It's a New Year

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With a January birthday I'm blessed with an alternate new year. After losing my way on resolution road, I really embrace this opportunity for a new direction. I know it's only 3 weeks later, and really I do begin with the best intentions. But then I get a little lazy. And distracted. Then I turn another year older. Yikes! Focus. Here goes...

My life is not perfect, but it's perfect for me. We laugh and we yell. We kiss and we fight. This house of testosterone is a total blast and I'm so glad that I can be their queen bee. Even though I'm awkward and accident prone, I try to juggle about a million balls at a time. Do I need to tell you that it doesn't always work? Oh well. I gave up on perfection a while ago. I prefer eccentricity.

For this year...(in a nutshell): keep up the exercise. drop the diet coke. write. a lot. set aside time for truly fine. write some more. make some new money. nest. love. box. smile. drink damn fine coffee.

Hey Mr. Postman!

I love the magic of Christmas, no question. But what do I love even more? Valentine's Day! When I was on the school paper in junior high, one of the first articles assigned to me was the history of this heartfelt holiday. There are highly debated and dramatic stories about this holyday's origin which include Christian martyrs, Greco-Roman fertility rites, and the Pagan celebration of Lupercalia. Somewhere around the time of Chaucer, Valentine's Day became the courtly tradition we have come to know as a Hallmark holiday. Sigh. Let's go back to the early 1900's when lovers sent each other handwritten poems on lace adorned notes. Too much to ask? Let's just go back to the days when we put pen to paper and signed our names with flair. Remember, sending a "heart" via Facebook does not count, and  texting is forbidden. Let Cupid's arrow fly....

Navigating Change

The most successful people 
are those who are good at Plan B.

-James Yorke
This quote was brought to my attention on Monday, when I was at the Getty in LA for a an exclusive tour of their Rembrandt exhibition with the Museum's key donors. The special events manager shared this with me, and i felt it was perfectly suited for the topic at hand...

Did I mention before how honored I am to be included in the Axiology Collective--A smart and beautiful group of women? I'll be attending my sixth gathering tonight. Since I'm so very delinquent on my personal posts here, I thought I'd use tonight's topic of Navigating Change as my first blog of 2010. What about you?
For Reflection...
1. Do you generally embrace change or find yourself unsettled by changes that come about in life?

I think I take change in stride...

…though, changes I make I tend to embrace, while changes other people make I’m a little more hesitant to accept. I find it an issue of control when it's in the context of work, while I'm more open to it and often want to instigate change in my personal life…
2.  Some changes we choose, others seem unwelcome. Is your reaction different toward each? Do you like the way you react? 
I tend to get very inquisitive/curious when confronted with unwelcome changes. While I'm not always the most graceful person to accept change that I don't endorse, I do take pleasure in finding out how and why a change was made.
3. What does stability mean to you? When do you feel stable? 
first thought: financial stability. tangible things...like home, husband, family. second pass: the path i've chosen for myself--my own intelligence, strength and peace provide me with a spiritual/emotional and physical stability that could carry me through a breakdown of the first layer.
4. Recall a moment in life when everything changed. A time when you knew in that instant that life would never be the same again.
this seems cliche, but it's a vivid moment in my meager collection of foggy childhood memories: My sister and I in the car on the way home from swim lessons (age: 9) and my mom tells us that she and my dad are getting divorced.  My sister (age: 5) completely brokedown in tears, i was silent. I recall being relieved and disturbed at the same time.
5. As a child, was there a lot of change or were things seemingly stable. How do you think this affected the person you are now?
I have to stay that while she did the very best she could, after the divorce life with my mom was fairly disconnected. Four years later, we were with my dad and step-mom in a more structured environment. Of course this has shaped who I am today. I'm sympathetic to what happened at that time, and I know that there was unconditional support for my sister and I from extended family and friends.
 this I gained an odd sense of confidence and independence, and at the same time an incredible set of insecurities; I have a solid work ethic, an appreciation for working class values, and I know the difference between a "want" and a "need". Finally, I have great empathy for families in stress, single parents, and most importantly, the children affected by this all.

Wish List

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This Christmas couldn't go by without a little wishing...it's tough because I love so many things!

From the Top Left and Around Clockwise: GIANT PHOTO in San Diego...there are a few images of my own that I'd love to BLOW up HUGE, get mounted, and hang in the house. I'm not sure if they have gift certificates, but bet they'd accommodate if one asked...

