Quick Update

Hey friends.

New York City consumed my life this summer. My internship as a copywriting intern kept me really busy, but I did find time to enjoy the city.

I won the Wicked lottery when my best friend + sorority sister came to visit me. Front row seats. $26.50 each. Well, I should say Meghan won the lottery. Either way, talk about an amazing experience. If you don't know what the Wicked lottery is, let me explain.

Wicked. Impossible to get reasonable tickets. Sold out for months. So, two hours before every show they give away 11 pairs of tickets. Two + half hours before the show, head over to Gershwin theater and put your name in the raffle. It doesn't matter what time you arrive, as long as you get your name in before the cut off. Then, 2 hours before the show, they start drawing names.

Yep, it was that easy. Make sure you bring cash. They don't take cards.

Book of Mormon also runs a similar lottery. And yes, after we won the Wicked matinee tickets we rushed over to Book of Morman after the show with huge heads and thought we would also win those tickets. :)

I'm currently in my hometown regrouping and gearing up for the job search. I'll be back in the city in a few weeks and hopefully gainfully employed soon after that. I love NYC, but there is something about sitting in your parents back yard drinking a Blue Moon that can't be beat by the big city.

Cheers!

BK

Yum its Friday!

Friday's at my office usually involves lots of chatter about food, the weekend, when it's going to be 5:00pm, and more food. I'm surprised there is not more pot-lucks. But I can assure you there are tons of take-out. (Today was Italian, in case you were wondering.) Anyhow, I thought I'd share with you today a very awesome recipe for Saturday breakfast/brunch. Cinnamon Roll Pancakes! My father and I tried these out a few weekends ago, and OH MY! Be ready for a party in your mouth. Melt in your mouth good. I originally found the recipe here, however we tripled and changed it slightly due to the small quantity it made. We have officially added them to the Christmas Brunch menu this year at our house.

See Foodgawker.com  and  Recipe Girl's Site for more amazing recipe's and photos!

Full Recipe after the jump! 

Goodbye to the Boy Who Lived

I was 11 when my Mom presented me with the first Harry Potter book, Harry Potter + the Sorcerer's Stone. Today, at 25, it doesn't seem possible that the adventure is coming to an end. When the Deathly Hallows was released in 2007, I read the entire book, cover to cover in less than a day. It was strange, I wanted to know so badly what would become of the beloved characters in the book, but at the same time, I didn't want it to end.

I related to Harry. He was the new kid at Hogwarts, I was the new kid at High School. He was awkward looking, I had a good 8 year awkward stage. He was bullied by Draco Malfoy, I was bullied by just about everyone. The books provided an escape for me during those pre-teen + teenage years when I was looking for a way to find myself.

I said goodbye while I read the final book, I didn't realize how emotional I would feel now that the last movie is being released. At first, I didn't care for the movies, but as I re-read the books for the 8th + 9th time, I began to realize that the Harry Potter in the movies was the same boy in the books. They were one in the same, an accomplishment that I don't think any author/director has have achieved.

My good friend from high school, James, sent me this fantastic set of illustrated posters depicting all of the events of Harry Potter. We shared our love for Harry, Hogwarts + Quidditch while spending many days together in the high school band room.

You can check out the posters by French Milk creator Lucy Kinsley here. Or download them in high resolution from her website OMGGRYFFINDOR.

To J.K. Rowling, thank you for making the most unbearable days, manageable. Thank you for honoring the characters you created in the beginning + giving them the ending they deserved. You've changed the lives of many kids, and adult kids, by teaching them the lesson of perseverance + that if you never give up, you'll always be in control of your own destiny.

Good Eats: NYC

I like being an intern + I like going to lunch with the other interns. Sure, my grad school friends + I would drink beer in the middle of the day to calm our nerves about the all-nighter that awaited us, but going to lunch with the people you work with is different.

There are things that happen during the lunch hour. People act like themselves. They let loose, a little. They tell you something about their personal lives they might never say in the walls of the office. These people, or interns in my case, that you've been forced, and I mean that in a nice way, to work with for 8 weeks in the summer, become human. You don't look at them the same way you did on day one.

Can't wait to re-live this all over again when I find my first job. Which, by the way, I need. If you know anyone looking for a copywriter in NYC, send them my way.

So one of my favorite lunch spots is Lena: Latin Grill on 34th between 5th + 6th. The concept reminds me of Chipotle, but the food tastes way better.

