Park Ave Cafe, Creative Time, Janine Antoni, EATS Collaboration (phew!)

Creative Time interns gift packing the products. Thanks guys!

I was so lucky to have worked with all of these great people... Here is a bit more info on the project along with some links from people who experienced the piece.

JANINE ANTONI'S CULINARY ART EXPERIENCE IN & ON NOW AVAILABLE AT PARK AVENUE SUMMER

The third in a series of artist collaborations with Park Avenue Summer, In & On — a multisensory culinary/art experience by artist Janine Antoni — launched last night.  Antoni worked closely with Chef Kevin Lasko and Brooklyn-based organic skin care company Fat and the Moon to explore natural and local ingredients that are not only delicious but also beneficial for the skin and nourishing when absorbed by the body in multiple ways. The project, which was commissioned by Park Avenue and curated by Creative Time Consulting, is the third in a series of artist collaborations with Chef Lasko on the development of new food interventions for the restaurant's menu and guests.

In & On references classic flavors and scents of summertime and focuses on bringing the body's sensory portals into closer relationship through texture, smell, and taste. Fresh, local ingredients, provided by community-owned urban farm program EATS, combine to create a series of three distinct seasonal items on the menu, each accompanied by a handcrafted natural skincare product made from a combination of the same ingredients. Upon ordering one of the In & On dishes, diners are offered a sample of the complementary skincare product to try at the table or take home.  By taking part in In & On, diners can explore the interconnection between their bodies and the environment that surrounds them.

The three pairings include: "Siren's Breath," a cocktail of crop cucumber vodka, peach tea, and may chang, with a corresponding facial mist made of lemon balm, peach, may chang essential oil, and black tea; "Scales and Skin," a coffee-cured Hamachi and ginger pickled black plum appetizer, with a corresponding salt sugar scrub made of coconut coffee, coconut oil, brown sugar, and sea salt; and "Sown Within," a Montauk tilefish, lavender mustard broth and artichoke entree, with corresponding lavender soak made of lavender and lemon essential oils, ground mustard seed and sea salt.

Experience In & On at Park Avenue Summer, located at 100 East 63rd Street in Manhattan, through September 4, 2011.

http://eco-chick.com/

http://www.zagat.com/buzz/park-avenue-summer-turns-dinner-into-a-beauty-treatment

http://fashion.elle.com/culture/2011/06/10/spa-food-sort-of-at-park-avenue-summer/#more-23338

Backyard Beauty

Working on infusing some sunflower oil with some of the bounty of the backyard's flora. Red Clover, calendula and lavender make a soothing and healing oil I'll soon be adding to some face cream!
 In case you have some herbs etc you'd like to infuse, it's super easy....
1. Fill a jar with herbs (or how ever much you have)
2. Pour oil (olive, grapeseed, sunflower oil are all very nice) over the herbs until they are covered. Close up the jar
3. Put on sunny window sill or warm place for 2 weeks
4. Slather it on!

Park Ave Cafe Collaboration

A project I've been working on with my friend and great artist, Janine just launched last night (photos of that coming soon..). I worked with her in developing body care products that mirrored the ingredients in dishes created by Chef Kevin Lasko.
Here is a little more info about the project...
http://www.vogue.com/culture/article/food-for-art-creative-times-latest-edible-art-installation-opens-tonight-in-new-york/
Here are some of the photos of us concocting the products.
I was pretty excited about the massive bowls and other fancy kitchen utensils!

backyard: summer update from above

Dennis McKenna Interview

 http://matrixmasters.net/archive/Various/266-DennisMcKennaWKCR2011.mp3

Discussing brain evolution, plant complexity and psychedelics.

Thanks Andrew!

weeds speak

Walking to the studio today I came across an abandoned lot absolutely chalked full of medicinal and edible plants. I looked to my other side and saw even more in the open sidewalk patch. While the heavy metals from either toxic soil or car exhaust makes these herbs sketchy for consumption, I'm taken aback by the abundance and availability of these plants. There is a much higher concentration of all these medicinal plants in open lots, as well as along the paths in the park than deeper in the woods. This brings up an idea that has been extremely inspiring to me; the weeds that grow prolifically in urban areas have medicinal properties that directly address the ailments of people living in the urban landscape. I see more and more proof of that everyday.
Some of the plants shown above: red clover, mugwort, chickweed, hedge mustard, shepard's purse, plantain, burdock, nettle, violet, dandelion, common mallow and wild garlic.

Wild Thing

Since going on a foraging expedition in Prospect Park with the Wildman himself, Steve Brill, I've been obsessed. I've been reading and researching about many wild medicinals, but there is nothing like experiencing the plant and it's surroundings in real life. I was amazed at the abundance, the nutrition and of course, the medicine.

Just a few things from the park... burdock root and stem, wild raspberry leaves, pineapple weed, chickweed, plantain, Shepard's purse, yellow wood sorrel, lamb's quarters and the amazing black locust blossom (tastes like a jasmine and vanilla flavored pea pod). Yum.  

Just Peachy

The magic of the compost continues to surprise us all. The latest find is an eaten and composted peach pit which, after a good journey through the compost bin, found it's destiny as a budding peach tree.
So it was planted by the more established peach tree in hopes it would be inspired by the example. Indra claims to be the peach eater....

Spring in my world

Oyster mushrooms harvested from our backyard. Since then, garden giants came up (but got eaten up before I got any!) and the shaggy mane mushrooms just emerged. Overhead view of our yard in Brooklyn and Jesse's permaculture design. Kale, kiwi, calendula, peach, lavender, catnip, gooseberry, Siberian pea, Jerusalem artichoke and much more!

Moon Eyes

bottom two
from artist Chris Duncan

Juliette of the Herbs

Another great.

(The complete film is in a 9 part series on Youtube)

Numen

Numen: The power or force that has presence in all things.
Was an ancient Roman religion.

Is an incredible documentary I just watched, given to me today by an amazing woman Maya Shetreat-Klein. Maya is an integrative pediatric neurologist (medicine woman). All the chatting we did over a five hour brunch just left me wanting more. Handcrafted body care is only one of the aspects of herbal medicine I've become interested in. The ability to heal oneself, both internally and externally by cultivating the knowledge that is deep in our bones is truly empowering.

Moon Dress

About a week ago I saw Peau d'Âne (Donkey Skin) starring Catherine Deneuve with some of my dear lady friends. What to say? The combination of a fairy tale where the King wants to marry his daughter, the 70's, the French and a fairy godmother flying in on a helicopter left me feeling a little disturbed but mostly inspired. Check out the dress the color of the moon the princess asks for  in the hopes of delaying marriage the King....

Through the window

Been working away on getting all the products made and settled in their respective jar homes. Trying to find the perfect set of materials to make the labels. Finally think I've got the right system- with a little help from "The Secret of Roan Inish" and a series of purchases from my local art store. 

Winter Moon

Moon Magic

Thanks Rebecca!

Hello World

Fat and the Moon started in the kitchen, where most good things do. My goal was to make my family and friends handmade body care products made from ingredients that are pronounceable, high quality and most importantly, incredible for the body. Once I got started, I couldn’t stop. It is important to me to be as intentional and creative in other aspects of my life as I am in the studio. Fat and the Moon represents one facet of my creative process. It is the realm where I concoct various potions and participate in a market which contrasts the norm, a market where there is a direct connection from the maker to the buyer.
This blog is a place for me to share some inspiration....