Wishlist Wednesday: Throw pillows

Throw pillows are an easy way of changing up your decor and I'm particularly taken with this print by Old Town as seen on designsponge. 

Vintage Monday: clover print enamel bowl

I picked this beauty up at an estate sale last weekend.  It's a nice heavy weight and size, don't you think it would look great holding a pile of lemons?

A close up of the adorable print

update: just googled and found that this salad bowl was designed by Kaj Franck for Arabia Wartsila Finland, part of the Littala Scandanavian design group.  Thanks Rebecca for the research help! :)

Work in progress...

I've been working on updating the blog this weekend with a new header and some buttons on the side of topics I frequently post about so they are easier to find.  The amazingly talented Linda at Though Very Humble created all the graphics you see on this site.  I love her work and she's absolutely wonderful to work with.  So much so that I just ended that sentence in a preposition and will not be correcting it!  I'm still trying to figure out where everything goes and how to link things up so please bear with me.  Also, if anyone can explain how to create a new page without posting an entry (ie. an about me page) please let me know--I could use the help! :)

Favorite Friday food: Unagi Don

Haven't done too much cooking as the week's been hectic so B took me out for Japanese yesterday (eating out on a weekday is a special treat!).  I have one of my favorites--an unagi (freshwater eel) rice bowl.  Hope everyone has a good weekend! 

Wishlist Wednesday: Baggu animal prints

I love Baggu bags (remember this post?) and am so excited that they have some great animal print ones out now!  Check them out:

I've got this great elephant one already

And now it wants this fox one for company

And of course this alpaca one!

Scenes from our weekend

We rented a house this past weekend on the lake with our friends. 
The house had a great view of lake LBJ.

The pups enjoyed playing the whole time.  Here Kirby is trying to entice Kona who is just plain worn out.

B did lots of grilling and we had great desserts ranging from fruit salad to the best blackberry cobbler

Now it's back to real life!  School is starting today--happy back to school to all teachers and students!

Favorite Friday Recipe: Grilled fish

B has become a grill master this summer and we've been trying a new fish each week.  His dream is to do a whole red snapper reminiscent from our Caribbean vacations.  For this week, we went simple with a tuna steak.  A little salt and pepper, paired with vegetable kabobs--perfect on a hot summer day!

Wishlist Wednesday: cooler weather

Today was our 63rd day of over 100 degree temperatures this year in Austin (we usually only have 18 days or so on average).  Thank goodness for snow cones!

  (google images)

Our project this weekend

We've decided to redo our master bedroom!  Some paint, new linens, an electronic buy and tons of decluttering on the list.  Hopefully we should have everything done soon and will share more pictures then.  In the meantime, check out the sneak peek of our new curtains and B hard at work taping and painting!

Favorite Friday Recipe: Fresh spring rolls

Spring rolls are one of my favorite summer time foods--they're cool and refreshing and are fun to put together, especially if you have dinner guests. 

Ingredients:

• rice paper rounds/squares (found at any asian grocery store)
• cooked shrimp, pork or tofu (shrimp is my favorite)
• mint leaves
• cilantro
• chives (optional)
• rice noodles (cooked and cooled, I also like to snip them up into more manageable pieces)
• bean sprouts
• lettuce leaves
• hoisin sauce and peanut butter for the dipping sauce
• optional crushed peanuts and Thai red chili to add to sauce 

Directions:

• Dip rice paper into warm water, making sure that it is saturated
• Place rice paper on a large plate and place your shrimp and herbs in a line down the center
• Add your rice noodles and bean sprouts on top
• Top with lettuce
• Rolling commences!  Pull up one side, start rolling, making sure to tuck in ends and keep ingredients tightly packed.  The rice paper should be pliant and a bit sticky 

Warm up 1 part of peanut butter and two parts hoisin sauce over the stove or microwave.  You can add crushed peanuts for some crunch or thai chilli peppers for some spice. Serve dipping sauce with spring rolls!

Wishlist Wednesday: Missoni for Target

I am super psyched for this new Target collaboration with Missoni!  Though some of the items (esp the clothing) are a bit print happy, I am in love with the homeware selection especially.  I can't wait till September 13!

Throw pillows

Cosmetic bags

Cool laptop case

I want this bedspread!

Cup and saucer set

Fun luggage

Weekend in Instagram

B, the pups and I drove up to Dallas this weekend to "house sit" for his sister.  In actuality, the house did not need a sitter, so maybe we were actually squatters.  After enduring 55 days of 100 degree weather this year, the pool was a welcome respite.

 Grilling dinner

The pups weren't quite convinced they wanted to dive in, 

though Kirby did wander too close to the edge and fell in (he's fine folks)

And our newest favorite discovery--Pinkberry salted caramel frozen yogurt with crispy crepe pieces.  B, who normally grimaces after a bite of frozen yogurt, swiped this away from me and I had to get another one.  It's that awesome.

Wedding flowers

Yesterday, I had the honor of witnessing my good friend Grechen's wedding.  I offered to make her bouquet and then belatedly realized I had little experience.  I made my own bouquet 7 years ago and remembered thinking it should've been left to the professionals.  Thankfully the guys at Austin Flower Company were really patient and helpful with throwing out ideas and flower combinations and also some mad google-ing saved the day.  I wanted a bouquet that reflected the bride's taste: simple, modern and just a little unique.  I chose green-white hydrangeas to give the bouquet shape, hot orange tulips for color and bear grass to create some interest.  For the groom's boutineer, I used another hot orange tulip, bear grass and some berries the flower guys suggested.  In case he got hungry and needed a snack...  At the end of the day, the flowers were just part of the background as the beaming smiles of the bridge and groom, the quietly spoken vows, and shared laughter took center stage.  Congrats Grechen and Leo!

 

Chicago food

My trip to Chicago was filled with lots of catching up with my friend K, shopping, watching chick flicks (I highly recommend Crazy, Stupid Love) and of course, eating.  I realized that the only pictures I snapped on the whole trip was of the food.  Why am I not surprised...

Breakfast sandwich at a little diner across from K's place

Cinnamon rolls  

(these were the SIDES my friends, the SIDES, 

there was a whole other meal to go along with these babies)

Rock shrimp tacos at Hub 51

Carrot cake with extra cream cheese on the side for good measure

Seared ahi tuna salad at Moonshine

Thanks K! I had a wonderful time!

Vintage Monday: Wood crocodile

Acquired this great wooden crocodile from an estate sale--love the deep rich hue of the wood and the little details on his back and tail.  Did you know that all alligators are crocodiles but not all crocodiles are alligators?  Is that intriguing enough to make you read this article?  It was for me!