Where Would You Go?

I've had a travel bug lately, and have been thinking of all the places I'd like to go RIGHT NOW. Where would you go today if you could?

New Zealand
Paris
Prague
Tonga
Waternish, Scotland
India
Ireland
Positano, Italy
The Bahamas
New York City.

Where will you go?

Our Newest Friends

Just outside our apartment is a tree which is the home for a little bird family: Mom, Dad, and baby. For the past week Ceej and I have been closely watching the development of baby. Last Monday the baby would sit in his nest all day and chirp non-stop. By Thursday he was hopping around on the ground below the tree...Mom and Dad were very protective and would yell at us every time we walked out our front door. Sometimes they'd get very close and hover near us, threatening to gouge our eyeballs out. Today baby is as big as Mom and Dad and his voice is just as deep. I think they will be flying away soon. So sad to see our new friends go.

Currently Reading:

Written by Paulo Coelho (The Alchemist). I'm about a third of the way through it. I'm intrigued. Very much so. It's one of those stories where you know at the beginning what happens at the end, but you have to read to know what happened in the middle. So far it's not my favorite Coelho novel. But that doesn't mean it's bad. It's mysteriously lovely.
I love the cover of the book...maybe it's the fact that she has red hair like me (at least that's my natural color).

Patio Furniture Help

Ceej and I have a nice little spot on our patio that we would like for a small little table and two chairs. I am having a hard time finding things on the internet and in shops around here. Does anyone know where I could get some pretty, modern, inexpensive, or fun (or all of the above) patio furniture?

Been Listening & Loving

Emiliana Torrini. What an enchanting and other-worldly voice. This picture makes me want to realize my dreams of being an elf and singing the days and nights away as I walk deliberately through the woods.
The ever-lovely Cat Power. She makes me want to realize my dreams of being a singer-song writer.

Missing Utah

My family is doing two very fun Utah-specific things this weekend. (Well, they haven't officially planned for the first one, but we went last year, and they ought to go again).

No. 01: Lavendar Days in Mona, UT. They have all sorts of local foods i.e. lavendar honey, nuts, and other yummies. They have oodles and oodles of essential oils to smell and try out. The best part, by far, is the Medieval battles and costuming and tea parties with faeries.

No. 02: Lagoon. Seriously. Every time my family has planned an outing to Lagoon I seem to be M.I.A. What's up with that? You guys owe me. Big time.

A Sacramento Dream: Hina's Tea

Ceej and I found Hina's Tea after we'd been here a little over a week. I thought I liked tea until I came here...now I LOVE it, and have become a bit of a loose leaf snob within a short three weeks. Hina is from London, and I love to hear her talking with each of her customers which she knows on such a personal level. I come here when I need some real goodness (and when I need some wi-fi access).

Some of my favorites are:
Chocolate Mint
Sunny Pear
Tulsi Orange Ginger
On the Waterfront

If you come visit me I promise I will take you here!

Where Oh Where?

Doesn't this just look like summer?! I think it's everyone's dream to have a house on a lake...somewhere, yes? I like how simple this is. I would simply add a few twinkle lights and lanterns from the tree and it would be perfect.

Solstice Candle Wishes

Ceej and I celebrate the Summer Solstice by eating fresh good food, sending flowers down a river, and by making wishes while jumping over a "bonfire". This year our bonfire came in the form of candles since we weren't sure of a place to go where bonfires would be permitted. Each person gets to jump over the candles three times, each time making a wish.

This year all 6 of our wishes had to do with becoming more deliberate stewards of the earth...walking/biking even more and avoiding the purchase of new things (used they must be). We also wished for more boldness, courage, and love in sharing the gospel of stewardship.

For those of you who couldn't be here, any wishes you'd like to add?

Really, I NEED these:

This chair (2 please) and ottoman for our little porch.

A pretty hour glass to help me slow down. Why not? It's so delicate and means lots of discoveries.
I like the idea of mini cupcakes and muffins...then you don't get sick when you get a craving.
Listen to interview with George Pyle here.

