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You were far too rainy for my taste, which means there were not nearly enough summer BBQs with grilled corn, long days in the park with a sangria sneak, and warm weather shenanigans.
So fall, please be better, and be warm enough for one or two outdoor soirees before Halloween.
How many times have you started in the fridge, STARVING wondering if there could possibly be anything in there to eat? If you are anything like me, this happens more than you would like to admit. You go to the store and two days later, nothing. Or definitely nothing you want. I dream of long interesting meals when at the store, and dream of delivery when staring at my fridge. So this is not a recipe, just an inspiration that you can easily make something dreamy with all that “nothing.”
You want recipes, with lovely pictures and even better stories? (I may *hope to* be there sometimes *someday*, but until then…). I kindly suggest stopping by to say hi to Deb or Molly or Luisa or David or Matt or Adam or Heidi – all amazing and my favorites!!! Watch out, you can stay there really too long.
But in the meantime, here is one of my “quick fixes.” Also known as a frittata in many circles, but as my proportions are likely way off from Ina - heavy on the vegetables, light on eggs and done more on the stove than the oven – we will just call it brunch!
Letters – where have they gone? I don’t get many, and I’m sure it has something to do with not sending many either. Along with seeing people in person, letters and notes are a great way to get together. They bring a sense of personality that does not come across in an email or text. Handwritten, personal – wonderful!
With phones and email definitely an everyday part of life, lets face it, “snail mail” has almost gone by the wayside. But handwritten notes shouldn’t – they are great & old fashioned & your own little party in the mailbox.
This might not look like much to you, but as a California transplant to NYC, the one this I have been desperately missing is outdoor space. And as we move into the beautiful fall season, my prayers have been answered. Above is the rooftop terrace of our new apartment – I can picture many evenings with good vino and good conversation! I can’t wait.
And what do we have here? I just realized that one of my dear friends has a PRIVATE patio of her apartment. She may had mentioned it in the past, but as I finally made it over there, I seriously wondered why she had been holding out on me. As she has been here for 4+ years, maybe she has forgotten what a luxury this is… well I have not. I am already planning several fall fiestas for the space. I can’t wait (again)!
Fashion week in NYC means different things for different people, and considering I am not 6′ tall beauty who survives on gum, diet coke and “other” things, for me, it often means yummy food and drinks. Some of my closest friends work in the fashion business, so when they come to town, dinners and *too many* cocktails are often the perfect finish to long work days. The evenings often start and end with one of my favorite drinks – the Ginger Spice at the Bowery Hotel. I promise this time I will pay attention enough to try and master the recipe, but in the meantime, I found this version on Domaine de Canton (the website for a popular French ginger liqueur).
Peach Sandwich? WHAT! A meal that was quickly thrown together based solely on what was in the house, without a trip to the market was so enjoyable, it has already been repeated 3 times this week. And I never eat the same thing 3 times in one week. And it really isn’t that surprising when you think about it – peaches do have a texture similar to tomatoes. And I have added peaches to steak and other sandwiches numerous times, so I shouldn’t have been too surprised, it is just this was the first they had the starring role.
Lighting can make all the difference – be it an intimate dinner at home, birthdays at a restaurant, dinner parties with friends, grand fêtes, you name it. We all know how important good lighting is to set the stage (and make us look better!!), but what is great it how easy and inexpensive it can be. Candles, like music and and the guest list, really are magic. These candleholders above are super affordable and really great looking! They can be found at cb2.com, but you can use any that you have at home. Candlesticks of differing heights and LOTS of votives are essential to a good party pantry. The more the merrier (& prettier)!
When I want ice cream, I often turn to the above 3 things. I know, I know – not quite as good as pistachio gelato, but I would usually rather save the extra calories, etc. for margaritas or chips and guac. So when I want something sweet and/or frozen, a peanut butter-banana smoothie can really fit the bill. For some reason ripe bananas totally weird me out, so as soon as they start to spot, I pop them in the freezer. Then they are always ripe and ready, and you don’t even need to add ice, plus with the frozen bananas, the resulting “shake” is much creamier than when using ice. Just a tablespoon of peanut butter (almond butter is what I usually have on hand) and a splash of milk and a quick whiz of the blender. Let me know what you think – does it work for your ice cream fix?
that is all.
Weddings – even at their worst, they are pretty great! What worst you ask, well if you don’t know, then lucky you! But seriously, at their most basic, weddings are celebrations of love and that in itself is wonderful. Adding to that, many marriages today begin with great parties – friends, food, yummy drinks and music – amazing. What is with the wedding talk, well, being newly married myself, and seeing that summer is wedding season, they seem to be everywhere.
