Italian Easter

"The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for  Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; has has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: 'He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.' Now I have told you." So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples." (Matt. 28:6-8, emphasis added)

Easter is such a wonderful holiday! When we look beyond the candy, bunnies, and even family gathered together, we see... Jesus. A human, but the Son of God, who willingly sacrificed his life as atonement for every sin I have committed and those still in my future. While that seems more than good enough, Jesus went beyond that. He rose from the dead and commissioned his people to go and spread the good news. I am blown away by this story every single year. The entire Lenten season provides such a beautiful opportunity to reflect on our dependence on the Lord and the gracious sacrifice made for us.

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However, we all know that Easter tends to come with some other things as well ... specifically delicious things... specifically yummy meals, candy, and baked treats! I wanted to share with you two of my favorite edible parts of Easter....

While my reddish hair and fair skin does not attest to it, I assure you that I am Italian! Okay, I'm only a quarter Italian, but certainly enjoy many Italian traditions!And here are two of my favorites that are enjoyed on Easter Sunday...

Easter Pie

 Easter pie is a delicious treat of layers of cheese and meat - specifically ham, sausage, ricotta, and mozzarella in our regional variety.

A recipe to try for this one: http://www.cooks.com/rec/story/164/

Easter Bread

Another delicious treat that I have no idea how to make. I also have no idea how to explain how it tastes, but it is delicious. Go to an Italian-Catholic church next Easter and GET SOME. 

Here's a recipe for another kind, equally delicious: http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Italian-Easter-Bread

Bon Appetit!

 

Save The Dates :)

To my faithful blog readers, haha ...

We have finally emailed out our save the dates! Here is what they looked like:

Blog Fail.

Epic blog fail.

Redemptive attempts:

Wedding Website... www.zachandkristian.com

Engaged!

Sorry for being MIA ... I'm blaming it on the fact that I got proposed to! On my birthday, September 29th! In that cute little pug card!

A Movie Recommendation: "Exit Through The Gift Shop"

Exit Through the Gift Shop is a documentary of pieced together film done by Thierry Guetta, an unknown French filmmaker turned street-artist. The documentary chronicles early days and expeditions of now well-known street artsists, including Banksy and Shepard Fairey.

Banksy caught my interest several years ago and soon after I found myself interested in Obey (or Shepard Fairey), so when I heard about this movie that supposedly would have footage of the artists actually preparing, installing, painting, and developing their art, I was very excited.

Like a kid in a candy shop, I sat there in the offbeat Little Art Theatre in Yellow Springs, OH with a smile plastered to my face the entire time. Watching some of the most fascinating artists I've heard of create their art was fabulous. Enjoying camera 'face' time with both Banksy and Fairey was simply joy to me. I enjoyed that in spite of the intimate interviews, Banksy's identity remained anonymous as his face and voice were disguised throughout the film.

What the movie really ended up being about was the filmmaker himself though. Banksy suggests to Thierry, the filmmaker, that he try making art and both Thierry's life and the film begin to spiral in a whole new direction. Thierry takes on an alter ego persona as Mr. Brainwash (or MBW) and begins making art, putting together a gallery show, and becoming quite a character himself. While I didn't necessarily care for the tale of MBW it was great fun watching him work in his studio and work on putting together the gallery for his largescale art show. This part of the film also provided many laughs for the audience as Banksy and Fairey poke a little fun at MBW.

All that being said, I say - go see it! Or even pick it up for your colllection when its out of theatres.

And if you're curious about a few other commentaries (which may spoil your perspective if you haven't seen it), check these out:

"Here's why the Banksy Movie is a Banksy Prank" -Fast Company
"Review" -Gatsby, Flicks