I truly had a Eureka moment last week when I was rummaging around my fridge for the baby spinach and grabbed the basil instead. I always put a generous heaping handful of baby spinach in my morning smoothie to be sure I get some good greens in the a.m.- a good jump start. I don’t know why but I hadn’t thought of adding herbs to my mix, but what a welcome addition. Basil makes most everything better. In addition to the usual suspects: banana, blueberries, greek yogurt, almond milk and flax seeds, I also grabbed a pear. Double Eureka- it added just the right amount of refresh. Why in the world did it take me so long to add herbs and a pear to this party? So good, I had to share- a big hit with the kiddos too.

The magic of the NutriBullet.

I am a new school smoother meaning I don’t use a fancy Vitamix or a juicer or any of that nonsense (nothing against any of it but it is too much work for me. I can be kind of lazy when it comes to clean-up and in the morning, I don’t have time to slave away scrubbing a bunch of different parts and apparatus accoutrement- nope) What I’ve found is that my nifty NutriBullet is my saving grace. Just throw of bunch of stuff in, cap on, twist onto its base and Voilà!- a smoothie is born. The best part- you can just drink right from the cup you blended your goods in, wash it out when you’re finished, along with its cap, and… done and done. Sold and Imbibed.

What’s In It:
Honestly, this varies from day to day depending on what’s in the fridge but this Eureka Refresh Smoothie contains the following:

1. A generous handful of baby spinach
2. A handful of frozen blueberries
3. 1/2 or a sliced pear (or a full pear if I really want that pearful punch)
4. A handful of basil
5. 1 banana
6. A generous dollop of greek yogurt
7. Almond milk filled 1/2 way in the blending cup after the solid ingredients have been added
8. Water filled about 1/4 of the blending cup
9. A generous sprinkling of flax seeds or chia seeds

(sometime I throw a little “Better than Peanut Butter”  or walnuts into the mix as well)

Sprinkle it on.

My perfect little green juice.

Cheers! A big (and slightly messy) hit with the kiddos.

Setting up for a Smoothie Tea Party. Whatever it takes man, at least they’re getting their veggies.

Cin Cin and Enjoy! Please share your smoothie secrets, I’m always on the lookout for a Eureka moment.

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Happy Weekend dear readers. Don’t you love this tea shop? The Crooked House of Windsor, one of the oldest still-standing tea houses in England, and that’s old. It’s on the list. I hope you are off to a tea-sipping, enjoyable weekend. As of Sunday, January 2015 will be forever over and done with- it’s so crazy how fast time flies. I’m not necessarily sad to say goodbye to January as a month but I am unnerved but how quickly this time thing operates. (take a breath, enjoy the moment- these are the mantras on continuous loop in my head). I never felt this way, at least not so intensely before I had children, now I am all too aware. What do you all do to combat the flying of our time?

What I’m Drinking:

Those of you who read my blog know I enjoy a glass of rosé throughout the year and especially in the winter, so I’m back on the pink juice. I’m currently sipping a rosé of grenache made by Elizabeth Spencer from the prettiest little town of Mendocino and it is killer. It’s juicy and chock full of bright cherry and strawberry fruit flavors- like a luscious strawberry jolly rancher without the sugar rush with a dry and finessed finish. If you don’t spot this one in your local shop, look for anything from Provence, rosés from Tavel and Bandol (my all-time favorite rosé region) will not disappoint. A little pink pickup is just what the dr. ordered during the dog days of winter.

A Few Things:

Ha.

These little scrapbooky photo journal books are awesome and can all be made via apps on your phone. I never print photos anymore and I certainly don’t make any albums, much less from our traveling adventures. I love this- so easy.

Mindy Kaling on Happiness- always happy to read or hear anything that comes out of her mouth.

For the love of Goop- steam your hoo-ha? Oh Gwyneth…

For all the Super Non-Fans: “How to Act During the Super Bowl”.

