Berlin Subway Art

Berlin has some amazing subway art.  I stumbled upon these pieces when I was there in August.

Dinner Party - Hump Day

I love dinner parties.  We hosted one on hump day (Wednesday) this week.

Apps:
-Cheese plate with Mt Tam triple-cream from the Cowgirl Creamery and an aged gouda, the kind that cracks in your mouth.
-Salami that the hubby always buys directly from the factory.
-Thin sliced portabella mushrooms topped with crème fraiche and mint (it's like a carpaccio and is from the Zuni cookbook, which I love).
-Baked prosciutto-wrapped dates with fresh mint. My sister-in-law made these for us a while back and they were exquisite.

Main:
-Andean stew - recipe from NY Times.
-Spicy cornbread that my friend Julia made.
-Arugula salad with persimmons.
 

Dessert:
-Yogurt cake - recipe from Orangette. I added pineapple.

Lightweight Travel Clothes

We are off to Singapore and Bali over the holidays (!!!) and I'm in search of some new travel attire.  We'll be spending Christmas with my brother's family in Singapore, and then we'll head to Bali for beach fun and scuba diving. So I'll need to pack a combination of street clothes and beachy wear. And of course it is VERY hot over there, so everything needs to be lightweight and breathable.

 I just purchased these silk pants from Kenneth Cole.

And this cotton sun hat off Gilt.

But I'm still looking for an affordable anorak. Pros: lightweight, breathable, and protection from the elements.

And a versatile, light and washable purse. Ashley from Hither and Thither used this canvas bag on her trip to India.  It's from BAGGU. I'm thinking about ordering the green one, too.

What I'm loving today

I admit readily that I really enjoy shopping on Gilt. I'm busy and I like to have lots of options, so going to department stores just doesn't do it for me anymore. And I totally enjoy the retail therapy of purchasing online just as much as in the store. I definitely would not have said that three years ago, but that's how I feel today. I enjoy my free time very much and it becomes more and more precious the older I get, and I'd quite frankly I'd rather spend this time cooking or hiking than in a store. I love clothes and having beautiful items, but I also need my nature and physical activity to feel grounded. But back to why I love Gilt. I really love a good bargain. Some may call me a little cheap, but I don't really think I'm quite that. I was raised in a rather thrifty home and I learned the value of shopping discount at a very young age. My dear mother definitely taught me the value of acquiring items second hand - garage sales, thrift stores, vintage shops, Goodwill, you name it. I still shop at a lot of second hand stores, but there is also something to be said for finding that oh so very special item brand new. And most importantly I love purchasing items that I really know will bring me enjoyment. Thus, Gilt really works for me.

A few of the Ted Baker watches really stole my heart. I love this women's faux snake skin watch. How fun to sport that with just jeans and a t-shirt. Selling for $73.

And this one (also by Ted Baker) is just gorgeous. Such classic lines. It is a men's watch, but remove a few links and it fits a woman like a charm. Delicious at $75.

This was in their gifts section. It is by Line. I'd love to wrap up in this on a cold winter evening. Not bad at $90.

Dream Cabin- Williams Cabin

Williams Cabin in Durango, Colorado was designed by Stephen Atkinson Architecture. The prefab-like demeanor combined with such a cozy interior makes me smile. I love the claw foot bath tub. It's all very organic and makes me want to move right up to the mountains. Some day we will build a cabin up in the Sierras. 

photographs from Stephen Atkinson Architecture website

Design crush- Deborah Needleman's apartment

I'm usually more of a mid-century modern kind of gal, but I really like this look. Pics are of Deborah Needleman's apartment. She was the editor of the former Domino, which I adored for the whole 6 months that I had the subscription. I remember being so bummed when I got the notice that they were canceling the magazine and my subscription would be replaced with Glamour. Uggh- Glamour? Are you kidding me? I've never been a Glamour reader- how did Conde Nast think that Domino readers would also be Glamour readers? Perhaps it's no wonder that many magazines can't seem to stay in business!

Ahh, so I transgress. Back to this post. I like the bland colors with a bit of pop here and there. Soothes me right now.

I did love Domino, though.

photographs from New York Magazine

Sheets to live in

Matteo out of Los Angeles creates rich cotton linens- bedding and some apparel. I'm looking for new sheets and the Matteo DUE Stitch collection looks heavenly.

photograph from Matteo website