La Dolce Vita

i’ve got sunshine …

2012-01-28T14:37:00.001-05:00

I thought that after my complaining about missing summer, I ought to look for a little sunshine indoors to get me through the winter.

Just goes to show that there is always a little color in your life if you look for it. Have a great weekend!

Best,

Stephanie

missing …

2012-01-26T17:49:00.001-05:00

I know I shouldn’t rush the days away, but I miss this time of year. I miss walking around with my camera capturing beautiful things. I miss the water, the views, and the warmth.

And I miss how the last remaining farm in the area plants beautiful flowers in front of their crops and sells them in bunches at their farm stand. Oh, how I miss that farm stand in the winter.

And I definitely miss fresh seafood eaten by the water. Everything tastes better by the water, doesn’t it? I’m an island girl after all. Long Island, that is.

And I miss how if you drive just a little bit north, you get beautiful sunsets over the Long Island Sound.

I hate to whine, really. I know I’m lucky to live where I do. But on rainy, chilly days like today, I miss summer days. So I am really enjoying all the posts from those of you who live in warmer places, even if I am a bit jealous. Keep ‘em coming ladies! You’ve got to get me through the rest of this winter!

Best,
Stephanie

random ramblings …

2012-01-23T14:47:00.001-05:00

It was a quiet weekend here – a little rearranging of some bookshelves, a little snow, a lot of cuddling with my family. I think I barely left the house at all. But I do have some random things to share.

Kalas Sea Salt. A little lower in sodium and more flavorful than the supermarket boxed salt. This Greek sea salt is a staple for cooking in my house, and you can find it in specialty stores or on-line for less than $3 for a pretty good sized shaker. If you see it, give it a try. I haven’t bought another salt for general cooking or the table in years.

As of this morning, this book was still free on Kindle. The link is below, a couple of posts ago. Even if you don’t have a kindle, any device that takes the Kindle App – such as an ipad or phone – will allow you to get free Kindle books. Just be sure to check the price before you hit buy in case it changes.

In just two more weeks, these lovelies will be in full force at nearby Planting Fields Arboretum. I can’t wait to get my camera on these. And really, there are few things that I love more than a warm greenhouse on a winter’s day. It warms my heart and my toes. This was a past photo from the Camellia Greenhouse. Yes, a whole big greenhouse filled with camellias. And then an other even larger one filled with lots of lovely flowers. Heavenly.

After a very very long hiatus, I picked up a paintbrush for the first time this year. I’ve a long way to go to get back to where I was when I painted all the time but it felt so good. And even though this was last year’s resolution, it felt even better to check it off my “list”. Hey, better late than never, right?

Best,
Stephanie

that kind of woman …

2012-01-21T10:27:00.001-05:00

I saw a quote on Pretty Pink Tulips last summer, and pinned it on Pinterest. Since that day, over 1100 people have re-pinned it from me and over 200 have “liked” it. That doesn’t count everyone who pinned it on their own or from other people. Kind of crazy, right? So I thought I would share it with all of you, because I still really love this one.

I do want to be that kind of woman. Especially at this time of year – with it’s clean fresh start.

And if you’re not familiar with Pretty Pink Tulips or it’s charming author Elizabeth, do head on over. She’s got style and grace down pat. You’re in for a delightful visit whenever you stop by.

Hope you all have a great week!

Best,
Stephanie

a freebie

2012-01-19T08:58:00.001-05:00

Just a quick post today. I know this time of year we are all looking to get organized. Well, for a very limited time, this book, regularly $17, is free for Kindle readers here. That includes free for people who have the kindle app on their iPad, iPod touch or smart phone. I’m not at all sure when it ends, so keep on eye on the price before you hit the “Buy” button. I bought this one and haven’t read more than a few pages, but it looks like a terrific organizing tool.

Best,

Stephanie

in the kitchen

2012-01-13T12:55:00.001-05:00

I made a new recipe from Pioneer Woman last week. Click here for the link. It is for Cheeseburger Salad – or as she described it – all the goodness of a cheeseburger in a salad. This picture is from her website.

I pretty much followed her recipe, but I did make a couple of changes. I was in a total rush, so I bought croutons instead of making the buttery golden ones featured on Pioneer Woman, and I bought a bag of grated cheddar from the supermarket. And instead of keeping the beef warm while I made the salad, I made the salads and then cooked the beef. My family liked it so much, they asked me to make it again. The very next day! (Don’t worry, I didn’t. But they have been asking for it since.) A quick meal that is on the table in just a few minutes and the whole family loved it? We have a winner! For the full recipe, remember to go here.

Cheeseburger Salad:

1. Prepare your salads on individual plates with lettuce, tomato, red onion, shredded cheddar and diced pickle spears.

2. Brown the ground beef. (For my family of 4, the 2 pounds in the recipe yielded some leftovers, but it does cook down a fair amount.)

3. Once the beef is browned, drain the fat, and add in

1/3 cup Ketchup

1 teaspoon Yellow Mustard

1 Tablespoon Dijon Or Spicy Mustard

2 Tablespoons Barbecue Sauce

(Of course, the more or less beef you cook, adjust the proportions of condiments. I didn’t even measure, just did it by eye.)

4. Stir to combine, and then let it cook for a minute to warm up and combine the flavors. Top the salads with the beef. Add croutons.

That’s it. Even mustard haters loved the flavor – they combine so you really don’t taste a lot of mustard. The beauty of this recipe is that not only is it fast and tasty, but you can as easily make it for 1 as you can for 10.

As always, let me know if you try it and what you think. Have a great weekend!

Best,
Stephanie

we have a winner …

2012-01-11T08:58:00.001-05:00

Or two. Let me explain. I filled the bowl up. Just like that. Then I mixed it really well. Covered my youngest’s eyes and had her pick. And I was thrilled to see who won.

Yay! Denise has been a regular reader for some time, has a terrific blog of her own over at Den's Daily Life, is a real sweetheart, and has been under the weather lately. So I was really happy she won. Congratulations Denise!

But then I started thinking of all the lovely new people who have joined this page and stopped by with a sweet comment. And I wanted one of you to win too. Okay, so I said I was doing one giveaway. But then I thought no one would really mind a second chance to win. So I put everyone’s name back in the bowl, and then added in all of my followers for a new winner. And I was really happy to see who won that one too.

Yay! part deux! Annie is new here, and has her own terrific blog over at Lovely Things. Plus I love the name Annie. So I was very happy to see that a new follower won too. Congratulations Annie!

I urge you all to stop by these lovely ladies’ blogs and say “congrats!” or even just “hi!”. You’ll be glad you visited their blogs. Congratulations Denise and Annie. Ladies, please let me know what book you choose and I will e-mail you to get the address to send it to.

And stay tuned, because I have another giveaway in mind that I hope to do soon.

Best,

Stephanie

oh the places we’ll go …

2012-01-09T11:16:00.001-05:00

By now you probably know that I am all about going to new places. I love it all – the adventure, the experience, the photo opportunities! Last Monday, as I was clearing out a stack of last years magazines, I found this place. I am so there! It’s the Omni Bedford Springs Resort in Pennsylvania. It looks like someplace I’d love to visit, having started in the very early 1800’s, with over 200 years of history behind it, including being famed for it’s restorative mineral springs, and many presidential visits. The pools are fed from the mineral springs, and look like a terrific place to relax.

It’s definitely someplace I am adding to my list of places to visit soon. If any of you have been or plan on visiting, I would love to hear about it. (Photos are from the Omni Bedford Springs Resort webpage.)

Also, there is still time to enter the giveaway in last Friday’s post! Be sure to leave a comment – even it is just saying “hi” - to be entered. I see a few new followers but not everyone commented and I would hate for anyone to miss out. I’m hoping to do a few giveaways this year, so stay tuned! In the meantime, I am so excited to see some new faces and promise to visit within the next week. Good luck to all of you on the contest!

Best,

Stephanie

happy happy blogday …

2012-01-06T09:35:00.001-05:00

to me, to me … well, I cannot believe it’s been three years to the day since I started this little ole blog of mine. Wish I could slice you up a piece of cake! Three years ago, I had few readers, no followers, and no idea if I would continue. But I had friends who would read it, and then send me an e-mail about what I had posted. Which is kind of funny, if you think about it. They still do this. Cuties.

In honor of the occasion, I was thinking of a giveaway. Since this blog is mostly about what I am up to in the kitchen, my home, places I’ve been or like to go, and photography, I thought I would offer up some in each category, with the winner picking their favorite one.

In the kitchen, I picked this one. Worth it for the cinnamon rolls alone.

In the home category, I went with a newer one, and an older one.

For travel, this was the pick. I like it because it is great for weekends away in the US and Canada.

And for photography, it had to be these. The first one is a fascinating look into the world at the beginning of color photography. Whether you’re a photographer or a student of history or just people, it is amazing. That one man had the vision to take on this project astounds me. The second one is widely regarded as a must read for any photographer. Tons of great information here.

