Nest of Dreams

I came across this lovely, lovely house tonight on Apartment Therapy.  Don'tcha just love how yummy and happy the colors are?
Colorful Seattle Farmhouse

Bluegrass Bound

Today, I sent out about three dozen or so cookies to my super-supportive and amazing friend, Holly, and her three gorgeous guys, Alan, Miles and Felix.

Gobble up, Brady's.  More is coming (and so am I!).  Can't wait to see you!!! xoxo

Magical Christmas Cookies & MCC Grande Crunchies

Crispy outside, soft and chewy inside.  And very salty... like potato chips & chocolate bars.

NYC Newsies.  Like homemade Chips Ahoy.

Saved some for myself, best served with cold organic milk.

Sometime Thursday afternoon...

I have a tummy ache.  I tweaked a New York chocolate chip cookie recipe, combining some of my preferred methods like melting the butter almost all the way to give the flavor a little toasty nuttiness, and enjoyed a bit too much of the yummy batter.

Here is the recipe, for what it's worth.

2 1/2 c. all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. sea salt
4 oz. bittersweet chocolate, 61% Valrohna
1 c. butter, almost melted
1/4 c. organic cane sugar
3 large eggs (maybe next time I'll try 2 to take out the doughiness)
1 tsp. vanilla
10 oz. bittersweet baking chips, 72%

Cream butter and eggs in a mixer on medium high until it's nice and floofy.  Add the eggs one at a time until combined, then add vanilla.

Grind the 61% chocolate in a food processor.  Trust me, it's a lot less messy than using your knife (which will have chocolate all over your hands... not such a bad scenario, I guess.)  Sift the ground chocolate along with the dry ingredients into a large bowl.  Put aside.

Slowly add the dry mixture into the creamy one until it's nice and combined.  Taste it.  Like the way the sea salt dances on your tongue?  Me too, thus the indigestion I am now experiencing...

(Bake at 350 for 11 minutes, and get enough space in between cookies.  These suckers will spread.  Makes 24 happy faces.)

Post Script:  They didn't come out quite right.  Next time, I'll make sure more air circulates around the entire cookie when they're finished baking to allow them to crisp.  They turned out way too soft, but are still really good with a tall cold glass of milk or handsome helping of vanilla bean ice cream.

Union Station Masquerade

"All of these artistic geniuses arise in countries that promote education and health and have more money and more time. Art is a leisure activity. If you have to scramble for your food every second of the day, you're not going to make art." 
—Ann Patchett, Writers Ask, Glimmer Train Press, Inc.

Feeling Blue

Hayes Valley, San Francisco

Clean Dirty

In a blur

Summer whizzed by in a blur, like the soft white petals of a dandelion in the field. Here but for a fleeting moment.  Between crafting a novel, producing a web series, picking up freelance projects, planning then scratching a new business idea (is it the right time to start a bakery?), I've spent a lot of time with family and friends, old and new, exploring new places.  And the ground I walk on resonates within, like a distant melody, showing me something about beauty that lingers in my mind, knowing how small I am in this big world and imagining the lives and the steps that have come before me.

Madden's Casual Gourmet, College Station, TX

Ruins of Old Sheldon Church, Prince William Parish Church, Sheldon, SC

RIP

Kelp Forest, Monterey Bay, CA

Homecoming, Union Station, Los Angeles, CA

Fresh Strawberry Buttermilk Pie

How I say goodbye to summer:

I make an unforgettable strawberry pie, infused with an aged balsamic vinegar.

Next up… autumnal visions of apple and cherry pies, pumpkins and coconut cream. Perhaps a naughty dark chocolate torte.

for the pie crust:

2 1/2 c. all purpose flour, 2 tbsp. sugar, 1 tsp. salt. mix until butter is blended. mash any leftover chunks. add 3/4 c. buttermilk. blend until just blended. roll into a ball and chill for one hour, or up to 3 days.

roll out and bake for 30 minutes, at 425 for the first 10, then decrease the heat to 350. (the high heat helps the crust to turn out nice and crispy.)

for the filling:

2 qts. strawberries, 1 c. sugar, 2. tbsp. balsamic vinegar, 1 tsp. vanilla. let flavors marinate.

scoop strawberries with a slotted spoon and add to pie shell. discard leftover juice, or save it for a daiquiri!

add top crust, and bake for 45 minutes. as above, bake 10 minutes on 425, then lower heat to 350.

perfectly crispy, fresh, melts in your mouth.

how do you say goodbye to summer?

Smurf Village

un viaggio alla villa

un giorno nel giardino

bellezzo di sonno

Lofty Intentions

Hard to believe this Westside loft is only 715 square feet.

A kitchen I love!

Brunch in the Courtyard

Fresh Bananas and Farmer's Market Strawberries with Cinnamon Sourdough French Toast. Yum!

With bananas. From our very own banana tree!

Zombie Romance

Don't you just love Pride and Prejudice?

My plan for the day is to get over to Skylight Books and pick up a copy of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, the new cult romance published by Chronicle books.
I know, I'm a romantic. That's why I'm so excited about this book. It coincides perfectly with the release of our web series, Sally Loves Billy, a ZOM-ROM-COM (that's Zombie Romantic Comedy).
We have the final two episodes to shoot. Dr. Horrible fans, note, there's a new anti-villain in town. His name is Billy Zommer.
Support zombie romance, and join us at our final fundraiser for Sally Loves Billy, featuring live music, spinning dj, silent auction, raffle and a chance to meet the cast!

Sunday, July 12, 8pm-midnight
King King Hollywood
6555 Hollywood Blvd.
$10 Admission

Love Letters

Dear Asia,
You are lovely and insightful, vulnerable, sarcastic, artistic, loving and giving, and I am in love with you. Thank you.
Affectionately,
PSO

www.sleeptrip.com/300loveletters

Flower Stem Bowl, Anthropologie, $3.99 (sale)
Orange Latte Bowl, Anthropologie, $3.99 (sale)

China, "Atlanta", Royal Doulton
Bright Orange Latte Bowl, made by "biscuit", Portugal (see below)