Throw a Real Garden Party!

I love the idea of a garden party. It's so English. So romantic. Let's face it, how fun to dress up with all your friends and drink champagne and eat cupcakes in the shade of a big tree on a warm day? Um, great!

Make simple invitations, create a simple menu and set the date, time and place. Voila! Fun at your fingertips!

Menu:

Champagne Cocktails with homemade bitters
Mango Iced tea
Cucumber tea sandwiches
Smoked salmon finger sandwiches
Date canapes with goat cheese
Cocktail weiners with a maple glaze
Cupcakes with Earl Grey gelato

Photo Credits

Thai Basil Hummus and Sesame Garlic Crackers

I'm not a huge fan of chick peas - garbanzo beans - tiny sandboxes in my mouth. Yuck-o. However, I love legumes and when I stumbled across this recipe on A Girl and Her Fork, my mouth started to water and I confessed that I would make the Thai Basil Hummus for this weeks potluck at work.  Ally, has made this specific hummus with Canellini beans instead of Garbanzo's and thank goodness really, because it's yummier now. Not that it wouldn't have been before, like I said not a fan of tiny knuckles!

I made my own crackers today, too because I have been experimenting for months and they are finally (almost) what I want them to be. I first embarked upon the journey of homemade crackers because I HATE to spend $3.50 on a box of water crackers when I have flour in the house at all times and fancy myself a competent cook.

 Thai Basil Hummus 

Ingredients

2 (15 oz.) cans of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons of smooth peanut butter
2 tablespoons peanut oil 
3 fresh cloves of garlic, crushed
4 Tablespoons lime juice 
1 Bunch basil leaves, chopped
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or to taste - Ally's recipe called for 1/4 tsp)




salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Put beans, peanut butter, oil and garlic in food processor and pulse a few times. 

Add 3 Tbs. of lime juice, the basil and seasonings.

Pulse until smooth.

(I found that when I chilled it for an hour and then added the last tablespoon of lime juice it added a really refreshing taste dimension. But if you just want to add all the Lime juice right up front, that'll work too.)

Sesame Garlic Crackers

Ingredients:

2 cups flour

3 T olive oil

8 T water

2 T sesame seeds

1 tsp. garlic salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400.

Mix all ingredients in a food processor until a dough ball forms. ( if the mixture is crumbly add a tiny bit of water - too sticky, add some flour).

Lay ball of dough on a parchmented  or floured surface and begin to flatten ball first with your hands then with the rolling pin)

Once you have the dough very thin (1/4 inch or thinner) cut dough into the desired shape. For mine I just wanted little squares.

Cook for about 7 minutes (depending on thickness) and keep an on them! 

When they're golden remove them from the oven and cool completely.

Serve!

A Place in the Sun

Longer days, breezy evenings, lazy sunrises and good books; a day by the pool with lemonade, biscuits in the morning and a sunny outlook; Summer is nearly here. Following is my newest playlist that has something for everyone as we head into summer...it's called "A Place in the Sun," where I want to be!

1. Gordons Garden Party - The Cardigans
2. Sunshine, Lolliops and Rainbows - Leslie Gore (Thanks Denis)
3. El Sol - Zwan
4. The Tide is High - Blondie
5. Soft Shock- Yeah Yeah Yeah's
6. Xanadu - Olivia Newton John and ELO
7. Your Love - Wyclef Jean Feat. Eve
8. Pink Moon - Nick Drake
9. Que Sera Sera - Doris Day
10. Adolescent Heart - Class Actress
11. Golden Brown - The Stranglers
12. Fire in Your New Shoes - Kaskade

A Place in the Sun from poppiesandpaperbacks on 8tracks.

Street Style

So, I went to the 12 year anniversary of Lipstick on Saturday night. Lipstick was a dance gathering that used to happen on Tuesday nights. Looking back on the good times I had as a youngster, I visited again with high hopes. My expectations were far exceeded. And, bonus, Geographer performed!

I threw a pre-party at my house because I live quite close to the Lipstick venue. In through the front door walked this little beauty.

