Archive for March, 2011
Project Pantry
So, you remember my whole bit about sharing more on my blog? Looking fear in the face? Yeah, that was me, I said it.
Well, here’s a side of me not many people see – my pantry. And I must warn you, it ain’t pretty.
There’s nothing charming about this post, it’s just the real deal. I have managed to cram more crap into this pantry than I even thought possible. Now that Spring’s here, I’ve got the itch to clean out the clutter – the pantry is my first victim.
Staring at these shelves I couldn’t help but remember the saying, “Your house is a reflection of you.” Wow. Do these shelves represent my life? Sometimes. Our lives are busy, our minds are cluttered and our days are often balancing acts. Funny to compare your life to a pantry shelf.
That was enough for me. I pulled up a trash can and purged my pantry. Seeing the empty shelves made it feel so much bigger. It also made me feel like I could breathe – I love how de-cluttering can do that for you.
With the clutter gone, my creative wheels started turning. Maybe this little pantry needs a facelift. What can I do to make me smile each and every time I open this door?
If these scary pictures haven’t cause you to run for the hills, hang in there, I hope to have a pretty pantry to reveal soon enough.
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Volcano
If there’s a smell out there that just puts me in a good mood, it has to be Anthro’s volcano candle. If you’ve never smelled it, get in the car, drive to Antrho, and inhale. Trust me. How can a candle described as, “tropical fruit, sugared oranges, lemons & limes, redolent with lightly exotic mountain greens” be bad?
Just lighting this candle makes me and my house seem 10 times more stylish. I love coming home, lighting the candle and cranking up Ella Fitzgerald.
What makes your house feel like a home?
Season’s Harvest: Strawberry
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Nothing beats the taste of a juicy, ripe strawberry and if you are browsing your local grocery, you’ll notice they’re in season. You just can’t compete with the taste of fresh, local produce. While you can usually get strawberries year round, most of the time those strawberries are picked very early and are not given time to ripen on the plant and develop that irresistible sweet flavor.
You’ll also notice, when a fruit’s in season, it’s usually less expensive. {More abundant, less miles to travel, etc.} This is a great time to enjoy it and perhaps preserve or freeze it. My grocery store had fresh strawberries on sale so I decided to get a bundle and freeze them at their peak to enjoy later on in the year.
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How To Freeze Strawberries:
Begin by cutting off the tops of the berries to remove the stems/leaves. Thoroughly rinse berries and pat dry or spread them out on a paper towel to air dry. Once berries are dry, arrange on a baking sheet in a single layer and place in the freezer for 1 to 2 hours. Remove berries from freezer and place in a ziplock freezer bag. Mark the bag with the date and store in the freezer for use later in the year.
Pop Burger
If you’re roaming down 5th Avenue and your pockets are feeling a little light, I’ve got the place for you. New York City’s Pop Burger is such a stylish little burger joint. As soon as you walk through the door, (umm wait a second, there is no door, the entire storefront is open to the bustling streets) you feel about 10-degrees more stylish. You can’t miss the illuminated word wall created by Andy Warhol alum, Ronnie Cutrone or the other walls lined with the infamous Campbell Soup prints.
Just another sweet find by my little foodie sister. I need her on all of my getaways.
So if you’re in that neck of the woods, grab a burger…or two. Oh, their fries are really crispy, so don’t skip those.
And don’t forget to give this guy a high five on your way out..
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| Photos and graphics by {Blue Eyed Yonder} |
Happy Weekend!
Bouchon
With thousands of restaurants and cafes in and around New York City, I felt so lucky to stumble upon some of the most amazing places. Well, I wouldn’t call it “luck” exactly. I happened to be traveling with my sister, Katie, who knows her way around the foodie circle. She’s smitten with one of Baltimore’s cutest chefs, Patrick “Opie” Crooks. Needless to say, when you’re dating a chef, you kind of have the inside track to all of the awesome food spots.
After strolling through Central Park, we popped into Bouchon Bakery in Time Warner Center. Bouchon is owned by Thomas Keller, only one of THE best chefs in America. You might know one of his little restaurants… The French Laundry.
As much as I’d like to eat at The French Laundry, I’m in no position to drop $1,000 on dinner. So I decided I would settle for one of his lighter-on-the-wallet creations… macarons!
1. Go ahead, oodle at their yumminess. Smash your face right up against the glass and just drool for a little bit.
2. Take your pick and let them wrap ’em up in a pretty little package.
4. Cross your eyes and look all confused as you try to decide which one to taste first.
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| Photos by {Blue Eyed Yonder} |
5. Take a bite and then moan loud enough to make the people sitting next to you raise a brow.
There were lots of great flavors to choose from and the flavors change seasonally. We decided upon the caramel (tan), pistachio (green), orange (orange), and peanut butter and jelly (purple). While they were all delicious, I have to say I loved the orange and the pb&j; the best. The orange had a surprise dollop of lemon curd in the very center, while the pb&j; had a hidden pop of jelly. I love sweet surprises like that.
I’ve been dying to attempt macarons of my own. Have you ever made macarons? Do you have a favorite flavor?
