Inspired By Eggs & Sofra

Posted on | April 22, 2010 | 15 Comments

I picked up a pack of fresh beautiful eggs from Siena Farms at Sofra in Cambridge this afternoon. I now know what color I really want to paint my walls, Araucana. The Araucana is a breed of chickens that lay beautiful blue/green eggs.

I know Martha Stewart carries a paint color called, Araucana but it looks a little too teal.
When I held the Araucana egg up to my paint samples it was really close in color to Verte De Terre from Farrow & Ball. The egg was just a few shades lighter.

Below my super yum lunch I shared with fellow blogger, Kate Flaim at Sofra. We had a blast trying out different flatbreads and sweets. My falafel style flatbread had a really interesting beet spread. Above and below photos of my eggs and lunch.

Sofra Bakery & Cafe
1 Belmont Street
Cambridge, MA 02138
(617) 661-3161
sofrabakery.com

Category: boston and metro, eating out, paint colors

Ace Hotel, The Breslin and Stumptown

Posted on | February 18, 2010 | 7 Comments

Sorry for the lack of posting this week, I’m in New York. I’ve been a busy bee working and visiting with friends and family. This morning my sister brought me over to the new Ace Hotel on 29th street in Manhattan. Design group Roman and Williams transformed the space into a hipster Brit infused oasis. Check out the plaid wing chair in the above photo. The back of the chair was upholstered in navy wool decorated with brass tacking. So freakin’ cute.

Attached to the Ace is The Breslin a British style pub run by Peter Cho and the Spotted Pig (my fav place to grab a burger) crew. I walked through pretty quickly but I was struck by the green molding. In the sunlight the wood appears limey in the shadows it becomes a dark olive gloss. Tufted benches, thonet style chairs, and brass accents give the space a cozy feel. Need a little pick me up? Hit Stumptown coffee just off from the hotel’s lobby. I had a latte and croissant—super yum with a nutty quality. Above and below photos from Roman and William’s website.

Ace Hotel
20 W 29th Street
New York, NY
212.679.2222
acehotel.com

The Breslin
16 W 29th Street
New York, NY
212.679.1939
thebreslin.com

7 500x333 Ace Hotel, The Breslin and Stumptown

breslin meat room 500x328 Ace Hotel, The Breslin and Stumptown

ag stumptown3.jpeg Ace Hotel, The Breslin and Stumptown

Category: New York, eating out, interiors, travel

Farmer’s Diner & Antique Mall

Posted on | February 5, 2010 | 18 Comments

One last post about my Vermont weekend. Sunday morning it was still freezing cold. I had planned for us to go snowshoeing but I was being a baby—8 degrees at 10 am is just too cold to be outside. We headed over to The Farmer’s Diner for breakfast. I was totally impressed with their homemade english muffins. I would love to try making my own.

Next to the diner is a Cabot cheese store and Antique mall. I sampled a few cheeses but it was hard to get them down because I was so stuffed from breakfast. Greg kept telling how disgusting I was for even trying to fit anything else in my belly. But it was cheese and I love cheese. We poked through the hundreds of booths admiring all the treasures. I was amazed how patient Greg was being. I didn’t really find anything I needed but I did snap a few photos. So many perfect still-life compositions.

The Farmer’s Diner
Quechee Gorge Village
5573 Woodstock Rd. RT 4
Quechee, VT

The Vermont Antique Mall
Quechee Gorge Village
5573 Woodstock Rd. RT 4
Quechee, VT

Tools For Sale at Antique Mall In Vermont

Old Bottles for Sale at Antique Mall in Vermont

Tom Swift Books at Antique Mall in Vermont

Category: eating out, vermont, vintage finds

Vermont Cheese Trail

Posted on | November 5, 2009 | 4 Comments

Consider Bardwell Farm

I dying to go to Vermont to check out their Cheese Trail. Vermont’s artisanal cheese industry has seen a big boom as more consumers become interested in handmade cheeses. I began my love affair with cheese back when I worked in new york. Every Friday I would pass through Grand Central Station to treat myself to a new selection of cheeses from Murray’s Cheese Shop. Murray’s selection is amazing and their staff is incredibly knowledgeable. Thinking back about all the wonderful cheeses I have tasted makes me salivate. God, I love cheese…maybe even more then chocolate. Well maybe not dark chocolate but it’s close.

The last few days it seems everywhere I turn I’m hearing about Vermont’s cheese movement. In the Novemeber 2009 issue of Martha Stewart Living is a lovely story about five Vermont cheesemakers. The cheesemakers were featured on her tv show today, click here for clips. On twitter, I found an articles on nationalgeographic.com and bostonmagazine.com about the cheese trail. I’m sensing a roadtrip. Have you ever gone cheese hunting in Vermont? Check out the cheese trail map here.

cheesemakers featured on martha
Blue Ledge Farm
Consider Bardwell Farm
Saxelby Cheesemongers
Thistle Hill Farm
Willow Hill Farm

p.s. I was checking out the farms and it looks like april-october is the best time to go.

vermont cheese man 435 Vermont Cheese Trail

Inspiration From The Village Tearoom

Posted on | October 6, 2009 | 5 Comments

On our quick trip to New Paltz we stopped for lunch at my favorite restaurant in town, The Village Tearoom. The styling of the restaurant is perfectly homey without feeling dated or granny—a look I’m trying to achieve in our home. We sat in the upstairs dining room where I became pretty enamored with the wall color and curtains. The orange/peachy walls glowed in the room. I want the scrolling floral fabric for curtains in my dining room…maybe it’s Lee Jofa? Greg was eyeing a newly hung ceiling decorated with worn beams. So cute. Below our lovely rainy day fall lunch. I had Potato Toussaint Cheese Tart & Salad (foreground); Greg had the Turkey Pot Pie. The sage leaf on top of Greg’s biscuit was a sweet touch I’m totally stealing.

The Village Tearoom
10 Plattekill Ave
New Paltz, NY
thevillagetearoom.com