Late To The Party........

Word of warning.... this post is full of pictures of delicious looking food, so if you are hungry, I
apologize from the start! We spent this past weekend at our friend's lake house. It was a lovely time, lots of food, wine, family time, beach time, sun, good conversation..... It was also a time of discovering a new luxury for me; my friend had a stack of back issues of Food & Wine magazine. I am embarrassed to say I have not read this magazine before!! I can't believe it, I am completely addicted to magazines and this one is right up my alley! It was a perfect accompaniment for sitting on the sand, watching the waves, enjoying the kids having a ball and relaxing. It was also great to look at them while eating my friend's awesome white bean dip with crudite and a chilled glass of white!! Maybe I can coax her to share the recipe with us, it is fabulous! We also spread it on turkey sandwiches for lunch on fresh baked pretzel bread..... awww..... but I digress......
Their slogan is, "Food & Wine, inspiration served daily". I like that. I love the interesting and artfully arranged photos of food also!! The magazine features recipes, cooking tips, travel information, restaurant reviews, information about chefs, wine pairings, cocktail recipes, serving suggestions, photos of people enjoying a get together.......they even had an article about planting a cocktail garden!! Planting herbs and vegetables that go into cocktails. I love to eat, cook and set a table, so my head was swimming in thoughts of fresh ingrediants and turning my kitchen into a testing ground for a whole new list of recipes and ideas!! Setting the atmosphere for a great meal was also on my mind. They have a great website with their recipes, tips and articles archived, http://www.foodandwine.com/. Needless to say, I signed up for a subscription!!


The new object of my affection......

Goat cheese and rosemary stuffed mushrooms, I will be serving these....

A deconstructed shrimp and crab tostada appetizer, I could make a meal of this.....

Delicious looking grilled flatbreads, the flavor combinations are endless....

I want to pull a chair right up and dig in!!!

Strawberry shortcake puffs, how divine......

A fabulous presentation!!!

Of course, we can't forget the wine!!!!

Burgers a la Bobby Flay!!

Ricotta pancakes with orange syrup, I can taste them already!!

Goat cheese pudding, thought this sounded really interesting a combination of sweet and tart. I want to make this!! Love the glasses, they give the source to find them. I will own a set!!

Do you read Food & Wine? I can't believe I'm so late to the party!!

A Few Things On My Radar.......

Below is a list of a few things that I am using a lot lately. Thought I'd share!




Tee shirt dresses. They are one of the most versatile style of dress. You can throw one on with a pair of classic style thong sandals, hoop earrings, big sunglasses and a cool bag and look chic and casual for errands. Use them as a beach cover up. Add a funky belt and platforms for drinks. A long sweater and riding boots take you into fall.... the possibilities are endless!! They are easy to find, almost every manufacturer carries some version. A good wardrobe staple!!

Swarovski Crystal has a lot of cool and chunky cocktail rings. I love them!! They come in a variety of shapes and colors. They add a bit of fun sparkle to evening attire.

I use Burt's Bees lip shimmers a lot. They come in a variety of colors. They are very inexpensive, are widely available and leave a nice shine and minty taste on your lips!!

I have been carting out the small bowls a lot lately. They are great to have on hand for entertaining. I put dips in them for individual servings, no double dipping!! Put nuts or snacks in them that people can pick up and move around with. Single scoops of ice cream.... You get the picture!!

T.J. Maxx re usable shopping bags!! They are 99 cents each, come in cool patterns and are great for taking to the pool or beach; they hold a lot of towels and are wipeable if they get water or sand in them. I also use them for carrying samples to client's.

I love One Minute Manicure!! It has a scrubbing salt and nice oils. You rub all over your hands and rinse, it leaves them soft and smooth. It is especially great in the winter!! I like the original mint, but it comes in a variety of scents. It is available on line and in most salons.

L'Occitane is a long time favorite of mine!! I love their soaps and lotions, but have been burning the candles a lot lately. My favorite scents are clementine and verbena. They are in a handy tin and easily portable. I think they make great gifts too. A beautiful scented candle, a glass of wine and a great design book is a little luxury to me!!

What are some things that you find yourself using over and over? Sharing things you like is a fun luxury!!

A Random Photo and a Post.......

I found this photo at Canadian House and Home. I like it. I like the composition. I like the older distressed look of the mirror frame contrasted against the white, sculptural table lamp. I like the mix of the feminine roses and pale hues contrasted with the more masculine box and brass trinket with the number 22 (not sure what to call it). I like that the vignette seems to tell a story, where is the plate from, what does the 22 represent, why the choice of books, were they special to the owner at one time? I like the pale aquas mixed with the browns, that color combination is found in several areas of my home. I like the subtle reflection of wallpaper from the room in the mirror.

