Creative Humans - Elizabeth Amento

Lately, people have started asking me where I find the creative humans to feature on my journal. Mostly, it is via friends, networking  and through social media. This time however, I was drawn to an interview that I read from one of my favourite Australian magazines, Frankie.  I saw pictures of the most vibrant and alluring pieces of mixed media art. They were so full of colour, so bright and splashy and fun. I was instantly hooked. I became even more so when I realised that the artist, Elizabeth Amento, lived in the Mission District of San Francisco. That was that. I had to meet her. Thankfully, Elizabeth said yes. I was a little late (I got side tracked by the endless delicious Mission food options) but eventually made my way to Elizabeth's apartment. The afternoon was chilly and dull - apparently quite normal for a San Francisco summer afternoon. As soon as I met Elizabeth, she welcomed me into her studio/home, gave me a tour of her brilliant paintings and the gouache paint she uses to create them, introduced me to her loves - her plants, and pointed out the view of  Bernal Heights Park from her back porch. Her hallway, with it's twinkling lights and her bedroom with it's splashes of vintage orange made me quickly forget the much duller day outside. It turns out that Elizabeth is just as colourful and fun as her paintings. My day instantly became brighter - and I was so glad that I stumbled across the Frankie article and the streets of the Mission to find Elizabeth and her beautiful work.

What projects are you currently working on?

Right now, I have a few small collages I am working on. I have been away from them for a bit, but I have plans for them, so I am excited to get back to work on them. I also have a couple big pieces that I have been slowly adding to for awhile, so I really need to tackle those. After that I am excited to dig through my magazines for new material again. I like to work in a series. It helps me not put too much pressure on one piece. I can let the paint dry, step away and think about the overall composition.

Where do you draw your creative inspiration from?

Color combinations I observe in daily life. As well as my current emotional state and how the personal relationships I am in are affecting it. Through seeing potential in possible failures, I am inspired to try new things in my work, new shapes, layers and compositions.

Why a visual artist?

It’s hard not to be at this point. Solving problems creatively is the way my mind works. With my paintings, in my studio, I can entertain myself tackling the next project. I also hope I am adding some color to the world.

Do you listen to music while you work? If so, would you be so kind to share some of your favourite artists?

I always listen to music while I work. I use Spotify to explore new artists, but I often return to my classics, Fleetwood Mac, Van Morrison, The Rolling Stones.

Do you have a morning ritual?

Lately, I wake up by checking on my plants to see how the new succulents I started are taking off. Then get coffee on the way to work, which is close, a 20 min walk so that’s great. I like taking different routes to work, but really enjoy certain ones. Shotwell Street for example, has some very pretty houses.

What's your idea of a perfect Friday night?

For me, a great time is a balance of having plans while being open to surprises.

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?

I love the act of traveling, moving, of watching the world pass by the car or train window. I could list off some beautiful places, but really I could go anywhere when I have great company and can make it an adventure.

Best piece of advice you've ever given or been given?

That a lot people will give you advice, remember you don’t have to always take it.

What's for dinner?

Tacos from one of the many places in my neighborhood.

The best part about being a creative?

There’s always something to work on!

The worst part?

The anxieties and insecurities.

Day or Night?

Sunset.

Old or new?

A modern take on vintage.

City or Country?

City, but being able to escape to the country.

Coffee or Tea?

Coffee in the morning. Tea at night.

What do you enjoy most about living in San Francisco?

It’s beautiful and friendly. Also there is always something to do. People are laid back but really passionate about their projects.

Thoughts for the future:

Always try to improve.

Supper by the St. Johns

The summer in Florida is relentless. It's part of the reason that I love it here so much. You can step outside in the middle of the night and become covered in sweat by just standing still. The air is thick. The sun is constant. The rain storms are daily and beautiful. The river here in Jacksonville provides a nice buffer for the heat when the days of sitting in the swelter are just too much. Like a forgiving friend, the St. Johns river whips up an evening breeze like no other. And when you can dine with friends outside by that river and in that breeze, eating local fish and drinking cold wine, well, this summer is welcome to last as long as it likes.

The plan was to dine on the dock. But that breeze that I spoke of, became wind. So we stayed close to the house and we compromised.

There is a little fish shop not to far from where I live that I only discovered a short time ago called Swimming Yesterday. Oh, that name! I went in for the first time last week to get some mussels and shrimp for dinner. I watched as the person before me ordered some fresh snapper fillets. The fishmonger took a whole snapper out of the cold cabinet and began to scale and fillet the fish right there on a bench in front of us. It took me back to times where I would venture out with my dad and brother to go fishing on the holidays at Caloundra, on the East Coast of Australia. I used to be fascinated as I watched my dad scaling and cleaning the fish after a day out on the water. Come to think of it, gutting and cleaning the fish was one of my favourite parts. This isn't logical for an overly empathetic person such as myself. But I guess neither is being a vegaquarian (yes that is now a word) and accepting the idea of eating fish but not land animals... but let's not confuse ourselves any more than is needed. I'll leave that discussion for another time...

