Hallows’ Eve Libations

The Spellbound Cocktail, courtesy of coco + kelley

Here on the East Coast, Halloween is an especially frightening time, thanks to Frankenstorm.  Many areas are still without power and coastal damage is immense, causing some cities and states to reschedule the holiday altogether. Luckily, Philadelphia was not hit as hard as many other areas, but for me, a quiet night at home still feels like the most fitting way to observe this scarier than usual occasion.

My prescription for a stay-at-home celebration of moderate proportions? A festive drink, a pumpkin-stuffed meal, and a classic scary movie (think The Exorcist, Rosemary’s Baby, Psycho, and the like.) For those without power? Up the creepy-shadows factor with lots of strategically placed candles, substitute a Ouija board (or rounds of monster-themed Scrabble) for the movie, and double up on the drinks. (You've earned it!)

Here are a few of my suggestions for the evening...

Milky Way Martini 

Ginger & Apple & Bourbon

Sherwood Forest Cocktail

Campfire Martini

Blood Orange Manhattan

Ghost in the Graveyard, Screwed-up Screwdriver, 

& Berry Scary Martini

However you decide to celebrate, here's hoping that your Halloween is (safe) and happy! Cheers!

Images: as linked above.

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Affianced

I’m back! I’ll be sharing more about my trip to Paris soon, but today I’m sharing the best part…I got engaged!
It happened on the second night of my trip, when my sweetheart and I were standing together on the Pont Louis Philippe admiring the Seine. Suddenly; he got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. The idea didn't catch me off guard, (we've been together five years), but the moment did. I looked at him with surprise, the ring with delight, and then proceeded to cry and put the ring on my finger without ever answering him! Eventually, I got it together enough to say “yes,” to the man who has always treated me as if I’m nothing less than extraordinary…

Image: designRlife

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Maison de Verre, Part I

Maison de Verre - The Best House in Paris

One of things I’m beyond excited about with my upcoming trip to Paris is the chance to tour the modernist masterpiece, La Maison de Verre. Are you familiar with it? I read this New York Times article about this great work about a year ago, and became instantly intrigued. 

Pierre Chareau - Maison de Verre from Not Made TV on Vimeo.

From there, I stumbled upon this captivating video, (narrated by a woman with a lovely French accent, of course), and feel in love. I decided to use this fascinating work of architecture as the precedent for my thesis project and studied it down to the last detail.  Over and over again, I was struck by the meticulous care and thought with which it was designed, and the sheer poetic awe it inspired in those that had the privilege to experience it in person.

The Maison de Verre is a private home and as such, is not open to the public. But Robert Rubin, its current owner, is an architectural historian who seems to have a soft spot for others that share his passion and vocation. To that end, limited 10-person tours are offered on Thursdays alone, and open only to those in architecture and related fields. Thankfully, the stars have aligned for yours truly, and through luck (i.e. two cancellations) and a shiny new degree in interior design, I will be visiting the Maison de Verre in person next week. Whoo-hoo!!

(Stay tuned for a full report - Maison de Verre, Part II :) 

Images: 1, 2, 3

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Foodie Friday 10.7.12

Savory Spring Onion and Pancetta Waffles

Ok, so maybe it's Sunday, and not Friday, but...  Two years ago I had the insane desire to make savory waffles. I searched everywhere for recipes, but couldn't find much of anything on the salty side of sweet to inspire me. Until now. When I came across Salted & Styled's recipe for Savory Spring Onion and Pancetta Waffles, I knew that this was the pocketed wonder that would launch my savory waffle sojourn. Rich, salty Italian bacon, fresh green onions and dollops of maple butter... Seriously?? 

Yep, I'm making this one tonight!

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Here's to Hue - Orange & Gray

One of my favorite spaces, the Dior Suite at The St.Regis New York, as featured in my recent post for Apartment Therapy. You can see the rest of my picks for inspiring orange and gray rooms here, if you'd like...

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Bonjour, Merci, Mon Chéri

Our first Christmas together, my sweetheart gave me two guide books, one for Paris and one for Venice, and said, "pick one". My first reaction was delight (naturally)! My second was, "how will I ever choose??"

To understand where I was coming from, I need to take you back to a few years. First, to my years as an undergrad, when I switched majors and gleefully discovered that my new major had a language requirement. (Crazy, I know.) But I'd always wanted to learn Italian, and now I had the chance. I threw myself into my language classes (well, as much as one can when carrying a full load and working full-time), and by the time a graduated, I was dreaming in Italian.