Now for the rules. (there always are rules for these, right?) Leave a comment letting me know you would like to win. You can choose one right now, or you can choose it later. If you are a follower who enters, you automatically get a second entry. If you post this contest to your blog, link to this post, then come back and let me know for another entry. Not too hard, right? I will take comments through Tuesday at 1 p.m. Eastern US time, since I know not everyone blogs over the weekend, and announce the winner on Wednesday.

Good Luck!

Best,

Stephanie

ok, friends, your opinion please…

2012-01-04T09:06:00.001-05:00

I have a book dilemma. Despite giving away hundreds of books last year, my bookshelves are overflowing. So I’ve taken to stacking my coffee table books and collections around the house. On tables, on floors. They looked fine, but I never really looked at them as much as I wanted to. Right now, I need them on some sort of shelves so I can see them and pull out just the one I want instead of hunting around. So the question is, would you go for a traditional book case, like these – only in white to match the room best:

(why, yes, they are on sale!). These would take up more space than I wanted to in the only room they could go in, but fit in with the traditional look of my house. Another option for these bookcases would be shelves on top and cabinets on the bottom.

The other option would be this more contemporary shelving from Design Within Reach, which I would get in white, like the top option:

The first one fits in with my home better, but takes up a lot more space. The second one is less expensive, although I would need two of them, and takes up less space. Also, the second one sort of “disappears” once filled.

You ladies have the best taste I know, so I’d really appreciate your help here. Weigh in ladies – traditional or space saving? Thanks!

Best,
Stephanie

resolved …

2012-01-02T16:01:00.001-05:00

Happy New Year, friends! It’s that time of year when we’re either making resolutions, refusing to make resolutions, or thinking about how we did last year. I think I did OK overall. Some things I accomplished, some I didn’t and some I did better than I had in the past, so that is just fine.

Among the successes: I did better in enjoying the moment, though this one is always a work in progress. I simplified a few things at home, though not nearly enough. Big plans for this year on that one! I was pretty creative, though most of it involved baking and entertaining. (don’t worry, no one complained about the fruits of those labors!) I did my best to be a better wife and mom. I did lots more volunteering. I learned some new things – including French! whoo! This one was on the list for years. I’ve been happy many more days than not. I bought fresh flowers a lot more than in the past.

Less than successful were picking up the paintbrush again – I didn’t, but I am determined to do it this year, finishing things around the house, and becoming a better gardener.

This year, I am trying to keep things simple – I have one resolution: Be Healthy! Physically, emotionally, and in every aspect of my life and relationships. I want a clean, simple balance to my life, and this year, I am really going to work on that.

How about you – any resolutions this year?

All the best in 2012

Stephanie

more Christmas in NYC

2011-12-30T10:19:00.001-05:00

Ready for more Christmas photos? These are the last ones – promise! First up, is the ice skating in Bryant Park that I mentioned, but forgot to post.

Next up is St. Patrick’s Cathedral as the sun set. Pretty, isn’t it?

Next up the stores and store windows …. first is Saks Fifth Avenue.

One of many trees inside Tiffany & Co. and then Bergdorf Goodman.

These light up snowflakes are so pretty at night, but we’d left the area before dark.

Last up is a display of animated bears we saw on 53rd Street on our way out of the city. These were adorable!

When I saw that last one, I thought of my friend Deb at Paper Turtle. I figured once she saw these, she’d be making cut out trees and reindeer for next year! Gotta love that crafty girl!

Last shot for today. Anyone have any idea how I did this? Because I don’t!

Hope you enjoyed the NYC trip with me. I am thinking this is the last post I will get in for 2011. I hope to see you all back here in 2012. Wishing each of you a very Happy and Healthy New Year and all the best for 2012!

Best, always,
Stephanie

hope you’re still in the Christmas mood …

2011-12-28T12:14:00.001-05:00

… because I still have a lot of photos to share! The day after Christmas found my family, plus my dad, my sister and her family in NYC for the day. First up, “The Tree”. It’s how most New Yorkers refer to the Rockefeller Christmas tree. Isn’t she a beauty?

Favorite overheard line of the day: “Why is it so crowded here? What is everyone doing here at the tree?!?” Um, same thing you are?

Next up was Bryant Park, behind the NY Public Library (you’ve seen it in many movies I am sure. The one with the lions in front?) for a peek at their tree, the ice skating, and the holiday shops.

Then on to Times Square.

The ball is up and ready to drop!

In the next post, I will show you the store windows I took photos of, as well as a few other goodies. Hope you’re all relaxing and enjoying. I am – there is something about this week that I love. Enjoying the kiddos, and looking forward to the new year.

Best,

Stephanie

o holy night

2011-12-24T16:24:00.001-05:00

“…the stars are brightly shining. It is the night, of our dear Savior’s birth …”

On this holiest of nights, I’m sending to each of you every good wish for the Merriest of Christmases. May you be surrounded by family and friends. May there be peace, love and hope in your home and in your heart. May you enjoy good company and good health. And may Santa bring each of you something special. Merry Christmas, friends.

Best, always,

Stephanie

the details …

2011-12-23T10:38:00.001-05:00

Though it has been a very busy week for the whole family, I managed to shoot just a few of the details that make Christmas special for us. Since my dining room walls are a soft sage green, I decided to do the whole room with green, white and silver accents. Set off by a white tablecloth and candles and fresh greens on the corner hutch, the room looked so pretty and bright.

We’ve gotten more than twice these cards since they’ve arrived, so we have a second card display now. I love getting Christmas greetings from friends and family. Maybe you can spot your card in the mix?

These are the sweet houses that I won last year from Heather Bullard. Aren’t they adorable?

It may seem strange to hang the Christmas stockings from a window, but they really work in that room, so we went with it. It seems no matter how heavy the stocking holders we got, we always ended up with something tipping over.

The living room and tree have an overlaying them of fruits, flowers and butterflies. Here are some of them, as well as some favorite ornaments.

Last but not least, our angel topping the tree. We’ve had her at the top of the tree since our first married Christmas, and I really love her. She was a present from my dad, who wanted me to choose a light up star, (he tried to talk me into it for over an hour) but let me have what I really wanted instead.

That’s all for now – if I posted all of our Christmas details, we’d probably be here until next Christmas! I hope you’re all ready and relaxing as we come into the final stretch.
Best,
Stephanie

the party’s over …

2011-12-19T11:38:00.001-05:00

And I’m pretty tired! We had about 80 people here on Saturday night, and I cooked up a storm. I have not one good photo to share, but I will share the not great ones. At least you’ll get the idea. I only took one of these photos, and I didn’t get a chance to get any others after the tables were full because the guests were arriving. But I had two helpers here who kept these platters stocked and restocked and kept things coming out of the oven all night. It completely freed me up to enjoy the evening once everyone arrived.

First up – the appetizers…

Cutest cheese plate ever, right? (That platter is about two feet long, and I use it for everything!) We made a ton of other appetizers too – kielbasa, cocktail sausages wrapped in bacon, sweet and sour meatballs, antipasto shots (individual servings of cold antipasto in little tumblers), shrimp cocktail, ham and cheese sliders (I got these from pinterest and they are delicious!), scallops wrapped in bacon, crab salad, mini spring rolls, spanakopita (spinach and cheese wrapped in buttery phyllo dough) and tiropita (cheese wrapped in buttery phyllo).

We also made salad, grilled veggies, and had a tomato and mozzarella platter with the most amazing fresh mozzarella from a local Italian delicatessen. The main course was chinese chicken salad (I got this recipe from the Barefoot Contessa and love it! Plus, the veggies are red and green so it looked Christmas-y), filet of beef with horseradish sauce (because who doesn’t love beef tenderloin? Thirty pounds of it, and there are maybe two pounds left), and penne ala vodka. The table with the leaves in is about 14 feet long, and it was full to the brim by the time we finished setting up. To give you an idea of the perspective, that green platter with the beef is about three feet long. Crazy, right?

Did I mention dessert? You may know by now that I love to bake. Shocking, right? I made a dessert table, but I didn’t get a single good shot of it. But again, you’ll get the idea. You may not want to read this if you have a sweet tooth … Dark Chocolate Cake, Devil’s Food Cake with Raspberry Cream Frosting, White Cake with White Chocolate Frosting, Red Velvet Cupcakes, Petit Fours, Peppermint Patties, Chocolate Covered Pretzels, and Red Velvet Cake Balls.

Want to know what I cooked on Sunday? Nothing! You have to love leftovers! I need one more day to regroup and finish my shopping and I will be back with the rest of the Christmas decorations. Hope you’re all well!

Best,

Stephanie

oops!

