5 Crown Kabinky

Flour Bakery's Intense Chocolate Brownies

2012-01-23T13:00:00.004-05:00

For Christmas, Steven gave me the cookbook from one of my favorite places to eat in Cambridge: Flour Bakery + Cafe.

Their roast chicken, avocado and jicama sandwich singlehandedly torpedoed my efforts to save money by bringing lunch from home...but in my defense, it was one of the few lunch foods that appealed to me during the first trimester of my pregnancy.

So we'll just refer to that as a medical expense. Fair's fair.

Anyways, I have my heart set on working my way through the cookbook and I decided to start with another nail in my bring-lunch-from-home coffin, their intense chocolate brownies. These are definitely worth the effort and I'll certainly be making them again. I've decided that I should pull them out of the oven a couple minutes earlier, though, to ensure that I've got the perfect brownie. Flour's owner, Joanne Chang, shares her thoughts on the perfect brownie in the cookbook, indicating that if she wants fudge, she'll eat fudge. And if she wants chocolate cake, she'll eat chocolate cake. The perfect brownie needs to live somewhere in between.

I wholeheartedly agree.

P.S.-You can get the Flour Cookbook HERE.

P.P.S.-While linking to Flour's website I discovered that there is a 2nd cookbook, called Flour Power, in the works! Looks like a broader set of recipes--soups, sandwiches, etc. Can't wait to give it a gander...

Inspiration: Kitchen

2012-01-17T07:00:00.014-05:00

As I mentioned in my last post, we are planning a major overhaul of the kitchen starting this May. MAJOR overhaul...down to the studs, new wiring, structural changes, the works. It's daunting and it will probably take us a couple years to complete, but it's also really really really exciting.

Here are some of my favorite inspiration pics...

While I like elements of all of these kitchens, I think the 5th picture down is closest to what we're planning. White cabinets, dark countertops, big window centered on the back wall...

Oh, and although we refer to it as "the kitchen renovation", the project also includes the adjoining sunroom. We're thinking that the new version will include a casual dining area, probably featuring built in banquette seating...

and hopefully some accommodations for plants...

as well as a little "entryway" station to keep things organized...

That's the plan, anyway!

Baked Oatmeal a la Liberty Hill Farm

2012-01-14T14:00:00.002-05:00

*dry ingredients*

One of my favorite activities these days is to fantasize about what I'm going to do when I am done with chemo and *hopefully hopefully hopefully* cancer free. (It almost makes me nervous to say that, like I'm going to jinx it or something. But that is the goal of all these treatments, right?)

Anyways, we've already planned a chemo-is-over!-time-to-catch-your-breath weekend getaway HERE in March; and we've decided that, come hell or high water, we are starting Phase I of a daunting and exciting kitchen renovation this May. But the "when I'm healthy" fantasies can be much more mundane...go for a hike, take Alena to the aquarium, have a picnic on the beach.

*sigh* I cannot WAIT for those days.

While daydreaming and surfing (do people still say that?) the interweb for all things fabulous & fantastical, I came across the Liberty Hill Farm in Vermont. It looks like a great place for a rejuvenating weekend in the country and I love that they fully embrace the farm-to-table/agritourism thing.

I got so caught up in reading about (drooling over) their hearty country fare that I had to make this month's featured recipe, Baked Oatmeal. It made the house smell wonderful and is exactly the kind of breakfast one wants during a New England winter. Even a mild one like we've been having. Super YUM.

*right before going into the oven*

*and right out of the oven*

I did not manage to get any shots of it plated up...ummm...because we ate it too fast.

Both times I made it.

::blush::

Anyways, here is the LINK to their "meals" page, but just in case the oatmeal recipe gets replaced by a new recipe, I've copied it here:

Beth's Baked Oatmeal

1 1/3 cups oats (must use old-fashioned, steel cut, never use quick oats)
1/4 cup brown sugar or maple sugar
1 apple peeled and diced
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons melted butter
2 cups milk ---- for best flavor and nutrition use whole milk!! ;-)

Stir together in oven proof bowl, Bake at 375 for 45 minutes. Serve in bowls with milk.

P.S.-Just had to do a little woot! woot! regarding the great deal we got on our Maine getaway. I'd been eyeballing the York Harbor Inn as a potential destination, and then it popped up on Groupon...so we got a luxury room for 60% off! And then, around Christmas I received an email from the inn, promoting a 20% off sale on gift certificates...so we're saving on dinner, too! And don't think I haven't already done some serious menu stalking...Yorkshire Lobster Supreme, I've got my eye on you...

Fighting The Good Fight

2012-01-03T07:00:00.000-05:00

Those of you who know me in real life (is anyone else reading?), know that life threw me a bit of a curve ball this past summer...being diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma shortly after having our first baby was not exactly the post-partum experience I had envisioned. However, I am over half way through my chemo treatments and was overjoyed to have a completely clean checkup PET scan last month.

While I'm trying to stay focused on the chemo count down--5 more treatments to go!--I feel like these next couple of months might be the most challenging. My severely impaired immune system, not to mention the less than hospitable weather, has rendered me a virtual shut-in. So in an effort to stay focused...or distracted?...I'll be posting on 5 Crown Kabinky again.

Same general topics--home, garden, kitchen. Maybe a health update here and there, and a peek or two at our little cherub:

Happy New Year!

~LT

Blackberry Peach Crostata

2011-07-15T07:00:00.006-04:00

Loosely based on this Barefoot Contessa recipe and featuring blackberries I found growing behind our garden shed!

DIY Skim Coat: The Magic Trowel

2011-07-13T12:00:00.001-04:00

*Steven rolling on the joint compound in the master bedroom*

As I mentioned previously, Steven did the skim coating of the master bedroom and nursery walls himself. Just like in the downstairs rooms that we renovated last year, these 2 rooms had rough, unfinished horse hair plaster under the wallpaper...but unlike the downstairs, we decided to save money and try to DIY. If it came out less than perfect, so be it.

We did, however, have our plasterer redo the ceilings in the 2 bedrooms--new blue board & plaster--as they were probably going to collapse on our heads within the next couple of years. Signed, Chicken Little

So anyways, Steven did his usual exhaustive research and came across a specialty tool called The Magic Trowel. Despite its rather infomercial-y vibe, the reviews were promising, so we decided to give it a try.

And it works! You basically use a paint roller to apply thinned out joint compound to the wall, then come along with the Magic Trowel and smooth it out. Of course there are some tricks here and there...getting the joint compound to the right consistency and keeping the applied compound & trowel nice and moist, for example...but all in all it's a great tool and Steven did a great job!

*See how smooth the just-troweled section to the right is?*

The 18" trowel costs about 25 bucks, and a 5 gallon bucket of all purpose joint compound is only about $14 at the home improvement stores, so we saved a serious chunk of change (hundreds) by going this route. Not too shabby!

*Freshly skimmed and primed*

Happy 4th of July!

2011-07-04T07:00:00.009-04:00

*My grandmother's flag cake*

I hope everyone is enjoying the long holiday weekend! Hopefully it's filled with good things like BBQs, fireworks, sunshine, swimming, and good company. Here are some other good things on my radar lately...

...a cute accessory for the bathroom

(Steven's commentary when he vetoed it: "What, do we own a McD's in London or something?")

...stumped on what to read next? get suggestions HERE.

...deep dish cookies

...i would love to have a great outdoor living area directly behind the house one day.

...Maine, i miss you.

...no bake cookies are so simple that it's easy to overlook them. until you get a wild & desperate hankering for them as i did last weekend.

Happy 4th!

S'mores Cupcakes

2011-07-01T07:00:00.010-04:00

One of many nice things about being on pre-maternity leave is having the opportunity to play housewife and surprise Steven with something special from the kitchen when he gets home. Sometimes the surprise is simply having dinner ready when he walks in the door, and sometimes it's a little more exciting, like these s'mores cupcakes.

It's fair to say that Steven is rather enthusiastic about s'mores--he's been known to recite s'mores related quotes from The Sandlot, and when fireside, is personally offended by any deviation from traditional s'mores making protocol. Since I suspect that our next camping trip will be a long way off, I thought these cupcakes would be a fantastic "Honey, I'm hoooome!" treat.

And I was right. They are sinfully good!
Basically a graham cracker cupcake filled with a dollop of marshmallow fluff and topped with chocolate ganache, then topped off with piped fluff and toasted under the broiler, these cupcakes are a gooey mess of deliciousness. And unlike many s'mores inspired foods (I'm looking at you, PopTarts.) they absolutely capture the essence of that simple fireside wonder.

Absolutely delicious with a cold glass of milk!Recipe HERE. Another s'mores cupcake recipe I want to try HERE.

(Hey, if there's one thing I'm learning from reading Julia Child's memoir, it's that one must be thorough in the kitchen! ;)

Nursery Preview!

2011-06-29T13:00:00.002-04:00

*special touch: our closet door turned blackboard*

Just wanted to take a minute to share some pics of the nursery, for which major renovations are complete, and the "feathering" phase has started. As usual, I'm gonna hit you with some before pics first...

This is what the room looked like in the beginning. Steven immediately attacked that purple carpet and got it into the dumpster...

Here it is after we wiped it down and made it our temporary bedroom while we worked on other parts of the house...

And here it is now...

We started with the now familiar first step of stripping the wallpaper, and then Steven skim coated the raw plaster walls (future post about how he did it currently in the pipeline). We had the ceilings redone & the fir floors refinished. Steven added crown moulding, and of course we painted, painted, painted. We chose a light & happy green from Valspar's National Trust Historic colors collection called Belle Grove Aloe Green. A new simple light fixture and closets redone (another future post), and here we are.
The crib is all set up and looking cute, and the newly refinished rocking chair has taken up residence, as well. We are currently working on refinishing an old dresser to serve as both extra storage and a changing table and then we'll hang some of the wall decorations (yes, we actually have some!) and continue adding bits and pieces to the room.

I'll be sure to post more pictures when we get the dresser and accessories in!

Eggplant Parm Cannoli

2011-06-27T07:00:00.003-04:00

Last week's dreary, rainy, cold weather temporarily relieved my need for light summer food. I felt like something a little heavier and a lot cozier was in order...

This recipe was inspired by a meal I had years ago in Boston's North End. As I recall, the menu simply listed this dish as eggplant parm, but when it came out I was treated to this upgrade--hollowed out fried eggplant filled with a yummy garlic herb ricotta filling. It was delicious and obviously made an impact, since years later I found myself compelled to imitate it.

I started with small eggplants (my grocery store had them labeled as "Italian eggplant", and their shape was much more conducive to hollowing out into nice little tubes than the typical giant ones.) I hollowed them out, breaded them...you know the drill--flour, egg, breadcrumbs...and then fried them.
While they cooled down a bit, I mixed together some ricotta, fresh crushed garlic, salt, pepper, and fresh chopped basil.I improvised and used a sandwich bag with a corner cut off to pipe the filling into the golden brown fried eggplant "tubes". This is when it occurred to me that they were like savory eggplant cannoli. :)I warmed those in the oven for about 4-5 minutes, then served them over spaghetti with marinara* and some grated parmesan.

