September 28, 2012

FRIDAY I'M IN LOVE 28.09.12


1. I'm desperate for all five of us to go & stay here. Talk about idyllic...
2. Ahhh, such beautiful images from Longest Acres as they pack away the summertime. Bittersweet.
3. Look at this nugget of amazeballs... I am so not inspired, but i may die laughing! WTF?!
4. I recieved a total of 10 cups (10!) for my birthday this year, but it doesn't stop me wanting this mug.
5. In my dreams, I can walk in these and i wear them with this.
6. Ahhhh, i love this work space! I need to get some organise going on here...
7. Dexy & Flo will be stoked if I make them these this weekend. They look gooooood!
8. This studio idea from Design Sponge is genius.
9. If you don't know Evan Dando this will mean nothing to you, but being a superfan (!) I can't believe I have never actually seen this Ben Lee clip! Ha!
10. I'll leave you this week with this.



September 27, 2012

FOOD: MEXICAN SLAW


How good is cabbage?! 
How especially good is red cabbage?!
How taste bud tinglingly good is red cabbage when it's mixed up with chilli's, lime juice, salt and transformed into a Mexican Slaw?
Too good, that's how good.
Remember when I confessed all about my Mexican food addiction? Well, it all started off with this salad. When I first made it I couldn't believe how fresh & zingy it was, and I majorly overdosed on the stuff!
For months, every single bbq, picnic or party simply had to include this dish & i'm not exaggerating when i say there was never any of it left. In fact, anyone i've ever made this for has practically inhaled it within seconds. That's fine though because this slaw is SUPER good for you, therfore it's totally acceptable go ahead and stuff your face!!
I think it goes particularly well with a homemade chicken burger & sweet potato fries as per our supper last night, but I also think it would be ace with Drea's vegan chickpea patties

Go Make!


September 26, 2012

BIRTHDAY GIRL!


It's been a little quiet here on the blog because i've been busy getting knee deep in my thirties.
Yep,  I turned 33 this week and aside from the year when the mister wisked me away to the Caribbean,  or my 8th birthday party at Once Upon a Time (think your average soft play with a side order of freaky animated puppets & giant pigs), this one was the BEST!
It all started a week before when we were in the Apple store checking out the nano's for Dexy's up & coming 7th birthday. The mister casually strolls up to me & say's "you can't use a mouse can you?" to which i answered "no" thinking it was some sort of weird put-down (it's true, i really can't use a mouse. It's something to do with the co-ordination and it's probably the same reason i can't steer, and therefore drive a car, but y'know - whatever) anyway, i digress! Where I am headed with this story is basically, he went all kinds of crazy & bought me a brand spankers new iMac. Holy Crap! To say I was stunned/shocked/delirious for the rest of the day week does not even come close!
It really is a beautiful thing this little ole mac of mine, and she is currently sitting in a little nook in my bedroom, soon to be made into a pretty work space (can anyone else feel a makeover coming on?)

So of course, i was pretty darn convinced that my birthday couldn't get any better in terms of things i would not have expected in a million years, but it turns out I was very wrong...
After a fabulouso supper of fresh Shetland mussels on the Saturday night, washed down with a sea of wine (ahem), i woke up to the cutest & best behaved 3 children on the planet. They showered me in kisses & homemade cards, before bringing me an amazing breakfast in bed of bagels with smoked salmon & poached eggs. They then spent the whole of the morning being oddly over-excited that it was my birthday, and kept jumping around asking me when we were going to go to lunch before giggling & running off. Hmmm, looking back now I probably should have realised then that we were not actually going to Pizza Express for lunch as they had originally chosen for me, but to our local italian pizzeria which my husband had hired out & secretly invited 20 of my friends & their kiddos...

OMG!

SUURPRISSSSSEEEEEEEE!!!!!

TALK ABOUT SHOCKED!

It. was. amazing! I had such a special, special day. We ate, we drank, we chatted, we hugged & the kiddos had a blast playing together. All these lovely things really helped to create such a lovely relaxed & warm vibe & most definitely not the terryifying hysteria i normally associate with surprise parties. Everyone was so thoughtful and so kind & i feel truely honoured to have such lovely friends. Thank you to my fab husband & adorable kiddos for making my birthday one of the best ever!

And because i was either shaken with shock or slightly inebriated, very few pics were taken! But here are a few i've managed to grab off my iphone & our friends camera ... enjoy!





and check this out! My lovely friend Soraya made me a cake I could actually eat (this never happens) so i even got to blow out my candles too! Yay!

(the main pic at the top is a photo of my favourite card. It's a homemade one from one of my oldest & closest friends Caz & it's a screen shot of my favourite film Reality Bites. She's typed the words from the soundtrack along the bottom too! That's 18 years of remembering!! I know i'll keep that card forever...)