2011-12-12T15:04:00.001-05:00

I seriously intended to blog before three weeks had passed – really! (I can hardly believe it’s been three weeks!) But life has a way of sneaking up on you, I guess. But the house is nearly done being decorated, and I am nearly done with my holiday shopping, and except for a few small matters, I have wrapped up this year’s work. So at least I am off to a pretty decent start. I’ve missed you all and hope to catch up this week. How’ve you been and what’s new?

There’s a quick shot of the tree at the end.

Best,

Stephanie

baking days …

2011-11-21T11:08:00.001-05:00

Well, the holidays are upon us, and so is my urge to bake something every single day. I’ve managed to hold back until now, but the oven mitts are off.

This little cutie pie is something that was so easy to do. I just took my regular chocolate cake recipe which makes two 8 inch layers, and poured it into three 6 inch pans instead. Bake for 25-30 minutes instead of 35 minutes (keep an eye on it, the time will depend on your oven), and then let them cool as normal.

Trim the rounded part off of two of the layers, saving the nicest, least rounded layer for the top tier. Then just pipe on the frosting with a large star tip. I smoothed the top layer and topped it off with a gum paste rose I had made a while back. But any flower will do, even a quick piped butter cream flower of your choice, or just make a little swirl. Not my best frosting job, but this was just a practice run. (Somehow, the kids never mind trying out my experiments!)

You can frost the whole cake as usual of course, but this way is a good choice for someone who loves chocolate cake but not a ton of frosting.

The frosting is my usual with a little tint of pink and some raspberry extract added in. A sweet treat to begin the week.

Enjoy!

Best,

Stephanie

more random stuff …

2011-11-18T10:17:00.001-05:00

1. I’m on the bake sale committee for my son’s high school, and I made my always popular rainbow cupcakes with tie-dye frosting. Can I brag a bit? We got a ton of donations for the sale, and mine were the only ones that were all gone. 48 cupcakes. One kid came back three times for more, told all of his friends, and asked me to make them again in the spring bake sale. (I wanted to bake just for that kid all over again!)

2. I’ve been running around like crazy between work, kids and volunteering, and it is catching up with me. I need a vacation and the holidays aren’t even here yet! Any one want to join me for warm sand and fruity drinks on the beach?

3. As I was in our neighboring little village last week, this man was being very rude to a woman. A fight over a parking spot when there was another 2 spots away and a free parking lot behind the stores. Some seniors from our town were there and one softly said to him, “That isn’t how a gentleman speaks to a lady” as he walked by. It immediately stopped the man in his tracks. So the next time people talk about kids today – hah! There are still lots of great ones around.

4. I’ve picked up a goodie or two (or ten) at Amazon this week. Fun stuff! I’m very excited about the new cookbooks, but especially about the 36 Hours book from the New York Times. It showcases the 36 Hours feature from the paper where they detail where to go for 36 hours in the USA and Canada. I’m looking forward to finding all sorts of fun stuff for weekend getaways.

5. I didn’t eat any of them, but I really want a cupcake!

6. Our high school had the sports awards Tuesday night. For Junior Varsity, the only award is the Spirit Award. Want to guess who won? Yup! That’s my boy!

7. And last but not least, Southern Living and Coastal Living have just come out with iPad editions of their magazines. They’re really well done. Want to know what else? If you already subscribe to the magazine, they give you free access to the iPad edition. So I plan on recycling my print versions by sharing with a friend, and keeping the iPad ones on hand for easy access whenever I want them. You can find them in the App Store.

Hope all’s well with you! And have a great weekend!

Best,
Stephanie

veteran’s day …

2011-11-11T11:57:00.001-05:00

“I have no illusions about what little I can add now to the silent testimony of those who gave their lives willingly for their country… For the sight before us is that of a strong and good nation that stands in silence and remembers those who were loved, and in turn, loved their countrymen enough to die for them.” – Ronald Reagan

God Bless those who served and serve, and especially those who gave all. Thank you for your service and your sacrifice.

Best,
Stephanie

snoozing…

2011-11-10T09:42:00.001-05:00

Don’t you wish you had a pup’s life? Our little sweetie has been dozing away in the sun every morning. Whereas I have been working, organizing a fundraiser, attending board meetings, PTO meetings, and baking macaron for my daughter’s French class. And I finally took out Lola this morning for the first time all week.

Thanks to all of you for your encouraging words on my last post. I’m thinking about whether taking a break is the right way to go, or just muddle through a bit. Either way, I’ll keep you posted! And remember to keep the kindness flowing, especially as the holidays approach.

Best,

Stephanie

random …

2011-11-08T14:11:00.001-05:00

1. This fireworks shot from last month reminds me more of stars than fireworks. Right? Like a far away galaxy.

2. I feel that between everything going on in my life, my blogging mojo is a no-go. What do you do when you get this way? Because I really need to snap out of it. My poor camera has been neglected all week. She probably thinks I don’t love her anymore. (Yes, my camera is a she. Her name is Lola.)

3. If you live in the US, it’s Election Day today. Get out there and vote! Every voice makes a difference.

4. I want to start a grassroots movement where we all go just a little out of our way to be kind and courteous to others. Some of the things I’ve seen lately are kind of absurd. People cutting people off, letting doors shut in other people’s faces instead of holding it open, not doing that one little thing that makes our days go easier, all these bug me. But I have actually seen people ram a shopping cart into another person and not apologize. Grown women in a very upscale store shoving each other to get to the last of an item. These things are flat out nuts. Is it me, or has common courtesy been flying out the window lately?

5. I’ve accidentally deleted a few comments recently, and you can’t get them back once you do, so if you notice your comment is missing on a post, I’m really sorry.

6. I am getting a few free or very inexpensive books every week through Pixel of Ink. Click on the link, and sign up for the e-mail and you get a list of free books for Kindle and Nook every day. I don’t love every single book, and many are books I may not have chosen for myself if I’d been browsing. But in the last 6 months or so, I’ve gotten at least 40 free books, most of which I liked, and at least 10 of which I really liked a lot. You won’t find something you love everyday, but hey, even one free book a week is pretty good, right? It works for Kindle, Nook or any of the devices you can read them on, like an iPad or smart phone.

7. I’m loving all the bloggers who have been posting things they’re grateful for all month. It’s a really neat idea, and you’ve got to stop and appreciate all you have.

8. One of the many things I’m grateful for is all of the blogging friends I’ve made here, and the beauty you put out in the world.

Best,

Stephanie

I’m back!

2011-11-02T12:43:00.001-04:00

Hello friends! Sorry for the unintentional blogging break, and thank you for your sweet birthday wishes. We’ve been overwhelmed here, my aunt passed away, and well, I just didn’t feel like blogging. And except for pictures of my little one on Halloween, I didn’t have any new photos to share with you. So to fill in and tide us over, I decided to do a brief beauty favorites. Hope you find something you love here,

First up, Butter nail polish. You can get it on line, or in certain stores, like Nordstrom. In every color from fun to funky, these polishes are beautiful and completely free of those cancer-causing chemicals that make me shudder. I mean, suffering for beauty is one thing, getting sick is completely another. They aren’t the longest lasting polishes I’ve tried, but they dry so quickly, it’s super fast and easy to touch them up. Manicure in minutes? I’m in!

Another old favorite is this one from Vaseline. Intensive Rescue Repairing Moisture lotion keeps my feet sandal ready all year long. Unscented, not greasy, and really effective, it is great at keeping winter skin hydrated.

In winter, I tend to move away from the light scents of summer. Green Tea by Bulgari is still light, but with a little more “presence” than what I wear in warmer months. With bergamot, bitter orange, orange blossom, ceylon cardamom, pepper, coriander, bulgarian rose, jasmine, green tea and smoked wood, this perfume is just a light touch of citrus and tea that never fails to get compliments.

Another product I can’t get enough of this time of year is the Body Shop’s Satsuma products, especially the body butter and the shower gel. Its sweet citrusy scent will leave you smelling like the most delicious tangerine you’ve ever smelled.

If you’re like me, antibacterial gels are too drying on your hands this time of year. I found this Clean Antibacterial Hand lotion at Sephora. It isn’t quite enough moisture for me for winter, but it does the trick without drying my hands.

What are your winter beauty must haves?

Best,
Stephanie

sweets and treats …

2011-10-26T09:51:00.001-04:00

Thanks to all you sweeties who left birthday wishes here, on Facebook, in emails and more. You girls really made my day! It was a great but busy weekend – football, birthdays, and softball, going out with friends, and lots of fun stuff. Not too much to share here, just some birthday treats – a mint chocolate cupcake, because I don’t usually bake myself a cake for my birthday – so this post will be a little random. I did bake for my dad the next day – a red velvet cake with cinnamon flavored frosting. Yum! It’s lighter than cream cheese frosting, and really tasty.

I’ve given up my diet coke addiction, but every once in a while, you really want one. These little mini-bottles are so cute and hit the spot just right. Have you seen them? I think they’re adorable.