Being in the store and watching the fishmonger prepare the fish took me back to old times. I realised that seeing a fish being prepared like this was a treat and an almost forgotten part of the entire fish eating process. It's so easy to purchase an already frozen piece of filleted fish from the store for dinner. But seeing the whole preparation process in front of me and enjoying the waiting and watching in line made me really appreciate that fish and that little fish store.

I went back to the store, this time to get myself some snapper as well. However, I decided to keep it whole. I wanted to bake it as it was. The fishmonger was a lovely gent. He happily scaled it for me, put it on ice and told me that it was a Vermilion Snapper, caught local only 30 miles off shore. That made me very happy. It also made my tummy grumble and my mind begin to work overtime - a summer feast was being plotted.

Did I mention how excited I was about the locality of the snapper from the fish shop? Well, it is also peach time in the South. Recipes for peach pies and cobblers are everywhere. It makes sense. They are in season, delicious and local. The ones that I picked up from the farmers market came from Georgia - which for me, is just over the border.  And nothing is better than knowing that a good part of dinner came from just a short distance away. Sustainable, fresh, local food. Another reason to be excited about the planning of this scrumptious summer, riverside supper.

We also needed a dessert. I have fond memories of my time in the UK learning about Eton College, visiting it's grounds and eating it's well known dessert - traditionally served at the Colleges annual Cricket game against their nearby rival school, Harrow's College. Most commonly, it is broken meringue served with fresh strawberries and cream. It is the ultimate English summer time treat. Although there are some varieties of strawberries still to be found around this time of the year, the fruit that has really overtaken the market stands at the moment are cherries. I found both Dark Hudson and Rainier types, so I decided to substitute their mix for the strawberries, adding pistachios and drizzled caramel toffee for added crunch. The flavour combo, although saying this myself, was really, really good.

As it turns out, I am taking quite a longtime sought after trip up north this week. A friend and I are headed to Brooklyn, NY to get our exploring on for a full 14 days. It's adventure time in the big apple. I. Can't. Wait. So, I guess an up side is that although I said I didn't mind it, I am looking forward to taking a break from this humidity. I am also looking forward to time to scout out some belly pleasing eateries, some craftsman stores, roof top cinemas, days watching friends surf at New York beaches, digging around through boroughs, downtown, uptown, east-side and any-which sides and general Brooklyn & NYC frolicsomeness. I promise you many instagram posts. In fact I am genuinely worried about the immediate future of my feed. It is going to become overridden.

The downside however, is that for the next two weeks, this is the only food post that will frequent the pages of my journal. So, I've made it a good one for you. I've brought you 4 new summer recipes to keep you happy and cooking until I return from the Hudson back to the St. Johns.

Here are the recipes. Happy Summer.

Baked Snapper with Fennel, Orange + Parsley

prep time: 10 minutes
cook time: 30 minutes 
total time: 40 minutes
yields: 4 servings

One whole cleaned and scaled 1.5 kg /approx 3 pound snapper
One large fennel bulb + fronds
2 Oranges
1 lemon
1 large bunch flat leaf parsley chopped
4 cloves garlic peeled and sliced
6 tbs good quality extra virgin olive oil
salt and fresh cracked pepper

Preheat oven to 220°C /425°F. Remove fronds from fennel. Finely slice the whole fennel. Slice oranges and half the lemon. Combine fennel, garlic, oranges, parsley, 4 tbs oil, salt and pepper in a large bowl and toss to coat. On a baking tray lined with baking paper, spread 2/3 of the fennel and orange mixture along with the fennel fronds over the middle of the tray, big enough to lay the fish over. Stuff the fish cavity with as much of the fennel orange mixture that will fit. Lay the fish on the baking tray and sprinkle the rest of the fennel mixture and the lemon slices over the top. Give the fish a final drizzle with remainder of the oil and extra salt and pepper to taste.  Place the other half of the lemon (should still be whole) on the tray as well. Bake in oven for 30 minutes or until the flesh of the fish easily comes away from the bone. Serve as is in the middle of the table with a good squeeze of the baked lemon half. 

