El Amor de Frida in a Phoenix Library

The main branch of the Phoenix Library is holding, “El Amor de Frida,” a free art exhibition (through 7/26) in honor of Frida Kahlo’s birthday.

We went and checked it out yesterday.

The works, created by members of the Phoenix Fridas collective and other local artists, are inspired by the life, beliefs, and words of Frida Kahlo. An oversized statue of the Mexican painter marks the front of the exhibit, which also features mixed media, sculptures of wire and glass, painted plates, jewelry, and a portrait made from seed beads.

It’s another great example of art in libraries!

A video posted by stephanieliebold (@stephanieliebold) on Jul 19, 2015 at 7:10pm PDT

(If you can’t see the short video I posted of the glass elevator ride, check it out on my Instagram.)

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July 16, 2015July 15, 2015

You can make pickles without canning!

One week our CSA box came with more cucumbers than we knew what to do with.

Someone suggested making pickles, but so far I’ve shied away from anything that involves actual canning. The combination of glass jars + boiling water + my klutziness sounds like a disaster waiting to happen.

So I was really excited to learn you could make refrigerator pickles without the whole scary canning process. As the name would suggest, they need to remain chilled and not on a shelf.

I shared a few jars with family. They were as excited as if I’d done something really brilliant and difficult, when, in reality, it was much easier than conquering my fear of canning.

I’ll tell you how I did it, as long as everyone agrees to keep thinking (or at least acting like) I’m brilliant.

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EatingWell’s post on “How to pickle anything” was the key. I decided to make sour/dill pickles, seasoned with various combinations of fresh oregano, green onions, garlic, dill, turmeric, and cumin seeds.

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Following their guide, I sliced cucumbers, piled them in just-washed jars, added seasonings, and then made the brine to poured over the top.

The next day it was time for a taste test – and we had pickles! It was almost like magic. They were great on sandwiches and turkey burgers and even just piled on the plate as a side dish. Refrigerator pickles keep for about a month and the flavor gets stronger, so they were pretty intense by the end.

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From there, you can experiment with seasonings and even use the same recipe with different vegetables.

Brilliant, right?

July 13, 2015March 14, 2020

Fountain Square Signs

We made it back from Indiana. The humidity wasn’t as bad as I’d worried it would be. The mosquitoes were surprisingly persistent, despite our super-strength deet. But the fireflies winked at us in the evenings, and we saw almost everyone we went out there to see.

At one point, we had just a little extra time to kill in Indianapolis, so we went and checked out the historic Fountain Square. Not much was open yet, but we did see some interesting architecture and vintage-looking signs I wanted to share – in case you’re as geeky about this stuff as I am.

Diamonds, anyone?

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July 9, 2015June 28, 2015

Quiz: Is this place for real?

While I’m in Indiana, see if you can tell which of these places from t.v. and movies really exist. Even if you’re not familiar with the shows or the state, take your best shot!

Answers to each question are after the photos (which are from other places, so they won’t give anything away).

1. Hoosiers

Let’s start with some facts about a quintessential Indiana classic: the film Hoosiers. Yes, people from Indiana do call themselves Hoosiers for reasons that are unclear. Yes, basketball is huge in the state.

Question: Was Hoosiers based on the actual basketball team of Hickory High School?

A: No. The Hoosiers story was based on Milan High School in Milan, Indiana. There’s a Hickory Creek, Hickory Ridge, and even a Hickory Elementary School, but no town of Hickory or Hickory High School.

2. Parks and Recreation

The recently-concluded sitcom took place in the quirky Parks Department of a small town.

Q: Is there a Pawnee, Indiana?

A: Knope. While there is a Pawnee Drive in Jefferson, Indiana, you’d have to cross into neighboring state Illinois to find a town named Pawnee.

Hopefully, the rampant raccoon problem and polluted river are also fictional.

3. The Music Man

This is a musical about a small town visited by the traveling Harold Hill, who (spoiler alert!) never attended the Gary Conservatory.

Q: What about his supposed home sweet home? Is there even a place called Gary, Indiana (Gary INdiana, Gary Indiana…)?

A: Yes! There’s also a New Paris, York, and Rome! And a Louisiana Street in Gary.

4. The Middle

This show is about a family in the middle of the country with a middle income and especially about their middle child.

Q: Is there a town of Orson somewhere in the middle of Indiana?

A: Once again, Orson Only exists in Illinois.

I’m also starting to suspect there are no Thundering Hens.

5. Bridges of Madison County

This was a book and then a movie. I haven’t read/seen either. Any good?

Q: Is there a Madison County, Indiana?

A: Yes. But, as it turns out, Bridges of Madison County is actually referring to Madison County, Iowa.

While Indiana’s Polke County claims to be the covered bridge capital of the world, there may not be any in Madison County, Indiana. Most of our trip itinerary is within that county, so we’ll have more on what you actually can find there soon.

How’d you do on the quiz?

July 6, 2015June 30, 2015

Everything Else

We finally found a roadside store along the Southern Arizona highway, and it was huge.

Inside they had all kinds of stuff for sale – postcards, gum, travel toothbrushes, beef jerky, deodorant, wind chimes, ceramic cow skulls, dolls with fairy wings, silver and turquoise Native American jewelry, rolling suitcases, and Michael Jackson frog figurines.

Everything except tampons.

Which is actually all I had needed.

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