Last week I picked up these useful woven mini storage containers at Superstore for only $3.98 each
I love the grey and cream stripe fabric; it has a breezy, summery coastal feel to me without being overly nautical.
One of them has storage compartments and I'm using it in my dresser drawer to corral all of those odds and ends.
The other one makes a lovely weekend guest bathroom basket, filled with H20 sea salt shampoo, body wash & lotion and other essential toilettries.
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Don't you just love those meals that can be thrown together with garden variety pantry staples? They are a godsend when you're just to drained to cook but want something more exciting to the tastebuds than tuna salad. Easy Clam Linguine to the rescue!
CLAM LINGUINE
Serves 2
1 tablespoon EV Olive Oil
3 anchovies (or 2 teaspoons of anchovy paste)
1/2 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1-2 cups of cherry tomatoes (as many as you like)
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Black pepper (to taste)
Handful each of fresh oregano and minced parsley
1/2 cup white wine
1 1/2 tablespoons of butter
1 tin of clams
Linguine
Fresh Basil
When the water for your linguine starts to boil, put some extra-virgin olive oil in a medium-sized pot over med-high heat and melt 3 anchovies.
Add onion, garlic and cherry tomatoes. Season with red pepper flakes, oregano, pepper and parsley.
Sauté 8 to 10 minutes.
Add white wine, reduce for 1-2 minutes, then melt butter into the sauce.
Add clams.
Toss with your linguine for 2 minutes to allow the pasta to fully absorb the flavor. Top with chiffonaded fresh basil.
Chiffonade (ribbons). Stack basil leaves, roll them into a tube and finely cut across the ends of the tube.
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It’s been two weeks since we moved into our new house and I am in love!
You always hear about how stressful moving is; that it ranks right up there with a new job, divorce, shopping at IKEA on a Saturday, etc. Surely that must mean moves that require you to travel across country and keep your fingers crossed that all of your belongings make it from the back of the moving truck to your new home. A local move, such as the one we made, is a piece of cake really.
Mr. Bubbly had the brilliant idea that absolutely every one of our belongings was Going. In. A. Box. No exceptions. Evidently, during our last move I spent most of my time traipsing up the path with precious bits and bobs spilling out of wicker baskets. I don't know why he didn't find that charming.
As a result of our new strategy, there were over 90 boxes of belongings ready to go on moving day, and we don’t even own a lot of furniture, linens or china. We did have 10 boxes of books though and scads of framed pictures. I kept track of everything with a Master List of all 90 boxes with a contents description of each one, so that there would be no guessing which box went where (important when you have more than one floor) or trying to track down fiddly little bits such as light bulbs and extension cords.
I had a Martha Stewart smirk of satisfaction on my face on moving day, when the 3 guys who showed up to move us said that we were incredibly well-organized and when they saw what it looked like that for once they were glad to come to work!
There is always that niggling fear that your new home won’t live up to your expectations or what you remembered of it during the showing, but our new home is everything we hoped it would be.
I was excited to see Euphorbia growing out front.
I immediately lopped off a few heads and put them on the kitchen counter.
Our decrepit old sofa made the journey with us which was a shame really, as now Mr. Bubbly has no real sense of urgency about replacing it!
The dining room is currently functioning as a library / martini bar.
I might actually keep it that way...
Books everywhere, all over the floor, badly in need of another bookcase.
Our battered old chest of drawers fit snugly into the opening between the kitchen and the living room.
Master Bedroom Fireplace - The bed still wasn't put together when I took this photo but at least I had a few pretty things on the mantle.
One of the first orders of business was to re-stain the front porch. Done!
My favourite tip for keeping sane during the unpacking...
One of the things I’ve learned over the years is to make up two very important moving cartons – One labeled “Last On” for the truck and one that I personally carry over with me.
The ‘Last On” one contains everything required to make that important first pot of coffee , as well as towels, dish soap, one set of bed linen and cleaning supplies.
The one I carry contains candles, matches, essential beauty products, pretty lingerie, a change of clothes, some interesting snacks, champagne flutes and, of course, a bottle of bubbly! Then it truly feels like home.
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Admittedly Lord Grantham and the retriever both look pretty much the same in real life, as do the lovely Michelle Dockery (Lady Mary) and Dan Stevens (Oh Matthew!)
But check the rest of them out, courtesy of the link below to the incomparable papermag! While it's hard to hide Joanne Froggatt's (aka Anna) charm and femininity under a maid's cap, I was astonished at how much better looking in real life both Phyllis Logan (Mrs. Hughes) and, especially, Siobhan Finneran (O'Brien) are. I am however still gently recovering from the image of Jim Carter (Mr. Carson) in cycling gear....