Fast forward (a few) years. I'm living on the East Coast, in Philadelphia, working as a buyer for Anthropologie. Europe is closer than it's ever been for this California native, and my life has begun to feel, well, more French. Something about the insanely creative people with whom I work, the architecture of my new city, the water... who knows? But suddenly, I'm daydreaming en français. 

I met my sweetheart while deep in my love affair with France, but still with a soft spot for my first love, Italy. Unfortunately, soon after we met, I also started grad school and life, (as it does) got in the way of travelling. Thankfully, my better half was not to be deterred, and last Christmas (four years exactly after his initial guide book gift), he announced, "I'm taking you to Paris for graduation." This time there was no second thoughts. Paris it is! (Yippee!!)

All of this is a very long-winded way of saying that I'm going to Paris. In one week. Yikes! For someone who's been wanting to visit the City of Light for so long, I feel oddly unprepared. I haven't learned French, I still need to loose the few extra pounds gained in grad school and I've only half-read all of the books on French life that I've been collecting over the years...

Luckily, my better half has been to Paris before and knows enough French to pass himself off as an uncertain Canadian (maybe). And I have my blogs...

There's Prêt à Voyager’s ultimate guide to Paris,

David Lebovitz's gastro-intensive advice on where to eat (complete with dining and etiquette tips),

(Not to mention his pastry app for finding the best pastries in any part of the city!), 

Little Brown Pen's beautiful visions of everyday life, 

This is Glamorous' guide on what to pack, Paris Perfect's tips on flea market shopping and Oh Happy Day's advice on just about everything.

And even if it rains (which apparently it likes to do in October), I'll still be in Paris! (And I can't wait...!)

Images: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11

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Foodie Friday 9.21.12

Smokey Corn Chowder with Shrimp

With the arrival of Fall and the slight chill in the air, my mind has begun to turn to thoughts of soup. Sadly, I had not prepared for this moment when I went shopping earlier in the week, so when the desire struck, I had to improvise. One such improvisation was to use the above recipe as inspiration for modifying a store-bought can of chicken and wild rice soup. I took some shrimp I had on hand, tossed it in olive oil, salt and pepper and grilled it. I then defrosted some frozen corn, added salt and pepper, and grilled it too. I added both to the canned soup warming on the stove, along a few tablespoons of milk, and finished it all off with a liberal amount of paprika and (more) pepper. Voila! Chicken and rice soup that was so much more... (Next time, I'll planned ahead and try the soup recipe above. Still, it's nice to know what I can pull together in a pinch!)

Below are some more recipes I've made or am looking forward to trying this Fall...

Mexican lime Soup with Chicken and Avocado

Creamy Asparagus Soup with Poached Egg on Toast

Caprese Soup

Caprese salad is one of my favorites in the summer. I love the idea here of extending the season a bit longer with a cheesy, tomato-y version of French onion soup.

English Onion Soup with Sage and Cheddar

Speaking of French onion soup, this was my other go-to for an unplanned soup week, and I again used what I had on hand. In this case, it was Trader Joe's French Onion Soup from the freezer. Have you ever tried it? Not too shabby for those times when you're feeling to lazy to make soup from scratch. (I know it's crazy, but years ago I bought two ramekins exactly the right size for baking this soup - 4"dia., 2 1/2" h. I've never regretted it.)

Again, next time, I'm trying this English Cheddar Soup from chef Jaime Oliver. (I love the idea of adding sage and cheddar!) 

Chicken Provencal Stoup

This is one of my tried and true staples of Fall (and winter), and I've been making to rave reviews for years. The olive tapenade absolutely makes the dish, (although the Herbs de Provence don't hurt either)!

Artichoke Soup, Crispy Salami, Lemon Parsley Quinoa

Tuscan Bean Soup

They all look so good, don't they??

What's your favorite soup for Fall? 

Images as linked above, except 6

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Dibs! (The Sofa Edition)

This edition of Dibs! is all about sofas; beautiful, way beyond my means, sofas! These are the davenports I dream of...the ones that make me drool all over my keyboard and pinch myself awake. They are the statement pieces that make a room and the workhorses that quietly gloat in their vintage-y supremacy.

One day, I tell myself. One day...

Rosewood Case Sofa by Milo Baughman

That rosewood is to die for! The mocha velvet's pretty yummy too...this one may be my favorite.