Tiffany & Co. monogram pendants. What could be wrong with a little blue box? I love this in both silver and gold. Very classy.

Domino, alas, my favorite decorating magazine went under this year. Thankfully, before doing so, they published this book- Domino: the Book of Decorating. Love love.

Next up, my Belkin car adapter bit the dust, and I thought maybe I should kick it old school with this Monster tape adapter which with also play tunes off my iPhone. Whoo Hoo!

I know I've said it before, maybe on the TFD blog, but I really dig this 20X200 idea--which makes editions of artworks affordable for all. This work, Vogue JUL07:pg145 (Ripeness is All) is by San Fran artist Lauren DiCioccio. This and the other Vanity Fair MAY08:pg269 (and, incredibly, looking not a day older) are two together that would be LOVELY.

What gal doesn't need a good steamer to save on dry cleaner and make ironing easier? Just thought of it. Rowenta Ultra Steam Model, it even comes with the GoodHousekeeping seal of approval.

Something for writing just had to show up on this list. Keel's Simple Diary. How cheery is that yellow? It comes in a rainbow of colors and I'm quite sure it's available at Anthropologie, among other fine establishments.

Though I've never used one, the Yudu seems like a super cool and easy way to do screenprinting at home. I first saw it at Michaels then noticed it's major tele-shopping site. Weird, but so cool.

Rounding out this list is the ever magical Jo Malone cologne. Lime Basil Mandarin is soopa fresh, Jasmine Mint is a soft romantic note on my skin, and the special edition Dark Amber Lily and Ginger is so seductive. Yum, and yum. Saks, Bloomies, Nordstroms (online, but maybe not in the store).

I also really like pedicures, Starbucks, super dark chocolate, art supplies, time at home to myself, and someone to fold the laundry and clean house. I'm easy. Merry Christmas Santa!

Mrs. Meyers

I am obsessed with my sample of Caldrea's dishwashing liquid that sports the scent "Ginger Pomelo".  Of course it's by the same company that created my favorite Mrs. Meyers Clean Day products. Although I thought that Mrs. Meyers was already a bit of a "designer" cleaning product that only sometimes will I splurge on, Caldrea is the high end line. Seriously? Yes. And I'm hooked. Not only do these companies have beautifully designed labels, they have sweet smelling scents. Ginger Pomelo is grapefruit, Asian ginger and and sweet basil. I want to wear this smell. It makes me so happy! Former blue chip marketing exec Monica Nassif pays homage to her mom, Thelma Meyer in this fabulous midwest success story. Celebrating the season, Mrs. Meyers is offering an Iowa Pine Holiday Hand Care and Candle Set. You betcha! A female owned business with ties to Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin, this entrepreneurial endeavor is a great inspiration.

Pumpkin Ginger Pancakes

These Pumpkin Ginger Pancakes are THE breakfast hit of our house right now. I've been making them in double batches nearly every weekend for the past two months. I freeze the ones not eaten that day, and pop them in the toaster oven on weekday mornings. Personally I'm a huge fan of the ginger butter (that won't be a surprise to anyone who is already quite familiar with my ginger obsession). The boys can do without it and simply prefer honey or maple syrup. Best served with bacon, and a cup of hot coffee in a vintage boy scout camp mug (see above). Delish. Thanks to Sunset Magazine for the recipe.

Pumpkin Ginger Pancakes

PREP AND COOK TIME: About 45 minutes

MAKES: About 8 pancakes; 2 to 3 servings

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 large egg

3/4 cup milk

3/4 cup canned pumpkin

1/4 cup plain low-fat or nonfat yogurt

2 tablespoons butter, melted

Candied-ginger butter (recipe follows)

Maple syrup

1. In a large bowl, stir together flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt. In another bowl, mix egg, milk, pumpkin, yogurt, and butter until well blended. Stir egg mixture into flour mixture just until evenly moistened.

2. Place a nonstick griddle or a 12-inch nonstick frying pan over medium heat (350°); when hot, coat lightly with butter and adjust heat to maintain temperature. Spoon batter in 1/3-cup portions onto griddle and gently spread into 4-inch rounds. Cook until pancakes are browned on the bottom and edges begin to look dry, 2 to 3 minutes; turn with a wide spatula and brown other sides, 2 to 3 minutes longer. As pancakes are cooked, transfer to baking sheets and keep warm in a 200° oven. Serve warm with candied-ginger butter and maple syrup.

