+ home sweet home... at least for now

james gulliver hancock

i add the "at least for now" because, as we've learned first hand, relocation can happen when you least expect it. but we did find a home to make our own!

we decided against buying at the moment but hope to purchase in the next couple years (wherever we may be). 

the problem with renting is always the wasted money, and leases can be very tricky. for example, here's a tip: before signing a lease find out what their policy is about relocating for your job. just simply breaking a lease is one thing, but when you must do so because your livelihood is taking you hundreds of miles away they should have a grace policy in place. in our case in atlanta, we were going to be faced with owing three (count 'em) three months rent, job or no job. granted the rent there is much cheaper, but that is a large chunk of change. we were forced to deal with the horrors of finding a subleaser (we were lucky they at least allowed that).

i also despise complex living. i have reached that point in my life where i don't want to be around tons of people living in a shoebox area. and the parking? forget about it.

but there is a silver lining: we were lucky to stumble across a unique situation. it's a small community of just townhouses for rent. ours, one of the few available units left (and yes we double checked that this was true... to avoid pressuring sales tactics), is a brick front with a two car garage and is on the edge of the community facing out to a dead end, quiet street. there are shrubs, a little gate and tree lined sidewalks - all maintained by the property management company. we are definitely excited after all the apartment living.

so, yes, we are renting, but it's the best decision for us right now.

i can't wait to start the projects and painting! we move in friday, and the husband leaves for training in california on sunday... for two weeks. i am going to miss him but will have plenty to keep me busy. posts on the house to come...

blackberry frozen yogurt & chocolate sauce

before moving we got a new attachment for the kitchenaid. an ice cream maker!! nommmmm.

to pinterest we go!

i found this wonderfully simple recipe for blackberry frozen yogurt:

• 3 cups fresh blackberries
• 3 cups yogurt cheese (or greek yogurt)
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk

in a blender or food processor (our blender worked fine) puree the blackberries and condensed milk. in a bowl, mix the puree with your yogurt (we used fage greek yogurt). pour mixture into your ice cream maker and prepare according to maker's instructions.

plan ahead, though! for example, our attachment has to spend about 15 hours in the freezer before use, and i had to let the yogurt sit in the freezer for awhile.

i also whipped up some homemade chocolate sauce using this very easy recipe. i love saving jars and was able to store it in a small, glass jam jar in the fridge and continue using it on our frozen yogurt for the week. be sure to reduce the recipe if needed, because the original yields a lot of chocolate sauce.

this is perfect for summer!

the bee's knees +

i found this wonderfully refreshing cocktail recipe the other day, and it was just the thing to shake me out of my club soda coma.

the bee's knees

• ice
• 2 ounces gin
• 3/4 ounce fresh lemon juice
• 3/4 ounce honey syrup (1 tablespoon honey mixed with 1/2 tablespoon warm water)

fill cocktail shaker with ice, add ingredients, shake well, and strain into a chilled coupe!

cheers!

you wouldn't believe me if i told you

guess where i am. just guess!

the middle of nowhere virginia.

why am i here?

because we have moved back to the dc metro.

bam!

let me explain. as we were settling in nicely to atlanta (nesting, planning, i was about to start a new job, the husband was looking at new opportunities in the area since his situation that moved us there wasn't as ideal as they promised...) the husband got a phone call. a job, that was his to turn down, at a competing company. they threw in all the bells and whistles and more with one stipulation... they wanted him back in the dc area. they paid for the move, and the job i was considering wasn't worth staying. it was definitely an offer we couldn't refuse, and this is where we find ourselves.

all of our belongings are currently packed neatly and full-to-bursting in a pod somewhere, and we are living out of suitcases, temporarily renting (very cheaply) our friends' basement for the month. the plan is to take the time to really make the right decision about where to live. rent? sublet? buy? commercial? private? who knows. the issue though is that they are pretty remote from where we need to live.

i already miss atlanta and feel far away from my family again, but we hope to be in the proper south again in the future. for now, this is our new adventure! even i had no idea we could get "displaced" again so quickly. life is full of surprises.

thai chicken quinoa bowl

oh good gracious, where did february go?! as the boy (man, husband, what is he now??) pointed out to me in the car earlier when i said something about it being february: "um, it's march." yes... i knew that...

so, on with march. what this new year has been full of so far is lots of exercise, fresh food and new recipes. i am confident in my gluten-free living now and so happy to see our kitchen and pantry evolving into a clean, wholesome space i'm in control of.

as i told a friend the other day, i crave thai food and guacamole. this post focuses on the former.

how sweet it is is an amazing blog; visit it. yay! now, check out her thai chicken quinoa recipe. this was so delicious and so fresh. we ate it for dinner one evening and for lunch the next day.

as i tweeted to jessica the other evening, mine didn't turn out as beautiful as the original, but it was soooo tasty and satisfying.

fun fact: did you know that quinoa is actually a seed and that it's a complete protein containing all nine essential amino acids? awesome. and of course it's gluten-free.

found objects

for my wedding, i went around flea markets and shops to find seven different vases. i wanted them to all have clear glass but to be unique. they lined the head table where we sat with our bridal party at the reception, and each girl was able to plop her bouquet into the vase in front of her. the long table was then filled with flowers.

