Alright, so this post will contain several sections, possibly including but not limited to: introduction, children’s books, candy store.

Introduction

You heard it here first (unless you read my personal blog. or are my facebook friend. or follow me personally on Twitter.): I am moving. Yes, I am abandoning NYC, my home, my lovely lovely home, and making my way southward, all the way down to Virginia, where I am going to become a Writer of Stories and Novels.

But before I become said Famous Writer of Stories and Novels (yeah, I just added famous), I am trying to get my few-month, pre-departure fill of NYC. This, by the way, is impossible, but in my travels I have seen many things (Brooklyn Bridge! Purple Rice! Shelves of candy! Pastel-colored malls! Grassy knolls in the middle of city streets!). So here I begin “Places & Spaces,” one of the many columns Stickers & Donuts can never hope to keep up with on any kind of regular basis.

Childhood Memories of (Not Real) Candy Stores
(which then leads to childhood memories of other foods)

So, my Place & Space is a fantastic candy store which I’ll get to, but walking into it reminded me of the days of old when they seemed to have candy stores — no not pharmacies where you could purchase candy, but actual stores devoted exclusively to the selling of candy to children for a nickle — on every corner.

And if you are thinking, “Maria, you weren’t alive for that era” then you may or may not be right, but I was alive for the era where everyone from that era started making movies and writing books where said candy stores existed. I have always dreamed of going into a candy store with candies piled high to the sky. YOU MUST WATCH THE FOLLOWING PIPI LONGSTOCKING CLIP to get a full understanding of what I mean by the quintessential 1950s Candy Store:

Now, if you also read the same books and watched the same movies as I did in your childhood, you may not remember the candy stores and the food (but, come on, you would remember that scene, right? those bright flowery bags? all that candy?! the kid stuffing the frosted thing in his mouth?!!!). That is because, apparently, ALL OF MY MEMORIES OF CHILDHOOD ARE ASSOCIATED WITH FOOD.

Examples:

The first and most obvious book I remember from my childhood is Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. I have a particular memory of the pancake over the school because it combined the joy of both food and a school closing. Unfortunately, I could only locate a picture of the glistening jello in the forest:

I had a lot of Berenstain Bear books. The only one I can remember is the one where they ate Too Much Junk Food. Suffice to say the point really passed over my head and my main memory concerns the double page spread of a table filled with the most delicious junk food you can imagine.

Then, of course, there is The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe. Yes, Turkish Delight sounds delightful, but as I prepared for this post, I desperately searched for an illustration of what I had apparently deemed a memorable tea party at the beginning of the book. These were the only specific details I remember from the entire book which I read ten years ago. And here is the passage my brain chose to remember:

Great. Then of course there is Alice in Wonderland teas and I know I would be remiss without mentioning Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and even as an adultish creature my greatest memory of the movie Chocolat is this rich, creamy cup of steaming hot chocolate that looked like it was just a cup of melted chocolate bars. Oh, and Matlida. I know you are supposed to be grossed out by that giant chocolate cake. Me, not so much.

In Conclusion: Economy Candy is a Fantastic Store in Manhattan

The above tangential section leads me to my ideal place of joy, and yes, all of the above was required to explain just how wonderous it is. It’s not fancy, but it is stackedddd to the ceiling with candy and fruits and nuts and chocolates and CHOCOLATE COVERED S’MORES.

It’s called Economy Candy and it’s on 108 Rivington Street on the Lower East Side. Usually opened 9-6 (Saturdays 10-5). Check out some of these fab images I snitched off Yelp:

And that is the short story long, my friends. Now go to bed or back to work, either way, be sure those sugarplums dance in your head.

Can we talk about this?!

I don’t know if anyone has posted this yet, or maybe I’m the only young adult out there reading Woman’s Day (er…) but I AM SO EXCITED about this periodic table of cupcakes. Go to the Woman’s Day page to view the table larger, see how it’s color-coded, and (yes!) if you click on any square you get the corresponding recipe (and more pictures, usually)!

The table is so well designed, isn’t it? And it’s about cupcakes! I wish you could clik on a square and a cupcake would appear on your desk. I’ve been thinking about cupcakes ALL DAY.

