valentine's day Happy 4th Everyone!

Fresh sprouts, marigolds and cherry plums

The most immediate thing that comes to mind when celebrating the 4th of July might be glorious firework displays. But I always associate this holiday with sharing beautiful food with my family: Barbecued ribs, corn on the cob, slices of cool watermelon, blackberry and peach cobbler and home made ice cream.....don't get me started.

I started my day today with a trip to the Sacramento Farmer's Market, and wanted to share the bounty with all of you.

Cherry Plums

valentine's day Fresh Bread from OctoberFeast Breads

valentine's day Blackberries


Wishing you all the most bountiful of Fourths.

Happy July 4th!!

valentine's day Life is Full

Alley Party Guests, Jenny and Andy

Life has a way of becoming bountiful all at once. I think the more one is involved with people, the more opportunities arise. Lately life has been very full, and I must apologize for letting my blog slip a little. Especially since the blog has been one of the main sources for how much life is giving at the moment!

So a little sharing is in order. As you know, we live in a turn of the century neighborhood which developed with alleys behind all of the houses ( presumably so horses could be put away behind the houses). Tim and one of our back alley neighbors, Rob, had been conceptualizing a party with all of the alley neighbors for a few months now. The idea was to have a Pot Luck in the alley with a band in our garage and the homemade beer brewed by Rob (fan-TAS-tic BTW!!!!) in Rob's garage. This all ended up coming about on Memorial Day weekend.

Vital Signs, Classic Rock in our Garage

We really had no idea how it would turn out.... We know most of our neighbors, but not all. We had never heard the band before....they were recommended by a friend, and we didn't know how many would show up! Wellll....From the response, it looks like it will be an annual event. Perhaps semi-annual! We have had requests for an Oktoberfest. (I will keep you informed!). The band ( Vital Signs....Classic Rock...916-388-1931 if you are in the Sactown area...contact Dave Mauck) was great....everyone was up and dancing . The Brew was so popular Rob had to break out a second batch. And the Pot luck was delish. Brats, salads, and lots of watermelon. Sometimes a casual thing can turn into the most fun.

Pot Luck

I hope you all had a wonderful Memorial Day Weekend!

This last weekend was quite eventful as well! Saturday, Tim and I drove with my Mom to Healdsburg to empty out a storage unit Mom had been renting for the last 15 years. We thought it was about time to let the contents see the light of day once again.....and Mom could save a little cash to boot! Mom used to live in Healdsburg, and for those of you unfamiliar, it is located in the wine country right along the Russian River. (More HERE) It is beautiful, charming, and home to antique shops, great B&B's, restaurants and recreational opportunities.

Oakville Grocery, Healdsburg

Although the main reason for the trip was to empty out a treasure trove of furniture and art that had been in hiding for such a long time (we didn't even know exactly what we would find!)....we still had to have lunch, right? So after a morning of driving to Healdsburg (about 2 hours from Sac) picking up a U-haul truck and loading it up with fantastic loot (more later on that!) we headed over to Oakville Grocery for lunch. Located right on the town square...it is THE place for sandwiches and salads. Me? I had a Curry Chicken Salad Sandwich and Roasted Beet Salad with a Sparkling Pear Cider. Mom had the Roast Beef, and Tim had a Roasted Veggie Sandwich with a fresh Snap Pea Salad.

Lunch at Oakville Grocery in Healdsburg

Refreshed we were ready for the drive home and a late afternoon of unpacking. We finished just in time for the guests to arrive for a year end pizza party for my daughter, her girlfriends and moms. (Actually, I did need to leave to pick up Tim from returning the U-Haul truck.... perhaps we were trying to pack in a little too much for one day!) We had fun making pizzas with Trader Joe pizza dough (I highly recommend!!!) and any topping you can imagine is also available at TJ's! Easy.

Sunday...it was a quick trip to the Sacramento Farmer's Market....it is Cherry Season....and I am addicted to Rainier cherries....had to have them.

Sacramento Farmer's Market Cherries

After breakfast, I drove to San Francisco to meet one of my favorite bloggers! Grant Gibson, designer and blogger extraordinaire, threw a scrumptious brunch for Architect Design blogger, Stefan Hurray. (Stefan lives in Washington DC and is enjoying a birthday trip to California....Happy Birthday Stefan!!)

Brunch at Grant Gibson's lovely San Francisco Home

Grant is not only a fabulous designer (Ahem...top 5 designers to watch list in Elle Decor, people!) he is also a consummate host and cook! We were treated to Roast Vegetable Quiche, Smoked Salmon Quiche, Asparagus and Fingerling Potatoes, Fresh Strawberries, Homemade Scones and Clotted Cream. There was minted iced tea and Prosecco Mimosas. And the company was so much fun! (I wish I had been able to get every one's picture...but here are a few)

Stefan of Architect Design blog, and Grant

Sally Swing and Scot Meacham Wood, Fabulous designer and author of Tartanscot Blog

valentine's day Moi and Stefan

It has been a very busy time...and a very good time as well. We will be celebrating my older daughter's High School graduation this weekend with family, and the girls and I will be heading to the Happiest Place on Earth for a little Grad Trip in a couple of weeks. I am working on some really fun work projects which I hope to share with you very soon!