1. choose your style

• Burrito
  
• Salad
• Plate

2. choose your protein

• Chicken
• Steak
• Fish
• Tofu

3. choose your sauce

• So many to pick from. I like pico + butter lemon

4. choose your additions + sides

• The wraps + salads come with 2 additions each. I usually get roasted corn and coconut rice.
  
• Also, do not leave without ordering some sweet plantains.

Lena also serves a variety of freshly squeezed juices each day.

So what do I usually order? A whole wheat burrito with chicken, pico + butter lemon sauce, coconut rice + roasted corn, with a side of sweet plantains + a diet Coke.

Go to Lenanyc.com for more information + to check out a menu. See you at lunch!!

We Love Illustration

Happy Fourth from the Big O! We hope your day will be filled with family, friends and of course, food. Speaking of food, post a comment with the best thing you eat today! We'd love to hear about it.

It's hard to believe that exactly one month ago, I graduated from SCAD. Tomorrow will mark my one month anniversary of being in the Big Apple. The verdict: I love it here, but I miss the palm trees. Anyways, my first weekend in New York City I went to the Renegrade Craft Fair in Brooklyn NY. As soon as I saw the first booth, I fell back in love with design. Over the next few weeks, I'll share with you some of the talented artists that I encountered on that day.

First up, cakespy shop based in Seattle, WA. This fun husband + wife couple sells dessert-themed artwork at their gallery, along with indie art. Their tent was filled with fun pastries with cute expressions. The illustrations are playful and the colors are fantastic. The best part? All of their work is also available online at cakespyshop.com. I'm going to pick up something for my friend Liz's baby, Colton, born just yesterday!

Cheers! Have a fun + safe Fourth.

1,000 Ships

Sorry for the delay! Today's artist comes from the Big Apple and is not only a singer and a songwriter, but also a pianist and beatboxer. What a combo! Rachel Platten is a great artist who sings fun, catchy tunes that just make you smile. She's adorable too! (I think she looks like Mandy Moore.) She has a lot of good songs, but this one especially gets stuck in my head! It's called 1,000 Ships. I'm actually going to give you another song of hers to check out too, it's called Nothing Ever Happens. *ENJOY*

Rachel Platten - 1,000 Ships
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r61LFkzKzQQ

Rachel Platten - Nothing Ever Happens
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VB5INNI86fc&NR=1

Here is her website for more info!
http://www.rachelplattenmusic.com/fr_home.cfm

A Small World in the Big City

I've been absent from the big OC for awhile now. As some of you know, I recently re-located to New York City to spend the summer at an advertising agency. It's going great. I'm learning a lot, meeting a lot of people and getting lots of practice on the subway.

Ahhh the subway. When I first moved here, I refused. For 48 hours of my NYC life, I walked everywhere. It just wasn't for me, right? All those people. All those germs. I jest, I jest. Actually, I do have a bit of a strange rash on my face at the moment...Anyways, I read a map wrong, shocker, as Geography was the only class I had to withdraw from in college, and realized that there was no way I could walk to the tip of the island to meet a college friend for lunch. And so, I headed below the city for my first official ride on the subway.

I lived.

And I continue to utilize the subway system here in New York, although not so much for the purpose of getting around. I've truly come to love the musicians that take center stage on the platforms where I wait for the trains. I've seen movies, mostly bad romantic comedies, where some guy is on the street playing a saxophone in Central Park while a mismatched couple shares their first awkward kiss, but it's different underneath the streets of NYC. The musicians are passionate. They have to be to play often above 100 degree heat. They feel every note, they make every person on the platform hear them.

On one particular night this weekend I happened to hear the soulful sound of Paul Tabachneck. He caught me off guard. While I was happy to have a distraction from the sweat dripping off my back and my 100lb purse, I didn't know that I'd fall in love with the voice of a musician from Pittsburgh. He had a QR code on his guitar case, and as I got on the train, I realized that a little bit of home had showed up here in New York City.

You can catch Paul this weekend at Cafe Basilicia in NYC on July 3rd at 2 p.m. or in the Burgh on July 15th. For more information visit facebook.com/paultabmusic.

New Etsy Shop!

Please check out my new etsy shop The Big Orange Octopus!!

I took a big leap today after having a night of self pity yesterday. What a great pick me up!

Just as a reminder, I do create custom designs and orders. Please e-mail me  

at: Gabbimf10 [at] gmail [dot] com or message me on Etsy!

Have a wonderful day all! 

