Chicken Pot Pie

Totally making this chicken Pot Pie today ( the kids are out of school ) and this looks like a delicious Fall Dinner..
Our youngest LOVES cooking, and will be able to be Chef for the night!


From Bon Appetit, here is the recipe...

INGREDIENTS
5 applewood-smoked bacon slices
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
12 oz peeled whole baby carrots (about 2 1/2 cups)
1 8-ounce package trimmed haricots verts or other slender green beans, halved crosswise
4 teaspoons chopped fresh marjoram
1 3/4 cups low-salt chicken broth
2/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon crème fraîche
3 cups coarsely shredded chicken from 1 small purchased roasted chicken (skin removed)
1 sheet frozen puff pastry (half of 17.3-ounce package), thawed
PREPARATION
Preheat oven to 450°F. Cook bacon in heavy large skillet over medium heat until crisp. Drain on paper towels. Chop bacon. Add onion to drippings in skillet; sauté until tender and golden, about 8 minutes. Add next 3 ingredients; stir 1 minute. Add broth; bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-high and boil until vegetables are almost tender and some liquid is reduced, about 8 minutes. Stir in 2/3 cup crème fraîche, chicken, and bacon. Bring to simmer. Season with pepper. Divide among four 2-cup soufflé dishes.
Unfold puff pastry onto work surface; roll out to 12-inch square. Cut into 4 equal squares. Top filling in soufflé dishes with pastry; fold edges down onto rims of dish. Brush top of crusts (not edges) with remaining 1 tablespoon crème fraîche. Cut small X in center of crusts; pierce all over with fork. Bake until crusts are golden brown and filling is heated through, about 22 minutes.
TEST-KITCHEN TIP
You can also make one large pot pie. Place the filling in a 9-inch-diameter deep-dish pie dish. Set the 12-inch pastry square over the filling, then fold down the edges onto the rim. Baking time will still be about 22 minutes.

The Perfect Kitchen

Bobbi Brown has some spectacular homes, and I think this Kitchen is on the top of my favorites list.

There is something about everyone gathering in the kitchen, eating breakfast at a counter, and having a huge table for dinners, homework and art projects....The beamed ceiling is too die for!

Thinking about our dream house again and pulled this from the files...

How much do I love this Pool House and guest cottage from Neff Architects ? 

There is something about shingle houses, a small pool and the idea of cuddling up and reading that I adore....

Welcome to Tiburon

Ok, we all know how hard it is to find a good hair salon and after moving from NY and LA, I admit, I am a bit spoiled.

Then, in C magazine last month I saw that Christopher Downs had moved from NY and opened this chic spot in Tiburon.
( He used to cut Christy Turlington and Nicole Kidman to name a few )
Called yesterday to make an appointment...and thrilled that there is a place in the hood with a great team and chic style.
Not sure I am going to want to get out of one of those great looking wicker chairs when they call my name!!



No website, it is located at 90 Main Street in Tiburon. The number is 415 435 0111.

Blog Love-Porchlight Interiors

I've been waking up around 4:30 every morning, and finding myself out of bed by 5:00 am. 

With a few extra hours in the morning this weekend ( our NYT does not even get delivered before 5:30 ) I was catching up on my blog reading. 

Stumbled across a FANTASTIC interior blog...another treasure from Australia ( why do they have such style??) and wanted to share. I could look at it for hours. 

Porchlight interiors...It is being add to my daily reads immediately!

Enjoy!!!

Our dear friend Abbie of Passing Notes is one of the kindest, smartest, most talented people I know.
I was looking at some of her work the other day, and could not help think that in a few years, would love to plan an anniversary party ( we were married in October ) gather our family and friends together again and have her create some of her stunning invitations and treasures..

Have a look at her beautiful work...

Perfect Fall Weekend

Not sure where the months are going, last weekend was ours to embrace Fall. 

We had wanted to go apple picking for a few weeks, and last week, it all just fell into place..

It was one of those weekends that was just perfect...Saturday morning at the farmers market and then off to spend the day with our close friends. We drove up the coast ( highway 1 ) which is pretty spectacular any time of year, and then, off to apple picking with the kids. The kids were so excited and had so much fun it was crazy to see. Spending the day with their little friend Mr. D, is always a blast and today was no different..Running around in the orchard, picking and piling up bags of apples..Next up, my fun loving husband put our oldest in the wheelbarrow and after some individual rides, a new game was invented. Somehow, our amazing friend Jo, who I am always going on about, captured all of these moments on film. 

Her  husband was the best sport ever as the group wheelbarrow rides began ( and I might add, as someone who cycles about 30 miles a day, the only one truly qualified for the job )

 

A little picnic and some performances by the kids as the sun began to fall, and then after to dinner at a local spot for some delicious dinner and pie. ( If you make your way to Pescadero, check out Duartes, it is worth the trip )

 

Inspired by the pies from the night before, and wanting to spend Sunday morning in the kitchen ( and our PJ's ) we baked up some truly delicious apple pie ( thank you t. ) 

Can't wait to see what this fall weekend brings....Enjoy yours!

