a fresh bouquet

have you ever made a bouquet garni? ever since i heard about them, i've been charmed by the idea - it's so sweet and fresh and cozy, a tied together or wrapped collection of fresh herbs used to season soups and stews, and its neat little packaging makes it easy to remove it when the cooking is done.

traditionally, bouquet garnis include parsley, thyme and bay leaves, but can include absolutely anything you'd like, and if you go the cheesecloth route, can even include hard-to-tie items like cloves, garlic and dried herbs.


i love the idea of going to the farmers market or produce store and seeing what looks and smells delicious, and finding a recipe (in your head, even maybe!) for flavors that would meld well. finding perfect pairings can be a real exploration, and to aid in the exploration, i love the concept of the flavor bible, discussed here.


i also love the idea of giving a bouquet garni as a gift when you're a guest at someone's home for a weekend or an evening...perhaps with a pair of footed soup bowls or these sweet soup & sandwich plates.

images from here, here, here, here, here and here

january stream of consciousness

my mind is in a zillion places this week, and there's so much i want to talk about with you that i have to just give it over to a stream of consciousness post...hope you're cool with that.

holly, of decor8 fame, says it best here on her other blog haus maus about the rush of thoughts that comes with the new year.

so, mitchell did an incredible job of organizing and decluttering at home while he was off from work last work, including my most favorite thing of all - he repurposed our now not-in-use bar cart as a "mancaddy," (his word. love.)

i have once again discovered the virtues of a light mani. loving mademoiselle right now. so sheer, so pale, almost too much so, but not quite. instead, it's perfect. next time, i plan on using an extra dose of top coat for super shine. i got said mani and threw in a pedi too, the first winter one i've had in a few years, i have to say, and it was glorious. the hot water and hot steam cloths felt even more luxurious with snow piled up outside. the pedi was totally necessary because...

i was starting yoga and had been forewarned that it was practiced barefoot. i took my first class with both of my parents (my mom almost couldn't control her laughter at one point) and it was great. so much harder than i thought it would be, but very gratifying too, and something i'm looking forward to getting good at. we went to a lovely little studio called om sweet om where they offer many, many yoga classes, acupuncture, chiropractic and meditation and reiki, which you might rememeber from my pre-surgical reiki healing circle experience. i loved all the yoga talk of balancing, sharing the weight of each pose evenly throughout one's body and quieting the mind while strengthening the body.

afterwards, we sat for a cup of coffee at sweet comfort cafe, a coffee shop in town that is so cozy and nice, and has the added appeal of providing employment opportunities for developmentally disabled adults, a population which has a 92% unemployment rate in new york state.

aside from copious amounts of decaf coffee with lots of skim, one of my favorite snacks has become blue diamond's 100 calorie packs of wasabi and soy almonds. spicy, a little sweet and very satisfying.

jennifer aniston's favorite snack is white peaches and string cheese. no wonder she looks like this.

and speaking of string cheese, have you tried the fresh mozzarella sticks from trader joe's? great invention.

and speaking of trader joe's, have you seen these cookbooks? we all know how great TJ's is, but these clever books aggregate some of the best TJ's finds and instruct on how to use them for easy cooking and entertaining. loves it.

another great healthy thing i've discovered, thanks to my loyal reader and awesome aunt jackie, is plain nonfat greek yogurt with some sugar free (or low sugar) jelly or preserves mixed in. since i haven't fully experimented with fresh fruit yet since my surgery, this is a great solution.

another jackie suggestion is exclusively recording shows you love in the room where you work out so you have to work out to watch them. desperate housewives here i come. and most of the own network lineup, you too. i also plan on recording khloe and lamar's show in there, with the rest of its kardashian brethren (or sisterhood, as it were).

and speaking of the treadmill, i was on it at 9:30 at night on new year's eve. now THAT'S the sign of a new year, i'd say.

namaste.

what are you thinking about this week?

