Anchor and Sail

New Toys: Part 2

2011-11-08T22:38:00.000-08:00

Remember way back in April when my mom's friends hosted a shower for me and I showed you some of the wonderful gifts they gave me? Well, I held back on showing you my favorite gift, because it deserves a post of its own. It's one of the greatest gifts I've ever received, actually. It even rivals the three-story fully furnished wood dollhouse my father built for me when I was five, custom made to fit my Barbies. Yes, this gift is that wonderful.

Ready?

I have this thing for vintage days of the week embroidered dish towels.

My best friend Abby told her mom about this, who, it just so happens, is an expert at embroidery.

So as my wedding gift she made me these towels, which went along with my nautical themed wedding.

The pattern is from the 30s or 40s.

She kept going and made extras... nautical-themed, of course.

This one she designed off of the sailboat on our wedding invitation:

It features my (new) last initial and our wedding date, Aug 13.

And now, the piece de resistance!

Here's a closer look:

The nautical flags spell Andrew <3 Monica. Awww.

Unbelievable, right?? No one in the history of weddings has ever received a more thoughtful, personal, and beautiful gift than this. I'm a lucky girl. Thanks, Diane! I will cherish them all my life.

Are You Lookin' at ME???

2011-10-15T18:13:00.000-07:00

Recently I've almost been mowed over in a crosswalk TWICE, both times in broad daylight. I'm super careful, but commuting as a pedestrian during rush hour traffic has its own set of hazards; mainly that people are looking for a break in traffic rather than a person in their immediate path. I'm as diligent as a person can be about staying out of the way of cars, but crossing streets can't be avoided and at 7:30am in Seattle, they're never empty.

Check out my new line of defense!

It's super light so I can wear it in the summer, or over layers in the winter. The color in this image is only half as obnoxious as it is in real life. I love it. I'm going to wear it when I run outside, no matter what time of day or night. Traffic safety is no joke, guys!

Honeymoon Greatest Hits!

2011-10-10T22:28:00.000-07:00

We're back! We had a great trip through Rome and the Eastern Mediterranean. Here are a few, but not all, of our adventures:

Borghese Gardens, Rome

Trevi Fountain, Rome

Messina, Sicily

Temple of Athena, Acropolis in Athens

Library at Ephesus, Turkey

Oculus of the Pantheon, Rome

Colosseum, Rome

Inside the Colosseum, Rome

On the steps of the Capital Building, Rome

The Forum, Rome

Well, hey there!

2011-08-15T20:31:00.000-07:00

So big news! I got married!
Well, first I turned 30, then I got promoted at work, and then I got married! Life is amazing.

Footwear Flop

2011-06-29T10:43:00.000-07:00

image source

You know what "hot" trend I'm totally over even before it hits the mainstream? This flat platform bs. It's chunky and unflattering to everyone. Just stop already. That is all.

A Living Room to Build a Dream On

2011-06-15T14:30:00.000-07:00

sources: sofa and chair, lamps, coffee table, white zigzag side table, pillows, rug, window panels, art, bowl

Lately I've had the urge to nest, so just for fun I've been doing a design concept board for a possible version of my future living room. I'm finally figuring out how to communicate to Mr Husband Elect what my vision of a space might be - get the whole thing visually pulled together before pointing out individual elements. It's the most frustrating thing in the world to try and get him to agree to items for our home one by one because he can't envision them in a complete package. See my solution above. What do you think? In the end, I couldn't decide on a table lamp, so I just chose my top five and threw them all in there. What's your favorite?

Weekend Wine Tasting

2011-06-13T14:46:00.000-07:00

We're hammering out all the details for various wedding-related events these days, and last night we did one of the more fun ones: wine tasting! The rehearsal dinner is on a boat, and they allow the client to supply their own beverages, so we spent the evening narrowing down white and red wine selections (beer is a whole other beast we weren't ready to tack just yet).

The idea was to keep it inexpensive, so none of the bottles exceeded $9. You'd be surprised at how many good options you can get in this range.

It started out innocently enough...

Nine chardonnays later....

I found one that tasted like oysters - not good... unless you're eating oysters. which we were not.

Several judges with varying palates offered their two cents, and there were a lot of serious contenders for the number one spot.

In the end, the clear winner was Fitzer 2010 chardonnay - a clean, crisp, and aromatic white wine.

The Cabernet was a no-contest situation; nothing stood up to Red Diamond. Also a no-contest situation: Andrew drove us home that night.

List of Things Women Should NEVER Apologize For

2011-06-02T16:11:00.000-07:00

As I'm fast approaching thirty, I've been doing some reflecting on the person I've grown into, and the things I want to take with me into the next thirty years. One thing I wish I would have taken to heart as a younger woman is, unless you have really hurt someone, you don't have to apologize for anything you do. Not everyone is going to be happy with the decisions you make, and not everyone is going to agree with you. So who cares? I'm still working on the not caring part, but I do find that as I get older, I require the approval of others less and less - and I like that. In the spirit of wisdom gained and wisdom shared, here is my list of things a girl should never apologize for:

1. Winning - This includes sports, promotions, and bets, to name a few. Ladies, if you earned it, you shouldn't be apologetic for your victory. Take it gracefully and own it. Do you think a new CEO's first objective is to apologize to everyone else who didn't get the job?

2. Turning Someone Down for a Date - Just because he/she asked, doesn't mean you are expected to say yes. When you turn a person down, he/she doesn't want your sympathy. Just say no (kindly) and move on. You don't owe an explanation on why that person isn't worthy of your company and you certainly don't have to apologize.

3. Having a Difference of Opinion - Not agreeing with a friend or colleague is nothing to be sorry about. Offer your view (gently, if needed) and let it stand. Stammering and back-tracking only chips away at how someone perceives the validity of your statement. If you believe in what you said, stand your ground.

4. Things You Like - Short of having a preference for something truly terrible like child pornography, there's no reason to say you're sorry about liking something off-beat, strange, or even "too pedestrian." Example: I am a fan of Mariah Carey and I don't care what people think of me for loving the shit out of her voice. That woman has a powerhouse set of pipes and you all know it, whether you like her or not.

Mozzarella-rama!

2011-05-18T15:56:00.000-07:00

Last week I made mozzarella, and have been meaning to retype my printout to tell you just what I did, but that is extremely tedious, so I went out and found you some links to great guides.

THIS RECIPE is pretty spot on to what I did. I don't have a microwave, so I did everything by hand, and melted the curds to knead into cheese by lowering them in heated whey. I feel like the microwave might be more effective.

THESE TIPS are extremely useful and are worth reading before you start.

If you go for it (and you try the microwave method) let me know how it goes!

What I'm Wearing - Welcome Sun!

2011-05-18T11:08:00.000-07:00

sources: shorts, shirt, shades, pendant, shoes, belt

Remember when I bought new shoes? I finally get to wear them! The forecast is sunny and dry today, so I'm celebrating!
My office dress code is casual, and my only restriction is no jeans, so here I come with shorts! ...and a button-up to keep it classy. The shorts I'm wearing are actually a butter yellow twill, but there is nary a picture on the internet that is appropriate for this post, so I had to settle for tan, which is in the spirit but not quite as flamingly preppy as I am.

Let's hope this warm spell lasts; Lord knows I need it!

Everything From Scratch

2011-05-11T10:40:00.000-07:00

Guess what I did last night!

****

Give up?

I made fresh mozzarella!!

It took only two hours. I have recently been on a mission to make as many food staples as possible from scratch. I like to control the ingredients and cut down on preservatives in my food (not only because I am an admitted control freak, but also because I want to live healthier), so the effort and time investment is worth it to me. Monday night two of my very good friends took me to a cheese making workshop where we learned the basics of ricotta, mascarpone, chevre, and mozzarella. I think this will prove to be one of the more valuable life skills I have acquired, ranking up there with perfecting chicken. I wanted to put my new knowledge to the test right away, so I decided to start with one of the cheeses I didn't have a chance to get my hands on the night before.

It just so happens one of Andrew's favorite things to eat is caprese salad, so mozzarella was really a no-brainer decision. When the mozzarella was ready, I sliced it, piled it with halved cherry tomatoes (so they don't squirt or jump away from your fork), and some basil leaves, which I like to chiffonade so they're easier to eat and don't overpower the other flavors in one bite the way a whole leaf would. I drizzled a little olio ai funghi over the whole thing, gave it a sprinkle of sea salt, and voila! Dinner.

What I'm Wearing - Anchors Aweigh!

2011-05-06T10:52:00.000-07:00

sources: shirt, pants, shoes, pendant, earrings

It's been a while since I've done one of these. In truth, my wardrobe hasn't been updated in a looooong time and so most of my outfits you've already seen. I did, however, recently get a new shirt that I love. Here's how I wore it today.

Lemon and Shallot Braised Lamb Shanks

2011-05-02T22:47:00.000-07:00

This lamb died for a good cause. I couldn't have been more pleased with the way the dinner turned out.

I took four lamb shanks, put a coarse salt crust on them, and let them sit for a bit at room temperature to lose the chill from the fridge.

In a dutch oven on the stovetop, I seared them two at a time in bacon grease and then placed the seared meat in a separate dish to rest.