To start my own garden on my wee little porch.
Since my little oven here tends to burn things after only half the typical times I might need to get one of these countertop ovens.
Should be really interesting and informative.
Ceej is fixin' up our 1970-something Schwinns that have been in my parent's garage for the past 20 years. Can't wait.
Doesn't this look lovely?

June Solstice, The World Over

Today is the Summer Solstice for the Northern Hemisphere and the Winter Solstice for the Southern Hemisphere. I hope you've all planned a glorious bonfire and ritualistic dancing to gain Mother Nature's favor. Below are a few things that people do around the globe to celebrate the longest day of the year.

(above) Egypt. Sunlight floods the bottom of this ancient well near Aswan. Would be amazing to see this.
(above). Stonehenge. Of Course. This 5000-year-old monument continues to be a place where people gather to celebrate the solstice.
(above) Spain. This cave was used by alleged witches who were burned during the Basque witch trials in the 1600s.
(above). England. The UK seems to be teeming with stone circles and a plethora of pagan sites. People gather from all over for festivities.
(above) Hopi Indian Boy. He is resting from the traditional butterfly dance that is performed by children. It is a prayer for health and rain as well as a celebration for the butterfly's pollonating of the plants.
(above). Poland. This festival honors Kupala: the goddess of water, herbs, sex, and midsummer.
(above). New York City, Times Square. All day yoga fest. I'll have to do that one of these years.

Biltmore vs. Biltmore

Would you rather stay in the Biltmore Hotel in Sacramento, CA or the Biltmore House in North Carolina?

I'd rather stay in the NC version. But the Biltmore Hotel makes for a sweet photo, yes?

Slept On It. At Peace.

The Decision: No Culinary school for now. I want to do my own thing. I want to learn from many different people, books, and my own experiments. I'm more interested in the ideas involved in the Slow Food movement...something that I wouldn't even touch in the school I was considering. This will also allow me to do some travelling as I learn about different cuisines from different chefs.

I'm feeling very peaceful, yet excited about this decision. Thanks for allowing me to spill my thoughts.

School vs. Home-School?

So I'm faced with a big decision that needs making within the next few days. Should I invest time and lots of money into going to a culinary school, or do I try to learn in my own kitchen (or even get an entry level job with a caterer or baker?). Well-known cooks have all sorts of different backgrounds. Here's the tally:

The Barefoot Contessa: no professional schooling...just bought a specialty foods store!

Tartine Bakery owners: Professionally Trained

Hell's Backbone Grill owners: No Professional Training (as far as I've read).
Veganomicon authors: No professional culinary schooling.
Grandma Celia: home-school for sure!

Keith Abel, co-author of Cooking Outside the Box: trained as a lawyer, no culinary school.
The Sacramento Chocolate Goddess: lots of schooling and lots of awards!
The Queen of Cooking, Julia Child: professional culinary education
Nigella herself: journalist gone chef...no professional training...just good taste.
Mary Crafts, owner of the award-winning catering extravaganza, Culinary Crafts: no professional training.



7 out of 10 did not have professional training...but does that mean I too should not go to school? Is there more to school than simply learning to cook? What about networking? What about the fact that they have all the tools and ingredients I need? But comitting to school for the next 8 months means my schedule isn't as flexible and I'll be needing some student loans...so much to think about! What's your vote?

Etiquette Dreams

Spent an afternoon reading through Kate Spade's Manners. I must admit I love, love, love learning about etiquette and social graces...not that I want to stick my nose in the air or roll my eyes whenever "the rules" are broken, but because I think manners and etiquette are the ultimate thoughtfullness to the details. I like to know that those around me are comfortable and at ease.

One of my dream vacations would be to go to England and spend a week with an etiquette expert to get me into tip-top shape. I don't even know how to go about finding someone who does that!

Father's Day: The Gifts

(above) A mix CD with father & son: Bob & Jakob Dylan
Lots of shirts. 5 total.

Sweet jeans.
This last one was more for me...Ceej hates cologne, but was a good sport and agreed to use it when we go out on dates.