*No, I did not make my own marinara. Next time. (bluff)

But as far as store bought goes, we really like Newman's Own Organic Marinara.

Rocking Chair Redo

2011-06-24T10:00:00.007-04:00

I'm so excited to share this project!

Since finding out that we are expecting a little one, Steven & I had kept an eye out for a good used rocking chair for the nursery. No luck. Then a *lightbulb* moment! We had an old Victorian platform rocking chair up in the attic that had been in the house when we moved in and we figured...why don't we just see if we can rejuvenate this piece and use it in the nursery?

And here are the results:

I have to say that I am in love with this rocking chair and I can't believe how CUTE it looks! Steven, as always, did an awesome job...

He started by disassembling and sanding it, then primed and painted it white.

He then recovered the cushions with this adorable dragonfly & ladybug material that I found at the fabric store, and put it all back together.

Just for kicks, here's another Before:

And the final product:

LOVE!

Veggie Garden-June Update

2011-06-22T07:00:00.004-04:00

Well, almost everything is in. I still want to get some eggplant, onions, and some more herbs, but as of right now we have planted:

Pickling Cucumber

Burpless Cucumber

Butternut Squash

New England Sugar Pie Pumpkin

Baby Blue Hubbard Squash

Watermelon

Sugar Snap Peas

Red Bell Pepper

Green Bell Pepper

Yellow Banana Pepper

Zucchini

Parsley

Basil

and 7 varieties of tomato

Steven wondered if it's a little overkill on the tomatoes, but since all but one of the varieties were started at home from heirloom seeds, I wasn't quite sure how many would germinate or how well they'll produce.

While there's plenty more work to be done, it's nice to see the improvements since we moved in almost TWO YEARS AGO. (Where has the time gone???)

Changes/additions since last year include rototilling the remaining jungle-esque portion of the bed, removing an errant Norway maple tree, and adding a compost tumbler. We also split the bed up into 4'x4' mini beds (a la Square Foot Gardening) with a straw lined center aisle, and will be adding some trellising along the northern perimeter to try and grow the cucurbits vertically. We added a significant amount of organic matter by tilling in last year's mulched leaves and compost purchased in bulk, but I still think the soil is a little..bleh...so we plan to do this yearly.

I'm happy to report that there are already quite a few veggie plants blooming and/or sporting little baby veggies, so I'm hoping this year brings a bountiful harvest. (All I'm asking for is improvement over last year...and some fun, funky tomatoes!)

New Catch All Tray

2011-06-20T07:00:00.012-04:00

Until recently, it was not at all uncommon for Steven & I to spend (waste) some time hunting for keys, glasses, phones, etc. before managing to get out the door. Well, now we have a solution.

I've been seeing other bloggers' posts about having "catch all" containers (HERE, HERE, and HERE, for example) so when I saw this silver plated tray at a yard sale recently I immediately considered it for the job. As soon as I picked it up for a closer look, the seller declared "I'll take $2 for that..." and that was all I needed to hear.

A little silver polish, and voila!

My little $2 steal cleans up nice, don't you think? Style, function, and a bargain all rolled into one...sweet.

Dining Room featured on Favorite Paint Colors!

2011-06-17T09:51:00.007-04:00

I'm rather flattered to report that pictures of our dining room were featured on Favorite Paint Colors, a blog about, you guessed it, paint colors! It's a great resource for real life inspiration pics and as Steven & I are regular readers, we're quite excited to see our Sharkey Gray by Martha Stewart walls included among all the other beautifully painted rooms.

Many thanks to Kristin for posting our dining room!

Shrimp, Lemon, & Pea Risotto and a Request

2011-06-16T19:00:00.000-04:00

Lately I've been thinking that I really need to develop a better repertoire of light fresh summer meals. Recipes more exciting and substantial than say, salads...that still capitalize on the availability of good produce and require only minimal stove time.

Right now our summer dinner staples include:

1) Healthy Tacos-healthy(er) modifications include using ground chicken or turkey, mixing our own taco seasoning (ever read the ingredients list on the packets?), baby spinach instead of iceberg, and adding avocado. Steven has even given up his beloved "liquid nacho cheese product" as part of this healthier makeover.

2) Greek Wraps (a la this post)-mostly veggies with feta and spiced meat, pushed squarely into the light & fresh category by the presence of freshly made tzatziki.

3) Pesto/Caprese Pasta-whole wheat thin spaghetti with fresh homemade pesto, grape tomatoes, fresh mozzarella bites, and a variety of other fresh veg...usually sweet peppers, summer squash, and baby spinach.

And, uhhhh, that's pretty much it. Need...more...recipes!!!

Trying to branch out, I whipped up a light lemony risotto the other night. (It's a rip off of one of the best dishes on the menu at CAV.) I just cooked the risotto and added shrimp, julienned peas, lemon zest, grated parmesan, and a healthy dose of black pepper.

Definitely light and fresh (the lemon takes a bow) and easy enough to make on a hot day. Woo hoo, a fourth recipe!

So here is the request part of the post: please share your favorite summer recipes! I need inspiration! Anything fresh & light, while substantial enough to sustain a hardworking DIYer like Steven, not to mention his somewhat less hardworking assistant, moi. Keep us from eating pesto pasta every night, because there is definitely such a phenomenon as too much of a good thing!

Thanks! ~LT

Summer Reading

2011-06-13T15:05:00.010-04:00

1) Some chick lit (i.e.-junk food for the brain)

2) Years of working in science and I know that HeLa cells are a staple of laboratory research, but I never even considered their provenance. This New York Times bestseller tells the story of the woman, Henrietta Lacks, from whom they were collected.

3) I've heard a lot of people say that they love Emily Giffin's books, but don't think I've ever read one. This title was the only book of hers available at my library...a testament to their popularity?

4) Of obvious appeal.

5) Yes, I'm going to try and be crafty. Roman shades, curtains, and redoing an old rocking chair are the top projects on the list.

Spring Flowers

2011-06-11T09:12:00.008-04:00

I am excited to report that spring made a much more dramatic showing in our yard this year compared to last. I'm not sure why, but there were more blooms on nearly every plant and shrub in the yard...and in some cases, we saw flowers on plants that were complete duds last year.

Was it some factor about the weather, the heavy snow blanket for much of the winter, or perhaps our somewhat distracted but nonetheless earnest efforts to weed and compost last year?

Either way, we had tulips spring up that we definitely did not see last year, more prolific oriental poppy blooms, and new lupines appear. Even the crabapple tree, which we had concluded was dead when we first moved in, burst forth with a full canopy of pink flowers.

Here are some other highlights:

*The bearded irises split from my mother's garden and planted near our side door last summer apparently like their new home. The purple ones smell like concord grapes!*

*These deep red roses next to the garage have a ton more buds this year, and thus far have been spared any aphid attack*

*We have more white peonies than either of the pink varieties, and they make such a stunning impact when cut and arranged in a vase.*

(Like that vase? I picked it up for less than $10 at a glass factory in the Czech Republic nearly 10 years ago, and it is one of my favorite possessions. I finally dug it out of the attic this spring and put it center stage where it belongs.)

*The foxglove, which is not typically a favorite of mine, won me over this year*

*Our deep pink peonies hardly did anything last year...just a few small, late blooms. This year was a different story. There must be at least four times the flowers, and they're much bigger. LOVE. Incidentally, I just realized that we only have one light pink peony bush (probably a Sarah Bernhardt?) in the yard. I think we could use a couple more.*

(Another vase related note: I just scored this milk glass cutie at a yard sale for 50 cents! :)

*Last year, I found a tiny fledgling lupine that had sprouted next to our driveway and transplanted it with some compost & TLC. It's about a billion times bigger this year, and much to my surprise, it's PINK!*

*The catmint Steven planted in front of the house last summer is crazy happy. As are the cats if we bring them in a little sprig.*

*And here's one of my faves: an old rose bush with gorgeously full flowers and an amazing scent. Steven pruned the bajeezus out of it last year and it's really paid off. Tons of buds!*

Very happy with the yard this year!

~LT

Shaved Asparagus Pizza

2011-05-18T17:07:00.006-04:00

When spring finally comes around, I'm always excited for the roll out of seasonal produce. Asparagus, peas, rhubarb, etc...first ones to the party, ushering in the warmer weather and finally bringing back that fresh produce taste that is so elusive during the winter. Yum. So after coming across this unconventional pizza recipe multiple times (HERE and HERE), I decided to give it a shot. While it was a total pain in the neck to shave asparagus (at least with my peeler), the lighter texture is definitely worth the effort. Steven loved it, and he doesn't really like asparagus all that much...which is why I made a Plan B half of the pizza, just in case, LOL.

And in keeping with the spring theme...a little spring cleaning tidbit for anyone else who gets as excited about sorting as nerdy little LT: a great organization post @ Centsational Girl.

Nesting Instinct & New Vintage Finds

2011-04-17T20:02:00.008-04:00

Okay, so Steven & I have both had a mini-meltdown about how bare the renovated rooms in our house are. When we finished the downstairs rooms last December, we figured that we'd find and accumulate accessories, wall decor, etc. bit-by-bit as time went by.

So here it is, 4 months later, and the rooms are still a barren tundra of emptiness! (Save the china cabinet, the wave painting from my mom, and Steven's heirloom wall clock.) We like a clean, crisp, not-too-busy look...but this is ridiculous. And it's not that we haven't been trying...we've hit a couple estate sales (duds), I regularly peruse vintage housewares on Etsy, and Steven...well, let's just say he logs in a lot of time trolling Craigslist for goodies.

Since there's been quite a drought, we decided to turn up the heat a little bit and make it a point to go shopping for house stuff.

On our excursion last weekend, we checked out Wrentham Country Store, as well as a couple of other antique shops in Wrentham. I did not hesitate to scoop scoop scoop when I saw this milk glass compote on clearance for $12 at Wrentham Antiques (which otherwise, was not our type of shopping establishment. Read: furniture costing thousands of dollars).

I just love it, and decided to put it to use immediately as part of a little Spring-inspired centerpiece.

I just picked up some paper mache eggs at Micheal's and painted them with a leftover paint sample from the bathroom renovation. (Santorini Blue by Benjamin Moore. And yes, we did just pick that color for the name of it! ;) It was too dark for the bathroom, but makes for lovely little Easter eggs, which I nestled in some shredded chestnut, also picked up at Michael's.

During our visit to the country store, I picked up this vintage milk glass nesting hen for $15. Another LOVE. How cute and springy is she?