Knitting Class

Love the fall season....there are so many ways to welcome and connect with each season, and as I get older and perhaps think more through the eyes of our kids, I find myself thinking more about the simple and fun ways to enjoy each day and time of year. 

Our daughter whose enthusiasm for life, learning and doing is quite contagious had asked me to teach her to knit a few months ago after she found a pile of yarn and some knitting needles. Inspired by an article I had ready about the simplicity of creating something, and a woman who decided to make and master only scarves, I first picked up some supplies with a friend and we taught ourselves some basic stitches. 

Months ago, as we were going to spend the day with Scott's parents, her interest in learning the craft was sparked again. Seeing she and her grandmother knitting on the couch was truly a moment. She was excited to learn, as one of her close friends and one of her cousins both have mastered basic knitting!

So now, as we get ready to spend more time indoors, thinking it is the perfect time to sign she and a friend up for a kids knitting class...Yesterday found the perfect place, and signed her up!

Can't wait to see what she makes....Think I shall brush up on my knitting skills too and perhaps expand to scarves and blankets...

Rikshaw Design

Thanks to Holly from Decor 8, was introduced to Catherine from Rikshaw Designs and her amazing baby bedding...

Truly, I have never seen anything so hip, sophisticated and stylish for babies...available on line on her website, some fabulous boutiques and soon to be available at some of our stores!

So after reading the post on Decor 8 a few weeks ago, thanks to the internet, I reached out to Catherine and asked about her products and the possibility of carrying them in our stores. Come to find out, she too lives in the Bay Area and just launched her line this summer. 

As fate would have it, she used the SAME photographer ( more on that later ) that we had recently met with and had been in our stores and loved them...

A few emails back and forth ( and this charming picture of a baby wearing our shirt and bloomers !! ) and we finally got together. 

Next up a trunk show in our Corte Madera store...and as she starts to launch her business, the sharing of ideas and learnings that we have both had. 

I am always thrilled to meet someone new and am constantly amazed at the power of this on line community...

Weekend Getaway..Bernardus Lodge on Sale

We have been working like crazy and have had a lot of exciting personal stuff going on...Needless to say, we are in total need of a little get away. The month of October, is also a month of celebrations...My fabulous husband is turning 40, we are celebrating our first year wedding anniversary. 

At first, based on this crazy economy and are being in start up mode ( translation, basically earning no money ) we were wrestling with what and how to celebrate. The staycations of the summer were great, but thinking that the above milestones called for something a bit more special and I might add, he surprised  me with a trip to my favorite hotel, San Ysidro Ranch back in March...

So after a little research, stumbled on the PERFECT place....and posting so any of you who are trying to be a bit thrifty right now, know that it is possible to plan some little getaways without breaking the bank. It just takes a little research. 

So off we go to Bernardus Lodge in Carmel...there is a fantastic, book it now rate on the internet that was litterally 50% off their normal rates...A spectacular lodge and vineyard in Carmel, from which to explore the area, hike in Big Sur, Lunch at the Post Ranch Inn and Kayak in Monterey Bay. 

I am counting the days.....

Tartine

Having a little fall love fest with my adopted city of San Francisco. Over the last few weeks, I have been amazingly fortunate to have reconnected with some old friends, and our meeting spots have been some SF treasures that are somewhat new to me. 

After living in SF, back in 1989 and missing New York desperately, I moved back to the City. Working for a SF based company for the next 14 years, I was back and forth to SF a few times a month, but never quite got the city. Now, almost 20 years later, I am officially living in the Bay Area and here to stay. Married, with 3 stepchildren and a business we started a few years ago, SF is my newly adopted city. 

This time around ( for so many reasons...) I am loving so many people, places and things. I find myself reconnecting with old friends, enjoying adventures in and around the city, and really connecting with a few people that I could really imagine having lasting friendships with. 

Yesterday afternoon, I met an old friend for coffee at a fantastic little spot, that likely every SF native knows about...Tartine Bakery is absolutely devine...Every cookie, pudding, baked good, almond croissant and afternoon snack is both delightful to look at, and amazingly good. 

If you can not make it there...Check out their fantastic cookbook. The photos will inspire you to start baking..And, I might add, what a wonderful way to spend a Sunday morning. 

Enjoy!

Peek...Just Updated our Site for Fall.

So I have been a lame, tired, overworked blogger. 

We have had so much going on at home, at work and some exciting personal news that has kept us busy and off the computers...

One of the things we have been working on is a total site redesign and a really exciting new on line concept for our brand. Our dear Abbie, from passing notes is working on it with my husband. Trust me, I've seen some of it, and it looks great. Getting ready for an end of year, early January launch. We are planning to partner with some interesting people, and would love ANYONE who is interested in participating in our efforts to let me know. More details to follow so you know what you are actually in for. 

In the meantime, Thrilled that our Fall update to our existing site is FINALLY up...Just a small Fall update. PLEASE let me know what you think about anything so we can improve.