Topanga

I'm not intentionally neglecting this little blog. I'm busy packing for the Topanga Canyon Vintage Flea Market

                            

I will have lots of great vintage for sale. It should be lot's of fun, but it has me running around getting things packed, and preparing for the drive.  Though I did manage to make some raviolis this week... priorities. 

                               
Have a beautiful weekend where ever you are, and if where you are is the Los Angeles area stop by Sunday and say HI!

Happy Valentine's Day

It's cheesy, or can be, and a former version of myself certainly came at this holiday with angst and rebellion and loads of eye rolling. I've come around though. I still don't buy cards or teddy bears (or anything) but there is this day dedicated to celebrating love so why not?
Let's honor love and romance and all the different shapes and shades of love and romance. Some of our most romantic moments are not with lovers.
I think about napping in a hammock in my back yard, picking roadside flowers for myself, listening to classical music by the campfire with my girlfriends. Making the perfect poached egg. Holding the door for strangers. Drinking bad wine with a great friend in the park across the street from our house. Listening to the peacocks call as the sun sets at my moms house. 

first self portrait 

Of course I also think of my remarkable partner... I am blessed. He will meet me for picnic dinners in the park and he will pack my lunch for work and hold my hand as we fall asleep. He discards the dirt after I sweep the floor. He does things for me because he knows it will make me happy. He is easy on the eyes and makes the best pizza dough. 

It's those small romances though, that we should take the time to celebrate today, they can slip away, or seem muted because they might only be for you. Write yourself a love letter. Make yourself a fancy dinner. Go for a walk with a friend.
Have a beautiful day full of romance.

Adjust the View

This weekend was incredibly frustrating.  It seemed every project I started, I got stuck.  I was trying to make some headway on our dining table and my table saw was acting up, then I broke my belt sander (and spent the better part of a day taking it apart in attempts to "fix" it) then I broke a drill bit... I'm not making it up. Is it Mercury retrograde? Is it because I don't have a proper work bench? Did I have enough coffee?
I was feeling frustrated and deflated and sensitive. Nick suggested I make dinner. That was actually an incredibly selfless and powerful suggestion... believe it or not. Making dinner is a task I do well and he knew it would give me a sense of accomplishment. I made salad. I felt better.

The truth is I had an amazing weekend. I had coffee with my cooking partner and pal, we talked about the future, we talked about the present, we shared ideas. I met up with my newest collaborator (I cant wait to share more) Angelina. We shared ideas, we went treasure hunting, we touched base. Nick and I cozied by the fire, lied in bed listening to the much needed rain, went out to dinner. I went to the white elephant sale with my aunt, we found treasures, we enjoyed the East Bay, the day slipped away from us, we ate cake.
It would be such a shame to let all of my wonderfully inspiring, connecting, personal events and interactions dissolve into my frustration. Maybe I don't have to work all weekend. It's ok to let go of projects (for a few days) sometimes. 

Enjoy the rest of the week. If things aren't going your way adjust the view! Also make this cake, and eat if with tea with your aunt for her birthday. Or for breakfast.

Pecan Maple Cake
1 1/2 cups pecans toasted (or any nut would probably work)

4 large eggs, at room temperature, separated
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9-inch cake pan with butter or oil or something like that.
Process pecans in a food processor or blender until finely ground.
Beat 4 egg yolks, 1/4 cup maple syrup, vanilla, baking soda and salt in a large mixing bowl until well combined. Add the ground pecans and beat until combined.
Beat 4 egg whites in another large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until very foamy, white and doubled in volume, but not stiff enough to hold peaks. Gently fold the egg whites into the nut mixture until just combined. Transfer the batter into the prepared pan.
Bake until golden brown and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean, about 28-30 minutes.

scenes from our weekend

This weekend Nick and I took a one day vacation in Vallejo of all places. Our pal was house-sitting a beautiful century old house overlooking the city and the Sonoma hills beyond. 

We went treasure hunting and East Bay exploring.  It was fun to get away.

I was able to work on some new cutting board shapes.  Of course my favorite parting is oiling the wood after sanding it down.  It's so exciting to reveal the beautiful grain.

Lastly I will leave you with a really easy, endlessly adaptable recipe for granola.  It fills your house with an intoxicating sweet nutty smell.  It's my breakfast along side a dollop of plain yogurt everyday until it's gone.

 

2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats 

1 cup raw pumpkin seeds, hulled 

1 cup raw sunflower seeds, hulled 

1 cup unsweetened coconut chips 

1 1/4 cup raw pecans, left whole or coarsely chopped 

1/2 cup raw almonds

1 cup pure maple syrup 

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil 

1/4 cup packed light-brown sugar 

a teaspoon or two your favorte spices (I used cinnamon and cardamom)

Coarse salt

Heat oven to 300 degrees.

Throw everything and 1 teaspoon salt in a large bowl and mix until well combined. Spread granola mixture in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Transfer to oven and bake, stirring every 10-15 minutes, until granola is toasted, about 45 minutes.

Remove granola from oven and season with a pinch more salt to taste. Let cool completely before serving or storing in an airtight container for up to 1 month. 

Enjoy. Have a beautiful week. Look up. Count your blessings. 

Re-nesting

For the last two and a half years we have shared our little house with our pal, ten foot tall musician rascal John Courage.  For the last six months we have shared our little home with my cosmic sister, the sweet songstress Ashley Allred.  It has been a cozy house, full of love, dogs, a cat, and four full grown humans. 
Our pals found their own little home 1.1 miles away and now half of our house is empty.  We are  feeling both the sad empty, excited about our alone time, and our new studio space?  Office?  Movie room?
For now the room is empty but some coats in the closet and a blanket on the floor, where we can have meals pic-nic style while I build our kitchen table (out of a 130 year old slab of fir!)
This change feels exciting and hopeful.  It's a re-nesting. Now off to start my busy (work)weekend... maybe refinish those floors!