ode to my cereal

i love my cereal.  i have it every morning for breakfast (and have done so for the past 4 years or so).  what can i say...i'm a creature of habit.  and (since i've had the luxury of time) i'm pretty sure i've mastered the art of the perfect bowl.  my morning cereal ritual is not to be taken lightly.  it's much more than corn flakes in a bowl with milk.  it's an experience that takes finesse.

my perfect bowl : )

-1 cup cereal (preferably a mix of 2-3 of your favorite kinds.  i <3 kashi golean crunch and multi-grain cheerios)

-1 tbsp raisins (or craisins if you're feeling spunky)

-1 tbsp chopped pecans

-1/4 banana, sliced (save the remainder for tomorrow's bowl or a snack or shake later : )

-a few strawberries, sliced

-sprinkle of cinnamon

-dash of nutmeg

-3/4 to 1 cup soy milk (or skim milk)

mix all dry ingredients with fruit & spices in bowl.  top with milk.  it's the perfect mix of slightly sweet & satisfyingly crunchy.  enjoy! 

my favorite bowl is my buddha bowl.  craig gave it to me for my birthday last year, and it's sculpted to fit in the palm of your hand.  if you're a serial cereal consumer, you need one.  believe me.  oh cereal, you're deliciously divine!

what's your go-to breakfast?  (for a free kashi treat click here.)

first signs of fall

happy fall!

fall is almost here!  can you feel it?  (i can.)  as you know, i love this time of year - it's my fave : )  so, i've been getting very excited when i come across signs of autumn in my travels.  i can't help but smile when i see pumpkins on porches, leaves getting a touch of crimson or feel a crisp fall breeze brush by.  ahhh, fall....  you're so wonderful.  welcome back.

pumpkins

fall leaves

the first official day of fall is september 22 (and here in bucks county, pa it's supposed to be 90 degrees.  yuck!)  anyway, i still plan to usher in fall and all it's splendor.  here are a few ideas of how you too can celebrate the autumnal equinox.

-rake some leaves (i'm not big on manual labor, but it is fallish...)

-enjoy some cider

-visit an orchard and go apple-picking (the ultimate fall excursion)

-bake something "harvesty" (i suggest pumpkin bread...yum!)

-enjoy a fall cocktail : )

feeling fallish, yet?  i hope so.

i carry your heart

hearts

hannie (my little sis) is coming back from ohio!  she's been out there completing her governess certification ever since she graduated from college.  so, first off, congrats han : )  and secondly, yay!!! you're coming home!!!  in honor of my baby sister's return, i wanted to share our favorite poem with you all.  (it's a good one.)  enjoy : )

i carry your heart with me

i carry your heart with me(i carry it in
my heart)i am never without it(anywhere
i go you go,my dear; and whatever is done
by only me is your doing,my darling)
i fear
no fate(for you are my fate,my sweet)i want
no world(for beautiful you are my world,my true)
and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;which grows
higher than the soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart
i carry your heart(i carry it in my heart)
- ee cummings

i carry your heart

we always write the closing line to one another in cards, in emails, on facebook walls, in text messages, etc.  when i was studying in paris, i got us a pair of necklaces each inscribed with part of the final line, and for last christmas, i wrote a melody to sing the verses to.  so, yeah...we love this poem : )  it's our little code to say "i'm thinking of you and with you, where ever you might be". 

i carry your <3 (i carry it in my <3)

i want a bar cart (i.e. a classy excuse to make cocktails on mondays...)

bar cart from restoration hardware

so, as i've mentioned before, my heart & soul ache for the 1940s.  simpler times.  classier times.  i love the way they dressed back then.  the music.  the lifestyle.  it just all seems so fabulously wonderful yet effortless.  this love (or should i say obsession...) has led me to the conclusion that i need a bar cart.  yes.  you heard me right.  a bar cart.  if i can't go back in time to the 40s, i'll bring a little bit of the 40s to the 21st century.  (and some cocktails too...check out my french martini recipe below.  you're welcome : ) 

another one from restoration hardware

watch any old movie, and you'll notice that upon entering a home, apartment, office or just about any place for that matter, they bee-line for the liquor.  of course, it's much more refined than that because the spirits are not kept in some shady kitchen cabinet or in the freezer behind the veggie burgers and ice cream.  they're displayed (artfully) on a bar cart.  and having the goods out & in view, on the aforementioned bar cart, signals guests that they are welcome, at any moment, whether it be noon or midnight, to help themselves to their drink of choice.

so, yeah.  i need a bar cart.  mine would definitely need to have st. germain (elderflower liqueur - my new favorite!) and grey goose.  and i'd keep some jack in stock for craig : )

what would be on your bar cart?

another charmer from southern accents

...delicious inspiration... 
try the french martini : )

1.5 oz st. germain liqueur
1.5 oz grey goose vodka
champagne
squeeze of fresh lemon
garnish with lemon peel twist

1. rim a cocktail glass with super-fine sugar.
2. shake liquors & fresh lemon in a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
3. strain into the prepared cocktail glass.
4. top with champagne and add garnish.

bet you can't not smile : )

what can i say?  she's just the cutest!  and she makes me laugh (all the time).  i really can't look at her without smiling.  yes, that's right...i'm a proud (dog) mom.  my (dog) baby, olive, is just the sweetest.  craig, my fiance, and i adopted her last november, and she's been making us laugh ever since.

whenever she's outside, she just has boundless joy.  sometimes i watch her and am awed (and a little jealous) at how little it takes for her to have an absolute blast.  olive really knows how to make the most of simple pleasures.  a walk.  time spent outside.  watching a bird or squirrel.  greeting a loved one when they come home.  way to go olive.  you're totally zen and you don't even try to be.  you're really much more advanced than the rest of us : )

what you can't hear (because i dubbed over my voice with the cute music) is that during this entire video (yes, the entire 2 minutes) i'm asking olive to "roll over".  which, as you can see, she decides she'd rather not do...

here's hoping this video leaves you smiling : )

stupid for your love

you can thank hannie (my little sis) for this post. she wrote on my facebook wall and told me i had to check out brendan james - she said his music is awesome. and as usual, she was right. (she's always finding these fabulous artists and sending them my way.) well, thanks again, baby sis.  he's great!

if you like him (and his music) check out this free download on his website!

stupid for your love enjoy : )

...and this song goes out to my steady beau...

rain, rain (don't) go away

rainy day relaxing

rain on the window pane

there's just something about a rainy day that beckons you to join it in its dreary simplicity.  curl up, it says.  veg out.  do nothing.  put your pjs back on, brew a cup of your favorite tea and enjoy a good movie.  i've never minded rainy days.  i actually need one once in a while.  i'm a home-body and rainy days encourage you to stay inside, get cozy and replenish.  and honestly, who doesn't need that once in a while?!

tea cup

my recipe for the perfect rainy day...

-1 pair of sweatpants

-1 sweatshirt

-2 fuzzy socks

-1 cup of tea (refill as needed)

-1 to 6 movies of your choice (depending on how much replenishing is required.  my personal go-tos are father of the bride (the steve martin one), baby boom or any oldie but goodie on turner classic movies)

-1 person to cuddle with (and yes, pets do count!)

-optional: 1 fire in the fireplace, if weather appropriate

oh rain, don't go away quite yet...