Peach, Feta + Macadamia Salad

prep time: 10 minutes
yields: 4 side servings

4 Fresh ripe peaches
225g / 1/2 pound firm feta, diced
500g roasted macadamia nuts, chopped
Approx 140 - 150g / 5 ounces baby rocket/arugula
Approx 70-80g baby / 2.5 ounces baby spinach

For the Dressing

1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
2 tbs maple syrup
salt to taste

To slice the peaches, cut into the seed around the entire peach. Twist the two halves so that one half comes away from the seed. Using a blunt knife, remove the seed from the other half. Slice peaches length ways into medium/fine slices. In a large salad bowl, combine spinach, rocket/arugula, macadamia nuts, peaches and feta in a bowl. If you don't intend to serve the salad right away, keep peaches covered in a bowl of cold water to prevent them from browning, and toss in with dressing when ready to serve.

For the dressing, place oil, vinegar, maple syrup and a pinch of salt into a small well sealed container. Shake to combine. You can also whisk if you don't have a container. Pour over salad when ready to serve and toss to combine.

Roasted Balsamic Tomatoes

prep time: 5 minutes
cook time: 25 minutes 
total time: 30 minutes
yields: 4 servings

8 small tomatoes on the vine
2tbs extra virgin olive oil
2 tbs balsamic vinegar
salt + fresh cracked pepper

Preheat oven to  220 °C / 425°F. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Place tomatoes on paper keeping vines attached. Fold the paper to make a little 'boat' around the tomatoes - twisting the ends up at both ends. Pour over oil, balsamic vinegar and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake in oven for 20-25 minutes. Tomatoes should be partially split and oil/vinegar should begin to caramelize. 

Cherry Pistachio + Caramel Eaton Mess

It's English, so I decided it had to be in Metric. Do yourself a favour and purchase some good scales. I promise, you will never look back...

prep time: 15 minutes
cook time: 1 hour
total time: 1 hour 15 minutes
yields: 8 servings

5 egg whites
300g caster sugar
500g fresh cherries (I used Dark Hudson and Rainier types)
75g crushed pistachios
220ml / 1 cup heavy whipping cream100ml water

Preheat oven to 150 °C / 300 °F. Line a large baking tray with baking paper. To make the meringue - In a large, clean bowl whisk egg whites on medium speed until semi firm peaks form on top. Gradually add 200g of sugar. Mix on high speed for 6-8 minutes or until the egg whites are glossy and all of the sugar granules have dissolved. Pour over baking tray so that it is approx 5cm / 2 inches high. Bake in oven for 1 hour. The meringue should be a light brown colour all over and be cooked but still soft in the center. Remove the meringue to cool. Don't worry if it cracks, we are going to crack it anyway - we are making eton mess!

Whip the cream until stiff peaks are about to form. Remove the seeds from the cherries by slicing around the seed, twisting to remove one side then remove seed on other side with fingers. Hello purple hands!

In a small saucepan, combine remaining caster sugar (100g) with 100ml water. Heat over high heat until boiling, then continue to reduce until the mixture turns a caramel/toffee colour.

While your caramel is reducing - On a serving platter, crumble the meringue and roughly arrange in pieces to form a round base. Generously coat the meringue with cream, cherries and pistachios.

Using a wooden spoon, drizzle the caramel toffee over the top of the Eton Mess. And you are done!

Creative Humans - Cat Seto Ferme à Papier

Every now and then it happens that you come across a person that is the best type of lovely. Who welcomes you into their life for one hour of one particular day and that hour just happens to become the happiest, most relaxed, joyous and warm hour of your entire week. They are kind, so happy to chat, nothing is too much to ask or too silly to mention and they are just so very nice. That person in this instance was Cat Seto. I took a trip to Russian Hill, a picturesque suburb of San Francisco, to visit her studio/botique, Ferme à Papier. If I didn't already have enough reason to be happy that day (I was in San Fransico!) then meeting Cat and being at the Ferme à Papier studio really just topped it off. Cat is an illustrator, writer and business woman and a super successful one at that. I watched as Cat and her interns buzzed around the studio sorting and packaging and found myself gawking at every single one of Cat's French inspired designs. The whole Ferme à Papier line is inspired by Cat's trips to France. Cat spoke of her inspired travel ventures, her love for her little boy and gave suggestions for the best places to eat in the city (can you imagine my excitement!?).  That hour, the best of my week, went by way too fast. Thank goodness for the memory evoking power of photos and this little interview. Enjoy.

What projects are you currently working on?

Our studio is currently working on fulfilling orders with our retailers and researching for fun new products and designs for our new collections. And we are reaping the rewards of a year of collaboration with great folks at Chronicle Books where we have a Ferme journal, notecard set and sticker label set, and an equestrian inspired bedding collection with Land of Nod all releasing for fall.