And she's got quite a clutch under there, too! :)

We also picked up some other goodies, which I'll share in a future post. Hopefully this successful shopping trip turns the tides and we can actually decorate a bit in the upcoming months!

Happy Spring!

~LT

Ricotta Tart with Dried Fruit Compote

2011-04-08T14:00:00.004-04:00

Steven and I had fantastic date night in Boston's North End a couple weeks ago to celebrate my 30th (!!!) birthday. After a cozy dinner at my favorite Hanover Street restaurant, we stopped for gelati, and after that grabbed some sweet treats from Modern Pastry to bring home. (Yes, we were going full tilt. I hadn't been to the North End in ages!)

At the bakery, Steven was a lucky ducky and managed to get the second to last piece of one of his favorite North End staples, ricotta pie. All of his ooohing and aaahing got me thinking...why not try and make it at home?

Alas, before I came across a recipe for a traditional ricotta pie, I was distracted by this ricotta tart recipe from Epicurious.

The tart itself was super yummy (though the inclusion of cream cheese in the recipe made the texture a little more "cheesecake" than "ricotta tart") and while I appreciated the dried fruit compote, Steven did not love the wine flavor nor the seeds. So, being the clever hubby that he is, he decided to forgo the compote and opted for butterscotch caramel sauce instead. (As in, the one intended for ice cream sundaes.)

Call me a plebeian...but it did taste even better. :)

House Plants and Indoor Air Quality

2011-03-25T07:00:00.002-04:00

After reading a post on A Country Farmhouse where Trina shares this little note from her mother...

we checked this book out of the library:

It was very informative and I was amazed and inspired when I read about how fantastic plants are at filtering the air in your home or office and removing airborne pollutants! The book covers 50 houseplants, describing their preferred conditions, transpiration pace, and rates their effectiveness at clearing chemicals from the home. I can definitely see myself checking this book out periodically to review the ratings and add some plants to our home.

(That I hopefully will not kill.)

With so many causes of indoor air pollution being attributed to home improvement materials (paint, caulk, polyurethane!) and new purchases for the home (area rugs, furniture!), we definitely felt it would be a good idea to start adding some green life into the house and picked up some house plants...

*Like our Ponytail Palm*

*And Dracaena-a top scorer when it comes to air purification*

We also have a Ficus that is waiting to be repotted.

(TJMaxx & Homegoods have been failing us lately and we haven't found a good pot yet!)

And we have these guys also making a temporary contribution...

*The impatiens, after its annual haircut*

*And lastly, a poinsettia that somehow has survived since November--

mine are usually a-goner by early February...*

We hope to keep adding to the herd as we finish more rooms--these guys are all doing double duty as decoration and purifiers. What more can we ask for?

If you're interested in learning more about how houseplants can improve the air quality in your home, you can check out the simple guidebook described above or take a peek at this quick guide to 10 Magical Air Cleaning Plants that I thought was pretty good.

Foyer Before & Afters

2011-03-20T19:00:00.001-04:00

The foyer may just constitute my favorite Before & After so far, which is pretty funny considering it is the least used room in the whole downstairs (whole house?). But saying goodbye to all of that ambery-orange shellac was sure to result in a truly striking transformation.

(If I do say so myself...and I do. ;)

Carpets out, wallpaper stripped, walls and ceiling replastered, oak floors refinished...

Shellac post and railing stripped and then stained (can you say ELBOW GREASE!?)...

Treads sanded and stained "Jacobean"...

Plenty of white paint to go around and Oyster Pearl by Valspar on the walls...

Sheesh, I'm exhausted just looking at the pictures! And Steven really did most of the hard stuff (particularly stripping/staining the newel post and railing), so I didn't even have it that bad. Anyways, I can't believe how different this room looks!

Garden Wish List: New Plants!

2011-03-09T19:00:00.007-05:00

Yesterday I spotted hyacinths and daffodils that have broken through in the yard! Yay! This of course led to fantasies of warmer weather and all of the life that bursts forward with it.

Here are a few perennials that I would love to add to the yard this year:

1. Lots of lavender.

(Preferably the 'Grosso' cultivar, a highly fragrant hybrid with deep purple flowers)

2. Pom Pom Poppies

Bonus if I can find a beautiful salmon color like this:

3. Purple Hydrangea

4. Snowball Viburnum

Pretty sure I've been loving these for years but mistakenly assuming they're hydrangeas.

5. Purple Allium

6. Pale Pink Peonies

We have medium pink, white, and even a deep magenta...but I'm loving this delicate pale pink.

*Sigh*...aren't they all beautiful? I'd settle for 3 out of 6 this summer. And... uhhh...finally getting last summer's roses in the ground. ;-)

Banana Bread Meets a Heavy Dose of Chocolate

2011-03-06T07:00:00.001-05:00

Few recipes carry the banner of resource management as effectively as banana bread. I'm always shocked when I peel those completely unappealing brown bananas and find still-perfect banana flesh. And to think I almost threw you away.

I used this banana bread recipe, which is a complete deviation from the banana bread (or more often, zucchini bread) that I grew up with. No cinnamon or related spices, no nuts, no vanilla...but featuring lots of chocolate chips.

So it's basically chocolate chip bread with mashed bananas.

Nothing groundbreaking here, but a great way to transform those past-their-prime bananas into something you WANT to eat. This loaf didn't even last a whole day in our house...

Inspiration: Master Bedroom

2011-03-03T07:00:00.004-05:00

Steven and I are finally starting to think about the master bedroom renovation and we're searching for inspiration pics. I was surprised to see that we are both gravitating towards all white/off-white/creamy bedrooms.

It seems like something that's really hard to get right...creating warm, light, inviting room of "whites" as opposed to a stark, sterile, unfinished looking room of white. So here are some pics that caught my eye, and I'm essentially studying them to try and figure out exactly what it is that I like about the image and what the secret is. I think the key might be using multiple warm off-white shades and lots of different textures to keep it warm and cozy looking, and not like a hospital ward.

*Okay, so I know this is not exactly a white room, but there's some quality about it that seems very neutral and appeals to me*

*I've posted this one before, and I still love it. It's a very light room, but if you look, the wall does seem to be covered in a creamy off white wallpaper with a white floral print. Maybe it's just the crisp linens that catch my eye?*

*So it's not a bedroom, and it IS really white...and yet I love it. It seems to have multiple shades & textures despite being so monochromatic. And I think something about the light finish of the settee grabs me.*

*Another non-bedroom shot, and a little too French for me...but look at all of those neutral and off-white shades combined into one space. Perhaps a little too much beige, too...but there's definitely a lesson to be learned from this pic.*

*And just for illustration...this is a "NOT IT" picture. Nice in its own way, but too white and too bleak to be what we're looking for.*

*So far, this image comes closest to capturing the white/off-white, neutral bedroom colors that we're drawn to. There's a lot of texture in there between the draperies, linens, upholstered skirted bench, the jute looking rug, and the rustic looking headboard...perhaps therein lies the key?*

Well, I'm certainly going to keep looking for more inspiration pics...and hopefully soon I'll find the one that captures the exact look we think we want. If anyone happens to come across any good images of dreamy creamy bedrooms, please do send them my way!

Satisfying Seafood Cravings

2011-02-27T22:00:00.000-05:00

I've had some wicked cravings for seafood lately...particularly salmon and lobster. It seems like great seafood is everywhere you look during the New England summer, but in fall and winter, it takes a back seat to hearty comfort foods. And then suddenly it's February and I feel like I haven't had fresh seafood in forever.

So for Valentine's Day, we stayed in and I whipped up a light and fresh salmon fettuccine, with a lemon butter dill sauce and capers. One craving down, one to go...

And since Steven and I were good little homeowners this weekend and worked on several projects around the house, I thought we deserved a special Sunday dinner.

This creamy lobster stew, featuring fresh lobster, onions, corn, white wine, butter and milk, was just the ticket. It was quick and easy (shucking the lobster took the longest) and only took about half an hour to prepare. It probably would have been even better if allowed to meld for a while, but we couldn't resist eating it right away. It was delicious and definitely hit the spot. :)

New Blog Obsession: Tartelette

2011-02-24T07:00:00.002-05:00

Have you seen the movie Julie & Julia, in which blogger Julie Powell, apparently rather bored with her life, endeavors to work her way through all 524 recipes in Julia Child's first cookbook? Well, if I had to choose a similar challenge for myself, I would probably choose to work my way through the recipe index of my new favorite blog, Tartelette.

I am seriously smitten with the recipes, the photos, the desserts...

like S'mores Doughnuts (*omg, drool*):

Candy cane macarons:

and Goat cheese and fresh berry tarts:

That's just a glimpse of all the goodness going on over at Tartelette. Head on over if you're in need of culinary inspiration...so many beautiful things!

*Special thanks to Helene for allowing me to use images from her gorgeous blog*

Dining Room

2011-02-21T07:00:00.004-05:00

Wanna take a photo tour of the refinished dining room?

For comparison, here's what the room looked like when we moved in...

After pulling out the carpet, removing the wallpaper (related post *here*), and getting a new skim coat of plaster, we painted the walls Sharkey Gray by Martha Stewart (I love this color!) and the mouldings white.

Just like in the other rooms (living room post *here*), we also had the floors redone and painted the radiators.

As cool as it was to have a chandelier that dated back to at least the 1940's, it just didn't work in the refreshed space. So we splurged on a Schonbek crystal chandelier and could not be happier with the upgrade. It's hard to capture the sparkle with my point & shoot camera, but just imagine.

We kept the dining room furniture that came with the house, which included a matching buffet and tallboy china cabinet, six chairs, and a table that extends to seat 8. We simply recovered the chairs (the fabric was 50% off at Jo-Ann Fabrics, and we had an additional 20% off coupon...so the project cost us less than $40 total!!!) with a neutral print. Take a peek back at the old pics to see the rather putrid spring green fabric we replaced.

We're really happy with how the dining room turned out. We're still decorating, and of course there are no curtains yet (curtains are my kryptonite!!!), but at the very least the built in china cabinet is fulfilling its decorating duties!

We just hosted our first major family event--my mom's birthday dinner (Happy Birthday, Mom!) and it was a great success.

The dining room is officially open!

New Wall Decor: The Wave Painting

2011-02-08T07:00:00.006-05:00

Upon hearing that Steven particularly liked a painting she has had for years, my mom just up and gave it to him as a housewarming gift. :) I have to say that the ocean colors go perfectly with the cool green walls in our living room (Lyndhurst Celadon Green by Valspar).

We gave the frame a quick refresher before hanging the painting, because the driftwoodesque finish sort of clashed with our bright white mouldings.

After a quick sand, 1 coat of primer, and 2 coats of ivory spray paint (we wanted something a bit softer than straight up white)...

...the wave painting makes its debut on the living room wall...

Nice!

