A Haunted House — Where the Horrors Are Political
I walked through a preview of the artist Pedro Reyes’s Creative Time project “Doomocracy,” an expansive, satirical haunted house where each room represents a different late-capitalist horror, last night with a couple of art-inclined pals. Among them was the “Modern Painters” editor Scott Indrisek, who tweeted this afterward:
I couldn’t agree more. The audience for “Doomocracy” is inherently self-selecting — find me an art-worlder who doesn’t at least pretend at a bleeding heart, and I’ll tell you Stefan Simchowitz doesn’t count — even more so because it’s sort of hard to get to, housed in the Brooklyn Army Terminal way down in Sunset Park. Since it’s pretty much guaranteed to be preaching to the choir, the aim of “Doomocracy” shouldn’t be to persuade, but rather to entertain; the worst thing it could be is self-serious. I don’t want to give away the content of the rooms, because the delight is in the surprise, but I’m happy to report that it’s witty and thought-provoking, with interactive audience-participation elements that are, for once, fun to partake in. Through Nov. 6 at the Brooklyn Army Terminal, creativetime.org. — ALEXANDRIA SYMONDS
A Very Cozy Bra
This soft Lively bra — with little mesh inserts — sits nicely in the center of the Bra Venn diagram: It’s supportive enough to be a sports bra (for yoga, at the very least) and yet attractive and lightweight enough to wear anywhere. Style for sale beginning on Monday, $35, wearlively.com — ISABEL WILKINSON
A Signature Scent, in a Soap
It started with a candle — which is the reverse of how things usually go these days. We live in an age when everyone, from fashion houses to workout studios, has released a signature scented candle that somehow embodies the aroma of their brand. But Maison Louis Marie made its name with candles first, which were difficult not to love, and then a couple years ago released the same scents in personal fragrance oils. And then spray perfumes and eau de toilettes. And now, a hand and body wash. It bums me out that anyone visiting my apartment will smell as good as I do after a trip to the bathroom, from mindlessly washing their hands. (Strangers have stopped me on the street to ask what perfume I’m wearing.) But the novelty of rinsing my skin with the heavenly aroma of No. 04 Bois de Balincourt is worth the agony of sharing. $35, maisonlouismarie.com. — ALAINNA LEXIE BEDDIE
Meatballs — With a Side of Marriage?
Julia Turshen has co-authored some very sexy cookbooks (with Buvette, Gwyneth Paltrow, the Fat Radish), hosted many of the biggest names in the food industry (all women) on Radio Cherry Bombe, and shared a big stage or two with her friend, the unanimously beloved celebrity chef Ina Garten. She has also taught many people how to cook, which perhaps led her to write her very own first book, “Small Victories.” (Ina penned the foreword.) Among the over 400 recipes she shares is one for turkey meatballs — the first dish she ever cooked for her wife, the Design Sponge founder Grace Bonney. “A small victory here is not only about getting someone to marry you (!),” she writes, “but also about making meatballs that are incredibly light and tender by incorporating a generous amount of ricotta cheese in the mixture.” And so the other night, when I found myself craving meatballs — and, coincidentally, the man I’m newly dating said he would come by — I picked up two pounds of turkey and cans of tomatoes at the store, poured a glass of wine, rolled up my sleeves and got to work. Her instructions are friendly and nearly maternal, suggesting you “swish” water around the cans to get all the tomato juice out, and crush and blend things with your hands (“they’re the best tool for the job,” she writes). The result is a generous batch of tender little herby morsels in a luscious red sauce — and a very calm, happy mood. The guy liked them, too. (Julia shares the recipe below.) $35, chroniclebooks.com. — A.L.B.
TURKEY + RICOTTA MEATBALLS
Yield: 8 servings, or 4 with lots of leftovers (makes about 30 meatballs)
Two 28-ounce cans whole peeled tomatoes
7 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
7 garlic cloves; 4 thinly sliced, 3 minced
Kosher salt
1 cup fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
1 cup fresh Italian parsley leaves, finely chopped
1 ½ cups fresh whole-milk ricotta cheese
½ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
2 pounds ground turkey (preferably dark meat), at room temperature
1. Pour the contents of the tomato cans into a large bowl (set the cans aside) and crush the tomatoes with your hands (this is a messy but fun job, and a very good one for children). Rinse one of the cans with about ¼ cup water, pour it into the second can and swish it around to get all the excess tomato out of the cans, and then pour the water into the tomato bowl.
2. In a large saucepan or pot over medium-high heat, warm 3 tablespoons of the olive oil, add the sliced garlic, and cook, stirring, until it begins to sizzle, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and a very large pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and let the sauce simmer, stirring every so often, until it is slightly reduced and has lost any tin-can taste, about 30 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Drizzle 2 tablespoons olive oil on the baking sheet and use your hands to rub it over the entire surface of the sheet. Set aside.
4. In a large bowl, combine the minced garlic, basil, parsley, ricotta, Parmesan, turkey, and 1 tablespoon salt. Blend everything together gently but authoritatively with your hands (they’re the best tool for the job) until well mixed. Then, use your hands to form the mixture into golf ball–size meatballs; the mixture will be sticky, so wet your hands with a bit of water to help prevent the meat from sticking to them. Transfer the meatballs to the prepared baking sheet as you form them (it’s O.K. if they are touching a little). Drizzle the meatballs with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and roast until they’re browned and firm to the touch, about 25 minutes.
5. Use tongs or a slotted spoon to transfer the meatballs to the simmering sauce (discard whatever juice and fat is left on the baking sheet). Cook the meatballs for 10 minutes in the sauce (they can be left in the gently simmering sauce for up to 1 hour) and serve.
SPINOFFS
FOR SAUSAGE AND RICOTTA MEATBALLS, instead of ground turkey, use 2 pounds of your favorite sausage meat. Just take it out of its casings and proceed as directed. I like using half sweet and half spicy Italian sausage.
FOR A SLIGHTLY MOROCCAN RIFF, use ground lamb instead of turkey and finely crumbled feta instead of Parmesan. Leave out the ricotta. Add a handful each of toasted pine nuts and raisins to the mixture, and use mint instead of basil. Add a cinnamon stick to the tomato sauce (remove it before serving the meatballs).
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