September 21, 2012

FRIDAY I'M IN LOVE 21.09.12

1. How much do i love Ingrid Michaelson at the minute? She's adorable & her Goyte cover makes me giggle (but only because I can't hear that song without this) Listen to her!
2. Do you know of Nan Lawson? I just got 4 of her prints for our Oct re-furb! This is one of them but secretly I want them all!
3. For my birthday supper, i want to buy some fresh mussels from the farmers market & make moules mariniere. Why do i have to wait two more days??
4. Me & my kiddos are making these crayons this weekend. Hurry up saturday...jeeez.
5. Say hello to Lottie at Oyster & Pearl. I think we're going to be firm blogging buddies & as Lottie puts it, we do seem to park our cars in the same garage ;)
6. Dexy & Flo's new fave read is The Moose Belongs to Me by Oliver Jeffers. They get their good taste from their mama ;)
7. Do you meal plan for the week? I use the print outs from here. It's super helpful & saves me a bomb!
8. If i don't make a 'me friendly' version of this Tempeh Joes soon, my arm will fall off. Fact.
9. Have you ever visted soulemama? It's beeeeautiful.
10. Exactly that.

Happy weekending :)

September 17, 2012

SUNDAY SNAPSHOT








1 / they always head straight to the books, no matter what else is on offer
2 / we call her chocolate button eyes
3 / ickle baby ice cream
4 -7 / our favourite canal walk
8 / gimme a lick!

September 14, 2012

FRIDAY I'M IN LOVE 14.09.12

1. We were thrilled to listed as one of the favourite blogs by Sainsburys bank this week!! Yay for Magical Mummies!
2. I will be spending most of my evenings next week organising my recipe collection and i'll be doing it the Tracy way!
3. I adore this apartment. So cute & on a budget too!
4. This Taco Kitty tote bag will be mine. Fact!
5. We will defo be going to this Love Food festival in a couple of weeks...
6. Check out this dress from Modcloth. Beautiful!
7. I've just discovered this veggie food blog vegetarian ventures & now I have a ton of stuff waiting to be made.
8. We're re-decorating in October & i want this etsy find to go somewhere!
9. So happy that this tse tse light from Habitat will once again sparkle in my home! Yay!
10. Check out this amazing Midsummers night dinner party! Simply gorgeous.

Have a good weekend one & all x

September 12, 2012

FOOD: BLACK BEAN AND MANGO QUINOA


Sometimes in life you need to just get over stuff.
Sometimes, it doesn't matter if you gain 4lbs over the summer.
Sometimes, you need to accept that your worn out uggs are not doing their job as footwear anymore.
You especially need to realise this if you slip over and fall smack bang on your ass THREE times in one morning (it's ok, nobody saw you, but seriously, three times?!)

Other times in life you need to embrace stuff.
Stuff like cookie butter. NO! FOOL! Actually not like cookie butter - i gained 4 pounds sneaking spoonfuls of this stuff. I'm warning you, if you ever get the chance, do not embrace cookie butter. 
No, you need to embrace stuff like the leaves that are turning yellow & falling from the trees or the fact that the nights are drawing in & you can call up your chimney sweep to get ready for that first fire of the season. You need to embrace the fun planning of Halloween and then bonfire night and then Christmas! Sorry, way too early to mention that word i know...

Then there are times in life when you just need to man up & both get over it and embrace it. Just like I just did with some corn.
Yes, I am rambling on like a crazy person about corn.
You see I have a funny thing about corn being used in salsas or salads. Don't ask me why because I have no idea. It's just one of those things & i to be honest I hadn't felt like it's something i ever needed to address because it's just corn, right? Er -Wrong! As a Mexican food addict  i totally needed to get over it & embrace that funny little yellow bit of oddness.

So I got brave.

And after i congratulated myself for buying a fresh cob of corn, I made this recipe which blew my socks off! I had it today for lunch in a tortilla with lashings of hot sauce & then tonight, i had it again after the mister told me he was going out for steak (!) but i served it with some grilled chicken. It's a flavour bomb waiting to go off & you need to try it.
Especially if you have a weird unjustified aversion to corn.

Go Make!


September 10, 2012

INSPIRATION: LET'S SHARE // SHIPSHAPE STUDIO


Let me share with you this amazing new online shop Shipshape Studio It was brought to my attention couple of weeks ago, and I'm still enjoying working my way around it's beautifully designed website. It's kind of a strange browsing experience when you wander around Shipshape studio because to me, it doesn't feel like i'm mechanically clicking tedious links to get to the product i want. Instead, i feel like i am physically meandering through a beautiful modern boutique, full of things i love!
Shipshape studio was set up by Emily & her partner Adam in November 2011 - you can read more about their journey on the shipshape studio blog here.
I wanted to share the shipshape studio shop as part of a new series of places or brands that i love. The internet is so overwhelmingly huge that i need to group up & remember the places that i adore.  
Have a look at these pieces i that i particularly love, want & NEED! Thank goodness i have a birthday coming up - family, take NOTE! 
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...


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So, go make a brew & have a look at this place, then when your done, think about how much fun a party would be... I know i want in!

Enjoy x

this isn't a sponsored post, i just love it!