Her name is Stacy and she is among the very few fashion mavens I have in my life! I had to feature her on Street Style. This is a woman who can really put herself together.

We met in an extraordinary way! The story goes that I was returning from a trip to Colorado Springs to visit my oldest dearest friend. As I waited to board the plane I saw a very contemporary woman wearing a cropped sweater, denim and leopard print ballet flats. The shoes had me. I began to dream up scenarios of who she was, what she did and so on...a girl crush I guess - and who can blame me? Look at her!!!

Dress: Mossimo
Earrings: Urban Outfitters
Handbag: Gifted
Boots: Steve Madden

The halo around Stacy in this picture lends an ethereal feel.

That complexion, poise, beautiful coif...

The open, cris-rossed back of this is what made it really special.

There is nothing sexier than a perfectly placed tattoo.

Pinterest - The Best Of....

Ok, so the photo sharing social media mogul that is Pinterest is one of my all time favorite past times ever...more than glamping, more than painting, more than a party and almost as much as riding a horse. I just want to share some extraordinary photos here that are sure to get you wanting an invitation. As I've mentioned before, Pinterest is still in it's "beta" stage and that is why you need an invitation. I love it for the inspiration (I made fatless Ranch Dressing from a recipe I found on it), it's fashion sense (I found a pair of shoes for an upcoming wedding there), and it's all around good nature (I've giggled out loud evoking an inquisitive eyebrow lift from the husband from someone posting something hilarious)! Of course I have clled this post "The Best of Pinterest," but let's face it, a site with 1 billion people on it means my "best of" list is limited.

If you want an invitation, comment here with your email address and I will send it right away!

This is "cabinet of curiosities" from Cri Cri.

This is from one of my favorite boards called "Coffee and Coffee Houses."

I am often attracted to things that are questionable. On the board, "Un Monde Flou" (A Blurry World) you'll find that you'll question all kinds of things. The woman who arranges these collections has a very artistic eye.

I follow a woman called Beth Fath. This is a photograph of a dress by one of the most influential fashion designers of the 20th Century, Jacques Fath. He was along side of Christian Dior and Coco Chanel. Beth's "Jacques Fath" board has some of the greatest fashions ever seen. 

Design Quixotic is a graphics company based in New York City. If you are wanting a clever typeset or a stammeringly fantastic design on a business card check Thea out! She is a very talented artist!

This lady is awesome. Her name is Kirsi and she is a Finnish artist. All of her pin boards are arranged by color. I wish I had been clever enough to think of that becasue I think it would take alot of guess work out of organizing. Also, it is a delight to go from her Orange board to her red board and then on to her green board. Her eye is sumptuous and I would love to bathe in all these colors!

My Last Supper

So...on February 21st, Fat Tuesday to be exact, I decided to go on a diet. Thus far, and we are only ten weeks since then, I have been pretty successful and I have lost 44lbs. Not without a little bit of longing however for good food -namely cheese and good drink - namely wine. So before I did away with sugar or as I like to call it "The Devil," I took myself out for a last supper. We have several very good restaurants here in Sacramento. I feel like we should. We are, after all, the capital of California. I love it when people call my town a "cow town." Good...let them think that, it'll keep our population at bay and people needn't necessarily know that we are not a town of bumpkins but have a modicum of sophistication.

For instance, Ella Dining Room. The menu is Michelin ready and the owner Randall Selland of Selland's and The Kitchen knows food. I'm not talking food as in Mac and Cheese (although he can spin this in a delightful and contemporary way) I'm talking World Cuisine.

My Last Supper was magical for lack of a better word. Firstly, Ella is a stately but not stuffy restaurant with an atmosphere of class but a feeling of comfort.

The dinner menu- all the menus offered- have something for everyone. And they are changed and updated seasonally.

The appetizer course was a house made California Burrata cheese topped with smoked olive oil. The cheese sat atop braised collard greens garnished with crispy Kale leaves.