Has anyone ever asked you what is the one food you would choose if you were on a desert island? For me, it would be tomatoes. Definitely. YUM! This one was the very last one from my dad’s garden this year, and he gave it to his tomato-loving girl. (Thanks Dad!)

He also brought me the last of his beautiful Dahlias from his garden. (Isn’t my dad the best?) I hope your week is sweet and full of treats!

Best,

Stephanie

apple picking …

2011-10-21T10:14:00.001-04:00

Few things say fall to me like apple picking, farm stands, and pumpkins. On a recent drive upstate, we got all three … a lot of pictures here – enjoy! And have a great weekend! (I’ll be celebrating my birthday with family this weekend, and there will be cake!)

Best,

Stephanie

sugar cookies

2011-10-20T10:30:00.001-04:00

By now, I think we all have a favorite sugar cookie recipe. But sometimes, you need on that really holds it’s shape, especially with fancier cookie cutters. It’s even more important if you top your cookies with fondant, like these, since you need the shapes to match up just right. When you do, this is the best recipe for the job. If your cookies are 3 inches or so, you get about 3 dozen cookies. The smaller or bigger your cookie, the more or less you get. Enjoy!

Best,

Stephanie

Sugar Cookies

3 cups of all purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 lb unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup of sugar

1 large egg, at room temperature

1 tsp vanilla

1.   Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit

2.   Sift flour with baking powder and set aside

3.   In an electric mixer cream butter and sugar together with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy.   Don’t overdo it.

4. Add the egg and the vanilla and beat for one more minute.   The ingredients should be completely combined when you’re done.

5. Add half the flour, and mix until just incorporated.   Then add remaining flour, and mix until the dough starts to come away from the sides of the bowl.

6. Put the dough on a piece of parchment paper, and knead it for a minute or so.

7. Place it in a plastic bag, seal it tightly, and refrigerate it for at least an hour.   (The dough will hold up pretty well overnight in the fridge but you may have to let it sit 5 minutes to be able to roll it, depending on how cold your fridge is. )

8. Roll out the dough on parchment paper so that you don’t need to add more flour. This keeps the cookies nice and soft.

9. Roll the dough out until it is about 1/8 of an inch thick.

(these Rolling Pin guides are a lifesaver for rolling dough evenly)

10. Place the cookies on an ungreased cookie sheet. Because they don’t really spread, you can place them fairly close together, but make sure you have enough room to get your spatula in there to lift them.

11.   Bake for 8-9 minutes, until the cookies are a light golden brown. Do not over-bake them. They’ll continue to cook for a bit after you take them out, so keep a good eye on them.

12. Place cookies on a wire rack to cool completely before decorating.

That’s it!

from city to shore …

2011-09-29T10:21:00.001-04:00

Just a few shots from a recent trip to the beach. The sky was just so full of these huge white clouds. I’ll let the photos do the talking today. Enjoy!

Best,

Stephanie

a few I missed …

2011-09-26T10:04:00.001-04:00

I just came across these shots I missed a few weeks ago when I was on my blog break. Even if I’m not blogging, I’m almost always taking photographs. My daughter and I walked took a long walk that day - over 40 blocks. Phew!

The first two photos are in Central Park. I can’t encourage you enough to walk through the many different areas of the Park. Nearly every walkway has something you would enjoy seeing.

These next two are a reminder to keep looking up in NYC. There is so much neat and varied architecture. This church on the Upper West Side could have been in England.

Bringing the farmers market to NYC… This was a weekly event at Rockefeller Center. If it weren’t raining and I had more time, I definitely would have shopped more!

And finally, palm trees in Rockefeller Center. I thought it was neat to see a palm tree and a skyscraper in the same frame. Not something you see everyday.

Hope you enjoyed taking a walk with me!

Best,
Stephanie

a heart and a quote for friday …

2011-09-23T10:36:00.002-04:00

“Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful, we must carry it with us or we find it not.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson

I loved this hydrangea – it looked just like a heart to me. Hope you see something beautiful today. Have a great weekend, my friends!

Best,
Stephanie

dinner in a hurry …

2011-09-21T12:52:00.001-04:00

Okay, so I am clearly not a food photographer, especially with the camera and editing issues I’ve been having. But trust me, this one looked way better in person and it’s delicious. It is one of my go-to meals year round whenever I need dinner in a hurry or I don’t want to turn the oven on. A meal the whole family will eat, in less than 15 minutes? I’m so there. It’s too easy to even call a recipe, but here goes:

BBQ Ranch Chicken Salad

1/2-1 cup of your favorite BBQ sauce, depending on amount of chicken used

Chicken breast, cut into bite sized pieces

Your favorite salad fixings (I used lettuce, tomato, cucumber and onions)

1/2-1 cup of corn, cooked and cooled

Shredded Cheese (I used the 4 cheese blend here)

Ranch dressing

1. In a medium to large saucepan, heat up enough BBQ sauce over medium high heat to coat the chicken. For a family of 4, I find that 1/2 a cup is generally plenty.

2. When the sauce is warm, add in the chicken, stirring occasionally, until cooked through. For bite sized pieces, this is usually 10 minutes, but do check a piece for doneness before you take the chicken off the stove.

3. While the chicken is cooking, cook the corn, and prepare the salad. I like to put it in a ring around the outside of the platter, and then leave a space in the center for the chicken. This way the heat of the chicken won’t wilt your lettuce.

4. When the corn is cooked, run it under cold water for a bit and then drain thoroughly. Sprinkle the corn on top of the salad.

5. Top the corn and salad with cheese.

6. When the chicken is done, put it in the center of the salad and serve with Ranch dressing.

7. Optional: If you want to be a little bad, this salad also works great with fried onion strips, tortilla strips or chips, or croutons.

The nice thing about this salad is you can make it as healthy or as naughty as you’d like. I find the salad is satisfying the way it is, so I just use a tiny bit of dressing to give it a little zest. But the combination of flavors really works well together.

Enjoy!

Best,

Stephanie

baking!

2011-09-19T09:45:00.001-04:00

With the cooler weather upon us, my self-imposed baking hiatus is at an end. Last week, I made cupcakes, chocolate chip cookie-brownie bars, cinnamon rolls (and if you haven’t tried Pioneer Woman’s cinnamon rolls, you are definitely missing out!), cookies, and homemade dinner rolls. I was still feeling blue, and all that baking was therapeutic. The kids and neighbors were really happy too. It was the first time I ever made bread, and boy did this house smell good last week!

All of that baking made me think it was a good time to share with all of you two of the easiest ways to decorate a cupcake. Take your favorite frosting, a bag for your frosting, and a 1M tip. A 1M is a little bigger than your average frosting tip. Set up your tip, then fill the bag half way with frosting. The easiest way to fill the bag is to take a tall glass and “cuff” the top half of the bag over the edge. Then fill it up to the top of the glass, take it out of the glass, twist the top closed, and pipe away. Uniform pressure is the key to good frosting, and always remember to remove the pressure before you pull up the tip so you don’t get any “tails” or trails. For both of these, you keep your tip straight up and down – a 90 degree angle to the top of the cupcake.

For the ice cream looking swirly top, start at the outside of the cupcake, and make a circle swirling back to where you began, and towards the center. As you pipe towards the center, you are going to build your frosting a little over the outer row, to give it a little height. When you get to the middle, release the pressure on the bag and then pull up slightly in the center. That’s how you get that little “kiss” in the center.

For the rose effect, you use the same tip, but start at the center, then work your way outside in circles. Don’t build up the frosting by overlapping like you do on the swirl one – you want it to lay flat. The tip does all the work for you. Just be sure to let up the pressure before you get to the very end, and then gently pull across to finish the rose. The red streak was done by striping the inside of the bag with red gel food color, but these look just as pretty in solid colors.

Hope you all try it out! And thank you very much to all of you for your kind words about my Godfather. I truly appreciate it.

Best,

Stephanie

soup’s on!

2011-09-15T12:41:00.001-04:00

Sorry about being an absentee blogger again! With the first week of school and football, softball and violin lessons starting up, it’s been busy. And I’ve been pretty sad about the passing of my godfather. He was absolutely an amazing man, and I think I may do a post all about him one day soon.

On a happier note, I made my family very happy this week, with the assistance of some good old Steak Soup. It’s definitely a hearty soup, but a little lighter than a stew. I topped it with homemade onion straws, but the canned ones or croutons work just as well.

Steak Soup

1/4 cup of olive oil

1 cup onion, diced

1 tsp minced garlic

1 cup carrots, diced

1 cup celery, diced

1/2 cup of flour

1.5 qts low sodium beef broth

1.5 quarts low sodium chicken stock

2 lbs skirt or flank steak

2 cups diced Idaho potatoes

Worcestershire sauce

1. Grill the steak to medium, cut it into bite sized pieces, and set aside. I grill it even in the winter, but a broiler will work just as well.

