Now you see 'em, now you doughn't

I am not really a doughnut girl but I have to say that the "famous" homemade doughnuts we had at Lola in Seattle are not your ordinary doughnuts. Our waitress suggested - rather insisted - that we order them with our breakfast.  So, we got one order to share between the four of us. Mistake. They were gone in about 2 seconds flat. Nothing can quite compare to these handmade doughnuts; airy, not too sweet and a perfect amount of sugared crunch with each bite. There are definitely no Kinks in these little guys. So, while I highly recommend the doughnuts at Lola when you are next in Seattle, I must caution against sharing - you absolutely must get your own order.

(Another attraction for me was the font - on the plate/logo. Seems to fit just right.)

Going

Going

Gone

And, speaking of doughnuts - I am so proud of my friend for publishing her first novel : Life, Death and Doughnuts. (It is her 5th book.) Yes, I am giving her a plug right here.

Please let me know if there are any other doughnuts that might compare to Lola's.

A Day in Fashion Week

Lincoln Center, NYC

From Carlos Miele Show, Jewelry by Ivanka Trump 

Beautiful Necklace  - Ivanka Trump Jewelry, Carlos Miele Dress

My Favorite - Gorgeous Blue Gown by Carlos Miele

Tracy Reese - this is so me - love the leather hat

Tracy Reese - I want to buy this as I would actually wear it!

Is she blogging? Love the sleeves.

I would not suggest this combination

Orange Nikes - worn by Muscle Milk girls

Street Fashion?

Me with Marcie - she favors Oscar gowns

Best Groomed Guy - Oscar (not Marcie's Oscar).

Monique Lhulillier suit - looks perfect for a Mother of the Bride

Giada de Laurentis - is she thinking about feeding the models?

I was so excited to meet Brad from The Rachel Zoe Project! Love the jacket and he was so friendly. He was at the Monique Lhuillier show; I wonder if he was shopping for someone in particular?

Monique Lhuillier - never a disappointment with her Garden of Eden theme. Gowns to die for - and of course this blue is screaming my name.

Monique Lhuillier show- I love the feathers and the nude palette.

Have You Ever Counted the Seeds in a Pomegranate?

Well, it felt great to take some time off and enjoy the last part of summer with my family but it is good to be home. One of the places we experienced in August was Israel. And, yes, I say experience rather than visit, vacation and or traveled to because that is exactly what it was - an experience. I cannot wait to go back. The energy, the passion, the mixing of cultures. The Middle East is a place onto it's own. 



We visited Moshav Amirim, located in the North and this is where I saw a pomegranate tree for the first time. I have seen them in the markets many times, but never in their natural environment! Love it.

In keeping with many of my prior blogs, I bring to you something for your taste buds (among other potential benefits). See below. 

Market in Tel Aviv - wish I could find pomegranate seeds in cup here!

Pomegranates are traditionally eaten on the second night of Rosh Hashanah, the holiday celebrating The Jewish New Year. There are several reasons cited for this  - click here for more info. I like that they have 613 seeds inside and that relates to the number of good deeds one has done in the past year or as a reminder of all the good deeds we are capable of in the coming year. In honor of the Jewish New Year and the Fall Season, below are some seasonal drinks.


Enjoy, Shanah Tovah to those who celebrate the Jewish New Year and Happy Fall to all!

By the way, I recently saw a postcard on Esty that used smashed pomegranate seeds as a dye on paper. (Just a thought for the kids while you experiment below.)

Pomegranate Martini - a version of Oprah's favorite


1 1/2 cups pomegranate juice
2 ounces Absolute Citron or plain vodka
1 ounce Cointreau liquor
Cup of ice
Garnish with a slice of lime (or apple for The New Year)

Mix all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Strain into a chilled martini glass and add garnish. 

New Year's Honey Appletini - adapted from Caleb Lentchner, executive chef at Marsha Brown's in New Hope, PA

2 parts Absolute Vodka

1 part apple schnapps or for a more sour taste, try sour apple pucker

Splash of lime juice

Honey and apple slices for garnish

Optional, pomegranate seeds for garnish

Drizzle inside of chilled martini glass with honey. Mix and shake all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Strain into a chilled martini glass and add garnish - pop in a few seeds for fun.

Nailing It

Is it possible to have fun during a 5 or 6-hour airport layover? Did I forget to say  “with teenagers”?


Well, until a few days ago I would have said no way. Then we landed at the Seattle Airport on our way home from my new “Mecca” (subject of a future post) where we were faced with a 6 hour layover and everything suddenly changed for me.  It was no longer “what to do" but “what to do first” ?


Walking thru the airport we were faced with difficult decisions – should we eat now or in 4 hours? Where should we eat? So many choices and I am not talking just fast food here. Do I need a new book? There was a bright and open bookstore where I could actually turn around and not knock over some souvenir key chains. But really, I could just order it on Kindle even though I actually am missing holding onto a real book.  Do I want a massage? Head? Neck? Back? Should we get our nails done? And then I saw this (below) ... and I knew.

Now, I have been in many airports where there are express spas but I have not seen anything like this place, “butter – London” and, it was calling my name. LOUDLY. Leopard print pillows, yellow and white striped contemporary sofas, great font and signage, black /white lacquer shelving and displays, funky bird wallpaper, music playing, edgy and inviting and, remember, this is at the airport.  And, did I mention, no carcinogens in the polish? 3 Free Lacquer they call it - "green" nail color meets fashion. I’m so in.