This is a rather dorky, unartsy set, but, nonetheless, these are the things I currently can’t stop talking about:

1. I have The Biggest Loser Workout: Power Sculpt, but now I wish I had bought it with The Biggest Loser Workout: Cardio Max so I could alternate workouts. REASONS I love this exercise DVD: (1) it’s split into several sections so you can add different levels together and “make your own workout” that’s anywhere from 30 to 50 minutes long, (2) the people in the background are not perfect, in fact they’re overweight, and you see them struggling as much as you, (3) it seems easy, but the next day you feel it like-whoa, which is why my arse is sore.

2. I know I am wayyyy behind on this one, but I just read The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference. It’s a great piece of pop. psych literature. Find out how Hush Puppies, Blues Clues, and Airwalks became exciting fads (“epidemics”) and why other things… didn’t.

3. So, I use my Netflix account now to get all-Documentaries, all-the-time. Recently, I watched Man on a Wire, The Question of God, and a PBS documentary on Ernest Hemingway, but my favorite was this four hour documentary on Napoleon (Napoleon: Soldier, Emperor, Lover, Statesman). My FAVORITE part is when he returns to France from exile on Elba. Oh, and that he only needs to sleep like four hours a night. AWESOME! You can find out more at the PBS site.

4.  The Omnomicon food blog wrote a post on how to create a rainbow cake. Way better and brighter than confetti cakes!

5. Kittens, Inspired By Kittens is a youtube video where a little girl looks at pictures of kittens and says what the kitten is thinking/doing (which is often random, ie “We are eating peppers and chips!”). There is no reason I should like this, and yet the girl’s very last statement has me cracking up every time.

This past week, I have been studying a good amount.  BUT, I don’t want to mislead you.  I am not a disciplined study bunny.  My current studying pattern is to compensate for not studying more earlier (being a feces-face).

Despite my devotion to learning new words (lilliputian is my FAVORITE so far), I can’t resist flipping through fashion week pictures.  I’m not obsessed with any particular brand, however, there are certain designers that I tend to like more than others (Fall 2009 gold stars: Badgley Mischka, Richard Chai, Nanette Lepore, and BELOW!).  My dear friend, Angelica, and I love discussing new designs and interesting silhouettes.  So, I have to be informed to facilitate healthy discussion!  Okay, poor reasoning.  I know, I fail at life.

1. Although some people hated the Marc by Marc Jacobs fall collection, I really enjoyed it.  After reading about him in the New Yorker, Angelica and I concluded that we wanted to be his friend.  I suspect that we mutually respect Marc Jacobs, because we wear a lot of layers (MOTIVES: 75% “I-GET-COLD-EASILY”, 25% “JUST-BECAUSE”).  He seems to like layers, thus we like Marc Jacobs.  The picture above is my favorite from the fall line, and is also the inspiration for this post’s design!

2.  Of the ones I’ve seen, I like Tracy Reese’s collection the best.  I admit, I am biased because a childhood friend of mine is the Assistant Designer at Tracy Reese.  BUT, I still believe that despite this wee fact, I would still declare this collection as my favorite.  Superbly executed, this collection features a good mix of normal subdued fall colors, and sprinkles of stunning colors (see the turquoise dress below!).

The greatest aspect is the accessories!  Threaded throughout the entire show= the most GLORIOUS FASCINATORS AND GLASSES!!!! Cool points to the max!!!@#@!!!!@#@!#!

3. Sometimes I have shitty days.  Angelica and I refer to these days as “cupcake days.”  Some days are…”two cupcake days.”  Those are the worst.  Chicago is an exceptional place for a food-lover, especially someone who has a weakness for cupcakes.  Recently opened, Sugar Bliss is conveniently located near work.  I’m not willing to declare it the best cupcake place in Chicago, but it is definitely in the top three.  Sugar Bliss cupcakes are perfect for those who love icing (they even offer icing shots!).  Based on what I’ve tried, I like their Chocolate Caramel cupcakes the most.

