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(Saturday) In the Kitchen: Stuffed Squash, Martha-Style

2010-10-10T20:39:00.001-07:00

So, I also made this stuffed acorn squash for the picnic. I had seen a recipe for stuffed acorn squash in Martha recently, I think, or at least, on an email from her (yes, her personally).

But I didn't like the stuffing, which was all sweet and fruity. Just too much with the sweet squash. So instead, I made a spicy veggie curry mixed with rice, with some cinnamon and nutmeg to tie the taste into the squash. Oh, and I topped it with fried blanched almonds, a little trick I've picked up from some Moroccans I know (and by that I mean my husband). It was delicious!

Instructions:
- Roast the squash in the oven (duh). It takes about an hour. Don't forget to season the squash before you stuff it!
- Dice and cook vegetables - whatever you'd like to include, really. I used a number of onions (which I caramelized first before adding the other veggies), carrots, summer squash and cauliflower. I wanted vegetables that could be both savory and a little sweet at the same time.
- Caramelize the onions with a bit of butter and then add the other veggies. I added about a teaspoon each of: cumin, paprika, turmeric, ginger, curry, pepper and salt. I also added a couple pinches of cinnamon and nutmeg.
- Add some water and simmer for at least 30 minutes, stirring every few minutes and adding water if need be.
- Cook rice concurrently :)
- Mix it together and stuff the squash. I made a lot (I wanted leftovers for lunch today) so you could reduce this recipe if you just wanted to stuff the squash.

Serve, and feel proud like Martha.

(Saturday) In the Kitchen: Plum Tart from Orangette

2010-10-10T20:31:00.000-07:00

I baked this simple plum tart. It was delicious! And very simple, I mixed it all by hand.
The only change I made was to add a tiny squeeze of fresh orange and some orange zest into the dough, because I loved the orangey plum flavor of last week's pie.

I took it to a picnic we had with our friends and their kids, and there was only one piece left at the end. It is a small tart :-( If you try it, you might want to make two!

Yosemite Longing

2010-10-05T21:04:00.000-07:00

Deep sigh. This is my favorite picture from my last trip to Yosemite, about a year and a half ago. It was a foggy, misty day and it made the floor of the valley so incredibly dramatic. Yes, that is a giant cascading waterfall you are seeing.

I am desperately longing to wake up here soon and breathe the amazingly fresh air, but it is looking more and more unlikely right now. Boo! Anyone know where closer I can get a fix of something like this?

In the Kitchen: Butternut Squash Soup

2010-10-05T20:59:00.000-07:00

OK, I'm not trying to toot my own horn or anything, but I sure have been cooking up a storm lately. Today I made butternut squash soup, all the while arguing with myself that what I really wanted was pie for dinner. Nevermind all that, here's how I made it, which I would call "the lazy person's guide to butternut squash soup."

I cut the squash in half, scooped out the seeds, and roasted it for 50 minutes in the oven. It is WAY too much work to peel and chop this monster, I think. Roasting it makes it easy to scoop out with a spoon.

I sauteed onion and garlic with butter in a large pot, for about 10 minutes. Then I added about two cups of my homemade vegetable stock (insert smug smile here) and scooped out the squash into the pot with everything else. Then I added about a cup of whole milk for good measure. Salt, pepper, cinnamon, cumin, ginger. Puree in batches in your blender and eat! That's about it. I forgot to take pictures during the process so you just get to see the finished soup.

In the Kitchen: Stock & Soup

2010-10-03T17:18:00.000-07:00

I made my own vegetable stock today, something I've always meant to do but never bothered...It was remarkably easy. I forgot that since you're not eating the veggies and herbs in there, they can be roughly chopped and all that. Totally casual, stock. I used leeks, carrots, celery and some celery root and thyme. I wanted to use fresh thyme, but I couldn't find it at the farmer's market yesterday, so I just used some dried thyme that I had.
After simmering it all for about three hours, I strained it and put most of the stock into the freezer for future use. I also reserved some for the roasted cauliflower soup that I made.

The cauliflower soup was easy too. I just chopped the cauliflower up and cooked it for about 10 minutes with butter, onion and one leek. When it was starting to get soft, I added in two cups of milk and two cups of my homemade veggie stock. I also added in some spices: ground coriander, nutmeg (a tiny bit goes a long way), a hint of curry, paprika and turmeric, and some sea salt and ground pepper.

When it had simmered for about 30 minutes, I pureed it in the blender in batches. I also toasted some slivered almonds to use as a garnish for when I serve the soup tonight. I had a spoonful and it was delicious! Can't wait to eat more!!

In the Kitchen: Apple & Plum Pie

2010-10-03T17:08:00.000-07:00

So, as I mentioned, I've never baked before. But I absolutely *love* the Smitten Kitchen blog, and I read it every week. This pie recipe was featured on the blog last week, and I just decided to make it since I had all the apples and it was easy to pick up late-season plums at the farmer's market yesterday.
I diligently followed all the directions...and it came out looking very similar to the one on Smitten Kitchen! I am so excited. I'm waiting a couple of hours to eat it with Idriss, but I can't wait. Hopefully this is the first baking venture of many!

I'm not going to list out all the steps - I just wanted to show you how it looked at each stage. Go to Smitten Kitchen for the recipe.

Sunday in the Kitchen

2010-10-03T17:05:00.000-07:00

Not sure why, but I was struck by an urge to cook all afternoon today. My husband can tell you that this feeling is not only rare, but it might actually be the first time I've done it in my life. We made out like bandits at the farmer's market yesterday, and I don't know, inspiration just struck me.