The dish was an excellent helping but by no means was overkill. It was rich but also refreshing. The cheese was dusted with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. The toast corner which accompanied was a perfect accoutrement for layering the onions, greens, cheese and Kale. The gradation of flavors were sumptuous.

My first course is the thing that my husband, my dentist and my oldest, dearest friend craves. It is a basic house made Papparadelle pasta. The verb "pappare" in Italian means "to gobble up."  And with this preparation of these ribbons there is no way that you'd leave any on your plate. 

The strata of flavors on this plate are not to be compared to anything you've ever tasted before. The fresh farm poached egg that creates it's own divinity is coupled by whispers of chives and black pepper. The crumbles of Pancetta adds a savory richness and flavor that is drool worthy. And that lemon butter emulsion is like the white ribbon on the tiffany box; it completes the plate in such a heavenly way that this is the reason I return to Ella. I see no reason (especially since I've given up food) to ever eat any other pasta dish...EVER.

And finally, the piece de resistance...

Why did I take so many photographs you ask? Well, if I could capture the flavor, the essence of this dolce I would. Alas, you'll have to be sated by photos. 

It is a Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta with a Tapioca coulis, garnished with supremes and coriander blossoms.

 Coriander is synonymous with Cilantro. But Coriander sounds much nicer especially when talking about sugared blossoms.

The dimensions of this dish were so well planned. The sensuality of this sweet was visceral and so demanding that you could (if you could keep it cold enough) spend an afternoon eating it. It is Trastevere in the Spring, a piano bar with a lover, summertime on a catamaran (insert imagery here).

The textures were braided galaxies.  The tapioca coulis was sweet but not overwhelming to the creaminess of the Panna Cotta which had the tiny snap of the vanilla beans. And the Coriander  Blossoms were surprising but by no means intrusive. Quite the opposite in fact they only served to draw the flavors more closely together. The supremes added color and some tartness. This was such a well rounded dish that I was so glad I did not pass up dessert.

Ella will be your newest friend if you take the time to discover her.

Drive

I saw a ridiculously awesome film last night that I gotta talk about. It's called "Drive" and stars Ryan Gosling as the driver.

"Drive" is a  2011 film adaptation after a novel of the same title by James Sallis. It has been sometime that a film has touched me in such a way and for so many reasons. For instance, the cast is impeccable. Carey mulligan plays the love interest of the driver. She was ideal for the role for her natural sweetness alone in addition to her well done American accent and being able to make a secondary character shine even without overdone dialogue. She keeps her sweetness even with the backdrop of a gritty, dark LA as the set.

Albert Brooks as Bernie Rose is a villainous but likable character. He is the sort of character you know has done sordid things but you desperately want to be a good guy. He isn't though.

And, Ron Perlman as Nino, a scum bag to beat all of them, is as always a joy to see in this film for the sheer hatred of his character alone.

And of course, Ryan Gosling. He ties the film together - the glue - if you will. I have never been one of these ladies that gushes over Hollywood men. Certainly, I have my favorites but never have I checked fan sites or spoken incessantly about actors. I simply don't care. It isn't that I haven't been impressed in the past either. I just like to keep a bit of decorum about the whole Hollywood leading man thing. But Gosling, in this film, is quietly magnanimous. His natural strength and lack of arrogance amongst his pretending made me realize what the hullaballoo is all about. Sure he's attractive, but to look at him he is no more attractive than my own husband. But this is not about attractiveness, his appeal is that which separates an actor from an artist. He has the quintessential je ne sais quoi that has had my mind reeling about this film. I hate saying that because again, I'd like to maintain some dignity. His performance was just amazing. Before the film, I thought he was ok. After the film I think he is a truly sumptuous performer. He plays that hero that I looked up to as a child. I found myself wanting to be him and be with him all at once. Remarkable does not describe his performance well enough.

Drive is "Pretty in Pink" meets "True Romance" and that is all the appeal it needs for me. But as icing completes the cake the sound track threads the thing together. I just really can't say enough about this extraordinary film. Kudo's to Nicolas Winding Refn for such excellent direction.

See this film but be warned there is violence. It is, after all a crime film...