Loving Those Beets

When we eat at the Wholefoods bar, my BF will tease, "Are those hot beets?  Are they shredded beets?"  Unless I'm painfully hungry I play along.  Typically just repeating, "Shrrrrrr-ed-eeeeed" in my best growly-rocker voice.  We laugh.  We're simple people.

All kidding aside, I love my beets!  Oddly, I thought that I hated them until a couple years ago.  In retrospect, I don't think I'd ever actually tried one!  Ridiculous, I know.  I think the gorgeous colors that they come in are half the reason I was won over.  So beautiful!

Right now I'm itching to try these two recipes:
- Yellow and Candy Cane Roasted Beets with Garlic Soy Yogurt Sauce, adapted from Butterfly Food
- Roasted Red Beet Salad with Pistachios and Diaya Motzerella, adapted from the Quarter Life Cooks at Big Girl, Small Kitchen

This lovely Candy Cane beet was from my Aunt Julie's garden in CA.  The root and greens were de-licious!!!

More Ballet

I had a lot of downtime while things were a cookin' and a settin' yesterday.  A friend of mine sent me this adorable and hilarious video (thanks Ben!), which prompted an avalanche of YouTube ballet watching.  I love this one, which follows Yuhui Choe, a soloist at the Royal Ballet, through a long day of classes, rehearsals, physical therapy, and rounding out with an evening performance.

I also spent a half hour checking out new photos at the Ballerina Project.  I've visited them quite a few times since their birth.  (When the handful of photos was completely torturous; I wanted more!!!)  There are so many now!  This series pictured, of Elina, photographed in Chinatown by Diane Shitagi are three of my favorites.  Check out Diane's site for tons more loveliness!

*In case you were wondering, I included the videos as links (rather than just plopping videos in the post) because I feel like they make the composition of my page incredibly unsightly.  Hope you don't mind venturing over to YouTube!

P.S.  I just found one of my previous ballet related posts scraped.  It was by a blogger that I follow, no less.  If I helped introduce you to a photographer, artist, or web site it's proper etiquette to give credit.  Let's all be friends, yes?  Good! : )   

Whadda Weekend!

The preceding two days were super lovely.  On Friday, I was prepared to come into the design office and work the weekend away (not voluntarily, might I add).  But the winds changed by late afternoon and the word spread throughout the office; we would not be required to come in!  I wasn't prepared for the freeing up of my calendar... what would I do?

I had fun.  But I'll be more specific...

- I went for a long walk through Williamsburg.  Bedford Ave is wonderfully quiet at noon on Saturday!  All those cool kids are sleeping off the night before.  The sidewalks are sparsely peppered with joggers, or couples with dogs and strollers.  I liked it!  Especially the dogs.

- At the tail end of the morning walk, my BF and I found ourselves (for the third week in a row) at Champ's door.  We indulged; airy doughnuts (one flocked with coconut, the other drizzled with chocolate and encrusted with peanuts), a maple-pecan filled cinnamon roll (obscenely gooey!) and a moist banana muffin (ideally 'muffin topped' with globs of cream cheese and crumble strudel).  I died.  And then I miraculously revived myself, so that I can live for another weekend at Champs.

- My BF and I went to an early movie.  I never do that!!!  It was awesome, the theater was empty!  Well, not really empty.  It was just uncrowded.  As in, you could have a prime seat and still leave your bag and coat in the chair beside you and not get a dirty look.  Which in NY is really rare.

- Stogo ice cream.  Half salted caramel pecan, half oatmeal raisin cookie.  Heaven.  Bite of BF's Salted Pistachio.  Bliss.

- Afternoon nap.  Hors d'oeuvres dinner; hummus and red peppers.  Mint tea and 2 rounds of dominoes.  Part 2 of the Matrix marathon.

- Sunday was less diverse... but it started productively with a delicious cup of French pressed Irish Cream coffee.  Yum.  I can still smell the hazelnuts!

- I did end up going into the office for a few hours; I had a lot of Spring color assorting to do.  Next was grocery shopping.  Note to self: if weekend trip to Whole Foods is necessary, make it noon on Sunday or bust.