According to Gabrielle Hamilton, author and chef of NYC’s famed Prune, and all around badass, we should all be sipping savory teas. If she recommends it, I’m doing it. Have you read her book, Blood, Bones, and Butter?- so good.

Ha. A great follow up to The New Yorker’s How To Fall In Love with Anyone- this is funny.

Hilarious. A mom of two boys moonlights on Pinterest as a hipster mom with a sickeningly hip daughter named Quinoa basically making fun of people who dress their kids in jeans like this.

The awkward moment when Rashida Jones had to remind a reporter that she is black. Oy.

How Bogdanovich shot The Last Picture Show- one of my favorite movies. P.S.: Larry McMurtry was my dad’s college English professor- how awesome is that.

This will brighten your day. Take a minute and watch Ashley Bouder kick the shit out of Jerome Robbins’ “Fall” Four Seasons solo.

This escape to the Ojai Valley Inn is pretty swoonful. Girls trip?

The Blueprint for the best basic and go-to Viniagrette recipes. Never buy salad dressing again.

Good stuff for all of you 40ish year-olds- thanks for posting, Rashmi.

10 Foods to Boost Your Brainpower. I feel like there’s nothing new on this list , but it’s always ajeze good reminder.

Cocktails with DeNiro. I like how he rolls.

This pretty little fringe necklace is on my wish list.

Reno floor plans, if you’re into this sort of thing.

Fancy cheese plates for kids.

How to book a flight on the WAY cheap- because seriously, we can never have enough of these tips, right?

Drinking coffee before you work out? You may be on to something.

What Lies Beneath? Rare shots of a flipped iceberg.

Gold Cash Gold- the name of this new restaurant in Detroit is reason enough to make me want to plan a trip to the Motor City.

Making the most out of your Rotisserie Roast.

Alright Buzzfeed, you win- I’ll bite. If Disney princesses had realistic hair.

Paleo Schmaleo, I’m liking this a whole (grain) lot- ha.

Cin Cin ya’ll and enjoy your weekend! Bring on February, Groundhog Day, Valentine’s Day, The Academy Awards and all that jazz.

(Photo by: Phil Wiley)

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Just a few things that are floatin’ my boat these days:

1. An outdoor canvas painting free for all. Maybe the cold weather is making me love this but it does looks so fun, doesn’t it?

2. Julia’s always on my groovy list, her preserved Cambridge kitchen at the Smithsonian’s American History Museum is one of my official Happy Places. This article from The New Yorker archives, passed along by my friend Rashmi (follow her Insta- so fun and inspiring), made me smile. Have you read “My Life in France“? -one of my favorites.  I vow to get to Le Pitchoune one of these days for cooking classes in Julia’s Provencal home.

3. My new favorite bauble. I can’t justify the splurge but I’d like to. The designer, Moorea Seal, designed ye olde blog as well, with yours truly. I’m a fan.

4. A Loch Ness Ladle. Just because. (not available until Feb. but you bet I’ll have that little Nessie swimming in my soup pot)

5. A Cheese shirt. Because it’s awesome.

6. An oversized wool blend stripey car coat. Just like a Pendleton only minus the primary colors and pricey price tag.

7. Ahh yes, the Nike Pre Montreal. Why are you not in my closet?

8. Stowe, Vt.  Maybe because the VonTrapp Family has their own lodge there or White Christmas was inspired by the pretty Vermont town and I’m always a sucker for Rosemary Clooney and that silly ass song, “Snow”- I don’t know, I just want to go.

What’s on your groovy list?

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(wine tasting at RdV)

Ahh- the holidays. A new week of merriment. A new week of Christmas cookies and peppermint mochas. A new week of firsts for my little ones. We watched the classic Rankin & Bass Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer for the first time last night and I have to say, Santa is kind of an assh*$e in that version. I hadn’t remembered it that way but he’s pretty self-involved. It’s funny when you find yourself looking at all of your favorite holiday to-do’s through your little one’s eyes- much is revealed.