4. When my eyes first met this image of Obama Sushi (via Boing Boing and brother-in-law), I thought about the following…

• …how the sushi maker consciously chose to use shrimp, instead of salmon or tuna for Obama’s lips.
• …the episode of MTV True Life: I’m a Competitive Eater, which features Kobayashi eating sushi delivered to him on a conveyor belt.  (OK… I think of this image whenever I eat sushi, which is pretty regularly.)
• …how this sushi roll puts Obama cupcakes to shame.

5. I know this is a slightly outdated expression of love (by exactly a month!), but I am infatuated with Animal Collective’s latest album, Merriweather Post Pavilion.  Every time I listen to it, I always feel inundated with reverence for Animal Collective.  This album is a little more electronic-ambient, filled with bold beats and some danceable tunes.  My favorite song is “My Girls,” but lyrically, I like “Summertime Clothes” the best.  Thank you, Taylor, for sharing with me your Animal Collective albums.

6. FACT!  I love Shark Week.  When I saw this Shark Tea Infuser on Designboom, I wanted it immediately.  I would even consider trading coffee for tea (maybe), if I could use this tea infuser.  My co-worker, Patrick, brought up a good point- the shark only looks cool if you use red tea.  GOOD THING = I LIKE ROOIBOS.

Note: All fashion week images are from nymag.com, and the font is “LT Nutshell Library” from dafont.com!

Yesterday, Maria shared her Christmas loot.  Past-Tricia thought, “Gee… I guess it would be appropriate to share what I received this holiday season as well.”  Below is a selection of items that present-Tricia is currently enjoying.

Saucony Jazz sneakers – I’ve never owned Saucony sneakers, or worn sneakers with thumb-size soles.  The soles honestly frighten me.  I’m already not very graceful, and I forsee a lot of awkward plummets.  I like these sneakers, though, and I’m going to test them out/power through the gigantic soles.

Imperfect Articles T-shirt (Mine is by Rob Davis and Michael Langlois) – This is the best T-shirt I have ever owned.  Based in Chicago, Imperfect Articles is an exceptional shirt company that amalgamates fine art and fashion.  The shirts feature the designs of upcoming and established artists, and are incredibly limited edition (only 30-50 pressings!!!).  Given that each shirt is hand-dyed, screen-printed, and numbered, these shirts are truly works of art.  I love how each shirt has a background story and is so unique.  The work on my shirt (19/50!) is Teenagers from Mars, which features the lyrics to the Misfits song “Teenagers from Mars” in ARABIC!

Tea Forte – I’ve always admired the design of Tea Forte bags.  They’re too perfect!

The Forever War by Dexter Filkins – Ever since my nectar-sweet friend Tina told me about Dexter Filkins, I’ve wanted to read The Forever War.  Not only did I receive a copy, but it is signed by Dexter Filkins!  And he wishes me good luck in the future.  At the pace I’m going, I need a lot of luck.  VERDICT: this is a wonderful gift.

Saraid Oxford by Jeffrey Campbell - My first pair of Jeffrey Campbell shoes!  I have a wee penchant for Jeffrey Campbell shoes, because they are really neat.  The designs are impeccably detailed and fun.  One of my closest friends wore a splendid pair at graduation, which provoked me to more seriously consider getting a pair.  I’m not sure where you can get mine, but I’ve provided a link of the shoes in black & white.

DeLonghi Espresso machine – I used to be a barista, and one of my favorite aspects of the job was the opportunity to practice making latte designs.  I’m rather excited about this espresso machine, however, I’ve already invested a few hours in trying to figure it out, only leading to my FAILURE.  I’m horrible at reading directions.  In this particular case, when I start reading, I get too excited and can’t focus on the directions!

Snowshowers Jelly and Solid Perfume – I easily get sick of scents, but I don’t think I’ll ever get sick of Lush’s Snowshowers.  I am currently, and forever more, obsessed with the scent.  A blend of champagne, orange, and cognac, Snowshowers is extremely refreshing!  And I’ve recently learned that Lush Jellys are great.  You can put them in the freezer to make them wobble like firm tofu, and pinch off a corner when you’re in the shower.  I am new to Lush.  I wonder if this enthusiasm is normal to a new Lush convert.

