{ Dashus:land }

On love...

Shepard Fairey - Supply & Demand.

On a recent trip to Boston to celebrate RJH's birthday, I read an article about Shepard Fairey who created the iconic HOPE poster that was seen so prevalently during Obama's presidential campaign. The story was about how Associated Press Photographer Mannie Garcia was seeking legal action against Fairey because the HOPE poster was based on his copyrighted photograph taken in April 2006 while on assignment. Garcia is currently asking for credit and compensation for the use of his photograph. As I'm reading all about this story, I certainly didn't know that I'd be seeing a huge collection of Fairey's work just days later. Fairey's exhibit, Supply and Demand, was being shown just blocks from the hotel we stayed along Boston's waterfront. We learned of the show through a friend in Boston and made our way to The Institute of Contemporary Art on our final day in Boston. The show was incredible. I haven't loved an exhibit this much in a very long time.

Fairey's work is so unique and so striking. His minimal color palette paints such a serious tone. His work celebrates, dissects and explores Pop Culture, Politics, Money, Death, Music, War, Greed - it just doesn't stop. His art is reminiscent of old propaganda-style posters. The way that each of his pieces look like layers and layers of paper and newsprint and paint give it a home-made aesthetic but it's so much more polished than that. His work speaks such strong statements. He digs deep in to the belly of the culture and slaps it up on a wall. Fairey's art began on the streets in the cities where he lived. As a skateboarding youth, he began tagging structures and creating art on building walls. He first became known for his OBEY sticker campaign which featured a stencil of wrestler André the Giant. You likely have seen it before but just had no clue who or what it was all about. His work has obviously been put on the forefront due to the HOPE campaign. Where he sits now is right where he belongs. Fairey is a true trail blazer in modern art. I'm such a huge fan of his work now. A few of my favorite from the exhibit are below. xx.

The following is a video shot in 2008 that features an interview with the artist.

Happy Birthday, RJH.

I LOVE YOU.

A little Little Britain while in Britain.

I'm outta here, beeyotch. Well - not for long but long enough! I'm taking a trip TONIGHT with RJH to the UK. I thought it appropriate (or not?) to feature a lil' Little Britain on my site in honor of our voyage to England to see his family. Check out the following episode. It's super good. I don't care what y'all say. This show is funny!! I could not be more thrilled that it's making it's US debut on HBO!! Check it out! xox.

Little.Britain.S02E03
by Matty113

{~} RJH - See you in a few. {~}

X.

O.

X.

Yes.

More views like this would be fine by me...

Taxi to the 'falls.

Rocketboom, which is a three minute daily videoblog hosted by Joanne Colan based in New York City, recently went on a NYC Water Taxi ride to check out the NYC Waterfalls. I wrote about the 'falls a few weeks ago. They were super duper cool. I got to see the waterfalls on a rainy weekend from the dock at the South Street Seaport with RJH and Cackles but I think we need to get a closer look. The NYC Water Taxi is a fabulous ride anyway. Sun, water, NYC in the distance, a cool breeze and plenty to look at! Heaven.

NYC Waterfalls
Uploaded by rocketboom

A weekend away...

I'm getting ready to leave a 3-day stay at The Spa at Norwich Inn in Connecticut. RJH and I have been busting our rumps over the course of the last few months at work and decided that we desperately needed to get a way for a few days. We relaxed, had facials, got massages, sat in the sauna, enjoyed the steam room, soaked in the whirlpool and basically did a whole lotta nothing. What a blessing! We are wrapping up our weekend with a quick visit to one of my dear friends, Dan and his boyfriend Corey, who have a lil' house close to the shore not too far from where we are staying now. I'm so glad I was able to get away with RJH this weekend. We need to take more time to relax and breathe and collect ourselves. Our life in New York moves at a dizzying speed and we don't always take the time to unwind. We did this past weekend - even if it was only a few days - a few LOVELY days. The following video is from one of my fave groups - Goldfrapp. The song is aptly named Happiness. Enjoy. xoxo.

Midweek Libations - Revisited.