Candied-ginger butter. In a bowl, with a wooden spoon, stir 2 tablespoons finely chopped candied ginger into 1/4 cup (1/8 lb.) soft butter (soften in a microwave oven on full power [100%] for 5 to 10 seconds). Chill until firm before serving. Makes about 1/4 cup.

Per pancake: 211 cal., 51% (108 cal.) from fat; 3.9 g protein; 12 g fat (7.2 g sat.); 22 g carbo (1 g fiber); 346 mg sodium; 58 mg chol.

Printmaking with Kids

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While I am not inclined to take on such projects everyday, today was a holiday for us all as the boys were out of school and I was playing hooky. I absolutely love all things related to printmaking and had been waiting to dig into this EyeCanArt kit given to the boys on their 5th birthday. Yes, I waited until age 6, but it was worth it.

The monster designs were independently crafted by each of the boys, with some assistance on the cutting and overall strategy. We rocked this out in two stages (design-cut and glue, then print), and based on some of my project edits, we executed it a little bit different than the kit recommends. Mainly, this is due to the fact that I misplaced the proper papers included in the kit. {I stored them flat between books, and am baffled as to where they are.} It still worked with a tweak or two and was marvy for an inaugural attempt. {The main issue is that I used very thick tag board to build the design on, and more thick pieces for the design-including the soft foam sheets}.

I dug up some of the tools I had on hand for linocuts, including some super old orange speedball ink and a large brayer. This helped because we kept one brayer mainly for the ink, the other to burnish the image. I loved using the kraft paper for the boys images, as they were somewhat tribal in design and it made a nice contrast. Mine are ancient, from PaperSource, though I couldn't find them on their website just now.

Kandinsky for Kindergarteners

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I've taken on the role of "Art Odyssey" mom in Max's classroom this year. Even in this stellar school district we are without music and arts as curriculum mandatories. That leaves it to the PTA to purchase or develop (GULP!) programs which will supplement the standard math/science/reading drills. So sad. Anyhow, once each month I trot out a preselected poster-style image in a 20x30 frame and share a bit about the featured artist. Following the presentation I lead an art project.

This month we celebrated Wassily Kandinsky and discussed Night Storm (see directly above). Each student took a variety of shapes and traced them with crayons, layering and filling the page. Step two, each child dipped into their watercolor tray and went to town. Mrs. A played some lovely classical music in the background and I have to say, it was a fine exercise. Lots of great "stormy" drama and emo exploration.

Green Fresh Florals

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I am thrilled to say that Green is on board for their re-order and I've just stocked their shelves with holiday goodness from Truly Fine Design. Carlos Franco has rocked his new space, and I'm ever so proud to be their featured paper designer. Love, love, love their store decor and can't wait to see what they do for the Museum's holiday trimming...

Overheard: Beck & Max


To help me savor the choice conversations and comments from the boys, I'm inspired to write them down, and keep a jarful of such moments. Brooke, over at inchmark.squarespace.com shared this lovely idea. She always has great photography and is such a beautiful designer. Enjoy!

Beck: Aren't you watching the show of Me?
Beck: The Director told me to be right here for the show.

Beck: This one is a detonator.
Max: What's a detonator?
Beck: It's like a grown up bomb.

Beck: We're having a grand opening.
Max: What's a grand opening?
Back: It's for my birthday.

BAKE SALE: Cyclops Cupcakes


Holy Halloween! The boys have never been more excited for this holiday. They are working on costumes for a Zombie and a Goblin, and last weekend we kicked off the countdown to ghoulsville at the Sunset Hills Halloween Carnival. A traditional school carnival, this spooktacular event featured a cake walk, old time carny games, a haunted house, and of course...a bake sale.

I spent an unnecessary amount of time getting a recipe picked, and by that time it was so freakin late that I chose Martha Stewarts One Bowl Chocolate Cupcakes. I did splurge on the frosting, and made a traditional Swiss Meringue Buttercream because it is just that much better than powered sugar and milk. Martha also featured some fabulous creepy cupcake ideas that inspired mine.


I packaged them up in some funky paper containers I had been holding on to, and tied them up in cellophane bags with orange ribbon. I tried some as "mini's" and packaged for the cake walk in a paper egg carton with a ziploc baggy, stickers, and measuring tape.