2. Heat olive oil over medium to medium high heat, in a large heavy saucepan (at least 5 quarts in size). When heated, add in the onion and garlic, and sautee about 5 minutes, or until softened and lightly browned.

3. Add in carrots and celery and cook a few minutes more until softened.

4. Stir in the flour and cook another minute or so. You want the flour to cook a bit, but you don’t want it to get dark.

5. Add in the chicken and beef stock, and stir to mix.

6. Toss in the steak and potatoes.

7. Bring to a simmer, and then reduce heat to keep it at a low simmer. Cook for 45-50 minutes, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are fork tender, but not mushy.

8. Add in Worcestershire sauce to taste – I use about 1 tablespoon – and then stir. Taste for seasonings and add a dash of pepper or even Tabasco sauce if you want a little kick.

9. Top with onions or croutons or whatever makes you happy!

Makes about 12 good sized bowls full, and it tastes just as good on day two. Enjoy, and as always, let me know if you give it a try!

Best,

Stephanie

back from the missing …

2011-09-07T09:26:00.001-04:00

This last little blog break was planned. Not only did the kids start school yesterday, but we dashed in and out of town for my nephew’s wedding. Blogging had to take a back seat to that! My camera is acting up, and my editing software isn’t working properly, so it makes it hard to post photos. But here is an unedited shot from the wedding.

I was so young when my nephew was born that we really grew up together. So it was extra special to see him get married. It is interesting to travel to different parts of the country and see the wedding customs there. It definitely was different from a New York wedding, but geez did we dance up a storm and have a ball! They’re enjoying a honeymoon in Hawaii right now. With all this rain we’re having, they sure picked the perfect time for it.

I hope you all had a great holiday weekend and a terrific first day of school for those who started this week!

Best,
Stephanie

september!

2011-09-01T11:19:00.001-04:00

Wow! Can you believe it’s September already? I’m still hanging on to summer!

These are just some quick snapshots of a little place not far from home. It’s a like a little taste of Maine. This lobster “shack” and seafood market has their own fleet up in Maine, and brings the seafood down fresh the same day. Order at the window, eat overlooking the water. Not too bad on a summer’s day, right? I’m still having some computer issues, so these are unedited.

I love how they still have their old truck with the lobster traps out front. For a NY girl, I am definitely developing an old-truck obsession.

And a little family of swans to entertain us as we ate.

Not quite as relaxing as a trip up the coast, but not too bad for less than half an hour from home. A nice morning at the beach, and then a really good meal overlooking the water. Anyone want to come with us next time?

Best,

2011-08-22T10:45:00.001-04:00

Hello there! Just a little more lighthouse love to start off the week.

We’re still in the middle of some home improvement work, and I have to say it is slow going. We’re giving our terrible, ugly, outdated kitchen a bit of a facelift. To be honest, it needs an entire re-do. Frankly, I don’t know how I lived with it for as long as I have, but I think you sort of block things out after a while. But in light of some future work we want to do on the house, and complete indecision as to whether or not a wall is coming down, it just doesn’t make sense to do a new kitchen now, and do it again in a couple of years. So facelift it is. But it seems like there are just as many decisions to be made as with a redo.

A few questions for you if you don’t mind:

a. Switch to radiant heat in the floors?

b. Wood floors or tile? Keep in mind that my kitchen works hard and the back entrance to the house is in the kitchen – no mudroom.

c. Right now when you first walk in, what used to be a coat closet has been converted to a pantry. Should we replace it with cabinets and counter top to match the rest, or should we put in a storage unit/coat rack like the Pottery Barn ones, with one section for each of us? I don’t like the idea of coats in the kitchen, but I very rarely fry anything, and I always use my exhaust. I do have another place for the coats, it is just far from the back door, which is the one the family uses. (So I think I’m leaning towards cabinets, but I’d love your input.)

And if you’re still reading this … THANKS!

Best,
Stephanie

spinning my wheels …

2011-08-18T11:09:00.001-04:00

Phew! Did you ever feel as though you’re running just to stand still? It has been busy busy here. School hasn’t started as it has for some parts of the country, but we have an awful lot going on just getting ready for school. A home improvement project (or three) in the works, and a family wedding in the next few weeks have kept us on our toes. Add to that, football practice has started already – 3 weeks before the season gets going. Four hours, six days a week and those boys will be tough come game one. My son usually is starting center, sometimes a guard. But it’s a whole new experience playing JV so we’ll see.

This ferris wheel was at an amusement park right on Old Orchard Beach in Maine. The kids had a ton of fun there. I wouldn’t mind a few more days R and R. Anyone have any end of summer getaways planned? Can I come?

Best,
Stephanie

a little anthro love …

2011-08-16T10:15:00.001-04:00

I just wanted to take a quick break from all the photos to share a little something I picked up last month at Anthropologie…

Aren’t they sweet? They’re ceramic versions of those berry baskets we get at the market. It is a funny thing – whenever these hit the table, we all eat more berries. Did we need them? No, but I think they’re fun and functional, and another Anthro hit. Here’s what they look like full. (Sorry for the dull photos, it has been dark and rainy here for the last few days.)

And since we’re on the topic of berries, here’s a tip I tried this week. I read it on line, and so far it seems to be working. When you bring your berries home, wash them immediately in a mixture of 10 parts of water to one part white vinegar. After a few minutes wash, rinse them, then drain them to dry before refrigerating. This is supposed to help stop that funky stuff that grows on them and ends up spoiling the bunch before you can finish them. It’s especially useful when you get the big packages from the warehouse stores, I think. No idea how long it will actually last, but so far, so good!

Best,

Stephanie

it’s a good thing …

2011-08-14T17:47:00.001-04:00

It’s a good thing we were only in Maine for a few days … otherwise I would be posting the photos until September! Here are a few I snapped at a local park and beach in York Harbor. It was so pretty there, though I have to say, I prefer our light sandy beaches to the dark gray of these.

Best,
Stephanie

oops!

2011-08-11T11:59:00.001-04:00

I realized today that I took entirely too many photos on that sunset cruise. Bear with me, won’t you? Hope you enjoy coming along!

Best,
Stephanie

freaky foggy …

2011-08-09T20:14:00.001-04:00

We can’t say we weren’t warned. One of the first things we found out about being on the water in Maine is that the weather can change in a minute, and the fog can come up in an instant. On our first day, we took a short boat trip to see the sights. When we left port, it looked like this:

When we were out less than 10 minutes, it turned to this:

That lighthouse is the same one as in the last post. Freaky, right? It only lasted a little while, and fortunately, the company that ran the tour made it up to us with a free sunset cruise. I’ll be posting those next.

Best,
Stephanie

lobsters and lighthouses …

2011-08-07T14:26:00.001-04:00

I’m back! Can you tell from the title of this post that we went to Maine? Absolutely a photographer’s dream. What a beautiful place. And while my hometown was hot, it was a pleasant 80 degrees with no humidity up there. A couple of nights we even needed jackets. I haven’t had any time to go through my photos yet, so I’ll give you a few highlights to tide you over. Be back soon!

Have a wonderful week!

Best,
Stephanie

just a few more …

2011-07-29T09:30:00.001-04:00

Today’s post is just a few more photos from our walk in Central Park. The first one is a photo of Belvedere Castle I got from Wikipedia, since we didn’t walk around that side. I just wanted to show you where we were when I took the photo in my last post. The rest of these are mine. Central Park is a very nice break from the hustle of the city. I never fail to appreciate all that lovely cool green in the middle of a hot summer day. Have a wonderful weekend, my friends!

Best,

Stephanie

nothing but blue skies …

2011-07-27T16:30:00.001-04:00

A view of Central Park from the top of Belvedere Castle this afternoon…

Best,
Stephanie

industrious …

2011-07-25T11:03:00.001-04:00

I hate spiders but I like webs – they’re such masterpieces of nature. This wonder – it was about 2 feet across! - appeared one morning outside the window near my desk, and was gone the next day. Take a walk outside today (It finally cooled off enough here to go out!) and look for a small natural beauty that you may have overlooked.

Have a great week!

Best,

Stephanie

2011-07-18T11:25:00.001-04:00

Just some more shots of our trip up to Lake Otsego. We had a great time – it’s so lovely and restful there.

Anyone have a summer getaway planned? Have a great week!

Best,

Stephanie

road trip …

2011-07-15T14:09:00.001-04:00

Whenever we go on a car trip, I love to take a picture of the road before us. Big blue skies, the anticipation of a great get away, and the open road …

Happiness and possibilities …

Have a great weekend, friends!

Best,
Stephanie

sweets and treats …

2011-07-14T11:35:00.001-04:00

Thank you to everyone for your sweet comments on the last post. It was a perfect walk – gorgeous things to see everywhere. I’ll be posting a few more photos from that trip, I’m sure. But on to the treats. Sweet chocolate decadence…

dark chocolate frosting …

3 sumptuous layers …

strawberry, vanilla, and chocolate … Yum!

