I love a certain deli near my studio named Lily Farm, not only because of their adorable name but because of the way they customize my sandwich to personal perfection. But they break my heart by using no.6 plastic (not recycled in NY). What to do? Upcycle. Pictured above is my homemade Shrinky Dink homage to Farrah Fawcett (with a nod to the ever savage Bust Magazine for their inspiring quiz).

Tutorial:
1. Eat your delicious sandwich. Wash out the box. Cut out the useable flat parts with scissors or an x-acto knife. 
2. Rough up one side with sandpaper (I'm a snob for 400 grit, but a nail file will work in a pinch).
3. Draw your image on the rough side. I use a fine-tip Sharpie for line work and soft Prismacolors for color fields. You can even ink-jet onto the rough side, but I prefer the hand touch of drawing. Never use a laser, as the heat will melt no.6 into a havoc-reeking mess. 
4. Cut out the shape, and use a hole punch if you want to increase the pendant potential.
5. Bake in a pre-heated 350-degree oven for roughly seven minutes. You'll know when they're done because you'll go through a panic stage when molecular science warps your mind, thinking your drawings are going to be ruined, only to see them flatten and shrink with tidy relief. They'll decrease to about a third of their original size. Still a wee bit warped when you take them out? You have a good 10 seconds to flatten and tweak. I suggest using a plastic silicone potholder (not a washcloth, spatula or other tool that will risk transferring a patterned impression).
6. Let them cool for a few minutes while you stew over how jealous your friends will be tomorrow.

Once again Wildbirds & Peacedrums were in town from Sweden, opening for Deerhoof with the company of Serengeti & Polyphonic. They seem to evoke a love or hate reaction and I hang out in the former category.

McSweeney's is a faithful contender in the race to be knighted my favorite quarterly (along with Cabinet, my true love). Not only do they tirelessly publish worthwhile reading with a visual sparkle, they run student tutorial centers across the country, award grants for new fiction, and keep my nightstand well weighted. And… drumroll… they're cleaning house with their Summer Garage Sale. I nabbed a stack last year, including What is the What by Dave Eggers and was blown away by its vivid depth. So, put down that vampire bodice-ripper and sink your teeth into some quality lit.

Pictured: Burk and his Leica, with writer/artist Bonnie Christensen on Silverlake in June. Taken by AC Berkheiser in Wilson, NC, on the boat of painter/captain Sarah Bowers.

With all the recent news coverage of pirate scallywags, we at North Sea are beginning to take the defamation personally. Here's a graphically and emotionally fabulous reminder of the friendlier side of water.
Thank you, Esther Williams.