nick & belle

afternoon

2010-10-02T20:45:00.002-05:00

DSC_0268, originally uploaded by isabelle gr.

Just hanging out, wearing some knee socks and stuff.

end of summer

2010-09-09T23:56:00.002-05:00

Clara will be five months old at the end of this week. She has lots of energy and smiles, but not much hair. Our summer was filled with traveling and fun all over the East and West Coasts. Exhausting!

hello

2010-04-21T19:19:00.002-05:00

dog day

2010-03-23T15:43:00.002-05:00

IMG_0441, originally uploaded by isabelle gr.

A suggestion for how you might spend an afternoon in March, if your tastes run to lounging in the pale spring sun, half-hearted fly-catching, and spying on humans.

signs of spring

2010-02-27T15:53:00.003-05:00

IMG_0290, originally uploaded by isabelle gr.

There's an old familiar adage that has a special Seattle variation: "April showers bring May showers". True, but we need to write a new saying about how every February for the two - three weeks around Valentines' Day, the clouds part, the snowy mountain peaks glisten in the sunshine, and every bulb and flowering tree bursts into bloom. The pale, winter-worn people of the metrop seem to float down the sidewalks on clouds of cherry blossom perfume. Dogs frolic with renewed spirit; birds belt out saucy arias at all hours. I've never experienced a more dramatic springtime.

In the mediterranean micro-mini-climate of our driveway, our precocious clematis led the way again this year, since it can reach the sunniest high corner of our garden. This is its first bloom of the season, and it motivates me to get out and clean up the ravages of the winter. I uncovered many of our herbs and strawberries, looking fresh and chipper. We also have some mutant tulips that decided to go the full monty and now look like they regret it. It's always a surprise to see who thrives and who simply survives. The clematis is the over-achiever in the thrive bunch.

These zigzags are the beginnings of our new stairs. By the time the sun went down, the landing, treads and risers were in all in place. This weekend, the railing will materialize.

Moving into our bedroom

2010-02-24T18:35:00.002-05:00

IMG_0243, originally uploaded by isabelle gr.

Although we are not completely moved into our room yet -- no art on the walls, no shelves -- I couldn't wait to share photo. We rolled out the rug, set up the bed, and even hung curtains, making this the most official bedroom we've ever had! Did I mention that we have a real door?

In case you were wondering if Nick spends all of his time standing on the very top rung of ladders, the answer is yes. Except when he climbs down every so often to build amazing Valentines' surprises, like this new mirror! It is made from the same cherry wood that he built our ceiling with. This is me, Bauhaus, and the baby at 32 weeks.

a fresh coat of paint

2010-02-09T12:46:00.002-05:00

IMG_0240, originally uploaded by isabelle gr.

Our new bedroom is 99% ready, and by the end of today it will be 100%. What's left? A bit of trim and our extra tall door to paint, a bed frame to buy, and a rug pad to put between the cold concrete floor and our rug. Icelandic Poppy is the name of the barely pink color we chose for the walls, our concession to the fact that this bedroom is part nursery, part grown up room.

The corner you see here is actually the nursery nook. We left the twisting wooden column white, a nod to the days when this room was used to sew sail cloth for the boats made in Ballard. To the left of the column will be the baby's changing table/dresser, and to the right will be her crib eventually, after she outgrows the co-sleeper. For now we'll put the rocking chair in that corner. We'll add some shelves over the dresser, too. I can't wait to move everything in!

Here I am at 30 weeks and 5 days, painting my laundry room. I am wearing: my high tech, not-your-wimpy-dust-mask, asthmatic's special respirator; ancient running shoes; and pre-pregnancy painting jeans held up by the sheer power of will. Attractive!

brought to you by the letter A

2010-02-07T13:45:00.004-05:00

DSC_0015, originally uploaded by isabelle gr.

Here are a few shots of Nick installing the ceiling in our room this week. The ceiling is made from cherry wood that we bought in Arlington, WA, in the Skagit Valley.

The dog is less than enthusiastic about our project. Luckily, the stress hasn't disturbed his sleep habits. Note that his hind paws are tucked under his chin.

Earliest Spring Sprouts

2010-01-27T23:37:00.003-05:00

earliest spring sprouts 1/27/10, originally uploaded by isabelle gr.

Last fall I planted our entire container garden with spring bulbs, so that when the baby is born this spring we'll have a garden full of tulips and daffodils. For early spring, I planted fritillaria and crocuses. Yesterday I looked outside and saw these two tiny blooms, much earlier than I expected them!

Nick and I are working hard on our construction project, creating a new bedroom in our warehouse home. I've taken a break from the blog for most of the past year, but now that we have so many exciting projects going on, I will try to better document them. Here are two quick portraits of the parents to be, enjoying the late winter sunshine in our driveway garden. This is also the official start of week 29. Only about 10 weeks to go! Happy 2010!

LA sunset: perpetual twilight

2009-03-02T23:48:00.007-05:00

Twilight at the Getty Center, perched above the city and the ocean.

I just spent five days in LA, scurrying from museum to museum, soaking up as much art and sunshine as possible. I had two great traveling companions, my mom and my Aunt T. We visited the Getty Center and Getty Villa; LACMA and the LaBrea tar pits by moonlight; the Huntington Library and an odd little place with a long name: The Museum of Jurassic Technology. And we saw Mick Jagger, fellow art lover! (Just last week I was at the Met in New York on the same day as Mick -- the usually grim guards were apopleptic!)