Childhood nostalgia gone awry aside, I’ve been meaning to share a few tidbits with you all since we last met. After Anna Watson Carl and I hosted our Bubbly and Bites gathering at the darling Red Barn Mercantile, we ventured out into the Virginia vines to explore the juice making that is currently underway at Rutger de Vink’s famed RdV Vineyard. I have partaken of their 2 blends, the Lost Mountain and the Rendezvous and already counted myself in as a big fan (I included their Rendezvous in the lineup for our Anthology entertaining story), but had yet to visit the winery or vineyard. In a word- it’s stunning. The detail and thought that has gone into building the winery and planting the vines is truly commendable. RdV sports a cozy and rustic-meets-minimal tasting lounge. I say lounge because they have foregone the traditional tasting bar for a more relaxing den complete with cowhide, hand-crafted walnut stools and antlers over the roaring fireplace. The vibe at RdV feels exclusive without being so. Anyone is welcome, as long as you are cool with paying the $50 tour and tasting fee which I say is worth it as it includes a lengthy tour led by a Lucchessi boat-wearing, sassy tour guide/gal Friday at the winery, and a glass of Pol Roger bubbly upon arrival. Guests are welcome to stay as long as they please and while away a winter’s day in front of the fire with lovely views of the vineyards that were sure to be a tough grow. de Vink knew as much which is why he set his sights on the land. The rocky earth would indeed provide the perfect growing conditions for Bordeaux varietals that beg for impossible to farm anything but grapes soil. I’m sold. His stuff is great and he’s got top notch Bordeaux blender Eric Boissentot blending for RdV as well so they’re in good hands. If you live in or are visiting the DC area and appreciate good vino, make it a must-do on your list. Sign up for a tour/tasting here.

The other newsworthy tidbit I wanted to share was that the hubs and I were lucky enough to procure another invitation to the Kennedy Center Honors this year. There were no White House cocktails in the mix this year, but the show and gala were plenty. I mention this because the show itself was so exceptional that I highly recommend you all either set your DVR’s or watch it broadcast on CBS Dec. 30th. I’ve instructed all of my ballet students to tune in because Tiler Peck of the NYC Ballet gives perhaps the best performance of Balanchine’s Fascinatin’ Rhythm to date in honor of famed dancer and Kennedy Center Honoree, Patricia McBride. Not for nothing, my hubby agrees as does his dad- both of which have seen the variation danced dozens of times by different ballerinas including the magnificent Ms. McBride herself- that her performance is far and away the best they have ever seen. Tiler Peck KILLS it. Even if you are not a big dance fan- do yourself a big favor and watch her dance- she performs the solo with enthusiasm and technical prowess matched by unbelievable musicality and theatricality. I’m going out on a limb here and saying that I do believe Ms. Tiler Peck may be my favorite female dancer of all time (well her and Cyd Charisse). She has a way of not just executing difficult steps with effortless grace, but she’s got something much more important and elusive- she’s got moxie my friends- and that seals the deal for me. Oh, and Lady Gaga is pretty fierce tributing Sting- not to mention The Boss- say what! Just watch it, it’s pretty great.

Donning our dapperest at the Honors.

And a few other things: 

-First things first: I’m all caught up with Serial- AHHHHH! Now what? I can’t believe how good this investigative journalism is- or maybe I’m just a sucker for Sarah Koenig. I dig that there are 5 million viewers trying to solve this crime all huddled around their SmartPhones or laptops, not exactly the picture of a Fireside Chat, but I love that people are listening to radio- a medium that still allows for our own brains to fill in the holes. The last episode airs this Thursday, if you have not fully succumbed to this phenomenon, do yourself a favor and Pod it up.

