span></a> in the center-back of our patio square <i>(best seen <a href="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3876/14332346808_a5b147df8b_o.jpg"><span style="color: #999999;">here</span></a>)</i>, but give it enough room to really bush out and soften that corner. Basically, I'm slowly making this space a Secret Garden / of Eden. One fall Saturday morning at a time.Liz Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15412926213195105608noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5025847340208208943.post-62635913140756354972014-09-21T12:49:00.000-04:002014-09-22T09:27:20.430-04:00BIRTHDAY PRESENTS<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I say it <span style="color: #999999;"><a href="http://lizfabry.blogspot.com/2012/09/birthday-presents.html"><span style="color: #999999;">every</span></a> <a href="http://lizfabry.blogspot.com/2013/09/birthday-presents.html"><span style="color: #999999;">year</span></a>:</span> the man can give a gift. This year, Micah got me a <a href="http://www.monrovia.com/plant-catalog/plants/1256/brown-turkey-fig/"><span style="color: #999999;">"Brown Turkey"</span></a> fig bush <i>(including two of the tiniest hidden fig babies, already plumping up!)</i>, and a huge shimmery chunk of North Carolina quartz-bound mica.<br />
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He also wrote me a letter, detailing information on the metaphysical and healing properties of the mica. Even though he may not believe in it personally, I love that he gathered and presented that to me as well, simply because he knows I enjoy and appreciate it <i>(plus I just love his handwriting)</i>.Liz Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15412926213195105608noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5025847340208208943.post-57396565468207236672014-09-18T11:44:00.002-04:002014-09-18T11:44:25.455-04:00THE END OF SUMMER<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This is what the end of summer looks like: roasting <i>(or drying)</i> pan after pan of must-go tomatoes and peppers from our garden and the farmer's market. Stockpiling them in the freezer, next to all the berries and peaches. Leaving the windows open at night <i>(and in the morning, but only until I'm done with my coffee and the sun strengthens)</i>. Making the first soups of the season, with the first squash. Planning where the kale, carrots, and autumn greens will go. Cautiously removing sweaters and coats from their off-season storage to air them out.<br />
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Fall doesn't officially begin until next week. But sometimes the end of one thing can be just as fun to celebrate as the beginning of the next.Liz Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15412926213195105608noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5025847340208208943.post-39396703776938223942014-09-15T07:39:00.000-04:002014-09-15T07:39:47.487-04:00THIS IS THIRTY<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Today is my thirtieth birthday. It's a number that throws many people in to a quarter/third-life crisis, but I'm relieved to jump up to the next decade. Maybe it's an over-achiever, oldest-child thing, but I feel like thirty means I'm finally sitting at the "big kids'" table, like my number finally reflects more of the age I actually feel <i>(which has always been, very old)</i>.<br />
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The last year has been... full. Full of change and growth, lots of questions, and a few less answers. I <a href="http://lizfabry.blogspot.com/2013/09/home-making-part-two.html"><span style="color: #999999;">bought a house</span></a> with Micah, celebrated a year working at <a href="http://www.braidcreative.com/"><span style="color: #999999;">Braid</span></a>, got <a href="http://lizfabry.blogspot.com/2014/01/a-walk-on-beach.html"><span style="color: #999999;">engaged</span></a>, became the <a href="http://lizfabry.blogspot.com/2014/01/expanding-and-contracting.html"><span style="color: #999999;">primary breadwinner</span></a> for our little family, successfully grew my <a href="http://lizfabry.blogspot.com/2014/02/carrots-finally.html"><span style="color: #999999;">first root vegetables</span></a>, became a <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/26484311@N08/14107521596/"><span style="color: #999999;">godparent</span></a>, learned how to <a href="http://lizfabry.blogspot.com/2014/04/kitchen-update.html"><span style="color: #999999;">tile</span></a>, <a href="http://lizfabry.blogspot.com/search/label/elopement"><span style="color: #999999;">eloped</span></a>, and spent a record-breaking six weeks in <a href="http://lizfabry.blogspot.com/search/label/Michigan"><span style="color: #999999;">Michigan</span></a>.<br />
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I bought myself the most adult birthday present ever: a new <i>(larger) </i>mattress set, and all-new bed linens. !!! It hasn't been delivered yet, but it's already improved the quality of my life. I spent yesterday painting our bedroom black in preparation, and deep-cleaning the house. Tonight Micah is taking me out to eat and drink at all my favorite Durham spots. We'll do what we always do: recap the last year, dream about the next one... and then get to work on making it happen.Liz Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15412926213195105608noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5025847340208208943.post-79466625214872510602014-09-13T21:48:00.004-04:002014-09-13T21:56:23.718-04:00MASTER BEDROOM, BEFORE<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We're coming up on the one-year anniversary of buying our house, and it's made me reflect on how much we have – and haven't – updated / renovated / changed since we moved in. One room we've kind of neglected, is our bedroom. We painted it white... and that's about it. It's always felt clean, but kind of... meh. Even more so once that the master bathroom was re-tiled and re-sinked.<br />
