Scrabble Cookies

Happy New Year's Eve! I'm going to the Cape tonight and baked some gingerbread cookies to take with me. You can find the recipe here.

Boston for Beams Boy

Once upon a time I was in Hong Kong and the locals of this urban jungle liked to shop. Shopping was a sport, no, a pastime there. Luckily, this meant that when the Japanese brand, Beams Boy, decided to open its first international location it chose Hong Kong. Hur-rah for me and my shopping brethren. Now for a Boston shop.

 

The Original Batmobile

I was looking through some old family photos tonight and found this. What is going on here? This photo makes me simultaneously confused and elated. It was in a stack of family photos from the late 1950's. Am I related to Batman? Please don't let it be Robin or just that envious onlooker in the blue shirt. There's no caption, but I prefer to think of my own anyway. Click the photo for more of a good thing.

Update: The masked Robin is my grandfather, ha!

The Locals: John Chierici + Super 88

Hi, friends! Today is great because I finally get to share "The Locals," an occasional interview section I'll be putting up on The Geography Badge. There are some cool, creative people up in this corner of America, I want to know what they're up to. The actual interview part is pretty light. Instead of a traditional narrative, I've tried to get the photos do the work.

So here goes The Locals: New England Edition, scene one-

John Chierici, the man behind the music-making venture, Super 88, is admittedly only a part-time local. Originally from the Philadelphia area, John has been up in New England for almost four years. He chose the name Super 88 after moving near the Asian market mecca. He recommends their Pad Thai. I recommend you check out his music here.

T.S. Eliot, 1917

Way to Go, Hudson

Yes, I love old American brands. If it was founded circa 1900, used to outfit log cabin owners and has now spread to city dwellers, I'm probably a fan. Orvis, L.L. Bean- these guys began in New England and have since defined classic American outerwear. Well here's another for the local line-up: Penfield. Started in 1975, this company is considerably younger, but its products make the same promise to keep you warm in the woods or on the street as you suffer through another nor'easter. Also, I'm pretty excited that Penfield began in Hudson, Massachusetts, less than twelve miles away from where I grew up. I would be even happier if I could find their 60/40 Kasson Parka anywhere. Since Madewell began carrying them the navy version has been exceptionally difficult to find. Oh well, I'm just glad Penfield is picking up some major speed.

dot gif dot great

Happy Advent to you and yours.

Love and Foster's,

Cousin Eddie and

holiday sweaters everywhere

Hong Kong Hustle

It was about this time last year that I started to look for a place to move to in the spring. I was about to graduate early and wanted, needed to do something different and worthwhile. Lucky me I found a wonderful organization to intern for in Hong Kong. The people I met I miss, they are great and there is nothing like photo therapy to put me in a happy, nostalgic mood. I put together some HK/China photos. They follow themes of: crowds-towers-food-sports-look of surprise. A few of the categories, like crowds and sports, contain one from Hong Kong and one from rural China. I dig the contrast.