Celebrating with Blue... Eight Nights

Empire State Building Lit for Hanukkah

Spatulatta Girls' Favorite Peeler

I've always said, I'm going to teach my boys to cook so that later in life they'll have the creative enjoyment, that I've experienced, and that comes with one of lifes' 'great pleasures'... so far... neither boy shows any interest in the cooking just EATING! That's 'Puberty'!

Tonight being the first night of Hanukkah, there will be the candle lighting, gifts for the kids, and traditionally latkes, better known as potato pancakes... and with the potato pancakes comes a lot of potato peeling, so if your cooking with the kids, try this 'Monkey Veggie Peeler" I found on a 'Cooking 4 Kids' website called 'Spatulatta' where you can watch a beautiful video of Dana and her grandmother making "Savti's Latkes"...

..."Eight Stories, Eight Nights"... npr (public radio), has selected works of contemporary fiction that the whole family can listen to, one for each night!  They run about 5 to 15 minutes long... I'd love to know which story is your favorite... Enjoy!

Men Gifts... and Boys Too!

                                           Martin + Osa
Classic with a twist... this beautiful wool blazer in navy will look great with jeans... "An updated classic with modern utility detailing"on sale for $209.95... Free Shipping and Free return (this is key)!

                                           Martin+ Osa
This is also a great look with the chest zip pocket for the same price, and while you're on the website take a look at the 'womens clothing' too...

                                   Calvin Klein Micro Boxer
My husband bought these lusciously soft microfiber boxers (in black) just for lounging, and then we found that they were migrating into the kids rooms, being worn as sleepwear with or without a T-shirt (depending on the kid)... so I ended up buying them each a pair (at $26, ouch!) in a ''small'.  They were such a big hit in my house that I found my 11 year old wearing them as underwear to school after sleeping in them!

Hi-Tech Withdrawal Turns to Low-Tech Entertainment!

                                       

Two days ago (on a school night) we lost ALL of our home media for the entire day and night (Cablevision's phone, internet, and TV), and so did the entire neighborhood, except for one Fios subscriber next door... Aaaahhh!  My son had online homework so he went next door to work, thanks guys.  Everyone was calling.... one neighbor was so upset she hung up on a Cablevision employee, another neighbor who has been working from home due to an injury, said he wanted to throw the computer against the wall he was so incensed. ( Hey, I still had my new Droid phone with WiFi internet and games).  Once we all got over the initial shock and cranky disbelief, especially the kids, we were reminiscing about how we used to have 'Game Night' on Fridays, when we'd play Monopoly and Scrabble together.  In the end, Solitaire, (on my phone) saved the day for my 11 year old and I (who are addicted anyway), my 13 year old played his electric guitar (his passion), and my husband read a magazine, the old fashion way... on paper.

Simply faBOWlous

                        United Bamboo at Syle.com
Once I started reminiscing about my boys and when they were little, I went back even further to my childhood... and how my mother would dress me for school in beautiful dresses and flowers in my hair... Well this spring, 'United Bamboo' is showing soft flower inspired pieces with 'a sense of childhood innocence'.  On the 'Style.com' website (one of my favorites), designer Thuy Pham said, "I had flowers on my mind", with "organic (as opposed to geometric) origami construction". I hope this trickles down to ready-to-wear!

CIRCLES... Kandinsky, The Guggenheim, and a Knitted Snood!

 

Vasily Kandinsky, "Several Circles", 1926

                                                                            

                 Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
In today's NY Times article by Natalie Angier, she says that the painter Kandinsky had a "growing love affair with the circle"... how 'perfectly circular' that the Guggenheim, now celebrating it's 50th Anniversary year was inspired by Kandinsky in the design and building of the circular museum... the show runs from September 18 - January, 2010. If you take the kids, my experience is that (the young ones especially) love walking the circular ramp even if they lose interest in the exhibit.

ASOS Ribbed Knitted Snood

                                                                     Missoni Couture
Hold that circular thought... as New York Magazine would show in their 'Matrix',  Kandinsky would be 'Highbrow Brilliant' and this would be 'Lowbrow Brilliant'... a chunky soft knitted Snood from ASOS for only $30 (plus delivery), or just Google 'Snoods'... How about one for your dog too!...

