Saturday, October 30, 2010

while it's still your birthday month

Ian's Birthday 2010
Here are some photos from Mr. C's birthday celebrations earlier this month.
Ian's Birthday 2010

Ian's Birthday 2010
We've been sort of keeping the party going for most of October. In fact, he just received another present yesterday. Lucky duck.

Friday, October 29, 2010

Topsy Turvy Design

If I had the means, and the wherewithal, I would wear a Topsy Turvy hat for Halloween.










I have been wanting one of these lovelies for some time now. And I think if I'm ever lucky enough to own one, I will wear it for any and all occasions, not just costume balls.


Happy weekend lovelies! I hope you get a chance to play dress up. Will you be donning a costume this Halloween? Whatever will you wear?

{all photos from Topsy Turvy Design's Etsy shop}

Thursday, October 28, 2010

plums and other stone fruit

bowl of red plums

As long as I am waving goodbye to summer and all that it brings to market, I guess it's about time I say farewell to the stone fruits.

plum galette

I made this fabulous plum galette from a recipe I found in Sunset. I go mad for plums and nectarines especially, and I love to bake with both.

plum galette

It was beautiful and delicious, with it almond paste filling and tender cream cheese crust.

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Black Mission Variety

Another of the summer fruits I am missing are those delicate Black Mission Figs. Someday I'd like to have a tree of these so we can just eat them right from the branches.


As it is, we buy them from the Farmer's Market every chance we get, slice them in half and top with blue cheese and a drizzle of honey. We got the recipe from our friends' summer wedding.


There are no more fresh figs at the markets, but there are some wonderful dried ones. We snacked on ours with brie, rosemary manchego and snappy crackers. It was afternoon snack perfection.

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Summer's Heirlooms

The sun is still shining but Autumn is officially here. The produce is changing at the Farmer's Market and I am already missing some of my favorites.

heirloom tomatoes

We found just a few heirloom tomatoes, but the basil has all but disappeared.


heirloom tomato salad

It looks as though warm nights spent eating tomato salads with basil and mozzarella are over until next year. Good thing I photographed some salad masterpieces before it was too late.

Monday, October 25, 2010

Moody Monday

My grumpiness is melting away as I watch some Flight of the Conchords. Hope this brightens your day too.

Friday, October 22, 2010

Art, Music (and Refreshments)

Clickstart My Heart

Tonight is our first high school art show. I'm so excited. There will paintings, drawings and photos on the walls, and music filling the halls.

Happy weekend folks. I hope it's full of inspiration.

{photo from here}

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Floor Plan

floor paintings
Years ago my high school art teacher took us to her husbands studio on the Ventura Avenue. It was this inspiring place with ambient light flooding in through high windows. While there, he had us paint with these giant paint brushes to see how it would feel to give up control and really use our gestures to make art.

floor paintings
Now that I'm the high school art teacher, I wanted to try it out from the other side. I tied our paintbrushes to long wooden dowels and told the students to just see what happens. And what happened was amazing. Some brilliant paintings were made that day. Maybe some of them will even appear in our art show this Friday.

long distance hug

On our way back from Wyoming, on our epic summer road trip, Mr. C and I got to spend some time with his wonderful mom. She is an amazing woman with a huge heart and a knack for making smoothies.
road trip 2010
She told us some sad news yesterday. It makes me wish that I could give her a warm hug and tell her not to worry, that it will be all right. Hopefully she feels all the positive thoughts I am sending her way. And maybe some of the kisses I blow to the north will land on her cheeks.

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

cranberries, cornbread, etc.

I've been experimenting with cranberries and cornbread as of late.

cornbread
Monday I made buttermilk cornbread to go with our vegetarian chili...

cornbread
... and I threw a few cranberries into this tiny pie plate just for fun.

cornbread stuffing
Tonight, I used our leftovers to make a cranberry cornbread dressing. I think it will be extra tasty with our miniature roasted chicken. Yum and yumm.

Monday, October 18, 2010

Rainy Days and Mondays

Singing in the rain
I am so enjoying the sprinkles these past few days. What a relief from the late season heat wave.

It also seems fitting that this Monday should be gray and gloomy as I say goodbye to my brother and his band. They are on the road again and off to their next show in Santa Cruz. I miss them already.

{photo from here}

Friday, October 15, 2010

sea treasures

I feel I have some explaining to do about why I have abandoned The Board. There are some very good reasons for my absence, but I just don't feel like talking about it.

I will tell you this though... sometimes when I'm not here, at my computer, I walk on the beach and get my bare feet wet.

Ocean Treasures for Darling
When I'm alone, I collect treasure for my sweetheart.

Sea Glass
And when I'm with my sweetheart, we collect treasures together. And we can gather twice as much. We were like sea glass pirates last Sunday.

Happy weekend friends. Hope you get to put your toes in the sand.

Thursday, October 14, 2010

TOMORROW TONIGHT! Glass Elevator Benefit Show in Ventura

Glass Elevator Official Band Photo
This is my brother's band, Glass Elevator. He's the handsome chap second from the left. This is one of my all time Glass Elevator favorites...

Glass Elevator Tour Poster
They're on a grand tour of the West Coast called The Glass Elevator Psychic Battle Tour. They're just days away from coming down south and they will be playing an epic all ages benefit concert here in Ventura. Proceeds from the show will go to...

(1) fishermen (and women) who have been hit hard by the Gulf oil spill and...
(2) The Highschool at Moorpark College, an amazing school with amazing students

The show will be at the Center for Spiritual Living in downtown Ventura and it starts at 7p. Presale tickets are available at Buffalo Records for just $10 ($5 for kids) and you can also buy them at the door before the show.

For you Angelinos, they will be playing Saturday night in Santa Monica at The Trip. They'll also be making stops in San Fran, Santa Cruz, Nevada City, Chico and Eugene. Those wild kids will be all over the place.

For more info on The Glass Elevator Psychic Battle Tour, check out their MySpace and FaceBook pages.

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

faded flowers

Are there are hollyhocks left where you are?


There are a few lonely blossom still clinging onto their stocks here in Ventura.

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