"For God's Sake! Pull yourself together!" is my new battlecall for the days ahead. But I may try piping a frownie on an espresso martini. Thank you Michael for this inspiration! ❤️
So many hugs needed. I've been pity-partying for the last week. Also, I demolished and am tiling my bathroom. I've never tiled anything in my life. I could use some Emotional Support Frownies.
Tiling is so butch! I envy your gumption as I stare at my bedroom, which is in dire need of repainting. As for ESFs, I worry that Frownies don't travel as well as brownies because their fragile icing expressions might shift and/or shatter and then you're just left with god-knows-what.
Intelligently written as usual , Michael . I disagree on a visceral level with the statement that it was too early for a large Martini , it is never too early ! Just occasionally , other people’s perception of “early” needs to be adjusted !
J P-H, I must stand by my assertion that it was too early for a large martini for one important reason: I am a TERRIBLE day drinker. Otherwise, I would be inclined to agree with you. Also, thank you for finding my writing intelligent. Sometimes, that is more than I deserve, but I'm running with that statement to the bank.
I have joined you in having a hellish week (my autocorrect keeps trying to make 'hellish' 'bell-shaped ' -huh?) and I know for the same reason. I did something even weirder than baking up a plate of frownies- I contacted an old pal of mine who along with being an erudite PhD is also a psychic and had a reading about the state of the states. Some folk up here in the sultry north might wonder why I give a care what you Yankees get up to but they are morons...er...I mean uneducated boobs. My pal did allay my worst fears along with the recent news on Sunday. She also got me fired up to urge my pals with dual citizenship to vote no matter how complicated the process. I will reward those that do with upside down frownies fresh from my Canuck kitchen. Love to you, dear man.
When our last administration was described as Canada's downstairs neighbor who was running a meth lab and dog fighting ring, your fellow countrymen ignore the state of our affairs at their own peril, right? I love that a) you're firing up voters even from your side of the border, b) psychics are vibing to the positive, and c) that you're a very engaging reader. Thank you, Jan!
Love this. Thank you for sharing it. Having lived in the ‘burgh, not far from the birthplace of the Frownie, which sounds like Oakland, for more than a decade, the native NYer in me believes that there may be many good reasons why the Frownie has caught on there, not the least of which is the lack of sunshine - you could look it up! (The Pity Party is the best, though.)
Thank you, Amy! There is (or was or is again) another way of serving a Pity Party. Made into a sort of Frownie Sundae, the whole thing is called an Angry Mob, but that's not a name I've been comfortable with over the past couple of weeks.
I cannot believe I have lived to such a ripe old age without ever knowing of the existence of Frownies. I shall be forever in your debt because this is just about the most brilliant thing since sliced bread in my shallow opinion. Rustling up a batch soon, possibly with very angry faces.
I am so relieved to know my life has not been lived in vain. And if you can muster an expression of either bitter scorn or doleful resignation, please take photo and send them my way.
Love the idea of a Frownie. May need to pipe some frowns onto my next batch of zucchini brownies! I hope that whatever was upsetting you has resolved itself and you're feeling better.
Walnuts? Now, them's the kind of brownies I can get excited about! The walnuts put the "Don't speak, Hillary--just go" into an otherwise humdrum treat. Have you tried Streisand's instant ice cream recipe? I think a bake-off is in order. Time for a re-match!
Also, Google Frownies and that's what I know as a frownie. It's a face patch to smooth wrinkles. Been around for years! Probably inspired by Dietrich's masking tape escapades, lol!
I had not realized what I needed this past week is a Frownie - because I didn't know about them. How do we get them animated, though, and double parking (of course a Frownie thought it triple parked)? I've felt animated then enervated and now animated again, to the point of maybe just lying down. Baking. That's what the world needs.
Crisis baking is important baking. Also lying down is one of my favorite pastimes. I'm unsure about how to get them animated, but I will admit that I tried to mimic that Frownie's strut out of the parking lot. I need a lot more practice.
As always, beautifully written and I had NO idea that Katherine Hepburn had created a brownie recipe. Sorry you are having such a difficult week. Have you thought of founding a gourmet society? It’s what Walter Clopton Wingfield did when his life got tragic and you have all the necessary qualifications 😁☹️
There's a story behind it and maybe I'm getting it wrong, but one of her neighbor's was concerned because his daughter was threatening to drop out of Bryn Mawr so he asked Hepburn if she would talk to her. She did and knocked some Yankee sense into her. When the neighbor and his daughter brought over a plate of brownies as a thank you, Miss Hepburn complained that they were over baked and had too much flour in them and rattled off her ow recipe, which the daughter hastily wrote down. It's probably not completely true, but one should never let truth get in the way of a good story, right? P.S. My week has gotten MUCH better.
"For God's Sake! Pull yourself together!" is my new battlecall for the days ahead. But I may try piping a frownie on an espresso martini. Thank you Michael for this inspiration! ❤️
I think I need that phrase expressed in needlework. Or at least printed on a Tshirt.
I don’t know who’s upsetting you but I’m more than willing to go punch them in the tummy (not the face! Not the face!) (((Michael)))
Betsy, I am warmed by your willingness to defend me, but I'd hate for you to get in trouble with the Secret Service.
So many hugs needed. I've been pity-partying for the last week. Also, I demolished and am tiling my bathroom. I've never tiled anything in my life. I could use some Emotional Support Frownies.
Tiling is so butch! I envy your gumption as I stare at my bedroom, which is in dire need of repainting. As for ESFs, I worry that Frownies don't travel as well as brownies because their fragile icing expressions might shift and/or shatter and then you're just left with god-knows-what.