Peppermint Marshmallows

2011-02-05T07:00:00.012-05:00

Inspired by this blogger, and galvanized by my love for hot chocolate, I knew I had to try and make Peppermint Marshmallows for myself. I thought maybe they'd be a little funky (like homemade oreos vs. real oreos...yeah, they're good, but they're not "it") but these are better than store-bought fo' sho'. The texture is perfect...they have this nice semi-firm consistency and then they go all gooey in your hot chocolate. Not to mention kicking it up a notch with the peppermint, cashing in on the best wintertime flavor combo ever. Ah, so good!

My Antidote to the Snowpocalypse Blues

2011-02-02T07:00:00.004-05:00

So I never managed to get the roses from *this post* into the ground last fall. Which had me frantically tugging them inside one November night because we were supposed to have our first hard frost. I have to say that I doubted they'd survive the winter inside....but they're actually thriving.

They're actually....blooming!

Today I clipped a blossom and placed it in a lovely aqua blue vintage bottle I found a couple years ago at a yard sale. Just seeing it, and burying my nose in it, relieves the winter blahs.

I ended up putting this beauty front and center on the dining room table, so it's staring at us every time we pass through...reminding us that spring is just around the corner and summer will be here before we know it. Thank God.

Great Potato Salad Recipe

2011-01-30T07:00:00.012-05:00

I just wanted to share a great recipe I recently tried: Creamy Potato Salad with Lemon and Fresh Herbs from Epicurious. I needed to throw something together to accompany some fried pork cutlets (traditional Czech řízky) I was making, and this po-po salad sounded promising. Tons of fresh herbs and some lemon zest? A recipe for success, me thinks.

It was simple to make and tasted great...this recipe is definitely being added to my cookbook of go-to dishes. It would be especially fitting for a summer BBQ or picnic, so give it a shot if you're ever looking to try out a new potato salad.

Note: I omitted the celery and the basil and it was still fantastic. Easy peasy.

Simple Solution: Moss!

2011-01-28T07:00:00.020-05:00

I am currently in the process of trying to grow an Amaryllis. So far I'm 0-for-2 in this category, so I'm very excited to report that this time, there is an actual flower stem growing, instead of just leaves! Crossing my fingers for a beautiful bloom sometime soon!

But, that's not really what this post is about. All I really wanted to do is give sheet moss a shout out for being awesome...that's right, sheet moss. Bear with me if you're like *yawn, I already know this*, because I did not realize that I could just go to Home Depot and pick up a bag of moss for a couple bucks and use it to beautify a potted houseplant.

This is how it looked before, with the potting soil all scantily clad. Not cute.

I actually went to Home Depot with the intention of picking up some of those little white stones to cover the potting soil...but then I saw the moss and thought it would look better, earthier.

Apparently I'm not the only one who's impressed with the more polished look. :)

Macarons

2011-01-25T07:00:00.007-05:00

I'll admit that when I saw that the macaron had become the new hot trend in baking (I even heard it referred to as "the next cupcake"), I was rather bummed. Not because I don't care for them...oh, no no no no no, couldn't be further from the truth...but because I myself had only just discovered them during our girl trip to Paris in 2009, and I had filed the experience under that wonderful category in my brain labeled "one of a kind fantastic experience only had while discovering a new place, never to be experienced again, unless I make it back there...but, *sigh*, we'll always have Paris..."

So, as I said, I was a little bummed when I saw every blogger and etsy seller and their grandmothers and their dogs making them like they were chocolate chip cookies.

But then I thought, what the hell...if you can't beat 'em, join 'em.

So here you go...Raspberry Macarons and Vanilla Maple Macarons:

The raspberry macarons are filled with a raspberry mascarpone cream, while the vanilla maple macarons are filled with maple cream. Delicious!

Some time ago, I had come across a very detailed step-by-step guide to making macarons on a fantastic food blog called Food Nouveau and saved the link. Thank God that blogger is infatuated enough with the delicate little treats to write such an exhaustive instructional post...because they are a little tricky. I was most worried about deflating the egg whites (which was not a problem) and under/over cooking them, which turned out to be a legitimate concern. (I had to lower my oven temp to 260F after the first set of cookies suffered cracked tops.)

But as you can see, they did come out rather nicely, and I'm really happy about adding macarons to my repertoire, trendy or not. (And I'm even happier about getting to eat them!;)

2011 Garden Planning

2011-01-22T07:00:00.004-05:00

One peek at the mountain of snow outside and this post might seem a little premature. But spring will be here before we know it (seriously, how is it already the end of January???) and I'm already starting to think about this year's veggie garden.

I've been flipping through the seed catalog from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds and I just can't get over all of the amazing varieties of vegetables. So far I've picked out a couple types of tomato seeds to order.

The "Egg Yolk" tomato...

...reportedly a great producer, with a rich fruity flavor.

The Black Cherry Tomato...

...with that super flavor unique to "black" tomatoes.

And the Pineapple Tomato...

...which grows up to 2 lbs in size and tastes awesome! (I had one of these last summer, and I couldn't believe how juicy and fruity it was.)

I've also checked out a couple books on intensive gardening since last year, and discovered that my plan to "improve" my garden by making better rows is actually counterproductive. From what I've gathered so far, this book is the bible of intensive gardening:

Essentially, it proposes that designing a garden in rows is not only a poor use of space, but also requires more weeding and more water. Basically, it's inefficient. The logic is pretty compelling (as are the supporting stats), so I think we're going to try and split the garden up into quadrants this year and also follow the suggestion to use more vertical space by planting more climbing plants (such as vine green beans and indeterminate tomatoes).

I definitely need to look into it more, but that's where we're leaning right now.

And just for some fun, take a look at these awesome/funky varieties of veggies I found in the seed catalog:

*Shamrock Squash*

*Plum Lemon Tomato*

*Ananas Noir Tomato*

*Japanese White Egg Eggplant*

*Cannibal Tomato EGGPLANT*

Aren't they cool?

*All images via Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds*

Laid Back Ladies' Night: Fancy Pants Pizzas

2011-01-20T07:00:00.005-05:00

When my girlfriends and I scheduled a Ladies' Night for the weekend after NYE, I knew right away that a nice laid back evening at home would be just what we needed to recover from the rush of the holidays. And since I was hosting, I thought Build Your Own Pizzas, preceded by hot chocolate and vanilla steamers, and followed by chocolate fondue with fruit would be just. what. we. needed. I dare say I was right on the money.

We ended up making a Roasted Butternut Squash and Ricotta pizza...

a pizza featuring roasted garlic, fresh spinach, and roasted cherry tomatoes, topped with mozzarella...

and a Fig & Prosciutto pizza (from Todd English's Figs restaurant) that I have tried to reproduce about 3 times now, and *finally* hit the nail on the head.

The key is the balsamic fig jam, for which I had tried to substitute store-bought fig spread in the past. This time I decided to make it myself and it was spot on...I combined butter, chopped dried figs, balsamic vinegar, water, salt, black pepper, sugar, and dried rosemary in a saucepan and cooked it down for about 1 hour. Spread that on your dough, add prosciutto and shaved Parmesan.* Top with chopped scallions before serving, and you have got one tasty fancy pants pizza!

*Todd English's version also features Gorgonzola. Mine didn't, because...well...I forgot. But it was a fortuitous mistake, since not everyone in my world loves the stinky bleus. :)

P.S.-It's so much fun cooking with girlfriends! In the last couple of months, I have also teamed up with my girls to braid 15 loaves of Vánočka, create a glorious NYE smörgåsbord, and make delicious homemade tamales (documented by LB *here*). Good times.

China Cabinet

2011-01-16T11:28:00.012-05:00

With the majority of the downstairs renovation complete (although there are some lingering touch ups that we're stalling on), it's a fine time to turn my attention to fun stuff like the china cabinet.

The china cabinet is a built-in number in the dining room, and just like everything else, it needed to be refreshed. Here is the oldest picture I could find, taken during our first tour of the house. Take a moment to appreciate the wallpaper and carpet. ;)

And here it is now:

We had the plasterers do a quick skim coat on the interior walls, and then we painted, painted, and painted some more.

Based on tip found in This Old House magazine, we boiled the door hardware to remove the bazillion layers of goopy paint that had accumulated over the decades. (Totally worked.)

Since we didn't really care for the original glass drawer pulls, we bought these antique bronze reproductions online. They are so much more substantial and I think they add a lot of visual interest.

Steven used serial layers of copper and oil-rubbed bronze spray paints and some steel wool to refinish the old door hardware to match the new drawer pulls.

We wanted to use an accent color inside the china cabinet that would both make it *pop* and create a flattering background for the items on display inside, particularly my grandmother's china, which she just recently handed down to me. (Thanks, Babi!) We settled on a dusty plum tone called "Victorian" and it really highlights the elegant silver and gray of the china.

So now I'm just puttering around with this project...slowly unpacking the various treasures that we've acquired over the past few years and arranging them in their final destination. It feels SO GOOD to be putting stuff where it belongs, and it's a lot of fun to envision how I might use all these lovelies in the future.

P.S.-Happy New Year!

Vereniky

2010-12-12T12:21:00.009-05:00

I spent yesterday at my mom and grandmother's house making our traditional Ukrainian Christmas meal: Vereniky (better known in the U.S. by their Polish name, pierogi.)

Every year, the women in my family get together a couple weeks before Christmas and crank out hundreds of these simple yet satisfying dumplings, as well as ushka (much like mushroom tortellini), which are served with borscht on Christmas Eve.

We make two varieties of vereniky...one with potato and cheese filling, and one with sauerkraut filling. They are the main dish on Christmas Eve, and are served boiled, with fried onions and a dollop of sour cream.

Last year I graduated from the vereniky assembly line to making the dough, which was my job this year as well. I had long been intimidated by it (no one wants to be responsible for making a crummy dough and having the vereniky fall apart when boiled), but now that I've got it mastered, I've got the know-how to carry on with the tradition for decades to come.

Because honestly, it just wouldn't be Christmas without home made vereniky.

P.S.-Although I haven't had them in years, vereniky can also be sweet...filled with cherries or blueberries, and served with melted butter and a sprinkle of sugar. Definitely going to have to try and make some this summer!

P.P.S.-If you ever want to give it a shot, Martha (whose mother was Polish) has a whole bunch of recipes and tutorials on her website.

The New Living Room

2010-12-07T19:48:00.001-05:00

Here is our newly finished living room. It's not exactly done in the "decorated" sense, but certainly in the "renovated" sense. As I mentioned in the previous post, we stripped the wallpaper, had the walls skim coated with plaster, had the floors redone, and painted everything. Ahhh, feels SO good to have a living room again, especially a freshly revamped one!

We chose a low gloss polyurethane for the floors, and it's just the right amount of gleaming for us.

