Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
ATX: Can you ID this vintage purse? Code name: DOLPHIN
9/5/2012
Hello Austin,
In only one thrift store is shopping close to a religious experience for me, and that's Thriftland, on 1st and Stassney. And it's only close to a religious experience because the more often I go, the more miracles and fantastically good things I find. As others have Yelped, the place can be tough to even enter, as the automatic door is broken, and there are loss-prevention metal railings that may daunt even the most mall-hardy shopper. But the place is a second home to me and I've gotten great kitchen ware, clothes, and recently, a purse I can't identify. See the pics below.
This bag was purchased at Thriftland, for well under $10. It has leather handles that are curled like an old-school telephone cord. It's clearly from the 60s or 70s, and has a pebbled leather exterior.
At least, I hope it's leather.
I asked my husband if he thought it was leather. He asked, "Is this dolphin?"
Well, it's a Dolphin-branded purse. And a cursory search of the internet for "dolphin purse" is clogged with mostly hideous football jersey-fabric printed carryalls that were built for the worst kind of weekends, or hand-painted, beachy-looking, crafty homemade nightmares of purses that are scarier than the collected early works of Stephen King.
So I ask you, Austin. Can you help identify this handbag? This vintage purse, this schmatta that is so mysterious to me? It's 11" tall, 11" wide at the bottom, and narrows to 8" wide at the top. There is a NO ADT number around the magnet snap on the front. I really hope it's leather and isn't dolphin. Set me straight. Thanks.
UPDATE 9/13/2012
A very helpful anonymous tipster alerted me that this purse may be made of sting ray skin, or shagren - or shagreen? I could light it with a match to find out - if it's not skin, it would melt. I might try that - not tonight.Here are two ray skin videos with materials that look really similar to my purse - one very straight, the other kind of hilarious due to the addition of Drowning Pool. The wallets have bonus sanded-down spines on them, which is missing on the bag I got from Thriftland. Thanks for the tip, tipster!
Hello Austin,
In only one thrift store is shopping close to a religious experience for me, and that's Thriftland, on 1st and Stassney. And it's only close to a religious experience because the more often I go, the more miracles and fantastically good things I find. As others have Yelped, the place can be tough to even enter, as the automatic door is broken, and there are loss-prevention metal railings that may daunt even the most mall-hardy shopper. But the place is a second home to me and I've gotten great kitchen ware, clothes, and recently, a purse I can't identify. See the pics below.
 |
| Front: Dolphin purse |
 |
| Back side: Dolphin purse |
 |
| Bag opens to 4". See the Dolphin lining inside? |
 |
| Note the teeny Dolphin on the tag. The other side says "Dolphin" |
At least, I hope it's leather.
I asked my husband if he thought it was leather. He asked, "Is this dolphin?"
Well, it's a Dolphin-branded purse. And a cursory search of the internet for "dolphin purse" is clogged with mostly hideous football jersey-fabric printed carryalls that were built for the worst kind of weekends, or hand-painted, beachy-looking, crafty homemade nightmares of purses that are scarier than the collected early works of Stephen King.
So I ask you, Austin. Can you help identify this handbag? This vintage purse, this schmatta that is so mysterious to me? It's 11" tall, 11" wide at the bottom, and narrows to 8" wide at the top. There is a NO ADT number around the magnet snap on the front. I really hope it's leather and isn't dolphin. Set me straight. Thanks.
UPDATE 9/13/2012
A very helpful anonymous tipster alerted me that this purse may be made of sting ray skin, or shagren - or shagreen? I could light it with a match to find out - if it's not skin, it would melt. I might try that - not tonight.Here are two ray skin videos with materials that look really similar to my purse - one very straight, the other kind of hilarious due to the addition of Drowning Pool. The wallets have bonus sanded-down spines on them, which is missing on the bag I got from Thriftland. Thanks for the tip, tipster!
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Soup Peddler 10th Anniversary Party!!
