Out and About

If I could be anywhere in the world today, it be here:

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The stuff of dreams for vintage lovers, the Brimfield Antique Show happens 3 times a year and is chock-full of amazing finds. Every year I pine to attend, but so far it hasn't been feasible- hopefully next year.

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Have you been to Brimfield? Are you there right now? I'd love to hear about your visit (and see what you found)!

Language of Flowers

Mother's Day seemed the perfect occasion for the next Language of Flowers post. While many mothers will receive flowers this Sunday, you can send your mother (or the mother of your children) a specific message, using floriography- the practice of selecting flowers for their meaning.

For Mother's Day, pink carnations are a popular choice as they signify 'motherly love'. Although carnations can be boring, and sometimes downright ugly (dyed blue flowers anyone?), used in the right arrangement, or even in a bouquet all by themselves, carnations can be lovely- plus they last a long time. To add in a little more meaning, peonies mean 'happy life', and some rosemary indicates 'remembrance'. For texture, but not meaning, I rounded the bouquet out with some lambs ear, and a unusual filler that the folks at the flower market called 'dogs eye', though I can't find any information about such a plant.

If my mom lived nearby, I'd bring her this bouquet to say that I love her, am thinking of her, and am thankful for the happy life she gave me. What would you like to say to your mom (or mother-figure) with flowers?

Something Old/Something New

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Colored mason jars have certainly been making the blog rounds lately, and I know that whenever I had vintage ones in stock, they sold in a flash. Such a perfect shade of turquoise, the vintage jars are also really useful- serving as a flower vase, a kitchen canister, or even office supply storage- and can usually be found at estate sales or on Etsy for less than $10 a jar.

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However, if you're looking to decorate your home with them, or use them at an event, and you need more than just a few, the vintage ones can get expensive. That's where our something new comes in- did you know that you can make your own colored mason jars?

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Freutcake, a fellow Pasadena based blog, recently featured a how-to for your very own colored jars- in any shade you can dream up! Mix some of these DIY jars in with some vintage jars to stretch your budget, and your color palette, further.

Out and About

It's a very exciting week around here- some of our very best friends are coming to visit! As I've been exploring options for what we should see and do while they're in town, I've realized that I really need to get out more. We've been in LA for 8 months now and my list of places to visit just keeps getting longer, with nothing ever checked off. Since I'm determined to change this fact, I'm sharing some of the places on my list with you- maybe you can all keep me accountable to making it happen? Even if you're not up for that task, you can at least enjoy a peek at some fun spots around my new city. 

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I'll admit it- working in good coffee for years turned me into a coffee snob. While I've mostly quit my coffee habit- I do like checking out the best local places whenever I'm in a new city. At the top of my list for LA? Handsome Coffee Roasters. I've had their coffee, which is lovely, at a few carts, but haven't been to their headquarters yet.

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I follow Platform on Instagram and pine over nearly everything they post. Can't wait to see it all in person. Added bonus? They just returned from a buying trip in Mexico.

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Mohawk General Store has been described as a living room- based on the photos I've seen, I'd say the coolest living room ever. In the heart of the Silverlake neighborhood- which always makes me feel like I'm back in my old neighborhood in Seattle thanks to the abundance of hipsters- it's even within walking distance of other great shops- a rarity in this city of drivers.  

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One of those shops within walking distance is Reform School. Carrying an amazing array of handmade and unique items, I actually tried to visit here once before- but timed it to coincide with their lunch hour so they were closed. Next time I'll give myself enough time to stick around for awhile, just in case.

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Shareen Vintage is the kind of store people make a pilgrimage to- it's that amazing. An entire warehouse of beautiful vintage clothing, this ladies only shop could occupy me for a whole day, or so I've heard.

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Nearly every time I see a blogger in the LA area posting about a cool vintage find, it came from Shopclass. I honestly don't know how I haven't been here yet- their masterfully curated collection is matched so well with my own tastes. 

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A shop that everyone I know here raves about, Urbanic is a paper goods lover's dream. I may actually cross this one off my list this week- the Venice neighborhood is on my idea list for our adventures. 

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Since shopping and coffee alone do not a well rounded day make, Bar Ama, a restaurant I've been craving ever since reading about it in Los Angeles magazine, seems the ideal place to end this adventure. With a menu of creative Tex-Mex dishes, and a wall of tequila choices- I'm certain to be a happy camper here. 

Do you have a list of places you want to check out in your town? Why don't you cross some of them off this week? We'll get out and about together! 