I melted 4 tablespoons of butter in the dutch oven and then threw two thinly sliced shallots and a couple of sliced garlic cloves into the dutch oven and browned them.

I added a cup and a half of chicken stock to the shallots and laid a lemon that I'd sliced crosswise into 1/4-inch slices overtop and then set the shanks and any juices in the pan back into the dutch oven.

I sliced a second lemon the same way and laid it overtop of the shanks, ground some pepper overtop, and put the lid on. It cooked for about an hour on the stovetop, and then I moved it into the oven and baked it at 375 for thirty minutes, then reduced the heat to 300 and let it braise for another hour.

I served it with this potato dish and a glass of red wine.

It was a perfect mix of simple flavors.

Daydreaming About Vacations

2011-04-29T11:21:00.000-07:00

Every once in a while I like to pop over to the Kate Spade website and browse around. I can't actually afford anything, but a little Friday afternoon swoon never hurt a girl.

Doesn't this screen shot make you want to set sail on a fabulous sunny vacation?

Savory Dessert: Salted Butter Caramel Ice Cream

2011-04-27T15:26:00.000-07:00

image source

We have an out of town guest coming to town tomorrow and I'm planning an intimate dinner for four on Friday. Yesterday I got a wild hare up my ass and decided in addition to lamb shanks and a certain potato dish I found irresistible, I should also include a dessert.

Ok Ill be honest: I was also looking for an excuse to bust out the new ice cream maker I got at a recent bridal shower.

There's no question what the dessert should be: salted caramel ice cream. My special fella loves caramel. I mean he LOVES it. Our guest of honor (like myself) is a salt-fiend. It's the perfect compromise.

A quick google search brought me to David Lebovitz, who is unarguably an authority on ice cream and all things delicious. He's also a fantastic writer, and I respect the hell out of him for that. I decided his recipe is my best bet.

I'm currently halfway through the process, and though the recipe isn't difficult, it is a process. The custard took a lot of babying and is currently chilling, as is my ice cream maker. Both need a minimum eight-hour chill before the next step, so it's a good thing I read the recipe last night. I also prefer firmer ice cream, so giving it more time in the freezer is important to me.

In the end, I hope to have smooth rich caramel ice cream with salty toffee crackles sprinkled throughout. I'll keep you posted.

Update: We had this on Friday night and it was everything I'd hoped it would be... and more! I'm going to have to keep myself from making this ALL THE TIME because it's just so wonderful. I'd balloon within a month!

Tuesday Morning Serenade - The Rolling Stones

2011-04-26T08:46:00.000-07:00

This one reminds me of college. We were big on classic rock.

What I'm Wearing - Making the Most of It

2011-04-20T16:51:00.000-07:00

Those of you who read my other blog know I've been running to work a few days a week, gearing up for May when I release the parking spot I have been leasing in my office's garage.

The plan is to run each way, which gives me a great workout when I'd normally just be sitting on my ass in my car dealing with road rage. It won't be a piece of cake, but I think it's the best (and cheapest!) solution out there. I'm trying to lose that last 15 lbs, and I get to do one of my favorite things: multitask!

Running to work takes some planning ahead. I have to champion a 400-foot hillclimb between point A and point B, so I really don't like to carry stuff on my back -- discovered this one the hard way. This means I throw a bunch of similar looking things into a bag that will all work with one pair of shoes, the same sweater, and maybe a belt, and drop the bag off at the office over the weekend and just hope to heck it all matches.

This week is a combo of driving and running, so I put together three outfits (that I don't have to iron) to make the most of what I've got. When I say I put these outfits together, what I really mean is I was frantically running around the apartment Monday morning grabbing anything that was nearby. Luckily, I keep my clothes pretty basic, because as I have said before, I look stupid in trendy clothes. Really wishing for some black tights right now, though. Note to self...

Tuesday Morning Serenade - Rachael Yamagata

2011-04-19T07:00:00.000-07:00

This song always makes me feel good.

Weekend Recap: New Toys (Part 1)

2011-04-18T11:43:00.000-07:00

On Saturday four wonderful women threw me a bridal shower. The theme was "Setting the Table." The guests included family and friends of my mother's; I have a great family and I love my mom's girlfriends, so it was a really fun time. In addition to some beautiful linens, dishes, and other hostessing items, I also got a stack of cards full of personal words of wisdom from each of the ladies. It was such a great afternoon.

Well, I couldn't wait to play with my new toys, so I immediately put together an intimate afternoon luncheon for the next day.

(my aunt Terri carried that table cloth with her back from her trip to India earlier this year)

I served a simple lunch of lemon roasted chicken with rosemary potatoes, a green herby salad with pears and a champagne dijon vinaigrette, and a raw vegan spumone cake for dessert

I'm pretty proud of that chicken. It was golden and crispy on the outside, and oh so moist on the inside.

Chicken is kind of my specialty.

And we had a gluten-free, egg-free, dairy-free guest so the whole meal addressed those concerns, including the spumone cake.

I adapted the recipe from the My New Roots raw cashew cake, and is a pretty successful vegan version of spumone ice cream. The three layers are chocolate pecan, pistachio vanilla, and almond cherry. The only change I think I'd make is adding more cherries to the top layer. Even so, I really enjoyed it as is.

Online Shopping Made Dangerously User-Friendly

2011-04-14T14:38:00.000-07:00

Hi there. Have y'all heard of a little thing called Boutiques.com? Unfortunately, it's fabulous. It's an automated personal shopper that surveys you on what you like, and then presents you with options... and then more options... and then more.

I'm obsessed.

Here's a little glimpse of what I just set up for myself:

My store front:

My saved items:

Then they take it a step further:

I'm trying not to waste too much time on this, but it's so much fun!

I Just Gotta Say...

2011-04-12T13:38:00.000-07:00

I need to say this: looking through Dwell Magazine makes me shudder, and not in the good way. I want to like it, but the pretense dripping from every well-staged photograph of yet another minimalist abode makes me want to punch someone.

This, however, makes me happy:

UnhappyHipsters.com

Tuesday Morning Serenade - Schuyler Fisk

2011-04-12T07:00:00.000-07:00

Happy Tuesday!

Longtime Love: Botanical Prints

2011-04-06T07:00:00.000-07:00

I really really love botanical prints. A lot.

image from wisteria.com

image from BrigidsFancy

I'm discovering I'm more drawn to fruits.

image from prints-4-all.com

I do love flower prints too, especially if they include the root structure.

image from Old Maps and Prints

I think when I'm rich I'm going to have a whole wall of large framed botanical prints. I'll sit and stare at it all day.

One more:

image from Old Maps and Prints

*sigh*

Tuesday Morning Serenade - Vanessa Williams

2011-04-05T08:54:00.000-07:00

I have always loved this song. I will never apologize for it.

Sewing Update: Baby Quilt Delivered!

2011-04-04T10:45:00.000-07:00

Saturday afternoon I went to a baby shower for my cousin Katie, hosted by her sister in law. It was a beautiful shower. Everything was pink for a baby girl.

Growing up, Katie was always like a big sister to me; we both lived in Seattle, went to the same grade school and high school, and spent big family holidays attached at the hip. It's nice to have a girl cousin close in age.

(yep, I'm pretty sure those are matching hats)

Since she and her husband announced they are expecting their first baby, I knew I wanted to give her something special - something handmade for the occasion. A quilt, naturally.

I've been very into pennant flags recently, and a subtle carnival theme sounded fun. The wide gray and white stripes reference the old timey circus tents without being too literal, and the rest is pretty on-the-surface. I think it turned out great. The flags are interactive, being only attached at the top edge. They will fray slightly over time, giving it a nice worn in look. It's hard to tell from the photo, but I embroidered a loopy little string on the fly-away balloon. Super cute.

Stay tuned for more baby quilt goodness - this will be quite the year for babies among my friends and family!

Shoe Intrigue - Tibor

2011-04-02T07:00:00.000-07:00

So I'm poking around on heels.com for fun on Friday afternoon when I come across this shoe: the Tibor. I can't stop looking at them. I kind of want them, even though they are bordering between fabulous and absurd. These little pretties also come in black and brown, but I really only would want white. What do you think? Love 'em or hate 'em?

Daydreaming About My Bedroom

2011-04-01T15:26:00.000-07:00

I've been browsing the catalogs that came in the mail today. If I won a shopping spree at West Elm, this is pretty much what my bedroom would look like

Summer Shoes

2011-03-31T09:09:00.000-07:00

image source

I need it to hurry up and be summer again so I can wear my new shoes. They're white canvas with blue lobsters printed all over them. I can't even tell you how excited I am to sport these bad boys around town.

Tuesday Morning Serenade - Tim Seely

2011-03-29T07:45:00.000-07:00

Weekend Sewing: Pennant Flags

2011-03-28T12:49:00.000-07:00

I am apparently a crazy person. For some reason I thought it would be no big deal to make a bajillion pennant flags (double sided) for a new quilt, which I started on Saturday. The base of the quilt was easy enough and took me a reasonable amount of time, but now I'm dealing with my brilliant idea of having strings of 1.5" x 2" flags all over the quilt.