Where do you draw your creative inspiration from?

We have an open studio and I am inspired by the city, the community and the neighbors who interact with us on a daily basis. Ferme à Papier was inspired by a trip I took to Paris for the first time two years ago. I was quite a workaholic and never did much travel in the past, but now I see travel in a whole new purposeful light.

Why an illustrator/writer? I was drawing and scribbling and sketching before I could walk. I'd sneak a sketchpad onto my lap under the dinner table and when we went out to restaurants. This was always the most comfortable medium for me to express myself in.

Do you listen to music while you work? If so, would you be so kind to share some of your favourite artists?

My music tastes are all over the map... quite schizophrenic and laughable, but I couldn't spend hours on the drawing board without my tunes :). From classical like Stravinsky's Firebird to Vintage French Pop such as Phoenix and Tahiti 80.

Do you have a morning ritual?

My son and I cuddle and eat breakfast together before I get him ready for school and drop him off. Then I work out... I'm somewhat religious about this and use that time to sweat and organize my day ahead. The rest is a hodge lodge of correspondence, phone and conference calls, checking in with the team, studio and boutique. I will eat or round errands in the latter part of my day if I know that I'm going to be designing late in the night (usually vampire hours of 1-4am).

What's your idea of a perfect Friday night?

A leisurely dinner with friends, catching up with my son... to be honest it's nice to just mellow out and relax after a long week!

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?

Greece has always been on my travel list. The Capri blue water would likely take my breath away.

Best piece of advice you've ever given or been given?

There's an Ira Glass video called "The Gap" that I have been sharing with my team and new interns. It's a super short video all about patience, honing your craft and being humble.

What's for dinner?

Hoisin string beans and codfish.

The best part about being a creative?

Expression and creativity are at the forefront of your daily missives.

The worst part? Balancing the business component which competes and quite often wins the "forefront" position!

Day or night? Night Old or new? Old mixed with New City or Country? City Coffee or Tea? Tea

What do you enjoy most about living in San Francisco?

The city is beautiful... you can be walking, driving, lost in your in world and then you lift your head up and see the expansive bay spill out from the city.

Thoughts for the future: 

The mainstay of my future thoughts are the ones I hold presently: to pursue good health, strive to maintain creative expression and freedom, indulge through my friends and family...and seek out the best ice cream all over the world :)

Florida Keys

It was the Fourth of July weekend and we had decided to head down to the Florida keys. Quite the known death trap. We were camping. It was summer. We were most likely going to die of heat exhaustion...

Very rarely do I play the role of negative Nancy towards the idea or places of travel. However this time, I was in a judgey mood. My expectations were low. I had imagined the place heavy with key lime pie eating tourists, the main street lined with tacky store fronts and filthy broken glass filled gutters. I imagined sweat constantly pouring from every pore in my skin and having to deal with weather - there was a tropical storm circulating, his name was Arthur, and he wasn't all that far away.

Surprisingly, my exceedingly low expectations served me well. And I was impressed. So impressed that I couldn't get enough. I decided to apologize to the keys. Each and every one of them, but in particular, Key West. So I breathed in and appreciated every bit it had to offer and smiled in all of it's beauty. We were in Florida. How could I even complain?

So, I said sorry to it's crystal blue waters and its teeny snorkelable coral reef islands. I said sorry to its beautiful old colonial homes, the remarkably tourist free streets (it was too hot), its hidden water front dining and cocktail decks, the very welcomed coconut water street carts and the tropical storm free sunny sky days (Arthur decided to stay away).

I said sorry to the house of Hemingway, pop up stores, key lime pie on a stick (I became that tourist) and beautifully lit up skies on the actual night of the fourth.

I said sorry so much, that I knew that I was so wrong to have to say sorry in the first place. I had my grumpy pants on before I left, and for that, I was ashamed.

Thankfully the Keys were a good sport and decided to forgive me. Our entire weekend was wonderful. And, I am pretty sure I even heard the Keys whisper to me that they really wanted me to come back. Soon. However, the next time I wasn't allowed to say sorry. So, I promised that I would. And that I would leave my grumpy, judgey, negative Nancy pants at home.

Places to not be sorry about:

To eat:

Blue heaven - great for brunch!

Louie's Backyard - dinner and cocktails

Cuban Coffee Queen - coffee and lunch

El Siboney - a proper Cuban feast

La Creperie - another great breakfast spot

To see:

Salt Island Provisions - a gorgeous locally crafted pop up store

Hemingway house - so inspiring!

To do:

Bahia Honda state park - great beach

Kayak from Islamorada to Indian Island

Snorkel Indian Island