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Ok, I’m having a major indecisive moment (not surprising), and I can’t seem to commit to a new lighting fixture for my living room/dining room.  I’m over thinking it, and I may have just reached the point where I need to walk away and let someone else choose.  The six here are what I’ve managed to narrow it down to.  I thought for sure I’d be picking one from my fave Schoolhouse Electric, but then I found a few others that I like too….ahhhhh – which do you think will look best in my living room?  The walls are being painted a warm grey, the ceilings are rather high, and there is natural brick exposed nearby.  This particular fixture will be hanging nearly over the dining table (but not perfectly centered which makes me shy away from the pendants a little??) What do you think?

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For this week’s ‘That’s What She Said’ Joanna and I are picking our favorite recipes that are perfect to take on a picnic. These recipes are not only delicious but easy to make and easy to travel with. With the warm weather, hopefully, here to stay, I know these recipes are going to be in our repertoire for a long time.

Lorien’s Picks: I wanted recipes that were easy to make, things I could easily whip up on a whim and items that would travel well (or easy assembly). A good quiche or frittata recipe is always a good one to have on hand, and I thought this Zucchini Ricotta Cheesecake from 101 cookbooks similar to a frittata but …. a little more heavenly since it has a ricotta batter as the basis. The zucchini and dill will for sure lighten it up. Can not wait to try.

Between the pistachios, snow peas and english peas, what attracted me to this salad was the crunch factor (would also be a wonderful side dish to the Zucchini Ricotta Cheesecake). A simple salad, I love that there are raisins and honey to add sweetness, and lemon to brighten it up… this Three Pea Salad by The Forest Feast is a go-to for the warmer months.

While humus with pita bread, olives and veggies is a no brainer for a picnic, for my next picnic I want to try this Spicy Red Lentil Spread made with red lentils and sriracha from The First Mess.

When I was putting together this post, I asked a few of my friends around me if they would be interested in these Little Apricot Cakes by Bon Appetit at a picnic, and everyone gave a VERY LOUD YES, followed up with a when can we have the picnic. These would work with apricots or plums depending on the season, both sound delicious to me.

What’s a picnic without a refreshing drink. I love this recipe from for it’s simplicity… 1 part Romy’s Pineapple Mint Syrup, 2 parts Prosecco and mint to garnish. It’s a reipce that can easily be made for a crowd or for two.

Joanna says: What makes a recipe particularly good for a picnic?  Hmm….well, I’d say it should hold up to traveling, hot temps, it can be prepared ahead of time, and it’s not too heavy (to eat or carry).  I can’t think of a recipe that fits the bill more perfectly than this Watermelon Salad with Mint and Lime (and cayenne) from Food and Wine.  It’s easy and inexpensive to make, can be prepared the day before, and travels well.  This and a refreshing beer sound like the perfect way to start off a picnic. 

I love carrots raw, and even better when they’ve been marinating in a dressing of citrus, herbs and garlic.  I’m guessing this Sunshine Carrot Salad from Good Things Grow is tastiest the next day, which makes it perfect for a picnic.  Prepare ahead of time, grab and go.

I would enjoy these Spicy Lentil Summer Rolls from the Sprouted Kitchen just about anywhere and anytime.  They have cilantro, grated beets and carrots, lentils, sriracha, and sesame oil.  Yum!  I would leave out the avocado for the picnic (doesn’t travel well), and instead maybe incorporate a peanut sauce.

Chicken salad is a no-brainer for a picnic, and chicken salad can wear so many hats.  This recipe for Chicken Salad with Blue Cheese and Grapes from Food and Winepacks together a whole bunch of strong flavors (grapes and blue cheese are so good together), so no need to make a sandwich (bread will get soggy).  Just bring a fork and some crackers.

It’s nice to have a little sweet to finish things off, and chocolate isn’t exactly the best thing to pack in warm weather.  These Lemongrass Squares with Coconut Shortbread from Simply Scratch sound absolutely amazing.  Picnic or not, these are on my list to try.

Top image from Oh Happy Day

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I’ve always been such a visual person, so naturally when I read a novel every place has a landscape, every face has characteristics (I think I subconsciously fill in the details left out by the author).  I need to be able to picture every detail as the story unfolds.  For this reason, cover art has always been hugely important when choosing an edition.  Similar to how I shop for wine by the label (bad habit), I pick my books by the cover, and continuously refer back to it as I make my way through the story.   My first time reading Gatsby I read the version above, the classic painting by Francis Cugat, which was commissioned before the book was completed, and was beloved by Fitzgerald – so much so that it’s been said he wrote it into the book.

The second time I read the story I read the edition above (on the bottom right).  What a different experience….maybe it was the cover art, maybe it’s the nature of years past in-between readings.  Who knows – probably both.  Of all the covers I found in my search (here, here, and here), right now I’m liking the one above (on the bottom left).  I think I’d like to have that one in my collection.  Is it strange to collect multiple copies of the same book just for the cover art?  I don’t think so, but I also collect milk bottle caps.