Pinterest and other Inspiration

Pinterest.com

So recently, like the rest of the world, I've been procrastinating by browsing through Pinterest. If your unfamiliar, I suggest checking it out here. The amount of beautiful photos, inspiration and random stuff out there, is UN-Believable. Really. Somedays I get so sucked in and so far from where I started, it's crazy. You click one picture to go to another picture, to go to somewhere else to somewhere else. I have to admit, I may be loosing my Facebook stalking fetish because of this. I highly recommend it if your having a creative block, or if you're feeling like you need a new recipe for dinner, or maybe even feeling like you want to do a DIY project over the weekend. Yep, it's all there.

Pumped up Kicks

I'm a sucker for a catchy tune and this is the latest one stuck in my head. Foster The People is an indie rock band from Los Angeles, CA. They were originally called Foster & The People, but people kept hearing it as Foster The People, so the name stayed. If you are in the Philly area and listen to radio 104.5, you will be happy to know that Foster The People will be preforming a studio session there this month! Be sure to check http://www.radio1045.com/! This is their hottest song right now and it's called Pumped up Kicks. *Enjoy*




Foster The People - Pumped Up Kicks
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDTZ7iX4vTQ

For more of Foster The People check out: http://www.fosterthepeople.com/music/

The world will never know.

Today I learned of a great friend/colleague/boss' passing. So sudden and so young.

Its at times like this that I realize how short life is, and how you can be gone in the blink of an eye.

The last thing he mentioned to me a few weeks ago was how truly excited he was to move forward with his life, as he had just started his own business. He said, "I had the best Monday morning of my life today"

Had the world by the balls.

I hope he knows how amazing of a man he was, how inspiring he was to such a junior art director as me.

I also hope that I can live up to the high expectations he had of me and become just as great of a creative director as he was.

Whatever is on the other side, I hope that I meet you there in peace.

Rest in Peace TM you are missed.

Not enough hours in the day.

I hope you all enjoy the latest from my new contributors Susie and Bridget. Both very good friends, knowledgeable in just about everything-but more importantly both live amazingly interesting lives.
I love hearing their stories and the things they run into on an everyday basis.

I've been sort of out of wack lately. Too much free time for my mind to wonder. So i decided I am going to spend more time writing here at the big O, working on my shop, and getting my act in gear for my professorship (gasP!) this coming fall. I'll elaborate on that once my class/students is/are finalized.

The move also took so much more time and energy and MONEY than expected. I can't believe that we are just now finishing it all up. I'll be sure to take some photos once everything is in place.

For now, here are a few things I've been working on.

anniversary invitation

More cute stuff after the jump!

Roll Out the Orange Carpet

Hello hello! My name is Bridget, you can call me Bridge. Gabrielle has been waiting anxiously for me to make an appearance at The Orange Octopus. Here I am. Roll out the orange carpet.

You may be asking yourself, where the heck have you been Bridge? Gabbi presented me with this awesome opportunity in the midst of me finishing up my thesis. Well, that's almost all done. In fact, I graduate in less than 2 weeks. After graduation, I'll be blogging live from New York City!

Here are some quick facts about me:
1. I'm a copywriter
2. I hate meatloaf
3. I ran a half marathon in February
4. I want to be a stand-up comedian
5. I have a plaid back pack
6. I only write with Sharpie Pens
7. I have a puppy named Pickles
8. My parents are my rock
9. I hate cooking
10. I have a slight addiction to Starbucks

Be brave and do brave things,

Bridge

Hold It In

Jukebox the Ghost is not only local to the Philly/DC area, they are also awesome! They have already toured with Ben Folds, Jenny Owen Youngs, and Nightmare of You. They were even on The Late Show With David Letterman this past September. Let's hope they keep getting more buzz for their talent. I personally think they kinda sorta sound like Chester French, but I'll leave that up to you to decide. Here is their website for more of their music too! http://www.jukeboxtheghost.com/ *Enjoy*

Jukebox the Ghost - Hold it in

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIJTDwyQw5Y

PS- Here is the Chester French website for you to enjoy too!
http://chesterfrench.com/

Sleepyhead

Hello Orange Octo World! This is Susie giving you your Orange Fix of the day! *ENJOY*

This morning was one of those mornings where I just woke up on the wrong side of the bed. Hated my hair, my outfit, had no time for breakfast, dealt with stupid school buses and trucks in front of me, etc. So I really needed a fix to get me out of my rut. As soon as this song came on, I perked up and it made me smile and even move a bit in my cube (which is like unheard of in corporate world). Passion Pit has many great songs that get me going, but this one really did for me. It's called Sleepyhead, which is what I certainly was. It was once used on a Sprint cell phone commercial and I'm sure you'll recognize it. It's a crazy video too, so that will give you something interesting to watch. *ENJOY*

Passion Pit - Sleepyhead
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0RvPYRRRbE

Epic Changes Coming to the Big O

Lets just pretend the huge hiatus I took from blogging, never happened. Okay, great, glad you understand.