In a fleeting moment of sanity I made the wise decision to use fusible to sandwich two pieces of fabric together, so there will be no clipping and inverting of these flags - they're finished with an unfinished edge.

It looks great, but now I have to figure out the best way to attach them all. I have a feeling this will be extremely tedious, no matter what route I take. I'll show you a picture of the finished product once I give it to the person for whom it is intended.

When the Sun Comes Out...

2011-03-25T16:43:00.000-07:00

I know what I'm doing tonight. How 'bout you?

Favorite Things

2011-03-16T11:35:00.000-07:00

I thought you might like to know a little about me. The best way to get to know someone is by knowing what she likes the most. Most people who know me in person would describe me as a very sensual person - not sensual in that I like to listen to Barry White in a silk robe, but sensual in that my sensory experiences, especially sound, taste, and smell, are more intense than the average bear. A sudden loud noise makes me angry, but a good smell will send me into joyful arias on the spot.

Everyone knows I love food and I love to cook, so I've left out things having to do with food on this one, because that is a given. Here are a few things you may not know about me:

1. Wiretap: the greatest radio show of all time. Jonathan Goldstein has my sense of humor.
2. sassy red shoes - I'm an equal opportunity red shoe enthusiast. I'm not saying I own tons of red shoes, I just love seeing them around down. It doesn't have to be a stiletto, but I do own those very shoes and I love them dearly.
3. chubby babies - especially giggling ones
4. sailing on a sunny day - When I was 11 my best friend Michela and I were out on the family sailboat cruising around Lake Washington one summer afternoon, and I remember thinking I hope I remember for the rest of my life how happy and content I am at this moment. Guess what...
5. paintings by Chuck Close - he's absolutely amazing. Please do a google image search on him sometime.
6. ceramics with white outsides and colored insides - it's like a colorful surprise inside!
7. sparkling wine - goes with everything, makes anything feel like a special occasion
8. rainbow layer cakes with white frosting - the joy I feel in my heart when I see a rainbow layer cake is indescribable. It must have white frosting. I think this goes back to my childhood and my deep love of Rainbow Brite.
9. New England style homes with unpainted shingle siding, white trim, a flag hanging by the door, and hydrangeas out front - need I say more?
10. a nice pair of straight leg levis - this also needs no further explanation
11. sheath dresses - most comfortable, low-maintenance way to look sophisticated
12. barber shop quartets - tight harmonies give me the chills... in a good way
13. flowering daphne plant - they may be my favorite smell of all time; if I happen upon a daphne plant on a walk, I will stop dead in my tracks and just enjoy the moment
14. navy and white striped shirts - and all nautical inspired clothing
15. the smell of freshly mowed grass on a sunny day - just one whiff makes me feel as though the weight of the world has been lifted off me. It's an instant vacation.

What are some of your favorite things?

What I'm Wearing - Hazy Shades of Winter

2011-03-14T14:36:00.000-07:00

sources: jacket, slacks, shoes, belt, necklace

I'm doing my best to take this god-awful depressing gloom of winter weather in Seattle and make it work for me... fashion-wise, that is. We in Seattle love our grays and blacks. Everything is a neutral shade of something. You may call it boring - we call it sophisticated. The grayer your palette, the more sophisticated people assume you are.

Today I am meeting up with a couple of friends for drinks in the bar of a high-end restaurant downtown frequented by rich mucky-mucks, so when I got dressed this morning I wanted make sure I chose something that would make me look nice enough to fit in, but still a little playful.

I decided on tailored gray slacks and built from there, adding the patent leather shoes and belt to keep my outfit from getting too conservative. Nothing worse than being the least sexy woman at the bar. I don't have to be the sexiest, but I hate coming in last.

Indian Cooking

2011-03-14T11:27:00.000-07:00

Saturday I wrote about my Bollywood dancing experience that inspired an Indian meal that evening. I promised you the recipe, and I deliver. It was taken from the last issue of Food & Wine magazine and adapted just ever so slightly. Get all the recipe details from my other blog, Lookin' Good Sister.

Bollywood Dance

2011-03-12T22:14:00.000-08:00

For a while now I've been wanting to learn Bollywood dance. When I got back from Hawaii in January, I got in touch with a local woman who does dance instruction on evenings and weekends and set something up. Today my friend Lauren and I went to our very first lesson, which took place in her home studio. We had a total blast. For an hour we learned basic moves, which require more coordination than I imagined, and then put it together in a set of four moves.

One interesting thing I learned is Bollywood dance moves are descriptive of the lyrics, so if the song says something about women, there are specific feminine moves that illustrate that word. It's sort of like sign language with a beat.

The thing I love the most? It's all about the hips.

I was so inspired by the dance session today that I came home this afternoon, turned Pandora to the Contemporary Bollywood station (sorry, Andrew - you are a wonderful man for letting me explore my passions), and made a delicious Indian-inspired dinner: chick peas in a spicy fragrant tomato gravy served with yogurt and naan. It was unbelievable. All my vegetarian friends need to know about this dish. I'll post the recipe in a few days.

Anyone else have any experience with Bollywood dance? Do you love it as much as I do??

Inspired Fashion

2011-03-11T14:38:00.000-08:00

Last weekend I spent some time with Abby as moral support in her project of cleaning out her closet of her uninspired items, a few of which she passed on to me to see if I could make them work. If so, great; if not, no biggie.

With a bag full of new-to-me clothes, I had a great idea - what if I could take these pieces and mix them in, one at a time, into outfits that make a statement? Sort of a "turn that frown upside down" project.

Monday
Inspiration: a dandy. I wanted to work in those shoes I have.
Piece: brown v-neck sweater
I've been looking for a way to make the new houndstooth spectator stiletto booties work. Still not convinced this was a winner of an outfit, mostly because the teal lace cami seems wrong in retrospect.

Tuesday
Inspiration: 1940s feminine
Piece: black cropped cardigan sweater
I absolutely loved this outfit. The neck and skirt lines were conservative, but not frumpy, and the black patent leather of my shoes and belt took the look up a notch.

Wednesday
Inspiration: Equestrian chic, a la Ralph Lauren
Piece: blue and white striped menswear shirt
This was a fun one too. I have been waiting for the right shirt to make these cropped pants and boot combo look both casual and polished. The one drawback was my gray cropped pants are now comically too large for me, but I made it work anyway.

Thursday
Inspiration: 1950s secretary
Piece: orchid cropped cardigan sweater
I also loved this outfit. I pulled out my gray wool pinstriped skirt and white ruffle-collared shirt to make this a feminine and sexy, yet still office-appropriate look. I went to a party straight from work that evening and this outfit transitioned just great.

Friday
Inspiration: June Carter Cash
Piece: chevron summer frock
This is a great dress, and makes me long for summer. I'm making it (early) spring appropriate with a white sweater shrug and tall boots, which give it a subtle western look. The studded leather belt I added ties in with the leather boots and round out the look without making it look too costumey.

Do you think this project was a success? Which one was your favorite? What would you change?

More Sewing - Sunshine Mortar

2011-03-09T10:09:00.000-08:00

I worked a little bit more on my bricks and mortar blocks. This time I used a bright sunny yellow. I love doing these intricate blocks two at a time. Right at the time I am ready for a break, all I have to do is put the borders on and then I can leave it alone for a while.

Tuesday Morning Serenade - Jamie Cullum

2011-03-08T08:00:00.000-08:00

Let's pull one out of my archives. Yes. I like this better than the orig, don't you?

Weekend Sewing: Bricks and Mortar

2011-03-07T11:59:00.000-08:00

A couple weeks ago PB gave me two bags of gray and black fabrics to play around with. I knew instantly that I wanted to pop it by adding in some obnoxiously bright fabric. This is what I sewed over the weekend. And I'll tell you something: you ain't seen nothin' yet. My wonderfully patient fiance has let me take over the dining table for this endeavor. I am giddy over this project for the simple reason that I would never typically choose any of these fabrics, including the bright ones, to work into a quilt and yet here I am. Feels good to break free from myself a little bit.

Tell Me Somethin' Good

2011-03-03T15:08:00.000-08:00

image source: Time Life

I have had a rough week so far, and it stems from my inability to say no. My weekend was nonstop and my evenings have been scheduled to the point where I'm trying to get daily chores in before I head to work, arriving late to the irritation of my boss, and still falling behind on everything I need to do to keep life running smoothly. When my days are 7am to 10pm and the laundry hours in my building are 8am to 9pm, it's no wonder I've got a laundry crisis of overwhelming proportions happening in my bedroom this very moment. I've been raiding the freezer for a week and baking "quick" breads in the morning because I haven't been to the store.

It really stresses me out, and while I'm militantly protecting my workout time like a bulldog at a junkyard, I still feel out of control of the rest of my daily life. This puts a giant weight on my chest, as though the breath is being squeezed out of me. I don't like having this negative attitude, and in my role at work where I am constantly interfacing with vendors, clients, consultants, and staff, it is imperative that I suppress my desire to grumble at everyone who seems to get in my way and instead put on a happy face. So I'm coping.