Though we don't have kids yet, Ceej is the Dad of our family...and I love to give gifts! So why not? I'm already sure that Ceej will be the best dad because he knows how to play well. That's oh so important to me.

And a Happy Father's Day to my grandpa!! He is the best father ever. He has taught us everything about being a good human being.

Father's Day: The Food

(above) The Breakfast Setting
(above) Custard-filled French Toast
(above) Pesto Caprese Sandwiches for lunch
(above) Lemon Poppyseed cake with Custard (don't have a torch to give the custard that golden layer on top!).

This was my first time making custard...it was a lot easier than I thought. I think that's the way it goes with most cooking. You've just got to try it. Ceej enjoyed all the food...they were his favorites.

Day Dreaming As Well

Favorite Bob Dylan song: Girl From the North Country. Hands down. I love listening to this song, closing my eyes and imagining that girl from the north country with fall and winter coming on, her long hair and warm coat. Makes me happy. One of the many reasons I don't cut my hair is because of the windy, mysterious, and longing image I have of the girl from the north country. This is indeed a longing song. I think that's one of my favorite emotions: longing.I'll be listening to it often during the hot weather to whisk me away to cooler seasons.

Been Thinking

I've been thinking that there should be more occassions to recieve and carry around bouquets...not just on a wedding day. Or maybe a bouquet on your wedding day is kind of like Christmas...if Christmas were more than once a year it wouldn't be as exciting-so if we had bouquets more often it wouldn't be as special on our wedding day.

So maybe what I'm trying to say is I need to pick out my fresh flowers more deliberately. I try to keep fresh flowers in my house at all times, but often I just hurry and pick out a pre-made bouquet at a farmer's market. Perhaps I should start paying a few extra bucks to get a florist to order me some of my favorite arrangements.

Lucky 13: Moons & Goddesses

If you haven't realized it yet, today is Friday the 13th. Most think of today as an unlucky day, some think of the Knights Templar (though some say this link is incorrect...I don't know for sure), and some think superstitions are childish or unreasonable.

I like to think of the number 13 as my number, and this is why. 13 is a number that is symbolic of the feminine. A woman's monthly cycle echoes that of the moon's: We have 13 28-day cycles, just like the moon. In Christianity the number 12 has been seen as a whole number (12 apostles), but if you add Jesus Christ himself to that grouping you get 13!

Concerning goddesses: I like Botticelli's depiction of the Birth of Venus as she comes forth out of the ocean (the tides being directly linked to the moon!). I like to associate things...so just follow me on this one. Venus is the goddess of Love, love is found in our 4th chakra (the heart center), and she's a feminine goddess, so she would probably approve of the number 13. Thus, today should be a day of Love and not an unlucky day. Yes? Wether or not you agree I'm going to make Friday the 13th a day to show people who are close to me that I love them.

100 Degree Weather Wishlist

This weekend Sacramento will be hitting 100 degrees and beyond! Yuck! As a girl who thinks of summer as her least favorite season I am wishing for a few little things to get me through it.

This cute vintage-inspired swimmer.

This beautiful, breazy dress.Some perfume to remind me to just breathe when the heat is suffocating.
These oh so cool glasses and this lovely hat for reading
My favorite epic novel of all time.

Some frozen lemonade. Fresh.

Splurge!

Yesterday I bought myself some gladiators. Thanks to Gwyneth. I'm a sucker for anything she wears. The best part about these shoes is that they're FLAT! I didn't dare buy the gold, so I went for a brownish hue (and a second pair of red, I admit it).

Jumping In!

Ok. I know you're probably a bit tired of my culinary posts. Just one more. For now.

I bought a few cook books the other day.
1) Bread books. Bread is a daily necessecity, but the most complicated by far. I'm quite intimidated by this "science". Science was never my forte, and I hope this weakness will turn into a strength as I give this an enduring and patient effort.
2)Nigella Lawson. Who doesn't want to be a Domestic Goddess? I certainly do.
3) Tartine. I'll need some sweets to nibble on along the way.
4) Raw Foods. Something I've always wanted to learn more about. I like the idea of making my own almond milk, and eating things that are oh so fresh.