This got me thinking about choices that we make to represent ourselves. Ever since I was a young girl I was fascinated by what people chose for themselves. Their clothes, their shoes, their personal belongings, their hairstyle...... There are thousands of choices out there, why do we gravitate to some and steer away from others? I still am fascinated to this day with personal style choices, that is why I do what I do. I not only love design, but I love helping somebody bring the things and the style they love into their home; a home is a reflection of self. I went shopping yesterday, there were several women in the store with me, we were all choosing different items and styles of clothing to try on. There were hundreds of choices. Why did we each choose different items? Was it price point, body style, comfort level, influence from childhood, influence from friends, influence from fashion magazines? These things fascinate me!! That's why I love the idea of design journaling ( see my post from June 24). You can keep track of your influences.
The beauty of it is that there is choice!! Maybe at times too much. We are able to play it safe within our comfort level or be daring and mix it up!! We can mix vintage and modern, old and new, different styles, colors, textures.... The possibilities are endless!! The key is to have fun with design and fashion. A lot of people impose rules on what to do, what is right and wrong, what height to hang things at, how to place accessories..... so much that most people become frozen before trying something new thinking about all the things they could do wrong!! Most of the time these are not rules, but suggestions on how to start; to me that is the best way to look at things. What better luxury is there then to jump in feet first and see where your inspiration will take you?

I would love to hear your comments!!

A Virtual Escape!!!

Today is not going as I planned..... so I am going to take a virtual trip for the day!! I love museums and London is full of them. I would need months to tour all of them, which I would love to do!! I love any kind of museum!! I love old houses, seeing how people used to live, I love art, architecture, design, old tools, furniture...., basically put together a museum of well appointed items and I'll come!!

First, what to wear?


I will be carrying this Lanvin clutch...


I will be wearing this Alexander McQueen dress, the color would be divine on me........

I will be wearing these Loubitans; I think the color would be perfect with the dress!! Impractical for walking around London, you say? Hey it's my fantasy, plus my virtual tour comes with my own virtual driver.

I will visit Freud's house, I need a few minutes on that couch .....

The Design Museum........

Darwin's House, see where he figured it all out.....

The Danson House.......

Gaze up in awe at the Chihuly hanging in the Rotunda of the Victoria and Albert......

The Fashion and Textile Museum.......

The Tate Modern, love the repurposed architecture.....

When I have taken it all in I will dine in the private dining room of The River Cafe with some fabulous guests.......

I will retire to my sophisticated suite at The Berkeley with a fine cocktail. I will take advantage of their spa treatments before I virtually fly off in the morning!!

A virtual escape in the middle of a rough day, how luxurious!!! Where would you virtually escape to? What would you do? I have more virtual escapes saved for a later date!!

Comments are appreciated!! I love reading them!!

A Very Simple Sunday Supper.... (say that 5 times fast!!)

I need to preface this post by saying that I am not a very good photographer!! The presentation turns out much better in my head than in the actual photos; with that being said, I am jumping into the post feet first, bad photography and all!! Enjoy!!

My simple Sunday supper; It was a dreary day in my part of the country. The sun wasn't out, it sprinkled on an off. The outdoor activities we had planned were scrapped. My husband and I decided to get some work done (mine was fun, picking colors for a kitchen reno I'm working on!!) We thought about going out for dinner, but decided to stay in because the day had taken on an easy, laid back vibe, having to fix myself up seemed like too much work!! I thought supper should be just as laid back; I decided to doctor up some jarred marinara sauce. I love starting with an already made sauce, there is so much you can do with it!! You can eat it as is but why not add some extra ingredients to it to make it more special? There are lots of things you can add, this is what I did and it was very yummy!!

My mise en place: A can of chopped tomotoes for extra texture. Chopped scallion for a sharp taste. I went to the olive bar at my grocery and selected, gorganzola stuffed olives, garlic stuffed olives, roasted garlic cloves and the sweet little red peppers and cut them into bite sized pieces. Crumbled gorganzola cheese and white wine, some for the sauce, more for the cook!!

I added all the ingredients to the marinara sauce (holding back the cheese) and let it simmer for about an hour. I added the cheese, and a little of the pasta water, just before serving, letting it melt into the hot sauce making it creamy and luxurious!! I served it over whole wheat spaghetti.

The table set very simply to complete the laid back theme. (My daughter's place was set after the photo, she is still using plastic dishes!!)

I served a very simple salad of mixed baby greens, endive for crunch, blanched thin asparagus and dressed simply with red wine vinegar, olive oil and pepper.

The pasta served!!!

Wine, sparkling water, votives and roses of course!!

The pasta was great!! Rich, creamy and very indulgent. We finished up with a scoop of vanilla frozen yogurt and a scoop of raspberry sorbet. Dinner was easy to make, easy to clean up and very satisfying. Starting with an already made ingredient and personalizing it to your taste is an easy way to get a supper on the table that tastes like you spent a lot more time preparing. Afterall, isn't having more time to relax on a Sunday very luxurious?