Who knew LA was so green? We arrived after a winter of heavy rains, and were rewarded with abundant plant life on every hill and overpass. LA is louder, brighter, more sun-bleached than reality. It's like a movie.

new york sunset: city of angles

2009-02-20T22:53:00.001-05:00

new york sunset: city of angles, originally uploaded by isabelle gr.

We spent the last week in New York, celebrating a wedding, some babies, a few toddlers, and one new pregnancy. It was a full week! My mom and I joked that the whole trip was a family planning pitch directed at the visiting young couple.
Nick was very sick for the first half of the trip, and as soon as he felt better he hurt his shoulder, so that was kind of rough. But we managed to have a pretty wonderful trip. Thank you everyone.

hothouse colors

2009-02-08T02:19:00.003-05:00

tulips on my work table

I LEGO NY

2009-02-08T01:57:00.004-05:00

As part of what we like to call the Lego Generation, we will always have a soft spot for those hard, sharp little building blocks. That being said, Legos don't usually make us cry unless we step on one, transforming that soft spot from a nostalgic emotion into a very real and tender pad of your foot.

This week amazing illustrator Christoph Niemann delighted the ex- Legoists and ex-New Yorkers here in our house, when the NY Times published the latest installment of his Abstract City Blog.

An exercise in contrasting materials

2009-01-19T19:11:00.002-05:00

DSC_0006.JPG, originally uploaded by isabelle gr.

Soft and sharp, cool and warm. Let the new year be full of exciting new experiences.

picnic dinner at sunset

2008-05-26T22:50:00.003-05:00

sunset at Golden Gardens, originally uploaded by isabelle gr.

Here's something spontaneous that I want to repeat every single night of the summer: we made calzones (personalized with our names spelled out in olives and tomato sauce), jumped in the car, and drove to the beach at Golden Gardens. The calzones were still hot when we got to the beach five minutes later.

We sprawled out on the big pink blanket and watched the other families on the beach while Bauhaus kicked as much sand as fast as he could onto the blanket and everything. He dug a substantial hole and lay down in it, leaving us with a small hillock of sand to rest on.

We took lots of photos in the luxurious evening light. It was almost 8:30 when we took these, and there were still lots of people enjoying our neighborhood beach. This first summer evening is a perfect example of why I wanted to move here. Calzones, sandy dogs, and 9 o'clock sunset.

These are my era-appropriate sunglasses that I wear when we drive in the camper. I believe they once belonged to my sister Eva, who is also era-appropriate to the camper. Eva is coming to spend the summer with us. I can't wait to share this wonderful place with her, including many more picnics.

pie and roses

2008-05-26T22:24:00.003-05:00

pie and roses, originally uploaded by isabelle gr.

Summing up May, a month which begins with handpicked flowers laid out on the front doorstep and ends with strawberries ripening in the garden, is best done quickly, before the delicate memories wilt under summer sun. This month brought lots of celebration, including an elegant mother's day brunch, several spontaneous and chilly barbeques, long distance graduation toasts, and a few relaxing evenings in our little "garden" with friends.

My friend Kim, an artist from Brooklyn, came to visit with KJ, another ex-New Yorker friend who lives here in Seattle now. These two were beyond gracious guests: Kim walked right into the kitchen and started baking a strawberry-rhubarb pie! The little rose next to the pie is our very first blossom of the season. I couldn't take a photo of our first strawberry of the season because I had to wrench it from the jaws of our beastie.

in my studio this week

2008-04-21T22:35:00.003-05:00

in my studio this week, originally uploaded by isabelle gr.

We're really getting down to work, and by we I mean me and Nick. Bauhaus is getting down to a nap under my desk.

I love my new studio space that I share with Nick. Even though we are working on very different projects, we seem to maintain an ongoing conversation throughout the day.

Last week we unpacked our books! It's a good thing, too, because I had almost forgotten how to read. Here's how they looked a few days ago, in the midst of more unpacking:

etsy time!

2008-04-03T00:33:00.006-05:00

I'm so very excited about my brand new etsy shop for Piano Nobile! Today we sold our very first item -- one of my bags. I feel like taping a dollar bill to the wall above my desk, even though we got paid in Paypal money, not in dollars.

bauhaus

2008-03-13T00:13:00.003-05:00

first day with bauhaus, originally uploaded by isabelle gr.

Yesterday we welcomed a puppy to the shop, and here he is. Bauhaus, or Bau for short, is 6 months old. He is a pointer mix. That mix may include basset hound, beagle, or another smell hound. Smell, not smelly. He is not smelly, or loud, or mean. He is timid and sweet and in need of training. He came from a wonderful shelter called PAWS, where a team of big-hearted volunteers shepherd a rowdy herd of lost dogs with the utmost sympathy and care. Our guy had only arrived three days before we happened to stop by, but he had already won many fans.

Today we went on 478 walks, brushed his spotted coat, tempted him with treats, rewarded much sitting and shaking paws, and sat around watching him sleep. What a good boy!

seedlings

2008-03-11T00:07:00.001-05:00

my nasturtium seedlings, originally uploaded by isabelle gr.

