sausage & fennel ragu

As it is now officially fall (tear) and the nights are getting cooler, I am starting to crave warm, comfort foods again. I stumbled across this recipe recently (extra points if you use whole grain pasta), and despite the fact that I had no idea what a fennel bulb even looked like, decided to give my first ragu a shot.  It was a surprisingly easy sauce to make, and the only hard part was waiting for over an hour while it thickened in the simmering pot (and, well, trying to figure out how to take apart the fennel).  But the wait was definitely worth it - hearty, flavorful, and healthful, the ragu was a great break from my usual pasta sauce out-of-the-jar routine, and was a lot more satisfying.  Also, because I'm only cooking for two, I cut the recipe in half as this one is built to serve eight.

boathouse row

For our upcoming move, one of the projects involved is rebuilding/reimagining a pre-existing boathouse.  I am so excited by all of the opportunities for improvement for this structure, and have been saving inspirational photos that I would like to copy elements from for our own boathouse.  Some are a little loftier than others, and most exceed the budget, but all will help in some way to bring the vision to life.

american classic

  

I don't normally wear too many hats (unless you count the Yankees caps I wear to games), but when I spotted this "Assymetrical Fedora" at the Gap recently, I couldn't resist.  Its classic shape and color make it the perfect accessory to add a little on-trend sophistication to fall basics such as flared denim, long tees, and lightweight wool scarves. Oh, and it might keep my head warm too ;)

weekend notes

my weekend

The above pretty much represents my state of mind this weekend.  So, needless to say, it was relatively relaxed as the city was drenched for most of it and I was pooped.  Friday afternoon, I got in from the rain for lunch at The Petite Abeille, a great little Belgian cafe in Tribeca.  Unfortunately this was a business lunch, so no pics, but if you go, they have an unbelievable Croque Monsieur and 1/2 price bottles of wine on Tuesdays.  The rest of the weekend was spent entertaining friends, trying a new Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand (the best region for this type of wine, in my opinion), and  finishing the first book in The Hunger Games series - I recommend it if you can stomach the disturbing bits.  I also took some time on Saturday to learn how to create a website for our upcoming endeavor - the majority of it was waaayyyy over my head but I did manage to grasp some really useful info and think I maybe (just, maybe) have a shot of being able to develop one myself. But it's gonna take some time, and any tips are very helpful.  

marlborough wine with ingredients for new recipe

amazing cuff find at the gap

october publications just waiting to be read

sunset over the village

day dreams

Ugh. This week has been just one of those weeks. Work is crazy, getting home with just enough time to eat and then sleep before starting it all again, the beginnings of a cold, and finding kind letters in your mailbox letting you know that your rent is going up by $200 a month.  Let's just say I am SO happy it's Friday, and think it's the perfect time to 'mentally escape' for a second to this lovely place I stumbled upon - the blissfully unreal Huvafen Fushi Resort - Maldives.

Also, just putting this out there - but, if anybody knows anybody who knows anybody who knows anybody associated with this heaven, I have no problem turning this into a 'let me stay for free and I'll review your hotel' type of blog. No problem, at all ;)

Hope you have an incredibly lovely (and relaxing) weekend x

sopressata and goat cheese sandwich with olive tapenade and roasted red peppers

Sometimes nothing is better than a really great sandwich for dinner. My sandwich routine typically consists of turkey, lettuce, and mustard, but I thought I take a cue from the amazing baguettes I've seen at cafes throughout this city, and add a little more pizzazz to the tried and true turkey variety.  Slicing a ciabatta baguette in half, I layered goat cheese, olive tapenade, sopressata, roasted red peppers, and finished with arugala.  The savory taste of the sopressata and olives mixed with the sweetness of the peppers and smooth texture of the goat cheese made a truly complementary combination, and was a great break from the ordinary.

all that glitters

Maybe it's the fact that the temperatures have dropped, and the holiday season is creeping its way closer and closer, but my attention is being drawn more and more to things of the sparkly and shiny variety. When I was really young, glittery nails (well, practically anything glittery really) were the epitome of cool, and in high school, a French manicure was the only thing I considered worthwhile. Since then, my world has opened up to a wide rainbow of solid polishes, and I love picking out new shades. But recently, I've rediscovered the sparkly hues from my past, and have fallen in love with them all over again - but with a few updates. I kept the look subtle by painting one nail per hand with the glitter polish (I used Wet n' Wild Wild Shine), and painted the rest with a soft pinky shade (Essie Starter Wife) that complemented but wasn't overpowering.  Finish with a top coat and grown-up glitter is yours.