HAPPINESS IS...

Geometric Pinatas

That's it. Next party I throw, there WILL be pinatas. Most likely fancy geometric ones.

When was the last time you played with pinatas?


{Images by Prospect Goods}

Pretty Purple Picnic Wraps

How was your Father's Day? We planned to have a picnic in the park, but my folks surprised us with a new electric lawn mower, so we plopped down on the freshly cut grass and enjoyed a picnic in our backyard instead.

I adapted these pretty purple wraps for simplicity, substituting a few ingredients here and there. Whether you're into beets or not, they're quite tasty! I placed the following mixture into whole wheat tortillas, topped with a large salad leaf, and rolled them up burrito style.

1 can of beets
1 10-ounce log of goat cheese
1 cup of cooked quinoa
1 handful of roasted pumpkin seeds
1 handful of dried cranberries
5 tablespoons of olive oil
Salt, pepper, cinnamon and chopped fresh basil to taste

I told my family they were secret wraps, so they'd be surprised by the bright purple bite. 


{Images via Green Kitchen Stories by Johanna Frenkel}

My New Neighborhood Frozen Yogurt Joint

The new neighborhood frozen yogurt joint is actually not new at all. I just never noticed it before! Hal teases me because this is a reocurring theme in my life - pointing out "new" shops that have been around for years. I guess I spend a lot of time with my head in the clouds, what can I say?  

The yogurt spot is a wannabe lower-priced Pinkberry, with more flavors and toppings. Something tells me I'll be spending a lot of pennies here this summer. I'm boring and always get the same thing each time: original tart with fresh raspberries, kiwi, and those little white yogurt chips for crunch. Are you a frozen yogurt fan? How do you eat yours?

Have a yummy weekend, friends! And please enjoy the links...

Sleep under the stars in an outdoor hotel room.

Fun first look photos underneath a parachute.

The world needs more little free libraries.

20 simple pom pom DIYs.

A very good reason to let things go.

A vase that tells you when to water your plants.

The hilarious solution to picnic wine.

I want to see this documentary on all-girl big bands.

A gorgeous bohemian wedding dress.

What to do when you run out of space on your bookshelves.

 

And some posts of mine you may have missed...

• Secret Cheese Plates For One
• A Wall Of Doors
• Feather Reflectors

{Image via The Sparkle}

My Wedding 18: Food & Drink

Dancing the tango built up an appetite! A lot of brides say they either weren't hungry at their wedding, or they didn't have time to eat. Not the case here. I was ready to stuff my face. A late afternoon dinner was provided by Skillet, the acclaimed Seattle food truck. They served up our favorite comfort foods out of their vintage Airstream trailer.

Chef Josh Henderson worked with us to create a custom menu to satisfy me and my family, the veggies, Hal and his family, the meaties, and everyone in between...

PASSED APPETIZERS:

• Roasted sweet corn crostini, tarragon, creme fraiche.
• Parmesan risotto bites, English pea puree, truffle aioli

DINNER BUFFET:

• Grilled watermelon salad, balsamic reduction, watercress, sea salt
• Artichoke barigoule, braised hearts, mirapoix, saffron
• Poutine, hand-cut fries, vegetarian gravy, cheddar, grana padano, herbs
• Butternut squash mac and cheese, truffle, parmesean, cheddar
• The burger, grass-fed beef, arugula, blue/brie, bacon jam, brioche
• The portobello burger, grilled peaches, gorgonzola, balsamic reduction

My dad lovingly made us the chalkboard menu door. I'm currently trying to find some wall space in our house to hang it up. I almost don't even want to erase it!

My pops also built the bar, using scraps of old wood. Scott Mallard, our bartender, served up two signature cocktails. Hal's was named, "Hal In Washington", made with whiskey and Martinelli's. Sounds strange, but it was delightfully pleasant. Mine was called, "Green Eyed Lady", made with gin, cucumber and mint. We served local beer from from 7 Seas & Sound Brewery kegs, and cold non-alcoholic drinks out of a canoe filled with ice.