Now, I know there's some of you out there who know something I don't...any cookbook suggestions?

Facing My Fears

As I've been seriously contemplating the culinary arts as a career I thought I'd better start with bread. I only know how to make a basic white flour loaf of bread and an Italian round loaf of bread. I'm very intimidated by bread...especially whole grain breads. I've always wanted to make my own whole grain bread, but it seems really difficult. So now I'm facing my fears head on, and will be baking bread a few times a week. It's quite exciting really. Wish me luck!

Weekend: The Lost Coast

We were so fortunate to have stayed awake late enough to see the moon setting on the water. It was definitely an 'awe' moment. The moon was so golden, like a harvest moon. And the starts were out in full force. It was indeed a beautiful night reminding us how vast and amazing the universe really is.
Our friend, Mark, walking along the black-sand beach carrying his surfboard. Unfortunately, there weren't any surf-worthy waves. All that work for nothing! Sorry, Mark.
Me getting my feet wet. The water was way too cold to get in completely.
Ceej & I at sunset. We sang and played the usual.

P.S. the Kate Wolf festival is near this place...about an hour drive. It happens at the end of this month if anyone is interested in going.

Confession:

My friend, Philipe, LOVES confessions. He usually suggests (at just about every hang out) that we take turns around the circle and confess some deep, dark secret...mostly because we all know he just has something he wants to tell us he did once a long time ago. Anyway, Phil, this post is for you. My confession.

I still LOVE Jon Bon Jovi. Thanks to older sibblings, my favorite bands in Kindergarten were Skid Row, Guns 'N Roses, Alice Cooper, Motley Crue, Def Leopard, and, of course, Jon Bon Jovi. My husband was shocked (and I think a little proud) when I knew every word to every song played on the local butt-rock station, KBER 101.1.

Today I've been listening to Jon. He makes me want to take a power stance, raise my fist in the air, and lower it down slowly as my knee bounces to the beat. "This is a song for the broken-hearted...IT'S MY LIFE! IT'S NOW OR NEVER. I AIN'T GONNA LIVE FOREVER!"

HAPPY WEEKEND!

Of Course. An Orangerie.

About a year ago a neighbor of mine mentioned to me that her dream room is an orangerie. I immediately fell in love with the idea as well, and now I can't speak of my dream house without first mentioning my dream room: an orangerie.

Modern orangeries are usually without the citrus trees & plants it was originally named for. I think that is a shame indeed. Mine will most certainly have small lemon, lime, and orange trees around the perimeter. I intend to host all sorts of parties and gatherings there. Think of the table settings, flower arrangements, and lighting you could do in there! It's even beautiful with just a simple table. I will watch storms come in through the windows and drink loose leaf tea.

Please, Please, Please Come to the U.S.!

It's Noa Noa. Lots of you have already blogged about these lovely European clothes (that's how I found them...so thanks!). I just had to shout out my agreement of how beautiful they are. Noa Noa is only available in Europe. So sad. I've been trying to figure out ways to have them ship me a couple of items. Their clothes are just so classy.

Should I?

Went to an interview today to go to a culinary school here in Sacramento. Got accepted. Now I've just got to decide if it's worth the investment. I do love cooking, and my dream job would be to cater lots of fancy parties. Those of you who know me understand my love of parties and food. Why not? I could have two careers: Catering and teaching Yoga. Sounds good to me. I'll let you know what I decide to do. Any advice?

The Long-Short Tour

A peek into our new apartment. The bathroom is my favorite by far. Just look at that tub and the stained-glass-windows!!

Those hydrangea above were a surprise from Ceej yesterday when we met for lunch.

No photos of the bedroom yet. It's still going through organization. We really love our new place. It's nice to down-size for a minute.

Seriously Good Idea: Garbage.

Crepe-Off

Ceej and I had our first ever Crepe-off yesterday. Ceej had the pretty one. I had the little guy in the sleeping bag. I'm surprised Ceej wasn't hard-core enough to do something more creative like mine. His was just too pretty.

This will be a new tradition for us. It happens every first Sunday of the month.