For this, I turn to music. I learned as a choirgirl that even when I was in a terrible mood and stressed about this, that, and the other thing, going to choir practice and just singing made me feel a whole lot better. I can't be in a bad mood when I sing - it's physically impossible for me. However, singing isn't necessarily appropriate when, say, I'm at the gym, or sitting at my desk in our very resonant office. Because of this, I have a similar outlet: dance - also not office appropriate. Even when I can't dance, though, I imagine dancing and this seems to work.

I learned this coping technique when I was on the treadmill, believe it or not. It was mile 5 of a 7-mile run and even though I had my ipod cranked, it was grueling. Then a song came on, and I found myself envisioning choreographing a dance to the song. I became so engrossed in this imagined dance, I stopped paying attention to how tired I was and the way my shoe was rubbing on my arch. I tried this with the next song that came on. It was like magic!

Today, I'm employing the "fantasy choreography" method to my day. My co-worker Carol lent me her We Got The Funk cd for the day, and I am currently imagining a spirited dance to "Let It Whip." It's helping. Rather than grumbling through the afternoon, I am grooving and shaking to the lyrics: Whip it baby; whip it right; whip it baby; whip it all night! You should see the dance I've dreamed up. On second thought, I'll keep it to myself.

St Patty's Exclusive Edition: Irish Car Bomb Cake

2011-03-02T13:39:00.000-08:00

graphic by Abby Taylor

This is a shameless plug for Abby's Hot Buns Bakery. For those of you who live in Seattle, listen up!

My beautiful and talented bakeress friend Abby needs to make an out of state trip that she cannot afford, and because I love her and stand behind her talents, I am spreading the word about this fund-raiser.

For the month of March in honor of St Patrick's day, Abby is making a special edition flavor at her bakery: Irish Car Bomb: chocolate guinness cake layers with Bailey's buttercream frosting. It's decadent and delicious, and perfect for your event.

Details: $40 for a double-layer 8" round cake, which serves 20. Visit her website (shown on the graphic and linked in this post) for details on how to order.

Ten cakes sold would get her to her destination, and she needs your help!

Sewing Update: Geisha Block 2

2011-03-02T08:00:00.000-08:00

I was able to snap a quick picture of my second block on the Geisha quilt I started over the weekend. I think the ginkgo s-curve I added in the middle of the block really gives it that interest that the first block didn't have. Also, my corners line up perfectly, which makes me really happy. Isn't this gorgeous fabric? It's hard to tell from this photo, but there are metallic gold details in each of the fabrics except the yellow characters print and ginkgo leaves print. Very elegant. Can't wait to show you how it evolves!

Tuesday Morning Serenade

2011-03-01T08:00:00.000-08:00

Let's start March of with a bang, shall we? Nikka Costa, you're rockin' my world with this song. I love her attitude and fire as she belts out "Get offa my sunshine!" I can't tell you how many times I've wanted to say this to someone who was telling my I can't do something. I know you ladies out there have felt this way too. This one's for us.

A New Way of Sewing

2011-02-28T10:28:00.000-08:00

Photo by PB

Saturday I took another class taught by Patricia Belyea called Doodle Quilting. All the pieces were made using curves. This was an exciting project for me because I have a good sized stash of Asian inspired fabrics that needed something more than just triangles or rectangles to really do them justice.

Using freezer paper and a whole lot of patience, after several hours I produced my first block in the series. It laid perfectly flat and I didn't have to rip or resew a single seam. See how proud I look?

photo by PB

My second block took even longer, but it's more involved and I think I like it better. When I have the chance I'll snap a photo and show you my progress.

This class opened an entire world of quilting to me. I didn't know it was so easy! I love traditional quilts, but there's something about the challenge of piecing a block of entirely curved seams that makes the accomplishment so much more of a rush.

I highly recommend Patricia's class to any intermediate quilter who's curious about this technique. She'll guide you through the steps, challenge you, and give you the tools to take this further on your own. I will never be intimidated by curved seams ever again!

Taking It Slow

2011-02-23T08:00:00.000-08:00

I am a weekend retreat junkie. I accept invitations to cabins as often as possible. This past weekend we visited extended family at their lake cabin on the Olympic Peninsula. It was fantastic. I ran the deserted country roads, baked, drank wine, played games, and read fitness/wellness magazines (I'm addicted to them). It was wonderful. Here are some of the views from the dock:

Unbelievable, right? I always feel so lucky to be invited to stay at places like this. I want my life to be like this all the time. Well, maybe for a while, at least.

Photos courtesy of Andrew's iPhone.

Tuesday Morning Serenade

2011-02-22T08:00:00.000-08:00

Winner Winner Chili Dinner

2011-02-16T17:09:00.000-08:00

Yesterday our office held its second annual chili cook-off.

As contenders arrived at the start of the workday, they plugged in their respective chili-laden crock pots and simmered their concoctions all morning.

I participated, of course, with a three-meat, two-bean chili that had won last year's first prize: "the golden spoon of victory," which is nothing more than bragging rights. I had to bring it back to see if it could hold its own. There was much less trash-talking, and since I helped organize it this year, imagine my embarrassment when I counted the votes to reveal:

Yep, still a first place winner. Don't get me wrong, I'm very proud of the accomplishment. It was just sort of anti-climactic to announce my own win. So I had Ken, our IT guy do it.

[booming announcer voice] BEHOLD! THE GOLDEN SPOON OF VICTORYYYYY!

Aaaaand I signed it again this year to commemorate my fantastic chili.

Here's the recipe with the latest tweaks:

Ingredients

1 lb bacon, diced
2 lbs beef chuck roast, cut into 1.5-inch cubes
2 lbs pork roast, cut into 1.5-inch cubes
1 cup mole sauce
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 Tbsp kosher salt
3 cups stock of your choice, divided
2 med sweet yellow onions, chopped
1 anaheim pepper, seeded and diced
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground turmeric
1/4 cup chili powder
2 tsp cayenne pepper + more to taste
1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes
2 14-oz cans black beans, drained and rinsed
2 14-oz cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 Tbsp fish sauce
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

Directions

Cook bacon in large soup pot, and remove meat to a bowl, reserving bacon grease on the side.
Use small amounts of bacon grease to brown your meat (in batches so as not to crowd the pan) and dump them into your slow cooker with juices and all as you go.
Set the slow cooker on low, stir the mole, kosher salt, brown sugar, and 1-1/2 cups stock in with your meat and cook for 4 hrs.
Meanwhile, return the rest of the grease to your pot and cook your onion, anaheim pepper, and garlic until onion is translucent.
Add your ground spices and simmer a few more minutes to bring out their flavor.
Add the remaining 1-1/2 cups stock, tomatoes, cooked bacon, and 1 can of each kind of beans, and bring to a boil.
Using a hand/stick blender, puree everything in pot. If you don't have a hand blender, wait for the chili to cool a little and do it in batches in your food processor.
add in your remaining beans, the fish sauce, and apple cider vinegar, stir and add meat after it has slow cooked for an appropriate amount of time.
Refrigerate over night.
The next day, reheat chili slowly, and taste before you tweak.

Serves an army.

Tuesday Morning Serenade

2011-02-15T08:00:00.000-08:00

Country Roads

2011-02-14T10:54:00.000-08:00

A couple weeks ago I told you about the class I took on counterintuitive quilting, taught by Patricia Belyea. It was very outside the box and I had a lot of fun. We're having a follow-up class at the end of this month and I wanted to have something to show for myself, so I decided to take the parts and pieces with me up to Guemes Island this past weekend to make some progress.

When I had brought the blocks home from the initial class and laid them out for Andrew that evening, he said it reminded him of the countryside and some of the blocks looked like roads, so I took that as my inspiration and titled my quilt Country Roads. This, however, did not come without consequences; throughout the entire weekend I had the image of Andy and Dwight from The Office singing "Country Roads" in the break room running on a continuous loop in my head.

Saturday afternoon and evening the wind was blowing hard and the rain was so heavy I was a little nervous it was going to uproot our house and carry it away, Wizard of Oz style. To combat the dreary weather Abby baked a couple loaves of challah, which we had with Diane's home made freezer jam, and we opened a bottle of wine. The hurricane-like gales were also a great motivator to get some sewing done, since we couldn't really even go outside, much less walk on the beach.

Currently it's about 55 inches square. I'm not done with the top quite yet, but it will be a relatively small quilt. Some changes I'd like to make will address the bottom left corner. I will have a cohesive border around it with a little more green on one corner to balance out where it got a little green-heavy in this piece.

Overall, I'm pretty happy about this quilt and I'm excited to see it taking shape. Stay tuned for more on this in a few weeks!

Happy Weekend!

2011-02-11T20:00:00.000-08:00

image source

I have left the mainland! I love weekends in Seattle, but better than that, I love weekends in the San Juan Islands. I've mentioned before my connection to the San Juan Islands and what they mean to me. This weekend I'm taking a breather with Abby and our moms and enjoying life on island time.

There will be sewing; there will be painting; there will be long walks, coffee, and fresh baked scones.

image source

The house we stay in is right on the water, so we're waking each morning to beautiful beach vistas and salty Puget Sound air.

image source

Have a beautiful weekend!