New changes:

1. Bridget Kelly, a copywriter, dear friend, grad school colleague and artist, will be joining the Big O.
Her post will include anything and everything. Her wit, charm and hilarious nature will bring a fantastic change to the blog. I know all of you will love reading about her antics.

2. The look is constantly changing. I know I know. But I think we've got it this time.
Hopefully sometime this summer the website, blog and shop will all be complete.
*fingers crossed*

3. If you would like to be featured on our blog, please e-mail: TheBigOrangeOctopus(at)gmail(dot)com

Tomorrow will start a full day of posting!

Happy Cinco! <3

Sneak Peek!

So if you've been wondering, I've been working on filling my etsy shop with tons of good stuff!  So I thought today would be a great day to share a couple of things I've been working on.

And also to gush about the major project my father and I undertook two nights ago. Lets just say, the project turned out to be 80 Inches and 10lbs heavier than expected. (GASP!)  However I'm thankful that I had my dad to supervise during the use of some major power tools. Including an electric saw.

I know, I know, I'm all over the place today, but the creative juices are flowing, so even if you don't read after the jump, heres a pic to brighten up your day !

Luca, our dog, after a full day at Daycare. Yes, asleep, not dead.
(I know the couch is HORRIFIC, I had nothing to do with it, don't judge.)

Sticky-Buns

I'm not sure why, but I'm craving sticky-buns right now. If I were in the mall, Cinabon would be the first stop, lets put it that way. But guess what, I'm in an office. So as you probably guessed, todays post will be a recipe for sticky-buns. My mom has a recipe for a less moist version, so I search a bit for a new recipe. And OH BOY, they look ridiculous!  The full recipe can be found here. And now on to the food porn. YUM.

More images after the Jump.

New place! New shop!

OK, need to geek out for a quick second....WE GOT A NEW PLACE!!! I know i know...we don't move in till May. BUT OH EM GEE. i get to decorate and design and paint and everything else! I'm gushing I know. But anyways, I thought I'd show my terrible iPhone pics of the model, only b/c I want some input on the color scheme. We also bough a couch. Which was much more stressful then I'd ever have thought. (Wiggling one foot in the big girl panties...) 

Master Bedroom, they have tons of furniture in there, it is a much larger room than it looks like here.  

More pics after the jump!

Apple & Smoked Mozz Calzones

So lately, like I mentioned earlier, I've been more about food then ever before in my life. I struggled a few years ago, (before I met the love of my life), with food in general and how my heritage focuses on food so much. I joked recently to a friend that no event, holiday or birthday—in my entire life—has been planned without a meal surrounding it. I guess I wanted to be as skinny as the models on TV. I guess I was restless and bored. But now in my mid-twenties, I want to taste everything. I want to taste the world. I've been trying stuff left & right. In Atlanta a few months ago, I ate sea urchin. OH BOY!  get ready for a texture fiesta! OK so the world is full of flavor, and I'm ready to taste it. I've not only tired a bunch of new foods, drinks and things I normally would have turned my nose up to, But i've started cooking much more than usual. I tired to find food blogs that I would be interested in. My mother, she finds joy in finding recipes in a book without photos. I, being a visual person, need to see what I'm making. I've turned to Real Simple  and America's Test Kitchen along with a few blogs. Real Simple has proven to be amazing. Simple, Yummy food that is easy to add into your weekly meals.

Check out an awesome appetizer after the jump!

news, food & a few other things.

OK. So its been a while since a post. I know, so many things have changed, and my schedule is all out of wack. My apologies.

So a few changes have happened. New masthead. New design. More food. (YUM!)

I started off this year trying to be happier, healthier and in general a more smiling person. I started off strong, and hit a rut, but I'm back in action. So I am going to pull a Julia & Julia moment and try to create an entry once a day, for the rest of the year! I believe that leaves: 319 days of blogging. I'm not going to sit here and tell you that I'm def going to be able to do it. But its worth a try!  YAY!

Okay so I promise more entries, more food, and a happier blog in general!

*More after the jump!*