Archive for 2012

pesto



pesto is the most delicious creation. put it on anything and it tastes 100 times better.  outstanding. for this pesto recipe, i took everything i thought i knew about making pesto, and put them together.



recipe
2 cups basil leaves, loosely packed
2 cloves of fresh garlic
a handful of chopped walnuts (no pine nuts, i'm not rich!)
3/4 cup of freshly grated parmesan reggiano
1 1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1/2 cup of the best olive oil you have


blend all ingredients in a small food processor.  enjoy on, or with, everything.

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dog days




















the dog days of summer are long gone now.  i can't help but miss the ease of life on an island surrounded by calm ocean and sincere friends.

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shoreline



miss the prince edward island shoreline today.  red sand, warm and comforting.

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black, white, and a splash of colour

so, i'm moving, again.  big surprise.  this time in my apartment hunt, i'm going to take into consideration the things i can not change.   i can't make a black countertop white no matter how hard i wish it.  the pine cabinets can't magically be stained a more tasteful colour.  however, walls can be painted white. and the floors can be styled with rugs.

i'm very fond of this scandinavian apartment i found on my scandinavian home. it's mostly white, my favourite for a clean and airy feel.  but the splashes of colour are so thoughtful and concise. not to mention, the blue doors (!) i'd kill for a pare of those.


simple white couch, the colour comes from cushions.
the french doors! blue, and beautiful. just the right amount of old.

fairly monochromatic bed colours.  natural greenery added by plants.

the string of lights on the mirror adds light to an otherwise dark area of the home.
plus, they add a great view of the last minute check of the days outfit.

a white dresser with darker accessories on top. 

the shelves heighten the space itself, while adding a visual display and great storage.  
they are also the main source of colour in the space.


can't wait to start sourcing new furniture and accessories for my new space.  now, only to find it.

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rainy day

while sitting on my front porch with the rain dancing on the windows, i can't help but be brought back to my rainy day in paris.  paris felt more romantic, more nostalgic, and more beautiful in the rain.  my feet slowed down, and my body mirrored the raindrops slowly swaying along the seine.





i wish every rainy day felt like paris in the rain.


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house plants

lately i've been noticing the greenery slip away from the interiors of the homes i visit.  pins for bouquets of fake flowers, and diy flowers from fabrics and papers.  what ever happened to the living green indoors? 





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lemon blueberry yogurt loaf


woke up dreaming of blueberries. a perfect loaf for a rainy sunday morning to share with great pals. easy to bake, even easier to enjoy.


it all started with these:
hand picked from the blueberry patch





still warm on the inside


for the loaf:
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder 
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 
  • 2 small blueberry yogurts 
  • 3/4 cup sugar 
  • 3 large eggs 
  • the lemon zest from 2 lemons 
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, and a little extra for good luck 
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil 
  • 1 1/2 cups blueberries 

for the lemon syrup:
  • 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1/3 cup sugar 

for the lemon glaze:
  • 1 cup icing sugar 
  • enough fresh lemon juice to make a pourable consistency

directions:
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease bottom and sides of one 9 x 5-inch loaf pans; dust with flour, tapping out excess. 
  2. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt; set aside. 
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together the yogurt, sugar, eggs, lemon zest, vanilla and oil. Slowly whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. In a separate bowl, mix the blueberries with the remaining tablespoon of flour, and fold them very gently into the batter. 
  4. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake 50 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean. Let cool in the pans for 10 minutes before removing loaf to a wire rack on top of a baking sheet. 
  5. While the loaf is cooling, make the lemon syrup in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir together the lemon juice and sugar until the sugar is completely dissolved. Once dissolved, continue to cook for 3 more minutes. Remove from the heat; set aside. 
  6. Use a toothpick to poke holes in the tops and sides of the warm loaf. Brush the top and sides of the loaf with the lemon syrup. Let the syrup soak into the cake and brush again. Let the cake cool completely. 
  7. To make the lemon glaze, in a small bowl, whisk together the confectioners’ sugar and 2-3 tablespoons of the lemon juice. The mixture should be thick but pourable. Add up to another tablespoon of lemon juice if the mixture is too stiff. Pour the lemon glaze over the top of each loaf and let it drip down the sides. Let the lemon glaze harden, about 15 minutes, before serving.

recipe adapted from here.

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a working space



 




1, 2, & 3: san francisco loft  4 & 5: pale


transitioning from house to house, and living in spaces belonging to others, has me wanting a more permanent space of my own.  i've been making mental notes, and visual lists, of how the spaces in my daydreams look.  high priority on my list is a working space.  somewhere i can draw doodles, paint cards, make jewelry, and write.  somewhere light and carefree.  somewhere that houses things of my own.

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sky blue sky

the only thing better than owning a boat yourself, is having good friends that own a boat. being at a cottage in only twenty minutes was never a luxury i experienced growing up in newmarket. there we had to battle with the rest of the weekend traffic heading up to muskoka.  being able to go for a mid week rip on the boat, down the river, and into the ocean, and hanging out on the cavendish dunes is a real treat.

from one of our boat riding days:

french river lighthouse 

boyfriend sean on the dunes

friends leah and james stoked on the day

an island of sand

windblown and sandblown

our dog friend mardy, rippin' around

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view from work



lately, in any spare time i can muster up, i find myself scouring the depths of the internet; scrolling through image after image.  home decor, beachside cottages, handcrafted jewelry, overgrown gardens, recipes i'll probably never make.  i often find myself saying "i could do that, but better".  it's terrible.

i'm making an effort to keep up with my own projects, and my own life.  i've made a new quiet outlet for myself to reflect and enjoy my time since summertime on the island is hectic in every sense of the word.  finding time to myself is extremely difficult, but i couldn't and wouldn't trade the sun, sand, and fun for a day on the couch - ever.

maximization; the best part of summer.



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