-We popped open a special bottle of Brunello brought back by my brother and sis-in-law from the Mother Country. This one’s special because the grapes are harvested to Mozart. That’s right, those lucky little vines are listening to Wolfgang day and night courtesy of several loud speakers set up in the vineyards- an on-going experiment in fellowship with the University of Florence and Pisa. Does it make a big difference? Only time will tell- this bottle was a bit young (and in truth, opened mistakenly by my husband as I was hoping to cellar it for a few years but c’est la vie) but I love the concept and it was complex and delicious. Next time I find myself in Montalcino, I’m hightailing it to Il Paradiso di Frassina.

-If you’re looking for a great sugar cookie recipe for those Christmas cookies- I’m loving this one from Food & Wine. We made it this morning. My only adaptation was putting in a full teaspoon of good salt- I like a bit more salt in my cookies.

-Homemade Peppermint Mochas via The Faux Martha- ’tis the season!

-We had the great pleasure of sipping some pink Krug this past weekend. We took my mom to Grape and Bean’s annual Champagne tasting where we were in for a treat. Not just one glass but two glasses of Krug were served- the Grand Cuvee and Rosé, not to mention the very tasty Janisson & Fils rosé brut and two grower champagnes of which I failed to jot down. That’s what happens when you get a bit of the bubbly in ya. One of the highlights of the evening beyond the bubbles, was Matt Carroll, a local Somm and current Master Somm candidate. If you’re shrugging your shoulders, just take a look at this doc to see what he’s putting himself through. He was fabulous, smart and most importanly, approachable.

-16 French locales that belong on every wine lover’s bucket list.

-If you’re looking for a new Insta feed to follow, look no further than my pal Vina’s feed. She’s the local foodie and head honcho of all things social media over at the Eat Good Food Group- the mecca of good eats in Old Town, so she knows her stuff and takes pretty pictures.

-22 times Jennifer Lawrence didn’t give a ___. And the love affair continues.

-And speaking of starlets, it’s always the right time for an Audrey Hepburn movie. If you’re queue is short on Audrey, here are a few more to add to it.

Happy Monday and Cin Cin!

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There’s a mermaid in my kitchen. I love this wacky holiday. Happy Halloween all. What are you all up to this fall weekend? We’re hightailing it out of dodge, straight to a cabin in the woods with some pals. Should be fun and maybe a bit spooky too.

Lots of fun things swirling in the air. My favorite shop in town is hosting their annual Holiday unveiling next week and I am one of their Gift Guiders, picking out a few choice things for the Host in your life. If you live in the DMV, pop by Red Barn Mercantile on November 6th from 6-9pm for the party and get a load of Amy Rutherford’s beautiful shop- one of the best edited little shops around, I always want everything in there.

And lastly, we are slowly but surely making our way through Ken Burns’ The Roosevelts. Are you all watching this? It is endlessly fascinating, particularly the FDR chapters. And looking forward to HBO’s Olive Kitteridge this weekend starring the one and only Ms. McDormand. Loved the book, curious to see how it translates to a miniseries.

A Few Things:

This just makes me feel old. Trying to play that down and be #casual about it, but truthfully it’s not really Normcore. What the what? And “Quiche”?, I’m not really buying that one, reminds me of “Fetch” from Mean Girls.

Make candles out of your mini pumpkins and get some delicious seeds for roasting while you’re at it. This one is suitable for the craft-challenged Martha wannabees out there, like me.

Have you seen the Matthew McConaughey car ads? These Jim Carrey parody ads from SNL are pretty hilarious.

Follow my talented friend Rashmi as she documents her family meals and recipes. She’s cataloging to make a recipe book for her girls and I’m loving her beautiful and stark photos. Find her recipe photos at #rashmicooks. All this AND she makes a mean Lionel Richie Jack-o-lantern. My kind of girl.

An entire ghost town goes up for auction today.

Awesome idioms from around the world via Cup of Jo.

Succotash Gazpacho Shots? Ok, I’ll bite.

She’s hilarious.

What You Learn in Your 40′s. I’m not there yet but it’s getting awfully close.

