Detroit

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The July List – 2016

IMG_6268 (819x1024)July has come and gone in a flash. I’m still loving the heat, although I do wish it would rain every now and then for the plants. Midwestern summers are the best and I have zero complaints. I love sitting in the backyard as the sun goes down, and when it’s cool enough (and sometimes even when it isn’t), sitting by the fire pit with my husband after the girls go to bed.

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1)  We spent the Fourth poolside with the family, but per usual, I didn’t get in the pool, which I won’t do unless it’s above 88 degrees (or thereabouts).

2)  When I was out jogging at the beginning of the month (not many jogging days for me this month – too lazy hot), I passed three people I knew. Actually they passed me, as they were in their cars, driving. But they all waved or gave a honk. My husband does not love this aspect of small towns, but I do.

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3) In my last post I talked about cooking. I’ve also been on a baking kick, which means we’ve had lots of scones this summer. Usually it’s blueberry, but I’ve also tried raspberry. My first batch of the summer came out picture-perfect, but most of the batch I made for the 4th of July party fell on the floor as I pulled it out from the oven. I was able to salvage a plateful, at least.

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4) I’m still discovering new plants and this one growing on the side of a house in Grosse Pointe Park wowed me. One of my Instagram friends told me the name – trumpet vine – which makes complete sense, as you can see.

5)  The time I made a beautiful salad with greens from the garden and fresh (aka expensive) mozarella cheese, and sprinkled it with fish sauce instead of the balsamic glaze. That first bite was the worst. I was able to wash a lot of it off, but every few bites I’d get a taste of fishiness.

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6)  Found this robin egg completely intact under one of the backyard hedges. Couldn’t tell where it fell from. Such a pretty blue.

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7)  Our little 4 x 4 raised vegetable bed did pretty well! The peas were especially delicious, as was the lettuce and kale. It’s been somewhat neglected, as I’ve spent a lot of time at The Garden Detroit, but it has been a great experience in growing food. Both girls helped care for the plants, and tasted everything, even though they didn’t love all of it. Sam, as it turns out, loves peas.

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8)  My husband and I finally tried the new Eastern Market restaurant La Rondinella. The ambiance was nice and the food was great. Nothing exceptional, but we both enjoyed our meals. We took a short walk after dinner. It was nice to be there without the hustle and bustle of a market day, the only other times I’ve ever been.

We then drove to the Detroit Riverwalk, where we watched kids play in the fountains and people walk or ride by on bicycles. We had such a great time that we went back a couple days later with the girls.

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9)  The Garden has a flower farm called Detroit Abloom. They have weekly CSA flower shares, which I subscribe to. They are always so beautiful and I love not knowing what I’m going to get from one week to the next. The cost comes out to $15.00 per week, which is a fabulous deal. And I’m supporting a local business, which we try to do as much as possible.

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10)  I took the girls to a new-ish spot in Grosse Pointe Park, Sweeties, for ice cream. They also have jars of candy for sale. My ice cream was vegan – made with coconut milk – and way too sweet for me, but the girls’ flavors were yummy.

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11)  This is what our fridge has looked like this month, thanks to my work at the Garden and also our weekly CSA share. Although I must confess, I’m a little burnt out on leafy greens and went several days without any. I think I’m ready to get back on board. Especially after all the ice cream we’ve been eating (but it’s seriously been so hot!!! What else can you do?).

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12)  And lastly, my @thegardendetroit Instagram account hit 1000! Super goofy, but it’s a big deal to me and I couldn’t be happier. Also found yesterday that someone from North Carolina, an Instagram follower and fellow farmer, would like to come by and see our gardens as one of his stops on an upcoming trip. That makes me so happy, too.

I hope your August is filled with many things that make you happy! Until next time.

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Food From the Garden

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We’ve been getting a CSA vegetable box (which sometimes includes fruit) every Wednesday, as part of my work with The Garden Detroit. In addition to those goodies, whenever I work at the Garden, I usually end up taking something home – zucchini, tomatoes, kale, chard, carrots, parsley.

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We try really hard not to waste food in our house and now that a bulk of the veggies have been nurtured by yours truly, we’ve been trying especially hard.

