Good things

I know I could just add links to all my favourite websites on my sidebar (and I probably will do this at some point) but for now I just want to tell you about three sites I have been visiting a lot this week and really enjoying.

The first one is http://mymilktoof.blogspot.com/ by Inhae, which is just the cutest thing ever and totally fulfils my need to gaze admiringly at inanimate objects with faces (there is nothing more cheering on a bad day). Not only do the teeth have faces but they have wonderful adventures which are photographed beautifully.

I've also been getting into http://101taipeistories.wordpress.com/, a project by my good friends Lewis and Chris who live in Taiwan. They have decided to meet 101 people in Taipei - from a specific list they have compiled which forces them to find, for example, a fashion designer, a blind masseuse and a single man leaving a love hotel. Lewis is a writer and his style is perfectly suited to the imaginative, gonzo journalism needed to bring this idea to life. Chris is a great photographer and takes pictures of all the interviewees.

The Spicy Boy

The Artist

Finally (for now, as frankly I could go on for a while about all the wonderful stuff to be found on the internet) I have just discovered the photography of Josh Goleman http://joshgoleman.com/. There's not much to say other than that I love the images, particularly the ones which look like they're from the best wedding ever. Here is one example:

You can find the rest at http://joshgoleman.com/2009/06/ginny-and-eds-wedding/ I found this through http://emersonmerrick.blogspot.com/ which is a lovely blog written by the lady on the left in this pic. She collects and documents things in a very aesthetically pleasing manner and makes me want to live in America a bit.

Okay, so that was kind of four, not three. I'll stop now.

Book Shop Girl

Did a new drawing/painting today. It's pretty much what the title says. I used Pilot Hi-Tec-C pens (for a change...) plus watercolours and a tiny bit of acrylic. I made loads of mistakes as I was drawing in pen - I tried to incorporate them as best I could. It's small in real life - only postcard size.

Recipe: Tagliatelle with garlic roasted tomatoes and rocket

Recently I invented a delicious meal (well, in my own opinion and that of about 10 other people who I've made it for).

This version serves 2 (in my world anyway; maybe some people are less greedy)

Ingredients:

250g tagliatelle

250g baby plum tomoatoes

3 cloves garlic

300g creamed tomatoes

1 courgette

1 red chilli

3 tbsp double cream

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

4 tbsp red wine

fresh basil (roughly chopped)

fresh rosemary (chopped)

freshly ground black pepper

salt

handful of rocket

parmigiano reggiano

Heat the oven to 200 degrees. Cut the plum tomatoes in half and place on a baking tray, cut sides facing up. Chop one of the garlic cloves and place randomly on top of some of the tomatoes. Chop the rosemary and scatter over the tomatoes. Roast for 30 minutes.

Cook the tagliatelle while doing the next stage.

Roughly chop the chilli and remaining garlic and fry in the olive oil on a medium heat for 5 minutes. Cut the courgette into thin strips about 4 inches long. Add to the pan, add salt and fry with the garlic and chilli for another 5-10 minutes until the courgette is soft. Add the wine and stir. Simmer for 2 minutes before adding the creamed tomatoes. Add the roasted tomatoes, garlic and rosemary. Stir and simmer for a further 5 minutes. Add the cream, basil and pepper and stir. Drain the pasta and mix with the sauce in a pan. Stir and serve with the cheese and rocket on top.

A lady and a promise

I now have a working scanner and hereby pledge to blog more regularly.

Above is a picture done quite a long time ago but I have only just been able to scan it. I used my old favourite combo of watercolours and Pilot Hi-Tec-C pens. Not that happy with it overall but I quite like her hair.