since then, i have really enjoyed flea market and antique store hunting. we recently found an amazing place near us that has so much space, different rooms and so many amazing things.

we were able to pick up this silver tray for our bar stand.

they have the cutest knick knacks like these brass pigs.

my husband had to drag me away from this fantastic royal typewriter.

but i did have to go back and snag one of those pigs. like had to.

i can't wait to go back and further explore. there are nooks and crannies everywhere in that store just overflowing with cool stuff.

roasted eggplant & tomatoes

i've been spending a lot of time in the kitchen since we moved to atlanta, and i am really enjoying the way meal ideas and cooking are starting to come easier to me.

some of the most delicious sides we've enjoyed lately have been simple, fresh and (in this case) roasted.

roasted eggplant

what you need:

• 1 eggplant
• extra virgin olive oil
• salt and pepper
• topping/accompaniment of your choice

set the oven to 425 degrees.

slice your eggplant into rounds. i usually make mine about 1/2 inch thick. 

coat/brush a baking sheet liberally with olive oil.

arrange the eggplant rounds in a single layer on the oiled baking sheet.

salt & pepper the rounds to taste.

roast, undisturbed, for 15 to 20 minutes.

flip the eggplant rounds (they should release from the sheet easily) and the undersides should be "blistery, dark and a bit puffy" - a tip i read in a smitten kitchen recipe.

salt & pepper again.

roast for additional 10 to 12 minutes more.

this is such a simple side, and i like to serve mine with chunky marinara on top. you can also use them for bruschettas or whatever your fancy.

roasted tomatoes

what you need:

• 4 medium, ripe tomatoes
• fresh herbs (such as oregano, green onions, thyme, sage, rosemary)
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• salt & pepper

this recipe came from the bite house. i couldn't resist trying it the same day i found the post.

set oven to 375 degrees.

chop up the herbs and mix them with the olive oil. 

cut the tomatoes into quarters (i actually did them into eighths) and put them in a roasting pan. drizzle/spoon the oil and herb mixture over the tomatoes, and season to taste with salt & pepper.

bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

happy cooking!

beauty favorites via birchbox

i realized that i have shared with you boxes as i have received them and what they contained but that i have not actually hashed out what my favorite product finds have been through birchbox. shame on me.

here we go.

dr. jart+ water fuse beauty balm spf 25+

on birchbox, on sephora

this was my first bb cream, and i decided to look no further. this is a fantastic formula that keeps me looking fresh without weighing me down. i slap on some of this with some mascara and colored lip balm, and i am good to go.

vasanti brighten up! enzymatic face rejuvenator

on birchbox

this stuff is awesome. it came as a generous sample size, one that i am still using (at the rate of 2-3 times a week... "a dab'll do ya" really). it's so great in fact that i actually started receiving compliments on my complexion with adjectives such as "healthy" and "bright" from strangers and family alike. needless to say, when i use it i feel "rejuvenated" indeed.

kiehl's rosa arctica eye cream

on birchbox, on kiehl's

i have a friend that always raves about kiehl's, but this was my first real encounter with one of their products (other than the body wash/shampoo in the equinox showers back when i was cool). love it. cooling, refreshing and it definitely de-puffs. all in all? it does the trick.

jouer lip enhancer

on birchbox, at nordstrom

this is a conditioning lip treatment with just the tiniest kiss of sheer pink color. i am a lip balm fanatic and quickly took to this little beauty.

stila all over shimmer liquid luminizer

on birchbox, on sephora

i received the pale pink one in my box. this looks really great high on the cheekbones over blush. just a little touch of a healthy glow and shimmer. much more sophisticated than the glitter we used to wear in middle school.

modelco shine ultra lip gloss

on birchbox, on model cosmetics

you want super glossy lips? you've got 'em. plus the gloss smells really nice. to top it all off the lips gloss has a thin mirror on the side that's the perfect size for application.

thebalm cosmetics hot mama shadow & blush all-in-one

on birchbox, on thebalm

this pretty peachy color does it all. i love when cosmetics are multi-purpose.

have you tried any of these beauty products? what did you think?

happy thursday!

books & paper things

i know we need to reduce, reuse, recycle like nobody's business... and we do for the most part. we take our reusable shopping bags to the stores and to buy groceries, aluminum is the most efficient thing to recycle (so get on that), we stock our kitchen with pyrex and washable containers and drink water from a filter instead of from bottles. you get the picture.

but oh how i love love love paper goods. any and all things that are paper and print and paper-related or can mark the page with my thoughts, ideas and whims.

i have a pinterest board dedicated to just that: books & paper things

do you have an affinity for paper like me? here are some of my favorites right now...

knot & bow kraft heart stickers

yellow owl workshop: stamp kit "this book belongs to: ____"

cheeky pencils

the penguin threads book editions; the best friend bought me the wizard of oz one, and i love it.

BLANK supplies & inspiration (i want all of their stuff, now.)

and just as we shouldn't be wasteful, i look at a blank piece of craft paper or a crisp new notebook or stationary set with a sort of reverie. it often takes me a long time to make the first mark or scribble on a new page, because the possibilities are endless.

so that's my spiel on that.  

happy new year

happy new year to you all. i hope your holiday season was restful, lovely and bright!

being home was wonderful, and now it's time to put away the decorations and get on with january.

cheers