Monday, August 30, 2010

Perfection in South Minneapolis

There is controversy in the old south Minneapolis neighborhoods when people tear down an existing home and build a McMansion that does not fit with the neighborhood.  This remodel doubled the size of the home, but kept the style of the neighborhood well.  They also have a double lot so it doesn't look like a monster house compared to it's neighbors as the tear downs often do.


I might also add that people who live in Minneapolis or St. Paul proper, like to brag about how urban they are.  I did it when I lived there. I swore I would never move to a suburb. In reality, unless you live right downtown, all of Minneapolis is like a big leafy suburb compared to most cities.
Having kids changes a lot of things, especially if you can't afford a private school education.  And for the record, I live in a small town, not a suburb, and I walk most places here.
Love you not so yellow couch and perfect rug.


Love you too, not so yellow dining room and gold buffet table.


Hellloooo black cabinets and bamboo stools, you would be lovely in my kitchen.
sigh.
Does that happen in other metro areas?  Are you less cool for living in a suburb?
Don't forget my giveaway ends today.

Sunday, August 29, 2010

Don't forget my giveaway ends tomorrow

You could pretend to buy this for your kids, and when when you want to get away from your family, you go there and hide.  Read a book, or... You'd only need $2,705 more dollars after the giveaway.  Enter here.

Friday, August 27, 2010

Animal, Vegetable, Mineral III

How do you feel about faux fur?  I kinda love it, but would hate if someone thought I was wearing the real thing.  I don't own any, but it is a huge trend for fall.  Piperlime.com




It's harvest time in Minnesota.  I could eat this every day.

Ingredients

Serves 8
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 2 medium onions, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 large eggplants, (2 pounds), peeled in strips and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
  • 4 to 5 medium zucchini, (2 pounds), cut into 1-inch cubes
  • Coarse salt and ground pepper
  • 3 yellow or red bell peppers, ribs and seeds removed, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
  • 1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

Directions

  1. In a Dutch oven (or other heavy 5-quart pot with a tight-fitting lid), heat oil over medium heat. Cook onions, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic; cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in eggplant and zucchini; season generously with salt and pepper.
  2. Add 3/4 cup water; cover, and simmer until vegetables are beginning to soften, stirring once, about 5 minutes. Stir in bell peppers; simmer, covered, until softened, 5 minutes.
  3. Stir in tomatoes and thyme; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Partially cover; simmer, stirring often, until vegetables are tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat. If serving immediately, stir in basil. (If freezing, leave out basil.)




Crystal-and-pearl symphony bracelet

Yes, please.  JCrew.com




Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Because I Love You: A Giveaway

In my house the kitchen table is the center of all things good, important and otherwise.  When we are not eating there, we are coloring, or playdohing, cutting and pasting, practicing our letters or mixing up a batch of rice krispie bars.  It is also the landing spot for all things that come into the house.  For some reason, everything much touch down here first before it gets put away.  Anything important that needs to go to school or work the next morning is also placed here the night before.  Birthday presents and cards are put here for the recipient to find when he or she wakes.  My table is a massive wood pedestal table that comfortably seats six, and I have squeezed 10 around it before.  


I love these iconic kitchen tables, and  you could have one, because I love you too.  And CSN Stores like my little blog.  We want to give one of my readers $40 to spend there.  Just be a follower of the blog and leave a comment.  Leave two if you post about the giveaway.  A winner will be picked at random on Monday, August 30th after 5pm.  

Sunday, August 22, 2010

Cottages in Cottagewood


On the steps of the Cottagewood General Store, literally steps from the trail I ride every week.  I didn't know it was here until today.

Inside was adorable, I felt like I was on Martha's Vineyard



Lots of goodies to choose from and in the back, that is the cooler. Cool. They also have ice cream and espresso,  of course.


Anna had a rock candy sucker.


The patio was lovely

And cozy spots to sit inside as well


Across the street, I fell in love with this house


And this one, it had a tuck under garage, I love those, and pretty red porch chairs.   Sorry about the photos, I wasn't planning on photo journaling, just a quick ride around the neighborhood, the Mister had his iPhone in his pocket so I confiscated it.  This was all a 10 minute ride from my house and seconds from the trail I have ridden a million times, but it felt like a step back in time. So without writing a cliche about getting off the beaten path...
I didn't get much housework done today.

Day off


I will be spending my day off at my villa in Malta.