This cake takes a bit of time, but is easy to make. For the frosting, just substitute dark chocolate for regular in a basic chocolate frosting recipe. And then just bake your favorite version of the other flavors and layer them up. I may try this one with pistachio instead of the strawberry too. What flavors do you think would work?

Hope your day is sweet and delicious!

Best,

Stephanie

walking …

2011-07-12T19:24:00.001-04:00

A walk through the countryside upstate took us past a simple farmhouse …

Simple, yes. But oh, what lovelies lay behind that garden gate … Enjoy a brief break in the country with me …

Best,

Stephanie

quotes ...

2011-07-11T16:10:00.001-04:00

"While we try to teach our children all about life, our children teach us what life is all about." -Angela Schwindt

Hope your week is wonderful!

Best,

Stephanie

what’s so funny?

2011-07-07T09:54:00.001-04:00

Don’t you wish you knew what they were thinking sometimes? Little pup had a great mini-vacation at the lake … happy days …

Hope your day is just as sunny!

Best,

Stephanie

addictive …

2011-07-06T09:50:00.001-04:00

Forgive me for all the hydrangea shots, but I just can’t get enough of these beauties! They’re all over the house this year and I love it! It’s a pretty wholesome addiction, I think!

Best,

Stephanie

more 4th fun …

2011-07-05T14:50:00.001-04:00

It wouldn’t be the 4th of July without red, white and blue

and sparklers …

This wasn’t the prettiest of the cupcakes, but it was the only one left by the time I got out the camera. Most of them were striped, but you get the idea. To make these, just take your favorite white cake, separate the batter into three, and color one third red, and one blue. Pour it in your cupcake pan and you’re good to go.

Hope your 4th was fabulous!

Best,
Stephanie

Happy 4th of July

2011-07-04T22:10:00.001-04:00

Hope your day was wonderful!

Best,

Stephanie

privileged

2011-07-01T11:27:00.001-04:00

"When you arise in the morning,
think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive -
to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love."
~Marcus Aurelius

Have a wonderful weekend my friends! Especially those of us celebrating the 4th! God Bless the U.S.A.!

Best,

Stephanie

from farm to table …

2011-06-29T16:14:00.001-04:00

One of summer’s sweetest pleasures is visiting a local farm for fresh fruits and veggies just picked that morning. Those sweet blueberries disappeared in a minute! Be sure to visit a local farm stand soon, and Happy Eating!

Best,

Stephanie

waterside …

2011-06-28T11:45:00.001-04:00

Over the weekend, my sister invited us to her club for dinner. It’s right on the water, and even though it was cloudy, the sunset was still lovely. Eating outside in the summer is one of my favorite things to do. Eating outside at the water and I’m in heaven.

We ate on the deck overlooking the beach, the kids went for a swim in the pool, and we spent an altogether lovely evening there. And rounded out the day with a little rock skipping…

There’s nothing like a summer evening at the shore …

Hope you’re making some lovely summer memories!

Best,

Stephanie

summertime …

2011-06-25T16:49:00.001-04:00

“Summer afternoon, summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language.” - Henry James

With school finishing yesterday, it is officially summer here. It was raining for a bit, but no less lovely for it … Happy Summer, friends!

Have a great weekend!

Best,

Stephanie

Wow!

2011-06-22T08:49:00.005-04:00

Has it really been 9 days since I've posted? Since I've visited most of your blogs? Wow! It is madly busy here as always, as we wind down the last week of school and all the parties and fun stuff that go with it ... over 1500 posts unread in my reader, so I have to say "Sorry!" and start fresh. But if I missed something big, please, let me know in comments and I'll head on over. Some quick random hits and I will do my best to be back up and running soon ...

1. Computer woes - so I have no photos to share, though I've taken literally hundreds this month. The fan is defective, and it overheats and shuts down. I need to get that repaired ASAP!

2. Katie's softball team won first place in our league and then went on to win the championship. (I have the photos, just not on this computer).

3. My son had his first experience with finals week. He is fine. I may have gotten a gray hair or two during the process.

4. My baby girl got an award in school. Our middle school goes from 5th to 7th, and at the 7th grade assembly, she was honored with an award. (And mom is extra proud because only 4 fifth graders got awards.) Hers was the Shining Star award, for embodying our school's SPARK motto (Success, Pride, Accountability, Responsibility and Kindness) and for being the school's Shining Star of what every student should be. I am so proud of her! Go Katie! I only have a phone photo my husband took right now, but that's her in the white skirt and the navy top.

5. We're making summer vacation plans ... Anyone going anyplace fabulous?

6. My niece just had her sweet 16 party this weekend, and she looked way too grown up for 16. Is it just me, or do 16 year olds look way more grown up than when we were 16. When did this happen???

7. We celebrated Father's Day and Katie's birthday here with family. We've got a LOT of family, so it's always a party when we're all together. With my brothers and sisters and their families, and my dad and grandmother, we're 21 people. Add in a few cousins, and you see what I mean. I finally made that 3 layer Neapolitan cake for her birthday. One layer each of chocolate, strawberry and vanilla. Yum!!!

Phew! That's the round up from here. Hope all's well with you all, and I'll be checking out your blogs today!

Best,
Stephanie

more quick summer meals

2011-06-13T12:40:00.001-04:00

So I definitely should have taken the photo before I tossed the ingredients together – it looked prettier that way. But don’t worry, it still tasted delicious. It is so easy, I can’t really call it a recipe, but anything that feeds my family in less than 15 minutes is a winner to me. This is one that I make on really hot days (like the 95 degrees we had Wednesday), cooking the pasta in the morning while we have breakfast, and then cooling it off in cold water, drizzling a little olive oil on it, and throwing it in the fridge until dinner. Then I tossed in the rest of the ingredients, and dinner was on the table in less than 5 minutes. This is also great for a summer picnic or buffet since there is no mayonnaise in there, and it always is a hit. It tastes great the second day too.

Summer Tortellini Salad

1 package tortellini, cooked according to directions on package

Tomatoes

Red Onion

Feta Cheese

Oregano or Fresh Basil, your choice

Olive oil and Red Wine Vinegar

Easy and delicious. The red onion works well with these flavors, but it also stands out in case someone doesn’t want to eat the onion.

More summer favorites to come …

Best,
Stephanie

making a list …

2011-06-09T13:53:00.001-04:00

We copied the chalkboard idea from a couple of posts back. I don’t have a huge chalkboard, so we went with poster board. I also probably should have used a ruler, but it is good enough for me. And I still need to hang this up, but I have to tell you, the kids are so excited for summer now, even though some of the things are things we do all the time.

We made the list with input from everyone. Mostly my little one and I. For those who don’t know, MOMA is the Museum of Modern Art in NYC, as is the Metropolitan Museum of Art (Met). And Laduree is finally opening a location in New York this July. Just a block away from my sister’s office – that lucky girl! But the children are looking forward to it as much as I am, and Katie loves their vanilla tea. Movie Tuesdays, because we get free movie passes on Tuesdays and it’s a great way to beat the heat.

Just two weeks of school left, and we’re looking forward to a great summer vacation. What are you doing this summer?

Best,

Stephanie

hot hot hot …

2011-06-08T11:21:00.001-04:00

It is definitely hot here. After a very cold and rainy spring, we are full on into hot and humid. As in, today is going to be 95 degrees, and tomorrow 98! Just two weeks ago, we couldn’t go out without a jacket. But the upside to the sudden heat is the sudden profusion of garden loveliness we get to enjoy.

The hydrangeas have begun to come out too. A few years ago, we had a hedge of hydrangeas over forty feet long planted on one side of the house. I absolutely love them.

What’s blooming in your garden?

Best,

Stephanie

random round-up …

2011-06-06T10:16:00.001-04:00

1. Busy days here. We’re winding up the last three weeks of school. Which translates to playoff games, spring concerts, finals, projects and a healthy dose of spring fever mixed in. But as I always say, it’s a good busy.

2. I snapped the photo above while my baby girl was doing her homework at my desk. Which leads to another of my fairly random photo tips: take a photo of the little stuff. The details. One day, I will need a little boost to remember her utter concentration and focus so that she never even noticed I was taking the photo, the way she stacked those bracelets, the way she loves to work at my desk. A photo of the little things will save these memories for me. I think it’s most important the busier you are, since we tend to miss things then. Make yourself stop and take notice, and then take a picture. I promise that one day your kids will look at a picture you took of them in their room, and remember a beloved toy, or their favorite thing in the room, or an equally lovely memory. Get the big events on camera, but don’t forget the details.

3. The lovely Irene over at Happy Turtle gave me the Versatile Blogger Award last week. Thanks Irene! Check out her blog for an interesting view of the world from Greece. Design, decor, and a neat shop are all there. Irene very sweetly said she chose me because I am “so cool and talented yet doesn't make a fuss about it.” Irene, trust me, if I were that cool and talented, I would totally be making a fuss about it! But I thank you! I’m supposed to pass this on to 15 newly discovered bloggers,and I am going to have to work on that. I’ll do my best to get to it soon!