Steven did a great job scraping and painting the old steam radiators. (He used a high heat engine enamel spray paint.) We also had the valves replaced because there had obviously been some long term leaks going on. I love the scroll detail on these old beauties.

Not gonna lie, we have been rather vegetative since the entertainment center was reinstated...it won't last forever, but right now we're giving ourselves a free pass on being couch potatoes!

This heirloom wall clock that belonged to Steven's grandfather is the only item we've hung on the wall so far. It looks really nice against the cool green wall, adds a touch of vintage character, and has this soothing tick tock which makes Steven sleepy, lol.

We'll slowly be adding the final touches to this room...wall decor, CURTAINS, something for the coffee table...but for now this is it. It's so nice to curl up on the couch and relax in our new living room!

P.S.-Yes, I know there are some angles missing in this room reveal...namely, those that show the view into the girl room and foyer. They'll be coming soon enough!

The Living Room BEFORE

2010-12-05T13:21:00.010-05:00

We're finally ready to share some "After" shots of the downstairs renovation, starting with the living room. But just for perspective, and to set the mood, here is a montage of "Before" pics.

*A shot from the original MLS listing*

*From our first weekend as homeowners*

*After tearing out the dingy gray wall-to-wall carpet, revealing oak floors*

*As in the dining room, we found murals under the wallpaper in the LR...*

*...decidedly less charming murals.*

*And here it is after the new plaster skim coat*

Stay tuned for the next post...the AFTER pics!

Recently on My Radar

2010-10-29T19:49:00.027-04:00

While this blog's adoring fans (all 3 of you ;) await the unveiling of the downstairs renovation, I'd thought I'd share some good things that have grabbed my attention lately.

I was peripherally aware of the hype surrounding the release of the final book of Stieg Larsson's Millennium Trilogy this summer, but as I knew nothing about the first 2 books, it didn't really register. Then a coworker lent me her copy of book 1. Halfway in and I was hooked, and the fever only increased with the next two installments. It's been quite a while since I've felt so emotionally invested in a character in a book! Great reads.

Pumpkin White Hot Chocolate recipe from Good Life Eats.

Because this tomboy-turned-scientist could always use a few pointers.

The October issue of Martha Stewart Living featured an article entitled "Grown-up Grilled Cheese" and it's definitely worth a look. I'm aiming to make all ten.

Challenge accepted, Martha. Challenge accepted.

This seasonal treat somehow keeps getting mixed in with our weekly milk delivery. Hmmm, how did that get there? ;)

Yay yay yay! I just won this book in a giveaway from The Non-Consumer Advocate.

Happy Halloween Weekend!

~LT

Pumpkin Spice Pancakes and a Check In

2010-10-24T11:54:00.010-04:00

Though the downstairs renovation is by far the dominating factor in our lives right now, we do get a few minutes here and there to celebrate the season in simple ways, such as enjoying these pumpkin spice pancakes for Sunday breakfast before we start the day's projects. To make them, simply add pumpkin puree, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla extract to your usual pancake batter. Serve with real maple syrup ONLY, or risk incurring the wrath of the food gods.

As for the renovation status report: the living room, parlor/"girl room", and dining room are all ready for the floor guys to come in and do their thing. We are now working on the foyer, and we're looking at another 2 weeks for sure. Should be interesting, considering the radiators are disconnected and it's getting mighty chilly. (Looks like we are unintentionally participating in the No Heat Challenge, lol.)

I know it will all be worth it, though, and I can't wait 'til it's finished. Especially since I just ordered something new and fabulous for the dining room...

You'll have to wait and see!

Blog on Hiatus

2010-09-09T22:36:00.006-04:00

We are in ALL OUT BLITZKRIEG MODE with the downstairs renovation right now (seriously, I have a day-by-day plan of attack calendar that is currently filled through the first weekend in October), so I'm going to put the blog on the back back back back waaaaaay back backburner for a bit.

I'll be sure to resurface when the reno is complete (we're shooting for Columbus Day weekend) and post a bazillion pics, but for now here's a little teaser...

Inspiration: Kitchen

2010-09-07T07:00:00.003-04:00

Isn't this a lovely light & bright kitchen? Specifically loving the farm sink, subway tile, drawer pulls, and especially especially especially that deep window sill. The image is from Life in the Fun Lane, my latest blog obsession, full of design inspiration and fantastic, creative, budget-friendly used furniture refinishing projects. Definitely will be trying to copy her in the future (sincerest form of flattery, right?).

Adiós, Verano.

2010-09-03T07:00:00.004-04:00

Well, the unofficial end of summer is upon us, so I guess it's time to start saying goodbye to some of my favorite summer treats...

*Tomato sandwiches and my Babi's refrigerator pickles*

*Rainbow cherry tomatoes, so fresh and sweet they taste like berries*

*Quick, light dinners with the freshest ingredients*

As lovely as summer is, though...no tears here. Bring on Autumn, arguably New England's best season. I can't wait for the mulled cider, glorious colors, cozy sweaters, apple picking (going with my girls next Saturday!), pumpkin pie, cheerful gourds, crisp autumn air, etc etc etc.

And, now that we're living next to cranberry country, I'm dying to get over and see my first cranberry harvest. I've seen lots of pics, and it looks like a spectacular event!

Bonus: Lookie, lookie at this tote bag my MIL just gave me. Adorable!

Grape Harvest

2010-09-02T07:00:00.005-04:00

Last year, Steven discovered a grapevine hidden in all the weeds of the then neglected veggie garden and just threw it up and over a nearby bridal wreath spirea to get it out of the way. This spring, we were delighted to see that it had set fruit! (Apparently this will never happen if the vine is lying on the ground, regardless of how healthy it is.) All summer I've been checking, checking, checking the progress...and yesterday, when I approached the vine and inhaled that sweet ripe grape scent, I knew it was time to grab a bowl, some clippers, and Steven.

I figured we wouldn't actually get enough grapes to make anything significant, maybe just a grape syrup to use in spritzers or something, but we ended up with a total of ~4 lbs! Most grape jelly recipes I've seen call for 5 lbs, so it would be totally feasible to make jelly out of our own backyard grapes! How adorable is that?

BTW, not sure what kind they are. Any guesses? Of course Concord is the go-to answer, but I think they seem a bit sweeter...

Anyways, we were downright charmed by this harvesting process, and kept the momentum going in the veggie garden, where things are winding down...just as they got going. (Note to self: start earlier next year!)

We ended up picking most of the acorn squash (6), even though they could have hung out for a bit. Powdery mildew had become an issue about 1 month ago, and although it supposedly only damages leaves, I was paranoid about losing the fruits that I had lovingly nestled in straw, and creepily stalked for months, LOL!

So hopefully I'll get a chance to play in the kitchen this weekend, in between coats of paint. I'm shooting for just one of the following: grape jelly, tomato sauce, eggplant bruschetta, or acorn squash risotto...

Garden Center Super Buy!

2010-08-31T07:00:00.005-04:00

Just wanted to ~~gloat about~~ share our super score at Weston Nurseries last weekend...

Not only did we have 2 Groupons to redeem ($20 for $50 worth of merchandise), but when we got there we discovered that they were running a "cart promotion", where everything you could fit on 1 cart was 30% off.

We picked up 2 "sixteen candles" summersweet shrubs to plant on the side of the house, right under the living room window. It's a native, deer resistant bush with wonderfully fragrant white flowers in the summer, so it's perfect under an open window.

We also picked up an ornamental maiden grass (Steven loves these) to hide the gas meter on the side of the house. They are super hardy, full, and will grow to about 5'.

And, my favorite part of the purchase: 2 David Austin "Abraham Darby" rose bushes.

I have major performance anxiety when it comes to keeping these healthy and alive...but I just couldn't resist. They are gorgeous, with apricot pink super full blooms that smell amazing.

Not sure where they're going yet, but I would love to add a bench seat to our wedding arbor (which Steven built for our wedding day!) , then plant these around it. Wouldn't that make for a lovely little garden refuge?

In the end, we got $150 worth of plants for...$49. That's...carry the two...~67% off.

Awesome.

Downstairs Reno UPDATE

2010-08-30T07:00:00.005-04:00

The plasterers started on Saturday! They've finished repairing & skim coating the foyer and the stairway, and it looks SO different already. So smooth! And I really like the way the wet plaster smells...weird, I know, but to me it smells like...progress.

They should be completely finished on Tuesday, so hopefully we'll be painting all Labor Day weekend. (Appropriate, no?)

Inspiration: Potting Station

2010-08-27T07:00:00.002-04:00

*Via Brabourne Farm*

I want.

Greek Night

2010-08-26T07:00:00.007-04:00

One of our favorite meals on our 2008 trip to Greece was the ubiquitous, fast, cheap and delicious gyros pita. I attempted to recreate the glory by loading some grilled pitas with green peppers, tomatoes, feta, and spicy beef souvlaki (the spice rub was a variation on the recipe here). I topped it off with a generous dollop of homemade tzatziki and even made a little foil jacket to give it some street cred.

I think I made Steven want to marry me all over again with this one.

Vintage Love: Blue Mason Jars with Zinc Lids

2010-08-20T07:00:00.010-04:00

I love these beautiful vintage mason jars and think they'd be lovely for the pantry, or as vases, or even as drink glasses at a picnic....

They're all over Etsy, and I'm forever adding them to my favorites list just for the heck of it. Of course they'll all sell before I'm anywhere near decorating the kitchen...but I do it anyway.

Have a great weekend! ~LT

Frugal Fix: A New Used Fridge

2010-08-19T07:00:00.008-04:00

For almost a year, we used the refrigerator that came with our house. It was pretty nasty, but it was free and it worked...so I figured we wouldn't replace it until we renovate the kitchen (in which case, a crummy drippy old fridge would be completely unacceptable).

A great frugal mentality in some ways, yet maybe a little extreme if you're secretly praying that nobody ever rest their eyes on your fridge, lest you be mortified.

Steven and his Craigslist obsession to the rescue! :)

He found a 4 year old used Maytag refrigerator in great condition...for $125.

We scrubbed it down, bought new storage racks for the freezer, and gleefully hauled the old fridge off to the dump.

Now, I'm no neat nick, but I do love to sort/organize/purge things. Give me a box of junk, a pile of papers to be sorted, or a closet to be cleared out, and I'm as happy as a clam. No idea why this is, but obviously cleaning out the old fridge, tossing out any nasties, and organizing the new fridge was a veritable TREAT for me. I even forbade Steven from helping, just so that I could have the job to myself, LOL. (freak)

Ah, a great deal (a steal!) and a freshly organized fridge? Isn't that everyone's idea of fun? ;)

On a related note, I wanted to share this great frugality post from Get Rich Slowly. Considering how much time, money, and brainpower is spent in this world trying to get us to buy buy buy because we neeeeeeed it...it's always nice to review the counter argument: that frugality is all about identifying what IS and what ISN'T important to us and spending our hard earned $$$ accordingly.

