Farewell Blogust!

Thanks for reading and commenting and emailing and the general love and support! Hope you've all had a great Blogust!

The Week in High Fives

1. Even though we don't have any actual flowers in our garden (this will all change next year - I swear to you!), I managed to make the simplest flower arrangement from my perennial grass that occasionally sprouts lilac "flowers". I added some mint in their too.

2. This ByBoe Sweetheart ring was supposed to be an actual bow but they sent the wrong one. I love it though so I didn't have the "heart" to send it back (wah-waa). I also love this and these.

 

3. This is Penny who is 4 months old and new to the park. Excited to see her grow and play!

4. This drink from The Spotted Pig was so delicious: rose water lemonade - totally made my day! 

5. Having breakfast with Mila at Mila Cafe was pretty awesome!

And perhaps the most exciting news of this week is that my visa came through!! Finally! So now I am officially and definitely going to be employed! Unclear on the exact start date but sometime next week for sure. Thanks for putting up with me while I complained about this topic for the longest time! 

Who really needs furniture anyway?

After our third-hand couch from Chicago wouldn't fit through the door of our new apartment (damn those 1910 builders who could not fathom that all American sofas would be enormous and awkward), we settled for life with a one-seat armchair. This arrangement was working out well until Ryan had some time off this week, and one of us (usually me!) was left sitting on the floor! So with the news that my visa had finally come through, we decided to suck it up and go back to Ikea to buy a couch. We left with a lot more than just a couch, and although the apartment is a continuing work-in-progress, it is starting to look more like a home now. 

If you ever find yourself having to go through the pain of going to Ikea, I have a few tips that may make it more bearable.

1. If you live in a city like New York and don't own a car, or more specifically a truck, beg, borrow or steal one. The first time we went to Ikea we took two trains and a ferry on a boiling hot day. We did not buy a single thing except lunch, among other things because we couldn't face carrying it all home on said trains and ferry and walking with it back to our apartment. 

2. If you have this luxury, go on a weekday morning. We went on a Monday and considering that they offer a free, cooked breakfast, it would be safe to say Mondays are slow-days for them. A pleasure. 

3. Take snacks. Unless you are happy to spend time in the cafeteria waiting in line for food, usually a cooked full-on meal, a better use of your time is to eat something before and take some water and a power bar in your bag for when you need a pick-me-up. 

4. Do not plan anything after the Ikea trip or for the next day if you can. Ikea is generally overwhelming and once you get home, you still have to assemble everything so your job is far from finished. We assembled a couch, foot stool, coffee table, side table and a double bed over the two days and it was physically and emotionally exhausting. 

5. Plan ahead. Go to their website, pick out what you want over a few days, make sure they have it at your local branch, print out your order and go armed. This will save you countless hours of wandering and more likely keep you focused. Your research will not go to waste. All the furniture has Swedish names so it can get very confusing between the brown Kivik and the white Ektorp etc and this lamp and that rug.

6. Have fun! Although Ikea furniture gets a bad rap, it is by the far the best value for money if you are starting out and need to furnish a lot quickly. Plus, I think if you look after your furniture, it should last until you feel ready to invest in a pricier version. There are also gradations within Ikea so you can buy the cheapest couch made out of sticks and plastic wrap or one that has actual springs with cushions and fabric. 

7. A nice view (below) on the way home while you worry about whether your bounty will get soaked (and rot) or fall off the back of your rented pick-up truck/bakkie, is never a bad thing. Find that silver lining!

And the fun and games begin. First up is building the couch. I even ironed the covers. 

 Real springs!

Despite all our efforts to keep Mila off the couch in the previous apartment (I've shouted at her, physically placed her on the floor, used treats, put chairs on the couch etc), she is so much more persistent and stubborn than I could ever have imagined. She was even climbing on the couch while we were building it. Come on, this is one determined dog. 

In an effort to compromise, we bought a footstool which triples up as storage, a foot rest and Mila's own couch. Ridiculous. The problem is keeping her off the rest. 