After a week of “roughing it” in Whitefish, Montana, getting our nails done was now our # 1 choice (I say “we” meaning all us girls – my son had a different plan). Well, as you can imagine, we needed a strategy. We had to eat first so I could pay and eat without messing up a fresh manicure and we needed enough time to dry before boarding the plane and dealing with the carry on luggage.

With the timing all set and full stomachs, we were ready.  

Shout out to my male technician, Brooklyn for one of the best manicures I have ever gotten!

So many choices!

After much sampling, one of my daughters went with a sharp bright yellow polish; the other with a pink ”Jelly” finish over a brownish pink. (“Jelly” polish adds a sheer type of sparkle on top - like a lip gloss.)  I went with "Hail to McQueen"  - a more sophisticated neutral (I was going to a wedding the next day) with a glowing finish. And, I could not resist taking home a mustard yellow  - Bumster - and a dirty slate gray  - Chimney Sweep - for fall*

Had to bring these home

Oh, and my son (the girls' Sherpa) was not bored at all. Remember, he too had a plan – he went for the neck and shoulder massage. That worked out perfectly as he was able to relax and unwind before he had to carry all of our bags again.


*Loving gray and yellow now and into fall, here are a few ideas:


Personalized Note Cards

Gray suede ink on crisp white note cards with a soft gray tissue or bright yellow envelope liner. From $300 for 100 note cards and with printed return address & liner. Cards measure approx. 6.25 x 4.25 inches.

Recycled glass necklace

Recycled glass necklace – shades of gray with silver chain $210

Bamboo Letterpress Greeting Card/Envelope

Love Greeting Cards - 2 for $8

Fresh Thoughts from Orrganics will be taking the rest of August off but Orrganics is open by appointment. Enjoy!

Go Bears

"Go Bears."

What has, for many years, simply been a salute and cheer to my Alma Mata, UC Berkeley (Cal Bears) is now all about the Grizzly Bear. I will soon be hiking in Glacier National Park with my family. The recent news of an attack in Yellowstone National Park and my dinner last week with friends who encountered a Grizzly several years ago on their hiking trip (well, She did; He got the news as She went running by him on her way back down the trail) has me thinking more about this mighty and awe inspiring animal - and how to avoid it. So, I will follow all the suggestions about hiking in the Park and keeping safe from the Grizzly. You can be sure I will be carrying bear spray - sold at the gift shop in the Lodge, we will hike with a Guide, I will not spray myself with my daily shot of Scent of Peace, we will not eat along the way and we will be sure to make noise. Not so much noise that it will take away from the setting and all of the expected beauty or get us nasty looks from other hikers. And it will be natural noise, not the jingle of bells that I read about. Our noisemaker will be chatter, most likely constant. Meet my daughter. Did I mention that she loves to talk? I just hope the scenery doesn't make her speechless.*


*This is a serious matter and we will of course take all appropriate precautions.

A New Oeuf!

So we recently did this sweet baby announcement (via Luscious Verde), it's fuchsia and wasabi green with chocolate ink and the little birdie is an additional layer of paper, providing more texture (which I love). And, it is all recycled paper to boot. Yummy. A new little baby, a chickie ... eggs. Yes, this announcement made me think of a fabulous dish - of eggs - that I had when we were in Paris last May. And, I don't mean for breakfast.

We were out for a true Parisian dinner at a little neighborhood spot near the Eiffel Tower with our friends, Natalie and Tom. They live in Paris - Natalie is French born and Tom very well could be given his gift for the language and the ease in which he lives life there.  Tom recommended to me a dish that I never would think to order - oeufs meurettes. What? Eggs at night? Cooked in red wine? Lots of butter? Are you kidding me? It sounded so heavy and so not my style. But Tom assured me that I would love it despite my claims to the contrary and, honestly, he challenged me. Never one to back away from a (reasonable) challenge, I ordered it in butchered French. Well, he was right; I was practically licking my plate - how "Ugly American" of me. Here is a link to make these fine oeufs yourself. Bon Appétit*

*To be clear, in no way am I suggesting eating our offspring and I probably would not be cooking or eating these in the current 100 degree summer weather we are having - have some cold grapefruit sorbet instead.

So Salty

I love salt. I love crisp. So when the 2 are so beautifully blended together I am a happy camper. I was traveling across the country the last few days and, while waiting for my delayed flight in Phoenix,  I had the most fabulous fries. I can't remember the name of the place but it was right next to the Southwest gates. They were so perfect in fact that I didn't even realize my flight back into Burbank was more delayed than I thought and I could actually just jump on a flight to LA that was leaving in about 2 minutes and get to my husband a few hours sooner... Well, I had choices to make - I left my drink untouched but finished every last fry and made the flight. Happy camper. Happy Hubby.

Another great way to enjoy salt is the following, made with organic English cucumbers and smoked hickory salt - easy, crisp and refreshing:

1. slice the cucumber into 1/4-1/2 inch think circles

2. put on tray and sprinkle with hickory salt.

Done.
See easy step by step below...

Think you can do that?

And, thinking of salt -
Salted paper photographic prints are pretty cool to look at if done well. (Visit salted paper images on flickr.) Invented by a British photographer around 1840 and used primarily until around 1860 or so, the process uses a salt solution on paper whereby the resulting image is embedded in the paper instead of on it and the images are usually lacking in crisp detail, which I think creates the beauty in them.