Bachelorette

I cannot wait for this movie to come out! I hope it's as funny as Bridesmaids. (Look, Rebel is in this one too!) I remember watching Bridesmaids and I was so bummed out they didn't make it to Vegas because I thought that was a missed opportunity. I also hope Kirsten channels her upbeat comedic ways as she did in Bring It On.

Lizzy Caplan was so good in True Blood.

Cutie cast mates. 

Seems like a random group of girls, but I hope it turns out an awesome movie.

Be sure to wear some flowers in your hair

I finally framed one of my Christmas presents from Jon. It shows all the little neighborhoods of the city. I definitely used to feel like I missed out by never living in SF, but the more I visit the more I love it from afar. I go there for work all the time and we have friends that live there, but I really am the kinda girl that just wants to go to a Target and pull into a nice big parking lot. But their restaurants will keep me coming back.

Dreaming of chairs...

We got our new kitchen table and while the top part came darker than we remembered, we love it! We have a couple mismatched chairs in bad shape that I've had since college, but I think its time we get some nice ones.

The one at the store had a more pure stainless steel color on the top of the table. Hoping that it fades to that lighter shade. Now I just need the perfect chairs!

These I love, but they aren't right for the space. There is a freaking wingback chair in this kitchen, so I really don't think we can compete on the same level.

Enter the Tolix Marais chair. This table is like ours in reverse! And I love the fun yellow paired with the table instead of the expected gunmetal. I have sat on many a Tolix chair from cafes in Paris to outside the Fairy Building in San Francisco and I think they hold up great. My question is, would they feel too cold?

OK, I want every color.

 I am falling hard for the green.
And with us only needing 4 chairs, it won't come across quite so grasshopper-y.

Stools too! 

Vera likes the white ones. 

If you had to pick, which color would you go for? 

The tried and true gunmetal or a more fun poppy color? Which, I am not afraid of.

100 Layer Cake

If you head over to 100 Layer Cake today you might see someone that you recognize!

P.S. Someone pinch me!

Weekend Scenes

{tea + nails at brunch}

{Jon's breakfast}

{freshly stocked Japanese masking tape}

{cell phones}

While out to dinner with 8 friends, we played a game where you stack up your cell phones in the middle of the table. First person to grab their phone to check it has to pay the whole bill. Nobody lost, but it was nice having everyone phone-free.

Isn't that how we always feel?

Happy Friday!

I have found my staple soup

It's weird, you can read one blog telling you one thing and you think nothing of if, and then another blog says the same thing and then you reconsider. I guess that's how it was with this soup. Originally spotted on Orangette. Although, I used the version from the New York Times, but with only one cup of water. Oh, you want to know what it's called? Spicy Red Lentil Soup with Lemon. Really simple ingredients and so healthy for you, I suppose if I didn't use my homemade chicken stock it would have been vegan. I also made an amazing broccoli cheddar soup this week, but you kind of need to hit the gym afterwards. And don't worry, you don't really need to use an immersion blender, I just left it "chunky" and it was delicious. This soup is so good you don't need to top it off with a sprinkle of cheese or grab bread for dipping, somehow that would do it wrong.

The Botany of Desire

I read The Botany of Desire years ago and recently stumbled upon the program of the same name on PBS. I got sucked into Michael Pollen's world yet again. I was reminded of my second favorite section of the book, Tulip representing Beauty. Listen to this, each year we spend billions of dollars on something that serves no practical purpose and has a short shelf life. Why? Just because we think it is beautiful. I really like that about us. We cherish flowers. And what a boring world this would be without them, no? Inspired by the PBS special, (click here to see when it's showing in your area) I picked up some tulips.

Hey, where do you think you're going?!

And only one hour later. Petals are visibly separating and we have another rouge one! 

Besides beautiful, tulips are one of the more entertaining flowers.

This post is sponsored by my ancestors who were Dutch tulip farmers. ;)

Specifically related to the chap in the overalls in the right back.