Kelly of Tortes and Tarts baked a lovely assortment of dessert table goodies: brownies, cookies, pie pops and cannolis, presented with the tea party china I was given at my bridal shower.

I initially wanted a cake made of cheese, but it would have melted in the sun. And Hal craved the real deal. So we asked my cousin, Isaac, who decorates cakes in his spare time, to make us one. We asked for something small, simple, and chocolate. He delivered, beautifully. 

The wood cake platter was given to us by a neighbor who happened to be clearing trees in his yard a few weeks prior to the wedding. I'm sure he thought we were nuts, but he sawed off a slice anyway.

We fed each other to the duet Hal and I recorded for our soundtrack.

YOU BELONG TO ME - By H+S

No cake fights here. We played nice and didn't make a mess. Although I'm sure Hal was mighty tempted!

Next week... a few very special performances.

SEE THE REST OF MY WEEKLY WEDDING SERIES HERE.


{Images by One Love Photo; Catering by Skillet; Bartending by Scott Mallard; Beer by 7 Seas Brewery and Sound Brewery; Desserts by Tortes and Tarts; Cake by Isaac Lind}

Hanging Tape Rolls As Party Decor

I've never seen this done before. Art director, Koji Iyama, hung thousands of rolls of Japanese masking tape from a warehouse ceiling for MT's promotional exhibition in Sendai. What a magical statement.

On a smaller scale, don't you think this would make a beautiful streamer alternative for a wedding, shower or party? As long as the tape hangs high enough to walk under. Or even a photo backdrop with tape hanging to the floor.


{Images via Design for Mankind by Koji Iyama}

Get Happy 06: Probiotics?

Not too long ago, Hal and I listened to a fascinating episode of Radio Lab, called Gut Feelings. It's well-known that the bacteria living inside our gut regulates digestion and strengthens our immune system. But UCLA researchers have recently discovered that the good bacteria, known as probiotics, may also soothe our mind.

Probiotics "affects the brain region that controls the central processing of emotion and sensation. The bugs reduce the brain's response, which suggests that probiotics may play a powerful role in modulating pain sensitivity, stress responsiveness, mood and anxiety." Crazy, right?

Yogurt is the most common natural source of probiotics, but since Hal is lactose-intolerant, I picked up a box of vegetarian Culturelle. We've been swallowing one capsule daily, but it can take a few months before you start to notice any effects.

So I'm curious. Have any of you taken probiotics long-term? Are you feeling any happier? I'd love to know!


{Pre-edited image by Nicole of Three Square Chef}

Throwing A Surprise Party

Over the weekend, we threw my mom a surprise birthday party for her big 6-OH! Since she's been working tirelessly taking care of my grandma, I thought she deserved some extra special attention this year. My brother, dad and I have been scheming for weeks, trying to keep it a secret. No easy feat!

It was a two-part surprise. First, we met her at the wacky Ride The Ducks of Seattle land and water tour, something she's been wanting to do for awhile now. The bus drives right into Lake Union and becomes a boat! I wasn't quite sure what to expect, but we had a great time being a tourist in our own city. Learned quite a few fun facts! Captain Chaos, who totally reminded me of comedian Dane Cook, was awesome. He led us around the city, blasting music, dancing, cracking jokes and embarrassing my mom.

After the tour, more friends and family gathered at my brother's house for the second surprise, a cheese and wine soiree. The look on her face when she walked through the door was priceless! I was too busy to take photos, but earlier in the day, I set up a variety of gourmet cheeses on slate boards with crackers, nuts, olives, jams, and made some tasty appetizers: strawberry & goat cheese bruschetta, walnut & blue cheese grapes, haloumi & caramelized fig skewers, fresh herbed cream cheese on cucumbers and dark chocolate-filled raspberries.

I can't believe we pulled it off. I loved seeing her so happy, especially when everyone shared their favorite memories of my mom.

When my friends threw me a surprise bridal shower, I came to the realization that everyone should have a surprise party thrown for them at least once in their lives. Have you ever thrown one? Or had one thrown in your honor?