The Shoes

2011-02-11T08:00:00.000-08:00

I have decided on a shoe for the wedding! After I wrote that post, I kept coming back to the blue Badgley Mischka Odell pumps over and over again. I knew I was smitten. They were about twice as much as I wanted to spend, but I knew in my heart that they were the ones. Even though I hate it when people say, "Monica, they're so you!" I have to admit, these shoes are so "me."

Notice the four-inch heel. Do I get a pair of shoes with a lower heel and an ankle strap for all the booty-shaking I'll be doing later in the evening? Maybe I just pack a pair of flip flops?

Nothing Like Technicolor Cake...

2011-02-10T08:00:00.001-08:00

image source

I had a bit of a bumpy morning yesterday and stormed into the office like a dark cloud. Insignificant annoyances were inspiring rage, which I had to keep checked for professional conduct reasons, and though every fiber of me wanted to take each dish in the kitchen and smash it on the floor, I decided it would feel even worse to get fired from a place I actually love for my own childish behavior. Everything was needling me in the worst way with no relief in sight. So at 9am, I decided to take a little breather and check in on one of my favorite blogs, Confections of a (Closet) Master Baker.

I love this blog. Gesine, the author, is one talented woman. In addition to creating some of the most amazing cakes I've ever seen, she has a book out and runs marathons, which is something I aspire to do but so far have been too scared... on both counts. My fiance has had the hots for her sister for years, but I'm more of a fan of this lady. She's someone I can relate to and look up to at the same time. In fact, if my best friends and I took each of our best features and combined forces into one awesome woman, she just might be our "Captain Planet." Ok, enough gushing. Back to my bad day.

In order to take my mind off everything that was getting to me, I went to take a look at CCMB to see what kind of lovelies she had that day. Right there smiling back at me was the most glorious rainbow layer cake I've ever seen. I nearly fell off my chair with joy. It was a trifecta of happiness: my own longtime love of rainbow cakes, beautiful and innovative execution, and wonderful pictures. My heart went like this:

And just like that, I lightened up a little bit. I took a deep breath, found my inner-rainbow, and shook off that bad attitude I'd worked up over the last coupe hours. It's amazing what a little beauty and creative inspiration can do.

A Lot-a Yukata, Etc

2011-02-09T08:00:00.000-08:00

This past weekend my friend Patricia had a trunk show at Fabric Crush featuring her vast collection on vintage Japanese fabrics. It just so happens that the house I grew up in, where my parents still reside, is three blocks away.

Saturday afternoon I collected my mom and dragged her out to the show. I knew I was going to at least buy a yard or two, but then something happened... We were talking about the nautical decor in my upcoming wedding (which I know I have promised will not take over my blog) when Patricia got out the bolt of fabric you see her holding in the above photo and oops! I bought the whole bolt. She gave me an amazing deal on it because of some areas she saw as flaws in the fabric (whereas I will call them character and not think about it again).

I'm so excited! Blue and white stripes? Check. Artsy waves? Check. Helloooo table decor!

Afterward, we wandered over to Fainting Goat on 45th for gelato. It's the best gelato I've ever had, and I'm not exaggerating. If you're thinking, "well I went to Italy, and the stuff I had there..." stop right there. Yep, it's better than that. I got dark chocolate and salted caramel. My mom got pistachio and hazelnut. It was all heavenly. I was especially impressed with the pistachio, which does not taste like that disappointing spumoni pistachio, but rather the real nut. Amazing. Check it:

Adorable logo and delicious product. I am in love.

Tuesday Morning Serenade

2011-02-08T08:00:00.000-08:00

Bridal Shoes

2011-02-06T08:00:00.000-08:00

I'm on the hunt for a shoe. I'm going to need to have my dress fitted soon and it's important for me to make sure it will fall at the right length, which means having my shoes with me at the tailor. The dress is a bright white satin with some bling on it. It's sort of an "old hollywood" look. I can't show a picture of it because Andrew reads this blog and I don't want to spoil the surprise. He loves surprises... which is the opposite of me. That being said, I don't think he'll care whether or not he sees my shoes ahead of time. Here are some of the options I've come up with that are sort of in the right price range.

Traditional White:

Metallic: Silver/Pewter:

Blue to Coordinate with Wedding Colors:

These last ones aren't navy, but I think the antique blue would match the blue hydrangeas in my bouquet, so they made the list. Not to mention they are gorgeous. So there you have it. Thoughts?

What I'm Wearing - TGIF!

2011-02-05T08:00:00.000-08:00

sources: necklace, jacket, pants, shoes

Yeah, I know it's not Friday. Today we're out and about getting the groomsmen's tuxes fitted. It's a guy thing, but I've been asked to tag along as the fashion consultant to make sure it looks as good on the real guys as it did in the catalog. This is a particularly wise move, because Andrew is the type of fellow who is more interested in if it fits than if it looks good.

About a year ago, Andrew went out and bought two new suits to replace the one that he'd had for the last 10 years and no longer fit his now adult frame. It felt like quite an investment, and he wanted to do it right, so Andrew took his dad along for some father-son bonding time. They settled on the best two, and he had them tailored so they would look really sharp. When they were ready, I went with Andrew to pick them up from the tailor and saw them for the first time. Pleated pants on both of them. They've been altered, they've been paid for. I'm keeping my damn mouth shut. It came out later that I was disappointed his expensive new suits had pleated pants, after we had spent a lot of time in the recent past cleaning out his work wardrobe of the offending and dated article. He looked at me in disbelief, went to the closet, and exclaimed, "you're right! They are pleated! I didn't even notice." Ahem, what?

Yes, folks - that was a moment of discovery. I should take a moment here to say that this was more funny than upsetting. He doesn't have to look like he stepped out of GQ in order to get my attention. And as infrequent as it is that he has the occasion to wear suits, it's really not that big of a deal. Maybe during the next ten years that my husband has these suits, pleats will come back in style. One can only hope. (Also, every time I see those pants, I'm going to think, "no! it's the pleats in this pants - they're an optical illusion. I'm taking them back to the pants store immediately." you know what I'm talking about)

So as a result of that little adventure into the realm of formal wear, I get the last say in the tuxes at our upcoming wedding. Takes the pressure off Andrew, and I know what to expect. Win win.

Anyway, I really wanted to share with you my Friday outfit. This is what I wore yesterday. I didn't have the guts for the leggings and boots shown in yesterday's post, so this is sort of a test run. I'm wearing gray (actual) pants and black platform heels. Sort of casual Friday-ish but still dressed up enough for client meetings. PS - the text in the graphic is my lipstick color.

Fashion Advice, Please

2011-02-04T08:00:00.000-08:00

Some of you might know I am obsessed with Fashion Under $100. I am inherently bad at fashion, so I read this blog all the frickin' time to make sure I don't get stuck in the 90s like I have been in the past. I'm not exaggerating. Ask any of my friends. They'll be nice about it, but it's true. So I'm cruising through Dana's old December 2010 posts when I come across this outfit of Cameron Diaz. I happen to have all of the pieces you see here, including an improvement on the leggings with a sequin tux stripe running up the side. I love this look, but I'm wondering if I can pull it off. My two concerns: 1) I do not look like Cameron Diaz, nor do I have her body - I am more of a Christina Hendricks type. 2) I've said this before: I tend to look stupid in trendy outfits. This leans toward a more classic look, but would I look like I'm trying too hard? Thoughts??

What I'm Wearing - Minty Fresh

2011-02-03T11:49:00.000-08:00

sources: earrings, necklace, shirt, trousers, pumps

As you can see, I'm ready for spring. I've been all about pastels and colors that call upon fresh blooms with gray Seattle skies. Today's look is a little old fashioned and sweet with the ruffles and jewelry, but still fresh and crisp by sticking to solid-color fabrics and avoiding patterns. I'm also totally loving my wool pants and organza top. Cozy and airy in one.

Tuesday Morning Serenade

2011-02-01T08:00:00.000-08:00

What I'm Wearing - Feeling Slim

2011-01-31T11:11:00.000-08:00

sources: shirt, pants, shoes, pendant

The wii told me this morning I am no longer fat. Yay! I decided to bust out my skinny gray pants and new shirt from BR to celebrate. It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood.

What I'm Wearing - Say It Loud

2011-01-26T16:51:00.000-08:00

sources: necklace, earrings, dress, shoes

For those of you who know me, you already know I like to pair conservative clothing with crazy shoes. Today was a page right out of that book. I'm wearing a very conservative sheath dress, crazy red shoes, and then taking color cues from my shoes for my jewelry. These shoes are oh, so much fun.

Here's the key to wearing sex-pot shoes without looking like you're asking for it: show as little skin as possible and absolutely no cleavage. Today, I'm even wearing opaque black tights for this reason ...and because it's helping to cut the chill.

Tuesday Morning Serenade

2011-01-25T09:17:00.000-08:00

Crazy Quilting

2011-01-24T10:09:00.000-08:00

On Saturday I went to an all day quilting class taught by Patricia Belyea of Okan Arts titled "Counterintuitive Quilting." In this class we were encouraged to abandon all habits of quilting efficiency and instead scissor-cut each piece, creating one original block at a time. We went through three stages of blocks, letting each one evolve differently. Often I found myself sewing together a block, slicing through it with my scissors, and then changing it completely. I felt a little out of my element at first, but once I got going I really enjoyed the process. I pushed my limits and, with a little gentle guidance from Patricia, created something I wouldn't have done otherwise. It was really great fun and it felt good to get back behind my sewing machine for the first time in what feels like months.