I wanted to make stock to use in soups, since I don't like the pre-made ones and soups taste so much better with good stock. I wanted to make a good soup. And, I wanted to make a pie. I've never made a pie before. In fact, I'm terrible at baking, and although we own a cute yellow Kitchenaid, I've never actually used it until today.

I'm going to post each cooking project separately. Yay cooking! Stock is in the freezer as I type :)

East Bay Explorer: Lakes

2010-10-03T16:55:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Idriss and I meandered up to Lake Temescal for the first time. It's a small lake in the middle of the Oakland Hills, well, almost at the top of the hills.

It doesn't take long to stroll around it and take in the scenery, and it's super close to us. Two big pluses. The minus: the nearby freeway noise echos through the valley, which you can't see in these pictures but was a little annoying to me.

This morning, I took a walk at Lake Merritt, which is almost in downtown Oakland.

It's a more urban setting, but it's about 4 miles around, making for great exercise. I saw a really cool heron there, too. I think I will start running here. What else? Other East Bay park recommendations?

Vintage Yellow Tile

2010-10-02T13:02:00.000-07:00

We have lovely, original pale yellow tiles in our bathroom. It's a small room but it has a big window and what it lacks in modern conveniences, it makes up for in charm. I got the shower curtain on clearance at Anthropologie and the little black wire baskets for just a few dollars each at Ikea. They were perfect because there is no room for storage on the floor, so they hold some essentials that didn't fit in the medicine cabinet. Sometimes the cheapest and simplest solutions really are the best!

Vignettes

2010-10-02T12:57:00.000-07:00

My apartment really still needs a lot of work. I've had a busy summer and haven't spent too much time on it, but here are a couple little vignettes I have together so far.

Saturday Snapshots

2010-10-02T12:49:00.000-07:00

Sweet little hedgehog etching came as a surprise wedding gift from my dear old friend Stacy and her family. Farmer's market flowers from Idriss. Bartleby lapping up the sun. Lovey (and lovely) card I gave to Idriss a while back.

Feeling Happy-Go-Lucky

2010-09-28T20:01:00.000-07:00

The tail end of dusk. The air is heavy with the heat of Indian summer and the scent of overripe jasmine. Crickets. I wouldn't want to change this moment for any other.

Scenes from a Civilized Existence

2010-09-25T22:12:00.000-07:00

Or so it seems...it's been almost two months since the move and it still feels like everything isn't quite settled. Despite my unsettled impressions, I found some evidence of settled-ness on my camera. From the top: afternoon tea break with my husband one weekend, some roses from Whole Foods and some ripe, delicious figs. (Figs are in the farmer's markets right now. Get some!)

Feeling Happy-Go-Lucky

2010-09-22T20:42:00.000-07:00

I went running tonight which means I've stuck to my new exercise program for a week. What is this challenging program, you ask? Oh, well, it's quite simple: if I didn't exercise yesterday, I need to exercise today. And it's been great to get back into this routine after the madness of my summer and moving and all that. It helps that it is mild and not windy over here...I don't have the same excuses I did in San Francisco. I'm feeling better every time I run. Yay!

East Bay Explorer: Berkeley Hill

2010-09-22T20:35:00.000-07:00

We took a 2.5 hour walk up in the Berkeley Hills this weekend. The area is famous for its distinctive architecture - many classic Northern Californian architects built here in early in the 1900s. It is such an incredibly lush and beautiful neighborhood to explore in - giant hills, incredible vistas and houses, old trees and small parks dotting many of the blocks. Just a relaxing, lovely place. Have I mentioned I love living in the East Bay? The whole time I was peering into these gorgeous houses and Idriss kept running away - he was terrified I would be spotted. Speaking of, can you believe the little work-shed, above? I want one!

Do you have any favorite East Bay walks you'd like to recommend? Please do!

P.S. Alice Waters lives up here - right near Indian Rock Park - anyone know where?

East Bay Explorer: Jack London Square

2010-09-20T22:04:00.000-07:00

I think I mentioned I moved to Oakland, right? Well, for those of you not in Northern California, Oakland is in the East Bay (in relation to San Francisco) along with Berkeley. After almost 8 years in SF, it's been super exciting to start to really explore a new city, and I am just loving it. So I'll have "East Bay Explorer" columns quite a bit, I hope, as we get to know Oakland better.

Jack London Square is on the water (SF Bay) and it's an old industrial area that has been somewhat revitalized with new restaurants and such. Blue Bottle Coffee has their roastery here and I've already been several times. There are all sorts of industrial kitchens (Miette) and old food stalls that I believe are still in use. I snapped these pictures of the neighborhood when a storm was coming on (in September??? WHAT???) so you can see the fog we deal with in these parts.

Chair Lust

2010-09-14T21:10:00.001-07:00

Has anyone seen this chair in person at Anthropologie? It is so stunning and vibrant...and expensive. I'll have to settle for dreamy scenarios in which I redecorate my living room around this fancy number...

Charming Sonoma Wedding

2010-09-14T20:51:00.000-07:00

Sweet flowers for a small wedding up in Sonoma this weekend. I really love how they turned out - I only wish I remembered to snap pictures at the reception site! Made with several kinds of dahlias, astilbe, jasmine, garden roses, billy balls, scabiosa, ranunculus, clover, sedum. Congratulations again Quentin and Samya!!