Julie's Kitchen Food Collages

I happened across Julie's Instagram feed and instantly fell in love with her food collages. They started off as a way to showcase seasonal fruits, veggies and herbs from local growers at the Santa Monica farmers market, a spot near and dear to my heart. Since then, her photos have turned into a ongoing highly anticipated art form. To her, she's simply playing with her food.

Produce sure is beautiful. I think Julie should turn these pieces into wallpaper for the kitchen!


{Images by Julie Lee}

Favorite Recipes On A Tea Towel

I baked these num num cookies a few weeks ago and received a few requests for the recipe on Instagram and Facebook. So here it is: the best vegan chocolate chip cookies EVER.

My mother adapted the recipe from Daily Garnish and wrote it down for me after I gobbled up her entire batch. So I wouldn't lose it, I scanned it in and had Lindsay from Small Home Designs print the hand-written recipe on a tea towel. She did an awesome job. It now hangs sweetly on our vintage oven.

To get the cookies soft and chewy, there's a secret ingredient that replaces the eggs... banana!

SOFT & CHEWY VEGAN CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES 

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour (or whole wheat pastry flour)
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 cup Earth Balance (or regular butter if you're not vegan)
• 1/2 cup organic cane sugar (or 1/4 cup - they're pretty sweet)
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, loosely packed (or 1/4 cup)
• 1 medium ripe banana
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 tbsp non-dairy milk (almond, lactose-free, or regular milk works fine as well)
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips (or 3/4 cup if you like more chunks)

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Combine dry ingredients (flours, baking soda, salt) in a medium mixing bowl and set aside.
• In a stand mixer (or using a hand mixer), cream together Earth Balance with brown and cane sugars.
• Once the sugar mixture is light and fluffy, add the banana, vanilla, and milk and beat until combined.
• Slowly add the dry ingredients into the wet, beating just until mixed.  Fold in chocolate chips.
• Put 12 cookie dough balls on a greased cookie sheet. Press each cookie down a little to flatten, so they aren’t so round (I didn't press, because I like them super thick).
• Bake for 10 minutes until the bottoms are browned and the tops are slightly golden.
• Set aside on a cooling rack and let them cool before eating.

TIP: My mom and I love eating the cookies COLD - they taste amazing when you store them in the fridge or freezer. Does anyone else do this too?

Baguette Toast

There's toast. There's fancy schmancy toast. And then there's baguette toast, an even fancier schmancier toast, in my opinion, with a sophisticated European flair. Reminds me of the sandwiches I'd eat for lunch every day while studying abroad.

Today is Day 1 of "toast week" on Joy's blog, but I don't think it could possibly get any better (or prettier) than this.

How do you like your toast?


{Images by Joy The Baker}

New Year Of The Trees

How did I not know about this lovely little Jewish holiday? It's called Tu Bishvat, or New Year of the Trees. On January 25-26, it's tradition to eat 15 kinds of fruits and nuts with 4 glasses of wine while reciting blessings to bring the world closer to spiritual perfection. Then you plant a tree! My kind of celebration.

Erin of Forest Feast toasted the trees' new year with Feast wine and spiced apricots in dark chocolate.


{Images by Erin Gleeson}

4 Heart-Shaped Sweet Treats

Too early for a Valentine's Day post?

Last year, Hal surprised me by making us heart-shaped lasagna. So for this year, I'd like to stick with the theme. Maybe I'll make him one of these heart-shaped goodies: pink Rice Krispies treats, curd & jam filled puffs (aka Polsterzipf), gingerbread cookies on milk glasses, or marbled peppermint marshmallows.

Which of these sweet treats would make your heart melt?


{Images by: 1. Lisa Kisch; 2. Svetlana Karner; 3. Jennifer Carroll; 4. Liz Stanley}

Turning Leftovers Into Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

One good thing about having a baked potato bar is the absurd amount of leftovers. What does this mean? To me, it means fancy grilled cheese sandwiches. Last night, I made a delicious one with goat cheese, pesto, roasted red pepper sauce, sun-dried tomatoes and avocado. Next, I plan to make one with brie and pomegranate seeds. What's in your favorite gourmet grilled cheese?

Have a flavorful weekend, my loves. Please enjoy the links...

