It’s always the little things that make a big difference in an ordinary day. I recently wrote about the pretty flowers my neighbor left me for my birthday on my doorstep- simple, pretty wild flowers in a tiny mason jar- totally made my day.

Seven Simple Things you can do to brighten up your routine:

1. Put your makeup brushes in a pretty used candle votive.
It just looks nice and doesn’t cost you anything- even better.

2. Hang a pretty print or inspiring photo next to your dressing area or at your workspace. 
I spied this suggestion via Cupcakes and Cashmere. I love these baby animal prints by Sharon Montrose. They have been all over Pinterest forever and still bring a smile to my face.

3. Find a bench and take a seat.
Make a point to take a walk and sit down for at least 10 minutes without your IPhone in hand. No instagramming, no texting, no pinning, no facebooking and tweeting allowed- it’s a tall order, right. Just sit and look at your pretty neighborhood or town for a few minutes, take the time to people watch and take in a few minutes of fresh air. This one is hard for me to do but I’m so happy when I do- it’s my mini version of meditation and especially good when the kiddos have fallen asleep in the stroller.

4. Pour yourself a glass of bubbly before dinner.
I opt for Cremant because it’s delicious and inexpensive for bubbly. I am partial to Trader Joe’s Blason de Bourgogne Cremant Rosé because it’s good and about $8. I little bubbly always gives you a little lift especially at the end of the day, no?

5. Send an old school handwritten note.
It doesn’t have to be a long one. It can just say hi, I miss you. Your pal will so appreciate it, I love these. I almost never do this but it’s so easy.

6. Bake cookies for a friend.
Just because. Who doesn’t like a plate of freshly baked cookies? I am digging these salted dark chocolate chip walnut cookies that I recently baked and posted in a chipwich version. The cookies alone are ridiculous- seriously the best damn cookies I have ever made (or eaten for that matter- commence pat on the back). Your friend will LOVE them. I know you may be sighing like “who has time to bake cookies”- but these only take about 30 minutes max.

7. Pick up some sunflowers at your local farmer’s market. 
I almost never do this as I consider it kind of an extravagance, I’m not sure why as they’re pretty cheap, but it really makes me happy when I have them on my dining table.

{Images: Vanity Space: Cupcakes and Cashmere, Bubbly: EscapadeBlog, Cookie: Kelsey Zahn}

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Back to School- I know lots of your littles headed back this past week. Seeing all the cute pics on Facebook, it brought back so many memories all of those first days back. Who will be in my classes, who will I eat lunch with, where will my locker be and what the heck do I wear- don’t we all wish we could have rocked the Stephanie Zinone look on our first day back. It doesn’t get much cooler than Michelle Pfeiffer as the Pink Lady singing Cool Rider (above)- bad. ass.

I hope you’re off to a fun-filled weekend. No big plans over here- just some swim time at the town pool and parks and playgrounds.

A little link love:

This week is a little shelter-centric. In my mind, I’m concocting my dream house. It may be a while before we see our dream home, but that’s ok- it’s fun just finding inspiration.

1. 26 Reasons Grease 2 is better than Grease. Basically, no one’s cooler than Stephanie Zinone. I just love how she doesn’t want no ordinary guy coming on strong with her. I know every single frame, word and lyric of this movie- it’s genius. Say what you will about the sequel, but for me Grease 2 reigns supreme.

3. This is an easy DIY entryway via Glitter Guide’s Instagram feed. The desk could be a thrifty find punched up with simple brass hardware. Target used to sell these cute little coral x benches but you can still get these for $79 and give them this makeover via Style Me Pretty Living- sounds pretty easy and Kelly-proof (I’m not the greatest DIYer).

4. I had to pick this up. A super cute color block denim dress with pockets and an exposed zipper in back. $59, cute and it hides my post-baby tummy that will not mind its owner and hibernate already.

5. Anna Wintour makes her debut appearance half-veiled by her magazine via Vogue’s instagram account. She’s officially been voguestagrammed. Slow to embrace social media, Wintour is purportedly making her appearance in the name of the infamous September Issue.

6. Georgia O’Keefe reveals her younger self via vintage documentary footage. Cool.

7. I am loving these DIY abstract stained glass plates that Emily Henderson is making for her Fig House project. Are these cool or what!

8. How to cook your carrots stovetop?

{Images: Georgia O’Keefe: Alfred Steiglitz, stained glass: Emily Henderson, carrots: Emily Ho}

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These things taste just like childhood- just a little saltier. Yum.