It didn't work.. Mila also rearranged the cushions to her liking. Sigh. The only saving grace is that I have scotch-guarded the couch and draped a very comfy blanket on it, to which she seems amenable. Thank heavens she is only 9lbs and has short hair! 

I never appreciated the basics like a couch until now. Even though this furniture is by no means fancy, it was fun (and stressful) to research the process and "build" everything together. (Even though this is definitely not true) I feel like this is the comfiest couch ever! I think the woeffle agrees.   

 

Sweet dreams. 

US Open 2012!

As some of you may know, Ryan is pretty tennis obsessed. The words "vamos" and "the bull" are common in our house. Right now he is wearing an ode to Nadal T-shirt even though there will be no "bull or "vamos" this year as sadly Rafa is injured. Knowing about this obsession, a friend of ours got us tickets to her company's box at the US Open, last Monday night. After an insane day of assembly (more on that to follow), it was cool to feel fancy, attend the opening ceremony, and be crazily close to the court. The lobster rolls and enormous carrot cake weren't half-bad too. We also did some celeb spotting (my favourite part) which included Alec Baldwin, Stanley Tucci, Anna Wintour (ooo!) and (how-awesome) Zach Braff! We watched Kim Clijsters from Belgian beat a newbie American, Victoria Duval and then were treated to Roger Federer up-close and personal, such were our seats for the evening. The photos just don't do it justice but here goes in any case.

Alec, Stanley, Anna and Zach are behind me, I swear.

Awkward self-portraiture.

Kim, getting ready to pounce!

 

 There's ol' Fed playing Donald Young. 

Last year when we went to the open, we sat in the pleb seats. I prefer the box myself. It's the only way to roll.

Cream Puffs and Mochi

Caitlin and I stumbled upon Beard Papa's Japanese-style Bakery last winter and we were intrigued by its peculiarity and specialty: cream puffs and mochi ice-cream. 

 

 Look at cute Beard Papa! He looks like a Santa-Smurf.

For those unfamiliar with Japanese cuisine, mochi is a type of ice-cream encased in rice-cake dough which has the consistency of a paste. They are usually three-bites apiece which makes them perfect for a quick taste and an excuse to have more than one!

 

I managed to snap a few pics of their world-famous cream puffs in various flavours (try the original and the cocoa puff).

 

 Mmmmm. 

Flying Harry Potters

These blurry folks are playing "Quidditch" in the park..They have broomsticks and giant hoops and they "fly". Is this really happening?

Mild Chaos: A Sneak Peek

I have not forgotten about Blogust!! So sorry for the delays in posts but I will be making up for it before Blogust is over (on Friday! Yikes!). In the meantime, a picture says 1000 words so here is a sneak peek of why Blogust took a temporary hiatus. 

Watch this space!

The Week in High Fives!

1. Cycling with my dog, admiring the views and watching her ears flap in the wind while we ride.

 

2. This post from The Beauty Department totally made me smile and made me think that we don't have to pay an arm-and-a-leg for beauty, we just have to be a little creative.

3. Been researching this quite seriously - the thought makes my heart sing!

4. Having my husband home in time for dinner every night this week! Awesome, amazing and appreciated. 

Even though this looks like a bit of train-wreck, this berry cobbler was the most unexpected, on-the-fly, delicious surprise of the week. You can find the recipe here. It's made straight in the skillet and is so easy to make. It has been making my day every day since Wednesday.

5. Reading all your comments and emails about Blogust and suggestions for posts made my week, thank you for taking the time. 

 

Lunch-in-a-jar!

In anticipation of starting my own job and the fact that Ryan already has one, I decided to try something new for "work lunches". I saw on A Cup of Jo (of course) about this nifty idea from The Daily Muse to take salad-in-a-jar to work. Genius. The best part is you can make your jars for the week all at once and the salad will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days. No more stressing the night before or morning of about what to take for lunch. The combinations are also only limited to your imagination and pantry/fridge. The only real guidelines to keeping the salad fresh and crisp is to separate the dressing from the leaves and herbs. Place the liquid portion at the bottom with the bulkier leafy part of the salad, as your final step.

