A Little Something Extra

Tiny French Accordians

Sun, 28 Apr 2013 10:39:00 -0400

Good morning to all my darling readers. I’ve been an absentee blog parent for some time, but with good reason!! I have started a new job at a fabulous, fun company. Not wanting to say too much online, let me just tell you I’m working in the French Canadian market and as such, am getting a lot of paperwork written in French. So I have been trying to brush up on my language skills while immersing myself in french food, music and culture. Music doesn’t strike me as “French” unless it features a tiny accordion which I always secretly hope is being played by a handsome gypsy. Anywho, here is a beautiful painting done by Nom Kinnear King featuring one of these fabulous instruments.

"I have to be alone very often. I’d be quite happy if I spent from Saturday night until Monday..."

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 22:35:49 -0400

“I have to be alone very often. I’d be quite happy if I spent from Saturday night until Monday morning alone in my apartment. That’s how I refuel.”

- Audrey Hepburn (via thatkindofwoman)

Believe in Boston

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 11:22:42 -0400

They bombed my city yesterday…I don’t know who they are, but the act shocked me to my core. Having spent my late teens through mid twenties in Boston, I never though of it as a target. Terrorism, though prevalent in our news cycle for the past twelve years, was always someone elses problem. I suppose now, we Bostonians have a better understanding and respect for the phrase “hitting too close to home.”

With the misinformation and lack of suspects, I feel almost too numb to form an opinion of what should happen to the perpetrators; though many people have offered me suggestions over the last 20 hours.

In the wake of all this, I suppose I simply want to say that Boston will heal. It’s citizens have braved many winters, both literal and figural, always emerging with enthusiasm and hope for better, sunnier times ahead. In closing, whether you live in, have lived, studied, support the sports teams, or simply respect Boston and it’s people, we embrace you….and we’ll see you next Spring.

wenchymcwench: We enter a little coffeehouse with a friend of...

Thu, 28 Mar 2013 12:00:25 -0400

wenchymcwench:

We enter a little coffeehouse with a friend of mine and give our order. While we’re aproaching our table two people come in and they go to the counter:
‘Five coffees, please. Two of them for us and three suspended’ They pay for their order, take the two and leave.

I ask my friend: “What are those ‘suspended’ coffees?”
My friend: “Wait for it and you will see.”

Some more people enter. Two girls ask for one coffee each, pay and go. The next order was for seven coffees and it was made by three lawyers - three for them and four ‘suspended’. While I still wonder what’s the deal with those ‘suspended’ coffees I enjoy the sunny weather and the beautiful view towards the square infront of the café. Suddenly a man dressed in shabby clothes who looks like a beggar comes in throught the door and kindly asks
‘Do you have a suspended coffee ?’

It’s simple - people pay in advance for a coffee meant for someone who can not afford a warm bevarage. The tradition with the suspended coffees started in Naples, but it has spread all over the world and in some places you can order not only a suspended coffee, but also a sandwitch or a whole meal.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have such cafés or even grocery stores in every town where the less fortunate will find hope and support ? If you own a business why don’t you offer it to your clients… I am sure many of them will like it.

Source : [x]

I just saw this and thought it would be incredible to share this so maybe it could catch on whereever you may live

reblog if you want your followers to tell you one thing they secretly think about you.

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 16:51:07 -0400

Office Art

Sat, 09 Mar 2013 12:43:18 -0500

Good Afternoon to all! It’s been a slow start to my day here as I’ve been enjoying Hob Nobs and coffee in bed reading all morning. After a particularly unproductive week, I’m in the mood to decorate my office. Tamara De Lempicka is my favorite artists and I was going to hang this picture up:

This image is so wintery and I love love love the art deco style. I think this may be the one or I may do a gallery wall and have this as the largest print. Decisions; anywho, I’m off for a day in my city. I think this will be a week for book reviews and more recipes.

Spicy Carrot Soup

Tue, 05 Mar 2013 13:10:31 -0500

Well, I said my camera took horrible photos and as such, you get a picture of carrots instead of the carrot soup. This recipe was absolutely delicious! The soup was far better than I dared to hope and the recipe yielded just the right amount for two slightly overweight people like me and DBF (we’ll work on it when food stops being awesome). This recipe can be adapted to be completely organic, or vegan friendly and has a lovely farm to table feel. I’ll be making this as the first course for my Easter menu. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 tbsp EVOO - or thereabouts
1 medium leek, white and pale-green parts only, half lengthwise then chop
6 medium carrots
2 tsp harissa
sea salt
3 cups chicken stock (veggie stock if you want to go full vegan friendly)

*garnish with cilantro

Directions:
Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook leek until just soft, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in carrots and harissa and season with salt. Cook until carrots are just soft, 5 minutes or so. Add chicken stock, and bring to a simmer. Cook until vegetables are tender, 10 minutes or so.

