LUX / EROS
Gorgeous tableware makes every meal taste better. Lux/Eros designer Desanka Fasiska culls inspiration from her California roots to create an earthy ceramics collection filled with a whole lot of art and soul.
Maui, Morimoto, Malasadas
Morimoto at the Andaz on Maui is known for its upscale Japanese cuisine. After your meal, make sure to leave room for dessert. The malasadas here are perfect. Fluffy and moist on the inside, lightly fried on the outside, and evenly coated with sugar. Three exquisite dipping sauces, apple banana cheesecake, sake caramel, and Waialua chocolate, transform the dessert to a black tie event, even though when you look down, you’re still wearing shorts and flip flops.
EAT: Blistered Shishiyto Peppers, Sushi, Uni Carbonara, Sushi, Snapper, Malasadas
Recipe: Homemade Bolognese Pasta Sauce
We made our first batch of homemade pasta sauce using fresh San Marzano and Roma tomatoes from our garden. We fell in love with this simple recipe from Marcella Hazan and tweaked it with our own little flourishes. It was delicious — enjoy!
Recipe: Homemade Bolognese Sauce
3 pounds of fresh tomatoes (we used a mix of San Marzano and Roma tomatoes)
5 tablespoons of butter (we used Plugra European butter)
1 medium yellow onion, sliced in quarters
1 pound of ground beef
1 tablespoon of chili flakes
1 sprig of basil
1. Plunge the tomatoes in boiling water for a minute or less. Drain and place in cold ice water bath, skin and cut into coarse pieces.
2. Place tomatoes, butter, onion and chili flakes in a sauce pan and cook uncovered at a slow, steady simmer for 1 hour, or until thickened to your liking.
3. While the sauce is simmering, cook ground beef in a skillet under med-high heat. Drain and set aside.
5. After tomato sauce is thickened to your liking, stir in the ground beef and simmer for an additional 10 minutes.
6. Serve with al dente pasta and top with fresh basil.
I Love Mr. Mittens
Say it with me: I Love Mr. Mittens. The chunky knitwear line by Belgian-born designer Stephanie Caulier sparks my need for all things cozy and oversized this coming Fall. Inspired by her childhood love for knitting, Caulier turned what was once a hobby into a full fledged business thanks to a close-knit following (ha!) and popular social media presence. Each piece from the designer's collection is carefully hand knit by Caulier and her team in Australia, bringing forth her vision for quality over quantity. Needless to say, I'll be updating my wardrobe with one or two pieces from Caulier's collection — get yours before it sells out.
Life Goals
The ultimate kitchen set from Malle W. Trousseau.
Don't These Look Good? Do'Nuggets
Recipe:
1 package of store bought biscuits (Trader Joe's or Pillsbury)
Vegetable oil
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons finely crushed peanuts
Directions:
Divide each biscuit into 4 pieces, roll into balls. Add to hot oil and fry and until golden. After frying remove place the nuggets on paper towels to soak up the extra oil. Mix sugar and crushed peanuts. Roll the fried nuggets until evenly coated. Serve immediately.
Boiling Point
After breaking the top off of our trusty old water kettle, I've been on the hunt for a refined replacement. If it's going to sit on your range all day, it might as well look good right? This super chic German glass water kettle looks like a work of art in itself. The only drawback is that it doesn't whistle at its boiling point, but who wants to walk away when you can watch the water come to a majestic rumble?
Bliss and Mischief
Custom made Vintage Levis denim with floral embroidery reminds me of the wild west.
Just Add Sunshine
Fermob just changed my view on outdoor furniture. For it's newest collection, the french brand took a cue from the '60s with a superchic lineup of pin-worthy pieces. At first glance, the chairs look like they're woven out of rope but they're actually made out of sustainable aluminum and then powder coated in a range of vibrant colors (this paprika one is my favorite!). Perfect for backyard summer parties, Saturday brunch, and everything in between. Now if only the weather would cooperate . . .
Good Grief!
We paid a visit to the Charles Schultz museum in Santa Rosa over the weekend for a closer look at the creator behind the beloved Peanuts comic strip. The museum boasted special exhibitions and impressive, larger-than-life installations like the Peanuts Tile Mural by Yoshiteru Otani, seen above and below. The permanent installation depicts that famous football scene with Lucy and Charlie Brown and is made out of 3,588 comic strips printed on individual ceramic tiles. One of my favorite parts about the experience was going through the wonderful comic strips Charles created over his 50 year career. The magic in the characters he created expressed feelings of hope, insecurity, and self-deprecating humor, honest emotions every human being goes through in life. Maybe that's why I like them so much.
Marni Makes Me Dance
Dressing up my distressed floors with a pair of Marni jeweled flats — a recent score (!) from a random trip to Barneys Warehouse over the weekend.
Two Rails
riding in this iron train
over cold steel rails
across young and wild lands
untouched
we stare out the window
knowing we are bound to a common place
but not the same destination