How to Be One of the Boys

I squish your head I squish your head

In the current reincarnation of my life, I am surrounded by boys.

Seth, my husband, Remy and Sky, my sons, their friends, and all the contractors and repair guys that come to fix everything that my boys try their hand at doing.  Just because Jesus was a carpenter doesn’t mean that all Jewish guys can build stuff.  Especially in my family.  Me, I can run a nonprofit.  Running pipe and wire is not in my skill set.  Most of the time, I am odd man out.

One day last summer, on an island near Seattle, there was a sound that instantly transformed me for one glorious moment into one of the boys.

It was a soft, crackly sound followed by a delighted giggle.  You hear it when a basketful of peanuts is being passed around the table and the shells are tossed on the sawdust floors of a barbeque shack known for its ribs, rowdy music and down home decor.

“You mean, I can just throw the shells on the floor?”  Sky asked excitedly, his arm ready to sweep the pile of peanut shells on to the floor.  Remy and I ate our way through the basket of peanuts laughing as we flung fistfuls of shells at our feet.  Seth caught all of the action on his Flip video.  ”This place is great!”

Was it the museums, the cultural events, the marketplace that my boys remember about Seattle? Not really.  Was it the fun we had spitting shells on the floor.  Absolutely.  We still talk about the ferry ride over to this island barbeque place with its unique menu and peanut shell policy.   For me, it was a precious point in our trip where we were all just boys, me too!  having a great time with each other.

As we were driving Remy out to Stonybrook, I thought about a day this summer that we were all together again, travelling around Queens, and I wondered if they remembered that day.  We settled into a local restaurant Remy and I discovered earlier this summer and ordered lunch.  Suddenly, all of us – Seth, Sky, Remy and I were laughing again as we ordered all kinds of combinations of bread, cheese and pasta.  Everything a lactose intolerant Asian like me should not be eating but hey, the foccacia was fabulous!  So good we ordered two.

Now I don’t pretend to understand how the universe of boys works, what makes them think one thing is stupid and another thing is legit, primo, fly, ill, wavy or crunk (Impressed?  I just learned that stuff means “cool”).

Note to self:  If you even think you know what is cool, they will cut you down to size and squish your head.

the boys – Sky, Remy & Seth

When such a moment arrives in your life, enjoy it.  I am forever grateful they let me in their world as one of the boys once in a while so we can share a few laughs and a lot of carbs together.

Get more Wow!

If you want style notes and more for people who change the world, please check out:

Getting to Wow! to feel good, do good and look good

Nonprofit Knitwear for all things knit and nonprofit

Style Notes from me, your artspy

Hoong Yee

– Subscribe and get a little Wow! every day

– Forward the link to someone you think would be interested

– Link to a post on Twitter (follow me @hylkrakauer)

– Put a link to the blog in your Facebook status update

Thanks so much! I really appreciate your help.

Word of mouth is the best way to share, don’t you agree?

Hooked: Rockaway Beach Booties

The next time someone tells you they are expecting a baby, here’s something fabulous for you to knit that will keep little feet warm.  These baby booties are done in a simple garter stitch with a ribbed cuff to keep the booties on snugly.  Snugly?  Is that a word?  You know what I mean.

The best part about this project is that it has been designed for all of you busy people who would love to make beautiful handmade gifts quickly and easily.   And the funny thing about  these booties is that once you know how to make them, suddenly everyone is having babies!

Tip: I like knitting on circular needles because I usually find myself knitting while I’m waiting for a meeting, sitting on a plane or taking a break between doing everything else I’m supposed to be doing. You can tie up the needles quickly and never drop a stitch. If you are planning to knit on a plane make sure your needles don’t set off the metal detectors. Indulge yourself and get yourself some bamboo or polished wooden needles.

Can’t wait to get started?    There are baby feet to be bootied.  Grab those knitting needles and get going!

Here’s the pattern in a power point presentation.