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So, change! I've decided to spend the last day of my twenties <i>(more on that soon)</i>, painting the entire bedroom... drumroll... <a href="http://lizfabry.blogspot.com/2013/10/paint-it-black.html"><span style="color: #999999;">BLACK</span></a>. Sexy, warm-cool, sleep-cave pitch black. I can't wait to see the subtle contrast created by all the dark grey furniture. And then the crisp contrast of walking into a white bathroom.<br />
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I'd eventually like to layer in some rugs, plants, wood, etc... but it begins with black walls. It begins with these meh "before" photos <i>(today was overcast with equally "meh" light, but time is of the essence, and these will just make the "afters" look that much better)</i>. And it begins, tomorrow.Liz Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15412926213195105608noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5025847340208208943.post-10197589811971138732014-09-10T08:32:00.003-04:002014-09-10T08:32:55.003-04:00QUIET MOMENTS<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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My favorite part of staying in Michigan for six weeks, was all the quiet moments. The "off times," when the beach was deserted <i>(more so than usual),</i> when there wasn't anything going on, when I could just truly absorb and enjoy the place, and accompanying mental space, for what it is.Liz Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15412926213195105608noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5025847340208208943.post-80198647442780268312014-08-30T09:35:00.000-04:002014-08-30T09:35:35.287-04:00WILD BLUEBERRIES REDUX<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I bring back the same souvenirs from Michigan every year: pieces of perfectly rounded <a href="http://instagram.com/p/rZeC2yO8WQ/"><span style="color: #999999;">driftwood</span></a>, perfectly frosted <a href="http://instagram.com/p/rcVgwFO8WB/"><span style="color: #999999;">beach glass</span></a>, imperfectly perfect <a href="http://instagram.com/p/qmsX2IO8bP/"><span style="color: #999999;">feathers</span></a>. And in the last few years, cups and cups and cups of wild blueberries.<div>
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I <a href="http://lizfabry.blogspot.com/2013/08/picking-wild-blueberries.html"><span style="color: #999999;">wrote about it</span></a> last August, and don't really think I can improve on that post <i>(I did, however, improve on how much I brought home: 17 cups, to last year's 13)</i>. The zen flow of picking, the reward of highly-seasonal, highly-regional, highly-FREE food, and just the very miracle of this place – literally rising from the ashes.</div>
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I used the blueberries fresh for about a week in salads and parfaits, then froze just short of a gallon for use over the winter. I've got big plans for them: ice creams, tarts, sauces, popsicles. But regardless of what I make, they've already done their job – reminding of my six weeks on the lake, and allowing to relive a bit of that whenever I want, throughout the year.</div>
Liz Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15412926213195105608noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5025847340208208943.post-51222386658094061122014-08-24T14:41:00.002-04:002014-08-24T14:41:37.768-04:00POSTCARDS FROM CHICAGO<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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My parents and I drove to Chicago to visit my brother and his girlfriend, and celebrate their recent engagement. We spent three days walking the city, eating, drinking, looking up at architecture, and looking over Lake Michigan<i> (Lake Superior's tenacious little sister)</i>. We visited my brother in <a href="https://www.theaviary.com/"><span style="color: #999999;">the kitchen</span></a> to which he's given the last few years of his life – an experience I need to write about soon, but am not quite prepared to yet.<br />
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I'm glad we took my <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Fujifilm-MINI-7s-White-Camera/dp/B001AK1DOG"><span style="color: #999999;">FujiFilm Instax Mini</span></a> to capture our tourist-ier moments. There's something about instant prints that just screams "all-American family vacation!," and I still find it's lack of exposure options utterly charming. We took over-exposed selfies on the architecture boat tour... and underexposed family portraits at dive bars. I guess we're redefining the all-American family vacation, too.Liz Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15412926213195105608noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5025847340208208943.post-724224566774706552014-07-24T10:12:00.001-04:002014-07-24T12:53:41.164-04:00LAKE SUPERIOR<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>All of these photos were taken in a single six-hour window, leading up to and right after a pretty normal-sized summer storm.</i><br />
