saturday...

...is the name of an Ian McEwan novel I just read, but if my Saturday was like the protagonist's, I would have gotten in a car accident, diagnosed a guy with a degenerative brain disorder, gotten mugged and then operated on my mugger. (Um, retroactive spoiler alert?) Instead, and thankfully, I just cleaned the house, took a yoga class, went to Jennifer's cupcake-decorating party and took in some art at La Mano Grafica.

The birthday baker in an occasion-appropriate apron.

Concept cupcakes by one of the more artistic party-goers. They had names like "Greenstravaganza," "Pinkstravaganza," etc. Jennifer's boyfriend Joel required us to name all our cupcakes as part of an experimental film he was making, which I cannot wait to see. My cupcakes were named "Choco-fly," "Foofaland" and "The One I'm Going to Eat." The latter had extra chocolate chips on it.

AK's and my cupcakes. Jennifer went all out with the decorations. At our disposal we had neon frosting, bunny Peeps, gourmet dark chocolate, edible Easter grass from Germany, crystallized ginger and like 14 kinds of sprinkles.

AK would like me to let you know that's a healthy grape in her mouth, not a giant jelly bean.

Jody contemplates his canvas.

Christine's cupcake was an odd Rorschach test. Someone thought it was a cat. Someone thought it was a self-portrait. I thought it looked like that Muppet chick who rocked out with Animal.

If REI sold cupcakes (and isn't it only a matter of time?), Jody's nature cupcake would be on the cover of the catalog.

After grabbing some green beans and seafood chow mein in Chinatown, AK, Leslie, Ellen and I headed over to La Mano Grafica in Lincoln Heights for a street art show AK had heard about. Pulling up to the address on a nearly empty street, we saw a bunch of tough-looking dudes in hoodies hanging out in front of a warehouse-like space. "I think we're going to stand out," I said, but the crowd inside was more arty and evenly gendered. The pieces in the show--all by artists who are currently working in the streets, according to one of the friendly curators--ranged from girls with giant booties and tag-style paintings to anti-war cartoons and a great chicken series.

This actual van was parked out front.

Ellen asked the friendly co-curator about prices. I think we might have led him on.

Do you know what a deep-fried $2 quesadilla tastes like? It tastes like doughy, cheesy, cornmealy heaven, that's what it tastes like.

The devil made us eat the quesadilla, and we have no regrets.

Comments

Cheryl said…
I'm going to eat one right now.
Anonymous said…
Thanks for the cupcake party coverage! Yesterday I had a cupcake for breakfast and one for lunch... So glad you could make the party. JJDay
Peter Varvel said…
Ha ha! That cupcake is TOTally Janice from the Electric Mayhem!
One of the reasons I love reading this blog is that I'm constantly learning new ways to articulate myself - being "evenly gendered" is a constant work in progress for me. :)
I'm also going to steal/start using more (example) "blogstravaganza!"
Cheryl said…
JJD: Thanks for feeding us so well! I ate "Bunny in the Mountains" last night, and I have to say that ginger and chocolate go surprisingly well together.

PV: I love that you know the name of the Muppet band and its members.

Most words are improved by adding "-stravaganza." Life should be a 'stravaganza, right?
Claire said…
If memory serves, Peter and I are often recalling pop culture details. Janice FTW!

Though he did me one better by recalling Electric Mayhem. :)

I could really go for a deep-fried $2 quesadilla or a spectacular cupcake from the cupcakestravaganza.

Your food posts keep making me hungry!
Cheryl said…
Vicariously is probably the healthiest way to eat a deep-fried quesadilla.

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