4. I saw a neat idea on Pinterest. It came from this blog, which I have never visited to be honest, but I will check out soon.

This is her playroom chalkboard, filled with summer ideas for her family. I’ve made up a similar list after I saw this, but I can’t figure out how or where I am going to display it. Fun, right?

That’s it for now. Have a great week everyone!

Best,

Stephanie

strawberry days …

2011-06-01T11:20:00.001-04:00

A few posts ago, I promised to share some more summer favorites. I served this delicious strawberry salad on Memorial Day. It is always a crowd pleaser.

We had a nice sized crowd, with long tables laid end to end. A simple table, twinkly lights, good food and good people make for happy days.

I have to say, this is the first time I used plastic plates at a party, but I’m all for reusable dishes, promise!

Now to get to the good stuff…

All you need is romaine lettuce, red onion, and lots of juicy red strawberries… yum …

I serve this with a poppy seed dressing:

Mix:

2 tablespoons of white vinegar,

2 teaspoons of poppy seeds,

1/2 cup of mayo,

1/4 cup of milk,

2 tbs sugar (or 1 tbs splenda, if you prefer, adjusted to taste)

For the very best taste, soak the red onion in the dressing for a couple of hours and dress the salad just before serving.

This salad makes a great summer side, but it’s also delicious with grilled or rotisserie chicken for a low/no cook meal that is light and satisfying. Or for a meatless option, throw in some slivered almonds. You really can’t go wrong with this one, and with strawberry season in full swing, it’s the best time of year to make this salad.

Enjoy!

Best,
Stephanie

here comes the weekend …

2011-05-30T20:52:00.001-04:00

We spent a gorgeous hour having lunch on the beach Friday. A little dive right on the water, but the food is oh so good.

Then Saturday, I made a few dozen of these to bring to our friends’ annual kick off the summer BBQ. (Bet you didn’t know I bake, right?)

Sunday, we had dinner at my sister’s club here …

And Monday, we honor those who serve with our village’s annual Memorial Day Parade and ceremony on the village green. Followed by a neighborhood BBQ at our house.

Surrounded by family and friends, with gorgeous weather. Sounds like the perfect weekend to me.

Happy Weekend, and Happy Memorial Day to you all. May God Bless those who give, those who gave, and those who gave all. And may God Bless the USA, and all of you, too.

Best,

Stephanie

some old favorites

2011-05-25T09:09:00.001-04:00

One of the best parts of warmer weather is eating light. So I decided to revisit two older posts that have two of my favorites. I love to cook, but finding easy no cook (or little cooking) recipes makes my day. These really fit the bill. Let me know if you try them. This one my whole family really loves. It is easy to make ahead too, so it is also good for company or a summer buffet. And no mayo to worry about on warmer days.

Take grilled chicken chopped up into bite sized pieces, (I either grill a few extra pieces when I am making it for dinner and set them aside for this salad or pick some up at the deli counter) and toss with seedless red grapes, granny smith apples, and Newman’s Own light olive oil and vinegar dressing. (If you can’t find that in your area, a very light olive oil and vinegar will do just fine seasoned with a little salt and pepper.) Add in some chopped walnuts. (I took the photo before I added the nuts.) It is light but still very satisfying. This one is low calorie, low fat, healthy AND delicious. Especially delicious.

This is one of my favorites – it sounds weird if you haven’t had it, but Watermelon and Tomato salad with Feta and basil… oh my … it makes a great side to almost any summer meal.

This one is a staple in Greece. And the combination is delicious. I didn’t try it for the longest time, thinking it was too strange, but when I did, SOLD! If you grow your own tomatoes, you are going to want to give it a try. It’s best with the tomatoes still warm from the sun. This is so light and refreshing – you will make it all summer long. Just chop up some watermelon, add tomatoes, some feta cheese, chop up some fresh basil and drizzle with a good quality olive oil. So easy and SO summery! We grow tomatoes and basil, and always have feta cheese in the fridge, so this is one that I throw together a lot.

More summer favorites coming up in the weeks ahead. Hope all is well with you, and asking you all to say a prayer for everyone affected by these terrible storms and tornados.

Best,
Stephanie

questions …

2011-05-20T10:35:00.001-04:00

I saw a cute questionnaire on line, and I thought it would be fun to do. I’d love it if some of you would play along and answer the questions too, either in comments or on your own page. Feel free to link to your page in comments …

Tea or Coffee?

Neither. Milk, almond milk, seltzer. I know – boring!

I collect …

books, and seashells

Favorite City?

New York, and Charleston SC

Spring or Fall?

If I had to choose one, Spring

Bloom of choice?

I absolutely cannot pick one. Peonies, Gardenias, Tulips, Jasmine.

Fragrance?

Mimosa (Calypso), Virgin Island Water (Creed), Kai.

Linens?

Nothing too fancy here. Soft cotton t-shirt sheets feel like heaven.

China Pattern?

Hermes Siesta Island is the one I want.

Wedgewood Oberon is the one I have.

I’m lusting after …

It was an iPad, but I got that. I guess it would have to be some new camera lenses.

Most prized possession?

This one was hard for me. I love my goodies, but I try not to be defined by them. (A little deep for a questionnaire, I know.) So I guess my camera, since I get so much enjoyment from photography.

Girl Crush?

Elle MacPherson, Reese Witherspoon.

Boy Crush?

After the husband? Hmmm…. Scotty from American Idol (But in an aww-he’s-so-cute-and-sweet way only!) Kyle Chandler. Cary Grant. I guess I have a thing for southern boys and gentlemen.

On weekends …

I love to spend time with my family. When spring sports aren’t dominating the schedule, I like to spend one day doing something all together, and one day just kicking back and relaxing.

Hope you all have a great weekend!

Best,
Stephanie

malted milk balls …

2011-05-17T14:48:00.001-04:00

Take a basic white cake … replace some of the flour with malted milk powder…make milk chocolate butter cream frosting … top it all with malted milk balls, and you have … three layers of yummy, tasty, deliciousness. Served with a nice cold glass of milk, and I had some pretty happy kiddos … Hope your day is delicious!

Best,

Stephanie

busy days …

2011-05-13T12:38:00.003-04:00

But happy days … I made one of these for a school luncheon that the parents host to thank our teachers for their hard work …

watched a few of these …

and a few of these …

and smelled some of these …

I hope your days are as busy and fun! Have a wonderful weekend friends!

Best,

Stephanie

good intentions …

2011-05-13T12:38:00.001-04:00

(Reposting this one after blogger took this down due to their technical issues. Sorry to all those who left a comment and had it removed.)

I’ve meant to blog this week really. And about something interesting. But so far, every day has been work plus softball, baseball, and lacrosse. Not too exciting, is it? So at the risk of boring you all, a few more spring shots here.

We’ve had gorgeous weather (though not the day I took these), but they’re forecasting 7 straight days of rain ahead! I’m going outside while I still can!

Enjoy your spring days!

Best,

Stephanie

missing you …

2011-05-09T10:06:00.001-04:00

Well, I’ve been a bad blogger. I’ve been missing for over a week now. It wasn’t scheduled, but between a crazed work week, the children’s schedules, and everything going on in the world, blogging took a back seat. It felt somehow “off” to blog when my mind was so heavy with everything people were going through with all the flooding, storms and tornadoes. But I’ve missed you all. Unfortunately, with hundreds of missed posts, I can’t go back and catch up. So I’m starting fresh today, and if I missed anything big, please catch me up below, or link to your posts in the comments and I’ll get right over there. I hope you all had a fantastic Mother’s Day, and a lovely weekend. And I’ll leave you with some lovely scenes from a springtime walk.

Best,

Stephanie

friday’s quote

2011-04-29T11:42:00.001-04:00

“Wherever you go, go with all your heart.” - Confucius

Have a wonderful weekend my friends.

Best,
Stephanie

it’s coming!

2011-04-28T10:48:00.001-04:00

I’ve been patient, but I’ve waited a long time for this. And it’s finally coming today! Hurray! But I never had one, not even an iPhone or iTouch. So I’ll need your help. Please tell me – what are your favorite must-have apps?

Best,

Stephanie

2011-04-13T15:04:00.001-04:00

Wow! I can’t believe how fast this week is going! It’s been busy as usual, so I haven’t been around much. I’ve tried to catch up here and there, but I’ve been a bad blogger.

I was tired of the daily run around, so I took the day off yesterday and went shopping with a friend at a charity fundraiser, and then we had lunch. Along the way, I saw this bag.

There is something about it – it’s so summery - and I do have to say that the color looks fabulous on me. It isn’t too expensive. But I usually don’t do shiny. So …should I get it? Talk me into it. Or out of it.