                                                         Dog Snood from 'Esty', $30

Baubles and Bangles... How Does BITTAR Do That!

           Won't break the bank...  From Top Down... J. Crew (all 3), and Aqua at Bloomingdales
The ribbon makes it very feminine but also adjustable... wear it long or short as a choker... and from the back, the hanging ribbon strands are alluring!

                                        
In Another League... Alexis Bittar, based in Brooklyn, is one of my very favorite jewelry designers... his Lucite Collection is extraordinary, it's modern and LUMINOUS as if it were backlit!  I bought a pair of earrings similar to these for a special occasion, but with Swarovski crystals... like the Black Cushion Hinge Bracelet. The Saks at Walt Whitman in Huntington carries his collection.  I would love to have one of these Hinge Bracelets... hint, hint hubby!

Tune in Live Today and Saturday... WPKN Radio... Dare to be Different!

One of my favorites, it's not canned it's different... WPKN-FM 88.7 Montauk, and 89.5 Bridgeport is a listener-supported, non- commercial (WOW!) radio station, playing a "cornucopia of genres and styles", "everything from Bluegrass to Haitian Voodoo; lush Classical Strings to Electroclash; Jazz to 60's psychedelia"...

With LOVE, (and loving the idea of more attention) my husband suggested I read this article from last Sunday's NY Times Magazine section, titled "A More Perfect Union'... it's long but very good (I'm guessing, don't expect a Hollywood ending).  I haven't finished reading it yet... but when author Elizabeth Weil says, "... I started wondering why I wasn't applying myself to the project of being a spouse. My marriage was good, utterly central to my existence, yet in no other important aspect of my life was I so laissez-faire."... it makes me want to read more...

Cranberry Compote Like Never Before!... and a Lost Cookbook

My son called it, "Heaven in a Bowl", while eating it last night over ice cream.  You've tried Cranberries at Thanksgiving and passed over it, I know... but not this one, I have to make batches of it (for former cranberry haters) continually from Thanksgiving to Year-End, or until the fresh cranberries are not on the store shelves anymore... so enough, the proof is in the pudding... but the key to a balanced sweet and tart flavor is the freshly grated Zest!  This adorable grater is from Pylones, a french company that makes fanciful home products for the kid in everyone.  Enjoy my recipe...


(4 Bags) Fresh Cranberries 
(3/4 cup) of Sugar for every bag of Cranberries
(2 small cans) of Mandarin Oranges
(1 each) of an Orange and Lemon (for Zest)
(1 Bag) Pecans or Walnuts (optional)
Rinse cranberries in a colander throwing out any mushy ones.  Put the cranberries in a large pot with cold water,  a 1/2" below the top of the Cranberry line.  Bring to a boil, then turn down heat to a simmer stirring occasionally (you'll hear them popping).  After about 10 minutes add the sugar and stir to dissolve.  Simmer on low for about another 20 minutes as fruit mixture thickens, then let it cool.  Add the canned Mandarin Oranges minus the juices.  Meanwhile, toast the nuts (use less or none at all) in the oven to bring out the flavor (being careful not to burn them), let cool.  When cranberries are still warm, grate the lemon and orange skin (called zest) into the mixture, using the finest part of the grater.  Use most of each fruit, or to taste.  When nuts are cooled, stir into fruit.  Chill and serve.  * Note: taste the cranberries while cooking and if it's not sweet enough you can add another 1/4 cup per bag, but don't over do it, the beauty of this recipe is the sweet tart fresh flavor (the Zest makes it!).  You can refrigerate this for a few weeks or freeze some if it lasts that long.  Serve it with pork, lamb, for dessert with cheese cake, over ice cream or just by itself!

 Notice to All Family and Friends:  I (silly me) lent my favorite cookbook to someone, can't remember who, and it's driving me crazy!!!  I wanted to make Marcella Hazan's recipe for 'Red Cabbage Soup' with linguica (sausage) and chicken the other night... You, and I can buy it on Amazon... it's a staple if you like to cook or want to, because it's simple classic food... the best!