Weekend Scenes

While everyone was getting pumped for football, I went to the library. I haven't been in many years, so I got a shiny new card and got these books. Any reviews? Any I should add to my growing list?

I am such a sucker for cute labels. Jon makes fun.

We made Pete a new perch for his scratching post. I was watching that show My Cat From Hell (it's actually really awesome) and realized that Pete is a tree dweller (as opposed to a bush dweller). So we added the little carpeted perch to make it easier for him to be up high. He loves it. 

Is there anything better? I bet I would kick ass on Survivor if I had endless avocados. 

Holly Homemaker

So, is winter over yet? I am ready to play in the sun over here!! This weekend I did something very January like and I urge you to do the same. Make engagement (roast) chicken in order to make your own homemade chicken stock! This week I am making us some soups and with my own stock (!!), how very GOOP of me.

It's super easy, you have to try this. It is such a minimal effort dish that is pretty dang impressive. And when you are done eating the meat off those little bones, make stock! Not in the same night/day, of course. It is pretty home-y to have stock simmering away on the stove for 90 minutes, it might even make you enjoy winter!

6 cups for this week's soups and 2 1/2 cups frozen for later!

Nothing says "I love you" like...

...a death threat?

I love me some vintage Valentines, but so many are weird, confusing or borderline racist!

Happiness is...

Having a niece and nephew + cupcakes....

Vampire teeth have never looked cuter!

Mini dozen from Kara's. 

The cupcakes have been spotted!!

Just his size.

Organize!

An organizational post in January, how original! :) Our spices are kept in two little cabinets above the stove and there have been a handful of times where I have mis-reached for something only to have it a.) fall into the dish I'm making or b.) narrowly miss my feet. Both of which results in some lovely language. I picked up two little graduated shelves at The Container Store* to solve my problems.

BEFORE

 The more spice-y bunch. 

 The more bake-y bunch.

AFTER

 

Look, I can't believe I'm showing you my spice rack either, but hopefully this can help just one person!

*the most amazing store ever!

The state of my backyard

 I have been staring at this mess of a project for a week now. That means one week of chain saws, wood chippers, Cleo scared under the deck 24/7 and me about to pull my hair out. Someone send help!

Gather

One of my fave presents this year was a gift certificate to Gather, a restaurant in Berkeley focused on sustainability and seasonal food. Even though I was pretty sick this weekend, I dragged myself out of bed (and away from The Hunger Games) determined to get one of their seasonal bloody marys.

Real belts!

Verdict? What it lacked in the garnish, it made up for in the content. One of the best yet, and I don't even think all my taste buds were working. 

Jon got the pulled pork sammy. 

And I got the avocado salad. There were chunks of grapefruit and the avocado was dusted with chili powder, so so good! I can't wait to go back and try their brunch and dinner.

Ad Hoc: Chicken Pot Pie

So I ended up getting Ad Hoc at Home for Christmas. I made a little foodie resolution to try one new recipe a month (at least). This month was the chicken pot pie! I have a feeling all the recipes are going to be this involved, create this many dishes and be this delicious. Some notes: I wish I put the egg wash all over the pie crust and not just the edge, like the recipe asked. Also, the pie crusts were store bought. In the beginning of the book, Thomas Keller advises when making something new with lots of steps, don't try too many new things all at once. And the only time I've made pie crust, I failed miserably. I will try that another time.

Have any of you cooked great recipes from this book? I definitely want to try the buttermilk fried chicken. Even though I haven't made any fried food in my life...!

The Hunger Games

OMG. So I am not even upset that I got horribly sick and was in bed on NYE well before midnight, because I spent all of Near Year's Day in bed reading this book. And finished it. I cannot remember the last time I read a book in one day. I could not stop myself! I even uttered "kiss him!" out loud while reading it....haha.  To all that told me to read this to which I responded "eh, I'm not into SciFi", I was wrong and I get it now. I am going to run out and get the other two books now!