- Upon reaching home, there was a baking explosion!  So... Today I was really hoping to share a post (or two!) with you about my baking (and raw/assembling) adventures.  But both the desserts required setting overnight.  I planned to photograph the final outcome in this morning's radiant sunshine.  But there was no sunshine.  Fingers crossed for no rain tomorrow; and you'll get to see the decadent outcome of an afternoon (and evening) of sweet labor.





Hope you had a full (and fun) weekend too!

Photos 1.the BF, 2.Champs blog, 3.Limitless home page, 4.Gothamist reviews, 5.Restoration Hardware, 6. Arizona Coffee, 7. Print Quote blog, 8. Yours Truly!

Happy Monday!

It's the second day of Spring (and fittingly) very, very rainy.  I swear that on my way into work a thunder clap issued from the dark skies above.  It could also have been the echo of a trash truck a few blocks away.  But I like to think that it was thunder.

Sometimes showers leave me feeling dismal and groggy.  But, despite flipping my umbrella inside out twice in 10 minutes (and receiving a face-full of water) I'm loving the wind and wet!  This morning I feel enthused.

Readers, do you enjoy a gray monochrome atmospheres full of water droplets?  Or do you shun showers and wish for sunnier skies?  Maybe you're like me, and it just depends on getting enough sleep the night before!

I'm also smitten with this photo.  Isn't it awesome how this trio of men embrace the weather; enjoy it rather than flee!  (And their umbrellas are gorgeous too!)  The photo is by Marco Niemela.  He briefly discusses this image as an exercise in square framed photos.  Brouse his work on Flickr or his portfolio site.

Image via Flickr

Day of Silence

Hi there dearies, I hope your week ends with lots of lovliness!  Friday the 18th will be quiet here on w&w.  I'm joining the Blogger's Day of Silence, organized by Ever Ours and Utterly Engaged.  If you're thinking about making a donation please visit Shelter Box or the Red Cross.

Also concider:
- The Little Flower School Benefit
- any one of the 9 options at For Me, For You

See you on Monday!!!

Green Goodies

Planning on whipping up a festive something today? Need to find a Saint Patrick's Say recipe that's a little sweeter than this? I've compiled a few of my favorite Irish themed treats:

For: The Afternoon with Kiddies
Make this fun snack with your little ones! Everyone loves a Rice Krispie treat, especially when it's fashioned into a bar o' gold!!!

From Twig and Thistle

For: The Chic Cocktail Party
At the end of your hors d'oevres bar, set a platter of these French cookies.  Everyone love a macaron.  They'll go fast, make extra!

From Zoe Bakes

For: The Evening Soiree
Elite and refined, lime sorbet is definitely a grown-up's treat.

From Use Real Butter

For: The Girls Night In
It's decadent and guilt-ridden. A perfectly festive comfort-cake for the evening spent with a handfull of your best gal pals.

From Twig and Thistle 

For: Desert with a Special Someone
Get all liquored up with that guy or gall you fancy. Whiskey cake, in a jar. Good stuff.

From Sprinkle Bakes

Happy Saint Pat's!

Are you wearing your green?

I realized last night (for about the 15 year in a row) that I own no green.  Woe is mine.  Bring on the pinches!

Clover image via I Sew Cute

Garance on Illustion & Reality

Take a moment to hop over to Garance's site.  I love her post about two mischievous mirrors in a Milan hotel.  Her suite mirror (the beauty) and the elevator mirror (the beast) seemed to be battling it out over Garance's confidence and sanity.  Ever find yourself in the same predicament?  I know I have!  Which mirror won out over your self image, that which reflected an illusion or the reality?

At the Barre/ Part Deux

It's Wednesday.  It's also rainy.  I'm sleepy and busy; killer combo.  More than ready for my second cup of coffee.  Wish I was in a light-filled studio, stretching to the soft melody of a nearby piano.  Sigh...

Photos, left to right: Uliana Lopatkina via Aula, Susan Jaff via 4Dancers, by Natural Born Creative on Deviant Art

Jumble-o-Yum (it's a cookie)

So, my intention was to post this yesterday.  I was super excited to tell you how my BF made Jumble-o-Yum Cookies again last weekend.  But then, my computer got all sassy and fried it's own hard drive early Monday morning.  Nice one computer.  Go on and kill your bad self.