O'Brien
and, in real life, Siobhan Finneran
And for more illuminating photos...
http://www.papermag.com/2012/02/downton_abbey_stars_out_of_cos.php
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If you've ever thrown a leg over a horse, than you can only gape and admire those ladies of yesteryear who galloped and jumped hedges with both legs on the same side of the saddle! It's a mystery to me (although it is very well explained in one of the links below).
Check out this link from http://www.nowness.com/day/2013/2/9/2794/trojan-women
It features some very contemporary heroines who have revived the side saddle tradition and, not only that, were mad enough to challenge each other to a race. As brave as anything and elegant to boot....
http://www.nowness.com/day/2013/2/9/2794/trojan-women
This very informative piece below comes from the author, Regina Jeffers, who writes historical romance fiction and is a frequent Jane Austen adapter. She was researching the difficulties of riding sidesaddle; fascinating for equestriennes and non-equestriennes alike.
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Mr. Bubbly and I have completed our Downton Abbey real estate transaction (see prior post from February) and are now preparing to move from our current home into the new one next month! Or should I say, in real estate speak, from our “cozy, light-filled condo” into a “spacious, open plan 3 br, 3 bthrm in a desirable neighbourhood”? At least we are going from an “up and coming one”!
I love reading property descriptions, even when I’m not looking for real estate. Clichés abound and I have can empathize with that. If you write a lot of ad or marketing copy for a living, it’s really hard to avoid them, especially when you are on a deadline and you are looking for a shorthand way to get your point across. I’m highly guilty of it myself.
Our realtor, who was fabulous by the way, certainly was not guilty of this but it would appear that every single other property in my city comes complete with:
If the property descriptions are anything to go by, as a general populace we are one mad, crazy group of socializers, constantly inviting people over for impromptu dinner parties, grilling hunks of meat on the BBQ and whipping up margheritas in our chef-inspired kitchens. (When was the last time you actually did that? Thought so.)
There are some real estate ads that try to aim a little higher…one of my local favourites just loves to paint an evocative picture of the leafy streets of privilege that she sells property on. These are not grand estates, just your average two bedroom condos in a nice area. I like to imagine her sitting down to her lady’s desk or escroiture, sipping cambric tea and putting pen to paper. Literally that is. (I picture a fountain pen, not an iMac). I suspect that she could be rather overwhelming in person. Lots of scarves and things. To whit…
“Glorious park vistas and heavenly winter and summer sunsets!”
(No mention of how much it rains here. 12 months of the year.)
“Magnificent tree-lined avenue”
“Greenery, pink trees and an English Country Garden aura”
Mansfield Park and Brideshead, here we come.
“Glorious light-filled windows with a lovely balcony gazing to
the Gardens and private green space"
(Not sure that a window can actually gaze at something but never mind, she had me at ‘glorious’. And 'the Gardens’ sounds very grand indeed.)
“The complex is artfully sculpted into its environment.”
(Okay, she’s piqued my curiosity here. I’m picturing lots of topiary and
no ability to find the front door.)
And my favourite..
“XYZ complex resides at the university’s resplendent seat of higher learning.”
(Wow. We’re not talking Oxford or Cambridge here, although you
could be forgiven for thinking so.)
Our purple prose lady would not be caught dead putting these following examples in her ads, all of which I have seen in the past two months:
How not lead off your ad…
RAILING MISSING ON 2ND FLOOR, EXERCISE CAUTION
For readers who don’t understand how all of this works…
NO DOOR KNOCKING OR CALLING THE SELLER PLEASE
Never rely on Spell Check, our untrustworthy friend…
LOTS OF CROWN MOLD
(or ‘mould’ if you are British…)
PROPERTY ALSO HAS LAME ACCESS
(So I guess I won’t be having guests over for those summer BBQ’s)
I’m sold:
A STUNNING HOUSE WITH NO SCRATCHES
And just heartbreaking…
A MUST SEE IN THIS PRICE RANGE, OFFERING VALUE AND A CUL-DE-SAC WITH A PARK FOR YOUR KIDS TO PLAY IN AND MAKE SOME FRIENDS.
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For those occasions when you are feeling particularly soignée and in complete command of the situation...
I first had this at Good Godfrey's Bar at the Waldorf in London during the Christmas season but it would make refined sipping anytime.
