Stone Hill Farm

Madhatter Tea Party at LAMIL

2012-01-26T09:08:00.000-05:00

I attended a Mad Hatter Tea Party at LAMILL on Tuesday morning. Local area coffee shop owners were invited from around the city, coffee enthusiasts and LAMILL patrons as well. It was delightful. The macaroons were scrumptious as well as gorgeous to photograph. They make me want to be a food photographer. The light was simply marvelous, don't you think?

There were miles of warm, fresh out-of-the-fryer beignets for the taking. I've spoken of my LAMILL beignet love before but I learned that they use McCallan scotch *jaw drops to floor* in their butterscotch sauce. Be. Still. My. Heart! Lemon curd and chocolate are other options. I'll stick with scotch thank you very much.

The Sun wrote a great article about Baltimore's up and coming coffee scene that morning. All of the people mentioned in the article were at this event. Kris Fulton, our host from LAMILL, ran the demo and a latte art contest.

Becka started off teaching how the V60 worked and it's benefits. The V60 is the white porcelain single serving drip cone photographed. I gave one to E. for Christmas and he proceeded to then buy the glass container below and the uber fancy water pot for perfect pouring. I may have rolled my eyes just a tiny bit regarding his obsession but do think it is cool that my Charlie loved coffee before coffee was cool.

It is always a pleasure to see our friend and lovely Allie Caran. The Sun article boasted of her new shop that is opening in March called Artifact. We couldn't be more tickled that it is less than a mile away from our home. She's holding my addiction, LAMILL jasmine pearls in this photo. They sell it loose and boxed in tea bags. I've gone through a minimum of five boxes since Thanksgiving. The floral notes are to die for and just make me feel like I'm on vacation during my afternoon tea break. I've even polished my silver and pulled out my good china to drink this decadent tea. (Charlie deserves an eye roll facing my way.) You can see the V60's lining the community table behind Allie. My darling Charlie would have been in coffee bliss. They are having free coffee clinics a few Saturday's at LAMILL beginning at 10:00 am so we can go back my darling, with pleasure.

There was a syphon brew method demonstration as well. This is the coolest little contraption. You can see the blue flame of the Bunsen burner heating up the last bit of water that rises through the top of the syphon. It's a dramatic finish when the coffee filters back down into the bulb.

In my earlier post I neglected to photograph a key element of the Four Seasons' LAMILL espresso machine. It was custom made for the hotel at Espresso Parts in Washington State. Rumor has it this little baby was upwards of $40K.

Jay Caragay, owner of Spro Hampden, was also in tow with Lindsay, now at LAMILL. We met Becka and Lindsay when they were working at Spro when it first opened nearly four years ago. There was a wonderful sense of kinship at this party and many spoke of this video I neglected to add a few days ago.

Hilarious, but they forgot the part where they talk about latte art competitions.

Lindsay, Jay, Allie and Becka....awwwww!

March Madness it wasn't but there was a little Barista Bowl that morning. Kris invited the visiting barista's to a latte art challenge. There were only 15 hands and 16 were needed. Who do you think volunteered?

Me! Ha! and I pulled the number two spot so had to go FIRST! WHAT WAS I THINKING?

Adrienne from Charmington's and I went head to head in the battle of the barista's. Kris pulled the shots and actually even steamed my milk. Allie gave me a ten second refresher course and encouraged me that shaking makes it better.

I may have been shaking a bit taking this fuzzy photo.

We had our choice of cups which were warm on the resting station of the machine. I LOVE that my camera caught the drips of espresso eking out of the fancy dancy machine.

Adrienne had cup A.

I was the proud owner of cup B. The vote was (11) for A and...wait for it...(10) for me. I lost by one point! I was so excited. The variations were good and I was told I had great contrast. My heart was upside down and not symmetrical. I am totally okay with that. As @WitWisdomTavern put it @Baltiville nice try! No risk, no glory!! #madhatter.

It was such a blast doing something totally out of my comfort zone. It was great to be part of it.

One of Eric's buds, Diane, from Spro was also there. I introduced myself to her as, "Eric's wife". No one knows me at coffee shops unless I remind them that I'm Eric's wife.

