Ha. Ha. Modern day mean girls.

Happy Weekend dear readers. I hope you all are off to a spectacular and fun-filled fall weekend. We are heading out to the Outstanding in the Field dinner at Alexandria’s Arcadia Farms this afternoon. I have been wanting to do this for a few years now and we finally decided to treat ourselves for our fifth anniversary. The guys from DC’s Birch and Barley (yum) are headlining the event with Chef Kyle Bailey and Pastry Chef Tiffany MacIsaac at the helm- we’ll be in good hands. This particular dinner features a craft beer pairing with each course. I cannot wait. We’ve got some serious foodie friends coming into town this weekend as well so we’ll meet them at DC’s Jefferson Hotel for brunch on Sunday with the bebes. I’m just hoping the clientele is cool with a couple of toddlers in the midst of utensil experimentation. Wish us luck. Meanwhile, we’re trying to figure out whether or not we should take the plunge and head out to the ‘burbs. Never having lived in more than 800 square feet as a grown adult since well, ever- it would be nice to have more space but tough to leave city living behind. What say you suburban folks? Good stuff?

My Weekend Wine: What I’ll be sipping this weekend to help me mull over our impending ‘burbiness- Bordeaux baby. It is back, in a big way. Not too long ago, somms and winos alike were turning up their noses at the stodgy blends of yore. 2nd growths and futures on those big Chateau brands became a snore. Not anymore kids. When Richard Betts (probably the smartest wine dude in the business) sets out to make a $20 dollar Bordeaux, you know times they are a-changing. Somms in the know are wild about his blends. I’ll be sipping his ’10 Carte Verte. It’s a game changer folks, and a perfect fall wine. Bordeaux is cool- who would have thought.

A little link love and a few things that caught my eye this week:

This is one of the funniest things I saw this week. We are a #hashtaghappy society. It’s getting a wee tad bit out of control. Thanks QuestLove for setting us straight. #enoughalready #ha

1. Anna Watson Carl’s advice on throwing a fall dinner party and she would know. Chef, food and travel writer and test kitchen cook extraordinaire, Anna is infamous for the dinner parties she throws at her Yellow Table in NYC’s Nolita.

2. Designer Digs. Karl Lagerfeld is one voracious reader. I love all of those books!

3. These booties. I don’t know where I would wear them being that my threshold for heels over 2 inches ceased at 30, but I totally want them.

4. Is this cute or what! I am newly in love with this little shop for its darling little girls’ clothes. Affordable too.

5. I love this print by Britt Bass- again it’s that frustrated abstract artist in me that’s dying to come out. In the meantime, I’ll just admire and patronize the work of those that are actually imbued with painterly talent. (I just bought this one- will look great in our maybe soon-to-be new space.)

6. Giant umbrella-toting cement people floating over a city in the Czech Republic- sign me up.  I love this installation by artist Michal Trpak.

7. What a great idea. A plastic floor rug- perfect for the kitchen.

8. If Batman were a dad, it would be pretty awesome- this is hilarious. My favorite part is how annoyed his wife is with the whole thing.

And, I’m intrigued by One Fine Stay- a new vacation rental company that curates your stay in a local’s apartment complete with white fluffy towels and tiny shampoo for the taking. NYC, London, LA and Paris apartment rentals, these digs are pretty fabulous. Check out this minimalist apartment in Le Marais. Then there’s this one and this one in the Left Bank- those herringbone floors and those giant windows- I can’t stand it.

Ok, one more thing. “Six Words To Say To Today”- this is kind of interesting parenting advice.

{Images: Fall Dinner Party Chalk Board and Cake- Signe Birck, Karl Lagerfeld’s Paris apartment- Elle Decor Japan, Trpak installation- My Modern Met, Kitchen with Throw Rug- Laure Joliet}

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How pretty is this little breakfast nook. Those doors and that fixture- so simple and pretty, I could manage my cup of coffee and morning emails at that table. Happy Weekend to you all, dear readers! I hope you are all off to some fun and festive fall activities. We going on a fall family vacation with friends to a Dirty Dancing-style resort in West Virginia. I CAN NOT wait. A full report and post to come. What’s in the planning for you all?

A little link love and a few things that caught my eye:

1. A D.J. school for babies- only in Brooklyn folks.

2. Eric Ripert bans e-cigarettes at Le Bernadin because they’re tacky. I love him.

3. Kelly Wearstler has put the Glamazon into Cameron Diaz’s NYC apartment . 

4. Oversized portraiture is invading Pinterest. I don’t know, I’m on the fence about these, except for Dylan of course- I kind of love the way that looks. What do you think?

