this awesome house

Believe it or not, This Old House magazine is the bomb. I'm totally getting a subscription. The style it features is not at all fuddy-duddy. Although, having a love of vintage homes and styles comes in handy. I'm an old house geek, so this mag is right up my alley. I'd weep with joy if Tom Silva showed up at my house. And I once saw Roger - the landscaping guy with the wicked Mass accent - at South Station....and waved like a stupid fan.



The mag is a great mix of remodels, fix-it tips and DIY projects. Like this great towel rack made with salvaged barn wood and vintage faucet taps.

ground chicken in lettuce cups

We first made this recipe a few weeks ago and it's become a delicious and easy weeknight dish. Tonight I attempted to make hot and sour soup to go with it, but I didn't have the right ingredients, so it didn't turn out great. Need to hit the Super 88 - the Asian supermarkets we have in Boston.


Chicken in Lettuce Cups

1 head Boston bibb lettuce
1 pound ground chicken

2 tbs oyster sauce
1 tbs each dark and light soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp each sugar and cornstarch
1 large egg beaten
dash chile-garlic sauce or Sriracha

2 tbs peanut oil (I swear by Lion and Globe)
1 tbs minced fresh ginger
1 clove minced garlic
3 green onions, chopped
2 tbs pinenuts

Mix sauce together in a small bowl. Heat peanut oil in saute pan over med-high heat. Add ginger and garlic and stir until heated through. Add the chicken and stir fry until golden brown and fully cooked. Pour off any excess liquid that have accumulated. Return pan to heat and add the sauce and the other final ingredients. Stir until sauce thickens. Add a dash of chicken broth if you need to thin it a little. Serve with lettuce cups as the "wrapping utensil."

And here's how June helped us do the dishes...

green is good

This kitchen is from a new construction green home built in Austin, TX. I love it! The kitchen is drool-worthy. So much to drool on...beamed ceiling, seafoam tile backsplash, butcher block island, vintage lighting, viking stove, banquette seating....

new york city christmas

I am in new york city with my husband and his family for christmas before we head to chicago to be with my family for new year's. being back in nyc, I am reminded once again of the compelling urban beauty of the taxi cab.

images: (gothamist, popartuk)

here are some ways to incorporate this urban feel into your home:


images: (daily mail, two peas in a bucket, rol, manolohome, design crisis)

canvas art, take II

thank you photoshop. here is what the bus picture might look like on our green walls (with the picture significantly cut off due to lack of space on the original image). really liking it, I think. but, I first need to see the greens together in real color.
okay, back to wine and presents. HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!

bedroom wall - canvas art

first, thank you google for the free wi-fi on our virgin america flight to new york. hello! I am writing to you from 35,000 up in the air with the greatest of ease. as I sit here, with still two more hours of flight time left, I am dabbling a little in photoshop (I feel like a technology ingrate, I can hardly figure out how to cut and paste in this program). anyone have any good photoshop tutorial suggestions?

but, I have managed to pull together a few images as mock up ideas for our bedroom wall. remember how I told you just a couple days ago that we are thinking about mounting, in three parts, a photo from our wedding on canvas above our bed? below are two ideas - I lied, there are two in the bunch that are a little lovey dovey.


because of the bedroom photo's size, the "canvas" ideas are cut off on top. in real life, I would want them taller on the wall. I originally got this idea from brooklyn limestone, great blog. she suggests going to Uprinting and I think that is what we will do. I have also added a few more photos we are considering. the green wall makes it a little tricksy. what do you think?

(wedding images from our amazing photographer jen huang)

final christmas presents

I baked these Mini Apricot Cheesecakes as our final Xmas present. I ended up not making the pasta wheel snowflake ornaments because I couldn't find pasta wheels! What gives, world? So all our gifts are food-based this year. And not great for the waist line either. Maybe next year we'll do something a little healthier. Maybe. :)

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR

designer crush

I'm obsessed with Jessica Helgerson lately. I posted about one of her houses here, but this one found through Design Sponge is even more gorgeous! Unbeknown to me, I've been admiring her work for a while - just didn't realize all these different houses were done by the same person.

Steal This Idea

I know, I already posted this room from Country Living already, but I just read the articles in this month's issue and discovered a cool idea.


The Asian figurines over the fireplace were found at a junk shop and spray painted red. A great idea if you like the lines and concept of a piece, but the coloring isn't your taste. Like a Foo dog, only less ubiquitous and over-done.

Bridget's living room

Here are a few yellow side tables for Bridget's living room....

Inside Avenue



KFD Designs



Maine Cottage

And some rug options....she mentioned she loathes hers. I would go with jute - it has great texture and nubby softness.

west elm

pottery barn

And some ideas for arranging the wall of photos above the couch...


source

chalkboard paint

painted our pantry door with chalkboard paint yesterday. I love it so. (the kitchen was this blue when we moved in. love the black as a compliment to it.)

now I am daydreaming of all sorts of chalkboard paint ideas. I somewhat wish we had not painted Kevin's office chocolate brown. I now want one wall to be black chalkboard paint but the two colors are a little too much together.

martha stewart

sweet savannah

house and home

row house creative

this one is over the top, even for me, but I still appreciate some decent labeling. it's a jaime thing