Feeling Casual...

2010-09-10T15:42:00.000-07:00

My clothes lust just will not settle down...Plaid jacket and striped sweater from Lauren Moffat, tuxedo-striped pants from the Gap, navy dress and booties from J. Crew.

Most exquisite blankets ever...

2010-09-09T16:47:00.000-07:00

The colors...the lusciousness...the luxury oh my! Can a blanket this artistic be so louche at the same time? I might daydream about these forever...available here.

Feeling Fancy

2010-09-09T10:43:00.000-07:00

I love these floaty dresses for fall - I would pair them with heathered tights and these gorgeous purple flats and a chunky sweater. Yummy! Since I feel like I've been shopping deprived I'll be posting about fashion a bit more here, so I can plan outfits I am not going to buy anytime soon. Dresses by Madewell. Flats by Kate Spade.

Most Romantic Dress Ever

2010-09-09T10:06:00.001-07:00

This lacy confection has me swooning...from J. Crew.

Feeling Happy-Go-Lucky

2010-09-09T09:47:00.003-07:00

Late summer melons are unbelievable this year. Just had the best watermelon of the season and have many other types of melon waiting at home for dinner tonight! Thanks to my lovely husband for lugging them all home for me.

Oakland Wedding Part Three: Tables

2010-09-06T19:17:00.000-07:00

I made so many arrangements, flowers were practically hanging from the rafters. It was fun for the flowers to be so lush and plentiful, I think life should always be like that!

Oakland Wedding Part Two: Altar

2010-09-06T19:16:00.000-07:00

Lovely Oakland Wedding - The Bouquets

2010-09-06T19:11:00.000-07:00

I was so lucky to do a beautiful wedding with an amazing, low-key bride this weekend. It was held at the pizza temple in Oakland known as Pizzaiolo, which is a beautiful restaurant and one of my favorites. There are the loose bouquets. Altar and table arrangements coming up next.

Flowers included: garden roses, 6 or 7 different kinds of dahlias, chocolate cosmos, scabiosa, yarrow, sedum, billy balls, celosia, jasmine and a few more that I can't remember.

Pillow Pile

2010-09-01T21:42:00.000-07:00

Can't get enough of color and pattern these days. Somebody stop me!

Feeling Happy-Go-Lucky

2010-09-01T21:40:00.000-07:00

I still can't believe this is the view from my living room. My husband and I feel like we are living in a vacation cottage rather than an apartment in Oakland! More pics to come of the actual apartment once we're more settled.

Ladies Luncheon

2010-09-01T21:36:00.000-07:00

I moved recently and haven't had much time to blog. But I wanted to show you all these cute pictures of a Ladies Luncheon at my friend Mel's house. She did a great job setting the table (and cooking the food! not featured here) and I wanted to show you the table setting along with the low-key flowers I put together.

I'm doing back-to-back weddings these next two weekends, and I'll have lots to share! The color palettes are gorgeous and I cannot wait to get my hands on the flowers!

Relax. You're In Maine.

2010-07-22T21:00:00.000-07:00

That's Maine's tourism tagline. And it really is true. I had never been to Maine before recently, and I fell deeply in love with the state. The people are lovely and nice and its landscape is wild and stunning. Plus, it feels like a frontier state - just on the opposite coast. And, they have amazing coffee everywhere. And, that coffee is cheap. And hello, home of whoopie pies. You are now my favorite state, Maine. I hope I get to visit you again soon.

Here are some snaps from a foggy day in Wiscasset, a tiny coastal town with lots of lobster shacks, an amazing bakery and chic design store. I'll post Acadia pictures tomorrow.

Pink and Orange and Green

2010-07-15T21:43:00.001-07:00

All favorite colors, of course. This is from a wedding I did in early June at a restaurant in San Francisco. I loved how cheery and happy the flowers looked! Peonies, dahlias, poppy pods, scabiosa pods and more.

Somehow I neglected to take a picture of the bouquet, which was gorgeous and full of ivory garden roses, peonies and more...I wanted to eat it.

Feeling Happy-Go-Lucky

2010-07-15T21:40:00.000-07:00

Three clear, mild nights in San Francisco.

Vivid dark skies tinged with red, a bright slice of moon, cotton sundresses and cashmere cardigans.

It hurts, my friends

2010-07-09T17:59:00.000-07:00

What hurts, you ask? Mainly, that I have passed 32 years on this earth without visiting Nantucket until now. What exactly have I been doing, I ask myself?

So, it is the cutest, most pristine, precious island ever. Not cutesy, mind you, just beautiful in its wild landscape and simple but perfect houses. I am obsessed. We rented bikes one day and had delicious food every day. We stayed at the lovely Jared Coffin House and our room had the loveliest, most romantic pale green wallpaper (pictured). I never wanted to check out.

You should go. Now.

P.S. Yellow door!!!

Feeling Happy-Go-Lucky

2010-07-09T17:38:00.000-07:00

Mama deer. Not pictured: the cutest ever baby deer, who hopped like a rabbit. Next to the Parkside Cafe, in my favorite place, Stinson Beach. Um, adorable deer, delicious brunch and body boarding????? ALL IN ONE PLACE?

At or Around the Laundromat

2010-07-09T17:31:00.000-07:00

His and hers converse, the Bear Flag, a bright blue sky, some flyers. And yes, a capital dose of boredom as evidenced by the 78 pictures I took.