So far we've done a basil pesto pasta salad, chickpea and avocado salad, what's ever leftover salad, and we even cut up a black-bean burger patty to add bulk to the salad. I use wide-mouthed Quart Mason Jars which I found at a local craft store, but can also be ordered online or bought from the supermarket. Even though the quart-size (one litre) looks huge, it fills up very quickly especially if you leave some space at the top for shaking. My first few jars, I was so excited, I went a bit overboard and filled them right to the top, but there's still plenty of space for food if you don't. Other pros to the mason jars? They are made of glass so don't have all the nasty stuff that plastic has, they can go in the dishwasher (I wouldn't recommend putting the lids in the dishwasher though), they don't leak, and have multiple purposes besides lunch (jamming, flower vasing, storage, cookie jar etc).

And my very own salad-in-a-jar..

 

This particular week (from top to bottom), we had baby spinach leaves, pepperdews, crumbled feta, sundried tomatoes, baby cucumbers, celery and a lemon vinaigrette (I think, later, we added some of the black bean burger in there too, to bulk it up). If you want to put avocado in the salad, definitely do so but try and squeeze it between something acidic like olives in brine, lemon or lime wedges or sundried tomatoes to stop it turning brown.

Once I actually start working, I'll make some jars for my lunch but for now Ryan takes these to work 2-3 times a week and sometimes has them for dinner at home. They provide a good base to complement a meal and are super easy to just take out of the fridge and enjoy!

Dogs on a bike.

When we first got Mila and moved to New York (kind of all at once), a friend of ours (Thanks Amy!) sent us a link from bicyclehabit about riding a bike with your dog and the appropriate equipment. I have been a little nervous to try and take Mila on the bike without an appropriate doggie backpack but yesterday I decided to try a few things out. I rode with her in a normal backpack and whilst she's a little long for long rides, she coped really well and seemed to have a pretty good time with her head out, ears flapping, sniffing the breeze! 

Option 1:

 Regular backpack, allowing for woeffie scenic viewing 

 Option 2:

I managed to secure my basket properly so that it doesn't rest on the front wheel. I'm a little apprehensive to try cycling with her because I'm worried the bike may be a little front heavy but perhaps once cycling, we will all balance out. Either way she looks pretty cute! 

Another option would be the dog on the back on the bike... nerve-wracking!

Whilst, I am sure Mila would love this ride, it ain't happening!

Would you ever ride a bike with your dog?

Current Blog Lovin'

For some design inspiration, farmer's market produce and cute babies (the newest one is less than a month old!), check out Christine Chitnis (Thanks to Lucia for telling me about this one!) 

For some interior design, fun giveaways and DIY inspiration, I recommend paying a visit to Jenny Komenda's blog, A Little Green Notebook. She does the most incredible home improvement projects, basically on her own. I had been thinking of covering my dining room table chairs for the longest time and when I saw her post on DIY upholstery, I knew I no longer had any excuses not to try it!

For when I am feeling wistful and indulgent, or just in the mood for some fashion inspiration, I go to Atlantic-Pacific. Bee's clothes and style often leave me more depressed than hopeful, as her clothes are always designer, and her taste is impeccable, but mostly I leave aspiring to be a leggy blonde, permanently drinking an iced coffee, wearing to die-for outfits. Oh and she also lives between New York City and San Francisco - it's a tough life but someone's gotta live it.

Every now and again when Mila is behaving or if I'm feeling brave, I check out doxiegarden, the website of the Mila's breeder in New Jersey. Go and check it out but be warned, you may just die from cuteness. 

And then finally, a blog that is linked on my own, and which I have recently discovered and click on daily, is reading my tea leaves. I love Erin's style and the way she designs her blog and sources amazing objects to talk about. She also lives with her husband is a teeny-tiny apartment in Brooklyn so it's great to see how they problem-solve their small space.