I am taking advantage of the beautiful light that floods our new home by starting as many little seedlings as I can. These are nasturtiums. I also have basil and hyacinth vine. The vine is out of control already, and the basil is hanging back, keeping its cards close to the vest. They have personalities, these plants.

work like an egyptian

2008-03-05T18:46:00.001-05:00

our house in february, originally uploaded by isabelle gr.

I couldn't resist photographing Nick as he installed our new bookshelves. His classical poses are refined, timeless, yet undeniably macho. You should see him do the laundry.

50th street bakery, in homage to sullivan street bakery

2008-03-01T14:25:00.003-05:00

cauliflower focaccia, originally uploaded by isabelle gr.

Oh how we miss you, Sullivan Street Bakery! This humble offering is our first attempt at baking bread in the style of our favorite bakery in New York. Mmmm!

Beginning with a basic focaccia recipe, I added thick slices of cauliflower marinated in turmeric and curry spices, laid out symmetrically like book-matched wood veneers. I seared the cauliflower briefly in a pan before laying it over the dough just before baking. The bread rises around the topping and nestles it.

I made this for dinner last night when we had friends over. I'm so glad it turned out! We ate it with bell peppers stuffed with quinoa and almonds; and a lentil, spinach, and roasted tomato casserole thing topped with pappadams and a cilantro sauce. Yum!

on the auction block

2008-02-06T12:15:00.001-05:00

sweet pea & chrysanthemum 1, originally uploaded by isabelle gr.

My friend Brittany invited me to donate artwork to benefit the Washington Park Arboretum. Each year they host the Northwest Flower and Garden Show at the convention center, which kicks off with a big gala the night before the official public opening. In addition to thousands of plants over six acres and lots of fancy snacks and about 400 guests all dressed up, the gala includes this benefit auction. I am so excited to participate!

Here are the two pieces I donated, titled Sweet Pea & Chrysanthemum I & II. They are each about 6 inches wide and 8 - 10 inches tall. They are framed and archivally matted; the first two pieces of a new drawing series I am working on.

The Arboretum is a gorgeous 200+ acre park in the heart of the city. It was founded in 1934 and designed by the Olmstead Brothers, sons of the Olmstead who designed Central and Prospect Park. The Arboretum's history notes that the construction of the Olmstead Brothers' beautiful landscape provided work relief to Depression-stricken Seattle laborers. Today, the Arboretum features expansive trails and countless native species as well as an elegant Japanese Garden. I just love it, and I'm pretty jealous that Brittany gets to work there!

raise high the roof beams, carpenters*

2008-02-06T11:16:00.000-05:00

We hoisted the steel beams for the second floor! (And by 'we' I mean the burly team of Nick, Don, and Chad). Earlier this week, Nick placed the four steel columns that stretch from floor to ceiling, with help from Chad and Mike. Now the beams float along the columns without touching the walls on either side.

*my favorite story by JD Salinger
On Monday Nick laid down the flooring for our airy upstairs. It is made from the same fir boards as the ceiling, called car decking. Tongue and groove car decking got its name from its original use: as the floor, or deck, of railroad cars. Once the floor was in place, I began to clean and paint each of the tall columns yesterday. It was hard, dirty, rusty work, but I was so entranced by Super Tuesday coverage on public radio that the day flew by. Today I will paint the beams, try to avoid painting the car decking, and think about how I will cast my vote in my new state's caucus this weekend.

more progress!

2008-02-02T23:57:00.001-05:00

shop panorama 4.jpg, originally uploaded by isabelle gr.

Our space is looking quite polished these days. Looking back at the month of January, we've accomplished nearly everything on our construction list, from the front door to the bathroom sink. Last night, we spent the night there for the first time since we got to Seattle two months ago! It was so quiet and airy. The morning light crept in gradually until the whole room was glowing.

another day, another latte VII: First Seattle Edition!

2008-01-28T23:32:00.000-05:00

They really do deserve the reputation for good coffee around here. And nice views! Here is one of our favorite spots near our shop: Lighthouse Roasters. The Olympic Mountains rise above the city, covered with fresh snow. You can enjoy this view if you stand out in the middle of our street, too, but we don't yet have a nice bench out front like Lighthouse does.

These fine specimens come from our other favorite cafe, Cafe Fiore. As hard as we try, Nick and I have not been able to replicate the delicate milk feathers that the barista creates with a subtle flick of the pitcher. I think the only way we'll get it is if we keep drinking more lattes.

A magnet decorates the side of the espresso giddy-up at Fiore that reads: "I'll have a Caffe Mocha Vodka Marijuana Latte to go, please!"

postcards from prague

2008-01-19T13:50:00.001-05:00

IMG_1618.JPG, originally uploaded by eva.eileen.

This morning we looked through Eva's wonderful photographs from her trip to Prague. What a beautiful city! Books, buildings, and gargoyles. This photo is especially interesting to us as we design the railings and other metal work for our loft, which Nick will start building this week. And I guess we'll need some amazing wallpaper to match!

I love watching my siblings as they travel the world: Eva to Eastern Europe, Bennett to Cambodia, Delia to Mexico, all in the space of one year. I am inspired by their photographs, sketches, and stories.

our front door

2008-01-09T23:38:00.000-05:00

(ware)house home

2007-12-17T11:16:00.001-05:00

shop panorama, originally uploaded by isabelle gr.