The competition rolled out in four rounds. It was crazy fun to watch the different designs come out from behind the bar. They were created blindly so we didn't know until afterwards who the artist was. I loved Becka's funky pine and heart.

I can't remember who belonged to this one but think it was Allie. Correct me if I'm wrong please guys.

Didn't take good notes, but Becka won this one since she went on to the next round.

I wish I wrote down who owned what cup. Both were so gorge.

Allie got third, Becka (beating her boss Kris-you go girl) got second and Linsdaybarista's were hurt during this competition.

The prizes were hip as hell too; vinyl records, an E.T. board game, and Grease on VHS! LAMILL even gave all the participants gift bags with coffee, caramels and other special treats.

Thank you LAMILL for hosting such a lovely gathering and inviting little ole me. Allie, thanks for the fun ten second latte class. I'm looking forward to our behind the scenes tour of Artifact. To all of our coffee buds, thanks for treating me like I'm part of your fold, even if it was for mere seconds. I'm buying whole milk to practice at home.

Dreaming and Pinning

2012-01-25T14:36:00.000-05:00

Herend Bunny

I'm obsessed with Pinterest. Have you found it yet? Momma? I know many of my blogger buddies are already on this bandwagon, but if you have not found it yet, please let me know if you would like an invitation. Leave your email address in the comment section below. You can "pin" photos and videos on your own personalized boards. It's a social networking site and I think it is funny that some of my guy office pals are on it posting about comic books and "manamals". My boards range from my 40th Birthday dreams to photos of latte art. I've been pinning a bunch of my own photos and just hope I'm doing it correctly. It's best to be creative and find new pins but I am constantly stealing gorgeous photos from the likes of TrishyRose, EAS and TartanScot. I wish there was a way to share something on other peoples boards.

I sent AliVon What'sAWeekend this foxy little fox for her obsession.

I love Herend Bunnies. My aunts and grandparents all collect them. I have a raspberry seated bunny that we received for our wedding. Momma gave me a Herend egg and a cousin gave me a little bunny box for my high school graduation. Of course a nest of Herend bunnies would be delightful. Until then I will just pin the heck of of the them on my "Lapin Love" board. I like having a place to put all of "my" visually beautiful things together even if they aren't real. Some are real but most are just wishes and dreams.

Via

I've been dreaming about my birthday getaway with my Charlie. We are heading to Charlottesville and can not wait to tell the tales of our adventure.

My darling Katiecakes sent me a little note with these beautiful vintage Lilly scarves. I pinned it so it would me remind me of her always.

What are you pinning? Please send me your name so I can follow you as well. My name is under Nelle Somerville, but you can also find me as Baltiville. Enjoy and be careful. It is addictive.

S@#T So and So...Says

2012-01-23T09:01:00.002-05:00

I believe this was one of the first "stuff" girls say videos to come out. I only think this because of Brian Williams' and Rock Center story last Monday. These Canadians are so clever and last week was a buzz of video forwards. Here are a few of my favorite from this past week.

I had a hand carved ice cube at Woodberry Kitchen with a prohibition style Martinez that made me giggle. They actually do make their own bitters and I've even seen Elder Flower foam before.

Fashion Girls

Enjoy!

Madcap Coffee in Grand Rapids, Michigan

2012-01-19T11:52:00.000-05:00

Christmas brought us to Michigan via road trip. We drove eleven and a half hours from Baltimore. We woke up the day after our drive and decided to head north another 45 miles to Grand Rapids. The coffee pilgrimage continued. E. was excited to check out Madcap Coffee. Seemed a bit crazy but there was no traffic and it was a gorgeous, cold winter day.

I grew up in Michigan and my oldest friends are spread out across the Great Lakes state. We called my buddy Andy on the way up north and tried to meet up with him in GR. He works in the building next to Madcap but was watching the kids so his hot wife could get extra Christmas shopping done. It was such a tease to be so close to them but we were on a coffee mission and had to get back to The Zoo in time for Baby Nephew's baptism. Loved talking to you Andy and had such a nice time in your town. The museum is killer and we got an extra present for my grandmother in the gift shop. As always, YOU ROCK!

