Down the Rabbit Hole....

I am so excited and impatient for this movie to be released in theaters!  The trailer is magical....

A Day in the City

Aaron and I had an entire day off together, and we spent it in San Francisco. We visited some of our usual favorites as well as going to the galleries at 49 Geary. Aaron surprised me by taking me to the Stephen Wirtz Gallery to see the work of Kathryn Spence who is an incredible scupltor/fiber artist.  I was so close to buying one of her tiny owls for a cool 4k before Aaron brought me back down to the realization that I paid that for my used Honda and couldn't afford it even if I did max out every credit card I own! Her work is truly beautiful, and someday I hope  to actually be able to afford one of her pieces!



She used bits and pieces of fabric, paper, feather, fur etc all tied and wrapped with string, held in place with pins etc to create these amazingly lifelike creatures.  The gallery also has a pair of coyotes she created and some miniature scenes/drawings as well. The show is up until August 22nd, and is truly worth the trip!


We also stopped by Bell'Occhio on Brady and the Kinokuniya bookstore in Japantown. 

I bought scissors with 8 blades at Bell'Ochio for cutting paper fringe, and found three wonderful books at Kinokuniya...

Nathalie Lete is one of my favorite illustrators and her books can be hard to find in the states, This one is both Japanese and French so I can read it, but I mostly will just enjoy the pictures!

This is a book on making fabric flowers. The illustration are beautiful!

Paris Brocante. I will use this as a travel guide on my next trip.

And no trip to the city would be complete without a stop by Miette for les macarons!

It was a perfect day!

I came across this photo of me when I was about 2 when I was scanning family photographs to upload to digital picture frame I bought my Grandma last Christmas. I think of this weekend and the dozen of photos I snapped so easily with my digital SLR of Mila and her friends at her birthday. Nadia at 6 1/2 reminds me of me when I was that age. Confident and prancing around the park in a pair of butterfly wings, posing for the camera. Photos are so easy these days. Most often they remain images sitting on a chip, a hard drive or a desktop file. How often do I search out the album on the bookshelf? Hardly ever. When I was a teenager, I used to look through the albums of me as a child, remembering certain holidays or favorite, long lost toys  now immortalized in a glossy 4x6. I wonder if Nad and Mi will remember the moments those photos were snapped. Will Mila remember her 4th birthday at the park, the lemon and vanilla cupcakes melting in the sun? I don't remember this day, this backyard stoop or this hat. The two front teeth are a familiar sight; I still have those, larger than the rest of teeth smiling back at me...

Summer Strawberry Lemonade

I lived abroad for a year while in school, and had a craving for my mom's homemade lemonade one hot summer day. Although lemonade is simple enough to make, I called my mom for her recipe and it has always been my favorite. What's great about making lemonade from scratch is that you can add the water glass by glass, keeping a jar of lemonade base in the fridge all summer long. 

I would make this often that summer in Bordauex. Alicia and I would eat the candied peel hot, straight from the pot, as she would mix a tart and sugary spoonful into her beer.  To make a strawberry version of this delicious drink, just add fresh strawberry puree. This is wonderful mixed with fizzy water instead of still. I also like to add sliced strawberries and fresh mint, making it extra fancy! 

Homemade Lemonade 

Boil the following for 5 minutes in a small pot...

2 cups sugar

1 cup water

Rind of 2 large lemons cut into strips

1/8 tsp. salt

Cook and add juice of 6 lemons

Strain and keep in fridge

To enjoy a glass of lemonade, 2 tblsp syrup and 1 glass water!

Yesterday we celebrated Mila's 4th birthday. Aaron and I made too much food!  Although the cupcakes were delicious, I'd have to say the most pleasing was the strawberry lemonade... 

Mila, the Mermaid Princess turns 4!

A Busy Week...

So I've hinted at my new job and I wanted to share my first window and display for Anthropologie with you. I am the Display Coordinator at the 4th Street store in Berkeley and am enjoying it immensely!!!   I just finished the window installation this week and I think it turned out beautifully! If you are in the East Bay come check out the store; the installation moves throughout the exterior and interior space and is fun to see in person. The text in the picture above it hand cut paper in the style of Rob Ryan and was the first bit of display I did for the store last week. I'm having so much fun in the new position! 

My Dream House

I've spent my whole life imaging various ideal homes for myself. They have taken many forms over the years. On any given day I can imagine myself in the quintessential Parisian apartment complete with peeling flocked damask wallpaper in raspberry red or perhaps I live in a Mexican style house with an inner courtyard and patterned handmade tiles in azure and orange. But yesterday while visiting Katie at Anthro Corte Madera, I came across an image she had saved of Japanese architect, Terunobu Fujimori's work.  I think if you asked me today where I would want to spend my ideal night, it might be in one of these structures...

I love to walk with Aaron or even alone. During every walk I always wish my journey lead me to some secret Tea House tucked away on a woodland path. I think this is what I had in mind...

These creations remind me of something from a Miyazaki animation, part dream, part nature, something remembered and internal, wholly wondrous and magical.

I had to share!

Apricot Jam & Buttermilk Biscuits

I spent my 4th of July making my first batch of Apricot Jam of the season. Last year I was lucky enough to pick my own apricots, but this year I purchased them from a produce stand in Sonoma. I tried leaving the skins on as removing them takes over an hour, and I have to say I like the jam better with the skins. The jam turned out beautifully!  It's rich orange glow looks amazing on the pantry shelf and it has the perfect balance of sweet and tangy. I finally had a chance today to make buttermilk biscuits. I have to say its one of my favorite pairings of food... homemade biscuits and jam. All I need now is a jar of ice tea and my Sunday is set!

Sunday Hunting

Spent last Sunday at the Flea Market hunting for treasures!!!  I love this red bike Yasmine found... Came home with a pieces for myself as well including an amazing anatomical chart ...

Happy hunting!