25 mouth-watering grilled cheese recipes.

A beautiful winter wedding with a sleigh ride for guests.

Did you know you could live on the back of your bicycle?

A miniature wooden record player.

Incredible snow art.

Wait, cookies for breakfast?

Darling hand knit crowns for kiddos.

A medieval hotel in Italy.

How to make a heart-shaped cross stitch sweater.

A great idea for Super Bowl snacks.

And some posts of mine you may have missed...

• Tea At Sea
• The Sheer Black Dress
• What Birds Do When We're Not Looking 

{Images via: 1-4: Martha Stewart; 5-6: BS In The Kitchen}

Our Weekend At Wellspring - Part 1

Hi friends! I'm back from my birthday weekend at Mount Rainier. We stayed at Wellspring Spa & Retreat, an easy 1.5 hour-drive from Seattle. This place is unreal. I truly think it's one of Washington's best kept secrets.

Wellspring is a boutique eco-resort near the base of the mountain, nestled within a 10-acre forest sanctuary. The property is sprinkled with with cozy cottages, safari huts, and even a tree house. Sunny, the owner, kindly put us up in the Tatoosh Lodge, the main cabin with a huge stone fireplace, a full kitchen and custom built 10-foot cedar dining table. Al Gore stayed here once upon a time. We suspect his visit was the inspiration behind An Inconvenient Truth.

Upstairs is an 8-person sleeping loft where our friends slept. It felt like camp!

Hal and I stayed in The Nest, a super romantic room with a hanging bed and skylight above to watch the stars. It felt like we were sleeping on a boat, being gently rocked to sleep.

The first morning, I sat with my steaming cup of tea in front of the fire, feeling giddy with content. No cell phones or internet to disturb the peace. I should go off-the-grid more often.

Well, I do admit. I sort of missed reading Facebook wall posts on my birthday. But that could wait. I was in a gorgeous rustic cabin surrounded by quiet natural beauty. I was more relaxed than I've been in quite some time.

Icicles!

For dinner, we set up a gourmet baked potato bar. Inspired by Joanna's smorgasboard, I went all out with toppings. There were the basics: butter, cheddar, sour cream, green onions and black pepper. And the more unusuals: steak, chicken and bacon (for Hal and the omnivores), goat cheese, gorgonzola, brie, parmesan, balsamic mixed veggies, mushrooms in white wine, grilled onions, sauteed garlic, sweet corn, broccolini, brussels sprouts, heirloom tomatoes, roasted red pepper spread, vodka marinara, artichoke dip, hot sauce, pesto, sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil, black beans, pickled jalapenos, baby cornichons, fresh basil, rosemary, cilantro and parsley. Phew! Best baked potatoes of my life.

In lieu of gifts, I asked my friends to bring a board game. Surprisingly, the most used game of the night was one that we found in the closet. Headbanz! Before you judge, it's harder than it looks.

Tomorrow, I'll show you around the magical snow-covered grounds!

OUR WEEKEND AT WELLSPRING - PART 2


{This post is courtesy of Wellspring Spa & Retreat}

A Winter Tea Blending Party

Not just a tea party. But a tea blending party. Briar of Marble & Wilkweed shows us how to warm up a winter afternoon by making personalized custom blends with exotic loose leaf teas, spices, and pretty packaging supplies. With a corresponding playlist to set the mood.

Here are 3 of her recipes:

• Modern Chai: cardamom pods, cinnamon sticks, pink peppercorn, rose petals, ginger.
• Vanilla Rooibos: red tea, roasted cacao nibs, vanilla bean pods, saffron threads.
• Fennel Mint: green tea, macha tea, fennel seeds, dried spearmint.

I bet her home smells wonderful! I must try this one day. I've been tea tasting before, but I've never made my own blends. Have you?

{Images via: 1-2, 6-8 by Briar Winters; 3-5 via Whole Living by John Kernick} 

Our Festive Israeli Feast

How was your Christmas, darlings? We celebrated over the weekend since my sis-in-law had to work yesterday. This was fine by us, because on actual Christmas day, Hal got to also celebrate Jewish style with a movie and Chinese food. We saw Life of Pi. Favorite flick of the year, hands down.

