Map Embed Test
Filed under Uncategorized
a simple, delicious, and refreshing summer treat
I recently discovered an awesome new recipe that is a simple twist on an old standby… ice cream. Everyone always loves ice cream, especially in the summer, right?! Well, I found this great variation via The Kitchn. It calls for layers of lemon zest, olive oil and sea salt between layers of ice cream. What is great about this recipe is that it is so versatile. You can use frozen yogurt or change up the toppings to suit your taste. You can make it a winter treat by using cinnamon, nutmeg, berries or vanilla extract. Think of herbs, spices, citrus, or fruits. Also, it’s gluten free! Another great option is to use some balsamic vinegar between the layers. However, my favorite so far is the combination of olive oil, sea salt and lemon zest with vanilla ice cream! I made this when my mom was in town over the Easter weekend as a post brunch dessert, and it was such a hit! What makes this perfect for parties is that you can make it in advance and just pull it out of the freezer when you are ready to serve. I served them in tiny mason jars which held a good amount for a single serving. I cannot wait to try out some different variations on these.
Filed under Celebrating, Diet
on the web: of a kind
Of A Kind is a fashion website that features limited edition products and stories from the emerging fashion designers behind the products. The site’s tagline is “Know and Own” – which is exactly what the site sets out to do. It presents interviews with up and coming talent about the artists’ process and products, and then offers a limited quantity of each product for sale over the site (think Gilt). I love the idea behind this site, because I love supporting local emerging talent. For example, when I go shopping in my neighborhood, I always prefer the small independent boutique stores. This is the same thinking. Although this talent isn’t exactly local, it’s emerging, which is great! It’s also a great way to spot new talent and score some pieces before everyone else jumps on the bandwagon.
Check out an interview with the women behind the site about why they started the site and wanted to make online shopping a more personal experience.
Double Arrow Necklace by BRVTVS from Of A Kind
Capri Necklace by Gemma Redux from Of A Kind
Denim and Leather Max Jacket by Veda
Filed under Art, Design, Fashion, On the Web, Trending
where to find great art
Animal Locomotion from 20x200
In my opinion, one of the most important parts of creating a home is choosing what to display. An edited eye is key to this process, as the best spaces are those that have been carefully curated and display only pieces that contribute to the overall theme of the space. This means that not everything you own should be put in a frame and hung on a wall. Be selective about it. On the flip side though, I definitely think it is important to show your walls some love and decorate them! Every now and then I will see a space with blank walls that pulls off the clean modern look, but most of the time it just looks empty. I personally love to pick up a piece of art every time I travel, so my walls are a tribute to the places I have been. Art is everywhere, and it does not necessarily have to be expensive either. There are so many great sources out there, so whatever you chose to collect, invest in some key pieces and (don’t leave out this step!) invest in some quality framing! How you choose to present the piece (i.e. whether it is framed and the type of frame) is just as important as the piece itself.
Do you have empty walls in need of some TLC? If so, check out these great resources! 20×200 is one of my favorites. It started in 2007 based on the idea of bringing affordable limited editions to the masses. I highly recommend visiting this site for all your art needs! Canvas & Canvas is another great resource that sells original hand painted pieces by its own artists and produces only 99 pieces of each design, and wait for it… presents it on stretched canvas! Worthwhisland functions more as an affordable online gallery, while Exhibition A is a members only (think Gilt) gallery exhibiting established contemporary artwork. Also Luster is an online photographic gallery, and Buy Some Damn Art is a limited edition gallery that updates a new show each week. Don’t forget about Etsy either. There is SO much amazing stuff on Etsy. Two of my favorite shops are EyePoetryPhotography which features some of the most beautifully whimsical and romantic photos inspired by travel and nature and also TinyFawn which offers the most adorable animal featured prints (great for kids rooms!).
Linus Bear Print from TinyFawn on Etsy
Filed under Art, Design, Uncategorized
lines i love: mara hoffman, the queen of prints
Even if you have not heard her name, you have probably seen her work. Mara Hoffman is a fashion designer based out of New York who produces some of the best prints around. Each season, she reinterprets her work in a new and fresh way. Inspired by travels and by nature, Hoffman mixes geometric shapes with tribal elements and vibrant colors to create some really fresh designs. I have always been a fan of her maxi dresses, but this season I am totally loving her swimwear! Not only does her swimwear line incorporate some awesome prints and beading, but she really mixes up the shapes as well. I cannot wait to sport one of these at the pool in a few months! Check our some of her fashions at Les Pommettes, Sirene, and Bona Drag.
