Last night at my family’s favorite Thai restaurant (That’s Thai Orchid in Mission for you local folks) we were waiting for food and discussing the best foods we ever had. I told the story of my Levain Bakery chocolate chip cookie (and how it was so beyond heavenly I couldn’t eat it all so I tossed it in a trash can in Central Park, I know crazy).

Today is Saturday – my day off for food, shopping, painting, and other general home making tasks including baking something. I decided on oatmeal dark chocolate chip cookies with walnuts. And I spent every moment considering temperatures and textures to create the most “like” Levain I could do. I think the ratio of 1:1:1  (butter, sugar, brown sugar) plus a chilled dough made the magic happen.

I know this will seem like a train of thought from Crazyville but as I mentioned I have been painting and above you can see the nearly finished 8×10 watercolor painting (yet untitled). Before I got on my butter sugar ratio kick I began this artwork thinking about balance, color, and contrast. I think those three elements are the main elements that make my paintings work. I think I’ve been working a lot towards finding a balance in my artwork – not to mention within an often hectic life.

Speaking of ratios and life. I just have to share this clip from one of the greatest shows of all time. I hope it makes you laugh as much as I do. Poor Horatio…