Mar 24, 2015
With beautiful weather in store for this week, I couldn’t resist pulling out the grill over the weekend! I’ve only made this recipe a few times (I’m still working on perfecting the “art of the artichoke”), but it gets tastier every time. And of course since the grill was already out, I HAD to make Brick Chicken for dinner on Sunday, right?
When I was in New York last May for the National Stationery Show, a friend and I tasted this appetizer and loved it. We asked the server what was in dip, and since then I’ve been trying to recreate it.
Grilled Artichokes with Lemon Creme Fraiche Dip
2 artichokes
1-2 Meyer lemons
8 oz. package of creme fraiche (you can also substitute plain Greek yogurt if you can’t find any)
chives, finely chopped
oil – extra virgin olive or vegetable oil
salt and pepper
First, clean the artichokes and cut off the top of each one with a knife.
Then using kitchen shears, trim the sharp, thorned tips of each leaf.
Cut one lemon in half (and have it at the ready). Next, cut the artichokes in half lengthwise and rub the inside flesh with the lemon to keep it from browning (which it will do quickly).
Use a spoon to scoop out the “hair” at the inside base.
Once they’re cleaned, steam the artichoke halves for approximately 15 minutes until tender.
While the artichokes are steaming, you can make the dipping sauce. In a small bowl, combine the creme fraiche and chopped chives. Stir in the zest from one lemon and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Add salt and pepper (and lemon juice) to taste. Then make yourself quit tasting until the artichokes are ready. 🙂
After the artichokes have steamed, fire up the grill. Brush the artichokes with oil (or use an olive oil sprayer to lightly coat them) and put them inside-down on the grill over low heat. Grill for 5-7 minutes and then turn over and grill for another 4-5. You just want a little char on the leaves (they’re already fully cooked from steaming).
Remove from the grill and serve with the dip. To eat, peel away each leaf (discarding the tiny or too crispy outer ones), dip the “plucked” side in the sauce, and use your teeth to scrape out the artichoke leaf goodness. This dish is a great as an appetizer or side at a cookout too – enjoy!
Mar 4, 2015
For my birthday this year, a few girlfriends and I took a trip to the US Virgin Islands (St.Thomas and St. John). It was a wonderful time to relax and getaway, which gets my creative juices flowing. It’s amazing how a little time “off” makes my To Do List longer once I return, but I love that feeling of refreshed inspiration!
For this trip, we stayed at my Aunt and Uncle’s Home (available on VRBO if you’re headed that way).
It’s hard to beat waking up with a view of the ocean. And it’s even better eating meals on the porch with an ocean view (the above photo is the view from the back deck).
Driving in the US Virgin Islands is – challenging to say the least– with all the curvy road and steep hills and sharp turns – so we were glad to have our trusty Jeep Carol along for the ride.
On our first morning in St.Thomas, we brunched at Gladys’s Café. It’s a charming little place known for their hot sauce, which you can have shipped home.
Then we enjoyed duty-free shopping (not really my thing but the other girls enjoyed it).
For two days of the trip, we took the car ferry over to enjoy the beaches of St. John. While we were gone, Lubbock was getting pummeled by a snow storm, so we made a “sand man” in honor of our friends at home.
Can you see how amazingly clear the water is? Heaven I tell you, Heaven.
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For our second day on the island of St. John, we visited Honeymoon Bay. It was a bit of a trek from the car to the actual beach (about a 10 minute hike), but when we arrived, our beach chairs and lockers were ready and waiting on us (totally recommend the pre-paid package, which also included the use of snorkeling gear and ocean kayaks).
I had never kayaked before, and calmly paddling through the crystal clear water, observing sea life below – I found my happy place.
I was so inspired by the colors I saw on this trip – the bright yellow of our Jeep, the deep fuschia of the Bougainvillea, the turquoise and sapphire blues of the ocean. Sometimes you can “see” colors in photos or on a color chart, but when you see them on a canvas that God painted, it’s SO much more impressive.
Check out these mailboxes – it was so interesting I had to pull over to get a photo!
And now for a dose of the inspiration: When we returned, I was working with a bride who was having a beach wedding. She had ordered something online but wasn’t happy with how they turned out (we hear this ALL the time), so she wanted to come up with a custom invitation design for her Big Day. The first thing that came to my mind was that gorgeous, tranquil water of St.John. So I proposed that we try an hombre effect using turquoise (the bride’s main wedding color). To further the beachy theme, I added a tiny starfish accent at the bottom. It was perfect, and she was thrilled with how the design turned out.
Jan 23, 2015
As always, my last trip to Atlanta Market did not disappoint. It’s true, going to Market IS fun, but make no mistake – it’s NOT a vacation or pleasure trip. It’s hard WORK. I try to throw in a couple of great dinners to make it seem more fun and relaxing than it really is, but for me, Market is all about the finds.
Going from showroom to showroom for five days, I started to notice a few trends. Trend-spotting is important in retail – when you really pay attention, you can predict what will sell before it actually does. That’s the trick. Find the newest, hottest thing before it’s declared the newest, hottest thing… and it’s pretty darn difficult!