(clickity click on the products in the picture below for more info)

A gift guide for the friend who is trying to be domestic, but can’t quite seem to grow up. Pirate toast, cupcake sandwich bags, paper doll plates that can go right on your world map placemat.

I actually own the Amy Sedaris cookbook, which is half humor-filled and half-actual-recipe-filled — the book would make a great pair with a smaller item on this page like the sandwich bags.

As a wee, I loved the If you give… series. Actually, as an adult stuck in an unsettling post-college period, I am still enamored with the books. I am a sucker for the whimsical illustrations, the characteristically demanding critters, and the circumlocutory plots. With the absence of a pesky HARRY-POTTER-RACE-TO-THE-FINISH effect (the conclusion is hardly dubious!), one can focus purely on the ADVENTURE.

The If you give… duo, Laura Numeroff and Felicia Bond, first released If You Give a Mouse a Cookie in 1985! Since then, they have introduced their readers to Pig, Moose, and recently… CAT. A cat that gets a *cupcake*!?!?! (I’m eating a Sweet Mandy B’s cupcake right now! Which, FYI, is just as adorable as the name implies. It reminds me of Samantha Parkington!) And cat asks for *sprinkles*!? (My cupcake has sprinkles!) If You Give a Cat a Cupcake screams S&D.

Just like Mouse, Moose, and Pig, Cat gets something edible, and things happen. Honestly, you’ll have to read it for yourself. I will share, however, that my favorite part is at the beginning:

“When you give him the sprinkles, he might spill them on the floor. Cleaning it up will make him hot, so you’ll give him a bathing suit.”

A cat in swim trunks? More precious than Precious Moments.

So, the only real design-related piece to this post is the popcorn fork, but I figured, while I’m at it, I might as well explain the very best way to eat popcorn:

1. Use a popcorn fork (6 pack for $7) so you do not get it all over your hands. Yes, these are like training-wheel-chopsticks, but they make digging-in very easy. This is a fabulous tool because I love to eat popcorn while I’m working at the computer but I HATE to get butter all over my keys or constantly wipe my hands off. (The web-site claims it’s the “most unique eating utensil since the dark ages.” I’m not sure about that, but I’ll go with it.)
2. Add M&Ms unless you want the chocolate to be all melty over your popcorn, in which case add chocolate morsels.
3. Add raisins. Yes, I know you could just add Raisinetts, but I believe adding actual raisins allows you to claim you are eating fruit, just like ketchup counts as a vegetable in school lunches (because of Ronald Regan, or at least so my mom frequently claims).
4. Light Butter popcorn also contributes to the illusion that you are eating a healthy snack.
5. I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter Spray helps you get the butter taste you would get in Movie Theater Butter which you would have bought if you were not pretending to eat a healthy snack.

As Bill Nye would say, don’t take my advice, try it! (Or something to that effect.)

Hello friends! In my very first issue of currently obsessed, I’d like to share some things that I’ve recently been consuming/listening to/lusting for. As you can tell from all the picks, I am in study mode. Non-mechanical #2 pencils? Check! Candy and coffee? Double check! (Note: My productivity is correlated with candy consumption. Legit.  Kind of like Felicity’s pre-med roommate and her M&Ms, minus the pre-med part.  Or, Michael from the Princess Diaries and HIS M&Ms. ) The Life Aquatic violates this set from being completely study-related (I can only intake a limited amount of David Bowie. Especially when I’m trying to “critically” read.), but this is currently obsessed…so no discrimination allowed. Ciao!

