Friday, September 30, 2011

i want my hat back



This is the trailer to a brand new book for children called

I got my copy in the mail this week.
I can't stop laughing.
You must run to get it.
Don't walk...

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

e + p on momfilter today


Pop on over to momfilter today....
The snap of e+p holding hands seen through my rear view mirror
is the remembering photo today!

What an honor...I adore momfilter.
Super inspiring for those with or without children.
(It was recently mentioned on GOOP.)
The site was created by Pilar Guzman + Yolanda Edwards,
founding editors of the sadly defunct COOKIE.
  (Pilar is the current editor of Martha's Living Magazine)
How I miss you COOKIE.
Thank you momfilter.

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Monday, September 26, 2011

i can can

I went to a little tomato canning 
class a couple of weeks ago.
I was utterly inspired!
Our crop of tomatoes was a bust this year
so I got a box of not-so-hot tomatoes
for way too much $ from I will not say where.
(They did redeem so I am not as ticked as I was)
I was able to can 4 jars from that lot and then 
found some beauties that I let ripen on my dining room table
for a few days as it should be.
So I canned tomatoes twice...
an old pro with the process embedded in my brain.
It truly is so easy.
Now I have 8 jars of tomatoes come cold tomato-less dead o'winter!
Here are the snaps of my process!

 sterilized jars right out the dishwasher's sanitize cycle

 ripe tomatoes

 seedless and quartered toms draining

 fresh basil from our garden on the bottom, then toms, then salt ready... for bath

my new canning pot with roaring boiling water


canned tomatoes!

Friday, September 23, 2011

rain

Rain, rain all weekend...so they say.

Thursday, September 22, 2011

piper at the window

Piper at the window yesterday.

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

downton abbey

Another thing I'm hooked on:
Downton Abbey.
A British television series that aired on 
here in the states back in the spring.
I stumbled upon it on the Netflix "play it now", 
started watching and could not get enough of it.
  I didn't know how much of a following it had here and in the UK.
(Cathrin are you hooked????)
Julian Fellowes is the writer.
He wrote Godsford Park starring
Dame Maggie Smith..love her.

Here is the trailer of series 1 which again is available on Netflix.


Below you will find the trailer to series 2.
 It's due to air on Masterpiece Theater
January 8, 2012
I can hardly wait.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

nothin' but


I'm hooked!
I found Nothin' But granola + bars at
last Thursday.
I have been meaning to stop by the 
booth and boy am I glad I did.
The nicest gal named Jerri
makes the delicious granola
which comes in a variety of flavors:

coconut, chocolate, almond
(super yum...perfect when you need a fix o'chocolate)
ginger, lemon, cashew
+
cherry, cranberry, almond
(I sprinkled a bunch on greek yogurt + honey...so so tasty)

If you are local...you must find Jerri at 
The Westport Farmer's Market
on Thursdays 10-2pm
or if you are far
shop at the site.

Monday, September 19, 2011

slippers from lithuania

I ordered these slippers from this
They are the 
coziest, comfiest wool slippers I have ever worn.
They are well made
with a silicone sole so you won't slip.
Ramune makes them in
Lithuania.
Ramune is going to Greece until October 10th.
So if you want a pair...I would order now
as he is very busy come pre-holiday season.
Everett wants a pair in yellow...
no problem...all our custom made!


Friday, September 16, 2011

sparseness






I used to think that every empty 
shelf, wall, sill, tabletop + corner
should be filled.
My thoughts have changed.
I am appreciating sparse spaces these days.

Thursday, September 15, 2011

cozy thing

I know come January or maybe even sooner...
I will want to be in one of these
sipping a nice hot cup of my new favorite tea.
(Is it a giant turtleneck sweater???
Are the legs + head in the sleeves???
The neck where the hands are???)

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

e + p

Looked in my rear view mirrow
and 
this is what I saw.
E + P holding hands.