DIY: Solid Perfume

I first encountered solid perfume in a vintage Avon locket- it didn't smell very good at all, but it did seem like a great idea. Turns out, solid perfume has been around since ancient Egyptian times- so apparently people throughout history thought so too. A few years back I started making my own solid perfume lockets, as part of my jewelry line. Simple to make, using all natural ingredients, solid perfume can double as aroma-therapy, and makes a great gift- Mother's Day is coming up after all (hint hint). 

To make your own solid perfume you'll need:

2 Tbsp. beeswax, grated
2 Tbsp. almond oil
40-45 drops of essential oils (starter scent recipes below)
{All the above supplies can be found at natural foods stores. For a complete selection of essential oils, Mountain Rose Herbs is a great, affordable online source}.
Containers for your solid perfume- I used a vintage stock locket like this, and these little tins, but even an empty chap stick tube or lip balm pot will work.

Start by bringing about an inch of water to boil in a small saucepan. Reduce heat to low. Measure beeswax into a heatproof glass measuring cup and place in the hot water. Wax will begin to melt. Once it is completely melted, add the almond oil and stir until combined (I like to use a wooden skewer, since some essential oils can affect plastic or metal). Remove from heat.

Let oil/wax mixture cool for about a minute, then add essential oils, stirring to incorporate.

Once oils are added, quickly pour the mixture into the containers you've chosen. If you're using a locket, pour very slowly to avoid spilling. 

Once the perfume has cooled completely, it's ready to be used- just rub your finger over the solid perfume and apply to your pulse points, or anywhere you normally apply perfume. 

Essential oils come in a variety of 'scents', so you can really create a perfume that is uniquely yours- just spend some time at a store that carries the oils, smelling the tester bottles to decide which you like best. To create a scent with layers, mix several oils together. Essential oils are also used for aroma therapy, so you can create a perfume that also serves a purpose- the scent I made today (recipe below) is great for headaches, which I'm sure many moms out there could use some relief from. 

Though the combinations are nearly endless, here are a few recipes to get you started:

Headache Relief: 25 drops peppermint + 15 drops lavender

Smells Like Summer: 15 drops sweet orange + 15 drops lemon + 5 drops mint + 5 drops bergamont

Sweet and Spicy: 20 drops sweet orange + 10 drops ginger + 10 drops clove

Woodsy: 20 drops sweet orange + 10 drops ylang ylang + 10 drops sandalwood

If you'll be making this as a gift- try to think about the recipients favorite scents, taking hints from the perfume they wear or what candle scents they enjoy. 

Do you have a great essential oil recipe? I'd love to hear about it- leave a comment below so we can all try it! 

In the Kitchen: Perfect Party Margarita

Margaritas are always popular in our house- we make them often and have come to like them better at home- mostly because we are now margarita snobs and to get a good one out can cost a pretty penny. As you probably know by now, I love throwing a good party, and my favorite party food is any simple Mexican dish, so we often also have margaritas at our parties. Over the years, I've developed this Perfect Party Margarita- perfect because a) it's not quite as strong as a really high quality margarita you'd get from a good bar so people can have several without incidence, b) it's a little sweeter, thus appealing to folks who are used to margaritas made with syrupy sour mixes, and c) it uses simple, high quality ingredients so I still feel proud of what I'm serving my guests. It also gets rave reviews, which is always a bonus.

You'll Need:

6 cups good limeade- I like Simply Limeade, it's just water, lime juice and sugar.
1 1/2 cups 100% agave tequila- I use Sauza gold, it has nice vanilla notes and is quality, but not so nice you feel like you're wasting it by mixing it with other flavors.
2/3 c triple sec- for this recipe I use the cheapest I can find.
1 orange
Lime wedges
Flake sea salt, or the margarita salt they sell in the mixer section
Ice

Start by mixing the limeade, tequila, and triple sec together in a pitcher. Squeeze the juice from the orange in, and mix again. I like to also float a few small slices of orange in the pitcher for color, and a little more flavor.

Prepare the lime wedges by slicing a small slit near one end of each wedge.

Prepare the glasses:

-Using the slit, place a lime wedge on the rim of the glass and slide all the way around a few times to wet the rim with the juice.
-Remove the lime and dip the rim of the glass into a saucer or small bowl of salt. You may need to press it into the salt a few times to get good coverage.
-Fill about 2/3 full with ice and place a lime wedge on the rim.

Now just add the margarita mixture to each glass and serve! This recipe will make enough for about 4-6 drinks, depending on the size of the glass and how much ice you use.

I hope these Perfect Party Margaritas will serve you well at your next shindig- I know we'll be enjoying some this Sunday at our Cinco de Mayo fiesta!

