Friday, August 31, 2012

a favourite french snack












A French lady I know ( beautiful, slim, lively and fun) once talked to me about growing up on the Cote d'Azur as a little girl in the 40's.  A magical moment to be sure.

We talked about school and friends, and clothes, and family life.   So many details to enjoy, but one that made me smile was her description of her favourite mid afternoon snack, when she came home from school.    "Pain au chocolat?"  I asked, already imagining her at the baker's counter.   "Non, non" she frowned,  "too sweet, way too sweet".

That little girl's idea of heaven was a slice of bread, a clove of garlic opened up and rubbed on the bread, then a trickle of olive oil.

France and the French never cease to delight!   

Wishing you all a fragrant weekend!




Photo by Ella



life-changing moments







Do you ever pause, take a look at your life today, and think "what if...."

I don't mean necessarily a regretful 'what-if',    it could also be a what-if of relief:

"Phew, what-if I had said yes to that job offer, I would
 never have moved to the place I love so much today"

or a wistful, wondering what-if:

"I remember that boy, the one I snubbed at the age of 15, who was 
taking  over  his family farm ...what if I had married him ....."

"what if I had travelled with that group of student friends, I may have lived in a different country"

I think it must be the influence of all the youngsters we have had around us during the summer.  So many of whom are at stages in their lives where decisions have to be taken, directions chosen.  Sometimes a monumental choice hangs on such insignificant details:  A golden opportunity refused to avoid missing  a day with a best friend;  a vital exam failed because the wrong stuff was revised; 

I know that at the age of 17 my life could have taken a very different direction, and I often wonder what it could have led to.    In my final years at high school I had to choose which subjects to specialise in.  I was  a sort of average student, but did fairly well in the art class.  I would have loved to have taken art as a main subject during the last two years, but that meant studying with a specific teacher.   I didn't like her that much, and  she wasn't wild about me.   Because of that bad impression I dropped my favourite subject.

If I had studied art  I may not have studied languages
if I hadn't studied languages I may not have travelled so much as a student
If I hadn't travelled I would probably not have fallen in love in  France
  ...  hey!  I probably wouldn't even be writing this blog! ...


So to my children today, I often say "keep your options open", " try to see the wider picture", "think about the consequences", but of course we all know that  hindsight is a notoriously wonderful thing!


I'd love to know if you can pinpoint a decision, even from years back, and look back and say, "ah yes, if things had gone differently that day ......"





Happy 1st Birthday Caspian Finn

Dear Caspian,

Today you are 1 year old.  I can't believe it!  Your first year flew by at warp speed.  It seems like only yesterday you came into our lives, but yet I can't imagine our life without you.

1 Year Old
Pictures taken by Mama on August 31, 2012

Caspian, on your 1st birthday today there are a few things I would like to remember about you......

1. Your favorite food is bananas.
2. You are so sweet. And I mean SO sweet.
3. You army crawl everywhere.
4. You say 'Dada' and 'Mama'.
5. You have just learned how to shake your head 'no'.
6. Your sisters love you and tell you that there is 'No better baby than Caspian'.
7. Your giggle is just about the best sound I have ever heard.
8. You love to smile.  Your Gigi and Grumpy call you 'Smiley Joe'.
9. You are so happy.
10. You are a dream baby.  So even tempered and delightful.
11. You like feet and shoes.
12. You have the most adorable chubby thighs.
13. You like to eat. A lot.
14. You like when mama sings to you especially 'Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man of Mine' from Show Boat.
15. You like to dance.
16. You love water and going swimming.
17. You like cars.
18. You love your mama, but as of lately you REALLY love your daddy.
19. You are very 'go with the flow'. {Thank you for that!}.
20. You bring such a completeness, joy and happiness to our family.




Before you were born, many of my friends told me that there was something different about the relationship between and mother and a son.  I never really thought there was much to that, until I had you.  I absolutely love my girls, but our relationship is just different.  I can't put my finger on it, but all I know is that you are my sweet little boy and I can't imagine you any other way.  What a light you have brought into our lives.  Thank you for being such a joyful, wonderful, lovable child.

Happy 1st Birthday!

I love you from here to the moon and back again my sweet, sweet Caspian Finn.

Love,
Mama

Pitching Matchups for Yankees - Orioles

Well folks, here is the biggest series of the season so far and amazingly it's against the Orioles. It also begins a stretch of 16 games against the O's, Rays and Red Sox so it goes without saying that these next few weeks are huge.

