Cocktail Snow Cones

Adult beverages mixed into snow cones...enough said!

Summer Lovin'

I find myself wanting to update the decor to a little more whimsical and summer like.  Problem is I don't really have a home as of yet.  We are still in a rental for the next few weeks waiting on paperwork and all that fun stuff.  BUT that doesn't stop me from doing a little browsing and putting together a wish list.  What things are you coveting this season?

Hruskaa
Love these sculptural planters and it's a great excuse for an air plant!

OneFortyThree
Loving anything brass and especially lighting and fixtures

Elements of Iron and Wood
Mid Century Inspired Plant Stand

Dhana Design
Whimsical Fun Prints in places you would never expect

Design by what Matters

So lately as everyone knows me and the hubby have been shopping for houses.  We've been outbid a couple of times and finally put in an offer that I'm crossing my fingers on.  BUT it's a total fixer upper with great bones,  which gives me a chance to put on my junior designer hat and see what I can do.  I think the thing I find most overwhelming is it's an open plan and the rooms all need to flow together but have enough differences to make them each interesting.  Long story short, I've been concentrating on what elements make a good design.  Then I ran across this fun website called Design by what Matters by Benjamin Moore.  It's a bit of fun...but interesting how by choosing elements I liked my room turned out exactly what I would like to see.  Give it a whirl.

Churro Ice Cream Sandwich

"What is that?" you may be asking.  That is vanilla ice cream sandwiched between two churro cookies.  I know it's hard to believe but it is happening in L.A. right now.  Now this is just kinda cruel if you don't live in L.A. and have no access to those light and crispy, sugar-coated spirals of goodness that make this sandwich possible.  However, I've been putting a lot of thought to it and for regional purposes, I think you could achieve the same succcess with a regular churro which you can sometimes find in the frozen section of your grocery store or at a Mexican restaurant.

It would go a little something like this. Line these little babies up on the bottom of a loaf pan top with a layer of ice cream and then another layer of churros.  Pop in the freezer and then take out and cut into squares.  Just a different spin on a still tasty treat.

Things I'm Lovin

I'm having a great time exploring all Savannah has to offer.  I've had some great meals, fantastic beach days and general giddiness over the last couple of weeks.  Here are just a few of the things I'm lovin' right now.

Beach days that are only 20 minutes away

After a day at the beach this low country boil is waiting for us at The Crab Shack which has great atmosphere and the food is delicious.

My new favorite snack is boiled peanuts.  I seriously cannot get enough!

Check out these cool light fixtures at one of our favorite lunch spots...Blowin' Smoke.

Fresh Summer Produce

Last Saturday the hubby and I headed out to the Forsyth Farmer's Market.  It was a beautiful day and you couldn't ask for a better setting for a market...a breath taking park surrounded by Victorian homes.  Our goal when we go to the farmer's market is to come away with one complete meal and it must have one ingredient that we have never cooked before. After checking out the produce we decided we would make a salad with roasted veggies and lamb kebabs.  Our wild card ingredient was baby turnips.  We purchased the kebabs at Hunter Cattle which also had some homemade Guanciale that I couldn't resist.

For the turnips I rendered down some of the guanciale then gave them a good carmelization and finished them in the oven along with baby carrots and baby beets.  We tossed this all with a homemade vinaigrette (olive oil, balsamic vinegar and dijon mustard).  I must say I would buy the turnips again they kind of taste like a cross between a potato and a radish but the crisp outside with the salt from the guanciale was delicious and easy.  Next time your at the farmer's market give them a try.

Savannah Settled

Sorry for the hiatus but I've been busy learning to do everything Southern Style.  I must admit that I expected the transition to be a little more difficult than it has been.  I think it's because the hubby and I were truly ready for the change, and so we mainly feel happy, instead of overwhelmed even though there is quite a bit each day to get accomplished.   I'm having so much fun with Southern Hospitality and learning to add some extra time into each errand for chit chat.  I don't think I will ever say y'all but learning to make a mean shrimp and grits that I look forward to mastering.  We are still trying to figure out a more permanent living situation and the interviewing process is still underway, so please bear with me and I will try to resume posts as normal very, very soon.

Things I'm Lovin"

A cool set of antique dominoes in a leather case that I picked up for $5 bucks. 