Enjoy the weekend everyone! ¡Feliz Cinco de Mayo!

P.S. I'm trying to think of a name for a cocktail column, rather than lumping them in with the recipe column. If you have an idea for a name, I'd love to hear it!

At Our Table: Cinco de Mayo

Cinco de Mayo is one of my favorite excuses to have a party. Though I am as caucasian as can be, I've always had a love for Mexican culture(s), especially after visiting Quintana Roo and the Yucatan peninsula in college. One of my dreams is to spend time living there someday, finally becoming fluent in Spanish, learning to cook authentic dishes, buying up loads of textiles and pottery, and experiencing Cinco de Mayo in Puebla, the site of the Battle of Puebla- the moment in history that Cinco de Mayo celebrates. Until then, I'll enjoy putting together little fiestas whenever I can.

Having a patio for the first time in many years, it seemed the perfect setting for this inspiration shoot. When we have our real Cinco de Mayo party this coming Sunday we'll probably spread out between the house and the patio, since the patio is a bit small.

Not feeling talented enough to make papel picado, I opted for an easier fringed tissue paper banner. Easily made in an evening by folding cut sheets of tissue paper and creating fringe with scissors, simply hang the sections of tissue paper over twine and staple each section in a few spots. You can then hang the banners either by attaching them to walls, or long wooden dowels staked into the ground if your outdoor space doesn't have walls.

I focused on simple, but colorful details- festive cloth napkins, a cacti centerpiece, a Mexican serape used as a runner, and striped straws turned place cards. Serving low key, but delicious, dishes like chips and guacamole (recipe here), carnitas with warm tortillas, and fresh margaritas (recipe here), allows the cook to spend more time celebrating with everyone and keeps the fiesta going into the night.

Are you celebrating Cinco de Mayo this year? I hope this has given you inspiration for your own fiesta!

In the Kitchen: My Favorite Guacamole

With Cinco de Mayo coming up, there are probably hundreds of guacamole recipes floating around the blog world right now- all claiming to be the best, the most amazing, the guac that will change your life. Well I don't know about those guacamole recipes, but what I do know is that this recipe- my favorite guacamole- is the dish I'm asked to bring to nearly every party and potluck. It's a simple dish, using simple ingredients and you can whip it up in about 10 minutes. I've never really given the recipe out before, so today is kind of a big deal- go ahead and feel special, you probably should.

For my favorite guacamole you'll need:

2 perfectly ripe large avocados (or 3-4 small ones)

1/2 a white or yellow onion (sweet or red onions don't have the right flavor)

1-2 roma tomatoes (other varieties work, i just prefer the texture and less seedy nature of romas)

1 bunch cilantro

1 lime

Salt

Start by chopping the tomato, onion and cilantro- the size is up to you. I like the tomato to be diced, the onion to be a bit finer (but still diced- not minced), and the cilantro to be roughly minced. 

Next, mix it all up in a small bowl, and add a little bit of lime juice (about 1/4-1/2 a lime worth) and salt to taste. You now have pico de gallo. For parties I usually make a double batch of pico and put it out to accompany the guacamole (plus, I have discovered there are actually people who don't like avocado- so they appreciate having something to enjoy with chips). 

Let the pico sit while you prep the avocados. Once I've sliced them in half lengthwise and removed the pits, I like to make about 4 cuts, without cutting through the skin, essentially scoring each half. This makes it easy to remove the flesh with a spoon. 

Once you've scored all your avo, scoop the flesh out with a spoon into a large bowl. With a pastry blender (a potato masher also works, but I like the texture you get with a pastry blender best), mash the avocado slightly- it should become a bit paste-like, but you still want chunks of avocado- try not to over-mash. 

Side note: if you have a mortar and pestle large enough, use it instead of this method. That's how I would do it if I had room for one.

Now, using a slotted spoon, to drain out the liquid that's formed at the bottom of the bowl, add the pico de gallo, folding it in until combined. Taste it (preferably with a tortilla chip), and add more lime juice or salt, until it's the way you like it. If you've prepared it ahead of time, add one, or all, of the pits back into the bowl- this will prevent the guacamole from browning (this trick also works well for leftovers).

Serve your guacamole with good quality tortilla chips (I prefer either chips made at local Mexican grocery stores, or a thinner, crispier style of chip known as Totopos, which can be found at Whole Foods, Cost Plus, and other specialty grocery stores), or enjoy it with a Mexican dish like carne asada or carnitas. 

I hope you'll try your guacamole this way- I don't think you'll be disappointed. Either way- let me know what you think! 

Recipe, photography and styling by Danae Horst for Gather and Hunt.