Our first Christmas as husband & wife and auntie & uncle was just perfect. If you follow me on Instagram, you'll know we went a little crazy with Christmas crafts. And late night poker, which I dominated, ahem. Every year, my family selects a different international cuisine for Christmas dinner. This time, we chose to have an Israeli feast! All-vegetarian, of course.

I made hummus (with extra lemon and garlic). Hal made challah bread. Christopher made potato kugel. Akiko made eggplant moussaka. My dad made kibbutz salad. And my mom made spinach bourekas, vegan lamb skewers, and honey cake with mint tea for dessert. It was divine. And naturally, we stuffed ourselves silly.

Tell me about your holiday celebrations. I'd love to hear!

Mismatched Vintage Wedding Plates For Sale

It's time to say goodbye to my collection of beloved mismatched vintage china. I don't have room for them and my mom wants them out of her house.

In the year leading up to the wedding, we collected 118 dinner plates and 67 dessert plates from various thrift stores. They really looked lovely lined up on our long tables. I thought about renting them out to other brides in the area, but I don't want to deal with hauling and storing. It sort of breaks my heart to let them go. But I did sneak out my favorite set to keep!

Are you a Northwest bride or vintage rental business looking for a hand-picked collection of mismatched plates? I'm announcing it here before posting on Craigslist or wedding boards. We are asking $300 for the full lot, which is still cheaper than scouting them individually. And much more convenient.

Please email me if you're interested. First come first serve.

UPDATE: The plates have been sold!

Corn Pudding

This is the dish I'm making for tomorrow's Thanksgiving feast. Hope it turns out! But really, how can you go wrong with corn, cream, and cheese?


{Images by Yummy Summer}

Thanksgiving Changes

It's hard to believe Thanksgiving is just a few days away. My cousin, who used to host a large extended family celebration, moved out of state. So for the first time, our immediate family will have a smaller, more intimate gathering at my brother's home. The transition is perfect timing, now that little Ayana is here.

We'll be more in tune with my fantasy Thanksgiving from a few years back. Although I'd still like to feast outdoors, Kinfolk style, in the middle of a field or forest. Weather and logistics aside!

How will you be spending Thanksgiving this year?


{Images by Rachel Bean} 

Bread On Bread

Many of us have a love-hate relationship with bread. But there's no hating here. Photographer, Nacho Alegre, turns baguettes into art by balancing loaves on top of each other to form zen-like structures. Aren't they amusing? He also plays with drinking glasses and teacups.


{Images via It's Nice That by Nacho Alegre}

A Brussels Sprouts Plea

I made this pasta last weekend, with roasted brussels sprouts, apples from my parents' tree, and gorgonzola. It was delectable. However, I couldn't get Hal to go anywhere near it. He dislikes brussels sprouts with a passion. I even doctored them up with extra garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper.

For my fellow brussels-lovers, how do you get a picky eater to try them? I wonder if grinding them into a pesto is the answer...


{Pre-edited images by The Kitchy Kitchen}

Gourmet Ice Cubes

Just think of all the fancy drinks you can make with gourmet ice cubes! Aren't they beautiful? Kids, do attempt to try this at home...

• Cucumber & Basil
• Fig & Rosemary
• Lime & Mint
• Lemon & Honey
• Raspberries & Blackberries

{Images via Brit by Anjelika Paranjpe}

A Fiesta In Five

On Sunday, Hal and I took a quick break from wedding projects to hit up The Saint, Seattle's new Mexican restaurant & tequila bar. To wet our appetites for the honeymoon, of course. I had rajas con crema tacos. They were nummy num.

I'm fairly certain I could eat Mexican food every day of my life. When you think about it, the same 7 ingredients are used in every dish, just in different combinations... a revelation that came to me during a late night Taco Bell run in college. And it's so simple to set up a fiesta bar, as Camille shows us for The Cooking Channel. We're actually doing something similar for our rehearsal dinner.

What's your favorite Mexican meal?