For example, we recently went on a little trip to a local garden center, Attleboro Farms, which was running a promotion on perennials ($8 per plant if you buy 10 or more), so we loaded up.

When we got home, I said to Steven: "Do you realize that we spent more on these plants than we did on our refrigerator?"

We got a good chuckle out of that. :)

Honey-Glazed Peach Tart with Mascarpone Cream

2010-08-18T07:00:00.008-04:00

I had a hankering for peaches, and since I won't even bother with grocery store peaches anymore (I've been disappointed by those deceiving, desiccated impostors too many times), I trucked on down to the farmers' market for some REAL peaches. Ahhhhh, fuzzy sun-ripened goodness.

One serving of summer, coming right up.

Recipe here.

More Secrets Under The Wallpaper

2010-08-17T07:00:00.006-04:00

We made some more progress on the downstairs renovation project this weekend and stripped all the wallpaper off in the parlor/future "girly sitting room". Lo and behold, more house history was revealed. Not a mural this time, but what appears to be a chimney flue. We had always marveled that our house doesn't have a fireplace, and this provides a clue as to how the house was heated in the early days. It appears that there was a wood stove hooked up in the parlor at one time:

It even looks like piece of the flue is still embedded in the wall.

Another interesting tidbit was revealed when my mom first laid eyes on the murals in the DR...she immediately determined that there had been some significant changes made to the walls, based on the murals themselves as well as the skim coated areas. You can see in the picture below that there was most likely a closet to the left of the main doorway. At some point it was closed up & the same closet space was made to open up to the foyer (as it does now).

Additionally, she realized that the french door opening between the DR and the parlor is not original. Look at the mural in the picture below...the doorway clearly cuts off half a mural, and the mini panel in the top left is identical to those above the other single doorways.

In fact the skim coating in the pic below makes me wonder if there was another wood stove there (the chimney hookup discovered in the parlor is on the other side of that same wall).

It's all very interesting, as there have been a number of details that made us wonder what was done when. We have pictures of the dining room as early as the 1940's, and in those the layout is the same as it is today. Steven hypothesized that maybe the current DR was actually the original kitchen, and only with the upgrade to a steam heating system (when?) were the doorways opened up and the current kitchen (the whole back section of the house?) added on. Possibly...

It would be interesting to dig up some of this info. Did people pull building permits in the early decades of the 20th century???

Veggie Garden Today

2010-08-16T07:00:00.002-04:00

I wanted to share the most recent pictures of our first veggie garden.

It's looking pretty good, I'd say. There are a bunch of green tomatoes (not so much as a *hint* of red on any of them)...hurry up!!!! :)

The eggplants have really started blooming & producing, and the acorn squash...well, it's taking over the lawn.

The plant I thought was a cantaloupe has itsy bitsy little babies on it and it turns out it's actually a CUKE. (upgrade!) There are 2 leeks and 1 green bean plant that managed to make it through a rather rough start, and the celery root looks good.

In general, it's been mostly a SUMMER SQUASH harvest so far, with a green pepper here, eggplant there...

But I did just pick this honker of a kohlrabi!

So all in all, we're pretty happy with the garden. I already know I'll do a bunch of things differently next year (MORE compost, do a better job hardening off the seedlings, more green beans, fewer squash*, better rows, etc.)...but it's been fun this year and I'm just glad we have anything growing! I can't wait for some tomatoes!

*The majority of the squash was given to us by "the garden fairy". For a couple of weeks in the early summer, I'd go out to the garden and find pots of seedlings left on the edge of the veggie patch...no note, no indication of who left them, nothing. Just offerings. My mom and MIL both denied dropping them off. Despite the mysterious nature of their origins, I planted *almost* all of these mystery plants, not knowing what they were, just that they looked like a squash/melon/maybe cuke? I said to Steven "I sure hope we like whatever I just planted 12 of...."

Then one day our neighbor in the back, whom I don't know, stopped by as I was checking out the garden (and yammering on my cell) and told me that HE was the garden fairy. well, he didn't use that term...He told me what they were (summer squash and acorn squash), didn't say much else, and I haven't seen him again. It was kinda funny...such an overtly friendly gesture from a rather reserved person. Anyways, he'll be finding a basket of squash on his porch any day now...

Inspiration: Bedroom

2010-08-13T07:00:00.001-04:00

Via Brabourne Farm

"All's right with fresh towels, snowy underwear, and a bed that welcomes the body."

-Frances Mayes, Every Day in Tuscany

Appleton Creamery, Magical Breakfast Cream, & Homemade Yogurt

2010-08-07T07:00:00.007-04:00

While up in Maine last month, we stopped by the Belfast Farmers' Market for the first time.

There was an impressive selection, but my favorite stand by far was that of Appleton Creamery, an award winning artisan cheese maker in nearby Appleton, Maine. They had a stunning variety of chèvre (rolled in herbes de Provence or marinated in olive oil or encased in beeswax or seasoned with maple and peppercorn...), as well as an assortment of other dairy products. And samples of everything! Steven buzzed around from sample to sample like a honeybee among flowers...I'm pretty sure he tried every. single. thing. :)

One product that immediately caught my eye was the sheep's milk yogurt. I love yogurt (so versatile!) and have been incrementally moving away from the mainstream brands of my youth--Yoplait, Colombo, etc--and towards the brands that take a more minimalist approach to the ingredients...no thickeners, HFCS, preservatives, etc. FAGE is my favorite.

Another reason for my heightened interest in the artisan yogurt was the fact that just that very morning I had been flipping through the French Women Don't Get Fat Cookbook by Mireille Guiliano.

(Not a huge fan. While I like her philosophy--basically a low quantity, high quality approach--I frankly found her delivery to be a little...smug. A lot of "I always..." and "I can't understand why anyone would ever..."...Bleh.)

However, she absolutely raves about yogurt, and that's something I could get behind. She calls it every woman's secret weapon, and shares a family recipe for Magical Breakfast Cream: a mixture of yogurt, honey, flax seed oil, lemon juice, grains and nuts. She swears by it as a sort of detox, perfect for when you're feeling a little bloated or like you've been a little too indulgent and need to reset.

So I decided to buy the sheep's milk yogurt, and when I asked the vendor how long it would keep, she assured me that it would be fine, unopened, for about month. She then added:

"I just made it last night, so it can't get any fresher."

Wow. That just floored me. I wanna play!

So I looked into it, and making your own yogurt looks pretty easy (in fact, it's basically 100% analogous to the way we grow bacteria in the lab when we need to produce a ton of DNA. weird.) I definitely want to give it a shot, and after some research, I added this baby to my Amazon wish list:

It's a yogurt maker (basically just an incubator) with 7 glass jars, so none of that alarming plastic leaching talk. Can't wait to try it out!

(Bubba voice): yogurt + honey...yogurt + fruit preserves...yogurt tzatziki...yogurt hamburgers...yogurt pancakes...yogurt casserole...yogurt gumbo...yogurt sausage...yogurt smoothies.......

;)

p.s.-the Magical Breakfast Cream is actually really good...with lemon and honey, how could it be bad?

p.p.s.-Appleton Creamery hosts cheesemaking workshops! Yes, please.

The Mystery Plant Blooms...

2010-08-03T07:00:00.010-04:00

Remember this plea for help in ID'ing the mystery plant growing near our side door? Well, it's been babied this year and lookie lookie:

It's a beautiful hibiscus!

TGIF

2010-07-30T07:00:00.006-04:00

I've had a really bad work week...I got blasted first thing Monday morning and then the hits just kept comin'. Morale is low.

So to bring a little sunshine to my week, and frankly, because I felt like I was unfairly targeted (i.e., the closest punching bag), I went ahead and clicked 'Buy' on this pair of chalcedony earrings that had been waiting patiently in my Etsy favorites for a retail therapy moment just like this.

I'm in love with the color, especially next to the more stoic oxidized sterling...

*Etsy Shop: Orion Designs*

Just a little sympathetic gesture from me to me, and a reward for the Chuck Norris-style roundhouse kick I will be administering shortly (to my experiments, of course).

I'll show them to mess with LT...grumble, grumble, grumble...

Inspiration: Outdoor Dining

2010-07-29T07:00:00.007-04:00

I love this look. The hanging votives just call to me.

They say: "Don't you want to hang a bunch of us from the lowest branches of the maple tree out back? And set up a little bistro set underneath? And relax there with this Italian sangria after a long day at work?"

Why yes, yes I do.

Dining Room

2010-07-28T07:00:00.008-04:00

Steven and I have decided to focus on renovating the downstairs living areas (dining room, parlor/"girl room", living room, and foyer) as our next home improvement project. As opposed to some other rooms (I'm looking at YOU, kitchen!), there is an obvious, finite, and cohesive angle of attack for these rooms...and the impact (both visual and lifestyle) should be huge.

Here's the gameplan:

1) Strip all the wallpaper.

2) Patch and skim coat the walls.

3) Prime & paint the walls and mouldings.

4) Rehab the built-in china cabinet-paint, new hardware, etc.

5) Refurbish radiators and update valves (plumber).

6) Have the floors refinished.

And, ummm...actually settle in! :)

With this decision made, we got to gettin' and started peeling wallpaper in the dining room last Sunday. Remember when I said to "expect the unexpected"? Well, we encountered it about 15 minutes into the project this time.

For almost a year, we've had this little patch of wall showing where my BIL took a stab at removing the DR wallpaper, found this bizzaro greenboard underneath which stumped us all, then moved on to the parlor fearing that the DR was going to be a nightmare.

We'd actually had a couple contractors in the house for other jobs tell us that it was an old type of green board used in lieu of sheetrock or plaster. So imagine my puzzlement when I start stripping paper off another wall in the DR, only to find more "green board", but with these weird dark green vertical markings. What the ???

So I take a step back...and it kinda looks like...something intentional. Something like...trees.

So I call Steven over, scrape off some more paper...and discover a handpainted mural under the wallpaper!

It turns out that the dining room was once decorated with handpainted murals on every wall. How cool is that? I felt like I was living my own slightly less glamorous, and yet still enchanting, suburban American version of Under the Tuscan Sun (in which author Frances Mayes buys a dilapidated villa in Tuscany, and at one point during the renovation uncovers the villa's original frescoes on the wall.)

The murals are unmistakably a tribute to the former owners' homeland (they were Italian immigrants who came over in 1912)--bucolic scenes of the Italian countryside, complete with quaint villages, vineyards, and palm trees.

Though we won't be keeping them (even if we wanted to, they're in pretty rough shape and already plastered over in some places), discovering the murals was a charming moment in this old house...

So we'll just enjoy them for a little while as we continue stripping wallpaper and figure out the best way to repair and skim coat horse hair plaster walls, and then refresh!