Adrian Pearsall  Sculptural Sofa

The first of (three!) Adrian Pearsall's on the list. This one is so sleek and so low that I may have no choice but to perch on its edge and daintily sip a martini.

Burled Sofa By Milo Baughman

Oh, Milo...! Another designer that made the list more than once, this crushed velvet sofa has a burled wood frame and lofty chrome legs. Unlike the one before it, this two-seater makes me want to snuggle in with a good book.

Danish Tufted Leather Sofa

Tufted olive leather battered to time-worn perfection. So versatile, so lovely.

Adrian Pearsall Sculpted Sofa

The second Adrian Pearsall on the list, this sofa's luscious blue hue stopped me cold in my tracks.

Danish Teak & Leather Sofa

I'm not normally a big fan of black leather sofas. Unless...unless, they're vintage and the perfectly broken-in leather is mixed with warm wood, like this one...

Danish Upholstered Ocher Sofa

At 100" in length, this sofa seems longer than it is. But looking at it, I have the urge to try and see how many friends I can cram on it all at once (just for fun).

PK31/3 Seat Sofa by Poul Kjaerholm

Another leather sofa - this one in cognac, by the understated craftsman Poul Kjaerholm. Love it!

Adrian Pearsall Sofa

The final Adrian Pearsall sofa on my list. This one looks like it could easily tip over if you sat on it. But it's so sculptural  and so impossibly cool, that I just had to include it.

Black Velvet and Solid Rosewood Sofa

Though this velvet sofa is a contemporary custom piece, I love the interpretation of vintage elements in its overall design.

Milo Baughman Chrome Sofa

Milo is back! This time with an elegant chrome and (silk?) sofa that just screams retro glamour.

Frits Henningsen Sofa

A mahogany and navy wool masterpiece, this 1940's Danish sofa by Frits Henningsen may be my second favorite piece. It's a bit straight-laced, but I just love the way the wood frame cradles the cushions at the front.

Do you have a favorite? Which one makes your heart beat a little faster, just looking at it?

Images: as linked above

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My Mad Men Fix

I don't know about you, but I find the amount of time that elapses between Mad Men seasons to be almost unbearable. Why must we wait so long for each one? Doesn't Matthew Weiner know we need our fix?  Thankfully, others are willing to step in and take up the cause when Weiner won't. And what better way than with a video of all of our favorite cast members performing Rick Astley's "Never Gonna Give You Up"? Seriously, I ask you - what better way??

via

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Foodie Friday 9.14.12

Broiled Asparagus, a Poached Egg, and Charred Spring Onion and Garlic over Grits

It's kind of crazy, but I never really starting cooking eggs until about five years ago. In all my years growing up, I would avoid them. I was ok with hard-boiled eggs and deviled eggs, but if I was going to eat them scrambled, someone else was going to have to make them, and there had better be a lot of other stuff scrambled in with them. When I went out for breakfast or brunch, I would usually order one of the sweet options - waffles, french toast or pancakes. 

That all changed early on in my relationship, when my boyfriend started making me his favorite scramble - eggs, sausage, polenta and Parmesan cheese. It wasn't fancy, but it was made with love, and soon I found my view on eggs changing. So much so in fact, that I began to bookmark recipes and make them myself. 

Here are a few that I've made or am anxious to try...

Croque Madame French Toast Cups

A middle ground of sorts, this Croque Madam combines my old favorite, french toast, with salty ham, Gruyère and a baked egg. How can that not be good?

Caprese Eggs Benedict

In general, I'm a big fan of eggs benedict, and to this day, it's the only egg dish I'll order with any regularity at a restaurant. This caprese version, with basil and tomato, looks delicious. 

Shakshuka (Eggs Poached in Spicy Tomato Sauce)

I'm intrigued by the idea of poaching eggs in tomato sauce, and am dying to try this dish. The flavors sound amazing.

The Spanglish Sandwich

Created by Thomas Keller, this recipe was developed specifically for Adam Sandler in the movie Spanglish. It's like a BLT with egg and cheese. Yummy!

Avocado Toast with Poached Egg

I've posted before about my love for avocado toast, but this version takes it to a whole new level with the addition of cilantro and a poached egg.

What's your relationship with eggs like? Are you a longtime lover? Or, are you like me, still in the honeymoon phase with this delightful protein?

Images as linked above

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