Cute Bag and an Announcement

How perfectly adorable is this bag for summer? I could see taking it to the pool or the beach, the farmers market, to the park for a picnic...just about anywhere!

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You may have noticed that my posting has been extremely light of late. Apart from having real-world issues to deal with, I just haven't been that excited about blogging. It's a surprising amount of work to put together a good post, and considering the small readership that this blog receives, it just doesn't seem worth the trouble most days. I'm thinking about taking things in a new direction, but I'm still somewhat hazy on what that direction might be. I promise to keep you posted. xoxo

DIY: Refurbished Chair (Update)

Remember the chair I bought off of Craigslist a while back? I promised to post an update after I finished refurbishing it, and, well...I still haven't. Three months later. I never could find the perfect fabric for recovering the seat, so I decided to wait until I move and choose the fabric based on the decor in that future home instead of my current temporary one. In the meantime, it is hanging out in my bedroom, acting more as sculpture than functional furniture. Oh well...I still think it looks pretty cool!

Step 1 - Giving the chair a thorough cleaning with a toothbrush and warm soapy water (and the assistance of my mom's dog, Lola)

Step 2 - Priming with Kilz Original Primer Spray to create a clean surface for the paint and to block the smoke odors that remained from the previous owner (I used one full can)

Step 3 - Painting with two coats (one full can) of Rust-Oleum Painter's Touch flat white spray paint, allowing to dry for 10-15 minutes between coats

The not-so-finished product

Dreaming of...Mexico

I've been thinking about Mexico a lot lately...the mountains, the desert sunsets, the beaches, the cities, the art and design (and, um, the margaritas). It all just sounds so vibrant and exciting.

Clockwise from top left: 1) Knit chair from Pirwi; 2) Marc by Marc Jacobs sunglasses, $98 from Nordstrom; 3) "Poolside" dress from Steven + Brown, on sale for $89; 4) Del Mar vase from Emilia Ceramics, $125; 5) Matiko Fringe T-Strap Sandal from Urban Outfitters, $128; 6) The courtyard at ex-Hacienda Las Trancas, suites from $300/night; 7) "Javanica" Tote from Anthropologie, $88; 8) The Collected Poems of Octavio Paz, 1957-1987 from Amazon.com, $17.79

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Five Under Five: Breakfast

Stuck in a breakfast rut? Here are five easy (and healthy!) ideas to shake up your routine, each with five ingredients (plus freebies like salt and pepper) or less...

Hummus and Sprouts = 1. whole-grain bread + 2. hummus + 3. alfalfa sprouts + 4. Swiss cheese + 5. avocado slices (or substitute tomato slices when in season) + salt and pepper
Toast the bread, slather it with hummus, top with sprouts and a slice of cheese and pop in the toaster oven or under the broiler until cheese starts to bubble. Top with avocado slices and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Egg & Grits = 1. quick-cooking polenta or grits + 2. chicken stock + 3. baby spinach 4. minced shallot + 5. poached egg + salt and pepper
Prepare polenta or grits according to package instructions, substituting an equal amount of chicken stock for the water called for in the recipe. Sauté spinach and shallots in a bit of olive oil. Top polenta or grits with sautéed spinach and poached egg then sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Super Smoothie = 1. 1/2 cup frozen blueberries + 2. 2/3 cup low-fat raspberry or strawberry kefir + 3. 1/4 cup pomegranate juice + 4. 1 Tbsp. flax oil + 5. dash of honey or agave nectar (if needed)
Combine all ingredients in a blender and let it whir away until thick and luscious.

PB&B Waffle = 1. whole-grain waffle + 2. organic peanut butter + 3. banana slices (buy fair-trade bananas whenever possible!) + 4. honey or agave nectar + 5. chopped walnuts
Toast waffle, spread with peanut butter, and top with banana slices. Drizzle with a bit of honey or agave nectar and sprinkle with chopped walnuts.

Breakfast Fried Rice = 1. 1 or 2 eggs + 2. minced ginger + 3. cooked brown rice + 4. thinly sliced scallions + 5. tamari or soy sauce
Heat a few drops of vegetable oil in a skillet and add ginger. Cook, stirring, for about 30 seconds and then add rice. Cook for a minute then crack eggs into the pan. Scramble eggs with a spatula, mixing in the rice and ginger. Remove from heat, top with scallions, and sprinkle with tamari.

Have a wonderful Tuesday!