I love hearing from you!! Comments are appreciated!!

Ingredients For An Easy Breezy Summer Morning....

Starting my day, this Saturday morning, I began to think, "what would make a luxurious Saturday morning?". First and foremost waking up to a clean and tidy house!! The other ingredients follow:

A perfect setting for an outdoor breakfast with a cool breeze and the smell of flowers in the air.....

A large stack of homemade blueberry pancakes......

A large and frothy latte......

Fresh flowers, always.......

A cool, refreshing drink.....

A dip in a beautiful pool....

A peaceful outdoor place to relax and read or nap......

But most importantly, being able to start the weekend off full of great possibilities!!! Have a wonderful, luxurious weekend!!

Write It Down, Make It Happen......

A luxurious life can be defined by many things; some may think it's living a life of leisure in an opulent setting with all the best items money can buy. Some may think that it's having a close knit family , a secure home and a great group of friends. The key is, your luxuries are defined by you. You know what makes you happy, you know what you like to be surrounded with, you know what you like to do and life only becomes luxurious when you are able to define what you want and need and seek those things out. Not just to go after what you think others might want for you or what is popular at the time. The "brass ring" that you grab has to be what you want or you won't be satisfied.

I found a book, while browsing at Barnes and Noble the other day, that is called, "Write It Down, Make It Happen", by Henriette Anne Krauser. It's premise is that setting your intent, focusing on the outcome, being clear about what you want in life can make your dreams come true. It is full of stories of people who have done that and achieved their goals and has simple exercises to help you start. I bought a copy, I am only half way through it, but am really enjoying it. I am a big proponent of journaling, I have posted about design journaling and how that can help you define what you want in your home, how it can help you define your personal style and make it easier to spot it when you see it; this book takes it a step further. It is about setting your goals, seeing them on paper to help you focus and make them a reality. It can be about anything in your life, your relationships, your home, your career; one key component of happiness is being able to know what you want and be in control of how to get it. Only you can make you happy, nobody else can. Others may help enjoy in your happiness, but only you know where that comes from.

I have started writing down goals every morning. What I like most about this is I start the day off full of possibility. That is a really luxurious way to start the day!! There are lots of things I want to achieve, see and do and writing them down keeps me focused and makes me excited about what's to come!! Even writing about problem situations, how you would like the outcome to be, how you think you can control it from your vantage can help you come up with a solution or at least help you control how you can deal with it or make peace with it. Having a truly luxurious life goes beyond material items, it is being able to define your dreams and start living them. I wish you luxury everyday!!

Pear Vanilla Vodka at The Hotel George, How Divine....

The Very Chic Hotel George in Washington, DC

The Bar at the Bistro Bis in The Hotel George

Another view of the Bistro Bis

A meeting room at the hotel, love the decor!!

I was thinking about summertime drinks and reminisced about a wonderful infused vodka that I had at The Hotel George's Bistro Bis bar in Washington, DC. The decor was very hip and sophisticated. As I walked in, I was intrigued by the zinc bar with a large mirror and its very modern and stylish display of the liquors. The other thing to strike me was the huge vats of the infused vodkas that they had sitting on the bar. I chose the pear -vanilla infused vodka. It was served slightly chilled in a martini glass, the liquor was slightly cloudy and the taste had a perfect balance of the pear, vanilla and the vodka. The smell was divine, again an aromatic mix of the pear and vanilla, I wanted to dab it behind my ears!!

I had to try to make this infused concoction on my own!! I knew nothing of infusing vodka and after a few tips from bartenders and a few trials and errors, I came up with a delightful version of my own. This is what I did:

• Get a clean, air tight container large enough to hold the contents of a bottle of vodka.
  
• Place in a pear, peeled, cored and cut into a few pieces


• Place in a vanilla bean that has been washed and cut length wise (I did find that you could use a tbls of pure vanilla extract instead)


• Pour a bottle of vodka over the fruit, make sure it is completely covered. Wash and save the vodka bottle and cap to pour the vodka back in after it's infused.


• Make sure the container is properly sealed and place in a cool dry place for 1-2 weeks, agitating the container daily. The longer you leave the vodka infusing the stronger the flavor. I wanted a strong pear taste, so I left it for 2 weeks.


• After it's infused, line a funnel with cheesecloth or a coffee filter (something to strain the liquid) and pour it into the vodka bottle, seal and refrigerate or put in the freezer.


• Enjoy!!
  

This infused vodka is very good, smooth and silky in texture. It has been awhile since I have made it and I am going to try again soon!! It is very flavorful, so you can savor it in small sips, indulging all the way!!