Here we are one month into our project. I took this photo yesterday morning, but the space looked completely different again by evening. What a little drywall can do!

You can click on the photo to see more details.

birthday

2007-12-10T00:48:00.001-05:00

beard guy, originally uploaded by isabelle gr.

Happy Birthday, you handsome devil! Tonight we will celebrate by smashing champagne bottles over the bow of the warehouse. Fine effervescent sparkling wine, like your favorite prosecco from Trader Joe. You've worked so hard on our new space these past few weeks, I think you deserve some carrot cake cupcakes and a piñata full of candy.

snowy day on queen anne

2007-12-06T10:49:00.000-05:00

thanksgiving at the cabin

2007-11-23T02:09:00.001-05:00

thanksgiving at the cabin, originally uploaded by isabelle gr.

We celebrated our first west coast Thanksgiving together in the new cabin with Nick's mom and dad and Jupiter, who is sulking under the windows in the photo above. There are more photos of the feast, the ingredients, and the beautiful setting on belle's flickr page.

Seattle!

2007-11-20T21:12:00.001-05:00

nails, originally uploaded by isabelle gr.

. . . And straight to work! We couldn't wait to jump into our new project: the renovation and construction of our new shop space and apartment! Right now we are knee deep in demolition phase 1, which is not very photogenic. I managed to take some photos of the nails that were the object of my attention for the past two days. Them and all their little friends: Rusty, Curly, and Really Really Nailed in There. Here is what Nick looks like when he's trying to load bags of sheetrock rubble into the truck while I take photographs and ask when lunch is:

days twelve and thirteen: san francisco

2007-11-17T10:23:00.000-05:00

at the deYoung Museum, Golden Gate Park

In Santa Cruz we stopped for a decadent Italian lunch at the home of our friends Jody and Terry. We sampled delicious olives, bread, and soup, surrounded by Terry's beautiful collection of blue willow china in their cozy dining room. We ate figs and apples from their garden. Afterward, we visited Terry's studio where she is working on drawings of apple boughs. It was great to see some of her most recent landscape paintings and drawings in real life. We felt so at home, and it was hard to leave! What a warm welcome to California.

San Francisco is a beautiful, moody city where each neighborhood not only has distinct shops and street life, but its own weather. We couldn't wait to meet up with Nick's oldest brother, Cody, at his Potrero Hill restaurant, Lingba. Since our last visit he renovated the bar and restaurant, and it looks fabulous! He continues to experiment and update the Thai menu, with luscious results. Our favorite thing to do in SF is hang out at the bar and sample something spicy.

These photos are from our visit to the De Young Museum in Golden Gate Park. The photo above looks across the plaza at the not-yet-completed earth science museum. On Saturday, we spent the whole rainy afternoon in the cavernous galleries and twisting observation tower of the city's newest architectural adornment. The space is perfectly suited to their current exhibition, the sculptures of Louise Nevelson.

Famished from looking at art, we went to a Japanese mall for noodles, soup, and hot tea. And to watch crazy hordes of teenagers dressed up like cartoon characters. There were several Totorros. Totorri? Cody treated us to a sumptuous feast at Oola, the restaurant he is a partner in, later that night. By Sunday morning he practically had to roll us back to the rental truck -- we were stuffed!

day ten and eleven: pacific ocean

2007-11-15T13:49:00.001-05:00

click on the photo for a closer view!

After we left the Grand Canyon, we drove and drove and drove across the Mojave Desert and spent the night in blah blah blah blah . . . and on the eleventh day of our road trip we saw the ocean! We wove our way through the mountains that divide the desert from the orange groves and there it was: the Mighty Missipific. California's coastal highway made for great views and intense sport driving as we slowly made our way toward Big Sur.

Q: Have you ever heard of Big Sur?
A: Is it a new fast food chain?
Q: No.
A: Is it the new west coast rap impresario?
Q: No.
A: Is it Paul Bunyan's lumberjack boss?
Q: No. It is a forest teetering on the undulating coast of California. Also it is a national park and hippy haven about 3 hours south of San Francisco.

We planned to spend the night at a famous old lodge inside the park. After about 2 hours driving along the magnificent coast, we witnessed a stunning sunset (see photo above) and continued making our way north in the twilight. A strange red light appeared in the distance, and as we grew nearer it grew more intense. A half hour's drive further and we halted in front of a raging fire that seemed to cascade down the mountainside to the tumultuous waves below.

A dozen or more cars were parked ahead of us, including several emergency vehicles with lights flashing. Firefighters told the gathering crowd that the fire was under control, but traffic would not be permitted for a few hours. Most people, like us, returned to their cars and settled down for a nap, although one guy had a dvd player in his dashboard, and he and his friend were watching Clerks when we walked by. We woke up 45 minutes later to see that the fire had doubled in size, consuming all of the trees that formed the dark barrier in this photograph. Many of the other cars had already turned back, and we had no choice but to carefully turn the truck around and drive, painstakingly slowly, back the three hours down to our starting point. The only other traffic we encountered were seven more firetrucks headed toward the blaze.

