Mai Autumn

happy birthday to me!

it's my birthday on monday, and of course i'm having a sale :) take 30% off the whole shop through the month of may with code MAIBIRTHDAY. woohoo!

i'm celebrating a little early with a trip into new york this weekend to see the new great gatsby movie...! i've been excited about this movie since i saw the first trailer about a year ago or so. baz luhrmann has always been one of my favorite directors (moulin rouge, romeo + juliet) i cannot WAIT to get all decked out in my finest and dance the night away!

here's some gatsby inspiration to kick off the weekend!

for the top, click here. and this fancy pink cocktail is surprisingly easy to make:

In a cocktail shaker combine 1/4 cup each of gin and grapefruit juice, 1 tablespoon dry vermouth and a little crushed ice. Cover the container, shake the mixture well, and strain it into a stemmed glass over ice cubes. Makes 1 drink.  via gourmet.

of course i couldn't help but dress a little 20s-ish, so here's my modern take on a daisy-esque dress that i'll be pairing with my grandmother's vintage fur stole and some glitzy jewels:

hope you all have a happy mother's day and a lovely spring weekend out there! :)

ginger tea

lots has been happening here, as usual, and of course, i had to go and catch a silly cold. ginger tea to the rescue! if you're ever feeling a little under the weather, this little home remedy will pick you right back up again:

Ginger Tea (recipe via me) makes enough for one mug -

1" piece of fresh ginger - peeled and sliced (you can substitute powdered (about 3/4 tsp) if you don't have the fresh stuff)

1 tablespoon honey

juice of a slice of lemon

a super teeny pinch of cayenne pepper

1-2 cups hot water

directions - mix together, let steep for 5-10 minutes and enjoy!

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most recipes don't call for the cayenne, but if you're stuffy, the hot pepper will really wake up your sinuses and make breathing a dream. i've heard that some people drink this tea even when they're feeling healthy to keep colds away and stay well in general. perhaps i might think about that for the rest of this chilly season ahead!

besides all the usual day to day happenings, i'm hoping to feel 110% better asap, because i am currently in the middle of moving myself and my studio while i get ready for some really big changes in my little life! i will keep you posted on the exciting developments as they unfurl. :)

(image above via drawcity)

pumpkin spice

with the cooler temperatures making their way through my open window last night, i woke up seriously craving a pumpkin spice latte! i considered getting myself together to drive over to a starbucks, but i decided to make do with my own handy work and whip up something that at least resembles the pumpkin-ey goodness this coffee concoction brings to me every fall. mine didn't turn out quite as sweet and creamy as the coffee shop counterpart, but i do have a wee little taste of fall in my mug this morning. i found the best recipe for homemade pumpkin spice latte over on apartment therapy's kitchn -

DIY Recipe: Pumpkin Spice Latte (Just Like Starbucks!)

From the kitchn:

Pumpkin Spice Latte
makes 1-2 servings

Ingredients:
2 cups milk
2 tablespoons canned pumpkin OR 1 teaspoon of Torani Pumpkin Spice Syrup (your choice)
2 tablespoons sugar or sugar substitute - you can halve this amount
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1-2 shots espresso (about 1/4 cup of espresso or 1/2 cup of strong brewed coffee if you don't have an espresso machine.)

Directions:
In a saucepan combine milk, pumpkin and sugar and cook on medium heat, stirring, until steaming. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and spice, transfer to a blender and process for 15 seconds until foamy. If you don't have a blender, don't worry about it - just whisk the mixture really well with a wire whisk.

Pour into a large mug or two mugs. Add the espresso on top.

Optional: Top with whipped cream and sprinkle pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg, or cinnamon on top.

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sounds delicious, right?!

ok, so, i wish my cup had all these fab ingredients in it, but, with it being only august, i didn't happen to have pumpkin puree hangin' around, nor did i have pumpkin pie spice, specifically, so here's a substitue for pumpkin pie spice, just in case you're like me:  1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves, 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger - makes a little over 1 teaspoon.

the version i've got kind of reminds me of a pumkin flavored coffee, which is just right for a coolish, indian summer type day like today :)

 

addicted to pinterest

i went to compose this post and i couldn't stop repinning everything there was to pin over on pinterest, so, here are some of my finds! enjoy the eye candy :)

here

 

here

 

 

here

 

here

 

here

 

and here

 

i could pin all day long! :)

 

let them eat cake

i've decided to kick off my birthday weekend a little early, so i can enjoy this amazing sunshine we're having! here's hoping 26 is even better than 25 :) :) woohoo! hope you all enjoy your weekend! :)

via the sweetest occasion 

gettin' dirty in the name of produce

today, i'm off to plant my garden. i have some mini plants from the local nursery, and i'm preparing a makeshift green house for the seeds i'm sowing. hopefully this will lead to lots of gorgeous veggies for the season - and some delicious meals!

via groundwork

i just love summer cooking because of all the fresh produce available. last year, we participated in a CSA program (community supported agriculture), and it was always so, so fun to get that box of veggies in the middle of the night. sort of like santa for grown ups (foodie grown ups, of course!)

via how sweet it is - strawberry mango basil salsa (yes, please!)

this year, i am determined to make it over to the local farmers market up on the boardwalk in asbury, run by food for thought by the sea, since we decided it might be better to buy our own as we go along this summer. (one can only eat so much cabbage!)(sorry, i had to say it lol)

via food for thought by the sea

if i have my info correct, the farmer's market takes place at first and ocean avenues in asbury park, nj, every thursday, from mid june through september, from 10am-1pm. for more info, visit food for thought by the sea or this post on local harvest.

popovers!

 

i always love baking on the weekends, and this sunday, i took on popovers! they are unbelievably easy to make, as long as you watch your oven - they burn very quickly if left in there too long! the recipe i used was in my baking with julia cookbook. (i love this book - it has everything!) if you have eggs, milk, butter, flour and a blender of some sort (i use a stick blender), you're good to go!

the first batch was a little bit different than the second, but each batch was equally tasty. 

batch #1:

batch #2:

weird, right? well, at least they 'popped' over, and that's the important part! :)

ah, nothing like sunday pastries to brighten up your weekend ritual!

hope your week is starting out great!

oodles of bagels

if you recall the end of sunday's post, you might remember i said i made bagels. well, the bagel making continued today and i am most definitely addicted! there are a few steps involved, but they're relatively easy to make and the results are so much more delicious than your average grocery store bagel! (side note: now, if i lived up in nyc, then maybe i wouldn't really find much use for this bagel-making... but i don't, so it's useful!)

check out some of my yummy creations! bonus - you can put whatever toppings you want when you make your own!

i could eat these things all day! :)