{Images via The Cooking Channel by Melanie Grizzel} 

A Bicycle Bar

Ed and Joe dress up in old English gents attire and deliver cocktails to the good people of London on their vintage butcher's bicycle bar. They call their "pop-up drinks project" the Traveling Gin Co. It's a brilliant concept really. Reminds me of Tiffany's sandwich and cake delivery bike. I hope these boys cycle overseas soon!


{Images via Remodelista by The Traveling Gin Co.}

Sampling The Menu

Tonight, we're sampling our wedding menu! My mouth is already watering. Remember when I was going to multiple tastings and having a difficult time deciding on which caterer to hire? We eventually went with Seattle's infamous food truck, Skillet. Mainly because they're unstuffy and creative with their ingredients. And who doesn't love the vintage Airstream trailer kitchen?

We're doing a family-style buffet for an al fresco sit-down dinner. Luckily, the chef was open to a few of our recipe ideas in order to fulfill my vegetarian-heavy gourmet comfort food requests. And the menu? I'm dying to spill the beans, but some things must be kept a surprise. One thing's for sure. This bride will eat!


{Images by 1-2, 4-5: Mastin Studio 3: Laurel McConnell}

My Surprise Bridal Shower

Over the weekend, I thought I was going to a girls "happy hour" at my friend's house. But when I walked through the door, I nearly jumped out of my pants! My sweet bridesmaids, Kate and Tara, threw me a surprise bridal shower! I teared up when I saw the smiling faces of my mom, sis-in-law, her mom, my cousin, and a few more dear friends who all pitched in to help. Even Hal was in on the secret and strategically made me arrive late!

The theme was "Shan In Wonderland". Everyone brought me a vintage piece of china to use at the wedding. There were pom flowers hung on trees with money inside! Yummy tea party treats. Rare Polaroid cameras. A puppy in a princess costume. A dragonfly. A ladybug. My baby niece Ayana. And no bridal shower would be complete without a toilet paper wedding dress fashion show. I was the judge. Gina, shown above, clearly won.

Good work girls! You went above and beyond.Thank you again for showing me how much you care. I'm still on cloud nine from all the love. xo


{Images by: 1, 4-7, 9. Kate Perkins; 3. Evi Feltus}

Let Your Dinner Be A Poem

“Bring the same consideration to the preparation of your food as you devote to your appearance. Let your dinner be a poem, like your dress.”

- Charles Pierre Monselet, French journalist

{Images by Alexander Crispin}

The Perfect Summer Salad

Have you seen a more perfect summer salad? It might also be the prettiest. Ilana knocked it out of the park with the presentation on this one. Get the recipe here. Who can resist a juicy geometrical plate of watermelon, avocado, and cheese?

P.S. I finally created a Facebook page for Happiness Is, so you can easily stay updated on posts. Please go get your LIKE on!  :)


{Images via Whisked by Ilana Freddye}

Dinner With Friends

This weekend I'll be going home for a slew of wedding-related tasks, but taking some time out for my newlywed friends' intimate dinner party on Saturday. They're making homemade pesto, mmm.

Have a spectacular weekend, dearies. Here are your links...

Summer's prettiest cocktails.

4th of July printables.

Do you know your neighbors?

A wedding dress with a show-stopping back.

Make a gigantic banana split.

She makes me want pixie hair.

A picnic basket and boombox in one.

Where I'll stay if I'm ever in Sicily.

Ladies, would you rock the ombre lip?

A cozy garage-turned-art studio.

And some posts of mine you may have missed...

• The Seattle Beer Fest
• Pottery Poems
• Cotton & Green Tomatoes

{Images via Finch & Thistle by Chantal Andrea}

Platters of Friendship

I wish we had a few of these out by pool this past weekend! They're called Platters of Friendship. Inspired by the Hungarian tradition where friends send each other plates of food, Budapest's Dombon-a-tanya designed these creative wood serving trays that turn snack platters into works of art. Aren't they beautiful?