E. didn't know that I had already put in the request with my Momma and brother to pick up a few bags of beans for his stocking from Madcap. He of course also bought a few bags. The thing with way fancy coffee is you can't really stock up on the stuff. You want the beans to be freshly roasted, within a few weeks. So we later picked up a bean storage can from Waterstreet Coffee Joint in Kalamazoo.

The coffee altar at Madcap is raised just slightly, begging for the customer to come and worship the brews. My Episcopalian mind imagined the bean "bags" as kneelers and E. going up for communion in his "church" of sorts. This large open space had nave-like qualities with exposed brick and great acoustics. The choir of espresso machines and milk steamers worked in harmony on our visit.

The beans are roasted in the "lower crypt". This church metaphor works...even though it may be a bit much.

The term Madcap comes from the play on Mad Cappuccino.

Third Coast espresso was the gift of choice from my family to Eric. I love the detail on the packaging that had a fabric label.

The place was not that busy when we arrived so E. had lots of time to discuss his options.

I love pretty things. I'm still wooed by latte art and I'm finally beginning to actually taste the difference between my lattes too. This latte was the perfect temperature, using locally grass-fed milk, that showed off the coffee vs. scorching my tongue.

E. ordered the coffee flight.

There were two single roasted cups and one blend.

It was one of the highlights of our Christmas trip. Just sneaking away for the morning. My family was like, "You drove where? For what? Coffee? I don't get it." It's okay guys. You don't have to get it.

Charlie, you are the heart in my latte. Thank you for our adventures.

Guest Room and Gulf War Painting

2012-01-17T15:26:00.000-05:00

After our vacation at the Asbury Park Ocean Inn this summer I wanted to recreate as pretty a sanctuary as a compliment to our guest room there. I loved the bright pops of color throughout the inn. When we returned home I went straight to Target to pick up a crisp white matelasse quilt. E. painted the room bright yellow after I was inspired by an HGTV home with the same color. It's also on the south side of the house so it gets the most sun of any room in our home. I wasn't sure if we should keep it because it is just SO bright. But I love color and wanted to try this one out. The orange quilt was just too much by itself in this yellow space. After four years I think I'm finally okay with this room. Clearly I'm not a designer.

We still need bedside tables. The TV trays are "working" until we find side-tables tall enough. The highlight is the feather bed. If you don't have one yet, go to The Company Store and do yourself a favor. They are having a 20% off sale right now. Ours is down and feels like you are sleeping on a cloud. It truly makes the biggest difference.

When our sweet friends came down from Harlem for New Years Eve I set up the guest room with Christmas children's books for welcome reading. Is there nothing more reminiscent of childhood than a Little Golden Book? I have collected children's books since high school. I love making a guest room special for the visitor who stays in the room. Harry and Maria's daughter Maddie is still very little but it was so fun hearing them read The Night Before Christmas to her.

When we bought the house this room was the owner's daughter's room. This "nook" in the wall is a perfect changing table. The shelves are great for guest towels as well. I think a nice curtain over the space would finish the look.

I left Maddie a few toys to play with and a cookie for her parents in their welcome stocking.

The painting in the room is one I did in college in 1991. My art professor,Gene Kain, asked his students to create a piece in reaction to the Gulf War. I had just been to an art exhibit at Ripon where a guest artist spoke about why we make art. I remember her words so vividly. She spoke about the fact that life is ugly. Truth is ugly. Art is a way to create beautiful things in a sometimes ugly world. Art should lift someone up, not remind them of broken spirits and the disgusting realities of war. She took modern photographs of flowers in the gas chambers in Auschwitz. It was a beautiful image in the midst of such an ugly place. She took photos of mother's who had lost their sons to war and used red yarn to knit their symbolic blood together in the most memorable, beautiful way. I wanted to create a piece of art that was beautiful and meaningful too me, and didn't scream death and despair in your face. I remember being very moved by the oil spill. My step father sent me Time magazine at school so that I would be up-to-date on current affairs. I remember seeing a photo of a cormorant doused with oil. It made me wonder what a bird's perception was of war. Kind of random, but there it is.

One friend thought this painting was of a bird watching the sunset. It is actually a bird watching Patriot Missiles burst in the sky.