September 07, 2012

FRIDAY I'M IN LOVE: this weeks findings...

1. HOLY MOLY. The home of Isabelle Duvivier is literally my perfect home. It must be a sign that my bro-in-law & sis-in-law live close by!
2. Maybe if I had this phone case more people would listen up?
3. How fab was Tracy's summer? Totes maj...
4. I discovered this food blog only yesterday & yum yum!
5. I have a feeling that charlotte would love this range. It is super duper cute.
6. Check out what Amy is doing! Do we have anything like this in the UK? I want in!
7. 'tis the season for packed lunches - fa la la la la, la la la la. Great inspiration!
8. Did I ever tell you how much i love the work of Christopher David Ryan?
9. This place!  Like i don't miss Big Sur enough (12 years people, 12!). I neeed to go back.
10. I love the original surfboard company. I bought my bezzy mate one as a house-warming gift a while back. Check out the fascinating history...

September 06, 2012

ASTORIA SOUP

Who woke up this morning thinking "I know what I could do with - a big bowl of Egyptian soup". 
No? 
What, not one of you?! 
Ok, ok, me either, but a couple of weeks ago I was bored & found myself doing what I always do when I'm bored - I buried myself in my recipe books. 
It's obviously no secret that I love to spend time in my kitchen. It's how I chill out, it's what centres me & I consider it the ultimate form of therapy if it's been a bit of a shitty day (well, that & an insanely large glass of wine). 
For me, part of the fun of testing out new recipes is finding one with an ingredient I've never heard of. The challenge of finding that ingredient without having to order it online, is just something my 32yr old self likes to do. Sometimes it's a winner, other times it can be annoying, like when i finally find the magical ingredient & spend time making the recipe only for it to it tastes like crap. Thankfully though, this is not that time. 
The new fangled ingredient I'm talking about here is zahtar.
WTF is zahtar? 
Zahtar (sometimes spelt Zatar or Zaa'tar) is a spice mix made up of Sumac, dried thyme & sesame seeds & they use it a lot in middle eastern dishes. I first heard of it in Jamie's recipe for his Astoria soup which someone made him when he was eating his way through New York (i don't know why I talk about Sir Jamie of Oliver as if i know him either, ignore me).
The good thing about this recipe is that although it's nice to use zahtar & sumac, Jamie told me that we don't have to if we can't find it as the soup is just pretty damn good on it's own. He's right, but then he would be, he is JAMIE! 
And i know that soup in late summer is a bit weird but it just works, so relax.
Now tell me, what better reason do you have to wake up tomorrow morning thinking "I know what i could do with - a big bowl of Egyptian soup"...

September 04, 2012

NORTH DEVON

We spent the last week of the summer hols, down in Devon visiting my family. We were there for four days, and although it poured down for three of them, we still managed to get to the beach, see some family, meet up with friends (Hey Jo!) and visit some cool places.
Although I grew up in Ilfracombe, Woolacombe is my favourite place along the North Devon coastline. It's where I remember spending the entire 6 weeks summer holidays as a child. It's where I remember being a teenage girl, sun bathing & boy chasing with my two of my best friends Kelly & Jem. It's where I remember spending long summers nights at the Red Barn & the Marisco with my other best friend Caz, before either hitching a ride home with some locals or spending the night sleeping in her car. Woolacombe beach was the place that the mister chose to propose to me way back in 2003 - man alive, that was 9 years ago!!
Anyway, scooting over that last part where I realise i'm hurtling towards 33 at break-neck-speed *le sigh*, Woolacombe is where it's at for me, and it seems my kiddos love it just as much...








Before we embarked on the long ride home we finally got a chance to potter around Ilfracombe & Combe Martin in the sunshine... finally!




September 03, 2012

SPICED SWEET POTATO FRIES


Fancy something that tastes sweet, spicy & is good for you?
Well, of course? Then these are for you!
Sweet Potatoes are not just good for you, they are SUPER good for you & have so many amazing properties. Their high levels of beta carotene are responsible for healthy skin, a healthy digestive system and strong lungs. They are also really high in Vitamin C (now is totally the season to be stocking right up on that fella) which is both an antioxidant and essential for a healthy immune system. I always make sure the kiddos have sweet pots a couple of times a week - especially Flo who suffers from mild asthma.
OK, OK, science lesson over!
The mister & I have pretty much ditched normal potatoes all together in favour of sweet pots and this recipe is one of my favourite ways to enjoy them.
Make them tomorrow & serve them with these veggie burgers and you'll go to bed happy :)
Or do what i'm going to do & make a huge batch of them next weekend & serve them with this ketchup.
Spiced sweet potato fries will not disappoint...


September 02, 2012

THE LONG DRIVE HOME

We spent last week in North Devon with my family (post coming soon) and we decided to take the scenic route home across Exmoor. To describe the views as mind blowing would be a massive understatement, it was all so beautiful and reminded me so much of my favourite place on earth, Big Sur in California.
Take a look at our long drive home...