Check that, I will be spending my day off doing laundry, cleaning the house, buying groceries, walking the dog, and trying to soak up the last few days of my kid before he goes off to kindergarden.

What kind of floors are those anyway? And how many staff members does it take to get them to look like that?

Lots more drool worthy homes here.

Friday, August 20, 2010

I think I will always love






a white washed beach house

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Feeling a little blue



Just sayin.

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

You make me feel like


I'm living a teenage dream.  Love this room, love this song, love that feeling.
Wouldn't you have died for a room like this when you were a teenager?


Monday, August 16, 2010

Weekend Getaway


I recently had one and am contemplating another.  This looks like a nice rug on which to throw your unders.  Beni Ouarain rug in a Jonathan Adler designed room at the Parker Palm Springs.

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

I laughed, I cried, I felt something tingly downstairs...


The Kids Are All Right.  I thought it was the best movie of the summer. Granted, the only other movie I saw was Toy Story 3.  So consider that.  This is a photo of ultra hipster, organic farmer/restauranteur, and super sexy Mark Rufffalo's California home.  Note the kilim rug on the back of the couch, the Danish mix matched chairs around the table, the cool + warm color palette, his thick black curls with just the slightest hint of gray on them...

The lesbians house was also nice, a little more catalogy, whatever.  



Not too exciting.  There were lots of great lamps everywhere in the film.  And plenty of sex, good dialogue, laughs, and I cried when Joni went to college.  Side note, I also cried in Toys Story 3 when Andy went to college... so consider that.

They had really cool counter stools which I could not find a picture of, and a natural wood tub surround that I am commissioning the mister to build right now.



Julianne Moore was sexy in a real person kind of way.  I thought it was weird that a lesbian would have an affair with a man, but if anyone could turn a girl straight, it would be Mark Ruffalo in this movie.


She was sexy in a super model kind of way.



He was sexy on his moto.  

Best line of the film, "Fair enough, hairy muff."

It wasn't a movie about sex though.  I think it was about white people, marriage being hard, sexuality being fluid, and general family life.  

What did you think of it?

Hello Darkness My Old Friend III



Still kinda thinking about it

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

It was way better than the Suite Life on Deck

 We needed a change of scenery today.  It's hot and sticky and some culture was in order after watching one too many episodes of Phineas and Ferb.



The Minneapolis Institute of Art was fantastic.  I hadn't been in 10 years.  It's free.  A donation is suggested.  Be nice and leave one.





Her favorite was the mermaid.  Of course, since she is still considering this as a career choice.  Being a mermaid I mean, not an artist.  She's also considering med school.  So...who knows.



His favorite was the cookie as big as his head.



Oh and the African masks, oh and "the dude without the penis"  see first photo.



I gave the camera (iphone) to the kids once in awhile...



Their composition was good I thought.



A stranger came by and wanted to take one of all of us, so I complied.  I thought my kid did a better job though.  My last week of vacation is going by so fast.  Sigh. 


MIA


I can't take the heat anymore.  Swimming, slip-n-sliding, boating, tubing, popsicles, ice cream it's all good but....today we are heading indoors for some AC and some culture at the MIA.

Monday, August 9, 2010

Hippie Chick


It's too hot to think today.  

There was a music festival by the lake this weekend complete with organic food vendors and face painting.  What did you do?

Saturday, August 7, 2010

Yes, Please


the boots, I mean.

Friday, August 6, 2010

Is it just me?






Or do you also enjoy getting the new IKEA catalog?  Better this year than last, no?

Thursday, August 5, 2010

Let's Roll Another....table

I am loving this rolling table from West Elm.  Look you can just roll the food right up to your mouth and shovel it in.  It is on sale for $139.  I actually love this whole set-up.




I am laying the pavers for the patio this weekend.  And by I, I mean the mister.  I will be frolicking with my four favorite kids.  And by frolicking, I mean, getting popsicles, getting drinks, finding toys, breaking up arguments, and feeding meals.



The pavers  are 16 x 16 and will have grass or moss or some sort of perennial green stuff growing between them.  We recycled them from the old patio where they laid with an ugly brick pattern stamped on them side by side.  By flipping them over, spreading them out, and planting something between them I hope to achieve a look like this or this.



So with the pavers having grass between them, I am thinking the rolling table will not work.  No matter, I mentioned before, the budget for this phase is tapped.  We will be painting the old adirondacks and picnic table for now.