And while we’re at it, please feel free to talk me into these …

I love them and want to take them home with me. They’re expensive, and not practical, but I love them. Sigh … clearly the dreary chilly spring is taking it’s toll on me. I can hardly wait for warmer weather.

Hope it’s sunny and warm wherever you are!

Best,
Stephanie

loot

2011-04-07T17:34:00.001-04:00

A couple of weeks ago, I mentioned that I hosted a Stella & Dot party. I didn’t “read the fine print” before I agreed to host. It turns out that when you host, you get a percentage of the jewelry sold, as well as a few pieces at half off. I let my daughter choose something, and for the rest I mostly went with fun, summery pieces. Here’s what I chose…

The silk bracelet with the charms is my daughter’s pick.

I loved the starfish brooch. And the earrings too, but I promise I won’t wear them together.

I chose things that were different than what I have. It was a good time to get some fun pieces. Can’t wait to go play with it all! Anyone want to come over and play dress up?

Best,
Stephanie

quotes and catching up …

2011-04-05T10:11:00.001-04:00

"If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need."
~ Marcus Tullius Cicero

I’ve finally caught up and recovered from our whirlwind weekend. We had a great time, and the kids had a lot of fun at all their events. One of the best parts of living in such a small town, even though we’re pretty close to NYC, is the sense of community. The Little League Parade and Kickoff BBQ is always fun for everyone. So like I always say – it’s busy, but a good busy. I try to remember when we’re dashing about that these years go fast. So we try to enjoy them and not wish them by.

In other news, my slow cooked bbq ribs, whipped mashed potatoes and buttermilk onion rings were a big hit with our guests. If anyone is interested in a recipe, just let me know.

And finally, these beautiful flowers came home with the husband the other day. I put them right near my desk and books in the sunniest room in the house. Even though it’s rainy today, they brighten up my happy place.

Hope you all have a wonderful week!

Best,

Stephanie

friday flowers

2011-04-01T15:27:00.001-04:00

My friend Helen brought me these flowers. They’ve been brightening up a cold and gray spring day. March definitely didn’t go out like a lamb. But at least we didn’t get the snow they were predicting. This weather is anything but usual for us. I’m completely jealous of all the blogs I follow with people from California and the south, and even Europe. It seems spring has hit everywhere else. At least I have these to warm up my day.

In other news, I’ve gone a bit country. I’m crazy about Scotty on American Idol, as well as Lauren. They’re both so cute. I’ve made a few recipes from the Pioneer Woman cookbook. (Seriously? The cinnamon rolls alone completely justify the purchase. I made the full recipe a couple of Sunday’s ago, and delivered one tray each to my neighbors. I’m officially their favorite now.) I’ve gone a bit gaga over Romantic Prarie Style by Fifi O’Neill. I’m telling you, this city girl has been going country! I blame Scotty. I really do.

Another busy weekend coming up – friends, family and little league, including the kick-off parade and BBQ, as well as the first two games. Throw in a little church and a luncheon, and I’m sure to be looking for an excuse to take Monday off and get a little rest.

Hope you all have a great weekend!

Best,
Stephanie

perspective …

2011-03-29T11:00:00.001-04:00

It’s been a while since I’ve posted any photo tips, hasn’t it? I’m long overdue! So I am sharing one of my favorites – perspective. As in, change it, get a different one. We often get stuck in a photographic rut. Like taking all our photos at eye level and aiming the camera. For example, we all have photos of family and friends all lined up and smiling. They don’t all have to look like that. Sit on the floor, stand on a chair, aim your camera in a whole different direction. You may find you love the results.

Try looking at the world in a whole different way today.

Best,

Stephanie

gone camping …

2011-03-28T14:38:00.001-04:00

Not really … but anyone who looks at my Pinterest boards knows I have a thing for campers. I don’t do camping, but I am head over heels for those old, retro campers. I don’t want to necessarily take it anywhere but my own back yard, but I love them. Love. So when my husband was going through some boxes in the garage, and found this little treasure from when he was a small boy, he gave it to me.

It’s an old Corgi toy, a camper. Isn’t it precious?

The door opens, and you can’t really tell from the photo, but there is a little kitchen, and a table in the back with a plant on it and some chairs.

And my favorite part? The awning really works! Love!!

Depending on my mood, it is either on or in my desk at home. Don’t you love boys who share their toys?

Best,
Stephanie

nook

2011-03-25T10:03:00.001-04:00

By now, I’m sure you all know that I love my Kindle. I mean, LOVE it. But I do also own a Nook. Which I rarely used. Except for now. I recently learned that if you live in the US, you can borrow books from your public library for free, as long as you have a library card. All without leaving home. The borrowed book stays on your Nook for two weeks. Not too bad, right? And since I read anywhere between five and ten books a week, this one is sure to save me some money. I finally downloaded the software to use this program this week, and I’ve already read three books for free. So if you have a Nook, contact your local library to see if they participate in this program. I think that e-readers are getting better and better.

Have a great weekend!

Best,

Stephanie

2011-03-11T09:18:00.001-05:00

1.   Is it still a random thought to go on and on once again about how busy it’s been? Work, kids, board meetings, volunteer work, entertaining, my grandmother. Phew! So I’ve been a bad blogger. But I’ve finally gotten half a moment to breathe, and here I am. And I’m really looking forward to catching up on all your blogs. I’ve missed you all and can’t wait to see what you’ve been up to.

2.   Thanks and more thanks to everyone for their good wishes on my son’s birthday. It means a lot that people took time out of their day to wish him well.   He read all of your comments (and he never reads this blog!). You really made us both smile.

3.   Thanks too to everyone for their good wishes and prayers for my grandmother. She is doing better, and being discharged from the hospital this morning. She isn’t 100% but she is stable enough that she can go home. Because of her age, my sisters and I have been there around the clock, taking shifts so that she was never alone.

4.   I may be on another baking bender. Forty-eight hydrangea cupcakes and one hydrangea cake, and two Oreo cakes this week, along with some home made peppermint patties and truffles.   All the hydrangeas may make you think it’s spring here. Nope. Not even close. I do want to make the cake again. I didn’t have time to get the colors the way I wanted them as my guests were coming over shortly, so I left well enough alone.

5. Can I just say that the Oreo cake was delicious? And super easy.   It is really rich chocolate. The hydrangea cupcakes were devil’s food cake. And the hydrangea cake was a three layer vanilla cake with butter cream frosting.   We have leftovers if anyone is hungry.

5. We’ve had people over a lot in the last week, and that makes the husband and kids be careful a bit more in picking up after themselves.   As long as I pick up after company pretty quickly, they tend to keep things together. So I’ve been enjoying a full house and a clean house. Which makes for a happy mom. I fully plan on having people over constantly until it becomes second nature to them. I hope our friends won’t mind.

I hope you have a great weekend. I’m looking forward to catching up with all of you!

Best,

Stephanie

my guy …

2011-03-04T11:07:00.001-05:00

I don’t often put up photos of my children. (Once you see your baby’s face on someone else’s website, it does sort of creep you out!) But I have to make an exception this time. I really can’t believe how the years have flown. It seems minutes ago that they put him in my arms for the first time. Happy Birthday to the nicest kid it’s ever been my privilege to love. You see that look? He saves that one for me.

Thanks to everyone keeping my grandmother in their prayers. She’s still having a really hard time of it. Your kindness and good wishes are so very much appreciated.

Best,

Stephanie

random thoughts …

2011-03-02T09:23:00.001-05:00

1. Still busy as can be here, on all fronts from work to home. I think it is a definite fact of motherhood these days that the more we get into warmer weather, the more the kids’ schedules really ramp up. It’s like “Ready, Set …. SPRING!” And all of the sports and school functions that go along with it. I just keep saying to myself: “It’s a good kind of busy.”

2. My grandmother is suffering from a very bad cold. And even though a cold isn’t normally a huge deal, she is in her hundreds, so it is for her. Please keep a good thought for her. Thanks.

3. I tried the new Crest 2 hour whitening strips on Sunday. It is about $50 for a pack, though I had a $10 off coupon, for a year’s worth of treatments. I can’t say I like the feeling of the strips on my teeth for two hours, but I can say I’ve been grinning like a fool every time I get near a mirror. They really do work!

4. I’m not a huge fan of American Idol, but I have been watching with the kids this year. Mostly because I really get a kick out of Steven Tyler’s reactions. But can I tell you that the 13 year old girl that lives in my heart thinks that boy Scotty is so cute?

5. I heard a snippet of this song on a commercial, and I think it’s really sweet. It’s a remake of “Don’t Fence Me In”. I just checked the site, and the singer is offering a free download on his page: Daniel. Hope you enjoy it. And maybe they’ll do a video of it, since this photo looks a little “police line-up” to me.

See? I told you it was random. Hope you’re all having a great week.

Best,

Stephanie