The Ironic Mullet :: Lee Ann Westover

Pierre's Ice Cream: The Hamptons can be not horrible!

This weekend I was a very lucky lady, in that I was able o enjoy a little beach time in East Hapmpton thanks to a generous friend. 

The Hamptons can be irritating, and as angsty and rude as Manhattan on a bad day. The Hamptons can also be lovely, peaceful, warm, sunny and relaxing.

A lil while ago, I made a list of the things I like about the area, and after this weekend I have something to add:

Pierre's in Bridgehampton now has a lil counter by the door where friendly people (gasp!) sell amazing pastries and homemade icecream!

I suggest the chocolate

80s Hair Alert!

Just so I can get some credit for calling it:

Like legwarmers and acid washed jeans, big 80s hair is about to be everywhere!

Look! It's on an Olsen! [via Jezebel]

This trend is one I can get behind. I am already stocking up on Aqua Net for the occasion...

Nigerian Scammers: I can haz bank official check

Both my bf and I have to deal with renting things or selling things on CraigsList.org. Despite all the ne'er do wells that frequent its virtual halls, it's still the best way to get anything done.

As such sellers/renters, we receive a lot of email from con-men we call the Nigerian Scammers. Why? Because they probably are Nigerian Scammers. Or European Tourists.

First read this awesome story on Fox News (gasp!) about people turning the tables on Nigerian Scammers. The photos are prosh.

THEN: read my lil compilation here of our personal favorites. When we received this first letter, we decided that Johnson Craigs is the best Nigerian Scammer name ever, and have called all Nigerian Scammers Johnson Craigs ever since. It's nice. Clear. Concise.

FROM: johnson craigs

Hello,seem to be interested in this item but do get back to me with the present condition of this item as am ok with the price tag..ok

Kimberl Jones from United State maybe should consider finishing 2nd grade.

my name is kimberl jones  and am from united state 
but presently in england to vist my family for our 
wedding. A friend of mine told me about 
homeaway,saying i can find a perfect home for my 
honeymoon.and i have read the full details of your 
home on the website ,we will be coming for one 
week in the month of september from 19 to 26 so 
kindly send us the rate thanks.and also am flexible so u can also send me the rate of any available date in september or october 
my address is below
kimberly jones

Then when we asked her "oh REALLY?!?!" she sent a nice reply. How helpful of her! Note the "from" address. DOWDLES.org. Srsly? I do love bank official checks, though.

> From: kjones@dowdles.org
> 
> Hello, Thanks for getting back to us with the 
> quote,I will book it, I will make payment with my 
> bank official check. I and my wife concluded to 
> make full payment, so we can have confirmation of 
> booking. Send me the below info.
> 
> Full name.
> Address (Not PO Box)
> City
> Zipcode
> State
> Home phone
> Cell phone.
> 
> Immediately i have the above info, I will mail the 
> payment to you. Afterwards you can send me the 
> confirmation letter,
> Thanks.

Anything else Kimberl? Social security, Driver's license? Pint of blood?
Dowdles.

Things that I like: Dior. Almost as good as enchiladas.

I just wanted to share one of my favorite things evar with you. In my real like, I pretty much have a uniform of the BurdaStyle Anda dress or jeans, but in my dreams I wear things like this.

Check out more at JEZEBEL. It's Redonk.

Travel Cooking: what to bring?

Last summer we rented a house in the NC mountains with friends, and we are doing the same thing this July. The M.O. of the entire trip is to eat, drink and nap as much as possible. There isn't much opportunity for anything else.

To eat, you need to cook. Most rental houses come with little more than a crappy frying pan and a Mr. Coffee, so I tend to travel with a few essentials:

-A good knife (rental house knives are always impossibly dull)

-Herbes de Provence

-Sea Salt

-Pepper Grinder
  (those previous three alone can make scrambled eggs a masterwork)

-10" Cast Iron Skillet (if I am driving)

-Whole Bean Coffee, usually Fairway's Habana Decaf ( I can't handle caffeine anymore!)
-Coffee Grinder
-French Press (I am an anti-drip coffee snob)

This year I may need to add driend guajillo peppers and a food mill, just to be ridiculous

What's on your list?

The Kitchn has compiled an excellent list of their own here

Rhubarb-Anise Upside Down Cake Batter....and Cake

The other day at Diner, I had a delicate lil' rhubarb upside-down cake. A few days later, I was due for dinner at a friend's house. I was responsible for dessert and salad.

My father is visiting...as I was eating the batter, I said to him "If this turns out the way I want it to, it's my new favorite thing." It did turn out...deeee-licious!

Epicurious' Rhubarb-Anise Upside-Down Cake

It's a checkerboard!

Before we even had dinner, we had eaten about a quarter of it. After dinner, her husband had a  food-aggressive dog moment. I remember him trying to physically pull the plate out of my hands. He snarled and won.

GOOD ONE EPICIURIOUS

YAAYAYYYYY!!!!!! Ponyo!!!!!

The Guests are Arriving: Pearl River Mart and Top Shop

With the coming of summer, so arrive the visitors. 

Sooner or later, most of the people I know end up coming through New York City for one reason or other. Some friends and family are even gracious enough to visit me on purpose! My friend Jaime came last weekend. We had three things on the agenda for the 4 days of her trip. 

(a) eat 

(b) drink

(c) shop

She had some great items on her to-do list (skinny Converse, a trip to Fish's Eddy). I was thrilled to expand her horizons a bit with a trip to Pearl River Mart.

Pearl River Mart is one of my very favorite places to take people who want to buy things. It's a two-story behemoth full of all sorts of clothing, dinnerware, paper goods, food, decorative items, candy, tea, furniture etc. Pearl River Mart's inventory may even show up as a percentage point of the gross national product of China. 

Nearly everyone can find something to obsess over, and most of what one finds is affordable. I went home with a beautiful tin of earl grey tea for $2.95 and sesame candy for muh boyfren at $.99 pop.

Click through for a selection of things that caught our fancy:

Uptown Delights: The Savoy Bakery

I often have the opportunity to head uptown to Spanish Harlem for my day job. I always get really excited when the day comes, because it means that (A) I will have tacos at Tu Casa for lunch (B) I can stock up on tomatillos and dried chiles at La Costenita Grocery (C) I will probably have a Corona at The Duck and (D) BWAHAHAHA OMFG SPONGE CAKE at the Savoy Bakery.

The neighborhood around the 110th street stop on the 6 train is one of my favorites in Manhattan. The denizens are mostly latino, which comforts my Texan heart. There are a billion dollar stores, a bustling hardware store full of local characters running in and out, and grocery stores full of some serious delicacies.

I can never stroll up 110th without stopping in at the Savoy. It represents to me the best of what is going on up in Spanish Harlem. From the outside, the Savoy is modern and clean - all new NYC. Once inside, though, it's obviously a part of the real neighborhood. The girls behind the counter are always giggling on some sort of sugar high and up for a chat. Work-a-day stiffs come in for their morning coffee, and layabouts trickle in throughout the afternnon. The Savoy bursts with a familial, friendly vibe that is every bit as addictive as the treats they sell within.

One of these days I mean to try the ham and corn danish, but for now, I always get the sponge cake. It's made in a muffin tin, but each cup is first lined with parchment paper, so the cake rises high and golden like an almond topped trumpet. It's light, sweet and egg-i-ly resiliant. Everything I need. 

At $1.50 a pop, I can have 20! It's a good thing I don't live closer.

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!! Which is funnier contest

PS: it's a trick question