RECIPES FROM MARTHA STEWART LIVING

One Bowl Chocolate Cupcakes

  • 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 3/4 cup warm water
  • 3/4 cup buttermilk
  • 3 tablespoons safflower oil
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners; set aside. Sift together cocoa powder, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl. Add eggs, warm water, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla, and mix until smooth, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of bowl to assure batter is well mixed.
  2. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling each 2/3 full. Bake until tops spring back when touched, about 20 minutes, rotating pan once if needed. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely.

Swiss Merengue Buttercream Frosting

Makes about 9 cups, enough for about 28 cupcakes

  • 2 1/2 cups sugar
  • 10 large egg whites
  • 4 cups (8 sticks or 2 pounds) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Directions

  1. Place sugar and egg whites in the heat-proof bowl of an electric mixer. Set bowl over a pan of gently simmering water, and whisk until sugar has dissolved and egg whites are hot to the touch, about 3 minutes. Test by rubbing the mixture between your fingers; it should feel completely smooth.
  2. Transfer bowl to mixer stand. Using the whisk attachment, beat on high speed until mixture has cooled completely and formed stiff and glossy peaks, about 10 minutes.
  3. Add the butter, one piece at a time, and beat until incorporated after each addition. Don't worry if the buttercream appears curdled after all the butter has been added; it will become smooth again with continued beating. Add vanilla, and beat just until combined.
  4. Switch to the paddle attachment, and beat on the lowest speed to eliminate any air pockets, about 5 minutes. If using buttercream within several hours, cover bowl with plastic wrap, and set aside at room temperature in a cool environment. Or transfer to an airtight container, and store in the refrigerator, up to 3 days. Before using, bring buttercream to room temperature, and beat on the lowest speed with the paddle attachment until smooth, about 5 minutes.

Whoaa

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My head is freakin' spinning. Maybe I have a month's worth of blog posts in my brain. What happened to the last 30 days? What have I been doing for crying out loud?

At work we launched a new member program I've been working on for the past nine months...The Gallery. In conjunction with the launch came a blog (I post once a week or so...) and new collateral materials. Whoo Hoo! We have 30 members to date...

I'm getting my feet wet as the mom of two kindergartners...in separate classrooms. The PTA is knockin', the Foundation is callin', and daily emails are delivered from room moms. I volunteered to be the "Art Odyssey" teacher for Max's class, and a helper for Beck's class.

I was invited to join a group called the Axiology Collective. This dynamic dozen is packed with intelligence and sincerity. It's been less than a month since I was introduced to the group, but I am truly grateful for the invitation and look forward to the monthly gatherings. And yes, there is a blog (find me there, too)! The ladies have done a beautiful job of designing and documenting the past year of topics with related resources, and now our collective commentary.

Oh yes! I finished up the logo and business card design for a fabulous new matchmaking business called Love Happens Here. Yea Kim! Fun project and wonderful connections...On this Truly Fine note, I was thrilled to be a featured designer at the VIP Grand Opening for Green in Hillcrest. My longtime floral friend, Carlos Franco gave Truly Fine Design a prime spot in his hot new shop.

Which reminds me...the Mister surprised me with a gorgeous floral arrangement from Green after we celebrated 9 years (of humor, of hip hop, of love, of friendship...) at Cucina Urbana near Balboa Park. We sat at the community table, met great people and had a fantastic night with lively conversation. The Basil Martini is a MUST, the egg and pancetta pizza was outstanding (with a Super-Tuscan red), and really, yes, the roasted strawberry frangipane is SO worth it.

Which brings me finally to the last big hurrah of the past 30 days. My very dear BFF Cindy (better known as Cynthia) accepted a job in Boston with Reebok. Last weekend we threw her a party at the East Village Tavern & Bowl. This Monday we'll have our last Muffy & Buffy adventure before she heads to beantown. Heavy sigh.

Inspired by Kate Spade




I've always admired Kate Spade. At first, it was really from a business sense. How does someone create something SO simple--a black nylon bag--and charge SO much...just for a name? That's savvy. Then, as her business developed, I grew more and more enamored with her design and sense of style. We share an aesthetic for color and whimsy, modern mixed with vintage. I launched Truly Fine nearly two years ago and later found her line of paper goods. I love her sense of humor and think the partnership she established with Cranes a smart move.