{Images via Design*Sponge}

Foodzie Tasting Boxes

Has anyone subscribed to Foodzie yet? You get to choose between 3 gourmet specialty tasting boxes each month and a new assortment of hand-selected artisan treats will be delivered to your doorstep. I'm particularly enthused about their themed cooking boxes, like Date Night and Movie Night. Shown above is Spring Brunch, with waffle & pancake mix, lemon curd, marinated goat cheese, maple syrup and butterhorn pastries.

P.S. Thank you, Summer, for the heads up!


{Images via Foodzie}

Gourmet Tamales

Thank you for the sweet congrats yesterday. We had a lovely little celebration. I gave Hal a pair of keys painted black. He looked confused, but after I asked him what color they were, he figured out they meant tickets the upcoming Black Keys concert.

And his gift to me? Let me back up. When I lived in Santa Monica, religiously on Sunday mornings, I'd stroll down to the Main Street farmer's market for my gourmet Corn Maiden tamales. I was obsessed with their massive vegetarian selection, creative flavoring, and perfectly paired sauces.

It was always a tough choice, but I usually ended up with two of the following:

• goat cheese, sun-dried tomato & basil tamale with green tomatillo sauce;
• wild mushroom, cabernet sauvignon, garlic & thyme tamale with mango habenero sauce;
• feta cheese, kalamata olives & red onion tamale with tomato chipotle sauce ;
• grilled veggies, red bee potatoes & balsamic vinaigrette tamale with roasted corn sauce;
• smoked gouda cheese & green chile tamale with black bean cilantro sauce; 
• belgian chocolate tamale with raspberry coulis sauce.

See why I still crave them to this day? Anyhow, Hal surprised me last night with a box of frozen tamales, shipped from the Corn Maiden headquarters in California. He cooked them for our dinner and they were just as tasty as I remember.


{Images by No Face Plate}

The First Picnic of the Year

I'm still basking in the glow of Seattle's weather over the weekend. My friends' beautiful wedding ceremony was held outside facing west overlooking the water, and it really couldn't have been a more perfect day. I'm so happy for them.

On Sunday, it reached the 70's, so Hal and I took a break from making our wedding invitations ventured outside for an impromptu picnic in the park. We hiked through our secret trail and across the Ballard Locks and plopped down on the sloping lawn to nibble and watch the boats go by. Today, I feel completely refreshed and energized. I wish I could picnic every day.


{Image via Polkadot Prints by Jordan Bariesheff}

Chocolate Mushrooms

Yeah, you heard me. Chocolate fungi. Jason and Andie handcraft each 'shroom out of organic fair trade chocolate and vanilla candy stems. I want to secretly place a few on the ground, forage them, and pop 'em in my mouth, to the horror of my friends. Don't they look incredibly realistic?


{Images via UA by Andie's Specialty Sweets}

Clear Balloons

Just when you thought balloons were passé, along comes a clear balloon filled with stuff. Good stuff like confetti. Just think of all the unexpected things you could fill inside a magical clear balloon.


{Images via Peonies & Polaroids by Lillian & Leonard Photography}

Cherry Blossom Popcorn

Popcorn has never looked so pretty. Nikole transformed kernels into bowl full of cherry blossoms. After popping, she simply poured over a mixture of sugar, butter, salt, sakura extract, and pink food coloring. I can't wait to try out her recipe.


{Images via Oh Joy by Nikole Herriott}

Edible Flower Bubbly

One of the hosts of Akiko's baby shower made edible flower bubbly. They were so beautiful, I felt compelled to snap a few photos to share with you. Since we were celebrating pregnancy, she made them non-alcoholic, using sparkling lemonade.

An April Baby Shower

How was your Easter weekend? The weather here was surprisingly beautiful and warm, perfect timing for my sister-in-law, Akiko's baby shower. For decorations, I hung large white poms to resemble clouds and attached vertical raindrop garlands in various shades of blue and green. A true April "shower". I'm really pleased with how it turned out. Especially with the sunlight streaming through the window.

Edible Cookbooks

Now you can have your cookbook and eat it too. Bad joke. But it's true! This edible cookbook is made out of sheets of fresh pasta. After reading, just add tomato sauce, cheese and other ingredients to each layer, bake and devour.