Using a stick/immersion blender, puree half the soup until smooth. Stir the puree into remaining soup and divide it among 2 or 3 bowls. Garnish with cilantro.

Invest in a stick blender! This kitchen tool has changed my life. Putting soup in a regular blender is a recipe for disaster.

Harissa

Mon, 04 Mar 2013 14:41:50 -0500

My local William’s Sonoma recently closed and as such I had to go and buy everything there on the cheap. While loading a basket up with seasonal hot chocolate and bakeware, I stumbled into the spice section looking for some lavender (for ice cream) and came across a spice I had never seen before.

I have never used or heard of Harissa spice and bought it just for that reason. I have been scouring the internet and found some interesting recipes utilizing this spicy substance and am going to attempt a carrot soup tonight. However, I wanted to reach out to my handful of readers for recipe suggestions!! Let ‘em rip! I’ll let you know how the soup turns out and will attempt to take pictures as well, though the lighting in my house makes for ghastly photographs.

Oscar Fashion 2013

Thu, 28 Feb 2013 09:59:05 -0500

It took me a whole week of looking at Red Carpet photos to really narrow down my top three. Why? Well, if I’m being honest, this year’s Oscar fashions were a bit boring. If you look at last year’s post you’ll see a lot of vibrant color, old Hollywood glamour, and even a daring cape! This year however, was all lavender, blush, white, and blah. Luckily, I was able to pull out a few looks from this year and have posted them in order below. I’d love to hear other people’s top picks.

1) Naomi Watts - Nominated for: The Impossible

This dress is out of this world amazing and stood out more than anything else on the red carpet. The asymmetrical neckline really works with Naomi’s updo and understated jewelry. Had Naomi won the Oscar, the silver and gold would have offset each other perfectly. Although Naomi’s movies are always underrated, she never disappoints when it comes to Oscar fashion.

2) Zoe Saldana - Presenter

Some fashion critics have been saying this dress had too much going on , which is probably what I love about it. Firstly, I love when a dress has an interesting cut at the bottom; particularly if it shows off shoes! Secondly, the detailing at the top was very pretty and not too overstated. Finally, the belt: yeah yeah, the dress may have still been okay without it, but I feel like the belt really added something to this look. This dress has a defined beginning, middle, and end…just like a great movie!

3) Sandra Bullock - Presenter

Is it just me, or does this dress scream Dowton Abbey? At first glimpse this dress seems kind of dowdy, lacy, and nothing special. However, that was when I saw it on E! After switching to ABC’s coverage of the show, I saw that this dress actually has some nice color in it. Also, there is a lot of sparkle in the lace overlay that is hard to pick up on in photographs. The fact that this dress is sheer up to the knee also adds an element of fun to an otherwise understated gown. Why is this in third place? Well, I feel Sandra could have done more with her hair to make this look a bit more dramatic. Maybe a better hairpin? Perhaps she can ask Michelle Dockery for some Downton Hair advice next awards season. Also her bag is a little clashy so third place for Sandy!

Honorable Mention: Innocente: Documentary Subject

It was extremely hard to find a good, full length picture of Innocente’s dress on the red carpet but it needed to be done. When Innocente won for best documentary, the film’s namesake had me in tears due to her outpouring of emotion. This girl went from being homeless 1 year ago to looking stunning on the red carpet in an innocent white dress with flower embellishment. Innocente’s tattoo pops out just enough to show us a bit of her personality while her hair and makeup are flawless/glamorous. I’m sure this dress wouldn’t be too hard to come by but I loved it on her and thought she was one of THE most beautiful women at the Oscars this year.

That concludes this year’s posts about the Oscars. Here’s to next year’s movies!

My Superbowl

Fri, 22 Feb 2013 13:41:00 -0500

It’s finally here! Time to make drinks, food, and watch the event of the season! That’s right my darling readers, the Oscars are Sunday night!!!! Can you feel the excitement in the air? Are you planning your very own Oscar party or going to one?? Let me know!! I still need cocktail ideas!

The Movies:

Typically, I go see all the movies in theaters over months, but I was unable to do that this year. As such, today I’m indulging myself in some Oscar movies so I know who to root for. Beasts of the Southern Wild, Lincoln, and Silver Linings Playbook are all in my queue for today’s viewing. I’ll also be going to see Django unchained in the theater tomorrow. As I don’t watch sporting events, the Oscars are my big thing. I have a feeling I’ll be rooting for “Beasts” because I love the South as a backdrop for a great story. What movie are you rooting for?