After creating mini "hosting" and "guesting" guides for the holidays I discovered her little book trilogy--Occasions, Manners, & Style. Lovely illustrations and well written. One of those moments where I actually wanted to BE Kate Spade. Finally, she has a fun part of her website called "Behind the Curtain" and the design of it is SO chic! I love the layout, the color, everything. It's a poor screenshot, I admit, but wanted to include just the same...


She is a creative modern woman whom I admire still--an entrepreneur and style icon who continues to inspire me in all that I do.

Breakfast Nook

I guess I was on holiday most of August. Miss me? After popular demand (from my mom) I decided to share the images of my mini remodel. Unfortunately, I must have archived my photos of the kitchen as it was when we bought it. Grrr. It's so nice to have Before and Afters. I've held off long enough though and am sharing now. The paint is Decorator White, Premium by Behr and the table is from IKEA. This will have to do until I inherit a small fortune and can afford a real Saarinen. Sigh.

Our kitchen still sports a rockin' 80's tract home decor--complete with oak cabinets and (now) crumbling brown grout and oatmeal colored tile--but this little upgrade will inspire the rest of the re-do at a later date. In the meantime, I'm pleased as punch. I love this happy place and the boys eat breakfast there everyday while I make their lunches. Yay!

Special thanks to my dad for spending many a weekend building this out....

Legoland & Guinness Ganache Cupcakes


For the boys’ 6th birthday celebration I skipped throwing a party for their friends and we went directly to Legoland for a raucous day of fun. {Photos Here} Beck & Max had their first REAL grown up rollercoaster ride! Immediately after the ride, they were like “I WANT TO GO AGAIN!!!!” We ended the day at Pizza Port, “the best pizza in the world,” according to Beck.

The boys requested chocolate cupcakes...so I made this recipe via SmittenKitchen:

Chocolate Stout Cake
Adapted from the Barrington Brewery in Great Barrington, MA via Bon Appetit

This recipe was originally intended to make a layer cake of 3 8-inch rounds. Upon many reviewers’ suggestions, I halved it and it fit perfectly in a bundt pan. The halved amount is below, and the icing replaced with a simple ganache.

1 cup stout (such as Guinness)
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-process)
2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
2/3 cup sour cream
6 ounces good semisweet chocolate chips
6 tablespoons heavy cream
3/4 teaspoon instant coffee granules

Cake prep:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter or spray a bundt pan well; make sure you get in all of the nooks and crannies. (Some people even go so far as to brush the inside of their bundt pans with melted butter–you cannot be too careful!). Bring 1 cup stout and 1 cup butter to simmer in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add cocoa powder and whisk until mixture is smooth. Cool slightly.

Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, and 3/4 teaspoon salt in large bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat eggs and sour cream in another large bowl to blend. Add stout-chocolate mixture to egg mixture and beat just to combine. Add flour mixture and beat briefly on slow speed. Using rubber spatula, fold batter until completely combined. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Transfer cake to rack; cool completely in the pan, then turn cake out onto rack for drizzling ganache.*

Ganache:
For the ganache, melt the chocolate, heavy cream, and coffee in the top of a double boiler over simmering water until smooth and warm, stirring occasionally. Drizzle over the top of cooled cake.

Working Mom Guilt #398 Birthdays

Oh No You Didn't!

In the first week of kindergarten, we received invitations for two birthday parties. Luckily both boys were invited to each.

Invite #1. A brother-sister event. The boys asked if perhaps the sister could wait this one out as she is a MAJOR irritation to them. Fine, we don't need to go to this one, they are not particularly close to the new pals. Yes, I am the mom that selects events on their behalf. Am I a snob? No. I'm just really particular about our family time.

Invite #2. An invite to the party of a pal they met last year in PEPP. Wonderful! Charming young girl, in one of the K classes. So when is it? WHAT? But that's a school day. I mean, that is in the middle of the day, okay 2PM, but on a school day! Grrrr.

What bums me out is that I would have been happy to make this party work...on a weekend. Or even a late afternoon! Seriously, is it so unique that both parents might be found working at 2PM on a Thursday? If I don't make it work, the boys miss out. "Oh we can't go, because our Mommy has to work." I simply cannot make an exception for this particular day because I have a major event that night. Sigh.