Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Food & Fashion

Loving the accompanying blog to Coterie called Ill Seen, Ill Said and anytime you can incorporate food and fashion, I'm happy.


Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Coterie


This online shop carries exactly what I would choose if I were to curate my own lovely shop.  The scarves, cutting boards and ceramics are so beautiful.
See for yourself: coterie-shop.com




Friday, August 26, 2011

Not Without Salt

I have found the prettiest new food blog for you all to follow.  I found Not Without Salt while I was cruising around Punchfork while doing a write up for Chow Bella.

I'm totally smitten.



And check out the recipe for Tomatoes with Vanilla and Mint.  I am going to gather up the ingredients this week for sure.



The Beachette

Have you seen this car?  So cute it hurts, right?  Wicker seats, c'mon! It's called the beachette and you'd probably need to travel back in time to get your hands on one but a girl can dream, can't she?



Thursday, August 25, 2011

Watermelon Pizza

I'm totally doing this with my next watermelon.  So so smart Lottie + Doof.


Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Fresh Ricotta Recipe "Easy Cheese"


Last week, my kids and I decided to whip up a batch of fresh ricotta cheese.  I knew it was easy and had read many recipes but hadn't finally taken the plunge.  Well, it's almost too easy I'm afraid to admit.  It's a fun activity in learning how much milk is required in making a particular quantity of cheese.  We halved and simplified a recipe and used 1 quart of milk which we brought to a boil with a pinch of salt.   We then turned down the heat to simmer and poured in 2 tablespoons of acid (we used lemon juice).  You stir a few minutes to look for the milk to curdle and separate into curds and whey.  Pour the hot milk over a strainer lined with cheese cloth, let sit 20 minutes and refrigerate.  It's satisfyingly fresh tasting and perfect spread on toast with jam.  Loved it, it's fast, it's delicious - we'll be doing it again.

Monday, August 22, 2011

Lockwood Table


I am just now finding time to sit and look through all the pictures I've taken over the last few months.  Summer is still happening for us since P's preschool doesn't start until the first week of September.  We've been so happily busy with playing around the house, me keeping up with my work responsibilities and trying to squeeze in some fun down time on the weekends with Sean.

I had wanted to share this restaurant with you when we were still in San Diego this summer but of course, time gets away.  But, if ever you find yourself in Solana Beach on Cedros and your stomach is rumbling.  Please do yourself a favor and check out Lockwood Table.  It's sort of hidden in the back of one of the shopping outlets toward the south part of the street but it's darling and I really enjoyed the food.  Service hopefully will work itself out a bit better but it was simple hearty locally sourced food that felt very fancy and easy at the same time.

I had noticed on our visit that they used some pretty chic hard plastic outdoor glassware that I luckily found at Crate and Barrel Outlet at the Carlsbad Outlet Mall - I picked up 14 of them and have been using them ever since.

Another cute touch there was the table water presented in sleek glass with white bottle stopper that I have since found at Ikea here in Phoenix - got one of those now - and have used to store our watermelon juice supply that we make with all the huge sweet watermelon from Crooked Sky.

I can't remember exactly what we ordered, but the kids and I shared the above hummus plate with roasted red peppers and bread, and the pressed turkey sandwich with lentil salad.  Simple and satisfying. Photo by Moi.

Oh, and if you have time, the Solo and Bixby and Ball shops are so fun to shuffle through.  Great ideas to steal for your home.

Sunday, August 21, 2011

Punchfork

Have you heard of this recipe aggregator - Punchfork?  It's one that I'll probably use for some of my Chow Bella posts.  It searches the top recipes in the social media world...

It's sort of like pinterest for the food porn world.  Pretty neat.  What do you think?  Would you use it to get inspired for recipes?


The Green Album



In love with this.  It's all your favorite bands playing tunes you used to listen to as a kid.  It's the Muppets Green Album.  You'll fall head over heels because it's already familiar but it has a uniqueness to it.  

My Morning Jacket, Alkaline Trio, OK Go, Weezer...

Tell me you don't love it:




Saturday, August 20, 2011

Walkabout

I have finally gotten a chance to jump onto my computer to tell you about an amazing little movie I stumbled upon last night.  Since not having cable, our family has resorted to kids movies on repeat (we have a lot, so it's not too bad) and Netflix or Hulu movies.  I've been trying to sort through the Criterion Collection to find some of the gems that speak to me and I found an Australian movie called Walkabout from 1971.

The images are all spectacular.  Every single one.  The beginning is a bit startling and gruesome but the entire movie is a journey in survival, communication and many symbolic visuals all set within the Australian outback.  A young woman (maybe high school age) and her younger brother (probably about 5 or 6) find themselves abandoned in the outback and are left to fend for themselves and find their way home.

It's an absolutely outstanding movie.  I highly highly recommend it - engaging, thought-provoking and beautiful.  Here are some of the spectacular screen shots you'll see if you seek it out:







Thursday, August 11, 2011

Lottie + Doof » Baked Oatmeal


One of my friends shared this on facebook as she's "got breakfast done for the week."  

