Author Archives: charlesprogers
Things We Like: Charles P Rogers’ Hurricane Sandy Relief Campaign
Post by Kyle St. Romain.
Last week, we introduced you to our upcoming campaign to raise money and awareness for victims of Hurricane Sandy. Since today marks the official start of the campaign, we want to share some more information about the cause, and what you can do to show your support.
Charles P Rogers’ Big Yellow Truck
The Big Yellow Truck is a big component of our Hurricane Sandy Campaign Relief campaign, and we want to share a little more about what the Big Yellow Truck is.
Charles P Rogers’ big yellow truck is actually a big yellow bus. Originally manufactured by Fageol Motors, The Big Yellow Truck started out as a 1953 Twin Coach and has since been restored and repurposed into a Charles P Rogers icon. Doesn’t she look great!?
If you see the truck parked in the city, don’t be afraid to stop by and check it out. In addition to getting up-close and personal with this sweet vintage ride, Charles P Rogers also donated $1 to the Red Cross – Jersey Coast Chapter for every picture of visitors with the truck tweeted or RT CharlesPRogers.  You can follow <a href="http://www.twitter.com/charlesprogers">CharlesPRogers on Twitter for updates on where you can find The Big Yellow Truck in the city.
AD Home Design Show
As part of our Hurricane Sandy Relief Campaign, Charles P Rogers brought the Big Yellow Truck to Architectural Digest’s 12th Annual Home Design Show. It ran from Friday March 22 – Sunday March 24. It was located at Pier 94, 55th Street at Twelfth Avenue.
At the AD Home Design Show folks not only have a great photo op with the Big Yellow Truck, but they got to explore some of the latest products and trends emerging in the world of home design. With over 420 exhibitors representing 500+ brands, thousands came to find inspiration for your next home design project. We can’t wait to check it out! You can get more information about this event here.
Stay tuned next week for more updates on The Big Yellow Truck and what you can do to support the Hurricane Sandy Relief Campaign.
Bedtime Stories: Avatar: the art of the animated series
Post by Mark T. Locker.
Avatar the Last Airbender: the art of the animated series by Bryan Konietzko and Michael Dante DiMartino.
Before reading this book, you may have some homework to do. Specifically, if you have not yet watched all 54 episodes of Nickelodoen’s Avatar: the Last Airbender, then you’d better get cracking! Let me be clear: this is about the animated series, NOT—I repeat—NOT the M. Night Shyamalan catastrophe based on the cartoon.
So, as you all know, the cartoon is about Aang, the last Airbender, on a quest to defeat the Fire Nation who has overtaken the world through fear and violence. This book is for people who can’t get enough of Avatar. My kid is one of those people; so is my wife, come to think of it. Included is this book is a look behind the scenes at the art of the animated series. There are oodles of sketches, portraits of versions of the characters in different outfits, parades of all the different creature encountered in their world.
There are also a lot of interesting little stories included about the creation of the show and the response from the public. For example, did you know that the episode “Appa’s Lost Days” won the Genesis Award from the Humane Society of the United States in the category “Outstanding Children’s Programming”? Well, now ya know!
So set aside about 24 hours, watch the whole stinkin’ series (it’s for kids, but it’s pretty good!)
Movies in Bed: The Following
Post by Josh Zinn.
Sometimes I wonder if Kevin Bacon knows
Just how zeitgeisty he can be.
How seven whole degrees of him
Are coupled with a name invoking hipster breakfast meat.
Do you think he sits there in his mansion,
Footloose and fancy free?
Smiling at all the people connecting him-
Thinking, “I love that all y’all’s roads lead to me!”
Well, Kevin’s got a new show he’s starring in.
Nope, no more movies for KB!
Now he’s in Fox’s “The Following.”
Oooh, it’s a serial killer mystery!
Seems there’s an evil professor-
(I profess I had one of those in school)
Who’s created a cult of blood and mayhem,
And he’s making Kevin Bacon lose his cool.
So far I’ve seen six episodes,
And I still don’t know what to think.
Sure, there’s a creepy, “you’re all going to die!!” vibe-
But I get that just imagining lonely girls listening to Pink.
I still don’t really follow “The Following”
I sort of think I know what’s going on
That mean ol’ teacher has some murderous plan-
And Kevin Bacon’s kind of his pawn.
Add to that a whole slew of weak-minded, homicidal fans-
(The kind that ask for autographs; not the kind that keep you cool)
And you’ve got terror in the streets, I tell you!
It’s the worst thing that’s happened since the Ghostbusters battled Zuul!
Oh yeah – There’s also a kid involved.
Yawn, I needn’t talk much about him.
All he does is pout and cry.
Pretty soon he’s gonna choke on all that phlegm.
What really torques me, though,
And what really gets me ravin’ mad,
Are all the lazy Edgar Allen Poe references-
As if reading The Raven is an indicator someone was born evil n’ bad.
Nevermore, I want to cry!!
Can’t these Hollywood folks figure it out!?
If you really want to trigger someone’s violent rage,
Just show them a picture of Bette Midler’s gruesome snout.
That’s a different story, though-
A tale our Mr. Bacon has never told.