All the hugs. It has been a wild week for so many.
You said a Frownie-stuffed mouthful.
Intelligently written as usual , Michael . I disagree on a visceral level with the statement that it was too early for a large Martini , it is never too early ! Just occasionally , other people’s perception of “early” needs to be adjusted !
J P-H, I must stand by my assertion that it was too early for a large martini for one important reason: I am a TERRIBLE day drinker. Otherwise, I would be inclined to agree with you. Also, thank you for finding my writing intelligent. Sometimes, that is more than I deserve, but I'm running with that statement to the bank.
I have joined you in having a hellish week (my autocorrect keeps trying to make 'hellish' 'bell-shaped ' -huh?) and I know for the same reason. I did something even weirder than baking up a plate of frownies- I contacted an old pal of mine who along with being an erudite PhD is also a psychic and had a reading about the state of the states. Some folk up here in the sultry north might wonder why I give a care what you Yankees get up to but they are morons...er...I mean uneducated boobs. My pal did allay my worst fears along with the recent news on Sunday. She also got me fired up to urge my pals with dual citizenship to vote no matter how complicated the process. I will reward those that do with upside down frownies fresh from my Canuck kitchen. Love to you, dear man.
When our last administration was described as Canada's downstairs neighbor who was running a meth lab and dog fighting ring, your fellow countrymen ignore the state of our affairs at their own peril, right? I love that a) you're firing up voters even from your side of the border, b) psychics are vibing to the positive, and c) that you're a very engaging reader. Thank you, Jan!
Love this. Thank you for sharing it. Having lived in the ‘burgh, not far from the birthplace of the Frownie, which sounds like Oakland, for more than a decade, the native NYer in me believes that there may be many good reasons why the Frownie has caught on there, not the least of which is the lack of sunshine - you could look it up! (The Pity Party is the best, though.)
Thank you, Amy! There is (or was or is again) another way of serving a Pity Party. Made into a sort of Frownie Sundae, the whole thing is called an Angry Mob, but that's not a name I've been comfortable with over the past couple of weeks.
Yes, but as its name suggests, a bit too much! 😉
I cannot believe I have lived to such a ripe old age without ever knowing of the existence of Frownies. I shall be forever in your debt because this is just about the most brilliant thing since sliced bread in my shallow opinion. Rustling up a batch soon, possibly with very angry faces.
I am so relieved to know my life has not been lived in vain. And if you can muster an expression of either bitter scorn or doleful resignation, please take photo and send them my way.
If it wasn’t 4.40am here in London I’d be baking a batch right now. Rest assured, you will be the first to know when the icing is set.
brilliant as always and guaranteed to make anyone unfrown. i hope you are feeling better, really! xo
I am feeling better, thanks!
Love the idea of a Frownie. May need to pipe some frowns onto my next batch of zucchini brownies! I hope that whatever was upsetting you has resolved itself and you're feeling better.
Thank you, Christina. The matter will (hopefully) be resolved in early November.
Ah, I got you! Yes, I wrote about this in a post last month called "Perspective: A Little Recipe For Fighting Worry." It's definitely palpable.
Walnuts? Now, them's the kind of brownies I can get excited about! The walnuts put the "Don't speak, Hillary--just go" into an otherwise humdrum treat. Have you tried Streisand's instant ice cream recipe? I think a bake-off is in order. Time for a re-match!
Thank you for this. I needed it!!
Poor Hillary was so shaken by the experience she became addicted to instant coffee.
I need an oven full.
That's a whole lot of Frownie!
Genius!
Miss Hepburn and I thank you for this lovely comment.
This is a great column-the brownie actually does look like her with her perpetual frown lol
And what isn't shown is that some of the piping work on the other Frownies was a bit...shaky. Perhaps I should have photographed one of those.
Also, Google Frownies and that's what I know as a frownie. It's a face patch to smooth wrinkles. Been around for years! Probably inspired by Dietrich's masking tape escapades, lol!
It actually works both ways, doesn't it? LOL!
I should really give it a try sooner than later.
LOL
I had not realized what I needed this past week is a Frownie - because I didn't know about them. How do we get them animated, though, and double parking (of course a Frownie thought it triple parked)? I've felt animated then enervated and now animated again, to the point of maybe just lying down. Baking. That's what the world needs.
Crisis baking is important baking. Also lying down is one of my favorite pastimes. I'm unsure about how to get them animated, but I will admit that I tried to mimic that Frownie's strut out of the parking lot. I need a lot more practice.
As always, beautifully written and I had NO idea that Katherine Hepburn had created a brownie recipe. Sorry you are having such a difficult week. Have you thought of founding a gourmet society? It’s what Walter Clopton Wingfield did when his life got tragic and you have all the necessary qualifications 😁☹️
There's a story behind it and maybe I'm getting it wrong, but one of her neighbor's was concerned because his daughter was threatening to drop out of Bryn Mawr so he asked Hepburn if she would talk to her. She did and knocked some Yankee sense into her. When the neighbor and his daughter brought over a plate of brownies as a thank you, Miss Hepburn complained that they were over baked and had too much flour in them and rattled off her ow recipe, which the daughter hastily wrote down. It's probably not completely true, but one should never let truth get in the way of a good story, right? P.S. My week has gotten MUCH better.
And as for a comparison to Captain (?) Wingfield, one thing I sorely lack in my little apartment is entertaining space.
That is something to sorely miss, particularly for someone so obviously entertaining.
Am VERY glad to hear that!