I love this - made from the fruits of an autumn stroll- a good little craft for the kiddos.

This skirt. I wish they made it in my size, had to get it for the girl.

If I were throwing a Halloween bash tonight, I would definitely be serving up this cocktail.

Halloween just wouldn’t be Halloween without the nostalgic annual viewing of this 1980s PBS filmstrip to “Danse Macabre”. We used to watch this every year in elementary school music class. I was always (and still am) completely fixated by this filmstrip as dated as it is, that’s part of its charm.

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To get some more candy from strangers- duh. Trick or Treat!

I can’t believe Halloween is here already, the leaves are showing off something fierce around these parts and I’m already missing them when they fall, probably in the next few days or so. I know- enjoy the moment, I try, but that’s how I roll. Staring at the leaves and already sad that they will soon depart. We are definitely at our peak here in VA. and just in time for Halloween. My big idea was for T and G to be sea creatures together based on G’s love of mermaids (ok, her love of Ariel) and T’s obsession with starfish which first found its roots at the Baltimore Aquarium where I had a helluva time prying him off the glass tanks full of starfish so that other kiddos might get a peek. We took a little stroll around Old Town Alexandria last Saturday and did a bit of trick-or-treating at the “Boo-tiques”.

T was very proud of his starfish even though its face oddly resembles Liza Minnelli- said starfish will forever be known as “Liza Starfish”. For some reason the little ladies in their tiny hometown sewing studio in Abilene, Tx. (where my mom lives) took it upon themselves to give this starfish bowler hats for eyes and a “Cabaret” ready lip. I don’t know, I kind of love it, it’s just so random.

I mean look at this thing! Those eyes and those lips- this starfish has got some serious moxie. 

G’s mermaid was handmade by a talented seamstress I found on etsy. She is a big fan of her swishy tail.

Quick- call Tom Hanks, there’s a mermaid on the loose!

I say T was proud because yesterday when I attempted to dress him up for his preschool Halloween celebration, he flat out refused to wear Liza Starfish throwing her downstairs to lie in the bowels of our messy basement among the piles of dirty clothes. Poor Liza, she does have a way of wearing on people. We’ll see if he has a change of tune on Halloween, but for yesterday it was a quick change into a makeshift Firefighter costume, thankfully we had a random hat and coat lying around, throw on some rain boots and black pants and- done.

We are off to the woods this weekends with some friends to take in some nature, hayrides, costume parades, home cooking (via the little lodge we are staying at) and lots of good wine and charades in our cabin post baby bedtimes. Cannot wait. It will be so nice to get out of our routine, hang with pals and get the kids outside even if it is supposed to be cold.

What are you all up to for Halloween? Dressing up? Halloween parades and the like? The fact that we didn’t make it to a corn maze this season is kind of killing me. Not exactly a huge issue but somehow, for me- it is. I’m going to try to squeeze in a visit on our way out of town tomorrow. Can’t ever get enough of all this fall festival ridiculousness. Only one day more and the clock is ticking…

Happy Halloween.

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In the words of L.L. Cool J, “I’m going back to Cali”- even if it is just for 48 hours. I have been California dreaming for, well… forever really. I’ve always fancied myself a California girl, though I’m really much more of an East Coast gal, the Golden State has my heart. In my early twenties, I lived in LaLa Land for a few winsome years and always find myself harkening back to those glory days of unbelievable scenic and inspiring spontaneous road trips peppered with great food, wine and that only-in-Cali laid-back lifestyle. Of course, my regular day to day was not so swoonful, as it most always involved me feeling like I might as well be in an armored suit at my driving wheel as I fought the ongoing battle of LA traffic for what felt like (and I think was in fact) hours at a time, traversing over canyons, trying to make the left turn light and sitting still on freeways for eons. I mean let’s be real. But oh California- despite your cluttered congestion, how I miss you so. I wish you weren’t so far away but as I write from my window seat on one of Sir Richard Branson’s airliners peeking at the rugged mountains subtly forming and growing taller and taller with each passing minute, California-here I come, right back where I (sort of) started from.