Eggs Benedict

2010-07-27T07:00:00.008-04:00

A couple of weeks ago, a froworker (friend+coworker=froworker!) offered me her Siena Farms CSA share as she was going to be out of the country and wouldn't be able to use it. I was happy to help her out. :)

Of course the first thing I thought when I rifled through the box of produce I received was "What am I going to do with all this stuff?" Then I remembered that Gesine Bullock Prado of Confections of a Closet Master Baker, had just posted a recipe for eggs benedict featuring sauteed swiss chard on her other blog, Living in Freegrace.

We love us some benedict and had some lovely rainbow chard in the CSA box, so...no brainer.This was my first time making hollandaise from scratch, and I was actually really surprised at how simple it was. Egg yolks, butter, salt, lemon juice, pepper...and blend.

A perfect weekend brunch!

Summer Weekends in Maine

2010-07-26T07:00:00.007-04:00

*Camden Harbor for fireworks*

*Dinner at Young's Lobster Pound in Belfast*

*A walk in the woods in Camden Hills State Park*

*John's Ice Cream Factory...good, but didn't live up to the hype*

*Clam cakes and chowder in Portland*

Happy Summer!

Noteworthy Cookbooks

2010-07-24T07:10:00.007-04:00

1) Martha Stewart Cupcakes

I recently realized that I have never made cupcakes. Nope, never. I think it's time to change that...and this cookbook from Martha seems like a great place to start. Worth flipping through, at the very least for the creative decoration and presentation ideas.

2) The Italian Farmer's Table

This cookbook might be a keeper. It profiles several Northern Italian agroturismi (small family farm "resorts") and shares their simultaneously rustic, elegant, and progressive recipes. So much in here I'd like to try and make...Chocolate Ricotta Tart, Rye Bread Soup, Goat Cheese Gnocchi with Walnut Butter Sauce, Zucchini Roll, Stuffed Baked Peaches, Chicken Breast with Lavender, and the list goes on and on...

Veggie Garden

2010-07-21T21:58:00.008-04:00

One of the things that I immediately loved about our house was the yard and all of its possibilities....particularly the possibility of taking a stab at a legitimate vegetable garden. (Though at first viewing, that "possibility" was more accurately described as a wildly overgrown rectangular patch of yard, with some rhubarb peeking through the jungle leaves.)

Both my mother and grandmother are avid gardeners, so I grew up eating lots of fresh from the garden produce, which we all know blows anything from the grocery store clear out of the water. Now I want that sun-ripened goodness in MY backyard.

Side note: last year was one of the first years that the two of them collaborated on the same veggie garden. Saying it was on a whole new level is an understatement. Exhibit A:

A parsnip from their garden...yes, a PARSNIP...the thing that usually looks like a white carrot. It took me 4 meals to use it up!

Anyways, in late May, Steven and I grabbed some machetes (okay,okay, we rented a rototiller) and attacked our weed patch, mixed in some composted horse manure, and got ready for some planting.

*In the beginning...*

*Digging In*

*Final product*

We initially left that bush there in the middle because we were hoping that it was something exciting...maybe a currant, or gooseberry, or even hazelnut? But then I saw the very same bush, growing very weedlike and haphazardly on the periphery of a gas station lot. I nixed it about a week ago.

Also, you can see that we didn't touch the last quarter of the veggie patch this year. It's full of Siberian iris that we hope to transplant, as well as home to a haphazardly growing, but productive, grapevine. We're going to address that last section in the fall.

I'll update soon with a current picture of the garden, but here's the current roll call:

-3 varieties of tomato

-eggplant

-bell peppers

-italian peppers

-hot peppers*

-leeks

-kohlrabi

-celeriac

-parsley

-lovage

-yellow summer squash

-acorn squash

-green beans

-cantaloupe

-rhubarb, strawberries, mint, and a grapevine leftover from the previous owners

*I picked these babies up at the garden center because I thought they looked "cute". Turns out that this type of hot pepper--Scotch Bonnets--are among the hottest chili peppers in the world. So much for my quaint little visions of fresh salsa...

Till next time, (get it? get it? ha!)

P.S. A grateful shout out to my mom and grandmother, who supplied the vast majority of the seedlings for this year's garden, as well as numerous other cuttings, and my brother for the horse manure...Muchas gracias!

TA-DA! Bathroom Debut

2010-07-20T20:34:00.000-04:00

It's finally DONE! :) :) :) :)

And we're really, really, really pleased with how it turned out. Just as a refresher, here are some BEFORE pics...

Yuck, right?

And, after a complete gutting, taking down a wall, building a new wall, moving the toilet, all new wiring, replacing the window, adding crown moulding, a shower, new pedestal sink/toilet, (new plumber), insulating, drywalling, tiling, painting, etc. etc. etc....HERE are the AFTER pics (yay yay yay yay yay!!!)

And so, with the completion of our first major DIY home improvement project, here are some Major Lessons Learned:

1) Expect the Unexpected. Especially in an older house. Seriously, just erase the phrase "All we have to do is...(fill in the blank)" from your brain, because really that's not ALL you'll have to do. Oh, and your timeline estimate? Triple it.

2) Work in Tandem! Steven and I started out by working on different projects in the house, thinking that that approach would accelerate the overall progress. Never again. Things go so much more smoothly and quickly when you combine forces--and momentum is SO KEY to maintaining our morale.

3) Don't Get TOO Crazy About the Budget. We stressed about whether to splurge on the chair rail tile waaaaay too much. In the end, it was an integral part of getting the look we wanted and worth every penny. I think maybe the key is to identify what is essential to the "vision" (faucet, pedestal sink, chair rail, showerhead) and what really doesn't have that same impact (like the ceiling fan, towel bar, or shower pan) and spend accordingly, without sacrificing quality, of course.

Note to self: Read these before starting the next project!

Travel Daydreams

2010-07-12T20:34:00.011-04:00

How long has it been since I rambled on and on about how much I love the library?

I recently checked out these books featuring amazing travel destinations and experiences....

I loved flipping through these books right before going to bed, and putting together a long (largely hypothetical) mental list of all of the places I'd love to see...

Heat Wave

2010-07-09T22:37:00.005-04:00

Wow, July sure did come in with a vengeance, eh? It's been stiflingly hot, hazy, and humid for a week+ now...but this weekend should bring some relief, via summer thunderstorms. Fine by me, as long as it brings that fresh cool air with it, however briefly.

Speaking of fresh and cool, how about homemade popsicles? I made these strawberries 'n cream popsicles a few weeks ago, and they were a great guilt-free treat for a hot summer night!

We have a couple mangos and a pineapple to use up this weekend, and I'm thinking they'd make a great Popsicle Batch #2. Maybe with a touch of honey? Yum.

Besides that, not too much planned this weekend, just a bunch of home & garden "Must Do's"...which, oddly enough, we now consider FUN. :)

Meat CSA Update and Spiced Lamb Chops

2010-06-24T22:55:00.000-04:00

As our first meat CSA session came to a close, I found myself downright conflicted as to whether to renew or not. Don't get me wrong, there is an unmistakable difference in the quality of the meat. More tender, more flavorful, the beef is lean and the pork lusciously fatty. And of course, there's the psychological side of buying local, humanely raised, etc etc etc...it just feels good. The major CON was the inconvenience factor...driving to the city in the middle of a Saturday, even only once a month, is a HUGE drag. Especially in nice weather.

So I was waffling.

And then the country-style pork ribs clinched it. They were so tender and so darn good, simply basted in Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce and grilled. Steven, while savoring each bite, declared them to be the best cut so far. I don't know if I could pick a "best" (the chicken and ground beef would be contenders for that title, as would the pork chops)...but they sure were fantastic.

So we renewed for another 6 months. :)

And on that note, I thought I'd share the latest meat CSA dish:

Spiced Lamb Chops with Mint-Mango Sauce.

When we received lamb chops in our May share, I wasn't really sure what to do with them. I don't exactly have a go-to lamb recipe, you know? So I thought I'd try this little gem from Epicurious (with some modification based on what spices I had on hand). Good stuff.

The lamb chops themselves were excellent, and the spicy crust plus mint from the garden! and mango was a great combo!

Weekend in Review: Puppies, Wedding, and Bruncheon

2010-06-14T19:49:00.018-04:00

Can I just take a second to say "I love summer hours"? Oh, I can? Okay then: I LOVE SUMMER HOURS!

Summer hours means I get to work a half day on Fridays and start the weekend early, which has led to such glamorous Friday afternoon activities as getting the car inspected and mowing the lawn. Okay, okay, okay...I know that's not exactly glamorous...but it still makes me happy for some reason!

Anyways, a little photo montage from this past weekend...

*My mom and grandmother stopped by to show off their new puppies!*

*They're 10 week old Border Collie/Spitz/Pomeranian mutts and they are adorable!*

*On Saturday, we attended a lovely wedding at the beautiful Pierce House in Lincoln, MA.*

*It was a really nice wedding...elegant and fun, with great food, and of course, a beautiful couple! (The bride was my manager at my previous job, and she & her new husband are just wonderful people)*

*My hot date, appreciating the architectural details in a room that bears a striking resemblance to the inspiration photo in my last post.*

*On Sunday I hosted a little ladies' bruncheon (no, not a real word. but i like it.) for a couple of my best girls. We all enjoy cooking, so we BROUGHT IT...I made cranberry scones with lemon curd (YUM!) and toasted bagel bites made with honey mustard, ham, tomato and dill Havarti. My girls brought a fantastic veggie quiche and homemade granola with fresh berries. We've decided we need to do this more often.*

And today...back to the GRIND.

Inspiration Photo and Style Quiz

2010-06-11T14:35:00.009-04:00

There's something so appealing to me about this room, and I'd love to emulate it when we get around to redoing the parlor (aka: "the girl room"). I love how it manages to be light and inviting, yet kinda fancy...cool blue tones and natural light mingling with beautiful mouldings and European antiques. So pretty.

I also wanted to post a link to the Sproost style quiz, where you can figure out what style of home decor is your favorite. (Very useful if you find yourself drawn to multiple styles and get confused, like yours truly!)

According to the quiz, my style is:

44% French Eclectic

44% Nantucket Style

12 % Classic

Hmmmm. Okay. Well, if that's what the room above is, then YES.

*Photo via MyHomeIdeas*

Eat Like a Mainer

2010-06-10T19:52:00.015-04:00

In amongst my latest stack of goodies from the library was the January 2010 issue of Down East Magazine, the magazine of Maine. It's no wonder it caught my eye, considering the front cover:

Even though it's the January issue, it just screams SUMMER! to me...and what better way to prepare for my impending weekend getaway in mid-coast Maine than to read up on the latest and greatest foodie spots in Maine?