As an artist I don't know if anyone will get the true feeling I was trying to portray in this painting. I think it is pretty and the fact that I remember the project like it was yesterday means so much to me. My best friend's father framed it for me in Kalamazoo beautifully and I think it fits this room perfectly. Not that I would ever want to "match" my artwork to my "sofa" but I think it works in the guest room.

We loved having our sweet friends and their gorgeous girl visit us again.

I love grouping framed photos in collections. The bookshelf above the bed was too precarious for my children's book collection. I literally put them in above the bed the first week we moved in and the whole thing shifted in the wall. Not very tranquil if you ask me. You can see a two inch gap at the ceiling. Eventually, I'd like to pull the bed out about a foot from this back wall and create a closet behind the bed, as the innkeepers did at Asbury Ocean Beach Inn. We have the space and that way we could open up the room to the upstairs attic. I think this room will always be a work in progress but here is a little peek @girltuesday!

Major thanks to my parents for helping me find Ripon College. I truly learned so much about myself while there. I had the most incredible art professors who I am still in touch with. Gene and Evelyn, I truly can not thank you enough for your dedication and love of art and art education. I think about you so often and our time together. Was it really over 20 years ago when we first met? Evelyn, if you happen to read this will you please post the name of your friend, the artist, who I refer to above? I think she was Romanian. I'll never forget her, just can't remember her name. (I'm totally becoming my mother!)

TenTen's Derby Hat Cocktail

2012-01-11T13:22:00.000-05:00

I attended a very fun networking event before Christmas at the new TenTen on Bagby Row in Harbor East. Recognizing the bartender from Ixia, B&O Brasserie and Chazz I knew I could trust him to make me something wild and wonderful. He suggested the Derby Hat.

Derby Hat, Bourbon, Sweet Vermouth, Buckwheat Honey, Grapefruit and a little entertainment on the side. I've always wanted to try this lighting-of-the-orange-peel trick. He's releasing the essence oil out of the skin of the orange and lighting it on fire. It smelled like Christmas.

The drink was delicious. Not too sweet with a tangy tartness from the grapefruit juice mellowed by the bourbon. The bar is lit from below and cast a beautiful glow on my new friends and conversation.

I ordered the duck fat fries for a nosh that came with a chive creme fraiche and truffle aioli. Need I say more? They were decadent.

It was wonderful visiting with a friend that I met four year ago in the bathroom at Ixia on Valentine's Day at this happy hour. Yes, I'm one of those people who meets people in bathrooms, stays in touch via Facebook and will attend events if invited. I am TOTALLY becoming my mother. Lisa (@lisaatVerb), it was so wonderful seeing you after all these years of Tweets back and forth! Thanks again for the invite.

I met another friend from Twitter in real life @hollisthomases who ordered the scallops and beet salad. Looked delicious! E. and I tried to go there after seeing a movie this weekend and it was PACKED. I suggest making reservations or going after the big 8pm crunch on a weekend. The space is small and charming with casual four tops in the bar with high bar stools and regular booth seating in the main dining room. The space has a nice rustic feel with exposed rafters. I look forward to visiting again soon for dinner.

Glogg Epiphany Party

2012-01-10T21:22:00.001-05:00

This season has been filled with party after party. We ended this festival of fetes at an Epiphany party over the weekend at Scott's house to experience Katiecakes' family Glogg recipe and celebrate the coming of the Wise Men. This is an annual tradition but our first time that we've been able to make it in four years. Katie's ancestors are Swedish and I'm sure the Glogg was used to warm the soul during chilly winter months. Maybe even to warm the vocal chords to go a'caroling out in the snow. It is made with tons of bourbon, red wine and a bunch of spices. Katie wouldn't share her Granddaddy's recipe but man, oh man was it strong and tasty. We came to get down for some Glogg and much dancing took place apres said Glogging.

I went early to "help" set up and try to steal the recipe with keen eyes. (Note: I spy a bow tie flask!)

I got so distracted that I didn't do much but take photos of Scott's fantastic artwork, bow tie collection and fabulous home.

You need a curator just to make it down the hallway.

His collection of bourbon was also quite impressive.

I was admiring the new chandelier and asked where he found it. Scott made it himself! I see a huge market for these Ball Jar chandeliers. Isn't it fab?

