trouvée: bathing beauties I

No inscription. No date. Just sitting on the dock of the bay...

Some random friday photo links:

* Rinne Allen
* Mary Ellen Bartley
* Juliane Eirich
* and a Gumball Machine on 20x200

A happy weekend to you all!

projects

New pencils! All sharpened and ready to go. I have a few little projects in the works, which I hope to share with you all in the near future. On a related note, one of my favorite images is a photograph of the pencils from Frank Lloyd Wright's desk, taken the day he died in April 1959. Such a simple and beautiful tribute to projects completed...and a poignant reminder of those left undone.

Currently inspired by:

* architectural books
* English Baroque
* and The Grammar of Ornament

I hope you all are making time for something creative in your lives! Cheers.

purple basil

On the menu this week: fresh bread and smoked mozzarella, pasta tossed with asparagus, and tomato salad with basil. For fun, I picked up green and purple basil ~ and I am inspired! This pesto looks divine, and so does this cocktail (from my favorite restaurant, no less).

What to drink with it all? I am in love with Anne Amie Vineyards' Midnight Saignée rosé, and their wonderful 2007 Amrita (grown here!). And, I would love to try this forbidden fruit...wouldn't you?

Happy wednesday!

crazy beautiful

The sunday market was a crazy beautiful assault on the floral senses. Yes, these were for real! A sea of peonies (just for Courtney), and pots of poppies, delphiniums, and lilacs. I did not need to be reminded that it is a two-week peony season to snap some up (even if they were a bit on the pricy side). I spent most of the weekend painting the apartment, so this riot of color was a welcome break from staring at white(ish) walls. More from the market tomorrow...let's just say I will be eating well this week.

And a huge, huge thank you to Anne for including me in her fantastic Boarding Pass series ~ what an honor!

trouvée: dockside

Found in Maine last summer. No inscriptions or date. Just a subtle reminder that it is time to pull out those white shorts (or not!).

Just a few things today:

* Salt Grass
* beach
* and Rabbit to Bee

I hope those of you in the States enjoy the Memorial Day holiday. A happy weekend to all! Until tuesday....

greer's garden

I know it is odd for an urbanite such as myself to be so hopelessly obsessed with dirt. Without a patch of my own to till, I have been cyberstalking my friend Greer's garden. Between writing her dissertation, and whipping off exhibition reviews, she has created her own personal Eden. When she moved into her house several years ago, the only thing in the backyard was a grapevine. Now it brims with lilacs, peonies and lush green ferns. Since early April I have been watching as little seedlings have transformed under her green thumb into a myriad of tomato, eggplant and basil plants, most of which were recently transferred to a wonderful new vegetable container.

Greer confesses to being jealous of her neighbors' well-tended, mature gardens. But personally, I am inspired by her joy in nurturing a fledgling garden. I love getting excited updates on the basil plants, hearing her worry over night-time temperatures and marauding squirrels, and watching as she meticulously records each new growth with her camera.

I think we will have to check back periodically to see what Greer does with all this bounty (I have heard rumors of her culinary skills!).

(top: basil seedlings; bottom: mesclun)

asparagus and other things

My friend G asked if I would share what I have been (and will be) eating this week. Truth be told, I went out to dinner last night (mmmm...pizza with wild mushrooms and proscuitto)! However, this evening I have a lump crab cake waiting for me and a pile of steamed asparagus. I have learned that fresh asparagus does not keep very well in the fridge, so I generally buy several bunches and steam it all right away. Then I just serve it cold, or toss it in with a salad. My buddy Steve makes the most divine curried mayonnaise, which he serves as a dipping sauce for cold asparagus. And though I am not privy to his secret recipe, I have been using this one (minus the cayenne) and really like it. Plus, it is fabulous on sandwiches!

Later this week, I am making frittata with fresh farm eggs, leeks, and herbs. I love frittata because it is good for several meals, and heats up perfectly in the microwave.

And rhubarb...I bought an armful of it on sunday and made a big pot of sauce.

What's on your menu for the week?

fresh!

Well, I guess April showers do bring May flowers! There was a glorious riot of color at the market yesterday ~ strawberries, rhubarb, asparagus, fresh herbs. Mmmmm, I will eat well this week.

A few monday links:

* Pure Blog
* a new take on spaghetti primavera
* and madamimadam

Cheers!

trouvée: cutting her cake

Another recent eBay find. No inscription or date. But, clearly, cake cutting is serious business!

Some fun friday links (to make you smile):

* Sparrow Lane
* Oink Balloons
* Cig Harvey

Lots of May babies to say Happy Birthday to (you all know who you are)! xo

a summer sky

One of those perfect days in Washington ~ bright blue skies and puffy white clouds. I escaped from the office for a bit and took a little walk after lunch. It feels like summer is in the air.

Right now, I am enjoying:

* Wallander (are you watching?)
* Carolyn Quatermaine's current projects (especially Château de Beloeil)
* pear wine
* and some recipes

Happy wednesday!

at the market

"Things to buy: pig - apples - cidder - asparugus - milk - eggs - salad - cheese - bread - mushrooms - butter - flowers - yarn - tomatoes - sauce - pasta - gelato - soap."

Really, what else do you need? I came home with bread, apples, asparagus, viburnum, and a thyme plant. I love the simplicity of spring cooking!

postcards from home

Walker Evans once said that photography "is the capture and projection of the delights of seeing; it is the defining of observation, full and felt." To some people that just comes naturally. My mom is one of those people. It took her 63 years to pick up a camera, but I am awfully glad she did. Every day she sends us the most beautiful postcards from home (and beyond) ~ here.

Happy Mother's Day!

(top: from my window; bottom: traces)

trouvée: white dresses

Found this past winter in Maine. No date or inscription. I just love the white dresses ~ and the little nosegay tucked into the waistband.

A couple things:

* Beyond the Forest (so stunningly beautiful ~ see more here)
* and The Daily Scrapbook (via Prêt à Voyager)

The sun is peeking out from behind the clouds today! Perhaps it will stick around for a bit. Un bon weekend à vous!

dark days

The east coast has been wrapped in a dark grey blanket of rain and clouds for the past week. The trees seem to like it however ~ and airy spring blossoms have given way to a canopy of rich green leaves. There is a funny sort of aura that accompanies all that greeness. A heaviness. Maybe it's that after the winter, I am not used to everything being so full.

I just flipped through this book. Beautiful!

marjorie's garden

I am such a push over for a formal walled garden. Fountains, boxwood parterres, marble statues ~ fabulous! Naturally, Hillwood has it all going on. Marjorie Merriweather Post oriented this French-style parterre garden so that she had a bird's-eye view of it from her bedroom window. The perfect sanctuary (I imagine myself hiding out there with a wide-brimmed straw hat and some delicious romance novel). The grounds of the estate also include a Japanese-style rock garden, a rose garden, a putting green, and a "friendship walk" lined with azaleas, wisteria, hydrangea, and English boxwood.

marjorie's orchids

It was a rainy, gray weekend in Washington ~ the perfect excuse to go hang out in the glitz and glamour of Hillwood Museum. I was thrilled that a certain architect was able to join us ~ as much merriment ensued! Fabergé fabulousness aside, can you guess where my favorite spot was? Lots more to say about Hillwood, but for now I will titillate you with some of Marjorie's 2500 orchids.

trouvée: the halter girls

Found by my friend Anne ~ no inscription or date. I love the halter tops and palazzo pants.

A few friday links:

* something in the sky
* a photo-novella
* some Victorian photocollage
* and an update on the Mexican suitcase

Happy May Day!