Pagan Things.

I was just recalling how I tried to screen Princess Mononoke with my family last Thanksgiving and they all thought I was pro-Satan.

Nordic Cuisine.

SCALLOPS AND SEA URCHINS, SEA BUCKTHORN AND MUIKKO

From Noma: Time and Place in Nordic Cuisine

SCALLOPS

7 Norwegian scallops in the shell

Salt

Sugar

SEA URCHIN SAUCE

20 sea urchins

Lemon juice

Salt

TO SERVE

16 sea buckthorn berries

20 small muikko (small smoked and pickled fish from Finland)

Salt flakes

Cold-pressed rapeseed (canola) oil

FOR THE SCALLOPS

Shuck the scallops carefully with a strong, pointed knife and cut around the main muscle to release them from the shell. Rinse in cold water. Sprinkle the scallops with slat and a little sugar, then place in the refrigerator for 24 hours to cure. Slice each scallop into 3 and 5 slices on each plate. Keep the plates in the refrigerator until serving.

FOR THE SEA URCHIN SAUCE

Wearing gloves, use strong scissors to cut carefully into the bottom of each sea urchin and work towards the sides. Cut all the way around the shell, taking care not to prick your fingers on the sharp spikes, and remove the bottom. Strain the juice and reserve it in the refrigerator. Rinse the insides of the sea urchins with cold water and remove the edible orange “tongues” with a small teaspoon. Clean off any impurities and freeze the sea urchin “tongues” in a Paco container (the receptacles used with a Pacojet machine used to make sorbets). When frozen, spin them into a puree 2-3 times in the Pacojet and then let the puree defrost. Pass the sauce through a fine sieve, season it with lemon juice and salt to taste and add enough of the reserved natural juices to give a sabayon-like consistency.

TO SERVE

Remove the plates from the refrigerator and arrange the berries and muikko around the scallops. Sprinkle a few flakes of salt on to the scallop slices. Finally, pour some sauce onto each plate and add a few drops of rapeseed oil.

This is my 'Great Success' Wall.

My Nursing entrance exam is Tuesday morning and I'm trying to visualize success as much as possible to keep the negative thoughts away. So, see below.

Orchestra Rehearsal.

Downtown this morning.

Jones Hall.

A terribly overexposed photo FROM THE STAGE.

Maestro Hans Graf.

Maestro of the Houston Symphony.

We got to work with him last night.

It was mildly epic.

Wedding Weekend Boston.

I didn't take my usual 3,000 photographs this

past weekend so this is the best I got.

Bear and Eclair.

Wedding Weekend is here!

And, I'm already a little hungover.

Boy in Madrid

Via the Satorialist

Depths.

Here it is.

Yesterday.

I went shoe shopping and bought some seriously avant-garde black suede heels. Then I went to a friendly little wine bar and had two Ingrid Bergmans. It is now a favorite---lager, sweet vermouth, orange, bitters. I feel like Ingrid Bergman would've really loved my shoes. Now, I'm drinking coffee and listening to the deliciously dark romance that is Zola Jesus. You get married a week from today. How 'bout that. I'm still planning to come.

This should happen at your wedding.

It's like winter!

And, all I want to do is watch old Full House episodes for some reason.

But, I have to study...

Joanna Newsom

The post that has been in my head for days.

I woke up the other morning and got ready for work as usual. When it came time to choose what to wear, I found myself lackadaisically picking a generic sweater, jeans, and canvas shoes. Feeling very unsatisfied and FRUMPY, I pulled on my coat anyway and prepared to leave.

But then I stopped. No. No, not today, I thought. I won't wear this. It's not right.

SO, I marched back into my room, tore off the sweater and flung open the closet doors.

"WHAT WOULD JOANNA NEWSOM WEAR?" I thought. Then, I correctly chose a new outfit. Put my coat back on, and left for work.

Now I think that every morning.

Election 2010.

This isn't the only great pic but, it's the most awkward one.

{via Chron.com}

Swedish holiday breakfast.

{via Petchie}

My new necklace.

Photos.

I love these buildings.

And, I love these birds.

Slow cook that shit.

Red Beans & Rice.

Five hours later.

{via TexasMonthly}

Lake Tahoe.

Photos from Jen and Heather's weekend in Tahoe.

I knew you'd love.