So I guess I’ll keep on watching “The Following”
Until the flicker of Kevin Bacon’s St. Elmo’s fire has gone quiet and oh so cold.
Bedroom Design: The Perfect Bench
Post by Erin Sears.
I love a good bench! Apparently, it’s not just me- designers are fond of them too. Benches crop up in all sorts of home design publications because they lend practicality and style to nearly every area of the home. Benches make for versatile seating at a dining table, they are essential in mudrooms and they even show up in bathrooms. Benches are the best!
I own a rather nice bench myself. It’s a whitewashed modern wooden bench that currently lives in my entryway. Not only does it look good, but it’s also functional. I use my bench to display found objects, hold stacks of magazines and even as a place to sit while putting my shoes on before heading out into the city. I recently embarked on a semi-nightmarish quest to find a new apartment and found that very few of the shoebox-sized places I toured could accommodate a bench near the front door. What to do, what to do? I’m not giving up my bench.
It occurred to me that one of the most attractive places in the home for a bench is at the foot of the bed! DUH! My bench could find a new and awesome home in my bedroom.
Here are some great examples of bedroom benches done right:
Source: http://www.thehousemag.com/blog
The simplicity of this whitewashed room is uber appealing. The wooden bench at the end of the basic bed grounds the space and gives it more functionality. Win-win.
Source: http://www.decorpad.com/photo.htm?photoId=6807
This polka dot bench is THE star in a room full of stars! It works well with the whimsy of the bed and the acrylic legs keep the bench light and fun. It’s daring and makes you feel like you’ve walked in to a personalized, glamorous retreat.
Source: http://taylordeventssv.com/blog/2011-03-house-beautiful-goes-pink/
For something a little more sophisticated, here’s a bench covered in the same fabric as the headboard on the bed. This bench ties the room together and makes it look custom, which also makes it look expensive and well planned. How smart! No wonder it was featured in House Beautiful. Bravo!
Source: House Beautiful
Two can be better than one! The double bench trend is here to stay. The exposed nailheads outline the shape of the base of each bench and the overstuffed seats invite use. From a design perspective, I think that it’s very smart that the color of the benches correspond with the bedding. Connectivity is important in any room. It creates flow that brings good energy to your space.
If you don’t own one already, I hope that you’re considering the beauty of the bench. As always, buy what you love and you won’t regret it. ENJOY!
Breakfast in Bed: Pastelillos para Desayuno
Post by Alison Hein.
Last night we had friends over for a Puerto Rican feast – salty fried codfish fritters (bacalaiítos), spicy pastelillos de carne (meat turnovers), smoky black beans with chorizo (habichuelas negras con chorizo) and slow-cooked garlicky pork shoulder (pernil). Island flavors are a shockingly addictive blend of Spanish, African, Taino and Arawak products and seasonings. If you’re not familiar with this cuisine, I strongly recommend you get out there for a little taste of “Cocina Criolla”.
This morning, I found just the right ingredients for some Latin-flavored breakfast pastelillos, or spicy Puerto Rican half-moon shaped turnovers. I fried up some chorizo, then stirred in a bit of frothy green recaito, a mix of fresh pungent herbs, garlic, peppers and onions. Some eggs and a few more seasonings, and I was ready to fill and bake my pastelillos.
Thirty minutes later, we were savoring the steamy flavors of Cocina Criolla and a little taste of la Isla del Encanto.
Ingredients
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 fresh chorizo sausage
2 tablespoons diced tomatoes, with juice (canned tomatoes work well)
2 tablespoons recaíto* (http://mixerupper.com/2012/08/17/recaito/)
2 tablespoons sour cream
Salt and pepper, to taste
4 eggs
1 teaspoon milk or cream
8 pastelillo or empanada wrappers (or use puff pastry, rolled out ¼ inch thick, cut into 8 5-inch diameter circles)
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 375°.
Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in heavy pan over medium heat. Remove sausage casing from chorizo, and break into small pieces. Add chorizo to heated pan and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned. Stir in diced tomatoes and recaíto. Reduce heat to simmer and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes, allowing flavors to meld. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream, salt and pepper. Set aside.
Heat remaining olive oil in small, heavy pan over medium low heat. Break 3 eggs into small bowl and whisk well with milk or cream. Add eggs to heated pan and allow to cook slowly and gently. Stir frequently with wooden spoon to avoid sticking. Remove eggs from heat when still a little soft. Stir into chorizo mixture.
Lay pastelillo wrappers out on flat surface, and place about 1½ tablespoons of chorizo-egg mixture in the center of each circle. Beat remaining egg, and brush around eggs of each wrapper. Fold each circle in half to form a half-moon shape, gently pressing edges together. Seal edges of each pastelillo by gently folding dough over in ¼-inch increments, or sealing with the tines of a fork. Place filled pastelillos on ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 375° for about 30 minutes, until dough is golden and crispy. Serve fresh from the oven with a little hot sauce on the side, if you like.
Makes 8 pastelillos.
* If you can’t find the ingredients to make recaíto, substitute with: 1 minced garlic clove; 2 teaspoons finely chopped cilantro; 2 teaspoons finely diced yellow onion; and 2 teaspoons finely diced Cubanelle, Bell or Chili pepper.