Two Things

2011-01-21T14:12:00.000-08:00

There is a guy at my gym who looks just like Ed Roland of Collective Soul. He even dresses like a rocker. It makes my day every time I see him there. I want to walk up to him and sing, "Whoooaaah! Come and let your light shine down!" but I don't know that it would be entirely appropriate.

I'm really proud of my Broncos' performance last night. They played an awesome game that was neck and neck through until the end when they pulled way ahead, beating Gonzaga 85 to 71. Way to go, fellas!

A+ for Enthusiasm

2011-01-20T14:38:00.000-08:00

image via cnet news

I don't think people really believe it until they see it: I am a shameless dancer. I don't mean, after a few drinks at a wedding, when "Louie Louie" comes on at a Mariner's game, or only in front of my closest friends; I mean anywhere, any time. Grocery store is playing my jam? I'm be-boppin' down the aisles picking out my cereal. No joke. If you're an insecure person, don't go anywhere with me that might be playing hits from the 80s or 90s; you will, guaranteed, be mortified.

That being said, there's a brand new game out that's perfect for a gal like me: Xbox Kinect's Dance Central. While I don't personally have this game (yet), our good friends got one over the holidays and invited us over to play the other night. It is so awesome. Included in the song list are classic hits of my era, such as "Poison," by Bel Biv Devoe. When it came to my turn, I chose that song and danced the hell out of it. I may not have hit every move, but I definitely earned points among the group for putting forth unabashed effort.

What I'm Wearing - Industrial Edition

2011-01-19T11:48:00.000-08:00

sources: earrings, dress, shoes

Today I'm giving one of my plain black office dresses an industrial edge with slate gray zipper-toed pumps and hanging chain earrings. I almost feel like I should be going on a date after work. But I have a different sort of date tonight - a date with Jillian Michaels on my tv. She and I have been working together on my wannabe six-pack. I promised her I'd be there, so a night on the town will have to wait...

What I'm Wearing - Typical Me

2011-01-18T11:02:00.000-08:00

sources: earrings, pendant, shirt, trousers, shoes

I'm fighting off an obnoxious cold and I just didn't have time to deal with the whole outfit selection circus today, so I threw on a nice safe black button-up / gray trousers combo, stepped into my spectators, and ran out the door. I love this outfit because (aside from my feels, which are much taller than the ones picture here) it's comfortable and polished and zero effort.

What I'm Wearing - Office Edition

2011-01-17T17:08:00.000-08:00

sources: earrings, brooch, top, jeans, shoes

I haven't done one of these in a while. I know it's winter here in Seattle, but I felt like wearing a sleeveless shirt today. I lost 7 lbs this past week (I know, right??) and I wanted to flaunt it. So sue me.

Happy Holidays!

2010-12-06T13:58:00.000-08:00

To our family and friends, thank you for being such a wonderful source of strength and support. We love you. Merry Christmas.

Happy....Halloween?

2010-11-30T17:02:00.000-08:00

I know, I know. I'm late getting this post up. Really late. Nonetheless, I thought you'd like to see how we did Halloween this year.

Pumpkin carving is an essential Halloween activity.

Abby came hungry.

My brother made this cool 7-eyed monster.

Abby did a haunted house scene.

Here's the rest of it.

I did a Nightmare Before Christmas inspired face.

Lorena's kitty sat high on the porch.

My father did a friendly Frankenstein's monster face. (you can just barely see the signature scar)

Here's the scene in its entirety.

....but not truly complete without my mother standing in the door. She's the cutest.

In the living room we had a screen set up where we projected Young Frankenstein.

Happy Halloween, everyone!

Meatballs Galore.

2010-10-14T16:34:00.000-07:00

source: Bon Appetite

I love sandwiches. It's a deep, deep love. I eat them whenever I can. Recently, during a weekend getaway with some friends to Leavenworth, I was sucked into an issue of Bon Appetit magazine with a feature on meatballs. This reminded me how delicious they are on sandwiches, and then I flipped the page to the pork meatball bahn mi. Cue the heavenly choirs. Sunday I went to the store and got all the fixins so I could make it ASAP. It. was. amazing. I modified the recipe a little and used asian quick-pickled cucumbers instead of the radish, and did a lime-sesame oil sriracha dressing instead of the mayo-based one. I liked it so much, I ate it again for lunch the next day.

Tonight? Another meatball extravaganza:

source : Bon Appetit

Fall Adventures

2010-10-04T15:43:00.000-07:00

The weekends have been wonderfully cool, crisp, and sunny recently and I'm taking advantage of early fall by doing some of my favorite fall things. For one, walks around our neighborhood are wonderful this time of year. It's an old Seattle neighborhood with great big deciduous trees that are just starting to turn and shed their foliage.

This is a photo of Andrew laughing at me because I kept trying to get an action shop of him walking, but he would stop and pose. There was a lot of "ok now look at me," [Andrew stops, faces me in sort of a "ta-da!" stance] "No! I need you to keep walking!" This was repeated multiple times until I was crafty enough to catch him off guard before he could fully turn.

So then on Saturday, the weather was wonderful and I took Andrew up to the Skagit Valley to pick apples. I'd been planning it for a few weeks as a surprise and it just happened that the weather worked out.

Yes, that's me in a cartoon barrel of apples. I love stuff like that.

I made Andrew pose as the honeybee.

It ended up taking all of thirty minutes to collect fifty-five pounds of Jonagold apples. They are delicious. I gave a few to some friends and family, but I have grand plans of pies and cider.

I stayed to the low branches, and there were plenty of good-sized apples to choose from, but Andrew was reaching for the higher ones, just because he can.

It was a good time. After we'd picked a wagon full of apples, we wheeled it back to the barn and bought some cinnamon doughnuts and fresh cider, plus a bottle of hard cider for later.

As part of our journey, we drove down the road to my aunt and uncle's restaurant, The Rhodedendron Cafe. Uncle Don was working in the kitchen, so we called him out and chatted for a while.

Here's the thing I love about this place: It's not what you'd expect. It's way out in the country and looks like your grandma's home kitchen. You might expect simple diner fare. No, ma'am. Don and Carol close the restaurant for several weeks in the late fall through the winter and go travel looking for cultural immersion and culinary inspiration. We're talking places like Tanzania and Spain, folks. Their menu is phenomenal. I'm never disappointed and always impressed.

So in short, fall is in full swing here in Monicaland. Next up? Pumpkin patch adventures?

Delivery for Moi!

2010-09-29T15:16:00.000-07:00

Look what came in the mail today! 300 yards of nautical ribbon! My heart is filled with joy over these stripes!

Ok, now what to do with it?

My Secret Weapon

2010-09-09T15:45:00.000-07:00

sources: dress, shoes, earrings, pendant

Most women will admit to owning a secret weapon dress. This is a dress that makes her look and feel great when she puts it on, no matter what. She wears it on a first date, revenge date, when she knows she'll bump into a crush, and sometimes to work if she's feeling sassy. For the last couple years, mine has been a black jersey sleeveless sheath dress with a turtleneck. It makes me look ten pounds lighter and is appropriate for almost any occasion, provided I wear the right shoes. However, I think I may have found a new one.

The new dress, pictured above, is actually navy and it fits like a glove. Today I'm wearing it with office-appropriate nude pumps, but I did take it for a test drive over this past weekend wearing my new cognac peep toes with the zipper detail. It drew a lot of attention. This also may have been due to the fact that I was with my best lady, Abby, who looked amazing and was getting drinks bought for her left and right. It's hard not to notice two confident ladies in cocktail dresses and stilettos.

Fashion Update: Casual Cognac and Navy

2010-09-08T11:14:00.000-07:00

sources: earrings, pendant, boots, dress

I noticed recently that many of the shoes I've acquired this year have been a cognac color. Shoes I'd normally stroll right by have grabbed my attention in cognac. It's such a warm casual look - lived in, natural, and comfortable. I love it. In fact, the dress I wore today was purchased specifically to work with my collection of warm leather boots and pumps.

On another note, now that the weather seems to have turned, I'm feeling the urge for classic fall activities; this morning I baked apple bread with cinnamon and nutmeg. Once I get a free moment, I'd love to start quilting again. Now that I have a new laptop (a generous gift from my loving fiance), the dinosaur of a cpu that used to take up over half of my desk can be put into storage and I will have a permanent place to set up my sewing machine. Maybe I'll brew some pumpkin ale or hard cider this year. I've been meaning to try that for ages.

Today is a Good Day

2010-09-07T16:53:00.000-07:00

sources: dress, pumps, earrings, pendant

I feel great today. Over the long weekend I got a lot done, including some bargain shopping. I picked up this sassy little number at one of my favorite discount clothing store for a steal of a deal. It's actually more of a charcoal gray on a light gray, and the neckline is a cowl rather than a v, which makes it a fun dress to transition into fall. Yep, it's rainy here again and I'm feeling the urge to get cozy. However, it's not really chilly yet, so I can still wear this dress with bare legs and be comfortable. I paired it with my favorite pair of nude rocha pumps. Seems simple and maybe even boring now that I'm blogging about it, but because I have curves, it's "bla-dow." Mama's workin' what she's got, ladies!

