laws: murphy's and motion

Remember a few weeks ago, when my week started off like this? Well, I am here to say thank you so much to Lee at Ridge Construction. He's not only a friend of Jacob's from high school (the wayback!), he's super talented at so many things more intricate and interesting than fixing our bathroom ceiling (he does gorgeous remodeling work as well), but he still came over and spent a couple of mornings of his valuable time doing it anyway. Thanks, Lee! 


(we are totally hoping to bring Lee back for a few days on some projects that might be a little more fun - fingers crossed!)


Now we just have to choose paint colors, because if we're painting the ceiling, might as well, right? This little house is probably due for a couple of updates like that, but I am well aware of the pandora's box we're about to crack open by saying the words "paint swatches". Wish me luck...


P.S. I am no brainiac, but I did once do an entire science project illustrating Newton's laws of motion with The Far Side cartoons, so I can speak to how physical law seems to apply to our bathroom woes. You know the one that goes, "Every action has an equal and opposite reaction."? That definitely happened Monday night. Just about the time that the project on the ceiling was nearing completion, the counterweight on our old, double-hung windows broke, slamming the window closed and breaking the glass in the process. Come on, now. Come on. What the FAIL. 

e Beva!

Alright, I told y'all I had a little follow up for your sipping pleasure. Not surprisingly considering my roots, this one is Italian too. It's a happy comfort zone I pierce only when necessary. I don't think today's going to be that day! So here's a refreshing drink with just a bit of buzz to it. This has been a summer favorite for me and some of my girls - maybe it will be for you too!

Start with lemons, fresh mint and a bottle of Limoncello, well chilled. You can find it in the section with cordials and liqueurs. This southern-Italian classic originates near my family's former home, Naples, with roots extending all the way down the Amalfi Coast and out to islands like Ischia and Capri. It's a delightful consumed traditionally, on its own, as an after-dinner drink in tiny chilled glasses (or mixed up with some other things!). I think I may even try to make it sometime...but for now I'll keep it simple with the store-bought variety.


Put a few slices of lemon in the bottom of a glass and add a some mint leaves. Muddle them with a tiny bit of Limoncello (if you don't have a muddler, you can use the back of a spoon to smash them up and release their flavors and juices). Set aside. 


In a shaker, combine about one to one Limoncello and sparkling water or club soda and shake with ice, then pour over lemons and mint (if you don't have a shaker, just measure into the glass and stir). You can also add a few chips of ice, too, if you want.


Salute!

mangia!

It's Friday in the spring you all (though it feels like summer here in the Bluegrass - heatwave!), and at our place, that means dinners spent on the porch, or at least long evenings of thrown-together, slow paced dining that's often more like small plates and appetizers with a few cool beverages. And friends. Lots of friends. 

Something about the spring and summer, with the lingering light and windows flung open (as ours have been all week!) makes hosting a last-minute soiree less intimidating. 

On the other hand, I'm better at organizing structured things. I don't consider this my best attribute, though. I wish I was more laid back and spontaneous...that's why I married someone like Jacob! He's always up for anything at a moments notice and keeps me on my toes. I tend to be up for anything, I just prefer notice ranging from a few hours to a few weeks. I'm working on that. 

Keeping things on hand for a quick and easy (and tasty) bite and sip makes it easier to throw open the doors to whoever might stop by which, really, is what porches in the summer are all about right?

One little bite I worked up the other day for my girlfriends, seemed to go over pretty well, so I'll share it here. It's super easy and pretty yummy - a simple, bite-sized version of my favorite Italian salad, the Caprese. 

Grab about 7 thin slices of Prosciutto from your deli, butcher or the specialty section of the grocery (most have it prepackaged), one container of grape or cherry tomatoes, one container of fresh mozzarella (I chose the tiny ones, but you can get a regular-sized on and slice it if you prefer), some basil, extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and freshly-cracked pepper - and some skewers or toothpicks. 

