Happiness

Michael Jackson was an american legend. I think Inara George put it best when she said "… it's weird because I feel like we lost him years ago."

I will always have great memories of him when I was a kid that are somehow sealed and untarnished by his later years. Watching him be awesome on MTV, getting so excited I could pee every time the 'Thriller' video came on (in all it's 14 minutes of glory), pretending to have dancing knife fights with my friends (ala 'Beat It'). To have a career so epicly gigantic that even molestation charges and a disappearing nose couldn't prevent planet earth from singing your songs and adoring your ablums is an enigma to say the least.

How horribly sad his once epic life was. A few months ago I came across the online catalogs of his belongings that were up for auction— thousands of unusual things he had collected at the Neverland Ranch over the years. Things that I didn't even know could be purchased. Really an incredible attempt at happiness through posession. It's like his life was a giant picture of Ecclesiastes. Seriously though, read Ecclesiastes 2 and tell me you don't completely see aspects of Michael Jackson's life.

I pray that the world would see the empty and unquenchable path he walked and steer away from it, that it might drive them to seek not the most lavish and posession-laden life here, but eternal life in the presence of the God who loves them. I'm so sad for him and I pray that he is in peace now, after 50 years of struggle and strange unrest.

Here's to you, gloved one.

"The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man." Ecclesiastes 12:13

Burton's Alice

I've been loosely following news about Tim Burton's re-envisioning of the Lewis Carrol classic, Alice in Wonderland, and was pretty pumped to stumble across these conceptual teasers for the film, due out March 5, 2010. It looks amazing! Hopefully it's on-par with Sweeney Todd and Big Fish and not with Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (possibly my least fave Burton film).

It also has been updated and altered by Linda Woolverton (the screen writer for Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King). So… she's kind of a big deal.

Oh, and it also features Crispin Glover and Alan Rickman… slightly creepy swoon!

Strawberry Sour Cream Brown Sugar Pie

After serving fresh strawberries dipped in sour cream and brown sugar during our 'Pushing Daisies is Really Over' depress-a-thon, I learned that it is far from gross, and near to amazing— no, it's sitting right on top of amazing.

You might have discovered that if you eat something new and delicious while watching Pushing Daisies, your natural inclination is to turn it into a pie. And after all, who am I to deny such inclinations? I scoured the internet, high and low for such a recipe… and found nothing!! Can you believe it?! Did I invent this thing?! There must certainly be a piemaker out there with no internet connection who would be livid if I claimed such thing. Well, here's what I came up with:










Strawberry Sour Cream Brown Sugar Pie

1 Unbaked Pie Crust (I used Williams and Sonoma perfect pie crust— a birthday gift from the lovely Justine! And yes, it is perfect.)
3 cups Sliced Strawberries

Gooey Delicious Part
1 Medium Egg
3/4 cup Brown Sugar
3/4 cup White Sugar
3/4 cup Sour Cream
1/3 cup Whole Wheat Flour

Sweet and Crumbly Top
1/3 cup Whole Wheat Flour
1/3 cup Brown Sugar
3 Tablespoons Melted Butter

Preheat your oven to 450. Throw that crust into a 9" pie pan. Make sure your strawberries are all prepped and eagerly awaiting the the pie crust. Beat the egg just a tad, then toss in the sour cream, mix it, add the flour and both sugars (warning, this does not smell like anything you'd want to eat, I promise, that will all change).

Now, spread out the strawberry slices on the bottom of the pie crust and pour the mixture over them. Jiggle it allowing the mix to mosey it's way through the strawberry slices. Set it aside for a moment.
Melt the butter. While it's magically transforming from solid to liquid mix your flour and brown sugar in a bowl. Pour in the butter and mix until it's sorta crumbly and sprinkle all over the top of your pie.

Carefully slide it into the oven (lower rack works best) for 15 minutes at 450 (watch the top for burning, if it does, employ the use of foil). Then after 15 minutes, lower the temp to 350 and bake for 45 more minutes (I know, a whole hour!! GEESH).

Remove from the oven and let it cool completely (yes, overnight works best). Serve with nothing but a fork, because it's forking delicious!! Num num num!

California's Newest, Most Precious Resource

Why, the host of THE Tonight Show, of course. Conan!! I painted this last night, while watching him knock em dead on his very first episode as Tonight Show host!

I Could Go For That…

Yum! I love forests and slightly ominous, but mostly mysterious paths!

Housey

Here's a house. It's ok. It refused to be any spookier.

'A' is for…

A-Dre. Here is another portrait, this time it's of my friend Andrea (who we call A-dre). She has the world's cutest short haircut!

From Jonna + Design