Barnside Movie Party - "A League Of Their Own"

We hosted the 2nd Annual Silly Goose Farm Barnside Movie Party on Saturday (sounds very official, eh?). It was a blast, and it seems everyone enjoyed themselves. This year, we showed A League Of Their Own (we kept with the baseball theme from last year's The Sandlot). The weather was perfect (although a little humid and buggy - seriously, I think I have 50,000 bug bites), and the night was magical.

I kept the food and drink simple this year (well, more simple than usual). For beverages, I served a mint lemonade, white wine sangria, and assorted beers and juice boxes for the kids (sangria recipe coming soon!).

 

Food was kept to a popcorn station (everyone loves an old air popper!), brownies and a yummy jalapeno dip brought by friends and neighbors, and ice cream sandwiches.

I made four flavor combinations of sandwiches, including peanut butter-chocolate, chocolate chip-toasted coconut, chocolate-mint, and oatmeal raisin-scotch vanilla (I made everything from scratch except for the mint and chocolate ice creams. I ran out of time! Recipes to follow).

Edith was having a rough day, and slept through the entire event. Eric, on the other hand, was in the middle of the action all night.

The orange moon was nestled behind a grove of trees for the evening, which allowed the stars to twinkle. I'm not sure which was brighter - the stars or the hundreds of fireflies that hovered around us, flashing their little lights like the most steadfast theatre attendants.

We are hoping to have another movie night before the season is over. I would like to do this every year (show a family-friendly movie (I'd love to show You've Got Mail or Bringing Up Baby), and perhaps a more "cult" movie - topping my list are The Royal Tennenbaums, Harold and Maude, and The Big Lebowski. I get the feeling that no matter what we choose to show, we'll still have a great time.

Have you ever watched a movie in plein air? What are some of your favorite movies? I'd love to hear! Let me know in the comments, or tell me about it on Twitter! I'll be posting recipes and how-to's from the party soon, including tips on making your party fit within a sustainable lifestyle. And a very special thanks to my lovely, gracious friend Christine, who took the lovely pictures you see here!

Garden 2011 Update

The garden is progressing quite nicely. Last time you saw it, it looked something like this. It has survived a heatwave and recently got a nice cold drink with the slew of rainstorms this week.

The radishes are done (though I still have a slew in the fridge), and lately I've had the pleasure of picking and eating peas, lettuce greens, zucchini, cucumbers, squash blossoms, and lots of different herbs. Garlic was discovered and dug-up around the property, and I'll be saving some of it to plant in the fall for next year's garden. All the blackberries and raspberries are gone, but will soon be replaced by big bunches of grapes. Tomatoes are dripping off the vine, and I'm hoping some (especially the yellow pear tomatoes) will be ready for snacking this weekend. Carrots are close to perfect, while the peppers grow closer to ripe each day. Before I know it, we'll be harvesting pumpkins, butternut squash, pears, and apples (they already have a blush).

Few things in life are as glorious as picking your food from your backyard (or porch, stoop or fire escape).

Photos courtesy of the lovely Christine

Summer Playlist

There's just something about summer that's inexplicable. Maybe it's the reckless potential of all that it contains. The days are long, the nights are hot, and the restlessness that they bring makes us all feel young, even if for a bit.

From Summer 2011 Barnside Movie Party

When I think of summer, I think of swimming with my high school boyfriend ('sup Brian) with a crank radio on the dock broadcasting the Yankees game; I think of throwing bocce in the backyard with a good drink in hand while laughing with friends as the sun goes down and the fireflies come out; I reminisce of hot, sweaty days pitching hay into the barn and the smell of tractor oil.

In all of those situations, certain songs that are intrinsically summer come to mind. There are those tunes that are mandatory listening as the temperature rises; they make you want to put an extra cuff in your cut-offs, slather on sunscreen, and dance in the most fun, seductive manner with your best friends and lovers. Songs by The Beach Boys, Sam Cooke, John Mellencamp, Snoop... Sure, they're good any time of year, but even better when the windows are down and the wind whips through your hair, pulling tiny little beads of sweat off your skin. They beg of lazy adventures, limited clothing, and getting lost in a moment seemingly suspended in time.