This Friday, the Soup Peddler is throwing a party to celebrate ten years of consistent deliciousness. Happy anniversary, Soup Peddler!! Also on the celebrate-ometer is a spanking new website, which has a new order function that should make it super easy for any Austinite to incorporate the Soup Peddler into their life on a more regular basis.
For more party details, holler at them on Facebook or just show up for free beer and games like toss a cabbage into a soup pot (sign me up) for prizes. Thanks to Jodi Bart over at Tasty Touring for sharing.
For more party details, holler at them on Facebook or just show up for free beer and games like toss a cabbage into a soup pot (sign me up) for prizes. Thanks to Jodi Bart over at Tasty Touring for sharing.
Tillamook road-trips through Texas
In a town quite familiar with and fond of a certain burnt orange hue, an all-natural cheese has no problem making friends. So Austin food bloggers (myself included) were happy to stop in to Hopdoddy for a meet-and-greet with some super sweet reps from Tillamook who had cubed up some tasty bites of cheese for us to sample as part of their LoveLoaf tour. Who doesn't love cheese? And this is the good stuff.
Tillamook, farmer-owned and operated, has been making its little corner of Oregon beautiful since 1909. They are committed to making their products (over 200!) in the most natural way possible. They never treat their cows with artificial growth hormones. I would love to tour the factory, which has served as a honeymoon destination for some.
Its medium cheddar cheese first won an award for excellence at the 1904 World's Fair, then again in 2010 in the World Champion Cheese Contest, where it scored a 99.6 out of 100 for taste.
Tillamook cheese is, thank goodness, sold east of the Rockies. We get it around here. Bummer for us; we don't get to try the butter, sour cream, yogurt, and ice cream they make, too.
Tillamook churns out (heh) gallons of ice cream in mouth-watering flavors like Oregon Black Cherry and Grandma's Cake Batter.
Tillamook yogurt flavors range from tart Key Lime to sweet Baked Apple Pie, and one flavor I haven't seen in the yogurt aisle before: Watermelon.
I do lament that Tillamook's yogurt and ice cream might not expand into the Austin market as quickly and thickly as the cheese has. But I toss my proverbial nacho hat in the air and give a big, cheese-y cheer at the good news that Tillamook cheese is moving into the Texas market in a bigger way, taking a bigger wedge of the wheel, ha ha.
The award-winning medium cheddar already has a strong menu presence in Austin. Hopdoddy name-drops Tillamook cheese on the menu like it was Gwynneth Paltrow. The Ben White-based food truck Ah La Cart uses two kinds of Tillamook to make their amazing smoked mac and cheese. It's as if Tillamook is becoming synonymous with natural. For those who want their burgers to come from grass-fed cows, or those willing to have the hazelnut conversation when ordering a meal, this is good to know. Also if you like excellent cheese, it's good to know the name of one.
Along with the medium cheddar, I also tried the Monterey Jack. Mary, the smiling Tillamook rep pictured above, said Tillamook just developed a new formula after a year of research and development. It's super creamy and I bet it melts like a dream.
I would love a grilled cheese with tomato made with the Tillamook sharp vintage white cheddar, which is aged two years in a dark room before its ready. Tangy sharp cheese goodness.
The Goodnight burger is a lovely showcase for the cheddar. BBQ burger perfection. Thank you, Hopdoddy. I swoon in your general direction.
The pepper jack was spicy, but Mary said some Texans said it could be hotter. She promised that next time, she'd bring the habanero jack, which she said was h-o-t HOT. And there will be a next time. This blogger party that Tillamook threw is just one stop on its #TXLoafLove tour. They're coming back in March.
Keep your eyes open for the cutest custom VW bus, in orange, naturally, when the TXLoveLoaf tour comes back to Austin this spring. They come armed with recipes, like an all-natural queso from Hosea Rosenberg, winner of Top Chef season 5. I bet they'll bring some of that habenero jack cheese with them, too.
 |
| Say, "Award-winning cheeeese!" |
Its medium cheddar cheese first won an award for excellence at the 1904 World's Fair, then again in 2010 in the World Champion Cheese Contest, where it scored a 99.6 out of 100 for taste.