Start with the mozzarella and layer one piece of the cheese followed by a portion of prosciutto folded over a portion of basil (to keep the leaf intact) and finish with a tomato. Layer them on a plate and set aside. Mix about one to one olive oil and balsamic vinegar, whisk and drizzle over the skewers, finish with a bit of salt and pepper. Share with friends. 

I have a little drink recipe up my sleeve too, that pairs well with summer nights, friends and Caprese skewers...stay tuned!

late to the party

Do you play social games? I'll admit, when I realized that playing a social game on Facebook was going to be a part of a story I was writing for BG magazine (just finished! headed your way!), I was not excited. All I could think about was the time I'd spent unsubscribing to feeds of Farmville-addicted friends (grumble). 


But then I grudgingly logged on to WeTopia, the brainchild of Lincoln Brown (Kentuckian, yay!) and his partners at SoJo (Social Joy) studios. While it might look like a typical social game, what sets this particular diversion apart is not the addictive part (it became, despite my best efforts, a serious time sucker), but the charitable aspect. SoJo donates 50% of profits to hand-picked charities and players can help determine where some of those funds go, so while you are spending time playing a social game (meh?) you're "playing for good" (hard to meh about, really).

my name is Anne, I have a WeTopia, and I'm proud of it!

I'm hardly the first one to discover this. When Lincoln and I sat down the other day to chat, I learned that Ellen and the Beib are fans and supporters, too. Good friends to have, I'd say, and WeTopia has grown like crazy in the short time it's been around thanks in part to the grass roots fandom that's sprung up around its do-good determination. Way to go, SoJo, you make Kentucky look good!

Check out more on WeTopia, SoJo and Lincoln in BG Spring 2012! It will be out soon. Way to go BG team!

comfy chic

Every time the season changes, I get so excited to pull out of storage all my favorite clothes and (when we can afford it) add a few new pieces. Though I'm pretty classic in my style, I've tried out some notable trends. Some good, some bad: I could post a "first day of school" photo in which I proudly sport zebra shorts and a t-shirt featuring a giant white Persian cat face complete with rhinestone-studded blue eyes (whaaaaaatttt? Yes, I am a child of the 80s).

All the experts say that the best way to move from year to year is to invest in some really strong pieces (my favorites are the LBD, blazers, white collared shirts, and trenches) and then pick up trendy pieces season by season (secret-weapon shops = Forever21 or one of our local shops like Bluetique or Calypso or Black Market - shop local, y'all!). 

Some of the things I've picked up recently:
1-Satin Self-Tie Dress
2-Oversized Round Havanas
3-Prepster Belt
4-Polka Dot Top
5-Pleated Skirt
6-Red Canvas Classics


These look to me like afternoons picnics, evening walks, backyard barbecues and music festivals...and that sounds like summer. 

lo lo locavore

We are trying to be more aware and responsible with the foods we eat. I've been a doubter of the organic movement and I've been on a budget, and both make it tough! But overall, I think it's worth a try to continue pushing toward more local, natural foods that are raised organically. Especially when I meet up with people like Stella's Les Miller and Aumaine Mott.  


I had a plan to start a garden this year (heirloom seeds! organic methods! raised bed in the backyard!), but I'm not sure with this early summer weather and my current workload that's going to happen. To be honest, it might be a miracle if we can just get rid of all the honeysuckle and poison ivy in the designated garden corner of our sad little yard. Folks, it is not looking good. But, hey, it's a dream and a goal and...someday? Maybe we'll call it a temporary fail.

In the mean time, I fall back on wonderful resources like those offered by established farmers who don't struggle with simple yard work, let alone gardening. It's a great way to move toward responsible - and healthy! - eating, in a more affordable way. Organics and whole foods can seem impossibly expensive and specialized at the big grocery stores, but we've found one of the best ways to jump in is to start close to home, wherever you are. 

