After a night of partying at the USA House (an feeling very much like the Salahi's!) my honey and I decided to escape the Olympic fray and head out to Lighthouse Park.
Lighthouse Park, located on the Straight of Georgia at the the mouth of Howe Sound, is an ancient forest full of virgin Douglas Fir, Western Hemlock and Red Cedar. An incredible energy pulses through this old growth forest that simply must be experienced. I always feel so tranquil here, breathing in the air and basking like a sea lion on the hot rocks that lead down to the water. Only a half-hour from downtown Vancouver, Lighthouse Park is the perfect place to meditate or come for a romantic picnic as the sun sets over Vancouver Island.
Pup, In Her Element
Alas, we could not stay away from the Olympics for long and returned home at dusk to make Bellinis and watch the hockey match. I must say, I wish Canada had won.
Chicago based band Smith Westerns could be summed up as David Bowie meets T. Rex. All the tracks off their new self titles album pay homage to their glam-rock, retro-pop influences, but the Smith Westerns aren't all throwback. There's something fresh and new about the lo-fi sound and earnest lyrics. I have a good feeling about the Smith Westerns, something similar to when I first heard MGMT a couple years ago. Mark my words, these guys are going to be big! This song, Girls in Love, is utterly infectious, and it's totally my new spring jam.
The Smith Westerns will be playing at the Media Club here in Vancouver on March 7th. This is definitely a be there or be square situation!
Stephen Colbert's pearly whites and plasticine pompadour are even more perfect in person!
The political satirist and speed skating savior whose love affair with spandex has only just begun has been in Vancouver this past week, self professedly pandering to Canadians. My honey and I joined the polite mob of syrup suckers and ice-holes this morning at Creekside Park to watch him filming The Colbert Report.
Nation, I won't give anything away, lest I be put on notice...except this: Canadians had the last laugh when Colbert revealed himself to be not too unlike his faux foe Bob Costas. Yes, they both rode the moose!
Love Gives naught but itself and takes naught but from itself.
Love possesses not nor would it be possessed;
For love is sufficient unto love.
When you love you should not say, "God is in my heart," but rather, "I am in the heart of God."
And think not you can direct the course of love, for love, if it finds you worthy, directs your course.
Love has no other desire but to fulfill itself.
But if you love and must needs have desires, let these be your desires:
To melt and be like a running brook that sings its melody to the night.
To know the pain of too much tenderness.
To be wounded by your own understanding of love;
And to bleed willingly and joyfully.
To wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving;
To rest at the noon hour and meditate love's ecstasy;
To return home at eventide with gratitude;
And then to sleep with a prayer for the beloved in your heart and a song of praise upon your lips.
I wouldn't usually bake banana bread in February. It belongs to autumn, when the air smells like peat and burning leaves. Just as Truman Capote's Aunt Sookie knew fruitcake weather, I know banana bread weather.
But this is one of my honey's and my puppy's favorites. So I turned on some Simon & Garfunkel and Cat Stevens- my quintessential autumn soundtrack- got my bake on and got lost in nostalgia.
This recipe comes from fellow Vancouver blogger, Vancity Allie. Check out her blog, it's excellent and totally captures life on the West Coast!
Ingredients:
Butter, 1/2 cup
Brown Sugar, 1/2 cup
Sugar,1/2 cup
Eggs, 2, large
Bananas, 4, ripe
Lemon Juice, 2 tablespoons, freshly squeezed
Vanilla, 2 teaspoons
Cake Flour, 1.5 cups, seived
Baking Soda, 1 teaspoon
Baking Powder, 1 teaspoon
Salt, 1/4 teaspoon
Cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon
Nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon
Walnuts, 3/4 cup, chopped and toasted (walnuts are a super food!)
Dark Chocolate, 1 cup, small pieces (optional)
Toasted Walnut Banana Bread:
Toast walnuts at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.
Set out 4 large bowls.
First Bowl: Mix butter and sugars in an electric mixer. Then, mix in eggs, 1 at a time.
Second Bowl: mash bananas and add lemon juice and vanilla.
Add the contents of Bowl 2 to Bowl 1 and mix.
Third Bowl: mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
Rosemary represents love, romance, and remembrance. As the tragic lover Ophelia said, "There's rosemary, that's for remembrance; pray, love, remember..."
I'll always remember that balmy night in Potrero- a tiny hamlet in Guancaste full of Italian expats with a coast that resembled a Japanese woodblock print- when we shared the most delicious rosemary focaccia over dos Imperials. With visions of amaretto and limoncello dancing in our heads, we had traveled more than a day to visit the renowned gelateria of a true maestro- he'd perfected his craft in fair Verona over the course of 20 years and made gelato so exquisite it is watched over by armed guards. We ended up staying for a week, delighting in lazy walks along the Monkey Trail, day trips to Playa Conchal on our rented beach cruisers, and of course the delicious food.
Like Proust's episode of the madeleine, I am instantly transported back to this wondrous place every time I encounter the scent of rosemary.
