I have an anti-facebook post brewing – I’m not sure I will even post it – as most of my thoughts are covered in the comments on this Guardian blog post: Facebook: I don’t get it.
I might just leave it at this: www.isolatr.com/ – have a look at the FAQs page too.
Month: June 2007
Sports Day for Artists
A Sports Day was held on Hackney Marshes over the bank holiday weeked in order to help artists retrain as sportspersons’, since that’s where all the Arts Council funding is being syphoned off to now (see my previous post on this). Considering it was pissing down all weekend they were a pretty determined bunch and we should congratulate them, and Grunts for the Arts for organising it. We can also laugh at them in more of the photos of on their website: www.sports-day.net/events.html
Mike Benedetto – Picket Fence
Mike Benedetto has put a nice slideshow of photos on his website, of a recent performance he did called Picket Fence. It was one of a number of performances which took place in metered parking spaces across Chicago simultaneously. Of course having paid for his spot no one could really make a fuss about his occupying it, but the police did threaten to charge him for building with out a permit. Ha! LOL.
www.mikeofillinois.com/work/picket-fence/
Cat Power and the Dirty Delta Blues
I went to see Cat Power playing with her new ensemble, the Dirty Delta Blues, at The Forum at the beginning of May. Cat Power AKA Chan Marshall has ditched her trademark heavy fringe for a completely different look, bizarrely, kinda like Sporty Spice or Lady Sovereign: hair pulled hard back from her face into a high ponytail (see photo on Flickr). She played a fantastic set, and then some, but I have to confess I was not as moved as I had hoped to be. From the spine-tingling music I have heard by Cat Power in session or on album, I came expecting a night covered in goose bumps, but found instead that I was warmly impressed at her musical skill rather than shivering at the passionate beauty of it all.
More photos from Cat Power at The Forum on May 1st
Spaghetti Carbonara recipe
This simple recipe has become a regular feature in our household recently – it just perfect for when you’re in a rush/can’t be bothered to spend long cooking and want some comfort food – its very naughty! It comes from a famous Brit chef who I won’t mention here else I get done for copyright, but I was just asked by a houseguest for the recipe and figured if I’m going to write it down I might as well share it with y’all. So here it is from memory, in my own words.
Ingredients (for 2)
200g Spaghetti
4 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
1 egg yolk + 1 whole egg
4 tbsp vermouth
2 tsp olive oil
100g pancetta, cubed
1 tbsp butter
freshly grated black pepper and nutmeg
Whisk the eggs, parmesan, black pepper and nutmeg together. I buy pancetta from my local Italian deli already cubed and ready to go – if you can’t find pancetta you can use a good quality smoked bacon and chop it into small pieces. Measure out the vermouth and butter as this dish takes no time to cook so you need everything ready.
Boil a medium saucepan of salted water and add the spaghetti. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and fry the pancetta for 5 mins until getting crispy. Add the vermouth to the pan and let it cook down to a nice syrupy consistency then turn off the heat. The pasta should be about ready now – just al dente. Drain the spaghetti and put it back in the pan. Add the butter to the pancetta and vermouth mix and then stir this into the pasta. Then stir in the egg mixture (keeping it off the heat – you don’t want the egg to get scrambled!). The result is that the spaghetti is just coated in a delicious creamy sauce, flecked with pancetta bits – but without any actual cream.
The spaghetti carbonara is now ready to serve. I would have a green salad on the side if I have time/inclination. Enjoy!