Jacob and I used to, when we lived in North Africa and the Middle East as students, look for fun things to do on a budget and I'm not ashamed to say that going to the grocery was a weekly diversion for us. One of the things we got the biggest kick out of was choosing a new, exotic food every week and getting it home to try. Eating local there was a real adventure, let me tell you! Sometimes we had wonderful experiences (fresh figs, gorgeous citrus, halal meats, new cheeses) and others were not so hot (actually, I'll just leave that be).

Now that we're back home, though, we're eschewing the imports and have re-enrolled in Elmwood Stock Farm's CSA (Community Supported Agriculture), and I am literally counting down the days until our first share. Last year was so much fun (even when we got weeks and weeks of kohlrabi - I'm still trying to find recipes for that!). The couple we share our CSA with also has a great hook-up for local eggs, and once farmer's market opens up, we'll have access to lots of local goods like beef, bison, chicken, milk, cheese, and maybe even some herb plants so I check at least one box on the gardening goal sheet. 


If you're in Kentucky, you can visit this site for a list of CSA programs and farms. There is so much variety in offering and locations, so check out the farms in your area to see what they grow (do they do fruits and veggies, veggies and chicken, beef, eggs, etc.), whether they deliver, costs, frequency and term. Our farm offers, in addition to our delivered weekly share, a visit to the farm to see how everything is going. That visit day is always fun and educational and this year we get to go with our buds and their darling little girl, so I think it will be even better (not that we didn't have fun last year!). Can't wait!


PS-It's spring today! This is, of course, exciting news; but did anyone tell Kentucky? Our Commonwealth thinks it's summer! Enjoy these 80s, folks!

cultivate grate(fulness)

Good Monday morning! I hope you guys had a great weekend. Over here it was one of those perfect weekends that seemed to be simultaneously relaxing and productive, with a nice balance of movie-going, St. Pats reveling, outdoor walks, necessary tasks and some work completed. It's amazing to have time like that because I can spend an hour messing with my cuticles (an obsession) and not feel guilty about it because the dishes are done and there's laundry a-spinnin'.


I'm just thankful that I have work to do, thankful for the weather, thankful for my friends...just so many things, which brings me to the weekend wisdom.


One of my best friends is a real-life Southern pageant girl ("Watch me do my pageant walk."). She's an Alabama girl all the way, from the perfectly-pedicured-gulf-dipped toes to her always-in-order hair (Even when it's been like five days from a wash or just out of the ocean, I swear.). She's also the daughter of the most gracious, beautiful, fun and sweet mama and a Southern Methodist minister. Her friends are lucky to know her, but we're also lucky to get to know her mama, and daddy, and aunts, and cousin, and brothers...even her sister-in-law! They're a pretty great bunch, and it's something special when you have friends with whom you can share family, too.


Yesterday, we took a stroll through the Lexington Cemetery. This spot is a treasure in our town, with some of the most exquisite gardening lining meandering paths that pass by ponds, benches and bridges. It is a cemetery, yes, but it seems designed to be a place for reflection, not only sadness. It's also inspiring because of the history there. Henry Clay, one of Kentucky's most famous figures, rests there and family plots are places of pride and meticulous care. It seems to be a place of such evident love and care that it nearly balances the pain of mourning it necessarily represents.


So during our time yesterday, my dear friend shared a bit of wisdom from the Reverend Mike Sigler that I want to also share with you, it was so encouraging. If the Mondays are getting to you or if you just find yourself feeling kind of down, think about this (I hope I get it mostly right):


The person is made up of three main parts: body, spirit and mind. You have to take care of each of them every day. For the body, remember you must give it good food and exercise. For the spirit, remember that you must connect with a higher power; pray and meditate. For the mind, remember to make it strong; when your weak thoughts are getting the best of you, fight them by actively cultivating a spirit of gratefulness.


It sounds simple, but it can be hard! We got in the car to head home and someone made a downer comment, so we said, "That will be three 'I'm gratefuls', please!"