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These were sooooo good! Ricotta and mozzarella cheeses, chives, parsley, shallots (which I omitted the second time – too strong), dipped in egg and panko breadcrumbs.

So naturally I’ve been on a cooking kick lately. Which, except for the times when the kids are driving me “flipping bananas” (a term I once used with them out of exasperation that they now think it’s some kind of funny trick one does with a banana), has been enjoyable.

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I’ve made three quiches (two with chard as the main ingredient, one with cabbage), roasted corn and beet salad, peach cobbler, garlic scape pesto, gazpacho, stuffed squash blossoms, grilled patty pan squash with chimichurri sauce and a multitude of tossed salads.

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Many of these were first-time dishes for me, so it’s been fun figuring out how to tweak the recipes to my liking.

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Also, oh my gosh if you’ve ever tried to photograph food, you know what a pain it is. Most of the time my photos make the food look unappetizing, lacking color and texture. I’ve been experimenting with the best ways (time of day, lighting, backgrounds) to photograph food, which has been a nice different way to get my creative juices flowing – always a good thing. Happy summer eating, everyone!

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The Garden Detroit

I’ve been so crazy busy the last couple of months. There’s lots I’ve been meaning to blog about, but just can’t carve out the time. Although I’m finally sitting down (figuratively, since I always type standing up in the kitchen) to write about the Garden.

I’d been looking for a non-profit group to work with, specifically something garden or literacy-related, but everything I came across had too many hurdles to jump (must take x amount of classes, must be available at such and such a time) or was too far away or a little sketchy of a neighborhood.

So it was very serendipitous the day I met Tom, one of the Garden founders, at Trader Joe’s. I happened to be chatting with one of the staff there about growing vegetables this year (he asked me what my summer plans were). Tom heard the word “garden” and started talking to me about The Garden Detroit, an urban farm in the Jefferson Chalmers neighborhood, literally blocks from Grosse Pointe. I was intrigued.

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I visited Tom and his partner Nancy (co-owner of the Garden) the very next day and knew pretty quickly that I wanted to be a part of it. I started helping out several days a week, which was easy to do while the girls were in school. Now that it’s summertime, it’s harder to get away. I have a sitter a couple times a week, so I usually use that time to escape to the Garden. Which is proof how much I love it. I am paying someone so I can volunteer at the Garden. Oy.

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Of course Garden gives back to me. Some days it’s more physical than others, but it’s always a stress reliever. And I’ve met a handful of interesting, diverse people, which is so refreshing after two years of living in suburbia. Plus there is all that fresh produce I get to take home  for my labor, and sometimes flowers (the Garden also run a cut-flower farm in the neighborhood). And I’m learning so much about agriculture, organic gardening, Detroit (community, politics) and about working for a non-profit.

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I started an Instagram account for the Garden. User name @thegardendetroit . So many beautiful colors and interesting shapes to photograph. I am helping them also with their website, which should be up and running very soon! I will send the URL when it’s ready.

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When I’m out there, I often think of my Grandpa Longboy (coincidentally, longboy in Ilocano, a Filipino dialect, is a type of plum tree) when I’m planting vegetables or weeding or watering. He worked in the pineapple fields in Hawaii as a means to bring his family to a land of more opportunity and a better life.

These photos aren’t the best quality, but the only ones my Hawaii family could find on short notice. They were taken closer to the end of his life, as is apparent, but also shows that he was in his garden as much as possible, even as he aged.

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By the time I came around, he was known in the neighborhood and among family and friends for his green thumb. Before we built a house on it, he had a plot of land that he used as a vegetable garden and I remember him spending most of his free time there.

He was sun-drying tomatoes before it was hip, coercing people to taste his super hot chili peppers (then laughing at their reaction), making ginger and rice tea whenever I got sick, putting aloe on my burns and bites and constantly touting the health benefits of coconut water. None of this really sunk in, but it’s coming back to me in pieces.

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Last week I was voted in as a member of the board. I’m excited to be a part of this organization and excited to be a part of the revitalization of Detroit.