Goofy Cat Tries to Snuggle Plant...

2010-07-09T17:20:00.000-07:00

and exposes his fang in the snuggling.

The Laziness Confession

2010-07-09T17:02:00.001-07:00

I used to be incredibly neat and organized. No, I never ironed my sheets, Julie, but I spent a decent amount of time making sure I lived in a clean, clutter-free home. Clutter makes me feel anxious. Dirt makes me feel yucky.

Anxiety might be why I am writing this post. My house is a mess, and it feels like it has been for months. It's a small SF apartment and I have two cameras, including my giant DSLR, who seem to have found a perm home on my console table. Junk mail is on at least four different surfaces that I can see from the kitchen (also living / dining / TV room) table...and I just cannot get the willpower to tackle it anymore.

Mostly I just want to go to the beach.

And yes, it does matter, because clutter (see above as to how it makes me feel).

Also, sometimes I change what I am writing in this blog so that I don't have to code an HTML link. How lazy is that?

Does anyone have any inspiring tips for summoning willpower??? If so please share!

Feeling Happy-Go-Lucky

2010-07-07T19:02:00.000-07:00

I got to marry such a cutie! Pictured on our friend's boat on Long Island, and waiting for the Orient Point Ferry at the start of our honeymoon.

My Wedding Flowers

2010-07-07T18:49:00.000-07:00

So, it was really hard to get the flowers I wanted out on Long Island. I didn't have time (or the inclination) to race into Manhattan the day before my wedding to hit up the flower market. I had to improvise. I found a lovely, helpful local florist who was willing to order flowers for me at a wholesale rate, so I could arrange them myself. But, my options were pretty limited, at least compared with what's available to me daily in San Francisco!

At that point, I just let go of my creamy pastel confection idea and decided to make it easy on myself and go with pink. That way I knew everything would blend. Peonies, ranunculus, garden roses (from my parent's yard), lisanthius and veronica wound up being the primary flowers I worked with. While the flowers aren't exactly what I had in mind, I still loved how they turned out. What do you think? Pinker than a princess's wedding, or charming?

Just Because...

2010-07-07T18:16:00.001-07:00

He's so cute!

4th of July Feast

2010-07-05T20:15:00.000-07:00

My husband's sister is visiting from Morocco, and we wanted to make sure she had a great impression of all the yumminess surrounding Independence Day. Trouble is, we don't have a grill (or an outside space), so we had to adapt our menu a bit.

Menu:
- Kefta (Moroccan meatball) inspired burgers with onions, cilantro and paprika mixed in with the meat
- Potato salad with pesto, green beans and pine-nuts
- Boiled white summer corn with butter, salt and pepper
- Apple cake with strawberries, honey and almonds

Plus, we got to use some of my new dishes. Not sure I've mentioned them, but we try to eat on small plates and I got these little cuties with an Anthro gift card I had. Adorable, eh?

Feeling Happy-Go-Lucky

2010-07-05T20:00:00.000-07:00

New wetsuit. New board. Whole new approach to the Northern CA frigid beach waters. I've spent hours and hours in the ocean the last few weeks, and I'm not stopping. Ever.

Feeling Happy-Go-Lucky

2010-07-01T21:52:00.000-07:00

I'm in raptures over the beautiful Italian movie "I Am Love" which I saw tonight. Some of the most luscious shots and scenes I have ever seen on film, combined with modern typesetting in my favorite font, Neutra. And the food. The clothes. The Italian setting. All to die for.

My husband is teasing me - saying how a good movie gives me energy. He's right. Dorky as it is...movies are art too, at least, some of them are. This film just unexpectedly blew me away and left me in a dreamy state. What more could one ask?

Feeling Happy-Go-Lucky

2010-06-30T20:44:00.000-07:00

I used to write a blog about being Happy-Go-Lucky, which I decidedly am not, but I think would be the one trait I would choose for any future kids to have.

So I'm starting a column here to write about people / things / experiences for which I'm grateful, to cultivate a bit of happy-go-lucky-ness. Probably a tall order...but I'm trying, OK?

Today my husband was making Moroccan crepes with olive oil and honey when I came home from work. 'Nuff said.

Where to start?

2010-06-30T20:31:00.000-07:00

Sorry I've been MIA. I will spare you the lame ass details of lack of time / inspiration because they're certainly not unique to me. Suffice it to say, in the last two months I've gotten married, gone on a wonderful honeymoon, come back to San Francisco to do flowers for another wedding, and started a new job (outside of the flower biz).

Then, AT&T had the nerve to knock out our internet service for 10 blippin days, just when I was gearing up to start writing again.

I have so much piled up in my brain, I honestly don't know exactly where to start.

Well, here are a couple wedding pictures. I'll post more later. See you again soon my dear readers! Well, here are a couple wedding pictures. I'll post more later. See you again soon my darling blog readers!

Cheers to Jillian and Chase, the cutest flower girl and ring bearer EVER.

The Search for Cakeplates

2010-04-19T21:10:00.000-07:00

Dear Readers: I need help finding cake stands. Yes, I know, it is a dire situation, so please do help. I will have a small wedding cake or two, along with a couple of pies. I was hoping to have them all displayed on lovely assorted cake stands, in pinks, whites and greens. Even orange would do it.

I have always been obsessed with pedestal and footed dishes, so now I'm extra-obsessing over this. Which, frankly, is irritating. So the deal is, I have a couple beautiful cake stands, but I would have to ship them to NY and then my mom would have to ship them back to me. She never ships things back to me...so it's not a very good plan.

