Garden Update!

After a week, everything but the peppers have sprouted!  

Vanilla Is So Sweet

Homemade vanilla extract is one of the sweetest smelling things ever.  So simple too.  Here is what you do:

Home Infused Vanilla Extract 

Supplies

Vodka 

Vanilla Beans

Small Glass Bottle 

Steps 

1. Fill bottle with vodka, leaving about 1/2 inch of space at the top.
2. Add in vanilla beans, about 1 bean per 8 oz of vodka.
3. Seal tightly and store in a cool, dry place for 3-6 months before using.
4. Bake into your favorite snacks!

So beautiful.

Happy Baking,

EM

Hello, Little Gnome.

Little gnome family, coming out of hibernation at Lauren's cottage.  Signs of Spring everywhere.

Peep Peep

For the past couple of weeks I have been fighting the urge to purchase and consume large quantities of Peeps.  I have channeled this energy into creating a Peep themed decoration for the apartment.  You can make one too!

Felt Peeps

Supplies

Yellow Felt

White Ribbon

Hot Glue gun

Scissors 

Marker

1. Trace and cut out six Peeps from the felt.
2. Draw on a cute face onto each Peep.
3. Cut a two and a half foot piece of ribbon.
4. Glue each Peep onto the ribbon one inch apart (attach at the ears)
5. So simple!

Felt Peeps, cut out and ready to be attached to the ribbon.

All done!

Happy Spring,

EM

Lunch Box

This week I have really been reflecting on how I am using my time outside of work.  I made the following observations:

I spend too much time:
Watching TV
Running Errands

I spend enough time:
Decompressing From My Day
Sleeping

I need to spend more time:
Reading
Exercising

So this week I have tried to limit my TV watching to the news (by which I mean the Daily Show/Colbert Report) and one additional TV show on weekdays.  In place I have added the gym in the morning and reading in the evening.  To tackle to the errand running I have been keeping a running list of what I need get/where I need to go.  At the end of the week I can run them all at once and try to combine as many as I can into one store.  While I was unloading groceries this evening I had the idea to corral all of the lunch making supplies into one tub so I just have to grab one thing out of the fridge in the morning to put the lunches together.  I'm so excited.

Simplify.

Good Night,

EM

I Ate Lots of Chocolate This Weekend

This weekend I was visiting some wonderful friends in DC.  To make things even better Kara and I took a chocolate tasting class at Cocova.  Oh my goodness.  I had no idea what to expect.  I thought that we would eat some truffles and talk about what they had in them and how good they were.  What I got was a really interesting history and review of the chocolate making process.  We tasted eight chocolates, each with the same five ingredients, and they tasted so incredibly different.  I learned that the climate, location, and roasting of the cocoa beans have the most influence on the flavor.  My favorite was the dark chocolate from Ghana.

They have over 800 different types of chocolate in the store.  They let you sample every single one, because they really want you to like what you are buying.  I love people who love what they do.  Particular when it involves free samples. 

Beautiful.  

Getting down to business.  Very serious, chocolate business. 

Love,

EM

Large French Sculptures

Many years ago my family and I went to an art exhibit entitled "Small French Painting", which for some reason really amused us.

Earlier this month we all attended Art Souterrain.  An expansive installment of modern art throughout the underground mall in Montreal.  To make things even more exciting my Dad was one of the participating artist.  It was amazing to walk around the miles of mall looking at the art, observing the people, and trying to find the elusive free hot chocolate display.  Check out the amazing art at Art Souterrain's website.  Below are a few pictures of the night.

We started the night with Cuban Rum and Cokes.  Note the maple jelly next to the rum, eh.

Dinner at a delicious French restaurant.  I enjoyed a Vegetarian Entree, created by the Chef on the spot.  Tomato soup with fennel, roasted brussels sprouts, and swiss chard puree.  Yum.  Next to each item on the menu they listed the farm it came from.  Cue  Portlandia "Is It Local "Clip...

My Dad's sculpture, Sound Post.  Read more about it here at his blog Tangent View.
Photo Credit: Ray Martin.  

Bonsoir,

EM