Life with kids, made better.
Yep, it’s on. Two fine fall Saturdays in October — a new market featuring talented, mostly Brooklyn-based female designers and food makers. Sangria to sip, treats to taste, fun finds in a magical setting and a giving-back element to support the area around the Gowanus Canal.
Join us, noon-sunset, Gowanus Grove, October 13 + 27!
Gowanus Girls! girls + design + community
Brought to you by Curious Jane.
Sip, shop, support, have fun!
DP in a cake? Why the hell not.
I’m back! Sort of. At least a version of me is — making a brief appearance.
It’s the first real snow of the winter.
And you know how I feel about that.
So, in the interest of maintaining my sanity, in true form, I’m turning to lighthearted distractions.
Current pick-me-ups include:
* this Dr. Pepper Oatmeal Cake with Coconut-Pecan Topping via Homesick Texan.
* Norma Kamali’s new line of adorable LBD’s (for every body type!) under $100.
* these kid-crafty DIY Chunky Bead & Button necklaces via Curious Jane + momfilter.
* this adorable Reine Mere Peg + Chalk Board from Basic French.
I want. In my kitchen. Now.
* these Chelsea Heel Boots from Marais USA (I’m generally anti-ankle boots, but these I think I could get behind.)
* just knowing there’s the new AB-FAB waiting for me on DVR.
Stay warm! Fingers crossed the Year of the Dragon has some good sh*t in store.
I’m ready.
TTFN.
{photo via Peony / Melbourne}
Merry Almost-Christmas!
Holy crap, it’s almost here.
On my mind:
Good news — someone ELSE is cleaning my house this morning! And if you live in New York City, they can be cleaning yours, too. And you can pay with a credit card, no need to make sure you have cash on hand. And you can book online and they won’t cancel on you at the last minute. Call MyClean.
I don’t think I can make it through the holiday without some beautiful, perfect macarons from Laduree, now in NYC — must try to make it there this week, despite the fact that a friend went and had to wait in line an hour…. I’m thinking this can be avoided if I get there when they open — 9am Monday through Saturday, 10am on Sunday.
Speaking of cookies, I want to make these SmitKit gingersnaps.
And speaking of NYC, did you hear Gwyneth + Goop launched the first of their city guides this week, and of course it was NYC? Buy it as the app store.
Have fun buying, wrapping, baking, and eating!
It’ll be time for the fat man to come to town before you know it.
Porky goodness.
So many things in Lisa Fain‘s new cookbook, The Homesick Texan, look good to me — and, of course, remind me of home — that I literally couldn’t decide what to make first. Then I saw Deb over at Smitten Kitchen tried out the carnitas, with great results, and I thought, OK, decision made.
Carnitas are basically tender-crispy bits of pork that you put into a corn tortilla, dress up with your favorite fixings, and eat as tacos. You braise the pork first in liquid — orange and lime juices, water, cumin, crushed garlic — and then sear to brown and crisp up all over once the liquid evaporates. It takes a good three hours start to finish and, I have to say, Chrissy and I thought the meat was absolutely delicious. Flavorful, perfect.
The recipe says to use pork shoulder or butt; we used shoulder. And the three pounds of meat was crowded in our medium-sized to large Le Creuset — so I’d suggest using the biggest damn dutch oven you’re got. Also: I’m not sure if it was in part because of the crowding, but not all of our liquid evaporated — we had to remove the excess ourselves. But it didn’t matter. We took out the remaining juice and let the meat brown nicely in the pot. Crispy, salty, addictive.
We made guac and piled on diced pickled jalapenos and cilantro, too. Yum, yum.
Carnitas, via The Homesick Texan (but as posted on Smitt-Kit — looks like Fain has adapted the recipe from her blog for her cookbook, so that’s what I’m linking to.)
For more Tex-Mex and other faves, scan the blog or buy the book.
Let me know what you think! (P.S. — The kids loved the meat, too, and there were plenty of leftovers.)
Summer’s over, but we’re still making this light, lemony, garlicky salad and loving it. Don’t have gigante beans? Use butter beans or cannellini beans instead. No watercress in your fridge? Use any kind of greens or serve over sauteed spinach.
One note: Marinating the beans in olive oil, garlic, and scallions (or chives) for several hours before preparing is a key step in the recipe and makes a big difference in flavor. So do that earlier in the day and then assemble later for dinner — it’s fast and easy. And delish.
Gwyneth Paltrow’s Marinated Gigante Bean Salad with Grilled Shrimp and Watercress.
What else is cooking:
Boo! at the BBG.
How it is that I’ve been a Brooklyn mom for the last seven Halloweens and never been to the Botanic Garden’s Ghouls & Gourds seasonal kid-fest, I do not know. But tomorrow I’ll right that wrong by putting the kids in their costumes (Darth Vader and “pink” Batgirl, in case you were wondering) and heading over for some fun, rain or shine. On tap: dancing, music, crafts, big puppets, books and authors, and the garden’s pretty fall colors.
Other fall random-ness:
* Pear Cranberry and Gingersnap Crumble from Smitten Kitchen
* An over-priced but possibly irresistible little lounge-y chemise from Anthro that I can totally see myself padding around the house in this autumn. Mmm-hmmm.