Game 1: Tonight @ 7:05 PM | TV: YES/MLBN | Radio: WCBS
RHP Hiroki Kuroda (12-9, 2.98) vs RHP Miguel Gonzalez (5-3, 3.66)

Game 2: Saturday @ 1:05 PM | TV: YES | Radio: WCBS
RHP Freddy Garcia (7-5, 4.90) vs LHP Wei-Yin Chen (12-7, 3.87)

Game 3: Sunday @ 1:05 PM | TV: YES/TBS | Radio: WCBS
RHP David Phelps (3-4, 2.96) vs RHP Chris Tillman (7-2, 3.26)

FYI, ticket prices for this big series in the Bronx start at just $7 for game 1, $9 for game 2, and $11 for game 3, and you can get yours right here via Sliding Into Home Tickets.

friday observations


Happy Friday. Here are some shots from over the week.

1. I picked up a Hape Alphabet Puzzle from Mastermind Toys for Oscar.
2. I think it's time I admitted I have a pillow obsession
3. Anyone know where I could find a similar scarf as in this shot? Love the style. *Note, I love the length especially. I find it hard to find LONG scarfs.
4. I joined a gym. I went at 6 am each morning for one week and quickly realized I am NOT a morning person. I now workout in the evening....and I'm much happier. ;)
5. Went to a wedding and it was gorgeous. I noticed that people (like myself) didn't bring cameras - everyone whipped out their iPhones to take photos. A lot has changed since I got married.
6. Peel + Stick Moustaches are a hit over here.

Other things I've boomarked because I enjoyed:

1. I loved how Joanna's husband diffuses an argument.
2. Love the packaging of these soaps
3. Behind the scene video shoot of the 2012 Princess Margaret Showhome. Gorgeous.

xo Linds

Snap Shot- Client Nursery

First comes the rug....then come the twins!  The rug is amazing; I had to control my urges to throw myself on top of it.....literally.

Thursday, August 30, 2012

teenagers on holiday and french peach tarts










        
Our short break in the South was spontaneous, hilarious and exactly what I needed after a long summer and before a busy fall.



Less than  a week before we left, I was still searching for somewhere to stay for ... me .... my dear husband ..... our four children ..... their friends .... and two dogs!!  YUP!

This holiday was meant to be.... as a few days before our leaving date, a huge house materialised, complete with a ton of bedrooms, a pool, space for the dogs to run around, easy access to a sleepy little village and bikes for everyone.  For a week we forgot about internet (well almost) forgot about the news, practically forgot about the car, and wandered from pool to table to river to pool to table in a happy haze.

If you are feeling weary, I can recommend no better remedy than heading off with a bunch of youngsters aged between 15 and 21. 





Why was it such a good idea to holiday with teenagers?  

Because they just wanted to relax. 
They liked to smile and laugh the whole time.  
They were not picky - about anything! 
They got up late, which meant I could have a first breakfast and cup of tea alone on the terrace MMMM....
They listened to a most eclectic selection of music, and the house was filled with 
jazz, rap, reggae, rock and classical airs all day long
They let me beat them at cards and at tennis! (OK so they are very polite kids)
and whatever I put on the table was immediately devoured! 

Which brings me neatly around to a favourite summertime dessert

LE peach tart, a feast for the eyes, and super quick and easy to put together.

These are more photos taken by Ella, great pictures in a not so pretty baking tin, plus the tart was left a few minutes too long in the oven, but hey!  these things happen... and there was definitely no tart left by the end of the meal so it can't have been that bad!





To make a peach tart for a bunch of hungry teenagers, first make a delicious sweet pastry, I'm sure you have your favourite recipe, I like mine rich in butter, sugar and maybe some ground almonds.

If you are feeling like a saint, you'll blind-bake your pastry base.  This is a good investment of time, because the peach gets so juicy, if the pastry isn't pre-cooked, it will just go soggy.





While the pastry is in the oven, pour yourself a glass of wine, press PLAY on anything by Bob Marley and wash and slice your peaches.  I don't even skin them, because the fruit looks prettier with the skin still on (even if you go for this year's fashionable char-grilled look !!)

Take the pastry out of the oven , choose another CD,  sprinkle a little sugar over the base, quickly arrange the slices of peach, sprinkle more sugar and pop the whole lot into the oven.

Keep an eye on the tart  because there is a danger of it - ahem - caramelising.  I'd say about half a CD and two glasses of wine and the tart will be done!