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Food and Wine Magazine’a latest issue is all about grilling and they shared some pretty tasty recipes, including a pretty brilliant idea: Char in a bottle. Ok, the name is less than desirable, but char in bottle is really charred-leek oil. They say charring leeks and stepping them in oil will create a charred-leek oil that will “give any food a fantastic fire-roasted flavor”.

I’m excited to try play around with it this summer. It sounds amazing on roasted potatoes, corn on the cob, seafood tacos…. what else? To have that grilled (always put you in a great summer mood) flavor in a jar, yes please.

How to make Char in a Bottle, via Food and Wine Magazine:
Grill leeks until they’re thoroughly blackened
Then grind them up and steep the powdered leek ash in oil overnight
Strain

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I know people who are making a move cross country soon, they will be driving from the east coast to the west coast with the goal of making as few stops as possible. So I thought I would make a little care package for them to help ease the stress and boredom that could come with driving cross country. I picked items that would help pass the time (interesting and fun audio books), a little homemade treat (I found this recipe in the latest issue of Food and Wine and can’t wait to try …brown butter and pistachio, sounds heavenly), and things that would make the car ride and hotel rooms more comfortable (blanket, pillow for the neck and a nice smelling candle).

I also thought a sleek coffee mug that would fit in any cup holder would be ideal, hopefully it will help keep the mess of empty cups to a minimum. And on the less glamourous side of things, I would also add a thing of Advil or Tylenol, and maybe some Pepto Bismol just in case they eat a lot of fast food.

1. Dark Chocolate Espresso Beans, Dean & Deluca
2. Brown Butter Pistachio Financiers, Food and Wine
3. Audio Books – Tinker, Tailer, Solider, Spy and Bossypants, wbur.org
4. Therapedic™ Memory Touch Neck Pillow, Bed Bath and Beyond
5. Stainless Steel Slender Tumbler and gift card, Starbucks
6. Room Essentials® Microfleece Blanket, Target
7. Decorative Tin Candle, Beauty.com
8. Sunday Crossword Puzzles: 50 Sunday Puzzles from the Pages of the New York Times, Barnes and Noble

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Worishofer 505 / Sweedish Hasbeens / Madewell Mini Wedge / Crossed Wedges

Today’s weather is gorgeous! Dry, mid-70′s, sunny, just perfect.  Of course with days like these, my mind wanders to my summer wardrobe, and what I’m missing.  I’m due for a new pair of summer sandals and these four are on the tip top of my list.  Deciding is going to be the hard part…I want a pair of each…

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Lorien and I were in need of some retail therapy, and where better to go than Benny’s??  Their tagline is ‘your favorite store’, and I think they’re right.  We love Benny’s.  It’s got that old school hardware store feel, reminiscent of times before the giant Home Depots.  They have everything from paint supplies, to gardening tools, to kitchen supplies and camping gear…plus other more obscure knick knacks.  Just what we were looking for.

Joanna’s finds:  After much deliberation, and poking around, I settled on some awesome accessories for gardening this season (I had to have restraint to not fill my carriage).  I’ve done a fair amount of research on gardening hoses, and was so shocked to find out most of them contain lead that seeps into the water over time and grows into vegetables (gross).  After many unsuccessful searches for a ‘drinking water safe’ hose at the bigger garden centers, I found what I was looking for at Benny’s (this happens all the time – they have all the good brands).  This never-kink hose is made for boats and campers and is safe for watering veggies.  Plus – it never kinks…..or so it says.

I also found these replacement lids for Ball canning jars.  I suppose I could have ordered them online, but I kept forgetting to do it.  The lids always rust after being used, so you need to replace them each time you use the glass for pickling.  Of course they had them at Benny’s.  I finished of my shopping with some natural bamboo stakes for the garden.  Believe it or not the bigger garden center only had the died green stakes, which I think are kind of terrible looking, so score again at Benny’s.  I’m not exaggerating (and they’re not paying me) when I say that I always leave this place pleasantly surprised with their inventory.  Cheers to a successful shopping trip!

Lorien’s Finds: One can spend hours in Benny’s and find a million of reasons to buy pretty much everything in the store…. all of a sudden I found myself wanting a dart board, to paint my walls, to buy tons of tupperware, beach chairs, a grill….you really can find everything you want at Benny’s. But once I started to focus, I realized they had a lot of things for my kitchen, I’ve been needing to put the finishing touches on the corner that surrounds our large hutch…..

First up, I found a nice collection of frames that were the perfect size for two prints I’ve been wanting to hang up FOREVER, one from Craftland and the other from Jill Bliss. Most of the frames at Benny’s were black, but that worked out for me since most of the frames I have in my home are also black. And for $7.99 and $10.99, the prices are hard to beat ( We totally sound like Benny’s salespeople but it’s so easy to get on the Benny’s bandwagon once you’ve been).

Then I actually found a bicycle basket for $10 that I want to use for storage for knick knacks. It’s a little weird and unconventional, but it’s actually perfect size for my kitchen. The part that would go over the handles is perfect for hanging up, I just have to get a little handy and a little DIY. There is actually a larger basket that I want to go back for, it will be great to hold my magazines and books for the family room.