Anyway, that put a little delay on the written content...  Fortunatly I had a couple posts saved and ready to hold you over.  But now, with no further delay, I bring you the post I know I've been waiting for.


It's not just any cookie, Jumble is my BF's signature cookie.  And, although the name doesn't really tell you much about it, it's really the most appropriate name possible.  Now, if you were going to get all technical it would be call a Vegan & Gluten Free Olive Oil-Oatmeal-Coconut-Tofu-Pecan-Chocolate Chip Cookie. And people, that's just a ridiculous name.   Coming from someone, who as a child called her two favorites: "rock cookies" and "dirt cookies".  But shhhh, we wont go there.  I digress.  With no further ado, the how-to...

Jumble-o-Yum Cookies
(makes about 2 dozen)

3/4 cup King Arthur gluten-free flour
1/2 cup turbinado sugar
2 cups rolled oats
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup soft tofu
1/3 cup olive oil
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 tbsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup vegan chocolate chips
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans

- Preheat oven to 350º F
- In a large bowl (or skillet, if your bowl proves too small) stir together the flour, sugar, rolled oats, baking soda, baking powder, salt and coconut
- With a food processor, blend the tofu, oil, syrup, and vanilla
- Pour wet mixture into dry and stir until well combined
- Add the chocolate chips and pecans until they are well incorporated
- Scoop heaping tablespoons of dough onto a cookie sheet and press tightly with fingers
- Bake between 12-14 minutes or until edges are browned. Remove from the oven and let cool. Enjoy!!!

*recipe adapted from Vegan A Go-Go, by Sarah Kramer

After these babies popped outta the oven, I did some Sunday afternoon blog perusing.  Tea and Jumble in hand, of course.  And look what I found, Salt Bird's Pistachio Coconut Honey Oat Cookies!  I think Jumble may need to have his and her's versions.   His is established.   Her's (meaning mine) will be [his - chocolate chips & pecans] + pistachios & dried cranberries.  Yum.

All photos courtesy of the BF and little Leica

Current Temptation: Swim Suit

How lovely is this suit by Dawn Sharp?!!!  This time of the year I find swimwear so awfully tempting.  It's just hitting the stores.  Itty bitty tops and bottoms are still hanging neatly from their strings.  Your size sits there on the rail taunting you, "I wont be here come June, you ninny!  Better suck it up (and in), try me on and pay up!!!"

To be clear, I do not need another swim suit.  This year I'm going to be strong and avoid all banter with skimpy spandex separates.  I've got 2 cute suits, which have been worn three times each.  Another is absolutely not needed.  Even... if I am going to Hawaii in 3 weeks?   And even when this little suit is soooo cute?!  Hmph.

Discovered via Eye Principle

Stella!

Have you seen Stella's Summer adds? Love them. I think citrus is gonna be big in 2011. These acidic fruits and their fierce colors are gonna blow up! Spring's illustrative and painterly botanicals were such an exciting move-on from Stella's default neutral palette and pervading simplicity. Summer's in-your-face photographic citrus prints go in another direction completely, but are a understandable progression. And they're perfect for hot summer days lounging poolside or picnicking!

Photo via Fashion Rollcall

P.S. Have you checked out Stella's kiddie line? Too cute, wish I could squeeze into them myself!

Shoe Love/ BHLDN

Recall my excitement before BHLDN was launched?  I knew they'd have great shoes.  They just had to!  Sure enough, the entire collection is stunning.  If you're in need of a pretty pair of soles for any special event, stop by their site.  It's chalk-full of fanciful, feminine items.  Also ultra pretty is their line of hair accessories and lingerie!

Macaron Madness

I really enjoyed reading about Emma's Macaron journey.  I've been tempted to make these lovely almond cookies, but they're just too intimidating!  I love that she shared her story of success alongside that of her failures.  It gives me hope and a little more courage.  Browse her blog Pores au Chocolate for more deliciousness; her's is one of my most favorite dessert blogs!