I’m venturing out west not just for fun (though it undoubtedly will involve lots of that), but for an exciting story that I am working on with my talented photographer friend, Amy Dickerson. It involves vino as you might guess, and is shaping up to be an adventurous , colorful and action-packed weekend. We are due to hit the heart of Sonoma Valley at the peak of the crush, I cannot wait to see, smell and taste those grapes. I am looking forward to sharing the details once we have sussed them all out. I am also chomping at the bit to get me a piece of that California coastline and because of the harvest (despite the recent earthquake), we couldn’t actually find any lodging remotely affordable, or really even at all in wine country proper so much to my delight, we will be bunking in Bodega Bay. I have always wanted to visit, mostly because I am a sucker for a seaside town and fancy myself a bit like Jessica Fletcher in that way- looking for my own Cabot Cove to call home. Throw in the fun fact that Bodega Bay plays backdrop to Hitchcock’s “The Birds” and well- it’s a done deal. On the way up from San Fran, we’ll be making lots of pit stops tasting and slurping our way up the coast. Cowgirl Creamery’s original Pt. Reyes outpost, The Tomales Bay Oyster Co. and Hog Island Oyster Co. have been calling my name for years and I have yet to patronize. Today is the day my friends, I’m pretty psyched. If I’m lucky enough to spot a sea otter, it might just put me over the edge.

What are you all up to this weekend? The fall festivals are starting to ignite all over the place which makes me and my little ones so happy, what’s shaking in your part of the woods? Cheers to a Happy Weekend!

A Few Fun Things from around the interwebs: 

“It’s decorative gourd season, motherf#*$ers”- this is hilarious.

In honor of the Scots, almost-secession aside., these look pretty great.

What is going on with #bringbackourgirls?

I have been searching high and low for a groovy fall doormat, nothing too gimmicky but just something fun. Wow- what a shortage. I should go in to the doormat business. I did find this one boasting my favorite fall flower in a big print- score.

This is a terrific kickstarter campaign to end the months of isolation that kids with cancer face and bring them back into a world they can share with other children.

I’m loving this new print studio for photo albums. Easy to print from your phone and pretty to look at.

This crunchy kale, fontina, butternut squash, pomegranate seed-topped pizza looks ridiculous. I’m making this pronto.

Once a Yankees fan, always a Yankees fan. Combine Sinatra with Jeter and you get near perfection. This is a pretty great sendoff.

My new favorite roast chicken recipe. It’s from Thomas Keller and it’s easy? Sold. Thanks Rashmi!

I’m tempted to paint this on my laundry room wall. Thanks Am!

15 Career Tips from Smart Women.

A fun little craft project for the kiddos.

And one for both the kiddos and the adults- so pretty!

Cin Cin ya’ll!

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Pan-fried polenta topped like a pizza- call it lunch.

We made mini polenta pizzas yesterday and my picky eaters devoured them within seconds. This recipe is not for the from-scratch set, rather it’s for overtired moms who don’t know which way is up and have run flat out of lunchtime ideas for their finicky wee ones. But honestly after serving these up, I think even the gourmands of the world might like my polenta pizzette too- quick, easy and flavorful- these are my new go-to bites.

What You Need:

Polenta
Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
Marinara Sauce (make it yourself or use from a jar- I’ll admit I do on occassion. Trader Joe’s makes some decent marinara sauce that goes over big in this house)
Salt to taste
Olive Oil

What You Do: 

1. Slice your polenta into thin discs.

2. Drizzle olive oil (or your cooking oil of choice) onto a frying pan.

3. Pan fry your polenta on med high until crisp and slightly browned.

4. Top with a dollop of marinara sauce and shredded cheese.

5. Sprinkle with salt.

6. Voilá and Serve.

Cin Cin and Enjoy.