We learned that the fire was only three miles from our destination; when we called the lodge they said they could clearly see it and that they were overrun with travellers stranded on the other side. When we finally reached a two-stoplight town, we begged the clerk at the Motel 6 to give us a room, even though he already had his coat on and keys in hand, ready to lock up. It wasn't until the next day that we heard the cause of the fire: a car gone over the cliff.

day nine: the grand canyon

2007-11-15T13:06:00.001-05:00

Click on the photos to get a closer look!

Every sign, guide, pamphlet, and ticker tape leading up to the Grand Canyon warns against trying to hike down to the river from the rim of the canyon in one day. Peril lurks around every bend, hikers! Death be imminent for fools with inappropriate footwear and ye of little water bottles! Turn back now! And leave the rest for us!

day eight: acoma pueblo, new mexico

2007-11-12T11:13:00.001-05:00

acoma pueblo, nm, originally uploaded by isabelle gr.

There is a lot of sky out here. In fact, the people that live out here built their cities up on top of mesas to be closer to the sky. Acoma, known as Sky City, sits 400 ft above the rippling desert floor on a stone pedastal.

After paying $10 dollars to assuage the photo copyright gods we travelled by minibus to the summit of the mesa. They don't let the white man roam over Acoma freely anymore (The Duke filmed some bad westerns up there), so we attended the tour, led by Gary, of the Eagle clan. Gary was great, he was pious and insightful. Acoma is the oldest continuously-inhabited settlement in North America. They are a city state with their own symbols of hard-won religious freedom: the white painted ladders lead to the next mesa, invisible.

We also met Gary's friend Rupert, a local dog who had a crush on us. After the tour we climbed down the 1000 year old stone steps all the way to the bottom of the mesa (if mesas have bottoms) and we walked together to the visitors center where Rupert boarded the minibus and rode back up to the top.

You should visit Acoma. Here's the wiki on Acoma.

day seven: texas panhandle and east new mexico

2007-11-07T10:21:00.001-05:00

abandoned silo, west of amarillo, tx, originally uploaded by isabelle gr.

Do you have any idea how many states have panhandles? We thought America was more about love handles. Anyways, this might actually be the pan handle itself. They say when Paul Bunyan passed through Texas on the way to Seattle he tripped over the boot of the giant cowboy along the highway in Amarillo and dropped his favorite cast iron pan and formed . . . this thing. Or maybe that was Pecos Bill?

Like the Pecos River meandering through this great land, Route 66 is all dried up. But whereas seasonal flooding brings the Pecos back to life each spring, the town of Tucumcari, NM, is like the hopeful, buzzard-pecked gazelle waiting along the banks of ole 66 for the lifegiving flood of tourism that will never come again. Except for us in our large yellow moving truck. We had the frito pie.

day six: oklahoma

2007-11-05T10:31:00.001-05:00

abundant life, originally uploaded by isabelle gr.

Upon Sunrise in Henryetta, we were greeted with this pastoral scene in both senses of the word. We think the font is called "Hand Saw" (that was for you, Jenny + Erik). Oklahoma lived up to the postal abbreviation. Everything here was OK: the food, the gas prices, and the night life. (Did you know that prohibition is alive and well in some counties of these united states?)

In Oklahoma City we visited the OKC National Memorial and the National Cowboy Museum. The OKC National Memorial honors the victims, survivors, and rescuers of the Oklahoma City bombing. It really did tear apart the heart of the city, right in the middle of downtown. We hope that someday soon New York City will be able to assemble a monument of its own like this one.

At the Cowboy Museum, which is bigger than the Met and has a huge garden attached to it, we saw The Duke's eye patch, Trigger's bridle, and some stuff from real life, too.

Travel Stats:

other nations visited: 5 (including Cherokee and Creek)
plant passengers: 4 (including two new ones from Aunt Juanita!)
funny smells: 17
cows: herds and herds
oil derricks: 12

day five: arkansas, the natural state

2007-11-05T10:18:00.001-05:00

nick's bbq, carlisle, ak, originally uploaded by isabelle gr.

If Illinois is the land of Lincoln, Arkansas is the land of Clinton. Although the people here don't wear it proud on their license plates like up north. If they could have license plates that read "land of bbq" people would have that.

Arkansas is a continuation of the friendly belt across America's waistband - the mid south region. We travelled across the bayous west of West Memphis after dark, and settled on Forrest City as our stopping place for the night. When the lady at the front desk saw that we came from New York, she exclaimed, "Ew I want to visit New York! What's that food y'all are famous for there? I can't think of it! Is it phillycheesesteak?"

So friendly!

day three and four: tennessee landscape

2007-11-03T11:31:00.001-05:00

tennessee landscape, originally uploaded by isabelle gr.

Basically, Tennessee is great. Dolly's from here, Loretta's from here, Isabelle's dad is from here. Gillian Welch isn't from here but she had the sense to move here. And so did the King. Nashville is here, which is just the coolest town, and it's where Isabelle's family has lived for a long long long time. We had so much fun running all over town with her Uncle Charles and Aunt Juanita Fentress and their daughter Karen. There is never enough time to hear all their stories that take place here, so we may just have to move here for awhile.