Tillamook cheese is, thank goodness, sold east of the Rockies. We get it around here. Bummer for us; we don't get to try the butter, sour cream, yogurt, and ice cream they make, too.
Tillamook churns out (heh) gallons of ice cream in mouth-watering flavors like Oregon Black Cherry and Grandma's Cake Batter.
Tillamook yogurt flavors range from tart Key Lime to sweet Baked Apple Pie, and one flavor I haven't seen in the yogurt aisle before: Watermelon.
I do lament that Tillamook's yogurt and ice cream might not expand into the Austin market as quickly and thickly as the cheese has. But I toss my proverbial nacho hat in the air and give a big, cheese-y cheer at the good news that Tillamook cheese is moving into the Texas market in a bigger way, taking a bigger wedge of the wheel, ha ha.
The award-winning medium cheddar already has a strong menu presence in Austin. Hopdoddy name-drops Tillamook cheese on the menu like it was Gwynneth Paltrow. The Ben White-based food truck Ah La Cart uses two kinds of Tillamook to make their amazing smoked mac and cheese. It's as if Tillamook is becoming synonymous with natural. For those who want their burgers to come from grass-fed cows, or those willing to have the hazelnut conversation when ordering a meal, this is good to know. Also if you like excellent cheese, it's good to know the name of one.
Along with the medium cheddar, I also tried the Monterey Jack. Mary, the smiling Tillamook rep pictured above, said Tillamook just developed a new formula after a year of research and development. It's super creamy and I bet it melts like a dream.
I would love a grilled cheese with tomato made with the Tillamook sharp vintage white cheddar, which is aged two years in a dark room before its ready. Tangy sharp cheese goodness.
The Goodnight burger is a lovely showcase for the cheddar. BBQ burger perfection. Thank you, Hopdoddy. I swoon in your general direction.
 |
| Goodnight burger and fries, Hopdoddy |
The pepper jack was spicy, but Mary said some Texans said it could be hotter. She promised that next time, she'd bring the habanero jack, which she said was h-o-t HOT. And there will be a next time. This blogger party that Tillamook threw is just one stop on its #TXLoafLove tour. They're coming back in March.
Keep your eyes open for the cutest custom VW bus, in orange, naturally, when the TXLoveLoaf tour comes back to Austin this spring. They come armed with recipes, like an all-natural queso from Hosea Rosenberg, winner of Top Chef season 5. I bet they'll bring some of that habenero jack cheese with them, too.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Anticipating the BACON TAKEDOWN
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| Bacon Roses as seen on Instructables.com |
Sorry; I won't be making any super bowl dips and while I hope Madonna creams the Giants, I probably won't watch the game. So that's that for super bowl stuff.
Yes, of course I love the Puppy Bowl!
I hope everyone has a happy Valentine's Day, naturally. But Addie Broyles over at the Statesman previewed a slew of SXSW i (please don't make me say sxsw eats) food events that already look like they will have packed waiting lists after the rsvp begins and evangelical foodie fans become all a flutter with confirmation that they can bear witness to panels on how social media about television programming is now transmedia and within it, television shows on cooking, eating, and food can be made now more then ever, or are even more challenging to make. Or something. Draw your own conclusions.
Two celeb-chef heavy panels have since been announced. One panel features that lanky swamp rat/star chef Bourdain (who's been around here before) and another hosts a face we've seen (-ish) around here before in his multi-city tour of the state that is Top Chef Texas, Tom Colicchio. Bonus: Colicchio will be on a panel with Bravo programming genius, executive, and fantastic aftershow host, Andy Cohen (love!).
While hearing all these fantastic wise men and women on the panels talk is I'm sure something people are really going to want to do, one sxsw i event looked to be instantly fun, in part because it's at Shangri-La, and then because of bacon. It's...the BACON TAKEDOWN.