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Sometimes I forget exactly how large and powerful Lake Superior is. The bay we're on <i>(<a href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/Waiska+Bay,+Michigan+49715/@46.2385684,-84.8359052,8z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x4d36219c1bcb4fa7:0x223c63b23a945b50"><span style="color: #999999;">Waiska</span></a>, pronounced "whiskey," no lie)</i> looks and feels huge; sometimes I forget that it's not the entirety of Lake Superior. But in reality, it compromises less than 0.5% of the lake's total size. I get glimpses of understanding what that means whenever a storm is rolling in from "the big lake." The water is pulled out and in to feed the cell's movement with seemingly thoughtless ease. It's kind of menacing if I'm in a dark mood, like looking at your pet and realizing that while you may think you have some sort of implicit agreement, they are actually just a wild animal, capable of really hurting you if they ever felt like it. <i>(The<span style="color: #999999;"> list of shipwrecks in the Great Lakes</span> is fascinating yet horrifying in it's breadth.)</i> Sometimes it feels magical; our lake is doing ocean-things, cosmically-sized things, mimicking the tidal power of the moon. I want to put my toes in the waves and absorb some of it's crazy energy <i>(which makes sense, considering I am <a href="http://www.cafeastrology.com/scorpio_ascendantrisingsign.html"><span style="color: #999999;">Scorpio Ascendant</span></a>)</i>.<br />
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Regardless of how I'm feeling <i>(which is sounding pretty crazy, now that I've typed it out, but no less real),</i> it's big. It's powerful. It's - Superior. We build houses next to it and brave insane, endless winters because of it's seemingly tidal draw. It feeds us; it sinks our ships. We swim in it; we drown in it.<br />
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...and I decide to spend a few weeks here each summer. Working, yes. But also admiring the lake, watching it warily, dipping my toes in it to absorb enough crazy energy to last me until next summer.Liz Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15412926213195105608noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5025847340208208943.post-36761791882734688502014-07-21T09:59:00.002-04:002014-07-21T09:59:40.485-04:00OUR LOVE LANTERN<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>It's Micah's last night in Michigan. He comes down to the beach at sunset, fresh drinks in hand for us; the lake is still, the sky is vibrant, everything is perfect.</i><br />
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"Hey - I found this lantern upstairs. We were going to set it off at the elopement party, remember? Let's do it now!"<br />
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"Yes! It's perfect. Let's make a wish, too. It's our love lantern."<br />
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<i>We make a wish about him finding a fulfilling job, and us living happily ever after. The air is heavy with emotion. </i><br />
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"Do you want to come out onto the dock and light it with me? We could set it off together."<br />
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"NO. I'm going to take pictures. Look at the sunset! You'll be all silhouetted – it'll look so rad. This is a blog post for sure."<br />
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"Okay..."<br />
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<i>I snap photos with my phone, one after another, as the lantern slowly fills with warm air and starts floating... Micah lets go, it's lifting!, our wish is floating up towar - - - oh. Ohhhhh. </i><br />
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<i>Nope. Our wish is not flying. Our wish is drowning. OUR LOVE IS DROWNING. </i><br />
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<i>I haven't laughed so hard all year.</i><br />
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"...I think I got a few shots of it floating up... I could just not show anything after that. No one has to know!"<br />
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"...That was our love lantern..."<br />
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"Well, put your fist in the air. This is a whole different blog post now."Liz Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15412926213195105608noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5025847340208208943.post-27359195868017169412014-07-09T10:34:00.002-04:002014-07-09T10:34:54.392-04:00THE FIRST WEEK<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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From top to bottom: I can't help but take a picture of each sunset. My dad takes his daily swim in the (mid-40ºs) lake. My mom's peonies <i>(<a href="http://instagram.com/p/p4rpYou8X6/?modal=true"><span style="color: #999999;">this antique bush</span></a> is my favorite)</i>. Setting up lights for our "marriage celebration" on the Fourth. Party food. Another bonfire, another sunset.Liz Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15412926213195105608noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5025847340208208943.post-8137939227660221312014-06-27T08:03:00.001-04:002014-06-27T08:03:51.544-04:00GARDEN UPDATE<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The blackberries have peaked. You can see the last of them in the top photo, on the left. The zucchini are coming into their own – they're the most beautiful dark green <i>(whenever I see them I think - I want to wear that as a nail polish)</i>. The herbs are rocking along, bushy, fragrant, beautiful. Our one blueberry bush has started ripening a handful of berries every few days - the perfect patio snack. The tomatoes! The tomatoes are going to be crazy - the first hefty Early Girl started to turned golden, both Juliet <i>(Roma / grape)</i> plants have 4-5 reddening clusters, the Black Prince has 4-5 golf-ball-sized fruits, a darker stranger green than the others. <i>(And that's not including the five Rutgers/Roma plants Micah planted from seed in pots that are already taller than the other tomatoes, and just now flowering.)</i><br />