We stopped by our favorite print shop, Hatch Show Print! The printers inside were hard at work, sort of, and totally inspiring and welcoming, as always. The city was in mourning for Grand Ol Opry star Porter Wagoner (see the sign below Ernest Tubb's guitar).

Uncle Charles was on the Nashville City Council for many years, but with his encyclopedic knowledge of the place, you would think he was the mayor. We had a great time learning all about what Nashville used to be one time, and looking at all the new life sprouting up all over the city. Here he is with Sam Jones Fentress, named after Isabelle's great grandfather.

We visited Karen's work, where she is an assistant DA. If you have ever seen Law and Order, it's just like that, Fred Thompson even comes around from time to time. Aunt Juanita fortified us with a meal usually reserved for Christmas morning: her special casserole, delicious cheese grits (cheese grits!!!), and fresh baked Amish Friendship bread.

We were sad to go, but we had to forge ahead to Memphis. The gates of Graceland were closed for a private party, but we were welcome to stay in the parking lot "long as yall like". Even the security is hospitable in the volunteer state. We arrived at the banks of Old Muddy at sunset and crossed over that beautiful river into unknown territory: Arkansas.

day two: baltimore, md to bristol, tn

2007-11-03T10:12:00.001-05:00

nice rig, originally uploaded by isabelle gr.

We chose the very best time of year to travel through the Shenandoah Valley alongside the Blue Ridge Mountains. The leaves are just beginning to change and they are amazing.

We stopped for luncheon in old-timey Staunton, Virginia (pronounced Stanton). The Staunton Railroad Station in tucked up on the hillside. Trains still run through the beautifully restored station, and they have a nice restaurant called The Pullman.

We hated to leave the Victorian gobbledy gook of Staunton, but the siren song of the highway called us . . . or maybe it was the travelling cd that Katy made us. (Katy, we sang along very loudly to the whole thing. Your cd confirms that you and Isabelle have identical musical taste.) Then we had miles ahead of the hard drivin. The life we love is singing music from our friends. We can't wait to be on the road again!

Bristol, Tee Enn a see, was a respite from the heavy strumming of that ole road song. We relaxed, watched Tee Vee and ate at Out Back Steak House. Yall whant more sweet tea?

TRAVEL STATS
walmart count: 7
plants in the front seat: 2 (maple ate one in baltimore)
hours on the road: um, nine or something

road trip day one: baltimore

2007-10-30T20:54:00.000-05:00

After one long day of packing we said goodbye to our friends and neighbors in Brooklyn and headed south toward Baltimore. Eva was part of our caravan, too! Our big yellow truck rolled into Balti at 3 am . Thanks so very much to all of our wonderful friends who helped celebrate Isabelle's birthday and make this big move fun.

Today in Baltimore we had the pleasure of watching our favorite musician, Delia, practicing her cello.

my town

2007-10-26T08:36:00.001-05:00

my town, originally uploaded by isabelle gr.

Here I am in my town. I am standing outside my favorite bookstore, The Strand. Tomorrow is my 27th birthday.

In the midst of all of our packing and preparing to move, I am thinking about my past eight birthdays here in New York: at John's on 12th Street, Frank on 2nd Avenue, at our house on Bedford, the little french place on 13th, Little Frankie's on 1st Ave, at The Frick, in Central Park; and at my favorite place in the city, the Met. Here I am in my town.

another day, another latte VI

2007-10-24T06:56:00.000-05:00

This lovely specimen was obtained at a crucial moment in packing up the apartment yesterday. Crucial!

I know we are moving to the coffee-obsessed culture that gave our nation the Bucks, but I have been cutting way back on the caffeine. Why? I can't even remember anymore.

homemade brooklyn slice

2007-10-17T06:54:00.001-05:00

homemade pizza, originally uploaded by isabelle gr.

We've been on a bit of a pizza-making rampage these days. Pizza is so easy to make, incorporating whatever fresh ingredients you haphazardly chose at the farmer's market with some mozzarella and presto! Pizza!

Besides, it is so cheap and quick and less greasy to make it at home. Our secret weapon is Whole Foods' frozen pizza dough, which costs practically nothing and takes all of the work out of the process.

This pizza stars bell peppers and tomatoes (and artichoke hearts? I can't remember).

the best month of the year

2007-10-01T15:49:00.001-05:00

pumpkin pile, originally uploaded by isabelle gr.

Happy October everyone! It truly is the best month of all. I know it will be an especially good month because of two auspicious - and hefty - appearances. The first is this mammoth pile of pumpkins that materialized like Cinderella's coach down the block from our house. The pumpkins in the front weigh about 75 pounds, so it's unlikely that they will be stolen.

The second good sign was tromping around Dumbo yesterday (DUMBO is the acronym for a neighborhood in Brooklyn. It stands for Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass.). I drove the car all the way down under the Manhattan Bridge O. and there met this unlikely Brooklynite:

He was in the hood to celebrate the Dumbo Arts Festival, but it looked more like he was having a lunch festival.

By the way, did I emphasize the fact that I drove the car? Like, drove? A car? On Flushing Ave! Talk about unlikely! It was my biggest excursion to date; the totally exhausting 9 minute drive even included parallel parking. Thank you Nick!

we're moving!

2007-09-25T08:59:00.001-05:00

vanagon, originally uploaded by isabelle gr.

