This has been my entertaining go-to as of late: a heaping piled of grilled veggies served with herb whipped goat cheese, which happens to be so tasty that I would eat ANYTHING it was spread upon . This is so easy to throw together, leaving plenty of time for chatting with guests, and is always a hit! We usually grill some chicken to go with it and serve alongside a giant summer salad. It’s delicious and satisfying, un-fussy but still worthy of guests. I’m a fan and hope you will be too! xx- Sarah PS if you are lucky enough to have leftovers, chop them up and combine them with reamaining herb whipped goat cheese for a beautiful summer salad (see mine here)!
If you’re like me and have a compulsive need to refresh your space, pillows are your best friend. They can transform a room, adding color, texture, warmth or just that last bit of something to make it feel gooooood. I was being dramatic yesterday when I said they’re more expensive than an organ transplant. They definitely CAN be, and I have a special skill for always falling in love with THE MOST EXPENSIVE PILLOW MY EYES LAND ON. But! I found a bunch of really beautiful, totally affordable options in a pretty exhaustive search this week to share with you. Seriously internet, if there is a corner I left unturned in my pillow hunt, give me a heads up. There are so many of these bad boys that I’d love to mix and match for a look like this. Oh pillows, I love thee. Happy decorating my friends!! xx- Sarah
Hi friends! Do you remember our dining room when we moved in, and then the update last summer when we painted it? (You can time travel to view it here if you’d like!) Well since then I’ve been slowly making just a couple of changes- namely in the form of that window seat! We designed it and had our friend and architect/woodworker extraordinaire build it for us. He built the floating credenza (seen here) in the living room for us as well and we wanted them to play off of each other since you can see both when you walk in the front door. I originally intended for the wood to be exposed- no cushion. I love me a huge slab of walnut something hard. But after a few months of sore-bum-sitting I broke down and decided that function would have to win out over form this go-round. We hired an upholsterer to make the seat cushion- and while I love it I do wish it were a couple inches thicker. I chose to cut costs by having it produced at that thickness and have some regrets, although it’s probably the kind of thing that will only ever bother me as normal humans don’t usually fret about such silly things, right? SAY YES! It’ll make me feel better.
I waited patiently (NOT PATIENTLY AT ALL- I NEARLY DIED OF IMPATIENCE) for months until I found the right fabric to make the pillows with. I’ve since discovered a half dozen throw pillows I would’ve bought and loved as much/more, but again- I saved my pennies by having these made (why on God’s green earth do pillows cost more than organ transplants?!!!) As for the missing palm on the right side of the room- that was a casualty. I’m pretty good at keeping plants alive but I have reason to suspect that palms have something against me. Now that the room is finished (well I do dream of a giant olive tree in one corner truth be told) I have to say- I am so happy with how it turned out! It’s bright and happy, but at night becomes cozy and downright romantic with the chandelier on a dimmer. During the day I love sitting in the window nook and watching the kids have sponge fights or play basketball. The sound of kids playing has become one of my favorites. Have I told you we live in Pleasantville? I love it. I love it far more than I ever knew I would. Consider me suburbed. Sources for all that you see below and more photos after the jump! xx- Sarah
I’m missing cocktails something hard these days- the sun is shining non stop, there’s that evening breeze that makes a hand without a cocktail feel just wrong, and, well frankly, being pregnant makes me want to imbibe. Since I’m showing necessary restraint, having only a glass of rose here or there, I thought I’d woo you all with the drink I’d be having were I not concentrating on growing the healthiest human I can manage. The ginger mojito. Sparkling ginger ale adds just the right amount of pep to a classic mojito, and the sweetness is jusssttt riiiigggghhhtt. So without further torturing myself, photos and recipe below! xx- Sarah
Hi friends! My belly has really taken on a life of it’s own now that I’m six months in (wide-eyed emoji)! But that’s appropriate I suppose! I picked up a few maternity staples early on in my pregnancy and have managed to make my closet work for me up until this point, largely in part because aforementioned pregnancy staples were this skirt in black and white that I paired with every top I own. But now it’s time to pick up a few pieces to carry me through the final months- and stubbornly I’m avoiding maternity wear at all costs. I want to be able to wear whatever I buy after our little boy arrives. Is that crazy of me? Here are some dresses I’ve got my eye on- dresses I think could work both in pregnancy and that I could wear once my belly is gone. But I’m new to this, so moms if you think I’m delusional and should count on my belly not squeezing into anything non- maternity please, please tell me! Links for everything above, and a bunch of other dresses I have my eye on, below…. xx- Sarah
If you had told me three years ago that I’d be adding bone marrow to a frittata, I would’ve asked you where you were getting your drugs. HA! But the times, they’ve changed. And here I find myself searching for ways to incorporate as much bone marrow (from organic, pasture raised, happy cows) into my meals as possible to reap the many rewards of it’s deeply nutritional and healing properties. You see, as our ancestors well understood, bone marrow is chock full of incredible minerals (calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium to name a few) and vitamins (specifically the most important A, D, and K) that are critical for healthy thriving. Our ancestors appreciated the bits and bobs of the animal that we have since stopped eating- the organs, the marrow, the FAT. They somehow instinctively understood that these parts of the animals contained an abundance of nutrition critical to healthy humanity. And I personally love knowing that nothing is being wasted- we’re eating every bit of the animal we can get our hands on. This makes sense to me in so many ways.
While I love eating bone marrow roasted and sprinkled with salt, I also love the idea of sneaking it into other meals to increase the amount of it that we’re getting. I’ve been making the beef stock from the Gjelina cookbook (it’s heavenly and now that I’m mentioning it I should note that the cookbook is my all time favorite). The recipe calls for 5 pounds of beef shanks, all of which have marrow in them. I also add two long split marrow bones that I get at the farmers market to the pot. I’m careful when I’m making the stock to not stir the shanks/marrow bones and when it’s done I gently remove the shanks and collect the marrow from the bone centers. This is what lands in this frittata, after sitting in the refrigerator and firming up a bit.
Now, are you wondering how this tastes? Because ultimately that is THE MOST IMPORTANT THING! And the answer: it’s flipping delicious! The marrow sort of blends in with the goat cheese and egg, adding a richness to the flavor that isn’t overt. It would be a brilliant way to sneak bone marrow into your family if they find it to be suspect. And the asparagus and tomatoes add the sweet taste of summer that finishes it off perfectly. I love it, and I think you will too! xx- Sarah
