Original Prototypes

These images from Wired are so neat, early prototypes for some of our most popular tech today. Here's Apple I from 1975: A 25-year-old engineer at Hewlett-Packard, Steve Wozniak was using his spare time to design a language interpreter for a new 8-bit microprocessor called the MOS 6502. But even though the motherboard he created was smaller and less complex than other kits on the market, and even though Wozniak gave away the schematics for free, hobbyists still found the board difficult to build. So Woz and his high school pal Steve Jobs, who was working at Atari, decided to sell preassembled boards—which they dubbed the Apple I. They built them at night in Jobs’ parents’ garage, paying Jobs’ sister $1 a board to insert chips. In 1976, they produced 200 units and sold 150 of them for $500 apiece, a tidy 100 percent markup over cost. The only drawback to the Apple I: It offered dynamic RAM but no permanent storage, so you had to plug in your own cassette drive to save anything.

And..the super soaker. 

Steve McQueen & wife Neile

This photo is so pretty to me this morning, posted by Lola is Beauty.

Blowing my mind with beauty

Yes to all looks. Yes yes yessss

eek, BPA found in receipts

NBC recently ran a feature claiming "human exposure to the controversial chemical bisphenol A, or BPA, is much higher than some previous estimates and likely comes from some sources that are still unknown." One newly discovered source they highlight is cash register receipts, with studies showing that BPA is rubbed off on consumer's hands when receipts are handled. And apparently companies worldwide use register receipt paper that's laden with the substance. BPA is shown to mimic hormones, and exposure over time is linked with breast cancer in women because our bodies have a difficult time completely ridding our systems of the substance once exposed. And as we continue to find new ways that BPA gets in our systems, I wish I had a better conclusion than awareness here, but, I guess that's where change starts. 

Murakami art installment at Versailles

This must be amazing in person, such an interesting amalgam of old and new.

Tim Burton's ode to Johnny Depp

I like this. Per Jezebel it was written in 1992 before they worked together.

Parks & Rec in the meantime!

Parks & Recreation was only renewed for half a season this year, sad face. BUT, while we wait for it's debut, nymag is posting weekly installments of content from the cast and writers..smiling face! This week's is Nick Offerman coming back from homelessness in order to play Ron Swanson, hilarious. My favorite is him being "professionally dried".

In honor of Oprah's last season

Please watch this SNL skit of the audience totally losing their minds, so hilarious!!

Sausage, Pepps, and..Tomato Sauce!

Making this sausage and peppers dish was a highlight of my Labor Day weekend because it was so.good. What helped, probably a lot I would say, is that I made my own tomato sauce from this ridic easy Smitten Kitchen link, and I used the onion that basted in the sauce for 45 mins to cook the sausage and peppers..um, yum. A new fav.

Cowgirls, a la Flavorpill

This is Prairie Rose Henderson, 1920. So many more cuties, with even cuter names (Fox Hastings).

First day of skewl, 2010

Only slightly less dorky than 6th grade, at least I upgraded from Jansport to a Patagonia bag. Thanks Mom & Dad! haha

More beans

I'm posting this actual recipe because I can't remember where I initially copied it from, but it's a great quick, cheap and yummy go to dinner option, I make it when I don't have time to think or plan meals.

Cilantro-Lime Rice
(Adapted from Closet Cooking)
Makes 8+ servings

2 tablespoons canola oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups long grained rice
4 cups water
2 handfuls cilantro, chopped
2 limes zested and juiced

Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until tender, about 5-7 minutes until the onions have softened. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about a minute. Add the rice and toast in the oil for a few 2-3 minutes. Add the water, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer, covered until tender, about 20 minutes for white rice or 40-50 minutes for brown. Remove from the heat and mix in the cilantro, lime juice and zest.

Cuban-Style Black Beans
(Adapted from Bon Appetit, September 1997)
Makes 6-8 servings

1/4 cup olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
6 large garlic cloves, chopped
1 tablespoon dried oregano
3 15- to 16-ounce cans black beans, rinsed, drained
3/4 cup canned vegetable broth or water
1 1/2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 green bell pepper 
1 jalapeno

Heat oil in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, bell pepper, garlic, oregano and jalapeno, and sauté until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add 1 cup of beans to pan. Using back of fork, mash beans coarsely. Add remaining beans, broth and vinegar and simmer until mixture thickens and flavors blend, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Mix in sugar, if desired. Season beans to taste with salt and pepper and serve.

Summer Reading

Read these over summer vaca and really enjoyed both (and yes, I know I was pretty much the last one on the planet to pick them up). Anthony Bourdain always seems totally in love with himself on television, and I wasn't sure if I could stomach it through an entire book. But, he's humble enough to portray himself in an endearing light, and it ended up being a great read about the restaurant biz in general, and NY specifically.

Omnivore's Dilemma, wow. I seriously loved this book, and again I know this is not news to most people. But if you're one of the last who hasn't read it, don't put it off another day. A really informative and accessible look at the full length of the food industry and the ecology behind agriculture, I learned so much. And who doesn't want to read about corn sex in their spare time?

Labor Day

Pretty psyched to not be at work right now...

Last Weekend's Cooking

I know I know I'm behind the times here. I haven't managed to do much in August beyond eat, drink, and skip the gym so cooking and then writing about it hasn't been at the top of my list. BUT, fall's here people, I start school tomorrow, and my regimens are resuming, so here we are. Last week I made this adzuki bean salad, which was as the recipe says "zesty". I really liked it, but adzuki beans can be challenging -  super nutritious but sometimes gritty - I would say that this recipe represents them in a favorable light. But I would also only really recommend it to those looking to get into adzuki's. On a side note, it came from the Whole Foods recipe site which I'm loving! Tons of good ideas.

I also made this bean salad (pretty into beans) from Cooking Books, and when I went looking for white balsamic in the store, I discovered this guy. Ahem, wow. White balsamic glaze with truffle oil, and just for the record I only paid $7, and also for the record it's changed my life. Really good, added a ton of flavor to this salad, and to everything else that comes close to it. Anthony Bourdain calls anything with truffle oil "fake cooking" and now I can see why.