Four for Friday

Now serving up a fabulous foursome... enjoy!

- The Spring issue of Sweet Paul Magazine is out!  If you have a little one (or two or three) make sure you check it out.  You'll relish this installment; it's kiddie themed!  Go browse through pages full of delicious eats and darling crafts.  It's great for all you grown-up kids (like me!) too.

- Just discovered Erin Basin through Elephantine.  Basin's jewelry collection is so gorgeous. Giving myself eye strain, clicking through each and every vintage piece!

- Another perfect team-up between Design Sponge and Studio Choo.  Check out We Like it Wild: Happiness is a Hellebore.  I'm shaking with floral excitement (like a little puppy)!  Spring-time!!!

-  Garance was front row at Chanel (of course).  Her photos make me sick with envy, how I wish I could have been there!!!  Not for the clothes, but for the production.  It's a show, people.  Icebergs?  Haystacks?  This time it was a winter forest and heavy fog.

I wish you all a happy and safe weekend!

Have you been listening or reading about the tragedy in Japan?  The video footage was positively chilling.  I really wish I hadn't watched it.  I kept thinking, this can't be real.  This type of utter destruction only happens in the movies.  Alas, untrue.  My heart goes out to all those effected by this disaster.  If you'd like more information head over to the BBC.


 

Sad way to start the weekend...  but I am looking forward to a date tonight with the sweet BF.  We haven't seen a movie in for-e-ver.  The weather in NY is beautiful, hopefully we can stroll leisurly throughout the city tonight.  Maybe get ice cream at Stogo!  Mostly I'm hoping to lay low, lounge, and laze-away the weekend!  Other ideas:

- I've got the shopping itch, so maybe I'll indulge in a little guilty spending.  I need new spring-y things! 
- Possibly work on an illustration project and some mending (unfortunately, dresses don't hem themselves).
- My BF and I checked out  Champs last weekend and were blown away.  I want to head back!!!  Absolutely incredible vegan baked goods.  The raspberry danish and pumpkin cream cheese muffin rocked our world.  We didn't try the cookies, but they were the size of my face.

Are you looking forward to something special this weekend?  Don't forget, we're going to spring foreward!  Hurray for daylight savings!!!

Trio of vintage clocks from Hilda Grahnat's collection, via Pinterest

Shoe Love/ Hasbees

The wooden heeled, Sweedish Hasbees clog has been been on the market in a totally-nutzo-taking-over-the-planet-type way for over a year now. When I saw them coming back I immediately asked my mom for her's. They've been in the back of her closet for a whopping 30 plus years now. And not to brag or anything, but they're perfection. They are a lovely rust red shade with the classic natural grain sole. They look something like this one from the Spring line. If I didn't already have a lovely (and sentimental) pair, I'd have my eye on one of the cuties pictured!

If you've never read through Hasbees's mission statement, you should check it out. I'm not one for buying leather goods. In fact, over a year ago I established a self-imposed moratorium on purchasing hide-products. But Hasbees is pretty awesome. "[Our] shoes are hand-made using the same craftsmanship as in the the 70s which is kind to people and nature. We use natural materials and you could pretty much bury your shoes in your garden." I mean, how cool is that?! What I love even more is this guide: How can you make sure your kids will inherit the shoes. My mum did a good job : )

Season of the Bulb

If you know a lick about botany, then you're aware that early Spring is the magical season of the bulb.  Through the frozen earth, pushing up beyond the last layers of unmelted ice and snow, come the bulbs.  Amaryllis, daffodils, crocus, hyacinthus, tulips, and so many more!  Like... the onion?!!!  Yep!

Check out this cute post about the wild onions of early Spring, on Kitchn.  I loved reading through the comments.  There is a gal in Brooklyn who picks wild onions in Prospect Park and eats them.  Isn't that crazy!  Urban foraging, I love it!

Fendi/ Fall 2011

Did you catch the Fendi show?  All the fur made me super sad.  Super, super sad.  But every other aspect of the show was dreamy.  Can't you just feel the softness of the fabrics?  I'm obsessed with the electric hued rib stockings, mixed with neutral cognac and dusky blue separates.  Also, check out the Sartorialist for amazing front row shots, like these.

