I make stuff all the time, but usually it doesn’t quite work out the way I thought it would. Let’s face it, I’m not the world’s greatest cook and I’ve been known to get a tad frazzled in the kitchen. I am inspired though and when armed with a great recipe and ingredients, I can kick ass. This one is worth the public recommendation- C and I were both big fans of the results. If you like scallops and are a fan of fennel, you will dig this. Easy, if not a bit time consuming just due to the tedious[…]

  

If this isn’t one of the greatest photos ever, I don’t know what is. It just doesn’t get better than these guys. Clooney and Pitt may be a close modern second to Redford and Newman but there’s just something about these two guys. I was so fortunate to meet Paul during the last year in his life, even in his old age he was as twinkly eyed as ever. He told me the story of how he met Joanne and how she taught him to dance backstage in the Broadway theater where they were doing Picnic. I wonder if he[…]

  

How cute is this printable Bingo card? We don’t have any big plans for the 4th, it looks like we may get rained out over here. If it’s clear out we’ll head out to some local festivities and maybe some pool time but a little Bingo & BBQ sounds like some plain old American fun- print your Bingo card out here. I might have to tune in to see what Usher has cooked up in his debut curatorial effort with the Macy’s Fireworks Show too. Enjoy your holiday and Cin Cin! {Images: Studio DIY} Related posts:Dear Mom,Five Fantastic Thanksgiving WinesSome[…]

  

On my nightstand these days (along with Nurture Shock which I’m finding endlessly fascinating) is The Diary of a Nose: A Year in the Life of a Parfumeur. Tales from the head Nose of Hermés, Jean-Claude Ellena. I’m fascinated by people who work professionally as a Nose or “Le Nez” as they call them in the mother country. As a wino, I used my nose for work as a sommelier and rep and continue to do so as a Diploma student. But a perfume Nose is an entirely different ball of wax. Sure, a winemaker uses his nose (and taste) to[…]

  

Ok, I found my new dream destination- a private cove, a mind-blowingly beautiful hotel, and fresh Italian seafood under the stars paired with a local Vermentino. Days with nothing else to do but stare at the sea, swim in its Mediterranean waves, steal its shells and eat its bounty… Come. On. This, amici mei, is la dolce vita. Eco del Mare. Very near the well known Cinque Terre, this place looks like a dream. It’s expensive but if you don’t want to blow your wad on a night in the hotel, stay nearby and just use this pretty place for[…]

  

Doesn’t this look just like summer! I’m not usually a spritzer kind of girl but this looks delicious. Thanks Joy the Baker! It’s been a crazy week. DOMA is repealed- hooray (this is a kind of funny 2 -word response), Brazil’s in an uproar, Wow Wendy Davis, and George Zimmerman’s lawyer is telling knock knock jokes- what is happening. Stephen Colbert’s mother passed away and he gave a loving tribute to her on his show. This is a Colbert we have not seen, so sweet. In light of a big week, I hope you are all off to a big and[…]

  

A few summertime things. A few to covet and a couple must haves: 1. Some Honest stuff. Sunblock, bug spray (that actually smells good) & swim diapers for the kiddos. All fabulous, all non-toxic. Thank you Jessica Alba. I douse the bebes in bug spray every day as I do live in a swamp after all. 2. A 70s vintage caftan- seriously who doesn’t want this. 3. A large format beachy print- I imagine this in a white gallery frame hanging over my bed- ahhhh. 4. A lime watering can- just because it’s cute and $15. 5. A sensory overload of perfect summertime recipes-[…]

  

Photographer Jade Beall is celebrating the very part of our post-baby bodies that we are go out of our way to hide. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not going to be sporting a crop top anytime soon (or ever), but these photos do take the edge off a bit. Kudos to Ms. Beall, this is a worthy project. Apparently many others think so too as she’s already hit her goal on Kickstarter. I’m looking forward to seeing all of her photos. A Beautiful Body Book Project on Kickstarter Related posts:A Few Last Minute Stocking IdeasPolenta Pizzette for Picky EatersEureka: My[…]

  

You guys may have seen this book at your local Anthro- Paris Versus New York. I always thumb through it whenever I’m strolling through the store. This is my favorite illustration: Here are a few others: Fun, right. I love the illustrations. This would make a great little gift for any lover of the two cities. Related posts:Couch Tripping: Eco del MareFind of the WeekHappy Sunday

  

I forgot how much I love Montauk- it’s this magical beachy place that conjures up images of Robert Shaw-like fisherman, summertime regulars exchanging hellos at the local grocer, and lobster rolls at the local seafood stand just off Hwy. 27. It also stirs up a kind of quiet solitude. You feel like you’re standing at the edge of the world on the tip of that Island. It is markedly more chic than I remember as my last visit was back in ’06, but despite the house music at the latest 60s motel-turned-hipster haunt and the city’s latest eatery and shop[…]