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

calder's circus

Alexander Calder.
My all time favorite artist.
I have a wonderful film on VHS
of Calder performing with his circus 
called
 I tried to find a copy on DVD...no go.
Here is a clip of this special, special film:
Love it as you can see Calder's wife manning the music
with a necklace he made for her.
You can see his mobile hanging, gently swaying.
The music is also fantastic.

 I did find another film on DVD:
It's also fantastic yet different from the Roland version.
Here is a clip of this one:
Both capture
Calder's brilliance.
What a talented man...with a child's imagination.
Love.

Monday, September 12, 2011

Friday, September 9, 2011

the man who walked between the towers

This is an 
for children of all ages
about a man who
walked between the Twin Towers.
I will read this to Everett this weekend and
REMEMBER.

Thursday, September 8, 2011

clean fridge

We lost power during Irene.
We had to chuck most of the contents of our fridge and freezer.
It was unfortunate but also a good feeling to get rid and
scrub the whole darn thing.
It's clean and sparse...
no longer stuffed with
frozen soup from who knows when 
and old leftover freezer burned hamburger buns.
I now hope to make a conscience effort to buy less
and buy fresh.


Wednesday, September 7, 2011

pasta carbonara

This recipe is straight from the new William Sonoma catalog.  
My mouth always waters when I peruse this catalog.
The recipes are always enticing.
The carbonara did it for me this time.
I made it over the weekend.
It was so easy and so very delicious.
This dish is so creamy without the cream.
The trick is the room temperature eggs 
whisked with the grated pecorino romano cheese.
The cheese gets the creamy consistency 
once you add the hot water from the pasta.
I used pancetta.
A must try!

This Roman pasta dish is traditionally made with guanciale—pork cheek that resembles unsmoked bacon and is cured with salt, pepper and sometimes garlic. Pancetta makes a fine substitute.

Ingredients:

  • 3 eggs, at room temperature 
  • 1 1/2 cups finely grated pecorino romano cheese, plus more for serving 
  • 2 Tbs. olive oil 
  • 6 oz. diced guanciale or pancetta 
  • Kosher salt, to taste 
  • 1 lb. dried spaghetti 
  • Freshly ground pepper, to taste 

Directions:

In a bowl, whisk together the eggs and the 1 1/2 cups cheese. Set aside.

In a 13-inch French skillet over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the guanciale and cook until it is browned and the fat has rendered, 8 to 10 minutes. Set aside.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, according to the package instructions. Drain, reserving about 1 cup of the cooking water.

Slowly whisk 1/2 cup of the reserved cooking water into the egg-cheese mixture.

Return the skillet with the guanciale to medium heat and rewarm. Add the pasta and 1/4 cup of the reserved cooking water and toss to combine. Remove the pan from the heat, pour in the egg-cheese mixture and toss well to combine. Season generously with pepper. Serve immediately and pass additional cheese alongside. Serves 4.

Williams-Sonoma Kitchen.

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

wildwood again

Remember I posted about
written by
and
illustrated by
Carson Ellis?
It was released on August 30th.
Happy to say I got my copy in the mail.
I thought it was a picture book.
I am pleasantly surprised
as it's 2 inches thick!
It's a book for 9 year olds and older.

Here is another thing I didn't know; the author,
Carson Meloy is the lead singer of
THE DECEMBERISTS....
Wow!
The illustrator is his wife!
 They have a little son named Hank!

I love the DECEMBERISTS:


Again, a pleasant surprise all around!
Looking forward to digging in.

Friday, September 2, 2011

end of summer

 
Enjoy the last drop of summer.

Thursday, September 1, 2011

lulie wallace

I discovered an artist I really like on Katy Elliot.
Her floral stills are so full of color and happiness.
She paints on
square pieces of wood
with acrylic.
 I contacted her to see what she had for sale.
On a whim I sent her
a photo of zinnias + some other fleurs
I had just picked from our garden.
She said she would love to paint them!
A couple of days later she sent me this snap
of our zins:
I love it!
Check out here other work here.
Her blog is a must see too!
Here are some other paintings I love:

l


These $55 paintings are five by five inch little squares.
She calls them munchkins.
Sweet.

Thank you Lulie!