Monthly Archives: August 2011

Wildflower

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Just a few photos from a place called Wildflower that we went to a few weeks ago for a “girls’ luncheon” in Tucson, AZ before my aunt’s wedding:

I had an amazing farmer’s market salad with quinoa, greens, fresh corn, green beans, golden beets, smoked almonds, and goat cheese:

Some of us also shared a pitcher of the best sangria made with Primitivo, Cassis, blackberry, raspberry, and strawberry, which I unfortunately did not get a picture of.  They had dipped the rims of the glasses in some kind of grape juice and then superfine sugar so they had a tart yet sweet, fruity flavor that went perfectly with the sangria.

And for dessert, they brought out the most fabulous display of all kinds of goodies for us to share in celebration of both my aunt’s birthday and wedding day (she got married on her birthday!):

There were chocolate-covered strawberries, a key-lime tart with blueberry compote and spun sugar on top, blackberry cheesecake in a jar, chocolate sin bars with vanilla ice cream, homemade graham crackers, a blackberry chardonnay sorbet, some other homemade cookies, and lots of fresh raspberries.  Everything was SO tasty.

So yeah, I’m pretty much in love with this place, and if you’re ever in Tucson, you’ll know where to find the perfect lunch.

A Potter’s Work

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One of the things I fell in love with while I was in Milwaukee was Beth Eaton pottery.  Her beautiful mugs, plates, and dishes are sold at Beans & Barley, and I would frequent that little shelf in the store often, seeing what new pieces of hers they had to offer.  Beth doesn’t use a potters’ wheel, but instead rolls out the clay and stamps it before shaping, firing, and painting to create unique and whimsy little wares.  Each one has its own character, stamped with everything from rollerskates or people exercising to camping items or nature scenes.  They’re fascinating to look at and I can’t say I’ve ever seen anything like them.  I had to buy a piece before I left, of course, and ended up purchasing this little dish which is perfect for holding my rings or earrings at night:

I just love it!  It’s small but perfect in such an imperfect way, and it will definitely always remind me of Milwaukee.

Back in Aggieland

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Between moving from Milwaukee back to Texas (driving), having one day to spend with my mom before I go back to college, and starting sorority recruitment, I haven’t had a moment to blog.  I’m exhausted so I’ll post more later.  As a quick note, I’m finally moved back in to my College Station house (well, somewhat), and while I do miss this:

…I must say that I’m happy to be back here:

There’s just something about Aggieland that will always feel like home to me.

Just a Stone’s Throw Away…

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I’m going to miss living within walking distance of…

 

Downtown.

A beach.

Saturday morning markets.

A Whole Foods.

A regular grocery store.

A little old Catholic church.

An Urban Outfitters.

A beautiful historic theater that shows indie films.

Alterra, the coolest coffeeshop ever.

Some great walking/running/cycling paths through the city and along the lake.

A dozen awesome little bars and pubs.

Beans & Barley (both the restaurant and the shop).

Several great vintage stores.

An American Apparel.

A quiet park on a hill with a spectacular view of the city.

A gorgeous historic water tower made of stone.

Lakefront Brewery.

So many dog-friendly places.

Sil’s, which is open at just about any time of day or night and serves the best fresh, hot, homemade donuts I’ve ever tasted.

The river which is pretty much in my backyard.

Several amazing and unique restaurants.

A cold storage brewhouse.

So many places with patios and outdoor seating.

…Sigh.

 

 

Cute As a Button

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Ok, are these not the sweetest little cake decorations you’ve ever seen?  (No pun intended.)  The adorable – and edible – sugar buttons from Andie’s Specialty Sweets on Etsy come in shades of white (vintage), peppermint pastels, and chocolate (vintage).

They are a bit pricey but would be totally worth the money if you need to embellish a cake and want something unique and impressive.

An Anthology of Beautiful Things

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My new obsession: Anthology Magazine

.A melding of “home decor, travel, design, entertaining, and culture,” Anthology is an ensemble of stories and photos in storylike format that are centered around a different theme for each issue.  The magazine is issued quarterly, but it contains over 120 pages and has limited advertisements.  Its slogan, “Living with substance & style,” describes the magazine perfectly.  Beautiful, artful, and sophisticated, it will have you relishing every season and make you feel inspired to be creative in all aspects of your life.

Sweet Milwaukee Summer

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With my summer in Milwaukee coming to a close in less than a week, it’s hard to think about leaving a city that has come to hold such a special place in my heart.  It was my first time to move somewhere in which I don’t know a single person, and while I can’t wait to see everyone back home, I feel like I’ve grown up so much in just the few months that I’ve been here.  Milwaukee is beautiful in the summer (paradise compared to the record-setting 105+ degree weather we’ve been having in Texas this year), and there’s so much to do.  I live really close to downtown in a hip urban area, yet because the city is fairly compact and it’s such an easy place to get around in, it still maintains somewhat of a small-town feel.

Just a few of many things I will miss:

The cheery snowflake-covered window in the building across the way (despite the fact that it’s summertime).

The historic Oriental Theatre which shows all the awesome indie films.

The amazing view from the hill on North Avenue.

The unique restaurants (like Trocadero) where I’ve enjoyed some fabulous food.

The many paths through the city and along the lake where you can walk, run, or bike.

Alterra.  Best coffeeshop ever.

And the Saturday morning market at Beans & Barley.

That’s only a drop in the bucket when I think about everything I love about this old city.  It’s such a gem and I have a whole list of things to do and see one last time before I leave, so I’d better get busy!

The Parents Come to Milwaukee

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In a perfect world I would be posting photograph after photograph of plates of gorgeous food that I’m making and/or eating, but given the fact that 1.) I have been living in a dorm room with minimal kitchen supplies and appliances for the summer and will be for the next week and half, and 2.) several of my food photos from when my parents were in town last week incidentally got deleted (I’m still pouting about losing the picture of bread smeared with the “flavor of the day” butter – mocha latte with caramel), this unfortunately will not be the case at the moment.  Instead, I’ll post a few of the pictures from my parents’ visit that weren’t lost:

The stained glass window in my parents' room at the Washington Inn

A cute little shop in Cedarburg

The three of us at the Cheese Mart on the Milwaukee Food Tour

Texas Cheesehead! (Yes, that is a cheesehead cowboy hat.)

The one food pic that didn't get deleted - crab cakes with sweet corn salsa and spicy remoulade from Roots...SO good.

The lovely riverfront

Happy 25th Anniversary to my beautiful parents!

I had so much fun with them and feel very blessed to have them as parents!

Woodland Wonder

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This bedding from Pottery Barn has been in stores for a little while now, but I just have to say how much I absolutely LOVE it.  The bright colors and elaborate nature print (with hidden words!) are positively stunning, and I think it would be impossible not to feel cheerful with this duvet adorning my bed.  Which is why I’m having such a hard time talking myself out of buying it, despite the fact that I have no need for a new bedspread.  It’s so tempting…