top image, yoga image, sweet comfort image, jennfier aniston image

mad gab

mad gab is the most fun ever. it's a game where you read the words printed on a card which, when sounded out, actually say something else. that was a terrible explanation - here's an example:

card says: canoe key pace he grit?

hopefully you eventually figure out that it says: can you keep a secret?

these cards are a totally uncomplicated way to play, and mitchell and i are, without fail, laughing hysterically within moments of whipping it out. it hits the funny bone the same way some of the ingenious me talk pretty one day does. it's mainly funny because you hear your playing partner trying desperately to figure out what the hell they're saying, and it's usually totally obvious to you what it is...so they sound like they're first learning english and putting the acCENT on the wrong syLLABle. take my word for it, it's hilarious.

you can even play it online if you feel like you're going to blow a gasket at your desk and need a mood lifter.

cranky mood? mad gab. bored? mad gab. trust me on this one.

ikan't resist the ikat

love love love. and i actually have a director's chair that is aching for this ikat back and seat. it's true, it told me so. and for a sale price of $8 (plus about $5 shipping), this deal can't be beat. it pays to have friends who can spot your style instantly - thanks kelly.

do you love ikat too? check out this eddie ross spread, these lovely bowls, and for good measure, you ought to feast your eyes on all this suzani too. and just WAIT until you see my latest ikat acquisition later this week.

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happy weekend...the last of 2010

well, it's the close of the last week of the year. last year at this time, most of us had very little idea what was in store in 2010. i know i had no idea. i remember my father, at a low moment in life where the uncertainty was all but killing me, wisely told me that my whole life was ahead of me, and the not-knowing of it all really was the most exciting part. though i certainly didn't believe it then, i'm starting to understand.

for us all to feel like our lives are mostly ahead of us is really the secret, and the blessing. and i find that feeling that way is, like most other things, a choice. i wish you a 2011 full of everything you've always wanted and needed, and a few things here and there that you don't yet know you want and need.



since it's still so messy out, light some candles and choose something different to watch or read. i can't say enough good things about jonathan franzen's freedom, but i'll keep trying. according to my kindle, i'm 94% done with it, and i'm none too thrilled about it. you know that feeling like you're losing a friend when you finish a book? i feel like i'm losing 4 or 5 with this book...4 or 5 very flawed, human, sometimes less than likable friends, so the sadness really speaks to franzen's mastery. i plan to read an excerpt of his last book immediately after i finish to stave off depression and decide if i want to read that one.


on HBO on demand, check out public speaking (about fran lebowitz who you'll get a kick out of) and good hair, chris rock's hilarious and extremely smart documentary.

and laugh all you want, but my snuggie has been my favorite thing this winter in the most non-ironic, utterly cozy way. you might seriously consider procuring one.

as you reflect on the last year, which is almost unavoidable from where we stand, listen to this song and this song and watch the montage of moments that passes through your mind...friends, loved ones, triumphs, disappointments and a full range of feelings.

happy new year, and i'll meet you back here in 2011.

keep on sequin on

well, i'm a real sparkle whore, this is true. and i've been flirting with daytime sparkle over the last year - i used to have a hard and fast rule against it - seemed like a walk of shame or something. but sequins are everywhere, and indisputably, new years eve is a good time to wear them. and then once you have a sequin piece or two, they're easy to mix with other pieces year-round, high and low. here are my favorite pieces...i've been saving tattered magazine pages for weeks for this very moment.

i love the whole sequined t-shirt look because it automatically removes the fussiness factor - it makes it look like you just happen to be wearing sequins. feel me? i love the short-sleeved one from talbot's (on sale) and the 3/4 length sleeve one from j. crew. think they would both be gorgeous with everything from jeans to a full ball skirt.

and though i don't know about wearing the gap short-sleeved sequin pocket T (on sale) to a ball per se, i could think of lots of other places you could wear it. again, that whole casual "oh, this old sequin thing?"