{As a designer, a bonus for noticing the trends is that it can inspire me to create products that will merchandise nicely with those emerging trends.}
So, while I did find a LOT of cool items that our customers will love, these three trends really stood out, so I’m declaring them the HOT trends of 2015!
+ GRAY +
I’ve heard that gray is the new black, but it’s for real happening this year. It was everywhere – from tabletop to tote bags to jewelry and gorgeous stationery. I would probably never pick gray for a paint color in my home, but there were so many beautiful gray tones at Market, I might end up changing my mind some day.
+ DACHSHUNDS +
… hot dog, I know our store customers are going to be happy about this one – we’ve got a lot of Doxie lovers out there! I spied the iconic weenie dog on stationery (Rifle Paper Co.) and in brass (Creative Co-Op) and on pillows and bookends. Let’s hear it for the dogs!
+ GOLD +
Yes, still. And everyone wants it – gold foil on greeting cards and beverage napkins and everyday stationery and wedding invitations. Metallic gold prints on home decor and fashion accessories. Gold, gold, gold is all the rage!
Did you attend Market this month (in Atlanta, Dallas, Vegas or New York)? I’d love to hear what trends YOU spotted! Let’s compare notes.
{featured in the image above (clockwise-ish): Butter London Dodgy nail lacquer, Royal Standard Cake Stand, Read Between the Lines Tipsy and Fresh Card, Slant Collections Cheers! napkins, Kate Spade New York ice bucket, Royal Standard gold greek key tote, Rifle Paper Co. Dachshund note card, Creative Co-op Brass Dachshund )
Jan 21, 2015
One of my highlights of visiting Atlanta for Market is the variety of incredible restaurants within a stone’s throw. Being in West Texas, I don’t have many opportunities for interesting cuisine, so I rely on my travels to get adventurous – especially with seafood. On this trip, I was bound and determined to try The Optimist (and I’m really glad I did).
I started with the oysters (of course). I’ve had great oysters on the East Coast (New York and such), but these were unbelievably fresh and delicious. Anyone who says they don’t like oysters hasn’t had them like this (or they would). The Optimist makes their own hot sauce in-house too, and I couldn’t get enough of it. I tried the Tatamagouche, Cotuit and Barnstable and they were all delicious (in fact, they were so good I ordered another round).
After that I wanted to try to the She Crap Soup and Shrimp toast, but I knew the appetizer portion would be too much – so the waitress kindly suggested that I order a cup of the soup (not on the menu). It was deliciously creamy, but the Shrimp toast stole the show – brioche battered in breadcrumbs with a shrimp mousse-like filling on the inside. Wow.
For my entree, I ordered grouper with celery root, roasted mushroom, and truffle vinaigrette.
Even though I really didn’t need more food, I wanted to try the bok choy with pickled shallots and ginger (on Natalie Chang’s recommendation) – and it was delightful! Very fresh and light. I definitely have to figure out how to copycat that dish at home.
{ I love how they recycle past menus – isn’t that clever?}
No room for dessert, so I just Ubered it back to the hotel and crashed into a food coma.
One of my other favorite dinners on this trip was at Poor Calvin’s. It’s a teeny, tiny place, and even with a reservation, I ended up eating at the bar. As it turns out, that made the experience even more fun! I sat next to a girl named Pebbles (yes, for real, I saw her credit card) who insisted that I try her Lobster Fried Rice (it was as good as it sounds), so I shared my Steamed Chicken and Pork Dumplings. Then I ordered Duck Dynasty (seared maple duck breast, tiger shrimp, kale mashed potato, seasonal greens).
The vibe in the restaurant was really cool – great music and a very playful staff – so that made for a fun dining experience.
Oh Atlanta, keep up the good food for me, will ya? See you next Market!
Jan 4, 2015
This year, on a bit of a whim, I decided to throw together a New Year’s Day Brunch with my girlfriends. I had the day off, I still had plenty of food in my fridge from Christmas, and I haven’t had much time with my favorite girls since the busy season hit.
Since it was a last-minute thing, I tried to decorate with items that I had at home. I had just packed away my Christmas decorations, and discovered an “extra” box of ornaments. I found these mirrored glass ornaments, which I haven’t used in years {my dog Sarah ate three off the tree eight years ago and I haven’t used them since}.
I thought they were perfect for my New Year’s theme (hello ball drop!), so I cut off the strings.
Next I found an apothecary jar from my storage closet and filled it with the mirrored glass balls. Then I added a black and white striped ribbon bow.
All I wanted next was a little color, so I scattered tissue confetti (available in my store) and a few of the leftover mirror balls.
With the tablescape done, all there was left to finalize was the menu…
– Mimosas and a Bloody Mary Bar {here’s what I normally do for parties}
– Fresh berries with homemade whipped cream
– Bacon (duh)
– Dill red potatoes
– Feta, tomato and olive side salad with balsamic viniagrette
– Leek and Asparagus and Gruyere Quiche {from Martha Stewart}
– Chocolate Pie and Andes Mint Homemade Ice Cream {leftover from Christmas}
Even though we couldn’t have our brunch actually ON New Year’s Day {West Texas was bombarded with ice and snow right before, so the roads were pretty dangerous}, the postponed version was just as fun.
Cheers to 2015!