The Best Bran Muffins.. ever!

I have recently been getting into a good routine where I roll out of bed (luckily I have this), put on the most casual and publicly acceptable clothes (I wouldn't even go as far as calling this an outfit), grab the dog (literally or she will run away if she sees her collar and leash) and take her for a walk in Central Park before 9am (off-leash hours). I usually gulp down my tea (the only way I can get out of bed) and thats it. Lately, however, I have found myself wishing I could eat something on-the-go because usually I only get home a couple of hours later and then it's already time for brunch.. So for the time being, I have solved this problem by stumbling upon the most awesome bran muffin recipe ever. I very rarely choose a bran/"healthy" muffin over a cupcake with chocolate chips, but these are delish. Even my husband commented, saying that these (the muffins) were some of my finest work. Just saying.

A friend recommended the King Arthur Flour website for good recipes and coincidentally whilst googling "bran muffins", I found a recipe on their site. These muffins are versatile in that you can freeze them or keep the batter in the fridge for a week, and add or subtract ingredients as you see fit. I usually like to make a recipe bog-standard the first time around and then start making alterations. In the mixture below you'll see I've mostly stayed true to King Arthur's recommended recipe. In future, I would like to substitute some of the sugar with molasses, stevia or agave nectar but for the moment, I used the ingredients I already had. What I also love about King Arthur's recipes is that you have the option to display the recipe in volume (cups and spoons), ounces (US) or grams (the rest of the world..), making it accessible for all :).

Here is the King Arthur Flour Recipe (and listed below)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup boiling water
1/2 cup bran cereal (not flakes, preferably a wheat bran)
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 large egg
1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup raisins (I didn't have any so I left them out)
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cups bran cereal (not flakes)
 

Method: 

1. In a small mixing bowl, pour the boiling water over the half cup of cereal. When cooled, mix in the vegetable oil and egg. 
2. While the water/bran mixture cools, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl. Stir in the raisins.
3. In a large measuring cup, combine the buttermilk and brown sugar, and stir into the dry ingredients. Stir in remaining cereal, then the softened bran mixture. Cover the batter and refrigerate it overnight (I was too impatient, and hungry, to wait a day to bake them but perhaps one should?).
4. When you're ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375°F for 15 minutes. Line a muffin tin with papers, and spray the insides of the papers. Or just grease the muffin cups themselves, if you like a crustier muffin edge.
5. Stir the batter once or twice, then scoop a heaping 1/4-cup of batter into each prepared muffin cup.  
6. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
7. Remove from the oven, cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes before removing the muffins from the pan.  

Every modern baker has to bake from her iPad in the kitchen. I mean, come on. 

This recipe calls for buttermilk. I was excited about this because I recently purchased this powder buttermilk and was waiting to try it. For some reason in the States, the fresh buttermilk always comes in such large containers.. In reality you probably don't need more than a cup for each recipe and how often do you actually use buttermilk anyway? Having it in powder form and adding water, allows you to always have it on hand without fearing it's imminent expiration.

I used Red Mill Organic High Fiber Oat Bran Hot Cereal for this recipe but in the previous batch I used red wheat bran and both batches turned out great. As long as you don't use bran flakes (which I imagine would turn into a soggy mess), you can probably use whatever bran product you have in your pantry. 

Another star of the show is this baking spray that comes with flour. How bizarre, but how brilliant. Perfect lift-off every time. In addition, if you don't want to bake all your muffins at once, you can just fill the empty wells with water so that they don't warp during baking.  

The mixture is very runny but don't be scared because after 20 minutes in the oven you get this..! Magic!

 

Although highly unnecessary, the warm muffins taste insane with some almond butter (a new discovery for me). Plus Justin's Nut Butters come in little sachet packs so in theory you could take your muffin and your nut butter on the go. Perfection.