For what are you grateful today?

power of the [red] pen

My dad absolutely hated colorful office supplies. I'd make some comment about how silly it is to have such virulent hate for something inanimate, but then I'd have to face all the things I have strong feelings about that make no sense, and I promised this blog was going to be uplifting and positive and I don't need to encourage myself against that premise. 

So I'll just leave it at his feelings, especially those against colored post-its (anything except plain yellow), highlighters (any of them, period) and colored-ink pens, with a special distaste reserved especially for red ones. 

I can't say how funny it always strikes me - and how wonderful it is to think of him - when I sit down to tackle a big editing project (this week it's been pre-production for BG Lex - coming soon!), red rollerball in hand and start making those pages bleed. 

I'm a writer, too, so I try to be judicious with my edits and not wield the power too carelessly - and the times I'm on this side of the pen, I love that I always have a moment to think of him.

crazy about...

Cloches. Bell Jars. Call them what you like. They are everywhere lately and they are gorgeous and clean and throwback and French...in the good way. 


I've been wishing for one - to do what with, I'm not sure yet - because they're just so pretty without being too feminine (you married ladies know what a challenge it can be to hang on that balance, right?). 

I picked one up today at a favorite shop, House by JSD. These three boys are so cool and they have the best taste ever. I totally want them to be my friends. Not only do they feature fun, affordable, collectible pieces for your home from furniture to decor, they also do the most beautiful, tailored interior design. And they are single-handledly bringing burlap back. I swear I have never been so enamored of burlap. It figured prominently in my Christmas decorations this year. Did I mention they also do custom wreaths and Christmas decorations? Let's just say this was not helpful to our wintertime budget. More on that later.


But for today, oh, I'm so excited to figure out what to pair it with now that I have it home. My first inclination was one of our French reproduction absinthe saucers, also from House. We'll see, I have a feeling I'll be switching it around a bit, giving each room a little time to be cloche...

cereal offender

There are few times, I think, that more effectively illustrate Jacob's and my differences than mornings - ok, maybe desserts, but we can talk about that later.


For the most part (daylight-savings Mondays excepted), I really enjoy the morning. I like to see the sun coming up over the trees in the back yard and watch the neighborhood waking up. I like to watch a little news, check my email, get a few things done. I have my hot cafe au lait and that's all the breakfast I need. I'm ready to go, world. Look out. Pre-marriage, in fact, I used to be up and at 'em at about 5 a.m., walking the dog and doing laundry, then I'd hit the office by 7:30 or so.


Jacob, on the other hand, wakes up a little later than I, rumply and groggy and wanting nothing more in this world than a just a few moments to be rumply and eat his breakfast. Unlike me, Jacob likes his cereal first thing, with cold milk and nearly-cold coffee (ok, not nearly-cold, but barely-warm anyway). This is not his time to chat or embrace the day or do anything other than wake up. You see, this time is not actually real-life time for Jacob, this is more like transition time. Transition to the world. It can be deceiving because it looks like actually-awake time, but it isn't. It. Is. Not.


It took me a little while to learn this, folks, and it made for some not-so pretty mornings. Mornings where my, um, enthusiasm for the morning (and life! and plans! and let's talk about everything right now! what did you dream about last night? did you sleep well?) left him a little overwhelmed as he tried to just wake up. Usually this did not end up starting the day well - for either of us.


Thankfully, we've both gotten better about how we handle the mornings...and a few other things in the three-and-a-half years we've been married. Growth!


It's the little things, right?

new favorite

I've always been pretty classic in my styling and nail polish is no exception. I own so many bottles of Bubble Bath by OPI that...well, I own so many bottles of Bubble Bath by OPI. If there was color, it used to be almost exclusively red (another OPI staple: Big Apple Red). Recently though, I've branched out into some pretty random colors (French Quarter For Your Thoughts, Linkin Park After Dark), possibly owing to the fact that, at age 30, I can finally paint my own nails and it's not a matter of mani/pedi every time I want a color change (I'll save the mani/pedis funds for afternoons with my girlfriends).