I've asked some of my favorite people to help me compile a quintessential summer playlist, complete with songs of nostalgia, novelty, obscurity, and apropos seasonal mentions. It seems for each person, there is a song that just can't be heard without flashbacks to a summer memory (for me, it's driving my first car, my Mustang, at unreasonably high speeds with Bowie on repeat, headbobbing harder than an over-zealous hooker). Read on (and listen) below - there's about 50 songs, so scroll through. Did we miss your favorite summer song? Got a memory to accompany? Share in the comments and I'll work to update the list!



Jenny Witte, impeccably stylish editor-in-chief and my gadabout soul sister: Although not technically ABOUT summer, "Waiting on a Friend," by The Rolling Stones always reminds me of summertime. Mick is hanging out on that front stoop in the video, just sort of wasting the day away the way summer days can sometimes go, where it starts getting dark and you realize you've just been hanging out all day. It's so relaxed and laid back, it makes you want to just sit around and wait too. And of course Mick is just at his most louche, tight pants best in this video. I love it.

Tom Makovitch, Artist Extraordinaire: I couldn't decide on just one song, so two it is. The first is "Origins" by Tennis. Whenever I listen to music I never hear the lyrics separately from the instruments. I hear them as one digesting the song as a whole piece. My second is "Naked Kids" by Grouplove and it overwhelms me with nostalgic happiness.

Kelly Kramer, Resident BFF and music festival champion: Long days filled with sunshine, road trips to the beach, outdoor brunches that last until nightfall, and baseball games - thinking about summer yet? For me, nothing can bring about these feelings of summer better than music. The music of summer should automatically make you dance, put you in a good mood, or at least make you think about all the things that make you cherish the summer. The scenario that epitomizes what summer means to me is sitting on a mountain at a music festival listening to my favorite jams. And what song will you ALWAYS hear at a festival? "The Weight," by The Band. Imagine day drinking with all your best friends when you heat the first few chords of "The Weight." You automatically know that for the next four and a half minutes, everyone will be engrossed in the song. Whether you know all the lyrics of have made up your own, it's a hell of a good time singing at the top of your lungs to the ultimate story song. There will be lots of smiles, cheers with beverages, and lighters in the air. You just can't be in a bad mood once those chords are played, and for me that's the best part of the summer - getting lost in the feeling that the season, these friendships, and the beer supply will never end.

Jillian Kalonick, everyone's favorite red-headed librarian: I used to date a guy who liked any song that had "ooh ooh oohs" in it. I know he would dig "White Wave" by Portastatic. I love the nostalgia for teenage rebellion, the stinging sunburn, and "Yelloe Brick Road" on the jukebox. It's the perfect thing to blast with the windows down on the way to the shore.

Braden Russom, cookbook author, brother-in-the-bonds, and business confidante:  I know it's a bit cheesy, but I guess I'd say "Boys of Summer," by Don Henley. It's kinda got everything. It's a summer love/lust story, and the repeated, driving drums and guitar have a relentlessness that's almost oppressive, like a long, hot, summer. I think my attachment to it comes from being about 12 and seeing it on VH1. The sepia-toned video and the not-so-subtle sexiness really grabbed me. I felt a bit like I was getting a glimpse into what the older, more popular kids were doing during their summers.

Julie White Eklund, my cocktail co-conspirator and touchstone of what's cool in the best esoteric ways: Despite my penchant for thoughtful, lyric-driving music, there is just something about humid weather that calls out for crunk. I find that "Get Low," by Lil Jon is perfect for cooking and dancing around in the kitchen on one of those muggy thunderstorm nights when the sweat is dripping down your neck in little rivulets that are either gross or the sexiest thing ever. It's just a matter of where your head is at. (editor's note: Julie has here own list right here.)

