L-R: Little Sister (Fuji), Big Sister (Nikon)

In Missouri, I did a significant amount of freelance writing and photography work for other blogs, and also for local and state-wide print publications. While my eye was strong enough to be hired as a second shooter on professional magazine shoots, I quickly learned that my camera was not.

I found that while my Fuji technically had the capability to the basics I needed it to, it was too slow to shoot RAW images quickly, and that its low-light capabilities (it didn’t have the ability to add external flash) were rotten. I realized then that if I wanted to continue to improve my photography, I would need to invest in better equipment — beginning with a better camera.

Smalltowngirl's Growing Family

The old Fuji has sentimental value to me: I bought the Fuji in 2006 on Camera Street in Hong Kong while participating in a year-long Asian fellowship program, and it was my first big purchase after finishing graduate school. I’ll hold onto it for the sentiment and as a backup camera, but the Nikon is my new baby. I can’t wait to start taking photo walks with it, but I admit – the new camera makes me miss my old favorite subject matters; St. Louis and rural Missouri.

The Good Stuff, photo taken with my iPhone4

I’ve always wanted to build a gingerbread house, and this year I finally did it.

Buying a gingerbread house kit would be the small town equivalent of saying “I want to build my own home” and then heading down the highway to buy your own prefab modular estate. There’s nothing inherently wrong with it, but it just doesn’t qualify as crossing that dream off of your bucket list.

Old-Fashioned Christmas Candy, photo taken with my iPhone4

In order to cross the gingerbread house off of my bucket list, I needed to build the house from scratch. I needed to shop for the ingredients, make the dough, assemble its walls, and decorate it by hand.

The urge to create said gingerbread dream house hit me while at the grocery store with my mom. The family had hit day three or four of sitting in pajamas, reading books and watching movies.

In case you haven’t noticed, I’m not good at sitting still for that long, and I was getting antsy. As previous posts (see homemade bread post) make evident,  baking is often my way of avoid stir-craziness.

Goody Goody Gum Drops! photo taken with my iPhone4

A quick Google search from my phone lead me to the following recipe for homemade gingerbread:

Ingredients

• 1 (3.5 ounce) package cook and serve butterscotch pudding mix
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, cream together the dry butterscotch pudding mix, butter, and brown sugar until smooth. Stir in the egg. Combine the flour, baking soda, ginger, and cinnamon; stir into the pudding mixture. Cover, and chill dough until firm, about 1 hour.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease baking sheets. On a floured board, roll dough out to about 1/8 inch thickness, and cut into man shapes using a cookie cutter. Place cookies 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
3. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven, until cookies are golden at the edges. Cool on wire racks.

(RECIPE SOURCE)

MommaGFunk and I acquired all necessary ingredients for the gingerbread house, so we checked out at the small town supermarket and  headed home to begin our gingerbread-house-making adventure…

]]> http://smalltowngirlsguide.com/2010/crossing-it-off-the-bucket-list-the-gingerbread-house-part-1/feed/ 1 http://smalltowngirlsguide.com/2010/three-websites-you-should-read-today/ http://smalltowngirlsguide.com/2010/three-websites-you-should-read-today/#comments Fri, 24 Dec 2010 03:29:51 +0000 MilliGFunk http://smalltowngirlsguide.com/?p=2929 When I happen upon good website content, it’s usually by accident or because a friend sends me a link.  Now it’s my turn to pass on three Missouri websites that I support:

Off the Eaten Path STL

A few months ago I met a food blogger in St. Louis named Stephanie. Recently, I had the opportunity to join Stephanie and another friend, Charles, for dinner at Six Row Brewing Company in Midtown St. Louis. I’d been the brewery before, but they’ve only recently begun serving meals. Stephanie’s review of Six Row is a great entry for you into her world at Off the Eaten Path St. Louis. Check her out.

DoYouReallyWantToHurt.Me

Mike Tomko was one of the first friends I made through Twitter when I moved from Brooklyn to Missouri in early 2009. Mike recently started a new site, and it’s worth checking out. Great aesthetic, clever writing, and St. Louis-centric. Check him out.

I Luv Local Places

I’m a big fan of all things local, and so is I Luv Local Places, a family-owned online business based in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. The site features local events, place, restaurants, and things to do in and around Cape Girardeau. If you visit their site now, you’ll find a story originally published here on A Small Town Girl’s Guide on the Crown Valley Home Brewer’s Contest in November.

Disclaimer: I Luv Local Places sponsored my September 2010 half marathon in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. Read the story here.

Twenty-five home brewers from all over Missouri and Illinois competed in the contest. From Jackson to Crystal City; St. Charles to Perryville, small and larger towns from around the state were represented. And let me tell you, there are some men and women in Missouri who know how to pull great flavors out of this fermented libation.

photo taken with my iPhone4

I tend to veer towards richer, fuller-bodied beers. Jonathan Baker’s (Crystal City, Missouri) “Baker Fireside Ale”, for instance was a malty, buttery porter that made me take note, literally, on my tasting sheet. Donny Biggerstaff, a brewer from Fenton, Missouri offered a Belgian style ale that he calls the “Chocoran”. After my first sip of this one, a shocked “whoooaa” slipped from my lips. If you’ve ever thought of Missourians as simpletons, Donny’s “Chocoran” would change your mind. There was nothing simplistic about his ale.

