Monday Blues

It's Monday, and I just want to stay in bed with my head buried among the pillows- preferably these pillows...





Photo Credit: Elle Decor November 2009

The Art of Fruits and Vegetables

Fruits and vegetables can create such a beautiful display. The myriad of colors, the vibrancy or those colors, and the beauty of their shape just simply make food look good. That's why garnish is so popular. Now that the warm weather is here, try making colorful veggie and fruit salads or vibrant beverages- I bet you'll enjoy your food so much more.

1 & 4. Deb McClean; 2. PicFor.me; 3. My own pic; 5. Grilled Vegetables.

Tao Summer Sangria

I've created a masterpiece! I'm calling it Tao Summer Sangria (Tao = The Art Of :D). Anything with cilantro reminds me of summer.

Here is a rough recipe for:

Tao Summer Sangria

1 bottle of Chardonnay (I used 3 buck Chuck (Charles Shaw wines from Trader Joes, $3) because there is no point in spending a lot of money on a wine that your are going to completely alter)

1 cup of St. Germaine elderflower liqueur (amount depends on desired sweetness)

1 large handful of cilantro

1 large handful of mint

6-8 large basil leaves

1/2 cucumber

*Combine all the vegetable and herb ingredients in a pitcher.

*Pour in wine followed by the St. Germaine.

*Chill for several hours.

*Strain and pour into wine glass and garnish with mint.

Enjoy!

The Kyocera adjustable slicer is such a great kitchen tool. It works like a mandolin and sliced my cucumbers perfectly.

Buddha Obsession

I LOVE Buddha as a decor element. I have one in almost every room in my house. They make a room so peaceful. The Buddha is a very popular item used in interior design. The seem to set the mood for the entire room.

Photo Credit: 1. Studio decal Buddha at coolil.com; 2. Caryn Grossman via Mocca & Me; 3. michaeldelpiero.com; 4. Source unknown; 5. Elle Decor March 09; 6. West Chin via Desire to Inspire; 7. dehome.co.uk; 8. Burham Designs in Lonny Mag via Mochatini.

Black Out

I've previously written on the Art of Black, and have mentioned that it is my favorite color. It is a great anchor, and can bring drama and aristocracy to a room. Even in small amounts, black makes such a bold statement. I love how black is used subtly as a trim in some of the pictures below. It doesn't take much. Black makes these rooms look so sophisticated.

{Click on any pic to enlarge}

Photo Credit: 1. Roman & Williams via 211- Elizabeth and Wendy Goodman of NY Mag via Remodelista; 2. Mrs. Howard Personal Shopper; 3. Mochatini via Lonny Magazine (Burham Designs); 4. Elle Decor Mag; 5. Elle Decor Mag, September 09; 6. Desire to Inspire; 7. Oh Joy; 8. Achados de Decoracao; 9. Roman & Williams via 211- Elizabeth and Wendy Goodman of NY Mag via Remodelista.

Buddha Bar

A Buddha Bar restaurant is opening in Washington, DC, and Metrocurean has the sneek peek at the interior. It is located at 455 Massachusetts Ave, NW, and plans to open May 10th.

Kumquat Digestif- The Morning After; The Art of Preparing a Meal

A little while back I told you I was making a Kumquat Digestif. It finally finished infusing, and I was able to try it. First I prepared a delicious meal of Thai Steak with jasmine rice and and a spicy cabbage salad; and a Tomato-Cucumber salad with mint, almonds and feta cheese (I substituted the feta with ricotta salata cheese because of my distaste for feta).

After the meal was over, we finally tried the digestif- la raison d'etre. My dinner guest really liked the Kumquat Digestif and said that it tasted like Grand Marnier. It was a bit too sweet for me, so I have since added some more thyme, kumquats, and vodka to cut the sugar a little bit. Yummy.

Of course, with my obsession to all things relating to a dish or a glass, I had to set the table appropriately. I've previously discussed a few of my dinner pieces here, here, and here. I was glad to be able to bring them together in this attractive, yet not too overstated table setting. It is great to have a dinner like this every once and a while, where you actually prepare an extensive meal and organize a more elaborate table for your guests. You feel accomplished and satisfied that you're actually capable of something artistic, because cooking and setting a table is art.

Great food, great environment, great company. You have to enjoy the little things... and all of this simply because I wanted to try the Kumquat Digestif. I guess bigger ideas start with the small ones.