Doing the rounds online, I've found some gorgeous stands, but so far they're too pricey for me. Except for, of course, the two-tiered dessert stand by Liberty at Target, which is sold out. It's a tiny, family-only wedding, so I need to keep costs down.

From the top: Target, Bauer Pottery, Mosser Glass, and Whitney Smith Pottery.

Please send any ideas you have!

Sunny Happy Weekend

2010-04-18T19:29:00.000-07:00

Farmer's market, check.
Running, check.
Swimming, check.
5 mile hike in Marin, check.
Beautifying mani / pedi, check.
General feeling of luck for living in such a beautiful area, check.

What a lovely weekend. It was so warm and sunny here in the Bay Area. I took a glorious hike up Mt. Tam today and stupidly forgot my camera! Views from the top were of San Francisco, the East Bay all the way to Mt. Diablo, the Golden Gate bridge, Ocean Beach and the skyline of San Francisco, Richardson Bay, Tiburon...you get the point. Perfect everywhere I turned.

Pictures of the weekend from top:
- Awesome graffiti at my farmer's market
- Bartleby bird-watching
- Cous cous lunch with carrots and beef
- Sliced oranges with cinnamon for dessert

Tonight is my first official Sunday roast and I'm making chicken with onions, carrots and baby potatoes. Upon receiving some advice I put butter and herbs under the skin and sprinkled it all with sea salt, pepper, fresh thyme and rosemary. I'll let you know how it goes. Don't forget to give me your favorite roast ideas, please!

P.S. As I mentioned I've been adjusting to a lot of changes including a new schedule. But I've got lots of posts lined up for this week to make up for my absence!

Delicious Summer Ceramics

2010-04-16T15:21:00.001-07:00

Heath Ceramics, based in Sausalito, CA, does a seasonal collection and the summer colors are making me nuts. I want the tray, the bowls, and everything else in this color combo!!!

Moroccan Mosaics!

2010-04-13T13:24:00.000-07:00

Hello! I wrote a short article for "The City Traveler" about chasing beautiful tiles and mosaics through Morocco. Check it out when you've got time. It's a great site so don't stop at my story!

Sunday Roast

2010-04-12T21:14:00.000-07:00

In England the neighborhood pubs do a Sunday roast. Families can go and hang out, along with their kids and dogs, eat a good meal, have a beer or a cup of tea, and just relax. I'm obsessed with this idea and perhaps it's because I especially love the social pub nature of England - that everyone's got a spot near their home to go to.

This is kind of a rambling post that has nothing to do with flowers or decor...but I'm going to start my own Sunday roast program in my apartment. Just for my fiance and myself, maybe some friends. Just for fun. You see, I've been very slowly learning to cook over the past couple of years - and believe me, it's been a painful process with many mishaps along the way.

But I have a fiance who is a super creative and healthy cook, and the way he approaches food is inspiring to me. While I used to think I didn't have the patience to cook well, I've crossed a line and can now relax into the food and enjoy the process - if I have time for it. I've learned to trust my intuition a bit more too, in the sense that I am not focused on following any one recipe when I make a dish. I tend to look at several and think about what will be most delicious together, for us.

On Easter, I made a prime rib with shallot sauce. This Sunday, I'm planning on roasting a chicken. If you've got any ideas, please send them my way! Part of my learning process has been that the more I invest in cooking - in terms of researching ideas and recipes, shopping at the farmer's market every Saturday, etc. - the more I tend to do it! So, pick your favorite and throw it into the comments, please!

P.S. Photos above from my favorite gastropub in London, The Engineer! Special shout out to Mara and Pat for taking me there the first time :-)

Vivid Pink

2010-04-07T09:53:00.000-07:00

Aren't these the most perfect shades of pink. Pink in its purest form. I'm obsessed with these prints by Jamie Shelman, found via Oh Joy! And no, I'm not embarrassed to post cat art! It's been a while, hasn't it?

Tilden

2010-04-05T20:52:00.000-07:00

Tilden is a large regional park in the Berkeley hills. It has a lovely lake surrounded by trails. We took a sun bath on the large rock. Some cute dogs were also enjoying the sunshine.

Berkeley Rose Garden

2010-04-04T18:25:00.001-07:00

Isn't that a cool arts & crafts-style sign? It's perfect for Berkeley which is full of adorable little craftsman bungalows. It's a bit early for roses but I did find one juicy pink one!

Yesterday was a gorgeous, sunny afternoon and today, Easter, feels like a monsoon. I am cooking Easter Dinner and had mentally prepared a light supper with roasted chicken and herbs, early asparagus with lemon, roasted potatoes.

It's way too cold and wintry for that. So instead I'm cooking roast beef with shallot sauce, potato gratin (no real cream though) and asparagus.

What did you make?

Help!

2010-04-01T22:40:00.001-07:00

I need the perfect dress for a tiny family-only casual wedding. Bohemian, lovely, romantic. And available STAT. But I can't find one. San Francisco is *not* a good town for dresses, since it's so casual here. All the stores have the same old, same old. I want just a lovely dress. White or cream is nice but not the only option.

Up there are a few dresses I ordered online and returned. That's why I hate shopping for clothes online, they never work out.

HELP ME! Do you have any suggestions?