Soda Bread

Saint Patrick's Day is around the corner, are you planning any festivities?  I'm not per say.  Although, I've in mulling a few recipes around in my mind.  Despite my Irish surname, I am decidedly un-Irish.  I don't have much of an Irish pallet either, I'm afraid.  Corned beef?  Eh, no thanks.

When I moved to NY I realized that St. Patty's is kind of a big deal.  On the East Coast anyway.  The first Patty's Day at my current 9-5 gig rolled around, and my coworker brought in home-made soda bread.  Soda bread?  Uh.  What?  So she explained.  And actually, I liked it quite a bit.  I mean, it is what it is.  Pretty dry.  Relatively bland.  But good.  She makes couple different types each year.  So, for the past four years I've been sampling her various recipes.  This St. Patrick's Day I was thinking of trying one out for myself!

Top image: Irish Soda Bread from What Katie Ate

Clockwise, from top left:
- Vanilla Sugar's Browned Butter Soda Bread
- King Arthur Flour's Cabot Cheddar Soda Bread
- 101 Cookbook's Oat Soda Bread 
- Salt Bird's Irish Soda Bread with Currants 
- Manifest: Vegan's Irish-ish Soda Bread

Happy Thursday!

I notice that when I wake up early, I always end up feeling more positive throughout the day.  I guess it comes from feeling prepared.  What about you, ever feel like that?  I also watched the flower-stand guys setting up on my way to work this morning.  They were pulling bundles and buckets of spring blooms.  That made me happy too, of course!  Pink!  Yellow!  All types of bittersweet orange and red!!

Photo from Saipua

Valentino/ Fall 2011

I'm in fits over Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli's show for Valentino.  Sadly, most of this season's fashion shows didn't impress me much.  But this one, dearies, is un-be-lievable.  There is something for everyone, for every occasion.  The color pallet is really yummy!  And those delicate tri-tone Mary Janes are calling to me!!!  Go see it.

 

Battle of the Breakfast

As far as I'm concerned, a decadent breakfasts is perfect for any meal. Don't get me wrong, I don't mean for every meal. I've got my figure to look after people!

What I mean is, I love breakfast foods. Maybe I take after my Pops. Or maybe I've just been conditioned. As a kid we had pancakes for dinner almost every week; it's Dad's favorite dish. There were a lot of waffles, omelets, and fruit salad dinners too.




So you see, these days, if I come across a breakfast recipe, there is a 98% chance I'm going to be really darn interested. Luckily for me, all my favorite foodie bloggers seem to be battling it out for the most amazingly, incredibly delicious breakfast dishes. It like an epidemic! A beautiful, sweet flavored recipe epidemic! Breakfast is everywhere! Check it out...

Battle of the Coffee Cake
Manifest: Vegan's Cherry Almont Coffee Cake vs. Elephantine's Pecan Coffee Cake vs. The Baking Bird's Pumpkin Crumb Cake

Battle of the Buns
Always with Butter's Apple Pecan Sticky Buns vs. Salt Bird's Orange Cinnamon Rolls vs. Whipped's Bacon Cinnamon Rolls*

Battle of the French Toast
Big Girls Small Kitchen's Cornmeal Crusted French toast vs. Sprinkle Bakes' Panera Bread Chocolate French Toast vs. The Girl Who Ate Everything's Overnight French Toast Casserole vs. Crepes of Wrath's Cinnamon Carmel French Toast (pictured)

Battle of the Waffle
Stephanie Bakes' Chocolate Chip Waffles vs. Vanilla Sugar's Crispy Buttermilk/ Cheddar Waffles vs. Poires au Chocolat's Brown Sugar Waffles with Bacon*

I'm not even going to get into pancakes, doughnuts, scones, muffins, and biscuits... it's out of control!