The Fashion:

Let’s face it, fashion is a huge part of Oscar night. I’m predicting we’re going to see a lot of Zuhair Murad and Marchesa on the red carpet this year. One designer is bold while the other is more whimsical. It ought to be an interesting mix. Here’s hoping Jennifer Lawrence wears something a bit bolder than a strapless fit and flare again. I’m looking for pops of color! As per usual I’ll have my top three pics and an honorable mention post show.

Finds & Fun

Tue, 22 Jan 2013 12:04:24 -0500

This weekend Adrian and I went for a spur of the moment antiquing trip to Vinnies in Seekonk MA. I bought a vintage hat for $3 as the netting was torn (let’s hope I can fix it). but I also had another amazing find!

Yes Yes it’s a vintage cookbook! I’ve been wanting to start a collection but this is not even the best part.

The book is signed by Ruth Graves Wakefield, author and inventor of the toll house chocolate chip cookie. I couldn’t be happier to have found this “Sweet Pick” at $12. Ruth was adorable, as evidenced by the picture below, and business savvy. I’m excited to try out one of the recipes ASAP.

Goodreads

Mon, 14 Jan 2013 19:03:05 -0500

Garlic Soup

Mon, 31 Dec 2012 12:35:00 -0500

The holidays are officially over and if you’re like me your kitchen is a mess, your pantry is empty and you feel like your getting carpal tunnel from all the frosting and wrapping you did. If not, what’s wrong with you? I think you may have done the holidays wrong… Anywho, having gone to a family party, I had no leftovers and I needed to make something for dinner! Garlic soup is always my answer in Winter because I ALWAYS have heads of garlic, onions, and cream in the house.

The base recipe was given to me by an internet buddy as her dutch family has been making it for generations. I have been adding things to this gradually (scallops, cajun chicken, rice, etc.) so feel free to experiment!

Recipe:

medium onion

2 tbsp of butter

12 garlic cloves

2 tbsp flour

3-4 cups of chicken stock (4 cups if you have four people)

1 cup of cream

salt and pepper

pinch of nutmeg

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 teaspoon oregano

2 tbsp or more of shredded cheese (your choice, I sometimes use mozzarella or left over brie or whatever cheese I have left in the fridge)

Melt butter in a large pot

Finely chop onions and sauté in the butter,

Peel garlic cloves and cut into quarters and add them in with the onions and butter. The onions and garlic should get a nice brown color and aromatic.

Add in flour and stir until combined

Add chicken stock and cream

Simmer for 20 minutes

Take soup and with a stick blender or regular blender process the soup until it is smooth.

Add in the lemon juice and nutmeg and then the salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with crusty bread.

Now that that’s over I’m spending my New Year’s napping and relaxing (maybe shopping :P). See you all in 2013!

The Snow Child

Tue, 25 Dec 2012 11:24:48 -0500

Every now and again you come across a book that you know will become a favorite. A book you will recommend to friends and family for years to come. The Snow Child is one of those books. New author Eowyn Ivey (cool name) tells the story of a barren, middle aged couple who head to Alaska to homestead and escape the constant reminder that they were not able to have the one thing they wanted, a child of their own. The two main characters, Jack and Mabel, build a child out of snow one night after a particularly hard day. However, the next day their snow child is destroyed, the mittens they had placed on it are gone, and there are children’s footprints leading away from the area.

A few days later, Jack and Mabel begin seeing young girl around their property wearing the mittens that had previously been on their snow child. Now the obvious yet fantastical thought springs to mind that Jack and Mabel’s snow child may have come to life, the child they have always wanted. I thought so too at first but Ms. Ivey will throw you for a number of loops that keep you guessing. Is Faina, the little girl, really a snow child come to life or is she simply an orphaned girl left to her own devices in the Alaskan wilds? I’m obviously not going to tell you one way or the other but I was very impressed that the author had me wondering all the way up through the beautiful end of this book.

“The Snow child” is Eowyn Ivey’s first book and I cannot wait to see more. I believe Ms. Ivey is currently touring to promote her novel so if she comes to your area I urge you to go see her. As the novel is set in Alaska, Eowyn Ivey’s home, this prompted me to read more Jack London stories, then watch “The Journey of Nattie Gann” (childhood favorite), then book a sled dog adventure in New Hampshire. Fall has barely begun and I’m already ready for winter. I think a story that prompts you to delve deeper into similar fiction and take action to do something fun is worth a read. For this reason, “The Snow Child” is my Winter book pick for all of you.