Did I Mention I'm a Shoe Girl?

2010-09-03T10:58:00.000-07:00

I had to do it. I needed them. Few shoes call to me in the way that these did. They are sexy, a little naughty, and oh, so delicious.

source

It's the zipper on the back that really gets me. They could *almost* be trashy (and I'll tell you, the black ones cross that line), but I think with the right outfit, they are a great Saturday afternoon shoe. Here's what I put together:

sources: top, jeans, bracelet

If they're worn with faded jeans, a slouchy casual top, and a funky wood bracelet, they take on a weekend-in-the-city sort of vibe. Couldn't you see me in this outfit at King's Hardware? Yep, me too.

Fashion Update

2010-09-03T10:15:00.000-07:00

sources: earrings, pendant, shoes, top, shorts

It's time for another fashion update. I don't know what the weather is like in LA or SF today, but it's warm in Seattle! Woo hoo! I'm feeling summery and today's outfit reflects my mood (and my seasonal color trend). Ladies, give me your updates!

Friday Morning Music

2010-08-27T09:59:00.000-07:00

This is one of my favorite pieces of all time, and the visual representation of it in this video gives me chills it's so good.

Happy Friday, everyone!

I'm Dressed Like a 1950s Housewife

2010-08-19T10:14:00.000-07:00

sources: dress, earrings, pendant, shoes

Today was one of those days where I grab the first thing in my closet, throw it on, and run out the door.

I've been wearing the same go-with-everything silver earrings and pendant for several weeks, now because I don't want to have to think about it, and they remind me of my trip to Cape Cod this summer.

I have several black dresses I wear to work, and they are great for days like this because they go with everything. I usually try to stay away from black daywear during summer, but this little number is sleeveless and lightweight, so I consider it a cross-over piece.

The pumps I've chosen added a little bit of sassiness to whole ensemble. I decided to complete it all by wearing make-up (something I usually abandon during the summer) and a berry colored lipstick. I'm feeling very feminine today.

Summer Reading

2010-08-16T20:54:00.000-07:00

I've been in the mood for a trashy romance novel ever since my trip to the east coast in July. Preferably one with a fantastic cover. I searched the shelves at every book store we came across. Nothing met my criteria of $5 or less, a fantastic cover, and a sexy title.

Until....

There it was, sitting on the spinning stand of used books at the Anecortes - San Juan Islands ferry dock. The price was a good fifty cents higher than all the books, but at $3.20, I figured it was worth my last four dollars. Just get a load of that cover. It's everything a romance novel should look like. The best part? It gets to the hot stuff within the first fifteen pages.

I'm Guilty.

2010-08-13T15:19:00.000-07:00

OK it happened - I got engaged and stopped posting on my blog because I was too busy researching venues, trying on dresses, and staring at my ring. I never imagined myself as being a bride who gets engulfed in wedding planning, but I am living proof that it can happen to anyone if she's not careful! It sounds like I'm apologizing, but I'm really not. I'm loving this! I just thought you deserved an explanation. I'll try not to turn this into a wedding blog, but seeing as this is a blog of my own musings, wedding stuff may slip in every now and then. Like right now.

Today I had a free moment at work (it's actually been really busy for me these days, which is another reason why I haven't had time to post), and decided to browse wedding invitations for inspiration.

Then, I came across this gem:

Oh. My. God.

Hilarious! I will not be having spoof invitations like that one, but I can appreciate it for what it is. Well executed, Rae and Adam!

I'm getting mawwied!

2010-07-22T14:37:00.000-07:00

So it turns out I have a sneaky man in my life. He orchestrated a secret trip to LA to enlist the assistance of my best friend in choosing a ring, chartered a sunset cruise on the sailboat my parents owned when I was growing up (skippered by my godfather), and planned a family party after the boat ride, all without me knowing!

Andrew, you were so romantic, it blew me away. Thanks for a fantastic evening, and I'm looking forward to a wonderful future with you.

Birthday Dinner

2010-07-19T17:09:00.000-07:00

Today is my 29th birthday, and my wonderful boyfriend is taking me out to that French restaurant I've been eying since it opened this spring. The reservations are early, so I dressed for the occasion and for the office today.

sources: dress, earrings, necklace, shoes

Don't you love those shoes? They're new.

Westport, MA: This Girl's Heaven

2010-07-11T07:58:00.000-07:00

I'm just starting the second half of my mother-daughter holiday on the east coast. We're currently in Westport, MA, on the cape not far from Rhode Island. The house we're staying in is absolutely wonderful. Above is a picture of the harbor, not far from the house. Not bad, eh?

Pretty much all of the homes look like this:

And this is what the weather is like:

And this is what everyone eats:

I think I want to move here.

Happy 4th, and One More Thing About Pie...

2010-07-02T16:29:00.000-07:00

source

I'm off to Baltimore in about five hours. Have a fun and safe holiday this weekend, and have a slice of rhubarb pie for me! (the kind without strawberries, of course)

Galettes/Pies/Tarts

2010-07-01T17:39:00.000-07:00

I've been obsessed with pies lately. It happened when my talented baxtress friend Abby mentioned she hated making pies. I happen to love baking pies and offered my services as an overflow option if she ever needed it. I usually try not to do this because there are few things more annoying than someone trying to weasel her way into your culinary project. In fact, I'm a firm believer in staying out of another cook's home kitchen entirely. That being said, Abby is my PLP and I know she would feel comfortable saying, "Monica, stay the eff out of my biz," if she had to. So I offered, and then stayed the eff out her biz, but I made pies anyway. For myself. Of course.

So Abby got pies back on my brain, but with a twist. I'm usually an apple pie baker with a full top crust, but she got me thinking about galettes - rustic topless pies. Pretty sexy, eh? Indeed. My first go was a mixed berry version, which Andrew still requests. It was great. I'm a big proponent of lemon in pies, so any pie I make will get the juice of at least 1/2 lemon. It's just for some extra zing. For me, a berry pie/tart with no hint of tart zing is a failure. I hate failing.

Then, a couple weeks ago I got up at an ungodly early hour on a Sunday morning while spending the weekend at my friend Sabina's place in Gig Harbor. I raided her kitchen for pie ingredients and threw together this:

Okay so it's not rustic, but it was delicious and simple to throw together - literally. I put six eggs, some provolone, ham, zucchini, dill, and a shallot int a bowl, stirred it up, and threw it in a pie crust (which I half-baked ahead of time). We ate it like this:

While we ate, I had this in the oven:

This one is indeed a rustic pie, which just means I pay more attention to the way the fruit looks and forget the top crust altogether. It was scrumptious. We ate it like this:

The secret's in the crust. I am fortunate enough to come from a long line of pie-baking women who have a tried and true crust. I'm sure it dates back before Grandma Miller, but that's as far as I have ever bothered to ask. That was four generations ago and out to the plains of Kansas, a generation before the Great Depression. It's damn good crust and even if she didn't create the recipe, she gets a nod for keeping the pie tradition going, as does Gma Benton and Gma Shank, and especially my mama.

So I've been making these galettes since Memorial Day weekend and I just can't get enough. It's a lazy way to make pie without compromising on any of the deliciousness or presentation. Last night I made a recipe I saw on Smitten Kitchen for a zucchini ricotta galette with some of my own mods. I plugged the recipe in HERE so I could calculate the nutrition info per serving too, because I like to do that. We all loved last night's galette so much, I made it again this morning for lunch/dinner tonight, plus a peach one with lemon-scented ricotta. My car was extremely fragrant. Here they are in my back seat:

Happy July to you all!

Quilting!

2010-06-29T14:39:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I haven't actually sewn a stitch, but I did get all my pieces cut out for my patriotic / nautical quilt(s). Hundreds and hundreds of half-square triangles. I usually gravitate toward a quilting style that evolves as I go, but I'm trying something new: traditional planned quilting! I actually cut everything out ahead of time and (loosely) counted my pieces.

See?

I love the navy/white stripe fabric best. It is actually an old sheet I bought at Good Will during Katie's visit.

Then, I auditioned various layouts before sewing.
1)

alternating red and blue

(the rest were taken with the camera phone to text to abby in real-time brainstorming. Please excuse the graininess and coloring.)

2)

thick diagonal stripes of three, alternating

red and blue horizontal layout

4) winner #1:

red with a random smattering of blue

5) winner # 2 (my personal favorite):

blue with a random smattering of red

I'm pretty sure I have enough for two coordinating twin bed sized quilts.I'm really liking the freshness of the blue and white with little red surprises.

Daydreaming...

2010-06-25T16:51:00.000-07:00

source

Dear God, please teleport me into this photo. Love, Monica

Have a great weekend!

2010-06-25T11:28:00.000-07:00

Tonight is the belated family Father's Day dinner. This is the card I'll be giving him. It's pretty much spot on. Love you, Dad!