I don't care that it's a cliche, novelty bandage, and restaurant. I love bacon. I love it in grilled cheese, on turkey sandwiches, in beans and on tacos. And the Brooklyn-based, now national Takedowns are simply semi-ruthless quasi-competitive amateur cooking challenges with a common ingredient. On March 11th, the Takedown lands at Shangri-La at 2pm. Email or tweet at Takedowner Matt Timms to get the specifications if you think you're good enough.
If you're up for a challenge this month aside from the super bowl and Puppy Bowl and V-day and the Oscars and plotting your sxsw bacon victory, make the bacon roses pictured above; instructables.com has a downloadable PDF. They look sweet.
Monday, January 30, 2012
Meat Week off to a booming start
Hey, it's Meat Week! I can't think of a more adorable sustenance-based social activity than bbq, can you? Neither can the founders and daring captains of Meat Week, which just started here in Austin. Meaning, it's not too late for you to saddle up.
Meat Week is like an endurance race of bbq. Dinner will simeltaneously be held at bbq restaurants all over the USA and world (see the entire list of participants here). On January 29, Meat Week Austin kicked off with a late lunch at City Market in Luling.
Local chapters are led by captains, who help steer the bbq pilgramages and culinary gatherings of internet-spawned social friendships based on common interests. There is an admiral, too.
After bbq has been had, voting will determine which place had the best sauce or vibe or wins hands down. But, only people who have attended and eaten for four or more nights have the right to vote.
Honors are bestowed on those that come to Meat Week, even if it was just once. You, the fans of meat. The ones that showed up to get down with some bbq. As stated in the Newcomer's Guide:
Photos are also taken and archived. The MEAT CAM 2000 has been assembled. I would imagine that costumes are not shunned but celebrated (take this advice at your own risk).
Do you want your vote to count for something? Or for best bbq? Show up with an appetite at least four times during Meat Week, eat bbq, then vote. Vote with all your heart, which I hope is perfectly healthy in spite of being such a meat lover.
Here is the schedule for Austin Meat Week.
And my headline refers to this news story in which a guy said a bomb was in a piece of meat. It wasn't. He just said there was.
 |
| Salt Lick Bbq, 2008 |
Local chapters are led by captains, who help steer the bbq pilgramages and culinary gatherings of internet-spawned social friendships based on common interests. There is an admiral, too.
After bbq has been had, voting will determine which place had the best sauce or vibe or wins hands down. But, only people who have attended and eaten for four or more nights have the right to vote.
Honors are bestowed on those that come to Meat Week, even if it was just once. You, the fans of meat. The ones that showed up to get down with some bbq. As stated in the Newcomer's Guide:
Meat Week Honors: Awards chosen by the leaders for those who have a special place in this year's Meat Week. These are usually different each year. Years past have included an award for the person who came every night or the one who had to walk the farthest to enjoy meat. Your best Meatographer might also receive an award. These are presented, along with the Best Ofs, on the last night.
Photos are also taken and archived. The MEAT CAM 2000 has been assembled. I would imagine that costumes are not shunned but celebrated (take this advice at your own risk).
Do you want your vote to count for something? Or for best bbq? Show up with an appetite at least four times during Meat Week, eat bbq, then vote. Vote with all your heart, which I hope is perfectly healthy in spite of being such a meat lover.
Here is the schedule for Austin Meat Week.
And my headline refers to this news story in which a guy said a bomb was in a piece of meat. It wasn't. He just said there was.
Monday, January 23, 2012
Kitchen Nightmares: The Taping at El Greco
To sum up: FOX's Kitchen Nightmares came to Austin to rescue El Greco, a family-owned Greek Taverna. The taping was in September; I sent an email, was screened, and deemed acceptable to appear for the "after" taping segment. On arrival, I was asked to sign a "blogger's" non-disclosure agreement (different from the NDA I was asked to print and sign and bring with me to the restaurant). The NDA asked that I not reveal anything about the taping of the show before it aired. It aired Friday, which means my dirty laundry airs NOW.
(Note: This was excepted from an email I wrote to friends right after the taping).