For much of 2007, RJH featured a weekly post on Dashusland that was a huge hit. I received so many comments and thanks on what RJH created each week. Midweek Libations was a wonderful addition to this blog and I wanted to bring back one of my favorite Midweek Libation posts that we featured on these pages. RJH's simple and sweet Margarita was too amazing to not mention again. I came to this conclusion again when he fixed me one of these over this past weekend. Check out the libation recipe below and I implore you - TRY IT THIS WEEKEND OR TONIGHT! It's so super duper yummilicious. Trust me!! xoxo.
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The archetypal summer vacation drink is, of course, the Margarita. The word Margarita in Latin means "pearl" and in Spanish means "Daisy flower". This cocktail, when made well, is a wonderfully refreshing blend of tequila, orange liquor, and freshly squeezed citrus juice - perfect for a summer's day by the pool. Although the Margarita can be found on almost every bar's cocktail list, the requested beverage can vary greatly in quality and style from establishment to establishment.

The Margarita has suffered greatly in today's "drive thru" style bar culture. In an effort to make it quick, trendy, and cheap it has been adulterated far worse then any cocktail before it. Indeed, some bars even have it available through their "post mix" gun along with the sodas and other mixers. Whether it is the use of incorrect or substandard ingredients, or commercial Margarita "mixes", a Margarita in most bars is a long way from the delicious cocktail it should be.

This article aims to right this wrong and communicate the clear message that a good Margarita is not a difficult feat. In fact, a true Margarita is made from just three ingredients - tequila, Cointreau and freshly squeezed lime juice. Like many cocktails, there is an art to determining the proper ratio of ingredients to present a balance of flavors. It is very easy to make an overly sweet or tart drink. While some drinks recipes extol using equal parts of the ingredients, through years of trial and error, I can confirm that the very best ratio for a delicious Margarita is 3:2:1 - three measures of good tequila, two measures of Cointreau or Triple Sec, and one measure of fresh lime juice (no Roses lime cordial thank you very much). Nothing else.

Tequila - as with many spirits, there are different types and levels of quality of tequila. "Blanco" tequila (also called "Silver" or "White") is bottled straight from the still and is the basic type of tequila. "Joven" or "Gold"tequila may have an amber or gold hue but is really just a Blanco tequila that has had coloring or a small amount of aged tequila added to it to make it look gold (like Cuervo Gold). "Reposado" and "Añejo"tequilas are generally the higher quality spirits and have been aged. A good silver/blanco or reposado tequila that is made from 100% agavewill yield the best tasting margarita (look at the label to make sure it is pure agave). The smooth aged Añejo tequilas are wonderful to sip but are a little too rich to make a great Margarita.

The history of the Margarita is unclear. There are many reports of when and where it was invented. It seems it was created some time in the 1930's or '40s but there is no decisive evidence to ascertain to exact time or location. It may have been created in the early 1930's at the Caliente Race Track in Tijuana.

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add 3 measures of good quality Reposado tequila (I like 1800 brand), 2 measures of Cointreau (or a good quality Triple Sec), and 1 measure of freshly squeezed lime juice. Roll the lime on a hard surface a couple of times before cutting and squeezing to help it release its juice. Shake vigorously and then strain into a chilled martini glass (novelty margarita glasses featuring cacti are not encouraged!). Some people like to salt their margarita glasses, to do this simply run a piece of lime around the rim of the glass then invert the glass and dip it into a saucer of course grain sea salt or kosher salt. Garnish with a wedge of fresh lime and enjoy.

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You may have also missed a few of RJH's other smashing cocktails which would totally hit the spot one of the warm midsummer nights.   Caipirinha

Cosmopolitan

French 75

Negroni

These are a few of my favorite things...

Philip Dunn.