Get more Wow!

If you want style notes and more for people who change the world, please check out:

Getting to Wow! to feel good, do good and look good

Nonprofit Knitwear for all things knit and nonprofit

Style Notes from me, your artspy

Hoong Yee

– Subscribe and get a little Wow! every day

– Forward the link to someone you think would be interested

– Link to a post on Twitter (follow me @hylkrakauer)

– Put a link to the blog in your Facebook status update

Thanks so much! I really appreciate your help.

Word of mouth is the best way to share, don’t you agree?

A Twelve Step Plan for Restless Creatives #7

We are at the midpoint of the Twelve Step Plan for Restless Creatives.

Are you feeling the breeze?  Is it working for you?

Maybe what we all need is a fresh perspective on things.  Some way to shake us out of the relentless mishegas (Yiddish for craziness) we call life.  Besides being better for your skin, letting go and devoting three minutes to focusing upon something beautiful and powerful, like a midsummer sunrise, will also center you, get your energy and endorphins flowing.  Hey listen, how could you not want to do that?

It will stop the frenzy which is the next step in the plan.  Perhaps this step should have been the first one.  But if you are as distracted and overcaffeinated as I am, you will probably skip around doing these steps which I have included for you here:

1 Get over yourself

2 Get off the grid

3 Get local

4 Bring on color

5 Avoid vampires

6 Read like a writer

Go ahead.  All of you schwer arbeiters (Yiddish for hard working people like you).  Take three minutes to turn inwardly, flick the chattering demons off your shoulder, and embrace the joy of a simple and beautiful image.  This step is for you.

7 Stop the frenzy

So you need an image, maybe?  Here’s a silver sunrise on Rockaway Beach from my inner gallery.

Get more Wow!

If you want style notes and more for people who change the world, please check out:

Getting to Wow! to feel good, do good and look good

Nonprofit Knitwear for all things knit and nonprofit

Style Notes from me, your artspy

Hoong Yee

– Subscribe and get a little Wow! every day

– Forward the link to someone you think would be interested

– Link to a post on Twitter (follow me @hylkrakauer)

– Put a link to the blog in your Facebook status update

Thanks so much! I really appreciate your help.

Word of mouth is the best way to share, don’t you agree?

Get more Wow!

If you want style notes and more for people who change the world, please check out:

Getting to Wow! to feel good, do good and look good

Nonprofit Knitwear for all things knit and nonprofit

Style Notes from me, your artspy

Hoong Yee

– Subscribe and get a little Wow! every day

– Forward the link to someone you think would be interested

– Link to a post on Twitter (follow me @hylkrakauer)

– Put a link to the blog in your Facebook status update

Thanks so much! I really appreciate your help.

Word of mouth is the best way to share, don’t you agree?

– Subscribe and get a little Wow! every day

– Forward the link to someone you think would be interested

– Link to a post on Twitter (follow me @hylkrakauer)

– Put a link to the blog in your Facebook status update

Thanks so much! I really appreciate your help.

Word of mouth is the best way to share, don’t you agree?

Breezy Point on Bicycles

in Breezy Point with Joanne, Peggy, Jerry, Robin & Hoong Yee

When I was a kid growing up in Queens, my sister and I rode our bikes everywhere.  For hours.   We would have a couple of dollars in our pocket for a Carvel ice cream cone, maybe a slice at Superman pizza on Bell Boulevard and we would be out the whole day until the time when squares of light would fill the houses and moms would lean out calling their kids in for dinner.  Entire endless summer days we spent riding, talking about everything and nothing, cruising wordlessly down wide avenues.

One of my favorite bike rides is through Breezy Point, at the tip of the Rockaway Peninsula.  Seth and I like doing this ride in the late afternoon so that we are riding on the dune paths close to sunset.  Of course, we always stop at the Sugar Bowl.  You can’t help it because everyone spills out onto the beach and bikepath.  But you can always stop for a cold drink and continue riding.