In person, Gordon Ramsay resembles a tall, handsome, thin, strong, wrinkly ginger Sultana.
So I didn't get the email confirmation until after ten pm the night before. Work dragged by, then me and Francis showed up a little early for our 5:50 reservation, just in time to walk around the corner and see a massive camera rig, several buses, and a huge crew of
weary-looking people who had probably been working long days all week at the tail end (I hope) of a record-setting Texas drought. The crew asked us if we were there for dinner, we said yes, then they asked us to back up because GR was making his entrance to the restaurant!! So we backed up - beep, beep, beep - and watched as the camera swung and GR walked - strode, even - purposefully across the street into the place: what a thrill. Just like he does on TV!
Then came some waiting. We went around the corner into a not uncharming parking garage and handed over our NDAs to the production staff. Basically, we agreed to let FOX use our likeness, not be paid, pay for our food, drink responsibly, not drink if we were under 21, turn off our cell phones, and not take pictures. Then we were photographed, and told to wait in a line.
It helps to remember the bizarro aspect of Austin of which people are so freaking cheeful about waiting in lines. Waiting is half or maybe more than half the fun of whatever the thing they are waiting in line to do. It isn't unpleasant, just a little Stepford Wife-y, but hey. Anything that makes standing around in a parking garage next to a porta-potty in over 100-degree heat more tolerable is fine with me. And yes Austinites, I do find your cheerfulness tolerable.
After a few sweat beads burst through our skin, a producer came up to me and asked if I could say how many readers my blog has. I was purposefully vague - and I never really check the stats. I said it varies and it can be thousands of page views for some stories, and hundreds a day, depending. I really don't know. He fished, "millions?" I doubt it. More like thousands.
We waited some more. I never closely checked the time during all of this, but there was a lot of waiting. Then another producer approached us and said that Gordon liked food bloggers (I know, he's done that schtick on the show before!), and that he may say "Delicious Austin" but not "dot com" and that I may be featured on the show. Woo hoo, sure - but there was also a dude in a wheelchair and a dude from the military an I think a Fox journo from the local channel here, so it's a long shot that me and my blog would be featured. I plotzed anyway. I puked and died. I was like, can there please be a shot of GR reading my blog and chuckling, "oh Alex, ha ha, you donkey." Or at least reading it and complaining, "Oh come on! You donkey!"
I had to sign a second NDA saying I wouldn't blog about the production aspects of the show - but can tell you guys!!
So we wait and wait - then finally get to make our filmed entrance. Twice. We had to go back because a car came down the road. The producer asked us to walk in a second time and said, "for posterity, guys?" The crew was so nice.
The place was lovely - open and airy, blue and white, with red tiled roofs over nooks in the space. Super cute, with round blue place mats and big, heavy white jugs of water on the table - very needed for the hot day.
After we waited to be seated, GR came over and shook my hand. He is fit! Tall. Francis made fun of me for being so excited.
There were about four camera guys working the room and a boom guy, all with weight belts
and heavy gear. There were three or more producers inside. And I saw a hidden camera focused on us, and a few more placed around the room. It's a small restaurant!
Then we were seated. Service was awkward, and even more so were the cameras, which came up to film every table, often. We were asked by producers to direct our conversation about the restaurant and the food when the cameras came around. This of course made me want to hold up a copy of that day's paper and talk about current events, but I did not.
The owner, a lovely lady with fantastic skin who could be in her 50s, could be in her 60s, seemed stressed-out, very overwhelmed. Her smile left her face as we were there - about two hours in all. She stressed out over changing tables for new parties, and I saw her hand two bottles of wine to a table so they could open it themselves! Whoops.
We did not hear GR yelling at anyone. I did see him supervise the line. I can't say that I even saw the chef working. I am sure he was there, but he made no impression on me. The producers kept asking us to wait saying that chef wanted to talk with us (GR or chef Jake? I have no idea), but we lingered long after our baklava was eaten and then just left. We did exit twice do the crew could get their shot - for posterity.
(Note: This was excepted from an email I wrote to friends right after the taping).