One of the most beautiful places that I have ever traveled to is a little place on the Southern coast of England called Brighton. This small town is the place where my boyfriend RJH grew up. We visit there whenever we get back to England which, due to the exchange rate and not enough vacation days, is only about one time a year. RJH introduced me to a painter named Philip Dunn who is a brilliant and amazing Brighton artist. Philip truly captures what it’s really like to live in Brighton and experience the seafront. Philip, like a New York favorite of mine Joe Holmes (who is a photographer rather than a painter), has a knack for being able to truly capture the essence of his surroundings in his work. His paintings are stunning and don't simply present a baseless benign subject but rather, like a photo, are worth 1,000 words, meanings and feelings. I could hardly believe they were paintings at first! The detail that Philip imparts on these pieces is insane. His use of light is beyond any artist that I have seen. I'm in awe of him. A few of my favorites are below but I must encourage you to check out more of his paintings HERE. You will understand the magic of what I'm referring to immediately. If you ever are in England and can make it down to lovely lil' Brighton, you will see what all my fussing is about. It feels like a home away from home. (Don't get any ideas, Cackles! It's only nice to visit! ok?! hehe.) xox.

me and him.

Dolly!

Last night, RJH and I had the pleasure of seeing a true legend in concert. The always hilarious and talented Dolly Parton played to a sold out crowd at Radio City Music Hall. Dolly was absolutely fantastic. I have never seen her perform so I was very excited about the show. The thing about Dolly is that she truly engages the audience. She had every single one of us laughing out loud. Dolly is a brilliant story teller whether she is singing or just speaking to the audience. She paints vivid pictures in both ways. I'm going to have to keep my eyes and ears peeled for news on when she is in town again. It was pure entertainment. I don't usually gush over the shows I see (unless it's Madge) but this show just blew both RJH and me away! Below you will find a video of Dolly Parton singing her smash I will always love you with Melissa Etheridge. I couldn't find any clips from her current tour so this will just have to do. Enjoy. xoxo.

Midweek Libations.

Many fans of Midweek Libations will know that I have a penchant for classic cocktails and a particular proclivity for Gin. True cocktail aficionados with similar desires will be hard pressed to find a better establishment to quench their fastidious thirsts than the Pegu Club in downtown New York City. A veritable Mecca of quality, hand-crafted cocktails and intoxicating ingenuity. The proprietor of Pegu is Audrey Saunders, former bartender at Bemelmans Bar and expert mixologist. This week, from her anthology of inspiring cocktails comes the French Pearl.

In the bottom of a clean cocktail shaker muddle 4 fresh mint leaves with ¾ of an ounce of freshly squeezed lime juice. Fill with plenty of freshly cracked ice and then add 2 ounces of Plymouth Gin, a good dash of Simple Syrup, and ¼ of an ounce of Pernod. Shake vigorously and strain into a chilled Martini glass. Garnish with a spiral of lime peel and a sprig of mint. Enjoy. 

Dawn French and company...

Living with an English lad has been quite a treat for me. Not only do I just enjoy his company but he brings an entirely new sense of humor, taste and aesthetic to our relationship. He has introduced me to different food, different cocktails and a different caliber of entertainment. I have been introduced to the likes of Jo Brand who is truly amazing. I now think Are you being Served? is an absolutely hilarious show. I'm also a huge fan of the comedy team Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders. I was recently looking for some fun videos to feature on my site and ran across a wonderful bunch of clips by Dawn French. Dawn interviews a myriad of women who do comedy. Dawn interviews these incredible ladies and gets down to the nitty gritty on what inspired them to get in to comedy, what they find funny and so on. It's such an enjoyable set of videos. I've only featured 3 of them below. To see them all - there are 9! - click HERE. They are so fabulous. Enjoy. xox.

Flower Power.

Jonathan Singer is a talented artist who takes what he sees in nature and creates photos that are out of this world. The botanical world has been in awe of his work for years now. Beautifully composed with a painter’s eye, his images are all the more remarkable for the speed with which he works: “I see it, I feel it, I shoot it,” he says in a web only feature on VanityFair.com. RJH has a thing for shooting flowers. I figure they'd have much to discuss. I love photography of flowers and other plants because it is truly mixing the brilliance of a photographer with the eloquent and natural beauty found in the wild. Amazing. Check out some of Singer's striking photos below. Other can be found at the link above.