Who knew Benny’s would be the place to go for cutting boards? They have such a selection of sizes and prices of cutting boards… which was fantastic since I needed a large cutting board to cover the surface of our hutch, we basically needed something to act like a big coaster. Since it’s a good size, it will also act as tray when we eat outside on our porch…and as the perfect cheese platter.. gotta love Benny’s.

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Life has been so busy recently, I haven’t even talked with my mom about mother’s day plans yet.  When I scheduled this post, I thought I’d already have something lined up for Sunday, but here I am planning a hypothetical Mother’s Day gathering (it will likely unfold in some version of this).

Holidays like Mother’s Day are all about seasonal food, easy outdoor entertaining, and relaxing with the fam.  All this brings to mind three things: lawn games, fresh salad, and refreshing cocktails made with citrus.  Here are three ideas that are super simple to pull off and perfect for a sunny spring day.

Lawn Games:There’s so many to choose from, but my personal fave is bocce (or petanque/boules).  This game is inexpensive to buy (the set pictured is fancy, but you can get less expensive sets here), great for a group and really casual – so if you need to pause for dinner that’s just fine.  No special skills are required.  Grandma can play and so can the tikes.  It’s like bowling without gutters.  Bocce makes a good Mother’s Day gift too.

Fresh Salad: I made the most amazing salad the other day, and of course, I forgot to snap a pic, so I’ll just give you a brief run down.  First – it’s very easy to make, and without any leafy greens, this salad travels well.  Make it ahead of time – no problem.  You’ll need: 1 cucumber sliced into thin half rounds (I like the seedless English cucumbers), 1 bunch of radishes sliced into thin half rounds, 1/2 cup of red grapes slices in half,  1/2 cup of pineapple in small chunks, 1/2 cup cojita cheese crumbled, 1 bunch of cilantro, 1 fresh jalapeno pepper, olive oil, white vinegar, and fresh ground pepper.

In a large bowl combine the cucumber, radish, grapes, pineapple, and cheese.  In food processor combine jalapeno, cilantro, 1/2 cup of olive oil and 1/4 cup of vinegar.  Process until smooth (if you don’t have a food processor you can chop everything very fine and then whisk together).  Pour dressing over the chopped friuts and vegetables.  Toss to coat.  Done.

Refreshing Cocktail: Who doesn’t like grapefruit juice, gin, lillet rose and flowers? These are the four simple ingredients that go into this pretty drink.  Just a few ingredients, and combine, nothing fancy, but wow, this is a refreshing and impressive cocktail to serve at a spring soiree.

Have a happy Mothers Day!

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In this new series, I’m going to share with you some books that I thought were worth trying and I’ll write about if it was indeed worth trying. I’ll share cookbooks, design books, novels, how-to books….

First up: The Brokeass Gourmet Cookbook by Gabi Moskowitz (she also has a blog). I love her approach of sharing her wisdom for eating and cooking on a budget, she even tells you how to stock a full pantry and a full bar on a budget. While the book and recipes aren’t groundbreaking, there are several recipes perfect for weekday dinners and when you’re entertaining. The simplicity and her use of making sure to use fresh ingredients, definitely inspired me to want to cook.

My notes:

1. Love her guide to stocking your pantry with all the necessaries, for only $50 she tells you everything you should have.
2. She seems to share my affinity for siracha, she showcases it in many recipes.
3. There are several recipes that call for a food processor, blender or an immersion blender. So if you don’t have one, the cookbook may not be worth it to buy.
4. She has an easy recipe for Pork Pho, one of the few foods that I crave, guaranteed, every few weeks… so that’s a plus for me.
5. Also uses lots of fresh ingredients, lots of herbs. She also uses things that you may already have in your fridge or can incorparte easily into other meals so you really are buying on a budget and not wasting food.
6. Features a lot of Mexican recipes. Huge plus for me, but maybe not for others.
7. I could see myself cooking alot of the recipes after a long of work vs. having to save the recipes for an all day affair on the weekend. She tells you long how it will take to prep and cook.
8. I do wish there was some pictures to go along with the recipes.

My Top 5 Recipes I Can’t Wait to Try:

1. Pea Soup with scallops, basil and parmesan
2. Summer Capellini with red pepper sauce
3. Chipotle cheddar burgers with cilantro aioli
4. Spanakopita burgers
5. White corn and spring onion soup

Find the book here.

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Ugh… Mondays. I wish I could approach Mondays with vigor and enthusiasm, but instead I am usually rolling our of bed with only on eye open. And when it comes to getting dressed, I throw on the least fussy, which means the most casual outfit in my closet. But I would like to change that, which is something I think anyone can relate, to wanting to elevate your style just a bit…

Recently, a style muse for me has been Lara Melchoir. While I don’t know her, she seems to have such style. Her sophisticated simplicity is something I envy and admire when it comes to getting dressed.

Here’s to trying to putting more effort in on Monday mornings!

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