5. AND… Shark Tank’s back. I know, I’m a dork but I love that show.

6. Anna Nicole- the new opera presented by NYC Opera at BAM gets a rave.

{Images: Breakfast Nook- Design Within Reach, Anna Nicole- Sara Krulwich, e-cigarette- Reuters, Cameron Diaz’s apt and Bob Dylan oversize portrait- Elle Decor}

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Hi all and Happy Monday! I have been hard at work on a new project where I am back to my creative first love- theater. I’m working with a dear friend and super talented Broadway director/choreographer Lisa Shriver. We met years ago on my first big NY show- Susan Stroman’s A Christmas Carol. She was Stro’s (as the Bdwy world lovingly refers to her) assistant and I was the swing. I learned 12 different tracks in less than 3 weeks and went on for nearly all of them- total baptism by fire. Despite the fact that I thought I was having a nervous breakdown, it was a great experience and I got to meet Lisa. She and I have worked together on lots of fun projects throughout the years including Paul Newman’s Hole in the Wall Gang benefit at Lincoln Center (where I actually got to meet Mr. Newman himself- only one of the best moments in my life) and Disney’s A Christmas Carol, the motion capture flick starring Jim Carrey. What a hoot that was. 6 weeks in LA working with Colin Firth, Bob Hoskins, Carey Elwes, Mr. Carrey and director Robert Zemeckis. A dream job to be sure and the residuals paid for both a trip to Provence and the bebes’ nursery.

Which brings me to those bebes. This is my first job that has taken me out of town for more than a day and a half from my darling kiddos. I thought it would be good for me to get back to my creative roots and work on a new show, especially with Lisa, but I was really worried and had lots of anxiety about being away from my kids for a week. It has been hard and I can’t believe how much I miss those toots but it has also been really good for me. A sort of mom vacay with lots of (fun) work. The photo above was a recent morning when I actually had some time to drink a cup of coffee and read the actual print version of the Sunday Times I had been saving for a rainy (thought it was actually sunny) day- the Travel section of course. That simple quiet moment led me to my latest big idea brainstorm (currently in the works- hopefully with details to come). It’s great to remind yourself of who you are, be creative and have a little time to yourself. All that said, I absolutely cannot wait to see my bebes and it has proved to be a little bit too long away from them after all.

What do you all think about mom vacays/time away from your kiddos? What is the longest that you’ve been away from them? I would love to hear from you.

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Happy Weekend dear readers. I’ve been eyeing these darling French prints by Double Merrick for a couple of years now but am newly enamored with them- aren’t they so cute. I’ve been away from my bebes since Tuesday and I finally get to see them this weekend. I’m out of town working on a show which has been great except that being away from my kiddos is really tough- too long. My mom is headed into town this weekend and bringing those little ones with her- yay! We’ll be down in Williamsburg so we’ll make the rounds probably at Busch Gardens’ Sesame Street adventure (these kids do love their Elmo) and maybe head into Colonial Williamsburg- I am truly a sucker for any sort of reenactment- especially the truly authentic ones. What are you all up to?

A little link love (truly a little- my time this week was pretty much nil):

15 Clever Storage Solutions

I’m so confused by this article on so many levels. There’s a cat that’s a mayor? Huh? And the poor thing has been mauled? Oy. My favorite line from a local townsperson,”He’s the mayor, it’s not a joke. I know it’s ridiculous, but the town is run really well.”

What did you find interesting this week? Happy Weekend!

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I love when I see beautifully displayed children’s artwork in a home. Really- what is better than a child’s eye and a little insight into his or her mind? Above is my first official piece of artwork from my son. He is 15 months old and managed to make this exquisite little image in under a minute. I’m not sure what it is but I love it. I looked over my shoulder and saw him editing like mad via Instagram. He had somehow managed to open the app, shoot a photo, and crop and filter within seconds (kids these days)- all of which I’m sure is unbeknownst to him, as he was madly swiping his finger back and forth over the screen. Or, maybe he actually had some sort of idea of what he was doing. Who knows, I just know I love it and had to share.

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I love a gallery wall. I shall one day enjoy one complete with a striped settee- totally going to copy this look.

Happy Weekend dear readers! I hope you have an excellent Labor Day as we officially kiss summer goodbye. Arrivederci summertime- ’til next year. I hope you have some fun plans. No biggies over here, just hangin’ round.

So… among more important things that occurred this past week, this happened:

I had to google the word “twerk”.

I endured a 7 hour bus ride to NYC (should have been 4.5). I know, whoa is me, right- 1st world problems- but when you get into the wine industry because you have a good “nose”, there is inevitably a downside. This said bus was wafting with an intense bouquet of ripe b.o. Yes you read that right. Having an acute olfactory system is awesome when you’re sniffing the good stuff but man oh man, I wish I could turn this thing off when things go wrong.

I caught up with my fabulous and dear friend Cristy and we stayed up talking way past my bedtime.