This perfect Berkshire pork that we had at Bunker on a random Tuesday night.  I love spontaneous date nights.

My milk glass + succulent project can be checked off the list.  This actually looks better than it photographs because I somehow got the heights just right and the patterns play nicely off each other.  Even though I bought them separately...it looks like I knew what I was doing!

My latest lamp project.

Coffee...9 different ways

I love my morning cup of coffee.  I actually think it is more about the ritual than the actual coffee but that doesn't mean that I don't want the perfect cup.  We've had an automatic coffee  maker ( a couple), a percolator and we are currently using the french press.  We are still working to achieve that perfect cup of joe that seems like you have your very own barista in your kitchen.  When I saw this article over at Huffington Post, I was overjoyed.  Someone did the research for me and is going to tell me what the best method for getting your morning's best actually is?  So without further ado.

9.  Percolator
8.  Soft Brew
7.  Automatic
6.  Vacuum Pot (I had my eye on this one...now why bother)
5.  Coffee Cone
4.  Aeropress
3.  French Press
2.  Technivorm ($300 and change for a coffee maker...you might actually get a barista for that)

And the #1 way to make coffee is the Chemex which I have always loved the aesthetic of but discounted that it would make a great cup.  I'll be on the lookout for a sale!

The Big Move

If you don't recognize the photo above it is Forsyth Park in Savannah Georgia.  Why might you ask are you showing us a random photo of Savannah?  Well...the hubby and I are packing our bags and moving South.  It was a tough decision but one we feel we are ready for at this point in our lives.  As much as NYC has been good to us through the years and I still love it, I am ready for a slower pace of life and I want to live in a house that costs less than $1M (mainly because I don't have $1M).  If its possible to be scared and excited at the same time then that's what I am.  If any readers have any advice I would welcome it with open arms.

Niagara Falls Quick Getaway

My moms in town and I'm taking her on a quick jaunt up to see Niagara Falls.  It'll just be a couple of days and then I'll give you the low down when I return.  Talk to you soon.

Add a little Spring...

It's that time of year when you start thinking about adding some warm weather touches to your routine.  I love outdoor dining, visits to Coney Island and eating lobster by the ocean in run down lobster shacks.  All of these things say, "Summer is here!" to me.  But although I get equally excited about Spring, I don't have as many rituals so to speak.  This post over at Anthro blog got me thinking, maybe a few flower pots to spruce up the decor could help get me in the right frame of mind.  Maybe Spring should be more about the preparation of the coming season?

Why not serve your greens in a to cute flower pot?

Or ice beverages?

Why not incorporate some new lighting (it is so much easier than you think)

Lastly, who wouldn't want to attend an outdoor brunch with adorable name tags?

Things I'm Lovin'

We've had some nice weather lately, but today was the first day it actually felt like Spring.  The hubby and I took full advantage and had a fantastic day.

It was our first outdoor lunch of the season and it was chilly enough that a nice chowdah was in order.

Followed by a visit to a beer garden in Greenpoint which sports some great graffiti

Then home for a nice dinner and glass of wine complete with my latest find smoky glass tumblers.

Lastly we watched Blue Jasmine while burning my new candle that reminds me of Kate Spade.

Friday Silly Fun

To continue with my ad nauseam talk about Easter, I thought why not do something silly and fun for Friday.  Take this quiz over at Yum Sugar and see what kind of  Classic Easter candy you are!  I got Peeps.

Things I'm Lovin'

These are a few of the things that I am lovin' this week.  I think you'll find me pretty easy to figure out since I'm going through an estate sale phase right now plus my lamp issue and of course there's always cake.

I got my first milk glass vase to start my collection last weekend for $3 and now I just need to find a couple more with varying height and size.

I picked up these adorable paper eggs at Ikea.  Now to figure out how to work them into the Easter celebration? 

Thinking for the first time EVER I might actually be able to pull off this braid for summer.  My hair is right now the longest it's ever been...woot woot.

Finally, I purchased a $10 1960's industrial heavy metal lamp with great lines. It was paint splattered and the ugliest color of brown.  After a new cord and a few coats of metallic blue spray paint it works as a funky lamp to illuminate my husband's prized pig painting (don't ask).