Of course, isn't this the perfect cook-ahead breakfast.  The sugary sweet crust makes it sound so delectable for such a healthful dish.  



Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Urban Farming in the Desert

Amaranth Greens/Callaloo


Lone bloom on a very hot hollyhock


Rows of hot and sweet peppers



Japanese eggplant

Sunflowers and a farm implement


I took the kids to the farm for our weekly visit and the overcast skies were made everything slow and sleepy.  Gretchen decided to take an early nap in the car while I jumped out to take pictures.  I happened to get careless in my flip flops as I tromped through the concrete hard rows that I fell and "busted my bucket" as my father (and now my son) will tell you.  All is well but I hope to wake up without any physical evidence - pain or bruising.  I must remember to wear more sensible shoes.

Willy Wonka Birthday Cake

Apartment Therapy shared this fun cake from The Kitchen Magpie.  Isn't that such a great blog name? It's descriptive and sassy.  I love the idea of this Kit Kat candy cake since I'm less of a cake person than I am pies and other such sweets.  I would absolutely serve this at a birthday party - maybe once my 1 year old can eat Runts without choking.


Monday, August 8, 2011

Blood Bones and Butter and Amaranth Greens

I'm listening to Gabrielle Hamilton's Blood Bones and Butter on my iphone via Audible.com and am loving it so much that I don't want to pull my ear buds out and go to bed.

It's rough and fun and interesting and all about food and finding your way.  It's very creative and sassy and smart and it looks at the "realness" of your life decisions and relationships and I'm just loving it.



Check it out.  There are excerpts on the book's site.

I had to pause listening while I was writing my In Season post on Amaranth Greens/Quelites/Callaloo for Chow Bella.  But I'm dying to start it up.  It's midnight which is when I turn into a pumpkin.  Especially if Gretchen might decide to wake up at 7 tomorrow.  Hopefully not.  Pulling the ear buds out now and heading for a hopefully longish slumber tonight.  Hope you all have a great week!

Here's a sneak preview pic from the Callaloo post this week.  Preeeeety!


Saturday, August 6, 2011

Just like a Midwestern winter

My daughter and I are trying to entertain ourselves indoors while the boys went out to watch the new Smurfs movie.

So far, we've watched a part of a movie, danced to most of one of Patrick's Music Together CDs and loaded and unloaded a tennis ball canister about 19 times.

I'm really craving an iced coffee and want to leave the house to get one but it's not worth the pain to get it.

Maybe we'll go make some cookies (eggless) so we can sample the dough.

Update: We made the cookies and they were divine!  We baked off 6 of them and saved the rest portioned out in pre-baked cookie sizes in the freezer.  I apologize for the less-then-lovely pic I had originally posted. I was trying out a new iphone blogging app and as of yet, I'm not sure if I love it or not.  I'm trying to be more efficient and frequent on my posts here.  Any suggestions?

Here is a lovely picture from this summer.  My husband took this of my daughter and me while we were at the Midway Museum in San Diego.  It was a perfect day.  It's also the new profile pic if you didn't notice.





Friday, August 5, 2011

pennant escort cards and table numbers

Wouldn't these be so sweet for a shower or ladies brunch? It makes me imagine what my grandmother might have done to decorate her home for her ladies' bridge club meetings.



Thursday, August 4, 2011

Balboa Park

If you are in need of a play place for the kids (old and young) and have no where else to go...go to Balboa Park. We always love the carousel and walking the park. My dad has been riding this same carousel since he was a kid more then 50 years ago.


The Arts and Crafts area is another favorite. Every where you turn it's something magical.
It's a bit like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz but more of a rainbow brick road.



Monday, August 1, 2011

San Diego Trip: Part One


I'm finally getting around to posting some of my pictures from the delicously long vacation in San Diego this summer.
We've been back a week after being gone for a month and I'm still playing catch up on tidying the house and backyard and we'll get there...but I'm not back to speed yet.
I'm looking forward to visiting Frank at the farm tomorrow to get caught up there but I'm hoping we can escape the heat in one of the trailers with A/C since it's been stinking muggy hot here and my little ones don't like being out in it too long without a dunk in some water. The farm is swimming in dirt. Maybe we'll grab a cold drink on the way home.
Back to the vaca...I loved our once or twice daily cruises along the 101.
I loved being able to to visit my favorite coffee spot in the world (I haven't been to many) - the Leucadia Pannikin. I met my dear friend Jenny for mochas (pictured above) and we noticed around the corner there was a sign offering art camp out of someone's home - that's so Leucadia. Love it there.


I will be sharing more about my trip as I'm able to steal away some time from my mommying, Chow Bella blogging and Crooked Sky Farming. It's a full schedule but I'm intending to tend to this blog a bit more as school approaches and I can give it the love and attention it deserves.
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