From Wentzille, Missouri, Adam Kueller, Mark Matusiak and Jacob Daugherty introduced me to my first chocolate wheat beer. Though it wasn’t on their official contest tasting list, this one really impressed me. I’d never tasted a chocolate beer that wasn’t a stout or a porter. Their King’s Gross Stout was also notable for it’s absolute lack of aftertaste – something stout beers very rarely accomplish.

Naturally, I had to try Steve Albers’ Belgian ale called “Not Your Average Blonde”. My partner in crime and I were both taken aback by the power of this beer. My notes from the tasting read, “…a kick in the face.” I think those were my friend’s words, not mine, but it was an apt description nonetheless.

photo taken with my iPhone4

Travis Bickings from Oran, Missouri had a wonderful Chocolate Hazelnut Porter (7.2% alcohol content).

Although IPAs are traditionally fairly hoppy, Jacob Ellis and Justin Phelps brewed an “Imperial IPA” that went down easily. Their Belgian Salson ale was almost porter-like and a little bit sweet. It’s 1.9% alcohol content would certainly keep you warm on a cold winter night.

My three favorite brewer on Saturday were Rick Ernst, Travis Daugherty and Greg Camp.

photo taken with my iphone4

Rick Ernst is from Valley Park, Missouri, and he had three beers in the contest; the Noble Doble (Belgian ale), the Vanilla Gorilla Expresso Porter and the Raztastic Porter. All three of these were amazing. The Raztastic had a fascinating flavor; its raspberries kept it sweet and fresh, and although it was undoubtedly dark, it wasn’t heavy like most porters tend to be.

photo taken with my iPhone4

Travis Daugherty of Bonne Terre, Missouri offered a Pine Ridge Porter, a Tripel Ten Belgian strong ale and a Red Dot IPA. The Tripel Ten was so named because Travis brewed the beer on 10/10/2010. The Pine Ridge Porter had a smokey, oak-filled flavor that cried out for a fireplace and a bear skin rug.

photo taken with my iPhone4

Finally, I have to give credit to the truly complex beers brewed by Greg Camp of Desloge, Missouri. While none of his beers was my personal favorite beer of the day, all four of his beers were wonderfully balanced and full. The beers he entered into the contest were the Double Rainbow IP, the Chat Pile Porter, Damn the Torpedoes (Belgian ale) and the 11% alcohol Thunder & Lightning (Belgian ale).

The Home Brewer’s Contest was a blast. I loved seeing what brewers were creating in towns across Missouri and Illinois, and I was entirely impressed by these last three brewers. I look forward to coming back to Crown Valley for the spring Home Brewer’s Contest.

To learn more about their events or for more information about Crown Valley Brewery, visit their website.

It’s been said that you can take the person out of the country, but you can’t take the country out of the person.  I’m a good example of that, because despite years spent in Taipei and New York City, I don’t just like Fords, I like Ford trucks.

Sure, I have a healthy appreciate for hybrids (they’re environmentally friendly) and performance cars (they’re sexy). I even appreciate the family sedan (I drive one).

The fact remains that nothing (except maybe a Corvette) gets my heart throbbing like a big Ford truck does.  This rebuilt Ford Bronco is a perfect example. Look at that engine. Look at that shiny red paint. Look at that big steely grill and those big black tires. Damn, I love a big Ford:

Ford Bronco, photo by MilliGFunk

Someday you’ll see this small town girl driving her hybrid to work each day with a big Ford pickup in the driveway for special occasions. Love me or hate me, I can’t try to hide it that I’m a pickup truck-lovin’ small town girl.

This photo was taken at a car show in Festus, Missouri in September 2010. A few more pictures can be found on my flickr page.

Council Bluff Lake from the Trail, photo by MilliGFunk Photography

Who knew that “one of the most beautiful mountain bike trails in the state of Missouri” (source) was right in my backyard in the Mark Twain National Forest?

Council Bluff Lake Recreation Area offers a 440-acre lake – the largest in this particular forest – that’s surrounded by a twelve-mile loop of single track mountain biking trail.

Mountain Biker, photo by MilliGFunk Photography

If you’re not a mountain biker, single track means that the trail is only wide enough for one rider. In other words, you can’t ride side by side with other riders.

I’m still a novice rider, so I have more than my share of near-spills, hike-the-bike hills, and moments when – for lack of a more eloquent way of saying it -, I’m scared I’m going to break an arm or a leg. Mountain biking wouldn’t be any fun if it weren’t for the touch of fear, the adrenaline rushes, and the pure athleticism involved.

Riding with the Girls, photo by MilliGFunk Photography

Two friends and I opted out of riding the full 12-mile loop, instead doing a few out-and-back rides. In total, we rode approximately 7 miles, and it felt great. I’m anxious to ride more before winter weather hits us.