Boo YACHT

I'm pleased to announce we added a 9lb. brass baby bouillotte to the family.  I picked up this little guy for $5 in the recesses of the basement in the same house as the boudoir lamp.  I literally had to use a flashlight and just saw a hint of a glimmer in the corner.  I knew it had great classic design and with a little TLC could be restored back to former glory. 

So that's what I knew...but what I didn't know was extensive!  For one, everything from the 20's is smaller.  Anytime you go to an estate sale from that era it's as if you are walking around tiny town.  Petite silverware, furniture, glassware (I think they stayed so little by having to run to the facet every 5 minutes to fill their tiny glasses with water) and I would NEVER attempt to sit in one of those small chairs.  You know the policy if you break it you buy it.  What I'm getting at here is that parts can't be replaced because they are smaller than what we have now.  So my husband spent 2 days trying to get the new wiring to fit into the base of our lamp.  And as you'll see from the next couple of photos there were no nifty tricks in the 20's like ribbed wiring on one side to let you know if it is a negative or a positive.  Notice the wires my husband taped together to use as a diagram later.  He used the taped together wires, a diagram that he drew and a lot of muttering out loud to himself, "The electricity goes in here and then needs to be grounded here and comes out here and then repeat."  Here's the photo trail of how this little French brat caused us much grief and then made us proud just like a real little bundle of joy.

Notice the brass is not in top condition and needed to be completely rubbed down with denatured alcohol to get rid of the deterioration.  Also, the lamp shade was in pretty good condition but had one slight pinhole on the right side.  It lasted 80 years and then 5 minutes with my husband before it was completely a goner, he somehow poked one of the candlesticks completely through the side. So, I took it took a lampshade specialist in Coney Island who replaced the dark red cardboard with crisp white linen.  By the way,  it feels really fancy to get something custom made, I highly recommend it.

Here it is after being brought back to original finish, the wiring diagram held together by tape, the candlesticks which we had to paint white since they were metal and Home Depot only sells plastic ones that were to big, and the cloth cord which needed to be replaced.  Plus the lampshade which we were only able to salvage the cage.

This is what we ended up with.  It was difficult, but to best describe this lamp, I'm going to borrow a line from my mom and dad that I never truly understood until now.  "It's a classic and they don't make 'em like they use to!"

Plastic Bag Storage Art?

Most likely everyone has a stash of plastic bags somewhere in the home.  You have to, it's a necessary evil...there are times when you just NEED a plastic bag. Now with the stores starting to charge it will become more necessary then ever.  You can carry all the reusable bags you can but sometimes you just have more groceries than bags.

I keep mine to a minimum and have purchased a plastic bag holder which keeps them semi organized.  But check out this neat little trick that I found over at Savvy Sugar. It's amazing how many bags they get in that small bowl AND it doesn't even look messy.  Plus what a great trick for putting a couple in your purse.

Smooth a plastic bag horizontally on your work space and start folding it up in three-inch sections. Continue folding until you reach the other side.

Starting at the closed end of the plastic bag, begin folding diagonally, creating a triangle. Keep folding until you reach the other side.

Now tuck the ends into the fold, and you have a nice little triangle of a plastic bag.

Estate Sale Look Book

After looking at my accumulation of odds and ends collected from estate sales, I decided to try to be more organized.  I still want to have fun and be able to grab items that I find interesting but I want to have more of a focus.  There is in fact alot of furniture pieces that I see that are definitely good buys but I don't have the space to store or the space to refurbish.  So, I must stick to the little projects for the time being.  After perusing for hours I believe the following are my estate sale look book for the next couple of weeks.

Milk Glass-I would like some milk glass pieces to use as planters.  I love the look and they feel like Spring an add a touch of romanticism to the room.  These pieces go fast though so I need to be on task.

Bench/Ottoman-I love this look and am on the hunt for a bench that is more sculptural like the one below.  Almost every house has something similar but usually in a heavier wood piece.  My eyes are open for something that feels a little lighter.

Mirrors-Can you ever have enough mirrors?  These are usually in piles in the basement and I'm going to take the time to dig through in hopes of finding the perfect treasure.

Plates-I love the playful look of these plates.  They add a great pop of color to an entryway.  Plus plates are literally at every house for $1, so it is just a matter of picking out the perfect ones.