 

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Ailanthus Tree – The Take-Down

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Last summer we had weeds. Not just any weeds but weeds that I eventually learned were coming from our super tall ailanthus tree. I did some research and sure enough, this tree is considered an invasive species in many states, including Michigan. One neglected weed grew to over six feet tall within a matter of weeks! Our neighbor pointed it out to me and it was promptly (although not without some difficulty) pulled up by me.

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The tree originates from China and was introduced to the U.S. in the late 1700s. It is called the “Tree of Heaven,” probably for the tall heights it can reach, but when you google it, other common names are “Tree from Hell” and “wonder-weed.”

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One interesting tidbit that I got from the Detroit Tree of Heaven Woodshop (where I also got the above image), an organization that makes creates art/items out of ailanthus wood, is that these trees started popping up in post-industrial Detroit when home became abandoned. They say “the quantity and height of Tree of Heaven specimen functions as a signifier for how long a place might have been abandoned.”

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I would have loved to chop it down last year, but after receiving quotes from several companies, realized it was something we were going to have to save up for. It was first on my gardening to-do list this year.

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Our backyard doesn’t allow for larger equipment to come in, so the company we used had one guy climb and cut the tree, and then a bunch of other guys on the ground helped guide him and move out the debris. Large pieces came down with a series of ropes (vs. throwing them down on the ground, which did happen with smaller branches).

Considering what a huge tree it was, they were quite fast and efficient.

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The stump was ground with a machine, leaving us with a huge pile of wood chips, which I’ve been dispersing around the garden

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I was thrilled to say goodbye to the tree. We now have a bit more light and hopefully, a lot less weeds this summer.

Alas, our next door neighbor has an ailanthus tree in their yard and you can be sure that I will be keeping my eye out on that side of the yard to make sure it doesn’t start invading our property as well! Happy gardening.

 

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The April List – 2016

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Ah, April. It’s such an exciting month here in the Midwest because it means winter is officially over. We didn’t get any snow in April that I can remember? Although the temps did drop down to the 30s many nights. Still, the days are sunnier and warmer, which means it’s time for gardening again, which I couldn’t be more happy about.

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1) Before the fun part of gardening can start, spring clean-up has to happen. Which is raking up all the dead leaves, sticks and other plant debris that remained on the ground after our fall clean up. Since our lawn guys made me cry last year with their disregard for our plants, we opted out of a professional clean up this year. Twenty yard waste bags later, I am nearly done.

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Last week, I worked in the front, where the beds are covered with pachysandra. Trying to get debris out from under those cluster-y little plants is nuts. I tried using a blower and that didn’t work, and you can’t rake through them so it’s all by hand. I think next year I will have the guys do the front only, but…I don’t know….maybe as long as I’m able, I will continue to do it all.

2) Prince. I mean, I have to give a shoutout. “Delirious” is the first song I remember having a strong reaction to (I was 10. It came on the radio and I was blown away by it’s craziness as I danced around the room). Aside from his amazing music and talent, he made it okay to be different. To be yourself. And during my junior high and high school years, it was such an important message to receive. Peace and love.

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3)  This is what happens when you take a break from playing Jr. Monopoly to have snack. I know he couldn’t have been comfortable with all the pieces poking on his belly, but he played it cool. Okay, buddy, it’s your spot. Got it.

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4)  So this tree came down. As in we had it cut down. Will tell you all about it in the next post.

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5)  I tackled the take-down of the ferns on my own and it was quite the struggle. I went to pull up ONE fern that was bugging me and this happens. A full bucket of the subway system of roots that this one fern was connected to. Egads.

I love ferns probably more than most people, but now that I have a bunch of other lovely plants sharing the same space, some of the ferns needed to go. And they keep popping up. It’s an ongoing battle.

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6)  We bought a raised cedar bed, which my husband put together for me. My youngest and I planted lettuce, green onions, and peas from seed, and starter plants of kale. Our dog Sam apparently loves the soil I used because he has been jamming his huge nose into the bed, sometimes coming up with a small mouthful of dirt. And probably our seeds. Waaaah.