{Images via Laughing Squid by Korefe}

Le Happy

Portland's French creperie, Le Happy, is calling my name. Next time I'm in the city, I'm making a point to stop by for lunch. Isn't it the cutest storefront you ever did see? And with a name like that, how could you not be happy here?


{Image via Pictory Mag by Dave Tuttle}

Dinner Etiquette

Melbourne-based still-life stylist and art director, Sonia Rentsch, turns tableware into dapperly dressed diners. So creative. This would be a fun way to surprise your guests at a dinner party, don't you think?


{Images via Lustik by Scott Newett}

Flower Petal Lollipops

Have you ever eaten a flower? I can't believe I never have. Unless you count rose gelato. Petals make the prettiest salads. And from the looks of it, lollipops too! Heather was kind enough to show us how she made her purple pansy candy.


{Images by Sprinkle Bakes}

Taco Boxes

Sara spent 50 hours in labor and when she arrived home with her newborn baby, all she wanted to do was grub. She craved an easy comfort meal. So she started making cheerful taco boxes for her friends with new babies.

They'd also make a great as housewarming gift when you're exhausted from moving and there's no food in the house. I love that she included a 6-pack of Guinness! Apparently, dark lager helps with milk production. Interesting!


{Images via The Kitchn by Sara Kate Gillingham-Ryan}

The Cookie Splash

Photographer, Siebe Warmoeskerken, caused quite a Flickr stir when he posted his cookie splash photos a few years back. It looks complicated, but according to his 7-step tutorial, shooting liquid in motion is easier than you'd think!


{Images via Follow Follow}

Homemade Ice Cream

Another favorite wedding task of mine, in addition to honeymoon research, is the registry. I feel like a kid in a candy store. How often do you get to make a perfectly acceptable wish list as an adult? One that will actually be fulfilled? Well, mostly.

The bulk of our registry will be honeymoon-related, but we're including a few random home items. Things we've always coveted, but would never buy ourselves. For example, an ice cream maker! Hal has been drooling over them since the day we met. His sensitive belly would like some lactose-free dairy treats.

Have you ever made your own ice cream?


{Image via The Dish on Photography by Jennifer Davick}

Cast Iron Skillet States

How much fun would it be to eat a State-shaped omelet? FeLion Studio's Made In America Pans come in 48 different States that fit together to make the entire U.S. You can cook with them or hang them on the wall as art.

In food magazines, chefs and editors are always asked to name one kitchen item they couldn't live without. I asked this to Hal once and he said without hesitation, the cast iron skillet. Maybe I'll get him the California shaped pan one day.

What is your favorite kitchen item?


{Images via The Kitchn}

My Bachelorette Mug Cozy Favors

For my Tahoe bachelorette weekend, I really wanted to find a special way to thank the girls for coming. I searched around for winter-appropriate gifts on Etsy and came across the talents of Ms. Lena Choe. Her shop, Nawanowe, is filled to the brim with the sweetest hand-knit creations.

One piece in particular caught my eye. The mug cozy. The cutest cozy I ever did see, with its own mittens and sweater initials. Lena welcomed my large order with open arms and quickly knit 14 personalized cozies for all of my friends. At the house, I placed the cozies on mugs and filled them with gourmet hot chocolate on a stick by The Ticket Kitchen. They were a hit!


{Images by Nawanowe}

Drawings On Plates

Yes, I'm a fully grown A-dult and yes, I sort of want to put these plates on my wedding registry. You're never too old to play with food!


{Images via Dezeen by Boguslaw Sliwiński}

Optical Illusions on Toast

The "magic eye" stereograms that became popular in the 80's frustrated me to no end. All my friends saw the 3d image within seconds while I sat there all day, anxiously defocusing my eyes until they crossed.

When I spotted this pretty patterned toast optical illusion, I thought maybe, just maybe, I'll be better at it years later. Guess what? I'm not.

Can you see the hidden message?


{Image via Ooh, My Favorite}

Macaroon Clouds

I bet these macaroon clouds taste just as sweet as they look. Learn how to make them here.


{Images by Carnets Parisiens}