From above: Alice by Temperley (love, love the sleeves, but dress was actually super bulky and pulled on over my head); Lilly Pulitzer (too straight, a bit preppy for me); Shoshanna (plunging neckline totally inappropriate for daytime...not bohemian at all).

Treehouse Apartment

2010-03-30T20:52:00.000-07:00

It wasn't really a treehouse, but it felt like one. It was a bit too far from public transportation for us, but I wish we could have this lovely apartment we saw in the Oakland hills. I am longing for a quiet place just like it. The top photo shows the peaceful view and huge windows in the living room. At the end of the block (50 feet away!!) was a path into the Oakland Rose Garden. It kind of hurts to look at these photos now.

If anyone knows of any cute apartments or cottages in Piedmont, send them my way!

Pillow In Progress!!!

2010-03-30T20:45:00.000-07:00

The Glories of West Marin

2010-03-28T18:47:00.000-07:00

I'm from the east coast and I've lived in San Francisco for over seven years now. While natural splendor abounds in this state, I think my absolute favorite part of California so far is West Marin. Yesterday, my fiance and I headed up the coast to Stinson Beach, where we took a long walk and basked in the salt air and the sunshine. We lazily napped in the sand and then headed up to Point Reyes Station for lunch and a walk near Tomales Bay. Back to the real world though the Lucas Valley - just so beautiful it's unreal. Hope you had a great weekend, too!

Ranuncula + Anemone Madness

2010-03-28T18:42:00.000-07:00

Engagement Party Flowers

2010-03-28T18:34:00.000-07:00

I put these together for a little engagement party my friend threw for her sister. Cute, huh?

No Excuses

2010-03-24T11:27:00.000-07:00

Hi Again. I am sorry for the sparse posts lately. My life has been full of changes and just so busy lately. All good, just consuming of time and energy. Plus, I'm getting married soon! I know, I've mentioned my fiance before, but we're getting married May 29 and I have been trying to get it all together! We're doing a civil ceremony and a tiny party with family in NY - but I still want everything to be just so.

To that end, I've enlisted the incredibly talented LLubav to design and make a ring pillow for me! Her creations are just lovely and inspiring and I am so excited. Plus, I found out she worked at Hable Construction for 8 years, which just about makes her my design idol. Here are some pictures of other pillows she's done. Check out her adorable website when you have a moment.

I might have gone a little overboard...

2010-03-15T22:04:00.000-07:00

With the Liberty at Target thing going on. The sad part is that some of the pieces I wanted most were sold out by the time I made it to Target at 10am on Sunday. Apparently there was a huge line of diehard design lovers there before 8am when the doors opened, which was really 7am because of daylight savings time. Oh well, you snooze, you lose, but I still got some cute things.

And, I'm creating a little closet office for LPF using this loot. I'll post pix when it's done...for now it's just a tiny peak.

SUNSHINE!!!

2010-03-14T22:14:00.000-07:00

It's been an incredibly rainy winter in San Francisco this year. Seems like 3X as much rain as last year. But this weekend was gorgeous and impossibly bright outside and the sky was a brilliant blue. We went to the park again to breathe fresh spring air and reconnect with the outdoors after spending the winter hiding from it.

Yummy Yellow

2010-03-14T22:11:00.000-07:00

It is such a treat to buy flowers just for myself, so I made this wild yellow mess and I love it. It's bringing so much cheer into my living room.

A Stroll In The Park

2010-03-07T19:01:00.000-08:00

And what a stroll...despite the overcast skies, Golden Gate Park was so full of spring and hope and promise. And, it smells so delicious and fresh there. I know, I know, so cheesy - don't judge me!

Most Delicious Breakfast, Ever

2010-03-03T11:04:00.000-08:00

My fiance and I hit up Mission Beach Cafe this morning, as a mid-week treat. And, it was truly a delicious treat! I had wild mushroom benedict with leek hollandaise and truffle shavings! Spectacular. I have no idea how they get their potatoes so crispy, either. Completely delectable.

My Collage Prints Arrived!

2010-03-03T10:56:00.001-08:00

More art for my bedroom, by Stephanie Levy. I haven't managed to frame any of it yet but I'm hoping that's a project I can finish this weekend.

Tsunami Warning / Fort Funston

2010-03-03T10:44:00.000-08:00

We had a beautiful walk at Fort Funston on Saturday. There were rangers there, warning of a tsunami, so we stayed on the paths high on the cliffs. The surf was very high and overall, the setting was very dramatic. It's my favorite place in the Bay Area, hands down, regardless of the weather. Hope it makes you feel calm and content like it does for me.

Spring Orange

2010-02-28T20:57:00.001-08:00

I've decided this is the shade of orange that defines spring and perhaps cheerfulness in general. I am cheerful for playing with these flowers, no doubt. I hope they make you cheerful as well!

Peachy Creamy

2010-02-28T20:45:00.001-08:00

Yummy colors, delicious aroma. I love this arrangement of anemones, two kinds of tulips, two kinds of ranunculus, hyacinth, and a pretty, point orange flower whose name I can't recall.

Prints for the Bedroom

2010-02-27T17:35:00.000-08:00

I am still working on my bedroom - I can't wait until it's finished and I can show you all! In the meantime, the prints that I ordered from Hadley Hutton arrived. The colors are so deep and saturated in person, they are going to be perfect!

On My Kitchen Table

2010-02-27T16:59:00.001-08:00

Droopy tulips, yellow "fuzzy" branches, poppies and ranunculus. These were the leftovers from a couple arrangements I was working on...I'll post pictures of them in the next couple days. I love these colors, and there is something just so romantic and kind of louche about these tulips.

