Pants: The Idea

After much silence and intermittence, I've decided to devote time to my blog regularly, and I'm excited to share this new era. 

To date, my blog has been an outlet for my various interests and projects and by no means do I intend for it to reject this going forward. That said, I plan to provide more thoughtfulness and focus, with an emphasis on my interest in fashion. 

In an effort both to convey my personal aesthetic and to develop a skill set around construction, I am embarking on a project to begin designing and creating clothing, accessories and other related items that are essential to me and either unmet by current offerings, above my ideal price point or both. 

The journey begins with pants. Fall in NY is around the corner, and I'd like a pair of athletic pants that combine utility and style, perfect for running or casually hanging out. High-end basics (James Perse), sportswear (Alexander Wang) and style-conscious high-tech (Acronym, Mission Workshop, Outlier) abound, but it is hard if not impossible to come by a pant that boasts a slim fit, cuffed hems, zippered pockets and breathable, stretch fabric. In fact, after exploring James Perse's store, I was told that I am not the only one seeking such a pair of pants, but unfortunately they don't offer anything in their collection. 

Next time I'll provide a more thorough account of what I'm looking for, what I'm inspired by and what I hope to accomplish.

A door in real life

Almost three years ago I posted a pair of door designs (here), inspired by the beautiful doors gracing The University of Chicago's Harper Memorial Library. The door pictured here is the real product of my design on the right.

Mediterranean Manor

This estate's dominating elevations and expansion footprint mask intimate pergolas, garden spaces and entryways. Extensive floor-to-ceiling windows and doors open up to a terraced patio, pool and two-story pool / guest house in the rear.

Next Restaurant - Sicily

(Top to bottom: welcome card, Bucatini con Bottarga, Pesce Spada con di Ceci, Cassata, assorted dolci)

I was a lucky guest for Next Retaurant's Sicily menu - I took no initiative to book a ticket, but my brother-in-law was unable to make it last minute so I enthusiastically enjoyed the meal on his behalf. Having been to Childhood twice, I was excited to taste the more serious side of Next. The vision was to create a meal inspired by the Sicilian comfort food; the food was brought out family-style and the main courses were paired with vegetable sides. The dishes were excellent, warming, and abundant. Among my favorites was the bucatini, where the taste of fish roe was strong but did not overpower the dish, which was finished in a butter sauce. The last main, a beast of a pork shoulder, was roasted with an all-day-cooked tomato sauce that was outstanding. My favorite may have been the signature, traditional marzipan-coated cake. Served with ricotta whipped cream, the cake was incredibly sweet and impeccably decorated and lived up to expectations following the pork shoulder and pasta dishes. An assorted plate of desserts wrapped up this Sicilian culinary experience and another extraordinary time at Next.

Barbecue chicken salad

As one of my last adventures as an undergraduate, I finally hit up Lincoln Park's Green City Market with Stephanie, Eric, and Emily. The day was filled with sun, Snookelfritz ice cream, and fresh greens from Growing Home. We also took home a loaf from Evanston's Bennison's Bakery, heirloom tomatoes and radishes, and feta goat cheese from Nordic Creamery. All were assuredly put to good use, and the tomatoes, radishes, and bread helped Stephanie and me craft a delicious meal centered around barbecue chicken salad. First broiled and lightly coated with barbecue sauce; then mixed in with celery, radishes, and onions and topped with a dollop of mayonnaise.

Rosemary Bread

Our third bread adventure may be our last. Though light and delicious, this white rosemary bread was pretty demanding to make. Nonetheless, we thoroughly enjoyed this bread: first for breakfast with fig preserves and second with dinner, coated with garlic, butter, and gruyere cheese for some amazing homemade cheesy garlic bread.

Paki-Mex

This marks our first foray into some creative, multicultural fusion cooking: Pakistani tacos. Admittedly I did little more than prepping. Sakina contributed the Pakistani portion, making bihari kabab for the filling. Stephanie contributed the Mexican portion with a tomatillo and tamarind salsa. These delicious tacos were topped off with diced onions and cilantro and wrapped in corn tortillas.