I tried out a new recipe for the ultimate sea salt dark chocolate chip cookie with walnut bits and I was oh so pleasantly surprised. Dare I say, these are the very best cookies I have ever baked. Double Yum.

I just baked these puppies up then smeared some vanilla bean ice cream between two cookies, dotted the sides with chocolate chips and voilá- childhood revisited.

Salted Dark Chocolate Chipwiches

What You Need:
1. 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
2. 1/3 cup coconut sugar
3. 1/3 cup organic sugar
4. 1 egg
5. 1 tsp. vanilla extract
6. 1 1/3 cup flour
7. 1/2 tsp. baking soda
8. 1 tsp. sea salt
9. 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips
10. 1/4 cup walnut pieces chopped or broken up
11. sea salt for sprinkling
12. vanilla bean ice cream
13. tiny dark chocolate chips

What You Do:
1. Heat the stick of butter in a small saucepan on medium/high heat until it is bubbling and browning.
2. Stir the flour and baking soda and salt together in a bowl.
3. Blend the sugar and butter in a large bowl adding in the egg and vanilla.
4. Stir in the flour mix until blended together.
5. Add in the chocolate chips and walnuts.
6. Wrap in parchment paper and store in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
7. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and scoop spoon-sized dollops of dough onto sheet.
8. Sprinkle sea salt on top of your cookies.
9. Bake for 12 minutes at 350 degrees.
10. Allow to cool.
11. Scoop a serving of ice cream in between two cookies and dot the sides of your chipwich with a few tiny chocolate chips.
12. Serve and Enjoy!

(cookie recipe adapted from Cooking a la Mel)

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Sometimes I get so wrapped up in my favorite foodie blogs and loaded down with the latest mouth-watering food photography to magically appear on my Pinterest page that I forget to savor summer’s simplicity. This goes for every season, but summertime produce is so ripe and juicy that it begs to be separated and enjoyed in its solitary state.

In other words, sometimes you just need to slice a delicious Heirloom tomato fresh from the farmer’s market (those yummy orbs above were found at my local market this past weekend- no filter needed here folks, just nature’s best), drizzle it with olive oil and a generous pinch of sea salt and…enjoy. It’s such a duh that I forget to do it. No recipes, no food styling, just a simple tomato on a plate. Yum.

I drink it up with my new favorite rosé:

Not so much subtle and nuanced like the Provencale rosés I adore so much, but true to its Italian roots, this one’s a lively and juicy match to your tomato’s moxie. It’s inexpensive too. Hey- let’s keep it simple.

Bricco dei Tati Italian Rosé, $9.99

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Wow, glamorous train travel. The passing of the breakfast tea on the railway between Peshawar and Lahore, Pakistan circa 1983. On the job hazards for sure, but these guy don’t look like they mind. In any case, I don’t think I’ll be seeing this anytime soon on my monthly Amtrak Northeast Regional train to NY. Nope.

A little link love:

1. A House That Turns Into An Open Air Theater- this is the coolest ever, you have to watch this video.

2.2003 Auditions for The Office- so many great actors up for these roles. I spied this over at Cup of Jo, but couldn’t find an existing link that worked on youtube, so it may have been pulled. Check it out.

3. Marc Ghali blends Faces from Past and Present: cool.

4. 50 Things That Look Like Your Childhood (for the youngish Gen Xers, and Gen Yers, is there a Gen Z yet?)
-just a little sidenote, that mountain in number 7 was actually climbed by my brother Ben who was a real live contestant on Nickelodeon’s GUTS- and he won (it was kind of imperative for the future of his well-being that he did, as both his opponents were girls and at 12, you kind of can’t lose to a girl). And I was a real live contestant on Teen Win Lose or Draw and didn’t win. That’s right, that’s what growing up in Orlando gets you.- spots on cheesy pre-teen game shows.

5. The Dog That Will Not Kiss His Owner: hilarious. I’m not really a pet videos-on-youtube kind of gal, but this is funny. The whole culture/language thing helps too.

6. 10 Tips for Avoiding Crowds in Barcelona: helpful if you’re headed that way.

7. Bon Appetít unveils this year’s 10 Best New Restaurants. This list always makes me want to jump in the car and road trip to each and every restaurant. {Photo by Peden + Munk}

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LA’s Ray’s & Stark Bar at the LACMA is adding a 45-page WATER menu to its beverage list. Huh? They also have a water sommelier. Really? A water somm? Which water would pair best with my chicken sandwich? Should I go with the Vichy Catalan or the Saratoga?

