Monday, April 30, 2012

Monday Mood Board

this monday ive got navy on the brain. It is an all time favorite and i tend to favor it as a classic color that can be both elegant and casual. We are heading to a wedding in DC this week and the color is all about navy! 
Dont' you just love the navy room with the carmel leather!




images: sneakers, room, setting, dress, watch, table 

Friday, April 27, 2012

flowers for friday




I love using unexpected floral material in arrangements. this one is artichoke, geranium leaf, curly willow and freesia. 
happy weekend all!

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

dining divine

just a bit of eye candy for your tuesday. Im enamored with these beautiful dining spaces. Opulent and sophisticated but sill with a casualness about them that is truly lovely. Oh! and that bench. 





images: first two, third 

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

le voyage creatif

 
pretty wooden beads from this beautiful shop in norway. I'm quite smitten with the natural wood & crystal mixed necklace
 




Tuesday, April 17, 2012

To Market, To Market

well, i wasn't exactly buying a fat pig but I did stock up on dry goods. In san francisco the change of seasons can be almost imperceptible except when visiting the farmers market. The very beginnings of summer are creeping now. Tomatoes are coming around and strawberries are starting to be consistently plump and sweet. The mint and basil I bought on sunday are beautiful and full of aroma and flavor. 
The change of seasons also means a change in cooking style. In the winter months i prefer to cook deep, bottomless soups and stews.. casseroles, polenta and other things that stick to your ribs and hold up well to the dense leafy greens that make up most of our diets. Though not vegetarian, meat is not a very big part of our daily meals. Perhaps once a week or so we cook something with meat as the protein but then again sometimes not. So I went to stock up on summer dry goods. A few types of lentils and quick cooking beans. Israeli couscous to replace polenta and beautiful long grain brown rice to replace arborio. The veggies are so good in the summer that I prefer to cook them as little as possible and mix them in with cold beans and lentils for easy summer salads. 
Another thing i have been trying lately... pulling archived cooking magazines to correlate with the particular month. It has been great to leave them on the ktichen island and thumb through them for both inspiration and recipes. At the end of the month I put them away and pull magazines for the next. 
Im looking forward to the really good heirloom tomatoes.. a few more months to go yet. 

Monday, April 16, 2012

monday mood board

i keep seeing this gorgeous coral color everywhere at the moment. I can not wait for the big lush peonies to come into the market ... a sure sign that summer is near. I had fun at some estate sales this week and I am looking forward to lots of floral work this week. 

Happy Monday All!



Friday, April 13, 2012

flowers for friday

 just a few shots from a photo shoot a while back.......
a big thank you to the wonderful Stian Rasmussen for the photography! It was a fun few days of working together. 
happy happy friday lovelies.



Thursday, April 12, 2012

weekend on the other coast

views from my week back east. I instagramed my way right through those few days but thought it would be fun to put them all together. It was truly a wonder time away. 
Im on instagram @ cottagefarm. 

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

fruits of labor



lately I've been addicted to this little late afternoon snack. When I saw it first on one of my favorite food blogs MyNewRoots I was intrigued by the thought of the roasted grapes. They did not disappoint.  And though I have not yet attempted the homemade ricotta (i've been using a very soft delicious goat cheese) one of these weekends I will be giving it a whirl. 
But for now- It makes a most delicious snack. Ive even been saving a few of the grapes for my oats in the morning. 


Recipe from MyNewRoots : Ricotta on Toasts with Roasted Fruit 
1 pear, sliced 
half a cup of grapes or so 
coconut oil, melted 
sea salt 
black pepper 
thyme 
hone 
slices of your favorite crunchy bread 


preheat oven to 405°
toss grapes & pear in oil to lightly coat. Roast with thyme sprigs 8-10 minutes until grape skins split/pears slightly caramelized. 
Toast bread and spread with cheese. add roasted fruit, drizzle with honey, S&P and serve. 


YUM!

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

noa noa



some very pretty things at the lovely danish based Noa Noa  - For high summer (its the perfect collection title!). 
they seem so glamours and speak of another time while still seeming fresh and modern. I would love to wear that first dress out on a warm summer night - perhaps a stroll down a long wooden boardwalk.......

Monday, April 9, 2012

monday mood board



and so i am back from my east coast adventure. Boxes filled with treasure and smiles all around. It was nice to be away but as always, it is nice to be home. 
And what a welcomed sight it was to arrive and find my lemon tree FULL of blooms. their sweet smell has been floating through the doors and windows and I cant get that dreamy scent off my mind. 
So, todays monday mood board is inspired by this ladened little tree on my patio. 












images: dressquince, roomstylingflowerscocktail

Monday, April 2, 2012