* And…. Last: A little bit of life wisdom from working mom SJP — “The firsts go away — first love, first baby, first kiss. You have to create new ones.”
Keep it real, people. Keep it new, keep it fresh, keep it fun.
Go love life this weekend.
Meet you back here next week.
Shiny Brite is all about what makes our lives better as moms. Sometimes it’s got to do with parenting tips on how to make things easier or a fun, kid-centric outing; sometimes it’s all about what keeps the moms happy and sane (essential to home peace.)
Today, people, in these rough fall times — have we mentioned how much we hated leaving summer behind? Oh, right, we have — the focus is on finding little pockets of joy where we can. Here’s my Monday list:
* OPI’s “Mrs. O’Leary’s BBQ” — a deep, dark red — on my newly-polished toes. A warm fall hue for sure.
* The leek and gruyere frittata I just took out of the oven — how good it smells!
* A couple of potentially fun freelance opps I have brewing.
* How happy my kids were to see me at “Bagel Bits” (where parents get to come to kids’ classrooms and see what they’re up to) this morning at school. And I was so happy to see their math skills taking off — parental pride + heart melting cranked right on up to “high.”
* The bag of Tate’s Chocolate Chip Cookies I have close at hand. Crunch.
Everybody needs a little somethin’-somethin’ to get through Monday. What’s giving you your little high today?
Dior's Tuxedo, Dior.com, $22
When in doubt — and, boy, have I been in doubt — don’t think deep. Think nail color. In case you haven’t noticed, trends for fall point to blues like the one above, as well as varying hues of gray and green. All colors that would make Magnolia say: Uh, why are your nails that color? (Those shades will never trump red, pink, or purple in her world view.)
What else?
Cute handmade Halloween costumes you don’t have to make yourself.
The newly-renovated Hester Street Playground and Chinatown fun.
Kids’ Fall Fest in Madison Square Park, with Eataly nearby.
Keep the thoughts light. Keep pie close at hand. Keep sneaking in extra hugs and cuddles with your kids.
Happy weekend!
Cheers to old friends!
Last weekend I spent some long-overdue kid-free time in Austin with my BFF (thanks, Chrissy, for letting me jet off!) and, oh, but it was nice…. Can I get a repeat? In addition to long, uninterrupted chats with someone who’s known me for 20+ years, here’s the short version of what was on the agenda — I hope it inspires you to plan a little “me” time, too:
* Mexican martinis at Dos Salsas in Georgetown (mmm, see above. And here’s a recipe — I’d tweak the Sprite to a splash.)
* Patricia Clarkson on 7 Minutes in Heaven with Mike O’Brien. Do yourself a favor and watch this. It is highly enjoyable not only because Clarkson is super-appealing and slightly tipsy during the in-the-closet interview, but also because it introduced me to new lipstick shade Cherries in the Snow (which now resides in my handbag.)
* Revlon’s Cherries in the Snow — an excellent pick-me-up in the face of crappy fall weather.
Kiss me! I'm wearing lipstick.
* !It Jeans from Adelante — they hug, they’re snug, and they won’t set you back $200. (You’re welcome.) I snagged the My New Boy style, pictured below.
If fall has to come, at least I can be wearing these.
* New METALSGirl jewelry from Parts + Labour.
Giant 4 color necklace. Yes, please.
* Weird La Lucha Libre wrestling guys for the kids from Tesoros.
Viva, Mexico!
* Chipotle and toasted almond guacamole at La Condesa. Heck, yeah.
Darn good guac. Drinks, tacos, and chile rellenos, too.
* Retro-cool at The HighBall.
Vintage bowling lanes, transported to Austin from New Orleans.
* Big-time cheesy fun at Austin Karaoke. Thanks to my friend Debra, I no longer have to wonder what my karaoke songs would be — let’s just say Sheryl Crow, Journey, and the fine ladies of Heart were all paid tribute to. Surprisingly cathartic. They had to pry the mike out of my hands.
Hello, fun.
* Breakfast nirvana at Monument Cafe and Kerbey Lane.
Serving breakfast 24-7.
* A book called Love Life — and lots of pretty fresh flowers, too — at La Fleur Vintage.
Colette: "You will do foolish things, but do them with enthusiasm."
Thanks, Debra! xo
Related:
Currently Obsessed with…. Moving to Austin
Can’t put down the French-food-focused October ish of Food & Wine. Melissa Clark’s Marseille-Style Shrimp Stew — with garlicky French rouille on toasts — is a major keeper. Absolutely delicious and full of flavors we don’t always cook with — orange zest, saffron, cloves.
Other temptations:
More recipes for eating the French way: smaller portions of better-tasting food (with wine, of course)
NYC chef April Bloomfield hits France: note the Lyon-Style Chicken with Vinegar Sauce, the Herbed Steamed Rice, and the Warm Bacon-and-Egg Salad
A fun culinary travel guide to Paris: Can we go back, please, and try all of these places?
Bon Appetit!
***
Other obsessions:
State Prints from One Canoe Two
Vintage Kids’ Books My Kid Loves
Melisa