THE REFINED MADAM
2 oz. Tanqueray No. 10 gin
2 teaspoons of rosewater (or rose liqueur, if you are lucky enough to find that)
Splash of fresh lime juice (approximately 1/8 cup)
1/4 teaspoon cardamom syrup - see below
1/4 teaspoon lavender bitters
Finish with a spritz (you do have an atomizer, don't you?) of gin and rosewater. Garnish with an edible rose petal or two if have them.
Ingredients for Cardamom Syrup:
Preparation:
1. Bring water and cardamom to a boil.
2. Stir in sugar until fully dissolved.
3. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
4. Keep in the refrigerator for 3 days, then remove the cardamom.
Good Godfrey's Bar at the Waldorf, London
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By "effect", I don't mean that longing you have for sweeping staircases, ancestral portraits, wide hallways and liveried staff. No, I mean the effect that Downton Abbey has on men, or more specifically, my man. It starts when he hears the first few notes of that doom-laden piano piece that opens each episode and before I can say Lady Mary, he's out of the room, muttering about needing more space and another television.
I swear he was quite happy with our square footage and general coziness prior to Lord Grantham, Mr. Carson and the assorted, scheming footmen. Now, it's all talk about how we need a garage and a second room that he can escape to and curate his endless collection of backpacks and black socks.
I have to admit, my love for DA aside, that I do see his point. Our current second bedroom tends to function not so much as the serene-office-space-with-room-for-a-guest that I fondy imagined it would be, but more as a staging area for all of Mr. Bubbly's sundry bits and bobs needed for various business trips and leisure pursuits.
As of this post, that room currently contains the following items, none of which, I an sure, would be found at Downton Abbey, at least not above stairs...
But back to the more important point; Downton Abbey itself. Thank god Julian Fellowes wrapped up the Mr. Bates-in-Gaol melodrama (for now anyway, as there does seem to be some ominous foreshadowing around this plot line. I sense many more trips to the kitchen to empty the dishwasher as these scenes are being played out).
And, Matthew! Well, what can I say...unfortunately when I was in London over the Christmas season, I heard about his demise. Oddly enough it didn't affect the pleasure I had in watching the final episode of this season, as knowing he was about to get run over made watching all of the sentimental baby scenes almost bearable. Actually, I did like his character; he brought an energy and warmth to the saga which will be hard to replace. And, of course, Lady Mary. She might want to start looking at the real estate ads...we have a lovely condo for sale, just cozy enough for two like-minded souls.
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Have you ever noticed that the fragrance you receive the most compliments on is one that, although you quite like it, you would never have named as your all-time favourite? Or is that just me?
A couple of times recently I have discovered after working out that I have neglected to pack any scent into my gym bag. On both occasions, I popped into a store and, on impulse, selected Florabotanica by Balenciaga and spritzed myself. I thought it was very pretty but not that outstanding. Truth be told, it wasn't so much the scent I was attracted to but rather the intriguing packaging and that it was from Balenciaga. Oh, and the name. "Florabotanica" sounds like something that someone with a name like Artemis would wear. Not someone named Kristen Stewart, who is the face of the fragrance. Not a good match but what do I know? Apparently I don't even know that this smells really, really irresistible on me! Both times, I received numerous compliments on it, including from complete strangers. "It must just suit your chemistry", I was told. So I promptly went out and plunked down my $107 and bought it. I may not have fallen in love with it yet, but apparently I smell fabulous.
Notes: mint, carnation, rose, caladium leaves, amber, vetiver.
It has a very fresh, herbal (almost minty) scent initially, dries down to a very subtle rose, blended with vetiver. Final drydown is somewhat woodsy and the amber comes out in the end.
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Are you loving Michelle Obama's new bangs? And what about that gorgeous red ball gown at the Inaugural Ball? It doesn't seem to matter what she wears, she always stands out. Being tall and toned and having a natural aura doesn't seem to hurt either.
She manages to be super stylish without being frivolous and always looks like her own woman. What a style role model! Of course, we are familiar with her biography and her professional accomplishments, so it would take an awful lot of inappropriate frippery to make her appear a less substantial woman. I love how even when you notice (and drool over) so many of her sartorial choices, what you notice most about her is how happy, confident and glowy she looks within herself. FLOTUS, I love you!
The very picture of style perfection
One of my favorite websites to get a regular FLOTUS fashion fix is called Mrs. O. It is run by a Mary Toner ("Mrs. T.") and she has been religiously tracking Michelle Obama's wardrobe choices with meticulous detail for several years now. Here is the link below; I promise you will waste many a happy minute on it...
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