Food.

2010-06-23T10:27:00.000-07:00

I like to cook. A lot. Monday night I made one of the more delicious dinners I've had in a long time. The pasta dish was inspired by a recipe I'd seen on Smitten Kitchen for asparagus, goat cheese and lemon pasta, but I simplified it for my own ingredients, using peas instead of asparagus, and leaving out the tarragon. The peas were actually really nice in the dish because it offered a subtle sweetness rather than the subtle bitterness asparagus has.

The herbed cucumber salad was inspired by a dish I saw in my latest issue of Food & Wine Magazine. I didn't actually go look at the recipe; I just gawked at the picture with its chunks of cucumber tossed in fresh herbs, and thought, I could do that. I just peeled a hothouse cucumber, sliced it, and tossed it in the Splendid Table's Basic Vinaigrette, and snipped some fresh dill and fresh mint I had on hand. I lightly salted and peppered it before serving. It was fresh and delicious.

It is the pork chop I'm most proud of. Safeway was having a 30% off special on thin-cut pork chops, so I snagged a package of three. I rinsed the chops under cold water, patted them dry, let them sit at room temp for about 30 minutes and rubbed them with Montreal steak seasoning before putting them on a pan to sear them. Andrew always gives me a face when I suggest pork, probably because of a bad past experience he had with over-cooked dry pork. One bad experience and he tends to write off an entire food. Same thing happened with an over-garlicy lamb burger (not mine), but I've done lamb he said was delicious, so I take his protests with a grain of salt and as a challenge to prove there's a delicious way to prepare all food, and it doesn't have to be masked in butter and cheese.

I've been doing a lot of reading on the proper way to cook meat, and I think I've got it down: pat it dry, rub it with seasoning, place on medium-high heat and don't touch it until it's ready to flip. It's also a cardinal sin to stab your meat with a fork in order to pick it up and flip it - I got myself some silicone-coated tongs to turn meat, and they work great. Above all, don't over-cook it! I allowed the meat to rest for a couple minutes after taking it off the heat and it ended up being super flavorful and juicy. Andrew said a couple times how delicious it was. See, Andrew? Pork is delicious if you do it right.

The best part? There were leftovers, and I get to have them for lunch today. Yessssss.

[update: the pasta does not reheat well, but it tastes great cold!]

Test Drive

2010-06-08T10:04:00.000-07:00

sources: sweater, tank, shorts, shoes, earrings

In about three weeks I leave to embark on an east coast mother-daughter vacation of epic proportions. The first part of the trip will begin like my normal adult life: Andrew and I have a friend's wedding to attend in Baltimore. After the Fourth of July, the dynamic will change; my mom, who is a teacher and has summers off, will be flying out to meet me and thus begins two weeks of a mother-daughter adventure unlike any other...

I haven't been to the east coast since I was twelve, and I believe this will be a different experience. For one thing, I'm about a thousand times less awkward. I also have zero agenda for this trip - leaving that to my mom who is a compulsive over-planner / over-researcher when it comes to traveling (something I've grown to really appreciate since I became an adult!). This is not to say I don't have expectations or ideals about how things are going to go. When we started talking about this trip, I started fantasizing about strolling along some boardwalk somewhere in preppy white shorts, summery heeled sandals, and colorful tank tops, sporting a glorious tan. My mom and I would be sipping diet pepsis through straws and snapping pictures of ourselves with beach-scapes in the background. I have no idea if this will actually happen, but I'll be dressed for it and today I am taking one of these summer outfits out for a spin, just for fun.

Black Boots

2010-06-07T16:48:00.000-07:00

My friend Anika needs some black boots. I've spent a little time pouring over my three fave shoe shopping websites and grabbed a selection. Let's vote (in the comments section).

Under Go Bootie

Foldover Bootie

Daisy Doo Bootie

Ava Bootie

Ultimo Bootie

Dos I Do Bootie

Oxford Lace Up Patent Bootie

Rosabella Bootie

Ruffle Bootie

Fiddle Bootie

Propose Bootie

Ruched Bootie

And one more, which are open-toed and I know not what she wants, but they were funnnnn:

Kernal Bootie

found here

Ok Ani, are there any on the right track? There were a ton more I passed over just because I didn't want to overwhelm this post. Do we need a round two? Leave your votes in the comments section. I need to figure out how to get a vote button on my blog one of these days.

If My Girlfriends Were Shoes: Alexis Edition

2010-06-04T14:31:00.000-07:00

get the shoes

Alexis is one of my nearest and dearest. We've gone through a lot together and between study sessions in Mission Gardens, crying our eyes out at the marina in Barcelona, and somewhere in there becoming responsible adults, we've gotten ever closer. She reminds me of a spangly gold stiletto sandal. Classy dinner or party all night, Alexis is up for it and always has a great time. She's leading tomorrow's generation by day, but after the students are out of sight she knows how to let loose. Catch her in the right mood and she just might take you up on that crazy dare!

Sunshine, Please

2010-06-04T11:38:00.000-07:00

sources: shirt, pants, shoes, earrings, necklace

It's raining again today and I didn't feel like wearing a skirt, but I didn't feel like getting the bottoms of my pants soaked, so I'm going summery with my outfit today. What are y'all wearing today?

Simple Suppers

2010-06-03T17:00:00.000-07:00

Please excuse the cell phone upload. My camera battery was dead and I wanted to share this with you.

Monday night marked our four year anniversary. It was the end of a long rainy weekend and we had been celebrating for three days, so we wanted something simple and fresh to cap off the day we'd spent at Green Lake. A bowl of garlicy salty steamed clams seemed just the thing. We decided to forgo the wine and give our livers a break, but I did include a little dry white wine in the broth of my clams. Paired with a bright herby green salad and some fresh baked bread, it was the ideal light feast. I have to do this more often.

Pina Colada Pie.... A Daydream

2010-06-02T11:02:00.000-07:00

I have been fantasizing about two things: pina coladas and making pies. In fact, I had a hard time falling asleep last night because I was getting all worked up about the idea of a pina colada pie. Furthermore, I overslept by an hour this morning because my dreams had shifted to pies and they were just so beautiful. This morning, I haven't been able to stop thinking about how I would craft such a pie. I think the best bet is to adapt an egg custard pie and take it up a notch. Adapted from THIS RECIPE, here's what I have in mind.

Ingredients

zest of 1 lime
1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust, made from my secret family recipe. (Add the zest of 1 lime to the crust mix and stir through before you add the water)
3 eggs, beaten
1 egg white
3/4 cup white sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 15oz can coconut milk
juice of 1 lime
1/2 cup dark rum
Sliced fresh pineapple
1 cup whipped cream for topping
2 Tbsp toasted coconut flakes for topping

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C).
On a baking sheet, bake fresh pineapple slices for 15 min
Meanwhile, heat coconut milk, lime juice, and rum together in a pan until just barely boiling and remove from heat source.
Mix together 3 eggs, sugar, salt, and vanilla. Stir well. Blend in the heated coconut milk, lime juice, and rum.
Line pie pan with pastry, and brush inside bottom and sides of shell with egg white to help prevent a soggy crust. Pour custard mixture into pie crust.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on rack.
Fan baked pineapple slices over top of pie, and top with whipped cream and toasted coconut just before serving.

So there it is. Of course I haven't tried it yet, but I'm getting really excited about the possibilities. Thoughts?

Happy Weekend!

2010-05-28T16:37:00.000-07:00

image from grey goose

Tonight I'm going to kick off the evening with a couple of my favorite ladies who I just don't see enough. My grand plan is lemony fizzy cocktails and a two-dollar manicure. Helloooo long weekend!

Costume Change

2010-05-26T15:33:00.000-07:00

This morning I woke up and was feeling a little sassy, so I pulled out a dress I usually wear in the fall with opaque tights and boots. Since it's spring I decided to just wear it bare-legged with some fun peeptoe ruffled pumps. Fun, right?

sources: dress, shoes, necklace, earrings

I knew I was leggy, but didn't realize how short my dress was until I got to work and saw my boss's eyebrow raise. But it was too late; I was already at work and there was nothing I could do about it. It just so happened that this morning we had a ton of clients and consultants coming to the office. I played it cool for the morning, but secretly I was so uncomfortable. "Hi, I'm Monica - welcome to our office. I'll be your go-go dancer today." Ok it wasn't that bad, but it just didn't feel right.

So at lunch I ran home and changed into something a little more appropriate. Whew.

sources: dress, shoes, earrings

Nothing like a belted black sheath dress and a pair purple snakeskin pumps to make me feel like myself again.

If My Girlfriends Were Shoes: Allison Edition

2010-05-19T16:58:00.000-07:00

get the shoes

I had a couple glasses of wine with Allison at an old haunt of mine on Saturday night. Got to talking about shoes - one of my favorite subjects. She reminds me of a pair of sexy boots, good for any occasion, and kick-ass in all weather. Meet me at a Saturday afternoon book signing at Elliot Bay? Lookin' hot. Party that night in a short skirt? Yep. Still hot. Whether she's ordering her dim sum in Mandarin Chinese or sipping her whiskey at the end of the bar, this woman can hold her own. That's why we love her.