Happiness

Mon, 17 Dec 2012 19:56:00 -0500

I’ve been having a hard time at work lately, as such here is a puffin. Puffins make me happy.

Thanksgiving Menu

Sat, 24 Nov 2012 09:38:00 -0500

Good morning everyone!

It has been a whole day since turkey day, and I’m happy to report that everything went off without a hitch. In fact it was super successful! As such, I’m posting my Thanksgiving menu for you! Should you want any recipes feel free to message me and I will post them.

Dinner:

Farm raised turkey 18-20 lbs: Brined 18 hours in malt barley syrup, 4 bottles of Guinness extra stout, 2 onions, celery, 2 whole heads of garlic, salt, and water. Turkey stufferd with mirepoix and lemons.
Corn bread and ham stuffing with carmelized apples and fennel
Creamed onions (brought by guest)
Cornbread with bacon crust
Maple braised butternut squash with fresh thyme
Roasted cranberry sauce with herbed candied walnuts

Dessert:

Pumpkin pie with graham cracker crust
Mincemeat pie with crust recipe a la the pioneer woman
rice krispies treats with nutella (brought by guest)
Pumpkin Cheescake (brought by guest)
Pumpkin cupcakes (brought by guest)

Pumpkin Pecan quick bread.

For a menu like this it’s always good to have someone in the kitchen helping you. With that said, I am thankful for Adrian who tackled a lot of the side dishes. Again if any of these recipes interest you I can send you the links where I found many of them. Now it’s off to my retail job for weekend, holiday madness.

Thanksgiving Meltdown

Mon, 19 Nov 2012 19:55:38 -0500

Yes my darling readers, even the most organized of us can become overwhelmed by holiday shenanigans. I have done everything right, my food was purchased well in advance and this Saturday I picked up the last, organic, farm raised turkey in the state of RI. My shopping lists were on spreadsheets and evernote. My cooking schedule is down pat…..1 week from the day my family attempted to change plans! This seems to be a holiday tradition in and of itself with my family and as I understand it, we are not alone.

Unfortunately, I had to decline the very nice invite from my brother’s future in-laws, as I had already invited my guests and spent a ludicrous amount on food for one meal.With my menu planned, I called my mother to confirm she would still come to my place for the big day. As I tell her my menu, she simply says “hmmm” to each item. That is mom code for “I didn’t teach you how to cook and you are making things out of my comfort zone. Why didn’t I take the extended family up on their invite?”

All of this aside, I know I will make a fabulous dinner that I will enjoy. I will watch the Macy’s Day Parade and the dog show. And next year….well, next year DBF will go back to having Thanksgiving just the two of us.

The Dirty Life

Sat, 17 Nov 2012 11:21:50 -0500

I just finished reading the Dirty life by Kristin Kimball and I was so impressed with what she and her husband have done that I had to tell the internet about it! Kimball left her life in NY after meeting a farmer and they bought 500 acre, Essex Farm in upstate New York. Using Essex Farm, the couple created a whole diet CSA. I am not normally a memoir/non-fiction person but this book called to me from the nature section at B&N. In fact, I have been gravitating to that section every time I go book shopping for the past month or so. I highly recommend the book and the idea of CSA

I had never heard of a CSA, but it stands for Community Supported Agriculture. Locals buy shares and receive food weekly from local farmers for a flat rate. The community eats healthy, fresh, seasonal food while supporting local farmers. Basically this is a win win for everyone. Now I live in the city and didn’t think I could find a project like this in my area, but in fact there are 3 that are only a 20 minute drive away. I am signing up for one of my local CSAs for my fruits and veggies and you should too! Unfortunately I still have to go to the market for meat. However, at the Johnny Cake Festival mentioned in my last post, I met some local farmers (cows, pigs, sheep, goats etc.) and got their information. Perhaps soon I will be able to eat completely local food with no additives and preservatives. I’ll keep you all up to speed on how it’s going but I probably won’t be able to go fully local until January.

Autumn Festival

Sat, 03 Nov 2012 14:53:31 -0400

I always think of Halloween as the turning point of the year from Fall to Winter. Before the seasons change and I’m stuck inside for the Winter, Adrian, our friend Kenny and I visited the RI Johnny Cake Festival. The day was beautiful, we got a lot of free food from local farmers, and somewhere there is a picture of me holding a duck for a buck. I will definitely for back again next year with cash to support local businesses.

The beautiful lake where the old grist mill is located

An owl rescued by a local bird of prey group

The Mill’s waterfall.

Happy Halloween

Wed, 31 Oct 2012 10:12:00 -0400

Happy Halloween from my kitty Thackery Binx!!!