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My go-to recipe is always banana crumb muffins. I almost always have bananas that are too ripe to eat on their own sitting around to make me feel guilty. I should never buy as many as I do, but I never have the guts to break up the bunches while grocery shopping. Anyhow. This night, just as many nights before it, found me preheating and mashing and and mixing and pouring and crumbling until warm, spongy, sugary, banana-y bliss emerged from my new and giant oven. I am pleased to inform the blogosphere that this batch turned out particularly heavenly. In fact, I'm so happy with the outcome that after eating three and basking in my room mate's compliments, I decided a small celebration of this yellow wonder would be the perfect inaugural blog post.

I am terribly fond of this "Sexy Banana Split Doll" by Bee Harris, an especially bad ass textile artist who's gorgeous and macabre, plushie-filled photostream I cannot stop lurking.

Bananagram...for real. Upon remembering a tidbit of information from my days as an American Girl subscriber, I decided to do a little research. I recall specifically an issue with instructions on throwing a luau in which that ultimate authority on all things interesting to a little girl suggested that one mail the invitations written out on bananas. It turns out this really is possible in the US and will cost the sender roughly $2.50 in postage. So um...who am I not going to mail a banana to?

Is it wrong to cry because this Chloé dress is sold out at net-a-porter.com? It's...beautiful, not to mention incredibly comfortable looking. And seriously, cherries have had their time as the dominant fruit print.

Finally, I present to you Superlambanana. A seventeen foot, eight ton sculpture by Manhattan-based Japanese artist Taro Chiezo. Superlambanana makes its home in Liverpool, England, a lovable hybrid of two import and export industries historically important to the city, bananas and sheep. Apparently this sculpture has quite the cult following and has spawned several spoofs, some of my favorites being chrome Superlambanana, peeled Superlambanana and Sgt. Pepper Superlambanana.

Also, as it would be cruel not to share, here's the banana crumb muffin recipe to end all banana crumb muffin recipes adapted from Lisa Kreft's version.

Muffins:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 bananas, mashed
3/4 cup white sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/3 cup butter, melted

Crumb topping:
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon butter

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease 12 muffin cups, or line with muffin papers.

2. In a large bowl, mix together 1 1/2 cups flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, beat together bananas, white sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, egg and melted butter. Stir the banana mixture into the flour mixture just until moistened. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.

3. In a small bowl, mix together 1/3 cup brown sugar, 2 tablespoons flour and cinnamon. Cut in 1 tablespoon butter until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Sprinkle topping over muffins.

4. Bake in preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean.

Enjoy!