The Green Goddess

My Mum turned me onto making these green smoothies as a great way to get some extra veggies into your diet.  She was the one that coined the name "Green Goddess".  Yes, I was skeptical at first - just look at that colour! - but one taste had me hooked. These smoothies are sweet, refreshing, and oh-so-good-for-you.

Girly Spring Makeup

Girly Makeup by theblackbarney featuring maybelline

Spring can be shamelessly girly.  Floral prints become irresistible, and there's plenty of corals and soft pinks to go around.  This is my go-to makeup for the early spring.

Quinoa For Breakfast?

In the morning time is essential, and I don't always have ample time to make myself breakfast (much to my horror, breakfast is my favorite meal!).  These quinoa filled breakfast bowls pack a ton of protein into one easy to prepare serving and keep you full until lunch.  They are perfect for busy days you want to continue to eat healthfully in.  Keep reading to find out how to make them!

Join Me For Lunch: Versatile Asian Salad

This salad has been a staple in my kitchen for at least two weeks now!  It's so delicious I don't think I will ever be tired of it.

Something I love about salads is their versatility.  If you don't like something about a salad you can skip or replace that component with virtually no risk.   That's why with this salad recipe I have included a list of other ingredients that might be interesting to add or substitute.  Be creative and play with your food!

Tammy Salzl

Tammy Salzl is a painter from Edmonton, Alberta working on her MFA at Concordia University in Montréal.  Her work is currently being exhibited at the FOFA Gallery in Montréal.  I attended the FOFA show, and an artist talk that she gave in a class that I am enrolled in.

Her work is juicy, tactile, and relates directly to the squidgy, oozing nature of oil paint.  Her work deals with issues regarding the environment, gender, mutation and the body.  I admire her ability to combine these topics, and have them displayed so clearly in the medium of painting.

You can visit her website here, to view more images of her work and her artist statement.

Shifting Scapes

Shifting Scapes is a stop motion animation film that is describes the pulsating, interconnected, and continuous nature of the natural environment.  The Canadian landscape serves as inspiration for these vibrations and changes.

The music is from the band Summer Heart and the song is I Wanna Go;  I have a post about them here on this blog.

I made this work, and I value your feedback on it!

Please enjoy in full screen for full effect.



Shifting Scapes from Christine McKeating on Vimeo.
A stop motion animation about how landscapes move, shift, and change over time.
Music by Summer Heart - I Wanna Go

"A Love Story" Michael Bastian

What is there to love about this love story?

The Fashion.

The Food.

The Couple.

The Architecture.

The Music.

The list goes on!

Make sure to view in full screen for full effect:


GANT by Michael Bastian - A Love Story from NEWNEW by Fashion Tale on Vimeo.
GANT by Michael Bastian “A Love Story” Spring 2011. Produced by NEWNEW.
Director: Carl-Axel Wahlström
DOP: Niklas Johansson FSF

Jia Aili

I have recently been very interested in the paintings of Chinese artist Jia Aili.  His work combines Chinese technique with Western influences to create scenes that are ambiguous in their time and place.
His works speak about environment, production, and the human condition.

These works are massive - often wall sized - and some even include installation elements such as mirrors, props and paper.

"The Seeker of Hope" (Series) Installation View

 "Our Century"

"The Wasteland"

"The Seeker of Hope" (series)

The Cinematic Orchestra

The Cinematic Orchestra's song To Build a Home, is a beautiful impression on what it means to feel at home.
Give it a listen:

Hiatus

Hello everyone!

I would like to apologize for my ten day hiatus.  I am currently travelling and will not be posting until December 22.  Please hang in there until then!  There are so many good things to come.

Lots of Love, and enjoy your holidays,

-Subnivean

Screaming Paintings

Whether you think it's humorous or not, these interpretive scream paintings are sure to make your weekend - they certainly made mine.

Make sure to view in full screen and full volume (kidding about the volume...  Unless you're into that) For full effect.

Passion Pit, The Black Keys, Sigur Ros

Passion Pit: Constant Conversations (St. Lucia Remix)

I really can't stop listening to this.  The best part is that it's available for free download!


Also check out this exclusive release from The Black Keys: Strange Times

To finish off, a lovely song by Sigur Ros: Njosnavelin (yes, I had to check multiple times to spell that correctly).

Join Me For Lunch: Black Bean Soup and Quinoa Tabbouleh

This week I made myself a smoky and spicy Black Bean Soup for lunch, with a side of a fresh, protein and calcium rich Quinoa Tabbouleh salad.  With a side of Corn Chips, this made a delicious and filling lunch!

Read the recipes after the jump!

Chris Duncan

The song For by the artist C Duncan has beautiful intertwining melodies and lyrics, with a drop that brings the realization that you wish this song would never end.

Ombré Nails

 I very seldom find nail designs that I feel I would actually wear.  I don't like too much on my hands because I use them to work a lot, and find that simplicity is best for me.  However sometimes I feel a little left behind because nail design is making a big comeback; it seems that everywhere I look there is a large focus on intricate nails.  I figured it was time to try something out.

Read more after the jump!

Easy Chocolate Cake

This week, I needed a chocolate cake recipe that could be easily prepared with very little mess.  I found this recipe, and as always made some adjustments.  Although it is not a super rich chocolate cake, it is very moist, and works as a perfect base cake if you have other dessert items to add to it.
Bonus: It's vegan!

One Pan Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups Sugar
• 1/2 cup Cocoa
• 1 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
• 2 cups All Purpose Flour
• 3/4 tsp Salt
• 3/4 cup Canola oil
• 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1/2 cups Water, with 1 Tbsp Instant Coffee or Espresso added
• 1 cup Milk 
• 1 1/2 tsp lemon juice 

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. sift all of the dry ingredients in an ungreased 9" X13" pan
3. add all of the wet ingredients and mix until well incorporated.
4. Bake for 25 minutes, and let cool before serving.

Notes:

• You could use vegetable oil, or even sunflower oil for this cake.  Just make sure it is a neutral tasting oil. 
• If you don't have lemon juice on hand, white vinegar will do the trick for this cake
• In order for this cake to be vegan, just replace the milk with water.  I used milk because i found it gave the cake a slightly richer texture, but it will be just as tasty with only water.

The cake it THAT simple.  The best part is there are no dishes to clean up after making this cake other than measuring cups, baking utensils, and the pan you cooked it in.  I think that this cake is delicious with the addition of:

• Raspberries and vanilla or chocolate ice cream (or both?!)
• Carmel sauce
• Any fruit
• Chocolate buttercream frosting
• Whipped cream

Enjoy!

Fleetwood Mac Revisited

Julia Holter re-explores Fleetwood Mac's "Gold Dust Woman" in the album "Rumors: Revisited, which features contemporary pop covers on Fleetwood Mac's album "Rumors".  This particular cover by Holter retains a spooky feel, with a digital crescendo and wailing lyrics.

Give it a listen:



See the full album line up Here.

Need

The artist Wax Has a great song about our limitations regarding consumerism.

View in fullscreen for full effect.

INSiDE

A short film highlighting the frustrations of multiple personality disorder.



INSiDE from INSiDE Short on Vimeo.

Benjamin Kyle

Imagine being stranded by your own amnesia, unable to remember your own name or personal identity, searching for any opportunity that could be lent to you...

What would you do in Benjamins' situation?

Make sure to view in full screen for full effect.



Finding Benjaman from John Wikstrom on Vimeo.