One Piece Swimsuit from Saks
V Wire Bikini from Revolve
Two Piece Bead Detail Swimsuit from Saks
Filed under Fashion, Lines I Love, Uncategorized
The Joy of Dining
Last week, in between meetings and phone calls while at work, I took a moment to check my inbox. Usually I quickly browse through my emails mentally noting whether something warrants more than a second to read, whether I should trash it, or whether I should star and save for later. It’s a quick process and unfortunately most emails receive only a perfunctory review. However, while I was quickly browsing over an email from The Kitchn (which usually provides some stellar recipes), I was swept away with a wonderful post written by Sara Kate Gillingham-Ryan, the heart and soul of the blog (amazingly, her husband is Maxwell, the founder of Apartment Therapy). Not only is it beautifully and poetically written, but it really reminded me of the importance of enjoying the ritual of dining. When my boyfriend and I sit down for dinner, often times right in front of the television, we rarely take advantage of the opportunity to reflect on the food we are eating or on the day that we have had or just on the opportunity to be together. These days, dining is rarely seen as a distraction free environment. However, reading Sara Kate’s post reminded me that I should not only take those moments and enjoy them for their simplicity, but also, to respect the physical space of dining. Our “dining table” is hardly that. Usually it’s filled with paper work or books. Currently it is housing my seedlings. However it is hard to refute the correlation between where you eat and the amount of distractions you face while eating. I know some nights we are just happy to throw together a quick meal and plop down. However I hope at those times I can remember to take the opportunity to sit distraction free and enjoy the company of those that I am with.
Filed under Celebrating, Design, Uncategorized
Bedside Lamps: A twist on a classic MCM piece
One of the last rooms in my apartment that really needs some TLC is the bedroom. So far, that has definitely been the most deprived. The main issue is that the furniture needs to be updated ASAP! We have started looking at new headboards, dressers, side tables, but haven’t pulled the trigger on anything yet. Eventually, we will also need to update our bedside lamps. So far one of the best lamps I have come across is a mid century inspired arch table lamp. It’s a take on the classic arch floor lamp but reduced to a mini table lamp size. It is still classic and streamlined and would be a beautiful addition to a bedroom. It’s available at Dwell Studio and Jayson Home.
Filed under Design
Trending: Jazz up your Camera
The Tokyo Dreamer camera strap
We recently purchased a new camera which has been awesome! However, of course, with a camera comes the batteries, bag, lenses, etc. Those accessories are boring but necessary I guess. I’m thinking a great way to personalize my camera would be to spice it up with a fashionable camera strap! Sarah Francis Kuhn has an eponymous collection which includes some really chic and functional stapes or if you prefer a simple classic leather strap check out Wood and Faulk. The one I have added to my wish list however is the Tokyo Dreamer camera strap from Photojojo. It comes in three colors and is clean and simple with just the right amount of pop.
Sarah Francis Kuhn camera strap
Wood and Faulk camera strap
Delicious Almond Macaroons / Almond Cookies
While I was in Morocco a few months ago, I attended a cooking class in Fes. Over the course of about 7 hours, we made a chicken pastilla, harira soup, beet salad, and almond macaroons. Everything was so delicious, however the macaroons were heavenly! We bought fresh almonds, boiled them, took their skins off, and then had them ground into a paste by the local baker who had a huge food processor / grinder. Then we made them into macaroons with the following recipe:
- 160 grams fine semolina
- 4 eggs
- 250 grams powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup melted butter
- lemon zest
Preheat oven to 350 F (175 C). Beat eggs with the sugar. Add butter, oil, baking powder and lemon zest. Mix well. Stir in the almonds. Add the semolina and mix to make a moist, crumbly dough which is firm enough to shape into balls. Wet hands (in Morocco we used orange flower water to keep hands moist which left a subtle orange taste) and take enough dough to roll a small ball. Squeeze the dough and then form a ball. Flatten it slightly to form a thick disc. Roll the disc in powdered sugar and place onto a lightly oiled baking tray. Bake the cookies for about 20 minutes or until golden brown.. Transfer the cookies to racks to cool.
I recently tried recreating this recipe at home. I substituted flour for the semolina. I made my own almond paste by processing almonds and adding some sugar, but I also bought some pre made almond paste which I added. The texture to aim for is almost like marzipan. I made a rookie mistake however and set the oven to 175 F (I failed to convert the 175 degrees Celsius to Fahrenheit). Once I noticed that the dough was not crisp enough, I increased the temperature slightly, but I was still unable to recreate the crispiness of the macaroons I had in Morocco. Mine turned out more like cookies instead of macaroons, but even though the texture didn’t quite work out, they were still so delicious! They lasted maybe a day and a half before they were all eaten. If you try out the recipe, let me know how yours turned out!
Naturally Dyed Easter Eggs
I know this is after the fact, but I wanted to share some pictures of how my Easter eggs turned out. My mother came into town, and we tried a new method of egg dying, which I had come across both in Remodelista and in The Kitchn. I know there are a zillion different ways to decorate Easter eggs, but I really liked the idea of using natural dyes from vegetable scraps. We decided to use yellow onion skins, red onion skins, beets and carrots. We first boiled water in separate pots and then added the vegetable scraps and simmered for about 15 minutes. We eventually threw out some of the water, so that the color was more concentrated. Then we cooled the dyed water until it was room temperature. We used rubber bands to create patterns on the eggs. Finally, we added the eggs and set in the refrigerator overnight. I love how natural and rustic the colors turned out. Next year, I think I want to try natural dyes from flowers!
Filed under Celebrating, Design, Diet
collected and curated 