I thought all hope was lost, but about three days ago, two tiny lettuce plants showed their faces. I will probably buy more starter plants for the other veggies, but I really hope one of the lettuces makes it. The girls have fun checking on it, as do I.

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7)  Even though he’s eaten most of our seeds, Sam is the BEST gardening companion. Whenever he hears the sliding door open or sees me put on my gardening gloves, he is ready to follow me. Mostly he sniffs around and then plops down exactly where I was going to weed or rake or plant, but I love his quiet company.

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8) I finally found a home for this Moroccan lantern that has been in our basement since we moved. I tried to find a spot for it in the house, but nothing really worked. In SF it lived on top of our bookshelf in the living room, but the ceilings are lower here and it doesn’t look right. Clearly it belongs in the garden (you can also see it in the veggie garden pic).

9) My book club’s April book was Frog Music by Emma Donoghue, same author as “Room” (which I didn’t read. wasn’t sure I could handle it). The story is loosely based on newspaper articles surrounding an unsolved murder in San Francisco in the late 1800s. Her realistic portrayal of what life was like during that time (the small pox epidemic, the influx of Chinese immigrants, treatment of women, squalor, etc) was eye-opening and on occasion, riveting.

We meet tomorrow and I’m wondering if the non-San Francisco gals enjoyed it as much as I did.

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10) I love that this is one of the classes offered at our community center. I’m not making fun of it – I think it’s awesome! I hope a lot of kids take it. And I will totally send my girls in a couple years if it’s still being offered.

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11) My husband and I finally made it back to Chartreuse, our hands down favorite restaurant in the area (the ambiance is fine, but I’m talking food). I say “the area,” but it could rival any spot in San Francisco. The pork belly with saffron polenta was just wow, and the vanilla pudding dessert thing we got (again) was divine. You can taste the freshness in every bite.

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12)  After dinner we went to see the art installation by Daily tous les jour in Cadillac Square. It’s an interactive piece, where each swing dings a musical note, which changes depending on whether people are in sync or not.

Bonus: The Hawaii List
Because I still have Hawaii on the brain, here’s a short bonus Hawaii list:

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1)  You’re probably aware that Hawaii has some of the best sushi on the planet. I’m not a big raw fish eater, but when I do have raw sushi, it needs to be the very best. Also, the shrimp tempura. Light, fluffy and crunchy. Why do so many places have to batter it like it is a corn dog?

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2) Growing up, we never had a dryer. My grandpa refused to buy one because the sun can dry your clothes for free. Plus, environmental reasons – wasting electricity, appliances, etc. Even after he died, my family won’t get one. I respect that, but I do not miss wringing out my clothes (especially jeans, those were the worst) and hanging them on the line.

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3) We saw a couple of these little birds poking around the beach on the North side of the island. I pointed them out to my sister and she told me they are golden-plovers. These crazy birds nest in Alaska, but spend most of their time in Hawaii (three months vs. nine months). They can make the trip in about two days, without resting on the water. Impressive.

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4) Something that grabbed me this trip was the mid-century architecture. I knew it was there, I knew it was 50s, but I really noticed it this time. I only thought to snap photos the day before we left, so I didn’t get great ones. The next time we visit, I’m going to spend a lot more time exploring the architecture.

That is IT, guys! I’m so looking forward to a wonderful May. Enjoy yours!

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The January List – 2016

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Oh my gosh. It’s mid-February and I am just starting the January list. Here it is…

1) Snow. Eh. It only snowed once, maybe twice last month. It was pretty, it was white, there were some cute bunny tracks and there was a little shoveling involved. Not much to report.

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2)  My Dad and his wife gave us a spiralizer for Christmas. I’m not very big on kitchen contraptions – I use a toaster, blender, mixer and rice cooker – so I wasn’t too sure about using it, but gave it a try with some zucchini, if only to say that I used it.

It was a lot more user-friendly than I expected and quite easy to clean (huge). The “noodles” were fun, but I was not fooled into thinking they were actual pasta noodles. It’s nice because the girls are able to use it and it’s always great when they can help in the kitchen. Although they will still not eat the finished product.

