WANTED.

As previously shared, I was truly taken with the story of the capture of Whitey Bulger and his girlfriend. My next journal page surround this event. The left page looks neglected...honestly I got bored with it. I'll probably go back & give it more attention at some point.

Fascination/Obsession

"Whitey" Bulger & Girlfriend Arrested

What a story...I can't stop thinking about it. The idea of bank robbers (in the 1950's sense) and Irish mafia leaders is something that has existed in my mind as something from the movies. I never had a way to tie it into reality and therefore it is a thought that I find to be far more intriguing and glorified than it ever should be. After all those people killed with no mercy and it's a horrifying thing to imagine.

The recent capture of the notorious "Whitey" Bulger struck my interest. Devouring the article I realized more clearly the gruesome lives these individuals lived. But despite this revelation, my fascination in the 1950s crime world of suspenders & cigarettes, felt fedoras & large trench coats, ill-informed/shameless girlfriends, slicked-back hair & guns has risen an abnormal amount. I assure you I have no intention of adopting any part of this culture...but I WILL most certainly continue to study it.

Summer Saturday

Today was my first free Saturday at home in about 2 months and I planned on enjoying every second of it...and I have. I spent this afternoon outside reading...I am DETERMINED to finish this 1,000+ page novel that I've been working on periodically for the past THREE years. And don't get me wrong, it is a magnificent book...at times I just need to step away from the harsh, hard world that the characters are forced to endure due to others' desire for money and power.

The heroine, Dagny Taggart, so beautifully recites her determination to overcome such a world:

"I started my life with a single absolute: that the world was mine to shape in the image of my highest values and never to be given up to a lesser standard, no matter how long or hard the struggle..."

Another quote I loved by John Galt:

"...you will see that through all the years of your struggle, nothing had barred you from Atlantis and there were no chains to hold you, except the chains you were willing to wear."

Journeys Past, Present & Future

When I returned from Morocco I gave my dear friend a bottle of wine from a local vineyard an hour outside Rabat. The city was Meknes. She insisted on sharing the wine with me so tonight I brought over my recipes from the beautiful Khedija and we cooked Moroccan couscous and I brought over home-made kesra (a Moroccan bread) that I baked yesterday for just this occasion.

To top the night off we also made Moroccan donuts for dessert and enjoyed them while planning our next adventure which looks like: Paris, Greece, Italy, & Barcelona. I'm thrilled & elated, with my finger poised, ready to click "BUY" on my computer screen to purchase the most expensive part of any trip...that plane ticket. That's the step that makes it real...and we have a date set for this monumental moment: July 1st.

Keep those fingers crossed.

Georgetown Sunset

A photo from my film camera from April.

Art Journal 5

I finally finished my fifth page in my art journal...which is really just a collection of images of doors and other items from Morocco.

Msemen

In preparation for a night of Moroccan wine & food (which we'll be cooking!) on Wednesday night that I will be sharing with a dear friend...I was searching for a recipe for the bread they served with every meal. During my search what did I find but none other than those delicious fried pancakes I raved about while over there!


They generally are served with breakfast or tea time and you can cover them in honey or jam...mmm delicious. I haven't tested the recipe out yet, but here it is for those who may be curious enough to try.

Moroccan Msemen

Msemen – also known as rghaif – are Moroccan pancakes that have been folded into a square shape before being fried in a pan. This is a recipe for the dough used to make msemen. The dough is kneaded like bread dough until soft and smooth.

How to Fold & Make Msemen: -Flatten portions of the dough and fold them into squares. Frying the dough in a pan yields a layered pancake or flatbread that is crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside. – The recipe below uses a little semolina flour for texture and taste. The use of semolina is a matter of personal preference. Substitute more semolina for the white flour if you like a coarser texture. Or, you can omit the semolina entirely.

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 60 minutes

Yield: Approx. 20 msemen (4″ square)

Ingredients:

3 1/2 cups flour (340 g)

1/2 cup fine semolina (90g)

2 teaspoons sugar

2 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon yeast

1 1/2 cups warm water (approx. 1/3 liter)

For folding and cooking the msemen:

1 1/2 cups vegetable oil

1/2 cup fine semolina

1/4 cup very soft unsalted butter



Preparation:

Mix all the dry ingredients in a large bowl.

Add 1 1/2 cups of warm water, and mix to form a dough. Add more water if necessary to make a dough that is soft and easy to knead, but not sticky. If the dough is too sticky to handle, add a little flour one tablespoon at a time.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead by hand for 10 minutes, (or knead the dough in a stand mixer with dough hook for 5 minutes), until the dough is very smooth and elastic.

Proceed with folding and cooking the dough.

Serving Suggestions:

Serve the msemen plain, with butter and honey, or jam.

To make a syrup from butter and honey, simply melt equal portions of butter and honey in a pan until hot and bubbly. Carefully and quickly dip the msemen in the syrup and place on a serving platter.

Transition & Uncertainty

Finally entered a show. My goal was to enter one a month during this year before grad school....and THAT didn't happen. Still mad at myself for that. But I entered one tonight with two of my images from Senior Studio project:

My Aces

Had a tournament in Roanoke this weekend and I snagged a photo of the cutest 10-year-olds in the world who just happen to be my team :)

Everyman's Library of Chicago, Illinois

I visited Blacksburg this weekend...again, and I found a new Old & Used bookstore right by the Farmer's Market. Naturally, I went in and to my delight found tons of old books and even a shelf devoted to beautifully bound, old classics. Jane Eyre, Oliver Twist, etc...but they were a bit pricey. However, this little yellow book of the Lives of English Poets was $1. I couldn't pass it up, it was too pretty. It's life began in the University of Chicago Library and somehow managed to make its way to the small city of Blacksburg. Lucky me :)

I have been working in my art journal...a post will come soon.

Juxtapoz

Two very different images from my most recent roll of film:

Sunshine State of Mind

I found this photo while fishing through my hard drive today. It's from 2008 when we went whale-watching off the coast of Monterey in California. I adore pelicans...one of my favorite things about the beach. If I could be any animal...I believe it would be a pelican.