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I think the cantaloupes have given up; but the watermelon are flourishing. Micah's peppers are just starting to come into their own – they're loving the heat. His okra are tiny – but still trying to put out tiny okras. They're adorable but probably won't be delicious. His pickling cucumbers have started to climb the adorable foraged-branch-teepees he made them. I love those tightly-spiraled tendrils.<br />
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It's a strange thing. I look forward to planning our garden each winter, starting it, tending the seedlings – and then I leave for Michigan for a few weeks during it's most productive season. And the last few years, I've been spending more and more time there, and less time enjoying the fruits of my labor. But it's really affirmed something that I kind of already knew about myself – that I love taking care of things, the day-to-day upkeep – and not so much the showy end result. A Virgo thing, maybe. I'm really excited for our generous friends who have agreed to water our plants <i>(and in turn, harvest whatever they want)</i>, while I'm in Michigan for SIX WEEKS, and Micah joins me for a week or two. I love giving the gift of that showy result to someone else, and then picking up the day-to-day tending when I return. That's kind of the real result of gardening, yes? The patience, the new-problems-to-solve-everyday, the elasticity of time as you watch things grow and ripen. That's why I love it. And that's why I keep doing it year after year.Liz Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15412926213195105608noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5025847340208208943.post-27068903160739333082014-06-16T14:15:00.000-04:002014-06-16T14:15:07.888-04:00TRIPLE BERRY ICE CREAM<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Ah, that perfect week or two where Spring's last strawberries overlap with Summer's first blueberries at the farmer's market... so sweet and fleeting. I started with <a href="http://www.blissfullydelicious.com/2011/07/strawberry-ice-cream/"><span style="color: #999999;">this recipe</span></a>, reduced the sugar <i>(the strawberries were gloriously teetering on overripe)</i>, and of course added a handful of our blackberries <i>(we had starting freezing them)</i>, to make an ice cream that hopefully captured the best parts of all of them.<br />
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This ended up tasting like Red Flavor, in the best way. You know the myriad dubious candies from our collective childhoods? My favorite flavor was always red. You never really knew if it was strawberry, or cherry, or raspberry, or something else entirely - but it was always a safe bet. At least I knew I wouldn't get stuck with lime when I thought I was getting green apple, or something horrible like that. Anyway! Red flavor. Composite berry. Tri-berry. It's bright and sweet and the perfect late Spring dessert – I can see a scoop on top of rhubarb pie. And I'd be curious to see how it would compliment a scoop of <a href="http://lizfabry.blogspot.com/2012/01/peanut-butter-ice-cream.html"><span style="color: #999999;">peanut butter ice cream</span></a>...Liz Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15412926213195105608noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5025847340208208943.post-3075279309482818612014-06-10T10:10:00.002-04:002014-06-10T10:10:57.051-04:00HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOM<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Above: Younger Boons. My dad found that baby photo while cleaning out the garage - isn't the hand-tinting amazing?! But not quite amazing as her fierceness on the right - taken a few years before they had me.<br />
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Today is my mom's birthday! She turns... whatever age she <i>wants</i> to turn. She's earned it. Right now she's up at <a href="http://lizfabry.blogspot.com/2013/08/until-we-meet-again.html"><span style="color: #999999;">our cabin in Michigan</span></a>, probably sipping coffee on the porch and checking on her garden. In honor of her today, I've gathered my favorite mom posts <i>(maybe for her to read while she sips that coffee - or has she already moved on to chardonnay?).</i><br />
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She's an <span style="color: #999999;"><a href="http://lizfabry.blogspot.com/2013/01/grandma-boon.html"><span style="color: #999999;">amazing grandmother</span></a>.</span> And an equally amazing <a href="http://lizfabry.blogspot.com/2013/07/the-first-few-days.html"><span style="color: #999999;">wedding decorator / officiant</span></a>. She's so thoughtful when it comes to <a href="http://lizfabry.blogspot.com/2013/12/the-christmas-box.html"><span style="color: #999999;">gift-giving</span></a> <i>(and <a href="http://lizfabry.blogspot.com/2011/12/thank-you.html"><span style="color: #999999;">card-writing</span></a>)</i>. I love <a href="http://lizfabry.blogspot.com/2011/11/mom-weekend.html"><span style="color: #999999;">her and my dad's story</span></a>. And of course, I'm just forever grateful that she's my mom, and that she dedicated so much of her time and life to raising <a href="http://lizfabry.blogspot.com/2012/12/christmas-card-photos.html"><span style="color: #999999;">four insane people</span></a>.<br />
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Happy birthday, Mom!Liz Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15412926213195105608noreply@blogger.com