***

Council Bluff Lake is located in Iron County, Missouri and offers year-round fishing on its 440-acre lake. Camping, bicycle trails, hunting, hiking and a beach/waterfront area are also available. Council Bluff Lake Recreation Area is part of the Mark Twain National Forest.

We’ve had an unusually warm and beautiful fall, so Growler’s substantial outdoor patio was a perfect venue for food and drinks that night. The food was good, but the company was better.

As the St. Louis twitter community has grown, it’s also developed a number of small sub-communities of people, many of whom have become friends offline. This particular tweet-up attracted a group of people who traverse those sub-communities, leaving conversation fresh.

Meeting new people and sharing good conversation was exactly what I needed that night, so thank you to all of my twitter friends who came out to Growler’s for a spontaneous twitter night out.

***

@tojosan, @nanna_j, @bigjimstl, @angebird, @rockstarima, @mrsbrady & her husband, @cosmosgirl @coreywoodruf, @rayexperience  and @karenstl were part of this tweet-up.

This morning was the Go!St. Louis Halloween 10K in St. Louis. Any road race that inspires runners to dress in costume is inherently more fun than the average road race, so I was thrilled to run today.

While my own costume (I dressed as a bag of M&Ms) wasn’t terribly creative, there were some elaborate costumes (a guy dressed as Princess Toadstool riding Yoshi, for instance) and some really clever ones (my personal favorite were “Peace & Quiet”; a women dressed as a hippie while her male counterpart was dressed as a mime).

Three women dressed up as a chef, a chicken and an egg. The chicken and the egg chased each other throughout the race. Here’s a photo:

Which Came First?

With a course that began near Chestnut and 15th in downtown St. Louis and meandered through Soulard, the Anheuser Busch Brewery, and back downtown, the run offered nice views of St. Louis icons like the Arch, Soldier’s Memorial, Busch Stadium and Soulard’s beautiful old row houses.

great tshirt!

The weather couldn’t have been more beautiful, bringing nearly 5,000 runners to the race and drawing standers-by out of their homes with warm morning coffee in tow, cheering us on. The race was well-organized and a lot of fun. Costume contests, nice t-shirts, and medals in the shapes of ghosts made the race that much more fun to be a part of.

Ghostly Medal

Interested in running or otherwise taking better care of yourself? Have faith in yourself and stay determined. We all started somewhere, and wellness is a constant journey. Events like this one oftentimes have 1 mile walks or shorter fun runs for runners and walkers.

Running stores and local fitness facilities often have trainers and coaches who can help you figure out where to start, and I’ve found that the community of runners and walkers I’ve found in St. Louis are welcoming and encouraging. If I can do it, you can do it – I have faith.

Finishing the Race Feels Great!

]]> http://smalltowngirlsguide.com/2010/gost-louis-halloween-10k/feed/ 4 http://smalltowngirlsguide.com/2010/camping-food/ http://smalltowngirlsguide.com/2010/camping-food/#comments Mon, 18 Oct 2010 01:37:31 +0000 MilliGFunk http://smalltowngirlsguide.com/?p=2682 While camping this weekend at Council Bluff Recreation Area in Iron County, Missouri, I noticed something.

When the girls and I sat down for our lunch on Saturday, here’s what was on our side of the table:

Woman Food.

By contrast, here’s what was on the men’s side of the table:

Man food

Have thoughts? Leave a comment!

One of the perks of being a Funk is that the Funk family is made up of smart, kind, interesting people. PappaGFunk is an engineer, MommaGFunk is a published paper crafter, and BrotherGFunk is not only a successful engineer, he has an outstanding sense of humor.

One of the perks of the move from Brooklyn to Missouri is spending more time with the above-mentioned family. Saturday afternoon brought the opportunity for MommaGFunk and I to travel to Ste. Genevieve Missouri for the DejaVu Spirit Reunion; a combination cemetery tour and historical reenactment.

Before checking out the Spirit Reunion, we stopped into Big Field Cafe, a sunlit corner cafe in the heart of downtown. We were so surprised to find that Big Field Cafe serves Cajun food including gumbo, po-boys and shrimp salad. Having lived in Louisiana for a few of my  younger years, I appreciate a good chicken sausage gumbo.

Both my mom and I were impressed with the service and the food. The folks working in the Cafe were smiling, laughing, friendly, and working hard. The food seemed to be prepared fresh – even the cheese was hand grated onto our salads – and both her chicken salad sandwich and my gumbo were good enough to crave already less than a week later.

Ste. Genevieve is a neat town with plenty of neat cultural events. This weekend is the Rural Heritage Fest, so if you’ve not yet explored this historical Missouri town, I encourage you to visit.

***

More Posts on Ste. Genevieve:

St. Catherine of Alexandria Church

Ste. Genevieve Bike

Crown Valley Farmers Market

Ste. Genevieve Chocolate Walk Part I: Hats

Ste. Genevieve Chocolate Walk Part II: The Walk

Ste. Genevieve Chocolate Walk Part III: Trust

Ste. Genevieve Chocolate Walk Part IV: Art Bikes

Baetje Farms

Public Art

The Brooklyn Bridge