In person, Gordon Ramsay resembles a tall, handsome, thin, strong, wrinkly ginger Sultana.
So I didn't get the email confirmation until after ten pm the night before. Work dragged by, then me and Francis showed up a little early for our 5:50 reservation, just in time to walk around the corner and see a massive camera rig, several buses, and a huge crew of
weary-looking people who had probably been working long days all week at the tail end (I hope) of a record-setting Texas drought. The crew asked us if we were there for dinner, we said yes, then they asked us to back up because GR was making his entrance to the restaurant!! So we backed up - beep, beep, beep - and watched as the camera swung and GR walked - strode, even - purposefully across the street into the place: what a thrill. Just like he does on TV!
Then came some waiting. We went around the corner into a not uncharming parking garage and handed over our NDAs to the production staff. Basically, we agreed to let FOX use our likeness, not be paid, pay for our food, drink responsibly, not drink if we were under 21, turn off our cell phones, and not take pictures. Then we were photographed, and told to wait in a line.
It helps to remember the bizarro aspect of Austin of which people are so freaking cheeful about waiting in lines. Waiting is half or maybe more than half the fun of whatever the thing they are waiting in line to do. It isn't unpleasant, just a little Stepford Wife-y, but hey. Anything that makes standing around in a parking garage next to a porta-potty in over 100-degree heat more tolerable is fine with me. And yes Austinites, I do find your cheerfulness tolerable.
After a few sweat beads burst through our skin, a producer came up to me and asked if I could say how many readers my blog has. I was purposefully vague - and I never really check the stats. I said it varies and it can be thousands of page views for some stories, and hundreds a day, depending. I really don't know. He fished, "millions?" I doubt it. More like thousands.
We waited some more. I never closely checked the time during all of this, but there was a lot of waiting. Then another producer approached us and said that Gordon liked food bloggers (I know, he's done that schtick on the show before!), and that he may say "Delicious Austin" but not "dot com" and that I may be featured on the show. Woo hoo, sure - but there was also a dude in a wheelchair and a dude from the military an I think a Fox journo from the local channel here, so it's a long shot that me and my blog would be featured. I plotzed anyway. I puked and died. I was like, can there please be a shot of GR reading my blog and chuckling, "oh Alex, ha ha, you donkey." Or at least reading it and complaining, "Oh come on! You donkey!"
I had to sign a second NDA saying I wouldn't blog about the production aspects of the show - but can tell you guys!!
So we wait and wait - then finally get to make our filmed entrance. Twice. We had to go back because a car came down the road. The producer asked us to walk in a second time and said, "for posterity, guys?" The crew was so nice.
The place was lovely - open and airy, blue and white, with red tiled roofs over nooks in the space. Super cute, with round blue place mats and big, heavy white jugs of water on the table - very needed for the hot day.
After we waited to be seated, GR came over and shook my hand. He is fit! Tall. Francis made fun of me for being so excited.
There were about four camera guys working the room and a boom guy, all with weight belts
and heavy gear. There were three or more producers inside. And I saw a hidden camera focused on us, and a few more placed around the room. It's a small restaurant!
Then we were seated. Service was awkward, and even more so were the cameras, which came up to film every table, often. We were asked by producers to direct our conversation about the restaurant and the food when the cameras came around. This of course made me want to hold up a copy of that day's paper and talk about current events, but I did not.
The owner, a lovely lady with fantastic skin who could be in her 50s, could be in her 60s, seemed stressed-out, very overwhelmed. Her smile left her face as we were there - about two hours in all. She stressed out over changing tables for new parties, and I saw her hand two bottles of wine to a table so they could open it themselves! Whoops.
We did not hear GR yelling at anyone. I did see him supervise the line. I can't say that I even saw the chef working. I am sure he was there, but he made no impression on me. The producers kept asking us to wait saying that chef wanted to talk with us (GR or chef Jake? I have no idea), but we lingered long after our baklava was eaten and then just left. We did exit twice do the crew could get their shot - for posterity.
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