Shannon McGill, tempting songstress with hair one could lost in for days: "Green Garden," by Laura Mvula is infectious, ebullient, beautiful, and lust like its title. Mvula's voice is warm and inviting and the backing vocals... woah! The thing is just perfection, it just envelops you in beauty. Swallows you right up and makes you a devotee instantly! Like the refrain says, "I'll go wherever you go, wherever you take me, I'll go." I'd follow this woman anywhere! This song just knocks me out and oozes summer. It's what summer sounds like. "Birmingham" is a winding, stomping, snaking story of two musicians in love. After I first heard it, I listened to it for 4 days straight, just this one song. It's all my ears wanted. Here is the wanderlust and restlessness that's inherent in summer. Forever this song will represent summer of 2013 for me. 

Taya Matthews, operatic crooner and master of brevity: "Breathe," by Telepopmusik. Gosh is this ever the song...

Share your songs below!

Barnside Movie

Let me just start off by saying that I am the biggest Social Suzie ever. Seriously. I get so chatty and distracted, that I totally forget to do important things when hosting a party - fill people's glasses, make sure there's TP in the bathrooms, etc. I also forget to take pictures. From now on, I'm dedicating one friend at my parties to be the Official Photographer (I'll even make them a little press badge, if necessary). Actually, I think what I really need is to hire a professional photographer and just capture every moment of my life. Because, yes people, I really am that interesting.

So, where was I? Oh yes, parties. Dave and I love a good party. It seems like this whole "outdoor movie viewing" thing has really gotten popular. Let me just premise this blog post by saying that we've had the idea of doing this party for a while. Like, years. With the barn and surrounding lawn/pastures, it would be a shame not to.

We had to postpone this year's party due to rain, but the day we finally had the party was beautiful. Like I said, not many pictures, but I'll try my best to narrate. We set up our projector to the DVD player and one of our guitar amps. The screen was a 12'x15' painter's drop cloth nailed to the barn. Sure, it's a little "country," but that's okay with us.

This year's movie was "The Sandlot."

Personally, I can't think of movies more indicative of summer than that one.

The barn illuminated by cinematic glow

We put out lots of beverages (check out those HUGE mason jars!)...

I don't care what anyone says - I still love using canning jars as drinking glasses

And lots of tasty snack (including homemade ice cream sandwiches)...

Excuse the appearance of these little treats. They got a little soft and drippy by the end of the night.

My mom thought they were tasty...

Isn't my momma pretty?!

As did Baron...

The evening received a big thumbs up!

So friends, what do you think? Was "The Sandlot" a good choice? Any recommendation for movies next year? My movie dream list would include "Harold and Maude," "The Big Lebowski," and "12 Angry Men." But with so many kids in the audience, being "family friendly" is of high importance. Any ideas? What are your top three movies? Can't wait to hear your thoughts!

Announcements and Updates

A little bit of housekeeping to take care of.

To begin, the last week in May marked my first "blog" anniversary! I had been blogging for clients and other sources for years, and last year I finally bit the bullet and created my own blog. Here are links to some of my favorite blog posts from the past year:

Welcome to Silly Goose Farm!

Blueberry Buckle

Barnside Movie

Rockport: Part One

My Dream Vehicle

I hope you will check them out! My parents came to our house for the Memorial Day Weekend, and because my father owns every single tool on the face of the planet, we did a lot of work around the farm. Besides getting my veggie garden in (finally - more on that later), we also chopped down a bunch of trees and brush and took the rest of an old barn down (it had collapsed from heavy winter snows). Here are some before/after shots:

Front of the House Before (don't be fooled - this photo was taken May 2008, and the shrubs in the front of the house had grown up to the second story windows):

Front of the House After

Backyard Before (the humongous Arborvitae in the right of the picture was overwhelming the Eastern Red Bud, as were two huge yews behind it):

Backyard After (It makes the yard look HUGE!):

Old Outbuilding Before (you can barely see it - all that snow made it collapse):

Old Outbuilding After  (We are planning on a big bonfire to burn the rest of this down, and it will be the future home of a lovely pergola):

So much work to do on the farm, but I'll update you on other projects later. Prior to all of this work, my dear friend Kelly stopped by the farm to chit-chat, take pictures and eat some yummy coffee cake. Kelly moved down to Brooklyn the following weekend, and I miss her so much (though I know the move was absolutely the right thing for her to do). Thankfully she's only a 2.5 hour train ride away! I hope you'll check out some of Kelly's amazing shots!

