The Menu: May 30-June 5

Well, we’re into day two of the three day weekend, and as far as cooking is concerned, it’s been a rhubarb spectacular. A friend brought me about 4 ½ lbs of rhubarb from his yard. So yesterday, with Magnolia’s help, I made rhubarb compote (rhubarb cooked with a ton of brown sugar into a kind of jam-type thing) and (even better) Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble (both recipes from, you guessed it, Smit Kit). I thought the pie was divine with some good vanilla ice cream on top. And the compote is going into my yogurt tomorrow morning.

Memorial Day: Weekend Links for Brooklyn Mamas

Our backyard delphinium at dusk, via Hipstamatic.

Hello, summer. We’ve been waiting for you. And we’re doing Memorial Day in the city this year — so bring on the fun.

BKLYN Yard’s weekend triple threat: Gowanus Food Truck Festival (get psyched!), Score Pop-Up Swap Meet, and Sunday Best Dance Party — Brokelyn

Luna Park opens at Coney Island — USAToday

Make a plan: Vacation ideas galore — Mommy Poppins

The season opens at Victorian Gardens at Wollman Rink in Central Park — Victorian Gardens

Outdoor dining in Brooklyn — Brooklyn Based

Earlier this week, I found out what the hell Foursquare is. Now here’s a Foursquare Rewards Guide to Brooklyn — Brokelyn

A new fancy foods shop in Park Slope — Only the Blog Knows Brooklyn

Sex and the City 2 at BAM

Happy holiday weekend, mamas!

Tuesday Randomness: Cafe duCharme, Cherry Patter + More

Two Lovers, a new vintage/resale shop on 5th Avenue in Brooklyn.

Tuesday morning started with a wardrobe meltdown which, after some drama and raised voices (mine), actually ended well (thanks for the support, honey!). Then school drop-off. Then random things with interesting names….

Currently Obsessed with: Dresses and More from Wanderlust

File under flukes: I happened to open The New York Times Summer 2010 Travel issue.

AND I had time to read it.

So now I’m obsessing over a store featured in the magazine called Wanderlust. It’s based in Cambodia, and run by a former New Yorker. The dresses, bags, shirts and jewelry are all screaming summer to me. The good news is that the store has a shipping facility in the U.S. I must have this dress:

Maui dress from Wanderlust

Weekly Menu: May 23-29

Reporting back on last week’s menu success stories: the Salmon with Sweet Chili Glaze was a big hit; simple to prepare with great flavor (and sweet, so the kids should like it). You are supposed to marinate the salmon for 30 minutes prior to cooking but don’t let that put you off; if you don’t have the time I think you can skip this step. The pea tendrils? Not our fave.

Pea tendrils & sugar snap peas

May 22 – 23: Weekend Links for Brooklyn Mamas

Picnics, fishing in DUMBO, how to do The High Line, Yo Gabba Gabba at Radio City + more….

Currently Obsessed with… Rings by DanaMade

Local artisans and food makers meet and sell in Gowanus.

So “Life with kids, made better….” In case you hadn’t guessed, one thing that makes our lives better is shopping. Oh, how we miss the uninterrupted hours of browsing! But we still try to do what we can even though our free time sitch isn’t what it used to be.

We finally made it to the Meet Your Maker farmer’s market and artisan’s fair at the Old American Can Factory in Gowanus — the last weekend before it moves back outdoors for the summer, but at least we made it. It was a low-key mix of funky and fabulous — local food and jewelry vendors, mostly — co-mingling in a great old space. I found some rings I really liked by DanaMade. Aren’t they fun? (I bought a blue stipe-y one.)

Feeling blue (I was...)

Or pretty in pink.

Dana uses vintage glass, plastics, and wood mounted on clear vintage lucite to make the rings; they’re bright, fun, perfect for summer, and very fairly priced (mine cost $20.) Check her Etsy shop for other markets around the city where you can find her.

We also spotted some adorable purses and kids’ clothing from a designer named Jessica Mezyk. Her Etsy shop is coming soon, but here’s a sneak peek:

Floral handbag cuteness.

This coming weekend, the farmer’s market moves back to its regular summer spot at J.J. Byrne Park (5th Avenue and Third Street in Brooklyn) near the playground and the Old Stone House. Love it because, well, it’s in the south Slope closer to where we live, and it’s not the zoo that the farmer’s market at Grand Army Plaza is. Don’t know if the artists and jewelry makers will tag along for the summer, but I hope so!

In any case, we’ll see you there.

Weekly Eats: May 16-22

I wouldn’t call Sunday night’s dinner a disaster, but it was a bit disappointing. It all started with buttermilk. Or I guess, to go back to the very beginning: it started with Helen’s broken ankle. How bad do we feel for Helen? BAD. Some people have the misfortune to break their ankle once. Some very sad people break their ankle a second time. Alas, Helen has gone for broke, and broken hers a THIRD time. Clearly she needed some cake.

So on Saturday, the kids and I (poor Melisa in bed with the stomach flu) baked a cake for her. It was another Smitten Kitchen everyday cake. And it called for buttermilk. Who has that on hand? No one, and though the recipe did offer a way you could create it at home with milk and vinegar, the comments posted seemed to indicate it wouldn’t be quite the same. I went to the store and picked it up….

May 15 – 16: Weekend Links for Brooklyn Mamas

Magnolia at the playground (via Hipstamatic for iPhone)

Get your groove on, this weekend and beyond.

Simple Summer Goals: Fresh Lemonade + Iced Tea

Come on over this summer for a glass of something cold in the garden.

I have a long mental list of personal goals, but when I think about them cumulatively, it’s just too overwhelming. So I came up with the idea to set one simple, short-term goal for the summer. Something realistic, that I could achieve easily even as a busy mom, but that would also make me happy and add a little to our quality of life.

It may sound humble, but it’s to keep something cold and delicious always on hand in the fridge — namely, homemade lemonade and/or fresh-brewed iced tea.

The lemonade does actually take a little time to prepare ’cause you have to juice so damn many lemons and make the simple syrup, but it’s worth it once you have an icy-cold glass in hand out in the garden. (And the kids love it.) So far, I’ve been alternating between a pitcher of lemonade and one of iced tea.

It’s a small thing. But a good thing.

Wanna join me? Is there a simple summer goal you’d like to work on over the next few months? Tell me!