Milk Glass and Poppies

2010-02-27T16:52:00.001-08:00

I found these vintage milk glass lovelies in an antique store in Oakland. I snatched them up for only $7!!! Aren't they cute? All they need is a single cheerful poppy.

Anemones and Bartleby

2010-02-27T16:40:00.001-08:00

Fuschia anemones in a delicious wool felt vase from my favorite, Papaver Vert. And, Bartleby was kind enough (and still enough) to pose for a morning portait while bird-watching.

Good Morning Sunshine

2010-02-26T08:30:00.000-08:00

Can't wait to dig into these citrusy lemon and orange flowers today!

My Notecards Arrived!

2010-02-23T19:55:00.000-08:00

Aren't they lovely? I am going to frame them, I think...

How do you find inspiration?

2010-02-22T19:36:00.000-08:00

I find that some weeks I have tons of creative energy and ideas for this blog, and other times I just fall flat on my face. Do you agree that desperation breeds creativity? - because I'm pretty sure it's not true in my case. During the most hectic times in my life I have a super hard time finding time to think creatively, because my mind is already wiped out.

To fight the dullness, I take walks and go outside, read, see good movies, perhaps have a nice meal. But lately it seems like I need to do a little more. Life seems tiring and I get so easily bogged down in dishes, cat litter, grocery shopping, cleaning, sinus infections, blah blah blah.

However, you all have to function in everyday life, too! So, tell me, what do you do for inspiration? I'm hoping for some handy, "Real Simple" style tips and real life stories :)

And, what do you want to see more of / less of on this blog?

P.S. Delicious cranberry-pear pie at Mission Pie.

Rainy Sunday

2010-02-21T19:30:00.000-08:00

From top: the view from the living room, cozy cats keeping warm, new fiesta dishes about to be washed, my favorite chair, hable construction pillows.

Art in the Mission

2010-02-18T21:05:00.001-08:00

San Francisco's Mission District is famous for its murals, and lately I've been walking by this guy on my way to work - I am just a little obsessed with it right now.

More Flowers

2010-02-16T15:47:00.000-08:00

I know I already posted about these flowers yesterday. But the light is so much better today, and I am just enjoying this arrangement immensely for some reason. So in case you missed them...enjoy.

Sun Bath

2010-02-16T15:43:00.000-08:00

They were fighting over a strong patch of afternoon sunlight before they settled down into yin and yang shapes.

Beautiful Cherry Tree on My Street

2010-02-16T15:41:00.003-08:00

I think this is a cherry tree...right? It has what look like cherries on it. Anyway it's beautiful, isn't it?

Leftovers / A Confession

2010-02-15T17:25:00.001-08:00

I was lucky to have some super pretty, fragrant flowers left from the weekend. I made a big messy bunch of hyacinth, jasmine, greens, ranunculus and anemones. I love it! It's been too long since I got to arrange some flowers for my home :)

And, in a fit of laziness, I cut all the additional anemones, ranunculus and muscari and put them into a little square glass vase. No work needed to enhance their loveliness.

And, for my confession: I made a lot of purple / blue bouquets this weekend. And I am kind of obsessed now. And, here is the shocking part, something a florist should never admit: I used to hate purple and blue flowers (except for dahlias, of course). They always screamed "bridesmaid" to me. But now it's all I am interested in, inspiring by the lovely blue anemones and vine I found last week. Oh, to explore a new range of colors - i am so excited!

Flower Booth - Day 2

2010-02-15T17:21:00.000-08:00

It doesn't look much different than day 1, huh?

Thanks to all my friends who made it out - I hope you love your flowers!

Valentine Flowers!

2010-02-13T19:52:00.000-08:00

I had such fun setting up my pop-up flower stand at The Curiosity Shoppe today. I'll be back tomorrow so be sure to come by, between noon and four.

We are selling all hand-tied little bouquets for affordable prices, chock full of anemones, lilies, roses, ranunculus, jasmine, hyacinths and tulips. They smell delicious - like spring.

Special thanks for Jacqueline for designing and sewing a beautiful table-cover for the booth!

My Entry Wall

2010-02-11T20:19:00.000-08:00

We have no foyer in my apartment. :(

But, I'm trying to pretend we do and I just created this little section which is to the right of the door when you walk in. The lovely print is by Elisabeth Dunker of Fine Little Day and the fox painting is something I picked up at Renegade. The mirror, which I had seen at Anthropologie, I found on clearance at Bed Bath and Beyond. It's positioned perfectly to apply lip gloss before heading out for the day.

Pop-Up Flower Stand at the Curiosity Shoppe!!!

2010-02-11T10:39:00.001-08:00

Derek and Lauren have kindly invited me to do a pop-up flower stand for Valentine’s Day this weekend at their store, The Curiosity Shoppe, this weekend.

It's in the Mission (855 Valencia, between 19th and 20th), and I'll be there from 12-3 on Saturday and Sunday.

I'm so excited! I'll be selling romantic little hand-tied bouquets that are quite affordable, so come on by if you can. Plus, the Curiosity Shoppe has some great Valentine cards and gifts.

For more details, check out the shoppe’s blog.

Hope to see you there!

Valentine Pencils!

2010-02-08T15:09:00.001-08:00

Aren't these precious? Available to purchase through Paperstore.