My kiddos are just getting funnier by the minute- it’s awesome.

I played charades with mom and brother via text. I did. And I guessed the clue with only a few characters. It’s a new world, folks.

Matt Damon comes to Ben Affleck’s rescue, “You know, he’s not playing King Lear. It’s Batman!”. Nice. What are you trying to say Damon? Affleck can’t do Lear? Ha. I personally think Ben will be a stellar Batman and loved Patton Oswalt’s thoughts.

“I’m the King of the Barbarians!” Tortured though he may be, Mike Tyson never disappoints with an amazing sound bite.

And as always, a little link love:

1. Support our dear friend Super Maeve by sporting one of these cute tees in her honor. Her inspiring parents are hoping to raise awareness for children’s cancer with this project. Maeve is the most amazing two year-old bravely fighting a rare form of cancer and kicking its butt. All hail Super Maeve!

2. Twerk Schmerk-this guy can take Miley any day with his mad Vogue-ing skills.

3. This is just fantastic!

4. I love Caitlin MacGauley’s illustrations. I just bought this leopard print for my desk.

5. And then saw this photo with my envelope in her bike basket via her instagram account- what a weird world.

6. I can’t wait to read this. Marilyn Hagerty’s book on food in America with a foreword by Anthony Bourdain. You probably recognize the 87 year-old Hagerty from her numerous tv appearances when her review of an Olive Garden restaurant went viral. Her earnest review started a snarkfest and Bourdain quickly rushed to her defense. In the foreword he writes that, “this book kills snark dead”. I like it.

7. On the flip side, I’m psyched about all of the chic-chic fall restaurant openings – especially Contra and Ivan Ramen in NYC (and if I still lived in Hell’s Kitchen I’d be psyched about Gotham West Market), Shoo-Fly in Baltimore and Maketto in DC.

And… this is silly and worth a few minutes: Sh*t Southern Women Say- this sh*t is funny- these gals are great.

{Images: Jenny Komenda Little Green Notebook, Nowness, Caitlin McGauley}

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Ok guys, this one comes from our resident Clever Girl, Natalia Goldman. A jack of all trades, this chica is momma to four, surgeon, and creative craft and cook extraordinaire.

This is an imprecise recipe- just the way I like ‘em. No exact proportions here, just make according to taste. Isn’t this the way most of us cook anyway?

Natalia gives her kids little tasks when cooking or creating. Breaking up the walnut pieces or crumbling the pecorino would be a great sous chef duty for your little ones.

For a little foray into fall, break out the figs for this scrumptious salted salad.

What You Need: 
1 bunch of Kale (chopped fine)
Figs (halved or quartered)
Walnuts (chipped into bite size pieces)
Sea Salt
Olive Oil
Apple Cider Vinegar
Pecorino (crumbled)
Lemon Juice (squeeze from one lemon)

What You Do:
1. Pour your chopped kale into a big bowl.
2. Add olive oil, salt and lemon juice to taste.
3. Massage juices and salt into your kale and let sit. (this makes it less bitter)
4. Add in walnuts and figs.
5. Mix in your pecorino.
6. Add a bit of apple cider vinegar to taste.

Voilá! Easy peasy and so healthy.
P.S.: Did you ever think you’d be massaging your kale? I love it. Thanks Natalia!

My pairing:
Since we’re still on the heels of fall, I’m pairing this with a tasty Bandol rosé- Domaine de Terrebrune.
For me, it doesn’t get better than a Bandol. Tavels are usually always reliable but there is something special and a bit spicy about a Bandol. Terrebrune is one of the best, imported by Kermit Lynch (of course), and available at Zachy’s for $17.99/bottle- a deal.

The Contributor:

{Image: Natalia Goldman}

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I’ve stumbled upon my newest favorite illustrator- Michelle Morin. I love her modern and whimsical take on botanicals and creatures. You can snag a 16×20 print for $60. Not bad. Throw that puppy in a simple Ikea frame and you’ve got yourself some affordable art.  Smaller prints and originals are available too.

I love the almost fauvist botanicals with the zebras. So pretty.

How great would this jellyfish be in a bathroom. I love this deep sea mash up as well (below) complete with that ubiquitous hipster mascot of the sea- the Narwal.
I can imagine staring at this for hours as a kid, memorizing every creature and making up stories for all of them.

I’m a fan.
Michelle Morin etsy shop

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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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Summer is proving to be action-packed over here. While it’s a little more work than play and not nearly as much beach time as I would like, the bebes and I are having a ball. They are 14 months and all over the place.

In the meantime, I’m cooking up some new recipes in my personal tiny test kitchen and experimenting with a few summer pairings for these last days of summertime. I’m looking forward to sharing with you soon.

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