The water selection on this extensive list spans the globe stemming from 10 different countries with the most expensive from California. Martin Riese is said water somm and maker of 90H20, the $18 California water. I think I have to call bullshit on this. I mean, if the market will bear it then ok, why not but… I call bullshit. What say you?

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Could Rita be any cuter eating her sandwich in Santa Monica circa 1941- I love her.

Happy Weekend dear readers, I hope you are off to lots of fun.  I’m traveling to NYC for some work and play, what are you up to?

Here are a few fun things I found this week:

1. In the mood for cake and a beer? Bake a craft beer cake- 2 birds with one stone.

2. Talk about portion control- these are hilarious.

3. This one’s on my wish list- a former W Magazine art director’s tales of renovation and inspiration in the Greek Isles. I’m thinking it’ll be my next Calgon Take Me Away read. I’m waiting for the paperback.

4. For those not a fan of Big Brother- The Off Pocket- makes your cell phone completely untraceable. Get off the map!

5. These ladies are actual mannequins in a Swedish H&M store, I love it.

6. Cameron’s cool glass house from Ferris Bueller is on the market with a price drop. Get it here.

7. The genius foodie site, Food 52, has just launched their own market- Provision. Pick up a cute kitch-y gift for your foodie friends.

8. I just bought these, aren’t they great! I’m a bootie fanatic- what can I say. Budget be damned.

9. I’m digging this brushstroke wallpaper.

And, a little link love:

The 10 Most Annoying Words in the Wine Business.

Couples wearing each other’s clothes- funny.

Ha. For those of you living in a cave who haven’t seen this, it’s now clear that Colbert has the most fun job on the planet. Seriously. I want to be in that writer’s room when somebody said, “We’ve got to get Kissinger!”.

Paris in China- hmm, this is kind of creepy and not in an EPCOT-creepy kind of way (which I actually kind of love). Seems the Chinese aren’t exactly nuts for it either, it’s a ghost town.

I love this look for less, I really love that the pants have an elastic waistband. Cute.

If you need a screenful of color, check out this tumblr page. Constant color inspiration.

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Zwetschgendatschi! Yes, that’s the name of this little beauty, is that a fantastic name or what. For a few weeks at the end of summer, black plums are terrifically in season and this classic Bavarian tart sets them up beautifully- I love the celebration of a beautiful piece of fruit. This tart is not only pretty and delicious but so easy to make (easier than the baby casserole recipes a mom friend of mine sent me) and really satisfying. It just tastes like summer.

Pastry chef and cookbook author, Gesine Bullock-Prado recreates a German tradition from her childhood in her new book, Bake It Like You Mean It. Her mother, Helga Bullock was a noted German opera singer who apparently baked like she meant it and inspired her daughter to carry on the tradition. Ah tradition- I’m a sucker for it. It’s precisely the idea of starting a summer tradition- centered around food of course- that inspired me to try my hand at this little beauty. I have to say I was successful. It’s very easy and just right for these last dog days of summer. I imagine picking up a few pounds of black plums every early August and making this special treat for my family. How fun to look forward to the Zwetschgendatschi! The name alone generates excitement. The traditional recipe calls for oval Damson plums but I couldn’t find them so round black plums substituted quite nicely- juicy, pretty and delicious. I have adapted Bullock-Prado’s recipe below with a bit more salt and a bit less sugar as I like my desserts on the less-sweet side, more salty side. If you are a sucker for sugar, sprinkle a bit of raw sugar on top of your tart before you put it in the oven.

Disclaimer: I know my food photography leaves a bit (or a lot) to be desired- I’m working on it. Stay tuned for some progress.

Zwetschgendatschi (adapted from Bake It Like You Mean It)

What You Need:

Makes one 8-inch tart

Crust
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup sugar (I actually used more like 1/6 of a cup- just a bit less than 1/4 cup)
1/2 teaspoon salt and a generous pinch more for good measure
3/4 cup unsalted butter, very cold, cut into small pieces
1 egg yolk
1 1/2 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
non-stick cooking spray or butter
8 inch tart pan

Filling
3 pounds black plums or Damson plums if you can find them

What You Do:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. For the crust, using the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment, pulse together the flour, cornstarch, sugar, and salt. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. (I don’t have a food processor, so I did this by hand- it worked great).

3. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolk, sweetened condensed milk and vanilla. Slowly add the egg yolk mixture to the flour mixture while pulsing; continue until the dough just begins to come together.

4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Gently knead it until the dry ingredients are fully integrated and the dough holds together, being careful not to overwork it.