We're taking this show on the road! At the end of October we are leaving our beloved Brooklyn and trekking cross country to our beloved Seattle! We'll wind down through Baltimore, Charlotte, cut across to Nashville, then somehow end up in the Painted Desert, then hopefully California, then northish to Cannon Beach, Oregon and eventually the great state of Washington.

We've been talking about a big road trip for two years, and now we have such a great place to end up! I am so excited to set up my studio and printshop in our new space, not to mention the graduate school applications I've been gathering. Nick has freelance projects and his licensing exams, as well as the prospects of many new projects to come.

For now, though, I just want to plan our trip!

savory

2007-09-11T16:39:00.001-05:00

Nick and I are very lucky when it comes to figs. We ate figs bathed in olive oil and ribbons of parmigiano with our aunt and uncle on a hot August day, and that set it off. Our annual love affair with figs sparked, just as September began and the summer heat hung low over the neighborhood. We almost forgot this year, but, as a I say, we are lucky.

The other day, as we were parking the car, our neighbor leaned over the fence into the empty lot he owns (where we park).

"Hey you kids!"

At first we thought we were in trouble. I glanced around. Then I noticed the tree he was hanging onto as he beckoned us. A fine fig tree, with wide leaves like the palms of hands spreading shade over the yard. Tall too, reaching up to the second story of the red brick row house beside it.

"Do you kids like figs? Commere an eat summa dees figs. Dare crazy!"

Eyes wide, we moved toward the old man with an outstretched fist full of plump fruit. Figs here? In Brooklyn? And they looked good, too.

"Dare like dis every yeeah. Once day staht, you gotta pick 'em ten times a day. Take some mowa! Take some mowa! Reach up dare, see that one? Reach that!"

With the old man's keen direction, Nick and I picked all the figs we could reach from our side of the fence. Our neighbor made us promise to come back and get more anytime, preferably every day.

When we got home, I washed them and set them out on the counter. They looked perfect; they smelled perfect. Figs a la BQE, I thought. How are they going to taste? I cautiously sliced one open and took a small bite. Nick popped the whole thing in his mouth. You can see the ones we didn't eat standing up at the counter in the photo above, sliced with some homegrown sun gold tomatoes from our aunt's garden, bathed in olive oil. Luckily, we happened to have a small wedge of parmigiano, too.

august album

2007-08-24T10:58:00.000-05:00

No, this isn't Brooklyn. It's the Puget Sound, from top to bottom: Holmes Harbor flower, driftwood, and dog; Port Townsend painted sign; Deception Pass kayaker; Skagit Valley field.

summer dinner ingredients

2007-07-27T12:07:00.001-05:00

Heirloom toms, yellow and purple wax beans, red onions, tomatillos, and the greens: thyme, basil, cilantro, and scallions -- all from the greenmarket at Union Square. This morning's trip to the market makes the whole day look forward to a weekend with friends.

embroidery

2007-06-29T16:22:00.001-05:00

embroidery, originally uploaded by isabelle gr.

Never enough color.

Camp Portrait

2007-06-15T15:59:00.001-05:00

camp portrait 1.jpg, originally uploaded by isabelle gr.

We took a camping mini vacation to the eastern end of Long Island this week. This photo of our new cook pot reflects the scene of the dune campsite in Montauk called Hither Hills where we stayed for three sunny, sandy days. It sits atop the stove in the orange Vanagon.

What a beautiful place: the dunes were completely covered in roses, and the waves were gentle and not too cold to swim in (but almost!). We felt a world away from humid Manhattan.

We picked up ripe early summer produce like these strawberries and leggy asparagus at a farmstand along the way. This is a great way to start vacation cookery. Nick grilled every thing for every meal, including english muffins for breakfast.

On Tuesday we broke camp and drove to the Montauk Lighthouse, then had lunch at Joni's (a cheerful surfer's lunch spot that serves great coffee and healthsome, delish sandwiches alongside bouquets of peonies) before going for a hike through Shadmoor State Park. This park is where Roosevelt and the Rough Riders recuperated from the Spanish-American war and where, now, you can ramble around the dunes and former pastures and take in the expansive view.

That night we had a gooey fudge brownie sundae at John's Drive In, then retired to the campsite in time for a beautiful sunset.

Dinner with Friends

2007-06-06T10:56:00.001-05:00

lantern lights, originally uploaded by isabelle gr.

Last night we had dinner with the best of friends, Jenny and Erik. The place: Fada, on the corner of Driggs and North 8th in Williamsburg. We like this french bistro for its peppery, well-portioned dishes and quiet backyard. On the weekends they have great live music (aka French Gypsy style covers of Bjork).

Pansies

2007-06-01T14:54:00.001-05:00

pansies, originally uploaded by isabelle gr.

This girl needs a real garden. Meanwhile, my pansies, geraniums, portulaca, and cherry tomatos are very happy.

Another Day, Another Latte 4

2007-05-31T09:34:00.001-05:00

latte4, originally uploaded by isabelle gr.

Here's how you know it's summer in Brooklyn:

a. Everyone is sweating, from the old men setting up their domino table to
the tiny chihuahua and her cigarette smoking supermodel owner.