Voilà  - I hope you also have some happy carefree moments to remember from the summer.  Thank you for reading me!



{Creating the Ultimate Dining Room}


Whether your traditional or cottage, farmhouse or industrial creating the ultimate dining room is easy if you follow these simple tips. (don't forget that Thanksgiving will be here before you know it!)

The table - every dining room should have one.


My favorite type of table is a big hunkin' farmhouse one.  I love the aged wood from the reclaimed lumber tops, mixed with all kinds of legs. My friend John Duffy, from Stable Tables specializes in making custom tables with all kinds of wood, mixed with all kinds of bases and legs.
He recently made this round table with a iron knitting base for the bottom. Awesome!


My dining room table was made by John about 2 years ago, and it is my favorite thing in the whole wide house!

The Chairs  - lot's of them.


The whole point of using my living room as a dining room was so I could have a giant room, with a giant table, and have tons of people over, and hopefully have giant plates of food (that's edible).
So, I needed chairs, chairs, and more chairs.
I find them everywhere. People leave them at my back door. I find them in the trash and at yard sales. I might even purchase some from time to time. And I almost always spray paint them. Seasonally.

When not in use in the dining room, I place them around the house. Bedrooms, hallways, even my powder room has a chair in it.

Dishes - pretty much anything goes.


I mix and match. I buy sets, partial sets, half sets, broken sets, one of a kinds, pairs, WHATEVER I like.
Then I throw them all together on the table, and voila. Dinner for 72.
Fun, quirky, cute, and nobody gets the impression that they need to be on their best behavior, or that anything near fancy is coming out of the kitchen.
In other words, it sets the mood for the whole night. It's eclectic, just like the people there. And that's how I like it.

A place to put all your stuff - a buffet.
If you're like me, your not serving each person individually and plating the food like your some fancy smanchie chef. Nope. Your throwin' it all in one spot and telling everyone to get up, cause it's time to eat.
But I will put in on/in something cool. So, while my cooking is not so hot. I can put together a mean display.


Yes. I found this buffet in the trash. I know. Crazy.
And don't forget the drinks.



Slap those bad boys somewhere interesting, and you'll have your guest ewwing and ahhing all night. 'Cause the bar of course is the most crowded part of the house when you're entertaining.

So, all in all these are the basic parts you'll need to create your own "ultimate dining room". 
Want more dining room ideas?  You'll have to wait for my Flea Market Dining e-zine, which will be coming to you very soon. FREE. You're welcome.

Or, you can peek into my boards on Pinterest.

Home Stories A2Z

House Hunters Day 1

Yesterday I went out with my Realtor (who is wonderful, by the way!) and looked at several houses.  

As promised, I am taking you along on this house hunting journey with me.

This first house was lovely, but in the woods and very dark inside.  I crave light and I need it to take good blog photos for my food blog.  So it was a pass.
 
This house below was in the same neighborhood as the first and again too dark inside.

 
Love the first floor of the house below. 

 
But to get to the downstairs level you needed to use this spiral staircase (great if you are in your 20's - not so much when in your 50's-60's).  You could also go outside and come in an outdoor entrance, but not practical for us.

 
Another lovely home below, but the garage was a drive under, which meant climbing up and down stairs with groceries etc.  Not what I am looking for in my forever home.

 
So we continue to look.  We are meeting our Realtor tomorrow AM for 3 more houses.  Wish us luck!

Touring the Late August Garden



                                                       Hello everyone,
                      It is a nice day for a garden tour so let's go shall we!
                            This is my favorite part of the garden right now. It is the Allee garden leading to the pond.
           This part of the garden is a new extension last fall. It filled in quickly as we divided heathly sized clumps of perennials from other parts of the garden for the most part. The hollyhocks I started from seed and they have done well considering the dry summer.
                 We have so many varieties of phlox in the garden that put on a good show in August.
  This shrub Clethra not only looks pretty but has a wonderful fragrance too.

                                               Martha's Garden (above& below)

  The Allee garden again
  Out by the road.
  You can see this is my fav,right now.
                             The virginia creeper covering the arbor going to the front door.
  A different angle of the new extenion.
                        Russian Sage with Julia Child rose on hillside garden.
                                                             Phlox

                             Cosmos make a cheerful filler in the new border.


                              Coneflowers on hillside.
                                        A view of our Chelsea garden
The Gardener's Cottage

Now you might want to go inside and dream for awhile of sunny summer days.

 Thank you for taking the tour with me,now we are off the have dinner with friends.

Carolyn
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