So when I ran into a girlfriend at church this weekend and spied her nails, I had to have that color! It's cute as a button...but really, it's Cute As A Button by Essie and I love it! Perfectly pink, almost a coral hue, but with some cool undertones that make it really versatile. I love it and I think I'll have to make it my go-to color for the season.


Another tip for making the color stick: OPI's Acrylic Base Coat. For those unfortunates like me who have thin nails or are very hard on the hands, it's miraculous!

ice cream+spring

It's Monday morning again...and Monday morning following spring forward, which is always a challenge (at least for me). But I have some wonderful news. When Friday afternoon rolled around in Lexington, the most wonderful sound came wafting through our neighborhood - the sound of the ice cream truck! That, plus warming weather means spring is really here! And my tulips and daffodils have even persevered through the storms and late freezes. Hurrah! 

I ran out the front door and tried to snag a photo, but it was too late. And when I came back in, Jacob must have thought I was a crazy person because I just shouted, "Ice cream truck!" He was on a business call at the moment and wasn't quite as excited as I, but he still couldn't resist a little chuckle. 

Even though I couldn't get a pic of our neighborhood truck, I did find a few fun vintage-y shots around the web. From Consuming LA, a fun tumblr called Choccoto, and Dark Roasted Blend. 

a lost art

My grandmother was a (sweet) stickler about a few things, like wearing lipstick, properly set hair, haute fashion, polished fingernails, stockings and good manners - things that rank in terms of etiquette. Things that also made her always seem so elegant, stylish and refined.  Maybe one of the most lasting lessons I've taken from her is her dedication to correspondence. All through my childhood we wrote letters to one another even though we were only a short drive away, and have continued through the years as I've moved to more distant locations.

This made me similarly devoted to letters, and - help me - the stationary on which they are written. In fact, when Jacob and I married and planned our move abroad, my girlfriends (quite rightly) thought I'd probably use stationary more than serving plates and they threw me a shower just for cards and papers and envelopes and monograms and the most beautiful instruments for old fashioned communication. I still have a few left, but it's about time to re-up, so when One Kings Lane offered a special for Three Designing Women's personalized stamp and stationary, I couldn't resist...and mine came today! Yay!



It's the little things like this that make writing someone a note really fun - even if you don't love it the way I do. Everyone loves getting things in the mail, too, so it's a win-win! I think I'll write my grandmother a note today, for fun and for old times sake.


Three designing women offer self-inking stamps (like what we had personalized) as well as embossers (still want!) and they have lots of fun products (cards, bottle tags, stickers, gift tags & recipe cards) that are designed with perky colors and designs set to match the size of their stamps! What a great idea. 

appreciation

There is something undeniably intoxicating about the scents on a spring breeze; their composition a little tell of what is to come. This early morning, as I ducked out into our backyard with the pup, I stopped for a moment to breathe it in. Clean like new grass, sweet like early flowers, cool and tinged with rain. No season more than spring does the wind carry life and promise, and I think more than anything that's what I love about the season. I'll admit, I really love the freewheeling warmth of summer, but there's so much about spring I mourn when we [sometimes] skip over it in our hasty and odd Kentucky weather patterns or when I, in my own haste, wish it away as I look toward the next thing. 

Today, there will be rain and wind and spring. And today I will enjoy every minute of it and not wish for the next thing (I especially will not daydream about Keeneland - yet). And I will be thankful for everything I have and can do today. I will take a moment to appreciate how perfectly rumpled Jacob is when he wakes up. I will be excited about sharing ideas with intelligent and capable friends. And I will spend the whole entire afternoon playing in the kitchen and cooking with my sisters in law (I love being married to my husband, but I also love that marriage gave me my first sisters!) as we prepare to celebrate a birthday in the family this evening (Happy Day, Marge!).

