Heroes.

My jaw hit the ground when I saw these photos at the Design with the Other 90%: CITIES exhibit at the U.N. headquarters this weekend. The exhibit is comprised of "sixty projects, proposals, and solutions that address the complex issues arising from the unprecedented rise of informal settlements in emerging and developing countries." This particular project, by artist JR, is part of a series he calls Women Are Heroes.

According to the Design with the Other 90%: CITIES website, "JR captures extreme close-ups of women’s faces and covers informal settlements with large-scale reproductions of the images. The women actively participate by telling their stories and taking part in the artistic process...Such intimate portraits pasted in these urban landscapes allow passersby to encounter these women as large, central figures in their communities."

Brilliant! New Yorkers, click here for information on how to view the Design with the Other 90%: CITIES exhibit yourselves. (It's open til January 9th - and it's free!)

Photos via Design with the Other 90%: CITIES.

Madness.

Words of wisdom from Wonderland:

My weekend was busier than usual - almost but not quite mad. I had a Korean BBQ dinner; watched my very first boxing match (on TV) - in a crowded Brooklyn barbershop, no less; took a trip to the flea market for doughnuts and pierogis, and visited the U.N. I'm dragging my feet a bit this morning, but I'm already excited for next weekend, when I'll be boarding a plane for Japan - this year, my family will be spending Thanksgiving in Tokyo. Can't wait to share my adventures there with you! That said, what did you do on the weekend? And what are your plans for the holidays?

Have a very happy Monday!

Image via Wit + Delight.

Lighthearted.

Happy Friday! And many, many thanks to those of you who commented on yesterday's post with suggestions for winter classes - I appreciate your input so much. Now, after hearing all of these ideas - printmaking, metalsmithing, photography, typography - I'm tempted to take more than one!

Have a  lovely weekend, everyone! 

Photo by my favorite photographer, (though I admit I'm a bit biased), Max Wanger.

Cold Weather Classes.

Last winter, because I was feeling restless and missed being in a classroom, I decided to sign myself up for ten weeks of introductory French lessons. While the course itself was ultimately not for me, (I went to five meetings, where I learned to say, "My name is Shoko. I live in Brooklyn. I have a brown rabbit"), it felt good to be getting out of the apartment and learning something new.

This winter, I'm thinking of enrolling in another course. There's certainly no shortage of choices here in New York City - options I'm considering include perfume blending, a letterpress class, memoir writing, and Cheese 101. So many to choose from, and so little time. Any suggestions? Please share!

Image via kasmi-nuko. (If anyone knows who the photographer is, I'd love to give proper credit!)

Going Mobile.

These "mobile homes," by artist Kim Baise, made my morning. So clever.

This ice cream mobile is pretty irresistible, too. See more at the artist's Etsy shop, here.

Lucky.

365 Lucky Days is a project by artist Lucky Jackson, who has resolved to produce - "with love" - a daily work of art for 365 days straight. "I hope that you all are inspired to create something every day," she writes.

View the 365 gallery, here, and Lucky's blog, here. Found via Eat Drink Chic.

Saveur Secrets.

When it comes to food, I've been spoiled all my life by my mother, who's a genius in the kitchen. Growing up, I assumed that cooking was as easy as she made it look, and I took all of her beautifully prepared meals for granted. It wasn't until I left for college that I realized how wrong I'd been. Since then, learning to cook for myself has been an ongoing process - some days, I'm thrilled with what I make; other days, I'm convinced I'll starve. But I'm still learning, and loving the adventure. 

Yesterday, as I was browsing some of my favorite food sites, I came across a series of how-to videos on Saveur.com. I'll take any tips I can get, and I loved this one:

Cool, right? Now take what you've learned, and make this! 

How to Peel a Head of Garlic in Less Than 10 Seconds from SAVEUR.com on Vimeo.