Is there any confection more delightful than meringue? I think not! Meringue makes everything more whimsical and enchanting. Meringue makes me feel like Marie Antoinette- Sofia Coppola's Marie Antoinette- escaping to the Petit Triannon at Versaille to indifferently snack on colorful petit fours.
Ingredients:
Egg Whites, 5 large
Brown Sugar, 1 1/4 cups
Vanilla, 3/4 teaspoon
Pink Grapefruit Zest, 1 1/2 teaspoon (grapefruit scent is a powerful aphrodisiac!)
Sanguinello Zest, 1 1/2 teaspoon
Pink Food Coloring
Meringue:
Preheat oven to 225 degrees.
Whisk egg whites and sugar in a bowl over simmering water until sugar dissolves.
Beat until stiff peaks form.
Beat in Vanilla.
Divide meringue in half.
Add grapefruit zest and pink food coloring to one half.
Add sanguinello zest to the other half.
Using a cookie cutter, make meringue hearts on a parchment lined baking sheet, placed 2 inches apart.
My honey has a recurring dream of feasting on the perfect pastry at a Parisian pâtisserie. He lives a life of complete devotion to finding that beguiling brioche, and he has quite the calling for it. Within mere hours of arriving on Martha's Vineyard for my sister's wedding, he'd sussed out an after hours backdoor doughnut operation.
It is such a pleasure to bake for someone who has such a profound appreciation for the art. This Valentine's, I'm bringing the boulangerie to my baby. This one's for you, with all my heart! (From Martha Stewart)
More recipes to come throughout the week!
Ingredients:
All Purpose Flour, 2 1/2 cups + more for dusting
Salt, 1 1/4 teaspoons
Sugar, 1 teaspoon + 1/2 cup + more for sprinkling
Unsalted Butter, 9 ounces
Water, 9 tablespoons
Cornstarch, 3 tablespoons
Cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon
Pears, 6 for baking, Bosc or Bartlett, peeled and cut into small pieces
Raspberries, 1 1/2 cups
Lemon Juice, 2 tablespoons
Egg Yolk, 1 Large
Pate Brisee:
Combine flour, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon sugar in a mixer.
Mix in 8 ounces butter.
Add 8 tablespoons water and let the mixture come together.
Divide dough in half, shaping into a half moon.
Wrap dough in plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Pear & Raspberry Filling:
In a large bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, cornstarch, and cinnamon.
Add pears, raspberries, and lemon juice (I also added a dash of Grand Marnier).
Toss mixture.
Pear & Raspberry Heart Pie
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
On a floured surface, roll out dough 1 into a 13-inch circle.
Fit dough into a 9-inch pie dish and trim edges so there is a small overhang.
Refrigerate.
On a floured surface, roll out dough 2.
With a small heart cookie-cutter, cut out 45-50 dough hearts.
Transfer the dough hearts to a parchment lined baking sheet.
Refrigerate until firm.
Add the Pear & Raspberry mixture to the pie dish, piling high in the center.
Add 2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces.
Tuck small overhang under dough and brush with water.
Arrange dough hearts around edge of pie, overlapping and alternating direction.
Repeat with a second layer.
Repeat with a third and final layer, with the points pointing in, creating a star shape.
In a small bowl, whisk yolk and 1 tablespoon water.
Brush pie crust with this mixture and sprinkle with sugar.
Place pie on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes.
Reduce oven heat to 375 degrees.
Bake for 1 hour and 25 minutes, rotating half way through.
...And Sake Margaritas! So what's a girl to do but head straight out to get the fixings (with a quick and completely unavoidable detour to pick up some new Sonia Rykiel duds and the latest issues of Interview and Above)? By the by, what a compelling spring color palette the ingredients make!
I realize I may have jumped the gun- that South Wind is intoxicating! Rest assured I have not said my last goodbyes to winter. It is still sweater-weather to be sure!
So, here's to the Winter Olympics and not putting away our Moncler just yet!
Ingredients:
Ice
Sake
Tequila
Grand Marnier (Curaçao and Triple Sec also work)
Limes
Cucumber
Sake Margarita:
Add ice to a blender.
Pour over ice 3 parts tequila, 2 parts sake, and 1 part Grand Marnier.
Add the juice from two fresh squeezed limes.
Mix until smooth.
Garnish drink with lime and cucumber. Scent is an integral element of taste. The refreshing scent of cucumber is indispensable . You'll see!
I feel such a strong affinity with Italy- the lifestyle, the landscape, the language, the fashion, the food. Normale!
I often find myself perusing Italian real estate, lost in visions of Vespas and Valentino and eating gelato with wild abandon. My time in Italy has thus far been limited to a few days- a trip to Tuscany for my honey's birthday one year- but I've clocked years in my imagination.