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Happy Weekend dear readers. I love this shot of Stella Maria Baer’s work in progress above. The paint and colors are so chomp-worthy, I seriously just want to eat that entire composition. She’s a Southwest artist living in the Northeast and her work is genius (and P.S., her instagram feed is moody and dreamily delicious, I look forward to her gorgeous posts every day). But back to that work in progress thing- it’s sort of what life’s all about isn’t it. Some food (or paint) for thought.

Well folks, it’s been a hectic week over here in good ole VA., the apex being a full-on attack by the residents of an underground Yellow Jacket nest in our background. After my son stepped on said nest, my husband sprung into survival mode as the wasps swarmed and chased them all around the backyard. He managed to get the kiddos into the house with only a few stings, but those few stings were some humdingers. I was not here when the nest was rattled but saw the aftermath- clothes strewn everywhere and my poor daughter’s eyes nearly swollen shut. But all is well and on we go. Just another day in the Virginia suburbs. Who knew suburbia could be so action-packed?

In any case, we are gearing up for a restful (well, as restful as we can get here with toddlers) weekend. My niece is blowing into the ‘burbs later this afternoon, straight from her high powered internship with a New Mexican senator on Capitol Hill. I can’t wait to hear what she thinks of Washington. What must such an adulterated town to do such a mildly adulterated young adult? She went to high school in NYC so she can’t be too scandalized, we’ll see.

What I’m Drinking:

I’m digging Loire reds for this time of year. The Loire Valley is such a steal and some of my all-time favorites come from its flinty terroir. This is my new favorite. We carry a more recent vintage at Waterfront and it’s killer- lots of zippy acid and nice fruit on the palate. Lean and mean and perfect for a hot summer night. Drink it with seared salmon, mushroom and goat cheese pizza or turkey burgers- it’s not picky and goes great with almost anything provided your dish is not too terribly heavy or too dainty and light.

A Few Things:

I cannot wait for this. Meryl Streep as The Witch in the movie version of Sondheim’s Into the Woods? Musicals into movies are tricky but with Rob Marshall at the helm, my hopes are high.

I left my car lights on all night and had to figure out how to jump start the car the next morning. This came in pretty handy- gotta love the interweb.

In this day in Instagram age, I can’t believe it’s so hard to find simple 4×4 frames. If anyone has an answer, do tell. I’m at a loss.

My friend Amy just turned me on to the legendary Betty Fussell and I just ordered her memoir, Kitchen Wars. I cannot wait to dig in.

And ok, I finally gave in to this Magic Bullet contraption that’s sweeping our smoothie-crazed nation and you know what? I love it. It’s so easy and I don’t have to fret about my kids getting their greens, they love these smoothies. Especially when I freeze them and make Green Pops. They love a popsicle (who doesn’t) even if it is laden with kale and baby spinach. My concoctions actually look kind of like these- they are so pretty and taste so nice. It’s not cheap but you literally just throw stuff in a cup, blend it up and go. I’m kind of in love. This is the one I have- totally worth the dough.

I love these portraits. Luis Conejo’s work is sort of like John Currin meets Disney animator. Awesome.

A cute (and easy!) idea for a photo backdrop at my next dinner party from the designlovefest team.

10 Cute Kids’ Rooms. It helps if you live in a loft space with 20 foot walls and giant windows but still…

And these Hockney-inspired children’s portraits are pretty great too.

5 Easy No-Bake Meals- ok, I’ll bite.

And how cute is this- a great way to wrap small gifts.

Nice words to live by.

Cin Cin good people and Enjoy.

Photo: designsponge

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We are in it kids- deep in the thick of hot fun in the summertime. A few of my favorite things to do during these dog days:

1. Toast: Everyday. Because why not? Every day is a gift especially these lazy and fun summer days. I’m currently digging my pink Txakolina direct from Spain’s Basque Country. A sip of this stuff is like a run through the summertime sprinklers- just fun, zippy, fruit-filled, and effervescent goodness. It’s hard to find and may be worth ordering online. I think it’s fun to serve this as a cocktail or an aperitif at your dinner party or just as a glass on your back porch whenever. We sell a killer white Txakolina at Waterfront and I just had this one at Asheville’s Cúrate- holy deliciousness.