* In lieu of piglet I'd try Lightlife's organic tempeh bacon in these recipes. I was totally skeptical at first, but ended up being super impressed by this fakin' bacon. Great savory flavored veggie meat; smoked and salty! Mmmm : )

3 Good Things

Hi friends, I'm having a rough Tuesday...  What do you do when feeling down?  I'd like to bake something special.  Or read a book.  Or go for a really long walk.  Unfortunately, I've got an overwhelming amount of things to do (this only compounds my low mood).  So, for a moment I'll flip through archived photo favorites.  This picture, in particular, makes me feel better.  Audrey + yorkie + bicycle = smiles!  Any dog in a bike-basket immediately warrants an "aw".  Plus, I love the handkerchief keeping her hair neat and the pointed little ballet flats.

Photo via the Huffington Post, by an unidentified paparazzo

Alex Andreyev

I'm falling for all the digital paintings by Alex Andreyev!  Aren't they incredible?  Don't they make you curious?  Each is a totally beautiful, fantastic, futuristic scene, filled with mystery.

I want to live this fantasy!  How cool would it be:
- A midnight row-boat ride, hovering a story above the lamp-lit inky waters
- Motoring the sunny afternoon away on a red and white bus
- Jumping a ride at sunrise, on a freight train thundering across and above the clouds
- Enjoying a fading sunset aboard a cable car, bound for the deepest depths of a murky lake
- Adventuring across sky-built pipe lines at dusk, on toward a monolithic tower, in the middle of the glistening sea

Discovered via This Isn't Happiness

Sevnty Tree

I recently made a fun design find, Seventy Tree.  The shop carries lots of cute prints (including an irresistible bear) and post cards.  Illustrator, Kerry Layton is based in Devon, UK.  She says her preference is drawing or working in ink, using graphic patterns including triangles, and rendering subjects of mountains and raindrops.  She also likes to drink tea... check out her tea and cake advocacy print!  How adorably English!

Found via vtwonen

The Glamourai

I follow a lot of fashion blogs.  I'm a designer, duh.  It's research! 

My new fave is the Glamourai.  She's by no means new to the scene.  Just relatively new to my reading list.  She was also recently named one of New York's 50 most stylish people, by Style Caster.  It's undeniably true.  She's unequivocally chic.  I mean, check out this outfit.  Oooh, and this one!

Other things to love?  And all the leopard print peppered throughout her postings!  The super cute cropped hair cut.  Her gorgeous kitten face, alla Angelina Jolie meets Alexa Chung, with a twist of pixie-esque Audrey Hepburn.  And, a beyond adorable puppy. 

Good morning, angels!  Did you have an incredible weekend?  I really hope so.  I could have used another day off... but I say that every Monday morning.  I didn't do a whole lot of what was 'planned' but I think my weekend was the better for it.

Today is a little gloomy.  Not a terrible thing, by any means.  Overcast skies do make me a bit more sedate though.  The seriousness will come in handy since I've got tons of work to get done!



Photo by Brookelyn Photography.  Check out her blog for snippets of the sweetest wedding, engagement, and family photo shoots.

Four for Friday

The weekend is but hours away!  Are you thrilled to the core?  I am!!!  But before I skip off, here are your four snippets to close this Friday:

- In the olden days, before I became all fancy and started a blog, I would cover my Facebook wall with links to things I liked.  These incredible paper-made rings from Little Fly went up on the wall one day.  I just ran across them again and wanted to re-share.  They're just so darn cool!  Purchase one and it gets shipped inside the book from which it was made.  Awesomeness!

- Read a funny bride's letter to her wedding, and look through all the beautiful photos.  Geez, I need to get myself to Vermont!  It's just too pretty.  More pics on the bride's personal blog Verhext and 100 Layer Cake.

- I found this lovely painting on Supersonic Electronic, a blog filled with all kinds of art, art interviews, and art culture bits.  It's currated by Zach Tutor, who encourages you to submit!  Back to this brunette babe though, she's the work of Phil Noto.  Check it out; gorgeous graphic paintings!

- The other day my BF was telling me about his adventures in baking (what I've now named "jumble-o-yum") cookies.  He mentioned King Arthur gluten free flour.  And I kinda freaked out with excitement.  "I follow their blog!!!" I told him.  He said something to the effect of, "Cool.  Um.  Yeah.  Their flour works good."  But then I showed him the blog, and he got it.  Good food.  Really good food.  (And good four!!!)