Last week, our friends Jerry and Robin took us on a ride through Long Beach.  So this week, we took them on our Breezy Point ride and stopped by to see our friends Joanne and Peggy who invited us into their lovely home right on the beach.  They are true beach people – Joanne says she can shake sand out of her winterboots!

Thank you both for your gracious hospitality and greatly appreciated Diet Cokes!

Note:  Seth and I ride beach cruisers – big bikes with one gear and a back pedal break.  Oh, and one of our bikes is painted silver with yellow polka dots and has a basket.  Jerry has a fancier bike with 21 gears and I suppose that does make the ride easier.  It is about 13 miles from our house on Beach 124th Street to the tip of Breezy so the total trip is 26 miles.

Seth and his yellow polka dot bicycle with basket

If you are coming in from Manhattan, you can take your bikes on the ferry from downtown Manhattan to the pier at Riis Park and ride straight into Breezy Point by turning right, or you can head towards Fort Tilden and Hero Road which runs along the fishing beaches into Riis Park.  Pick up the boardwalk at Beach 126th Street and ride down to Rockaway Taco for a fabulous lunch at Beach 96th Street and Rockaway Beach Boulevard.  We made a barbeque at home with all kinds of greens I picked from my garden this morning and listened to some fabulous music Jerry, the playlist maestro, brought along.

This is a jewel of a ride, what I call a Moveable Feast and one you should definitely treat yourself and your bicycle buddies to!

Get more Wow!

If you want style notes and more for people who change the world, please check out:

Getting to Wow! to feel good, do good and look good

Nonprofit Knitwear for all things knit and nonprofit

Style Notes from me, your artspy

Hoong Yee

– Subscribe and get a little Wow! every day

– Forward the link to someone you think would be interested

– Link to a post on Twitter (follow me @hylkrakauer)

– Put a link to the blog in your Facebook status update

Thanks so much! I really appreciate your help.

Word of mouth is the best way to share, don’t you agree?

Knitting on the Beach

Seth and the finished booties

I am in love with my latest project.

These are a pair of booties with a little cuff knit in a bouncy bright red microfiber that are easy, quick and so Wow! that I just had to share them with you.  My friend Frances at the Walter and Elise Haas Fund and I are going to present this project at our knitting circle in Chicago for the upcoming Grantmakers in the Arts Conference.

Now I have to tell you that I really have no use for directions that make me do all kinds of extra verkcockte (Yiddish for stupidcrazy) steps that can be done more simply and elegantly executed.  I am absolutely insulted by poor design that lacks thoughtfulness in the details.

What do I mean by that?  Listen, now I’m on a roll.   The original design for these booties had no cuff to keep them on a baby’s feet and as any new parent will tell you,  “Who needs another thing to keep track of?”  I cut down the number of steps, simplified the process and creating a set of little videos to accompany a slide presentation so anyone can follow along whether you are in a knitting circle or knitting on the beach. 

I want all you nonprofit and ninja knitters to be able to knock out a pair of these booties whereever and whenever you find some spare time.  They will keep a baby’s feet warm and bring a smile to new mommies and daddies. 

Frances happens to have a lot of pregnant friends.  If you are like me and do not, maybe there is a charity you can donate them to.  Let me know if you find one.

Stay tuned!  More to come.

Get more Wow!
 

If you want style notes and more for people who change the world, please check out: 

Getting to Wow! to feel good, do good and look good 

Nonprofit Knitwear for all things knit and nonprofit 

Style Notes from me, your artspy 

Hoong Yee 

– Subscribe and get a little Wow! every day  

– Forward the link to someone you think would be interested 

– Link to a post on Twitter (follow me @hylkrakauer) 

– Put a link to the blog in your Facebook status update 

Thanks so much! I really appreciate your help.  

Word of mouth is the best way to share, don’t you agree?