5. Press the dough into a disk-shape and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

6. Spray an 8-inch fluted tart pan with nonstick cooking spray or coat lightly with butter.

7. Press the majority of the dough onto the bottom of the tart pan and up the sides so that you have at least 1/8 inch of crust all around. Set your extra dough aside.

8. For the filling, split each plum along the natural seam and remove the stone, leaving the plum still hinged on the backside like a little book. (mine didn’t lay out quite so bookish, but still looked awfully pretty just halved)

9. Arrange the plums upright on the uncooked dough, flesh side facing in.

10. Using your leftover dough, crumble it in small piece atop your plums.

11. Bake the tart until the sides of the dough are golden brown and the plums are tender, about 45 minutes. If the plums begin to brown before they are tender, carefully cover them with aluminum foil and continue baking until the juices of the plums start running.

Voila! Your Perfect Little Plum Tart
If you like black plums and are a sucker for food traditions, start this one in your home- you will not be disappointed (or put out- it really is easy).

My Perfect Plum Tart Pairing:

Surprised? Thought I would go for a port or Madeira? I could have but I wanted to stick with Germany. Dr. Loosen’s Spätlese late harvest Riesling is perfect. It’s lush with juicy stone fruits, refined lemon-lime citrus, beautiful floral and honeysuckle notes, plenty of slate-y minerality and a punch of exotic spice. It’s sweet but not too sweet- just like this dessert.
Dr. Loosen Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Spätlese, $19.99.

Enjoy and Cin Cin!

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I just love these. The Fifty United Plates project is flooding the blogosphere and Pinterest and I have officially jumped on the bandwagon. I backed these guys on Kickstarter because I absolutely love their work. Kaitlyn and Ryan Lawless are partners in life and design and have collaborated through their cottage industry ceramic and design studio, Corbé Company, to create these beautiful state-shaped plates.

How cute is a homemade pie baked in your home state plate or chips and dip in your football team state on Superbowl Sunday? I love it. Lots of us do apparently, as these guys rocked their Kickstarter funding seven times over. Good on ya.

I’m looking forward to my Virginia state plate although I am partial to New York, my former home and California, my former former home and then there’s Michigan, my college home (you get 2 for 1 with that state) and of course Florida, where I’m originally from and then there’s Texas, where my family’s from. I can’t forget Nevada, where I did a year-long stint as a Vegas showgirl- for real and New Mexico, where I got married. Hmmm. Forever the gypsy, I may just have to start collecting them.

Support The Fifty United Plates project here and get your state plate before anyone else.

{All Images: Corbé Company}

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This one is seriously so genius. Easy, healthy & delicious- a great way to do raw veggies. I have to share this revelation I picked up from America’s Test Kitchen’s Jack Bishop.

Zucchini Parmesan Summer Salad with Fresh Herbs and Olive Oil:

What You Need:
4 Small Zucchini (the smaller and darker in color, the better, more flavorful and less diluted they will taste)
Handful of Chopped Fresh Herbs (whatever you want, I used chives, basil and mint)
Good Quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Sea Salt or Fleur de Sel
Pepper
Shaved Parmesan
A Pretty Platter or Plate
A Plastic Mandolin (or just use your kitchen knife, but the mandolin is a time-saving game-changer- I got mine at Williams-Sonoma for $19 bucks)

What You Do: 
1. Slice the zucchini on the bias
2. Spread out on your pretty platter
3. Sprinkle with fresh herbs
4. Sprinkle with shaved parmesan
5. Drizzle with olive oil
6. Sprinkle with salt and pepper
DONE. So genius, so simple, so good for you. Get your raw veggies right here- I’m hooked.

Total time to prepare this puppy: 5-7 minutes depending on how quickly you can chop up those herbs. That’s what I’m talking about.

I served this summer salad for my brother and sister-in-law over the weekend. (P.S.: Thank you Matt for the AMAZING paninis!) and this platter went quick. I should have made another.

A Perfect Pairing: 

I would sip a Grüner with this dish. We had rosé in the fridge and that was fine too but the Grüner would have been better, it’s my pick for your perfect pairing- I would pick this one up- a great producer’s starter Grüner: inexpensive and bright with lemony citrus flavors and that classic dash of white pepper, you really can’t go wrong.
Weingut Hirsch Veltliner Number 1, $13.

Listen to the Fresh Air interview with America’s Test Kitchen hosts Jack Bishop and Bridget Lancaster here- it’s chock full of so many great ideas like grilled peaches and pork and oven-dried tomatoes, my mouth was watering just listening to the story. A recent discovery for me, America’s Test Kitchen is my new favorite show.

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