And it's only 8 o'clock in the morning.

b. The warm, sweet smell of garbage abandoned on the sidewalk
by exhausted, delirious garbagemen.

c. The warm, sweet smell of melted ice cream dripped on the sidewalk
by giddy, whinnying children.

d. Diggers, roofers, builders, all performing their showstopping song and dance number over all the dusty dug earth and cobbled black rooftops of the neighborhood.

e. An inexplicable plague of oversleeping grips the cool, dark bedrooms.

f. There is music everywhere.

tomato breakfast

2007-05-24T10:27:00.001-05:00

tomato breakfast, originally uploaded by isabelle gr.

The ingredients for a perfect breakfast: avocado, the first tomato of the summer, and a pinch of salt.

I was overjoyed to find real tomatoes at the greenmarket this week. Finally! Nick and I celebrated with this simple, exquisite breakfast, accompanied by english muffins and coffee. The sunlight streamed in over us: summer.

Long Island

2007-05-09T19:57:00.001-05:00

long island 3, originally uploaded by isabelle gr.

Technically we live on Long Island.
Camper hit the beach this weekend when we brought the inlaws to the Hamptons! Driving from Brooklyn east this time of year is a breeze, and it was really fun to share a different part of New York that is, how should I put this, a bit slower speed. How can you resist the sand, the surf, the burgers at Corner Bar in Sag Harbor?

We came across this amazing map in the hallway of a shop in Sag Harbor, right across the street from the windmill. Nick and I think it may have hung in a high school auditorium, or maybe a town hall. Who made it? Where is the rest of Long Island?

My favorite part of the day was the moment I set foot on the sand at Sagg Main Beach. It is so incredibly gorgeous, plus there were people riding horseback along the surf right in front of us as we arrived. Like in a movie. This beach is one of my favorite places on earth. It reminds me of my Grandma and a lot of different summer memories that have sloshed into one.

Nick's favorite part of the day was laying in the sand with his sweatshirt hood pulled up. We flew our Kitty Hawk kite, which also seemed to like the beach, too, because it took us about fifteen minutes to get it back down from the sky.

After the beach we went to our uncle and aunt's house for dinner. My young cousin A was busily "planting DVDs" when we arrived. I guess that that's all in a day's work when you are the most precocious kid in the universe. Driving home late that night, Nick and I had hair full of sand, stomachs full of good food, and two happy guests in the back seat.

Croton Aqueduct Hike (Stroll)

2007-04-26T08:21:00.001-05:00

croton dam panorama.jpg, originally uploaded by isabelle gr.

Last weekend we tried our first hike from a new book, 50 Hikes in the Lower Hudson Valley. The Croton Aqueduct is an utterly flat, fun hike through small towns, woods, and backyards between Ossining and Croton-on-Hudson along the top of the original aqueduct. At the end (or the beginning) of this linear hike you come to the stunning, Roman-Empire-in-America Croton Dam.

This is the perfect hike for Saturdays in spring, when it is a little cool out, your allergies are just awakening, and you have your best history buff/architect by your side.

Squares

2007-04-14T07:42:00.001-05:00

yellow granny square, originally uploaded by isabelle gr.

For the last few days I have been immersed in crochet for an article about granny squares. I'd like to say a word about them here:

Oh lowly granny square, how nimble you are,
how full of grace and symmetry.

Also this week I'd like to praise Craigslist, one of the most important catalysts for social intermingling in our metrop. We bought ourselves a new/newish couch thanks to Craig, from a trio of architects our same age who have just completed their licensing exams. In celebration of this milestone, one of them broke up with her lame boyfriend and moved out. Then she sold their nearly new couch to us.

When we arrived to check it out, she and her friends declared that they knew only a fellow architect could love this simple, squareish undecorated piece of furniture with a hidden purpose (a sofa bed). Immediately connections were realized, common professors, colleagues, etc. It was an impromptu professional development meeting conducted in the stairwell while hoisting a couch.

Since then Craig has also brought us another new friend, our buddy Aziz the steam cleaner. It's always a good idea to get new furniture cleaned, especially if you have asthma like me, but Aziz worked a miracle on our couch. It looks great!

Lastly, our friend Mike has almost completed the transition to being our upstairs neighbor. In fact, I can hear him cutting cement board for the bathroom walls right now. For some reason, we cannot seem to simple move between apartments like normal people. We must have heavy renovation.

Anyway, I forsee a lot of quality time with Craig in his future.

Thanks Craig, for our new couch and new friends!

Snowshoe at Steven's Pass, WA

2007-04-09T17:37:00.001-05:00

snowshoe trip to steven's pass, originally uploaded by isabelle gr.

goodbye winter!

Time to Bike

2007-04-09T13:07:00.000-05:00

We signed up for the 5 Boro Bike Tour, which takes place on May 6. I can't wait! The tour takes you throughout the city free of car traffic, over the main bridges and even on the FDR Drive and the BQE. Visit the Bike New York website.

First we have to get our bikes tuned up, and I need a helmet. Oh and maybe we should see if we still know how to ride a bike, after this whole long winter.

Palette

2007-04-09T12:53:00.000-05:00

I have been in the printshop with Eva all week, mixing ink, making screens, proofing our new prints ... what a wonderful vacation. These three test strips were the proving ground for a whole palette. You can see the colors we chose soon!
belle

Chapter One

2007-03-27T17:00:00.000-05:00