You can read the whole Eat Like a Mainer article HERE, but here are some highlights that I've filed away in my mental rolodex:

John's Ice Cream Factory in Liberty-30 flavors made from scratch with local, fresh ingredients. According to the article, it "might just take the cake" as Maine's best ice cream stand. Author's Note: We will definitely be hitting this place in a couple weeks. I'll be sure to provide a full report. ;)

Ebenezer's Pub in Lovell-Excerpt..."Any beer lover should know and seek out Ebenezer's, which Beer Advocate magazine has named the number one beer bar in America (and the world) the last three years in a row." I'd keep going, mentioning the 700 kinds of bottled beer and 35 beers on tap...but I suspect the first sentence was sufficient.

Bresca in Portland-Friends have been singing the praises of Portland's dining scene for a while now, and I'm thinking Bresca might just be the perfect foray into the feast. The menu is decidedly fancier than our typical beloved Maine fare (as in, I don't think a bib will be necessary ;)...but to be honest, I'm hardly paying attention to anything besides the panna cotta described in the article...something about passionfruit broth with white pepper orange sorbet...

Farmers Fare in Rockport-This place sounds like a very interesting mix between a farmers market, cafe, and agricultural community center. I'm intrigued...

As an aside, a couple of years ago I made an exception to my rule not to buy cookbooks (there's just soooo much available on the internet...why invite the clutter?) for THIS:

It's definitely worth the space it occupies on the bookshelf.

New England Demolition and Salvage

2010-06-09T20:59:00.008-04:00

In an unfortunate case of "new is better" renovation, our home's previous owners replaced the original (solid wood! 5 panel!) doors in the kitchen and downstairs bath with the 1961 "upgrade": soulless hollow core doors.

Initially, we had hoped to find the original doors lurking about in the garage or basement...and we did...in a manner of speaking. They had been chopped up and repurposed as shelving in the basement. *sigh*

So, with our modern day bathroom renovation wrapping up, we set off for New England Demolition and Salvage in New Bedford to hunt for a real door.

After searching through the whopping inventory of salvaged doors (luckily, the doors are loosely sorted by style, and most have been tagged by width), we found a pretty little 5 panel number, in decent shape with the mortise lock intact, and very similar to the other original doors in our house. It cost us $50, which I think is a pretty good value.

We then rounded out the purchase with salvaged black porcelain door knobs ($15) and crummy back plates ($5 for the pair) that we'll just paint white to match the door.

None of it is in perfect condition, but the prices sure beat the reproductions at the House of Antique Hardware and Rejuvenation...and of course, there's something to be said for the character of salvaged homegoods!

An Army of 1500

2010-06-02T20:48:00.012-04:00

Last night I released 1500 live ladybugs into the yard...

Their mission? To annihilate (devour) the aphids found sucking the life juices out of the rose bushes...

Because I want to see more of these next year...

And I really want to see more of these...

Speaking of next year, I'll order the ladybugs a little bit earlier, as the aphids were really worst a couple of weeks ago. Interestingly, the ladybugs ($10 on Amazon) will survive, dormant, for weeks in the fridge...so if they're ordered early, they can just chill out (HA!) until they're needed.

*ladybug photo from HERE; aphid photo from HERE*

Frugalista Find: Groupon

2010-05-28T20:38:00.018-04:00

I just discovered an awesome website...Groupon!

It's basically a deal-a-day kind of website, with fantastic discounts (frequently 50% savings and up!) on a variety of products and services, anything from helicopter flying lessons to restaurants to spa treatments to yoga to whale watching to...well, you get the drift. AWESOME stuff.

Anywho, Groupon works out these deals with business owners, who agree to it because they know they're reaching thousands of new customers and creating BUZZ for their company. And there's the catch...the deal is only "ON" if enough people (predetermined as part of the deal) participate in the promo. Apparently your mom was right, there IS power in numbers.

Click HERE to see a quick video explaining how Groupon works.

Groupon is operating in numerous cities, including Boston, and was just launched in Providence.

Give it a gander, you might just find something good!

P.S.-On a completely unrelated note, I just saw a commercial for a new show on the National Geographic Channel called Expedition Great White in which a team of fisherman and scientists actually catch great white sharks with a HOOK and haul them out onto a specialized platform to tag them and take biological samples. (Holy cannoli.) I'm definitely going to have to check it out. Premieres June 6 @ 9pm ET (Additional article about the show HERE)

Simply Breathtaking...

2010-05-26T22:16:00.010-04:00

The wait is over. Behold the peonies in bloom:

Thank you, little Italian ladies, for planting tons of these gorgeous flowers once upon a time...

Cupcake Rendezvous

2010-05-25T20:38:00.009-04:00

I had to go in to work last Saturday morning (boooooo, hisssssss) and to make matters even worse, I took the 7 am train in. BOOOOOOO. HISSSSSSSS. It's unnatural, I tell you.

However, my internal peace was restored by a little cupcake rendezvous with one of my best friends, LB, who just moved to Boston's South End after many years in a land far, far away.

(That would be Connecticut.)

Side note: LB has joined the blogosphere! Go check out her new, sure-to-be-fabulous blog Girl Meets Beantown, where she'll be detailing her Boston adventures, foodie quests, and more.

Anyways, we went to South End Buttery, a perennial award-winning café on Shawmut Avenue. Café, schmafé...we were there for the cupcakes!

LB got the carrot cake cupcake (fantastic), while I got the red velvet (OK). I also picked up a couple to bring home to the hubby (1 chocolate and 1 vanilla), and they were also pretty good. With the exception of the carrot cake cupcake, they were just not as moist as I would have liked. Really good buttercream frosting, though.

*I call this pic "Dueling Bloggers"*

Pretty sure I detected some eye-rolling at the table next to us. Tsk, tsk, tsk...some people just don't appreciate photojournalism. ;) But my excessive camera usage made it possible to catch this covetous expression on the snooty people's dog's fuzzy mug:

Despite being a little underwhelmed by the uber-hyped cupcakes, I'd definitely go back again...after all, we only tasted their "classic cupcakes". There's a whole other "specialty cupcake" menu.

I need to be thorough, you know!

Todd Farm Flea Market Update

2010-05-24T22:40:00.003-04:00

We came, we saw, we....meh.

Todd Farm Flea Market was not a quite a hit for me and Steven, and I found myself thinking that I had probably overhyped it in my head, inevitably setting myself up for disappointment.

*Can't you see us riding this to the train station? ;) *

It's not that there wasn't some interesting stuff there...but it was a little more JUNK than I had expected. And I love junk...CUTE junk. This was more like JUNK junk. It reminded me of a messy basement or garage, and I've had more than my fair share of both of those this past year thankyouverymuch.

*Is a caption even necessary?*

As they always say with these type of events, it's hit or miss. And while it was a miss for us, our our friends Susie and Justin CLEANED UP. They found some lovely things for their soon-to-be-rejuvenated home, and left in a content state of victory.

*Our fellow treasure hunters with their beautiful vintage grate*

So for now I'm limiting my hunt to whatever I can do from the couch (hello, Craigslist)...and I've already got a hit:

This settee, listed for $425 by Jarred's Homegoods in Warwick, RI, would be perfect for the smaller of our 2 parlors. I've never heard of Jarred's, but they have a pretty good website, so check it out if you're in the market for consignments.

But don't scoop my settee!

Lovely Lupine

2010-05-23T19:03:00.011-04:00

Remember this lupine I had to liberate from the weeds last summer?

Lookie what it's doing this year!

Our buddy Mr. Robin, who has a nest in the nearby rhododendron, apparently wanted to get in on the photo shoot.

Notice the big nasty caterpillar he's snagged. (click to enlarge) Is it just me, or does he look proud?

But I want Raspberry Meringues!!!

2010-05-16T20:50:00.016-04:00

So the other day, I'm rushing through the library (10 minutes 'til closing!) and I randomly pluck this book off the shelf:

I didn't really take time to check it out, but a memoir about "One Woman's Sweet Journey from Unhappy Hollywood Executive to Contented Country Baker" sounded interesting enough to me.

It ended up being my favorite book in quite a while.

First of all, this author is FUNNY. Not comedian funny, but irreverent smart ass funny. Which I love. Nothing better than chortling and snorting through an otherwise boring commute. Second of all, she manages to write about her love for baking and eating pastries, sweets, cakes, tarts, etc. in a way that makes you want to call out of work so you can spend the whole day baking. And although this self-described "socially retarded misanthrope" is nearly religious about baking the real way...from scratch, with quality ingredients...she still pens a chapter entitled "Ode to the Oreo." Now that's a philosophy I can get behind.

Surprising tidbit? She's Sandra Bullock's sister. It took 2 chapters before it dawned on me that the famous actress sister "Sandy" she kept referring to is none other than America's sweetheart. (Work.It.Out., LT)

But the real surprise about this sassy, generally light hearted memoir is how earnestly the author ties baking to memories of her late mother and grandmother, and how she brings them back with the smells and tastes of her childhood. Choked me right up. Several times. (In fact, I finished the book during my morning commute, and was still feeling all verklempt about it as I went down the stairs at South Station to catch the red line. And what greets me as I make my way down the steps? A busker playing Schubert's Ave Maria--one of the most beautiful and moving songs ever-- on his acoustic guitar. What? I had something in my eye! It's really dusty down there!)

So anyways...I loved the book. And I got all excited because the bakery in question is in Vermont!!! And I'm going to Vermont in a couple weeks!!! And Montpelier is on the way to Burlington!!! It's the perfect pit stop...I can sample the delectable meringues and tarts I've been reading about, and wash it down with a fantastic coffee!!!

Alas, a little googlage informs me that the retail bakery has been closed, and is now a commercial mail-order operation. (Whyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!)

I guess I will just have to settle for reading the Confections of a Closet Master Baker blog, baking something from the recipe section, and enjoying the results while watching The Proposal. To get a little bit of Bullock, of course. Nothing to do with Ryan Reynolds...

;)

Marinated Cheese

2010-05-05T20:35:00.007-04:00

I wanted to share this fantastic recipe for marinated cheese that came my way through a series of recipe hand-offs...and boy am I glad it did. It's really easy and really, really, really good!

1 lb. feta cheese, cubed

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 tbsp. finely minced green bell pepper

2 tbsp. finely minced red bell pepper

2 to 3 cloves garlic, finely minced

1 tbsp. Italian flatleaf parsley, roughly chopped

2 tsp. fresh rosemary (or 1 tsp. dried)

1 tsp. peppercorns

1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

Mix all ingredients in a glass jar with tight fitting lid. Refrigerate for several hours, or even several days, flipping jar periodically for best results.

Serve with crackers, crostini, whatever. I prefer to serve it straight from the jar using a cute spreader...which splits up the feta chunks a bit and makes it more of a spread as opposed to individual cheese cubes. **Also, don't worry if you're not a HUGE feta fan. Steven loves this, yet doesn't really care for feta**

It makes a great foodie gift, too!