Found via one of my favorite blogs, Fine Little Day.

Beautiful Postcards

2010-02-08T13:59:00.001-08:00

I saw an ad for Anna Pernilla and clicked on it...these bold and graphic postcards are what I found. Love them!

Simply Stunning Textiles

2010-02-05T11:25:00.000-08:00

By Donna Wilson for SCP at The Future Perfect. The poufs remind me of macarons and delicious sherbert and are such perfect colors. I want to eat them. And I am dying for that darker green throw which would look ridiculously amazing in my bedroom and since it's such an incredible match I should clearly get it.

Found via Oh Joy!

Art for My Bedroom

2010-02-04T16:03:00.001-08:00

I'm having a hard time finding art I love in the right colors (pinks, greens, oranges) for my bedroom. But, I did snag these two lovely Hadley Hutton art prints today. Can't wait to hang them up!

My Bedroom!

2010-02-02T19:32:00.001-08:00

My bedroom has been undergoing a big makeover. It's still in the works...but here's a sneak peak of part of the bedding and some trim I'm going to put on my new curtains. Can't wait to show you more!

Living Room Update

2010-02-01T18:27:00.000-08:00

I got this beautiful rug in Morocco. It tied together all the colors in my living room - orange, yellow, pink, blue, white. I LOVE it. And, it was very reasonably priced :)

And, I'm having curtains made out of the fabric on the couch. Also from Morocco. I'll post pictures once they're done.

Then, in a fit of inspiration, I put my blue Heath bowl on my kitchen table - I thought it would work nicely with the aqua in the rug.

Granny Blanket

2010-02-01T13:24:00.001-08:00

This might be the cutest, coziest blanket ever. Doesn't it just evoke the smell of a fire and the delicious comfort and warmth of a cup of hot chocolate? For sale by Sandra Juto, who designed and made it by hand. She has so much more patience than I do :)

MIA

2010-02-01T11:36:00.000-08:00

It's been a little nuts around here the last few weeks. Constant rain, sinus headaches and work insanity meant I was cranky and had just about zero creative inspiration left.

It was sunny and mild this weekend. I have ideas. I am better.

Updates on projects around my house and hopefully some winter flowers coming daily this week. Thanks for your patience :)

Cats of Morocco

2010-01-22T18:56:00.000-08:00

This sounds like I'm planning on a calendar, huh? Don't worry. The world doesn't need more cat calendars. But, I did see many cute cats in Morocco and thought I'd share some cuties with you. Enjoy!

Embroidered Table Linens

2010-01-16T22:34:00.000-08:00

I know, this is not a proper picture of a table setting, and I didn't iron first...but these lovely linens were a gift from my fiance's mother in Morocco and I wanted you to see them. Aren't they beautiful? They're made by hand and I love them. She also gave me mini napkins, embroidered in blue, for tea. I'll post them another night.

Tiburon with Gracie the Dog

2010-01-16T22:25:00.000-08:00

It was supposed to rain today but I think I willed it away due to a desperate need to spend time outdoors.

Gracie is the black and white cattle mix, my friend Mel's dog. That golden is a 5 month puppy and is huge for her age and definitely going to grow to be the size of an elephant.

Is there anything more refreshing than breathing salty sea air and playing with dogs? I doubt it!

P.S. Isn't that a sad, lonely little abandoned toy? I was hoping Gracie would snag that stuffed animal but she ignored it.

Flowers at Mamounia

2010-01-14T20:24:00.000-08:00

How could a world-class, stunning resort really be complete without a floral boutique? Fear not, Mamounia had a lovely little shop. They had mostly white flowers with a few dramatic red amaryllis thrown in. Oh, flowers, how I miss thee. I have some arrangements and more coming up, so there should be new pictures next week.

Homemade Moroccan Food

2010-01-14T20:12:00.000-08:00

I was treated like a veritable princess in Morocco. Moroccans are famous for their hospitality and they really lived up to it, and then some. Here are some pictures of the food my fiance's mom made for us, as well as some pretty breakfast spreads.

The two pastry-crust covered "pies" are called pastilla. One was filled with seafood and one with a combination of chicken, almonds, curry and brown sugar. Sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon. OH HOW I LONG FOR THIS!

The tagine, of course, is a Moroccan classic as well and you can't tell from this picture but it was giant. The size of a Thanksgiving Turkey. And delicious. And surround by delicious sides: beets, tomato and onion salad and some sort of sweet cucumber minty drink that was amazingly refreshing and unusual tasting.

Breakfast was full of Mediterranean goodies. Local olives, olive oil from a relative's olive farm, fresh eggs, cheeses and homemade "nsimmon." I made up how to spell that. It's somewhere between a crepe and a pancake, served warm, with honey and olive oil. Plus Moroccan tea, coffee and juice, but in Morocco juice is always freshly squeezed. So we had deliciously fresh juices, every morning. Oh I wish I was still there!

Finally there's a birthday cake for my fiance. It says "Happy Birthday Idriss" in Arabic, so they tell me :) But this one is from a bakery.

Mamounia, aka, My Personal Idea of Heaven

2010-01-13T06:29:00.000-08:00

Mamounia is a very old, famous resort in Marrakesh. It just reopened after three years of renovations. It. Is. Stunning. I have so many pictures to share of its mosaics, gardens and fountains, but here are a few of my favorites. And if you're ever going to Marrakesh, you must stop by Mamounia for a cup of Moroccan sweet mint tea.