I am going to enjoy this day. And be thankful for the ones that came before.

spring inspiration

Today we returned to somewhat normal springtime weather and I popped out to enjoy the weather and run a few errands. Lucky me, this errand included a stop at one of my very favorite boutiques in Lexington, Mulberry + Lime. Not only do they have the most beautifully curated selection of everything, they also are staffed by the sweetest people who are always fun to see. 

Mulberry + Lime is in a gorgeous old house in a historic area of town, so every time I go in, I pretend a little bit that I live there, surrounded by a full set of my Match dishes, piles and piles of French jacquard table linens and a whole huge table full of Middle Kingdom vases. 

Since I can't have a whole table (for now), I settled on just one tiny pink vase - the perfect home for the one of the daffodils I snagged from the yard before the snow. 

metaphors & madelyn

Happy Monday everyone. We awoke this morning to the most peculiar sight for March, a thick layer of spring snow! While I mourn my poor daffodils and tulips, it's always amazing to experience the soft, quiet blue mornings of winter. And even though it's supposed to be spring, I'll take it (for now). We were short on snow this winter, after all.  

Another surprise that greeted me this morning was the birth of a dear friend's daughter! I'm thrilled to welcome baby Maddy into our sisterhood (she's the first baby in our little group). I can't wait until we can get over to visit her and mama and papa. Congrats! 

*

I'm also excited for the time that we can do all kinds of fun girlie things with her and her mama, and carry on our favorite traditions like shopping and beach vacations and mani/pedis and getting in only a tiny bit of trouble. In the mean time, I've been inspired try out this little project, courtesy of sweet friend, fabulous photographer, and super-momma-of-two (and, incidentally, something of a seamstress), Elizabeth Chapman. I love sewing, but I must admit I'm a bit of a novice, so this may be a practice, practice, practice situation. And since that can take a while, I think I'll have Elizabeth whip one up for me. Thank goodness for talented friends! 

*I'll try to see if I can locate the pattern and post it once I know from whence it came...

mixology

Bourbon is kind of a big deal around here. Not to say that there aren't plenty of other places that have caught on to our signature spirit but, you know, we kinda claim it. And study it. And drink it. And tour it. And read about it. And talk about it. 

I didn't always used to be such a fan, but if bourbon is an acquired taste, it's one rarely given up once gotten. 

A favorite variation on the bourbon drink has to be the bourbon and ginger ale. It's a rich, easy drink without too much sweetness. Plus it's great for every season - the bourbon and ginger are warm flavors, but it's always over ice. It's so very versatile. I'm ever-indebted to friends like Vitale, and Esther and Steven, not to mention my husband, for helping along in my acquisition. Now, could you help me out of it? Just kidding y'all. Just kidding.

*

But for a drink that features one of the most celebrated elements around these parts, the ginger ale it gets paired with is mostly ho-hum. Why not mix up a little batch on your own? It's not an ale, but a ginger syrup along with some soda or sparkling water makes for a fresh, wholesome drink bursting with complex, real flavor. Simple syrups are a key ingredient for many bars and kitchens and are a simple task to undertake (just two parts water, one part sugar), so for this one, I measured a bit of ginger in as well. Once the ginger, water and sugar are measured out, bring them to a low boil and cook for about an hour until you can start to see a slight thickening. Strain out the ginger, once through cheesecloth and drink on!

Now, there's been a lot of talk of bourbon in this post, but this syrup is equally delicious without bourbon in the mix, or with other ingredients altogether. Consider this little ditty I put together and plan to serve to all my besties who abstain:

3/4 c sparkling water or soda water

3 T peach nectar

3 T ginger simple syrup

lemon wedge, squeezed right in

Shake with ice and serve straight up, in a fun glass, of course. Or pour or over ice.

*The ginger was about 3 c when coarsely chopped. Finely chopped it's closer to 2 c.