2. Surf: Or at least something like it. I’m no surfer girl, but I sure wish I was. I probably need to tackle my early 80s too-many-viewings-of-Jaws-induced shark phobia first, but this Costa Rica Surf Camp is calling my name- doesn’t it seem awesome (read the tripadvisor reviews and you will soon be socking away $ for this trip just like me- I smell a girl’s trip). I’d like to tackle a wave or two sooner than later in any case but for now, I’m pretty happy boogie boarding in the shallow end of the Atlantic and channeling my inner 12 year-old. There’s nothing like catching a wave to make you feel like a tween again. Wheeeeee!

3. Travel: As much as humanly possible. Hitting the road during the summertime is not as easy as it once was what with the Pack ‘n Plays, booster seats, bibs and things and other assorted toddler accouterments, it’s more like a moon launch than a quick pop in the car, but it’s still worth it. We’ve been on the road now for 3 weeks and are loving every minute of it. We’re working some, relaxing some and trying to soak all of it in.

4. Throw: Al Fresco Dinner Parties- lots of them. What better excuse to have your pals over, pop a bottle of bubbly and nosh on over-ripe juicilicious produce and grilled everythings. I’ve taken lots of cues from my girl Anna Watson Carl- the queen of the simple and stylish dinner party. She just trucked it cross-country hosting swoon-worthy dinner parties with the tastiest of the bloggy blog tastemakers. Check out her adventures here, steal some of her simple styling tricks (not to mention recipes) and pre-order her sure-to-be fab self-published The Yellow Table cookbook here (I just did). Kudos Anna- you are killing it.

5. Read: A novel, a great cookbook and a killer autobiography. I don’t read nearly as much as I’d like to, but oh that lost art of the lazy read- I’m hoping to one day figure out life so that it leaves more time for this great joy. Reading is so good for you, like a shot of wheat grass in the morning- it cleans you out, refuels and energizes in one shot. I recently read a great article about how reading fiction makes one more empathetic, our society could use a bit more of that stuff. Reading is so crucial to our psyche I think, and there’s nothing like the joy of being sucked in to a riveting page-turner, romanced by great language and epic characters- the good stuff indeed. I’m currently reading The Yonahlosse Riding Camp for Girls (how nice to read a good novel), perusing Vefa’s Kitchen (if I can’t spend the summer on a Greek Isle, I can at least cook like it) and Ava Gardner’s biography (which I wish lasted my entire lifetime)- I can never get enough of that diva- what a wild one.

6. Grill: Peaches and put them in everything. I’m seriously nuts about grilled peaches. It’s like I can’t believe what I’ve been missing my whole life. Summertime in a bite- I throw them in salads (lovely with arugula and gorgonzola) and great as a sub for tomatoes in your fresh Caprese salads. Stick ‘em on kabobs, serve them for dessert with a dollop of gelato- they’re pretty much great with everything and make for a happy Riesling partner- it is The Summer of Riesling afterall, if you’re a Paul Grieco follower that is, and who in their right wino-mind isn’t?

7. Make: Pinot Noir Popsicles and Espresso Granita. Pinot Pops for the grown ups and Blackberry Lemonade Pops for the kiddos- so simple and perfectly summer. A freshly made Espresso Granita puts me right in that Piazza in front of the Parthenon- a little Roman Holiday on my Virginia deck. I love this recipe.

What are some of your Summertime To-Dos?

Photos: Dinner Party and Peaches: Jack Mathews and Jeanine Donofrio of Love and Lemons, Pinot Pop: Bon Appétit,  Granita: Sisboomblog, VW Van Road Trip: Smitten Studio

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