So...without further adieu....it is back to work!

Have a great day!

valentine's day Inspiration Everywhere

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Floral Bouquets

Last weekend….well pretty much every weekend….we go to the Sacramento Farmers Market to replenish our stock of fruits and vegetables. This time of year is absolutely the best. As soon as I find a place to park and enter the market…an almost overwhelming feeling of giddy wellbeing enters my body. The booths are overflowing and the the early morning crowds with their rolling wire shopping baskets and reusable shopping bags throng the asphalt parking lots shaded by the freeway overpass. Where during the week, a sea of grey concrete is the expected scene, I see color and texture and movement.

This is one of my “happy places”. There is something about looking over all of the bounty and picking out my own treasures, taking out my coins and handing them to the vendors as they hand me a bag from the scale that pleases me to no end.

I find inspiration here……and I imagine rooms in the colors I find:

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Floral Bouquet by Veronica Swanson Beard from Elle Decor , June 2009, Photo by Simon Upton

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Purple Onion

Purple Onion by Jeffrey Bilhuber from House Beautiful, March 2009, Photo by Julian Wass

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Strawberries

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Strawberries by Jeffrey Bilhuber from Defining Luxury

White and Red Cherries

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White and Red Cherries by Alessandra Branca from Elle Decor, May 2009, Photo by Joshua McHugh

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Asparagus

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Asparagus by Jeffrey Bilhuber from Defining Luxury

I hope you have an inspiring weekend!

valentine's day Photo Op: Sacramento Farmers Market

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There is something about heading over to the Farmer's Market on a early Sunday morning that lifts up my spirits. It starts off quietly, with my Trader Joe's tote bag in hand heading out the door. I feel the dew still settling and the birds waking. The crisp air touches my face as I get to my car for the five minute drive. I crack the windows and turn on the CD player to Paul Nutini's "Autumn Leaves". Perhaps a but corny, but then again, I am a sentimentalist. I pick up my friend Leanne, and we talk about our daughters and how they are fairing with this thing called "adolescence". Approaching the market, we find the closest spot we can. And then we are there: The bustle of people, (many we know and say an early morning "hello"), the beautiful colors everywhere, and the smells of lavender, basil and onions.

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We each have our favorite vendors that we visit. For me it is the ladies who sell the avocados and strawberries. Leanne is looking for blueberries and squash...harder to find now that Fall is here. But the tomatoes....the beautiful heirloom tomatoes, neither of us can resist.

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And the mushrooms are plentiful and perfect.

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The pears in Fall are one of my passions. We will bake them in an apple pie, or put them in a salad with roasted walnuts and Gorgonzola. The vendor here gives away whole pears to sample. Smart vendor, I bought quite a few: Bartletts, and one I have not tried called the Seckel pear.

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Then there were pumpkins...beautiful pumpkins of all sizes and colors. Two very large and perfect pumpkins came home with me to rest on the front porch. And a few of the little one for my table.

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The scent of fresh bread wafts deliciously through the air. Coffee and croissants are breakfast for many here.

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Gourds are coming in season, and a large Butternut Squash makes it into my bag.

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Coming home and unloading all of my bags is always heartwarming. The girls and I decide what we will make for dinner.

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Dinner later that night is Potato Leek Soup and a salad of fresh baby greens with avocado, oranges and roasted pine nuts. A day well spent.

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For more information about the Sacramento Farmer's Market click here. It is the largest Farmer's Market in the region. As one of the vendors aptly put it, "it is the Grand Daddy of Farmer's Markets". Perhaps, most importantly, it is locally grown....and that is a good thing.

Recipe for Potato Leek Soup

from The Ultimate Soup Bible

by Anne Sheasby

Ingredients:

2 ounces, 1/4 cup butter

2 leeks, washed and thoroughly chopped

1 small onion peeled and finely chopped

12 ounces potatoes, peeled and chopped

3 3/4 cups chicken or vegetable stock

1) Heat 10 oz. (2 tablespoons) butter in large pan over medium heat. Add the leeks and onion, and cook gently for about 7 minutes until softened

2) Add potatoes to the pan and cook for about 2-3 minutes, then add the stock and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 30-35 minutes until potatoes are tender.

3) Season to taste and remove from heat. Chop and stir in the remaining butter.

4) (I add this step) Puree mixture in blender or food processor until smooth, then serve!

valentine's day I Couldn't Help Myself.

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I went a little overboard at the Sacramento Farmers' Market on Sunday

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After all. It is Spring.

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And the Flower Vendors were in force.

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What was I to do?