• I got a pack of Ticonderoga tri-writes last month. They are wonderful! I hold writing utensils awkwardly and incorrectly (it’s not my fault!) (my hand basically looks like it is itching to punch someone…I know you were trying to picture my awkward-looking hand…). They sharpen very well (I love my Maped sharpener!). As the name implies, the pencil is triangular- a built in pencil grip! Also, these pencils don’t run away when you throw them down in frustration. How obedient!
• Trader Darwin (Joe)’s Gummi Vites are the best! I have a really difficult time taking vitamins. I never remember, and when I do, I cringe when I see the submarine-sized pills. Bleh. These make taking vitamins so much fun! They might be too much fun, however, because I have definitely been taking more than the recommended amount. :( Trader Joe’s, $4.99 for a bottle of 70.
• Recently, I’ve been thinking a lot about Bill Murray. As part of the Chicago Air & Water Show a month ago, he jumped out of a plane. I thought it was particularly funny that the Chicago Tribune chronicled his jump, minute by minute. The search feature of the Chicago Tribune website is stumping me right now (as is Chicago Tribune’s distasteful usa-todayification…which re-affirms the New York Times’ superiority…REALLY? DO YOU THINK I’M AN IDIOT AND NEED A PAGE-BAR TO NAVIGATE A NEWSPAPER?), but here’s the gawker article that mocks the Chicago Tribune’s Murray coverage. Just last week, Bill Murray was in the news again in regards to his apparent approval of an upcoming Ghostbusters film. Anyways, with all this Bill Murray nonsense, I realized that I still did not have the soundtrack to The Life Aquatic. I have been listening to it since I got it this past weekend, and it’s pretty good. I’m not ready to declare where it falls in my personal Wes-Anderson-soundtrack rankings (Royal Tennebaums and Rushmore are exceptionally tight), but this one is great.
• At Trader Joe’s they sell this licorice in 1lb tubs. When you put a twisty chunk in your mouth? Utter bliss. Inspired by this post on Mindy Ephron’s blog, I went searching for a tub of Kookaburra at Trader Joe’s.  Although it may not be Kookaburra, the licorice still tastes like the best masticated-fruit roll up ever.  I can finish a tub, by myself, in less than a day. :( Trader Joe’s, $3.99 for a 1lb tub.
• This is one of the most clever devices that I have ever seen. The Pentel Handy-lineS Memorization Aid Highlighter Set (whew! what a name) includes a green highlighter, an eraser marker, and a piece of red film. As you can already tell, this is not a normal highlighter. So let’s say that you have this monstrous exam on world capitals. You have in your notes, “Thimphu is the capital of Bhutan.” While you’re studying, you highlight “Thimphu,” because you want to make sure it is ingrained in your head. Also, highlighting keeps you from falling asleep. After you’ve reached Zimbabwe on your list, you’d like to test yourself to see how much you’ve retained. Instead of awkwardly covering up your highlighted capitals with your fingers, all you have to do is cover your notes with the red film. Result? The film masks your highlighted text, and you can’t read it! Test away! When you’re done studying, you can even un-highlight test using the eraser. MAGIC! Available at JetPens, $5.70
• Moonstruck Chocolate Company is one of the best chocolatiers. They make really great truffles, and their chocolates are always well-balanced and not too alcoholicy (like Godiva). There used to be a lovely company-owned Moonstruck Cafe on Michigan Ave., but it closed. Womp womp. As a result, one of the only places you can get Moonstruck chocolates downtown is Macy’s. Moonstruck has a few cute signatures, including their ice cream cone collection, cupcake truffle collection, AND critter truffle collection. Similar to their iconic critter truffles, “Election Collection 08″ features elephant and donkey truffles! How patriotic! The elephant is a dark chocolate extra-bittersweet ganache, and the donkey features Moonstruck’s Mayan Ganache (milk chocolate, almonds, cinnamon). Also of note, the last time I was at the State Street Macy’s, the only election truffles left were elephants. I find this amusing and very telling. Available at Moonstruck, $15 for a collection of four.
• Sometimes I go to Caffe Rom twice a day. It has gotten so excessive, that I feel like they know me pretty well. I think I’m on my way from becoming “medium americano girl” to “Tricia.” This graduation is sort of exciting, and sort of embarassing. However, this is one of my favorite places to get coffee. It reminds me of my ex-barista days, and the espresso is good. I gave Intelligentsia a chance (actually two chances), and it was pretty gross. Unwelcomingly sour. And, whenever I go to Starbucks, I always spill. Probably because the hippie free trade coffee gods are trying to punish me. Karma is a bitch when you are wearing something non-black.