j. crew kills me with this swinton sequin cardigan (on sale), especially in the unexpected navy. navy sequins? brilliant. it's the perfect meeting of played down and scintillating. if i were accumulating a forever wardrobe right now, this would be in it for sure.


for a more tailored cardigan silhouette, i love the sparkle cardigan from ann taylor, and i can't decide which color i prefer. they're both so perfect.

another navy sequin option! the sequin blazer from victoria's secret (on clearance). the possibilities for a sequin blazer are seriously endless - amazing with great jeans and a casual tank, but also could be worn over a simple tank dress to immediately amp up an outfit.

also in sweaters, and also from vicky's, the sequin tunic (on sale), lovely either in nude or black. i apologize for the racy picture - you should have seen the other option.

this velvet by graham & spencer pullover combines sequins with another passion of the moment - ikat. love.

if you're into different, the butterfly sequin top from forever 21 is kind of awesome. and at about $22, it's safe to try out your sequin wings.

for some really easy to mix in pieces, i love this simply vera sequin top which, at under $50 is a great deal.

also, the sequin twist neck tank from banana (which happens to come in navy too, btw) is a great little addition.

and this sequin vest from eileen fisher is a great way to try out the look with more subdued pieces under and/or over it.


if i WERE to try full-out sequins during daylight hours, something like this sequin sweatshirt (on sale) would be a good foray.

from talbots, this black sequined skirt (on sale) is such a perfect foil for an otherwise toned-down outfit. perhaps with a white button down (either tailored or loose-fitting) or a straight black blazer.

and i mean, what can one say about a brown sequin bell skirt? nothing much to say, just...look at it.

sequin harem pants? yes, sequin harem pants, in gold too. if i had the "sequins" to wear harem pants, these would be them.

for one-stop sequin shopping, talbots' sleeveless sequin sheath is pretty much perfect.


and the merino strobe sweater is described as "sequin-drenched." done...


and done. the lumiere dress from j. crew might be the sequin piece to end them all.


avenue, the plus-size retailer that regularly toes the line between cheese and much-appreciated variety, has gone all in with sequins this season too. love the sequin stripe legging (2 for $20!):





and the wholly enjoyable sequin sheath dress, skirt and cami, all on sale and all available in black (dress and skirt in silver too). they actually did a really nice job offering some good sequin basics at really good prices, and i can say because i've seen them in person, the black is a really good gunmetally, very metallic black.


for a toe-dip in, even old navy is getting its sparkle on with this sequin tote, perfection in all-season olive green and bronze.

of course H&M is a bevvy of sparkle too, but since you blasphemously can't shop on their website, you'll have to stop by.

a pretty glow

looking for a great potion for your reveling? try this pear, pomegranate and prosecco cocktail - festive, beautiful and delicious. to prep ahead of time, mix the pear nectar and pomegranate juice beforehand and keep chilling in a pitcher. then add the bubbly right before serving for crispy carbonation.

other new years eve options include cranberry spice champagne, spiced hot apple toddy, and mistletoe margaritas.

make whatever libation you serve look as lovely as possible, because people feel light and fun when the drinks are pretty. and swap out your regular lightbulbs for soft pink ones since everyone looks alive and happy in blush light. and pretty, happy people make a party spectacular.

shower the people you love with love

isn't this a sweet idea for tables at a bridal or baby shower? i love the thought of threading the "showering with love" theme throughout, starting with an invitation like this one...then you could accessorize all the drinks with cocktail umbrellas (i love the retro charm of these), and give out seed packets like these with a note that says "shower these with water (and love!) and they will grow into beautiful flowers" (or something like that).

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snow day

i hope you're somewhere warm and cozy, as in either a tropical island or at least a heated interior. in yesterday's snow, between racing, bundled, from the house to the car to the corner store back to the house, i stood under an awning for a few moments and deeply inhaled the smell of snow and wind and still winter air. it was beautiful.