Some mornings I wake with the heady scent of lavender, cypress and sunflowers dancing about my mind. These are Italian days and I know what must be done. I must give myself over to them completely. I must let the little old Italian grandma inside me come out! Ingredients:
Cadbury Burnt Almond Dark Chocolate, to indulge while I cook and invariably watch Under the Tuscan Sun
Flour, 3 1/4 cups + extra for dusting
Rapid-Rise Yeast, 1 package
Salt, 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon
Sugar, 1 tablespoon + 1/4 tablespoon
Warm Water, 1 cup
White Wine, 1/4 cup
Extra-Virgin Olive Oil, 4 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon + extra for coating
Local Honey, 1 tablespoon
Butter, 1 tablespoon
Shallots, 1/2 cup, finely chopped
Celery, 1/4 cup, finely chopped
Garlic Cloves, 5, minced
Passata, 2 cups
Tomato Paste, 6 oz.
Vine Ripe Tomatoes, 2, chopped
Ground Black Pepper, 1 teaspoon
Dried Oregano, 2 teaspoons
Fennel Seed, 1 teaspoon
Bay Leaf, 1 leaf
Habanero Pepper, 1/4 teaspoon
Parmigiano Reggiano, 4 tablespoons + extra for pizza
Fresh Basil, several leaves
Fresh Rosemary, a sprig
Italian Parsley, a sprig
Toppings to Personal Specifications: Buffalo Mozzarella, Sundried Tomatoes, Peperoni, etc.
Bon Voyage! I'm off to Puerto Vallarta next month for a holiday with the girls- we go where the Patrón is, that's just the way we roll!
Sweet relief! This Vancouver winter has me seriously jonesing for some sunshine!
I've been pouring over travel books and dusting off my Spanish, getting beyond excited! I would love some suggestions of places to go and things to do.
Tracy Chapman got her start performing in Harvard Square. My mom used to watch her when we moved to Cambridge in the late 80s. Here are two beautiful rarities:
Unlike my honey, whose sleeping prowess is nothing short of superheroic, I need something stronger than sheep to fall asleep. This is a well documented affliction in my family- my brother is famous for watching Dumb & Dumber every night for four consecutive years. My favorite sedative-cum-entertainment, if you will, is the podcast. Here are my top 10 (subscribe for free on iTunes):
Break out the bubbly- or mustard sandwiches- my brother just came in 16th in the Miami Marathon! Shaving nearly 4 minutes off his performance last year, he came in at a mind boggling 2:53:42!I'm feeling very proud and cool by association! I'm so lucky to have such an incredible and wonderful family! They're always amazing me!
I'm pretty sure that's him at the :49 second mark, but I'm awaiting confirmation!
Stay tuned- updates and an interview with the powerhouse marathoner to come!
Photo courtesy of Winkyintheuk Bald Eagle by the Squamish River
My honey and I got patriotic on Sunday and hit the road in our 88 Oldsmobile to spend the day bald eagle watching in Brackendale, BC. More bald eagles congregate in the Squamish Valley during the winter months than anywhere in the world!
It felt like an Irish day, the winter sun demur behind a tulle veil of mist that lay suspended across the pallid landscape, so naturally we stopped for fish and chips and Old Jamaica Ginger Beer along the way at The Wigan Pier.
Photo Courtesy of Derek Purdy Brackendale Eagle Provincial Park
With hearty sustenance to keep us warm, it was on to the dyke along the Squamish River across from the Brackendale Eagle Provincial Park. I got a beautiful photo of what to my chagrin turned out to be a mere gull- I had suspicions from the wonky way it was flying- before the camera batteries gave in to the cold (hence, my reliance on flickr to spin this yarn).
When we were driving away we saw hundreds of birds circling the sky above mountaintops. I cannot be sure they were bald eagles, so this isn't quite the classic anecdote I'd hoped it to be, but I like to think they were. Mission accomplished!
Fashion week kicks off in New York- then on to London, Milan, and Paris!
Photo courtesy of Tim in Sydney 12-28 February: Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics
I fell in love with the Nagano Winter Olympics (devotees will recall my Johnny Moseley impression)! There's something so Nancy Drew meets James Bond about it all! Living in Vancouver for the past couple years, it's been so exciting feeling the anticipation for 2010 build! If I'm incommunicado during the games, it's because I've either set up camp at LiveCity, am enjoying the craic at Irish House, or trying to track down Stephen Colbert! T-11 days and counting!
14 February: Valentine's Day
15 February: Pup's birthday
Bowie turns 2! Hopefully she won't become an angstful teen!
19 February: Shutter Island
Scorsese and DiCaprio are such class acts for making such first rate films- The Departed is my all time favorite! Paramount, not so much for pushing back the release date. As if Martin and Leo weren't enough of a draw, Denis Lehane's brilliant homage to classic Gothic literature is storytelling at its absolute best. Tom Stechshulte reads it wonderfully.
28 February: Hyannis Marathon
I'll be cheering my sister on as she runs her first marathon. Go Doone! I've already been promised the exclusive interview, so stay tuned!
February: Road Trips
To the North: The Sea to Sky Highway. To the South: The Pacific Coast Highway. It doesn't get more beautiful than this! Cue the wide shots and Wagner in the spirit of James Bond zipping along the corniche. Well...more like Canned Heat in the spirit of Sal Paradise and Dean Moriarty going up the country in their old jalopy.
Pup, In Her Element