So, this summer is already shaping up to be a busy one. Between all the traveling we've done, and all the upcoming projects and parties we are planning, I have a feeling Summer 2011 is going to fly right by!

Weekend Update

Hello friends, how was your weekend? Mine was busy busy busy! We held our 2nd Annual Barnside Movie party on Saturday, and on Sunday I attended a food swap held by the amazing From Scratch Club. I'll have pictures and recipes coming right up, but in the meantime, I thought I'd share some photos from around the farm over the past few days.

Chocolate Chip and Toasted Coconut Ice Cream Sandwiches

Ice cream sandwiches have sort of become the signature highlight of our Barnside Movie parties. I feel like the pressure is on to create tried-and-true pairings alongside interesting flavor combinations. This year, I decided to marry two of my favorite flavors together (chocolate and coconut), which led me to create Chocolate Chip and Toasted Coconut Ice Cream Sandwiches. Essentially, this is just a chocolate chip cookie recipe teamed with coconut ice cream. Sounds kind of boring, but when you taste it, fuggitaboutit, it's amazing. I hope you'll try it!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Makes approximately 30 cookies

2 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup white sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 eggs

8 oz chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Combine flour, baking soda and salt, set aside. Combine butter, sugars, and vanilla in a large bowl, beat until creamy. Beat in eggs.

2. Gradually add the flour mixture and blend well. Stir in chocolate chips.

3. Drop cookies in rounded spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Allow to cool.

Toasted Coconut Ice Cream

Makes approximately 2 quarts

4 large egg yolks

1/2 cup sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

2 cups heavy cream

1 cup whole milk

8 ounces unsweetened coconut milk

4 ounces sweetened shredded coconut (or more/less depending on your preference)

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the shredded coconut in a single layer on a baking sheet. Place in oven until golden brown (about 10-15 minutes). Be sure to stir and re-arrange coconut frequently to prevent burning. Allow to cool completely. Note: The shredded coconut lends a chewy texture to the ice cream. Add more or less, depending on your preference (I like more!).

2. In a large bowl, whisk together egg yolks and sugar. Set aside. In a larger bowl (or in the sink) prepare an ice bath.

3. Combine heavy cream, milk, and coconut milk in a large pot and cook over medium-high heat. Bring to just shy of boiling. Slowly stream the milk mixture into the egg mixture, whisk feverishly.

4. Once approximately half of the milk mixture is added to eggs, add entire egg mixture back into the large pot. Cook until thickened, continuously whisking and scraping the pot (a good trick to knowing it is thick enough is when the mixture coats the back of a wooden spoon, run your finger along the spoon. If the track stays, it is thick enough). This will take only 2-3 minutes.

5. Voila! You have an ice cream base. Add the base to the large bowl and stick the bowl in the ice bath. Add the vanilla. Stir the base for several minutes to cool and release steam. Place a piece of plastic wrap over the base so that is touches it. This will prevent a skin from forming. Place the bowl in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight.

6. When the ice cream base is completely cold, and it to your ice cream maker and follow manufacturer instructions. Once the ice cream is nearly done churning, add in the toasted coconut. Transfer to a freezer dish. The ice cream will need to cure and harden for several hours or overnight.

Assembling The Sandwiches

Makes approximately 15 sandwiches

1. Pair like-sized cookies together. For each '"set," place a rounded scoop of ice cream on one cookie and smoosh the second cookie on top. Press until the ice cream nearly reaches the cookies' edges. If desired, press until ice cream it reaches the edges, then smooth the ice cream flush with the cookies with an off-set spatula.

2. Wrap cookies in freezer paper or plastic wrap. Allow to firm up for at least an hour.

Enjoy!