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3) This handsome guy turned 10. Whenever I try any to do any kind of floor workout, he gets all up in my business. Sometimes he brings me toys or licks my feet. Not super productive, but it does make me laugh and I usually do end up taking him for a walk afterwards.

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4) I went to Arizona! My girlfriend and former San Francisco book grouper Kimberly got married – hurray! I was so pleased that I managed to pack lightly and not check any luggage, so when I got to the gate and they told me I had to check my carry-on, I was bummed.

I begged and pleaded and said that I had to go to a wedding right when I landed (which was mostly true), but they stared at me with no pity whatsoever and handed me my luggage tag. Which ended up in my purse. Oopsie.

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5) The wedding was a beautiful traditional church wedding…

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…and the reception was held at the luxury Royal Palms hotel in Scottsdale. SO pretty. Wish I could have stayed there instead of the Marriott!

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It was fun to dress up and I bought a new Halston Heritage dress for the occasion. I’ve been all about 70s glam recently. Love it. Which is very strange because I’ve never cared for it before. Now I lose my mind over it.

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6) I love this rug that I wove on a loom in college (my favorite class!) and I keep trying to find a place for it in the house.

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I tried our entryway (we are still using the old owner’s maroon rug which I am so over), which didn’t look quite right, plus I don’t really want people wiping their shoes on it.

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I tried our downstairs powder room, where it looked pretty good, but it is too slippy for the girls (who use that bathroom a lot), even if we put a rug pad under it. It’s back in the closet for now. :(

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7)  I forgot to ever talk about our buffet we bought for the dining room. My husband and I have significantly different home decor tastes, so it took a while for us to settle on this piece of furniture. I found it online through Cottage Home Furniture in Maine.

They were great to work with. This particular sideboard did not come with glass door, but I special requested and they were happy to oblige. It arrived a couple weeks later than promised, but they were good about keeping me in the loop.

8)  Our book group book this month was Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel. It’s an end-of-days (of sorts) type setting, but not as dire or creepy as The Road (if you haven’t read it, oh my. Excellent writing but so depressing) and most of the book focuses on the characters.  The writing was great and engaging. I really enjoyed it.

After I posted this, a friend told me that the author wrote the book while in Leelanau, in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. A big chunk of the book takes place in that area, so I see now where she got her inspiration for that setting.

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9)  I was at Barnes & Nobles looking for a birthday gift and decided to pick up an adult puzzle (vs a kid puzzle, which we have a ton of). I hadn’t done a puzzle in so long and it was fun. The girls tried to get into it, but of course it was hard for them, but they did manage to put some pieces in, which was exciting for them.

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10) Soooo…..I’ve been on a diet. Of sorts. Just trying to get healthy and strong. I am the laziest exerciser you could ever know, so I never have really pushed myself during workouts. But I’m trying now and it’s really hard, but satisfying. I also kind of hate salad, so when I tell you that I’m eating lots of salad, that is huge.

My big indulgence is balsamic reduction. So bad but so good. (In case you weren’t aware, most store-bought balsamic glazes have caramel coloring, which is a possible carcinogen. Normally, I would not allow myself to come close to the stuff, but it makes me eat salad, so I weighed my options. When I run out, I’ll attempt to make my own).

11)  The girls got a bunch of games for Christmas and one of them is Jr. Monopoly. It’s a great game because both the four-year-old and almost seven-year-old can play and I can actually tolerate it, unlike some of the other games they have. Even though I’m always stuck with the car.

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12) One (very, very, very cold!) Saturday, we drove into Detroit and walked along the Riverfront and Hart Plaza and peeked into the Renaissance Center. After our little adventure, we went to Mercury Bar in Corktown for an early dinner.

On our walk back to the car, we saw a huge flock of birds flying across the sky. Most of them landed on one large tree, so I made my husband drive near it so I could take a picture. From far away, the birds looked like leaves.

It was kind of a magical moment. Watching them swoop in front of us out of nowhere and then spotting them on the tree. I hope 2016 brings more bursts of zen like these for all of us (me, you, humanity), which are much needed in the midst or our crazy lives. Enjoy the rest of your February!