Halloween Superseded in Philly

Happy Halloween and all that. Philadelphia is a sea of red...and beer and yelling and excitement, thanks to the Phillies winning the World Series! I'm not a huge baseball fan by any means, but it's great to celebrate with everyone in your city. You can't help but be proud and enjoy usually reticent strangers high fiving each other and hugging.

Cell phone photo on Wednesday night at City Hall.













I did all the Halloween stuff early. We toasted pumpkin seeds. I bought candy for the kids, and have been good about not eating it all.



We carved 2 sides of 1 pumpkin so that Mike and I each had a say. Mike's side below...



And mine sporting a huge handlebar mustache and brows.



You can't really leave pumpkins out in my neighborhood for long. Ours lasted an impressive 18 hours before getting smashed, and I still owe Mike a dollar on that bet. It's all in good fun though. I was definitely involved in some shaving cream fights and innocent mayhem with the neighborhood kids in my time. (wink)

Alright kids, I have a parade to see on my lunch break. Happy Halloween everyone!

Sunset Colored Yarn

You all know how I am about color, right? The brighter, the bolder and let's face it--the gaudier, the better to me. Well, I have a knitting buddy who is practically my twin when it comes to patterns and our taste in color. If you can believe it, even I don't always approve of her color choices! That is saying alot!

Either way, she designed a gorgeous new scarf pattern called Dahlia. I immediately rushed over to Rosie's and snagged a skein of this sunset colored Ella Rae yarn to cast-on for my own. You can find it here. I'm so proud of you, Jennifer!



This scarf is perfect for that skein of variegated yarn that doesn't look good in anything else. Her pattern really breaks up any unwanted pooling of color.



I just love these colors. I wonder if it's because it's the color of the waning light of fall, or because it matches the latest seasonal flavors of gelato at Capogiro?

Toast + Firefly

I happen to be one of those people that is excited that armwarmers and legwarmers are popping up all over the place lately. I have yet to pull my very heavy suitcase full of winter clothes out from a very high place...so resorted to knitting some armwarmers instead.

I saw patterns for Toast and Toasty and quickly found yarn to make them. For Toast, I bought this buttery curry colored wool from Rosie's.


Knitted up on size 5 needles, this Lorna Lace's Shepherds Sock Yarn is fast. As well as squishy and deliciously soft.



The color is so pretty, really. Although, with my Asian and German/Irish/Welsh skintones, I can't wear it near my face...

Appropriately, the colorway is called Firefly.



One down and one to go. Until then, this one armwarmer is currently a staple to my wardrobe!

Autumn Minestrone Soup

I used to think that soup was this drawn out cooking event that took days, akin to the archetypal Thanksgiving turkey started at 4 o'clock in the morning. When learning how to cook in my teeny apartment in Bloomington, Indiana (thank you Mom and George Forman), chicken noodle soup was the first thing that made me feel like I was legit. That I could cook.

Raw chicken was scary enough, but a whole raw chicken, egads! I felt empowered and so accomplished after that. Now, that first batch of chicken noodle soup did take me about 4 hours, and I ate it for probably 19 meals straight, but I made it myself!

A little older and wiser, I've grown up (slightly), and realized that soup is impossibly easy and perfect for fall. Really, you can't mess it up, and clean up is ridiculously simple. A knife, a cutting board, a pot, and do yourself a favor and buy some stock from the grocery store. (wink)

After seeing Shona and her soup recipes, I've been inspired to make my own soup again, and more regularly. I found this recipe for Autumn Minestrone Soup on the Martha Stewart Website. It took 20-30 minutes total, including prep time. It was great, but makes a huge batch -- which was promptly shared with some neighbors!

The only things I did differently was add carrots (I love them), use half the amount of fennel (not a huge fan) and add sherry wine vinegar instead of red wine (I was out). I won't even get into scrounging for extra chicken stock while on the phone with Lisa and nearly having to add the extra Coca Cola in my fridge...



I'm looking for other good (and possibly healthy) recipes. Feel free to direct me somewhere if you're so inclined. And the drawing above, well...I just love making lists and drawing food. But I think you knew that if you're here in the first place. (wink)

Demi Sweater Revisited

I set the Demi Sweater aside for three quarters of a year, and am now ready to start again.



Knitting it in the round is much easier. Seeing other people's finished sweaters is inspiring. The crisp sweater wearing weather is arriving. And this tweed. I am just in love with this saturated purple tweed. (The color in the top photo is much more accurate).



Here's what it will look like when it is completed. I have to have a teeny bit of instant gratification before starting a project like this.

Apple Orchards

I have always wanted to visit an apple orchard, and after seeing Andrea's post, I called up some friends and we headed over to Linvilla Orchards.

For fuel though, I did something else I've been meaning to do. I visited a donut shop across the street from my house and was pleasantly surprised to find that it is probably not a drug front. There were actual donuts and things being sold there of the legal variety.

The following pretty much sums up my Saturday. And yes, I'm wearing a pack that happens to be belted on to my mid-section. Although I generally wear it slung across a hip, in these pictures, I'm wearing it like my favorite Uncle Steve on a family trip circa 1986.








The day, this truck, rockin' the fanny sack...awesome...

Friends and Visitors

I've been scarce again. I got to catch up with my cousin, Camille in Atlantic City, during her tour of the US from the Philippines. It was only fitting to dine on a last shared meal of steak and lobster, before tightening up my belt strap in this current financial situation.



Some old friends from college visited me last weekend as well. It's fun to rediscover your city, and see it through the eyes of others. And take cheesy photos in front of the Betsy Ross House.



Noticing this pretty grate in Old City.



Finally making it to the Eastern State Penitentary.



Seeing a new statue of Ben Franklin, with details of cut keys. Throwing a penny over Ben's grave for good luck.



Enjoying miniature painted wood statues at the Eastern State Penitentary, depicting life behind the prison walls.



Enjoying a free Bruce Springsteen show at the Obama Rally on a gorgeous day with friends.



Eating more ice cream past summertime. Did you even know that they make chocolate cones?



Side projects of illustration, that maybe I can show you soon! And of course, biting my nails until this election is over...