I loved these framed yarmulkes.

Wish I knew the name of this artist. I know it has a connection to AVAM because Katie also has one in Philly. Isn't he divine with is Bud-light beer caps?

There are many Sumac's too. I could have sworn I did a post on our Sumac's. I'm working on an art post as @girltuesday suggested for Stone Hill so stay tuned.

Scott lives in the charming village of Federal Hill in Baltimore. His apartment was a store at some point. The storefront is great for bike storage and conversation. He used more Ball Jars for lighting in this bay window area. Clever, clever, clever!

The man has such great taste and I loved his stacked books everywhere and eclectic art pieces.

I know I was a big help to them with my early arrival. I moved two chairs and suggested a new location for the beer cooler. I am an events planner. Then I proceeded to rest a bit because my new shoes were KILLING MY FEET.

The macaroons were to die for after numerous gallons of Glogg. Did you know Patiserrie Poupon is IN Baltimore?!!! We also celebrated the magi with a King cake.

Jon got the baby (in the cake) and won the crown.

I also helped test the food. The boars head salami was a huge hit.

Secret Glogg photos. I believe I saw cardamon pods go in the sachet as well.

After we busted into the King Cake a few of us went back to Scott's room to play with his bow tie collection and don his hats.

You see why we had a Bow Tie Bar Crawl for him now.

The man has a bow tie ladder.

To quote our favorite Sartorialist Scott said, "Be a man, wear your gay shoes!"

Yeah, Kevin and Carla.

Cheers to the Glogg Sandi and Amy!

Come on, dance. We even tried to Wobble baby...wobble baby...wobble baby Wobble!

Much laughter ensued and joyful dancing commenced, with high pitched squeals too. Katie's nickname is HPK, for High Pitched Katie. HPK and HPN were in full effect. Scott doesn't get an H but he was full of jovial laughter as well. Don't you love the friends you can just guffaw with?!

Behold the lighting of the Glogg and Katie fussing at her best friend! So funny.

Okay so this happened too. Gotta love the Documentist.

Many thanks to Scott and Katie for a wonderful party. If I could make a wish to the Universe; I'd like more parties on Friday nights please. They make for much longer, more wonderful weekends. Thanks and love, HPN!

Christmas Recap 2011

2012-01-09T10:54:00.002-05:00

We had the most wonderful Christmas in Michigan. My godmother Mary T. drove with us all 11 hours to and from my mother's house. We stayed at Baby Nephew's house three blocks from Mom. My gorgeous grandmother flew all by herself from Memphis to be with us and of course Dad joined us for the festivities. Andrew looks so grown up in this photo but he is just one year old.

Baby Nephew was baptized at home that weekend. Eric and I are thrilled to be his godparents!

Eric and I are thrilled to be his godparents!

The precious lamb went straight from my mother's diamond cross. He's brilliant, I'm telling you.

My fairy godmother.

This was the first year in all my days that we waited until after 1pm to open our prizes. Saint Andrew needed to take a nap so we enjoyed a leisurely morning with ham and Sister Schubert rolls.

The first photo above was taken with a tripod and timer. I loved this shot I caught of Daddy, E and Mary Frances staging the shot. I realized later that something was fogging up my lens so Francie looks more angelic than usual. I'm sure my Dad said something hilarious which is par for the course.

Once Baby Nephew arrived, the prizes were opened, the roast beast devoured and I finally got some quiet time with him. We gave him that cute little sweater. My brother wouldn't be caught dead letting him wear a smocked outfit, which breaks my heart, so we prepped him up with a little polo! He is truly the most laid back little guy. We just talked and talked for twenty minutes about trains, cars and my necklace. Elise caught us in this precious moment and I will cherish this photo forever.

Blessings and thanks to my sweet family for their incredible generosity, love for us and to Mac and Elise for asking us to be godparents. We are truly honored.

Happy Stone Hill Anniversary

2011-12-29T09:42:00.000-05:00

I always feel like reminiscing at the end of the year. We've been cleaning out old computers to donate to the church and I found photos of our House Blessing a year after we moved to Baltimore. We celebrate our fourth year Stone Hill'aversary this week. Have you ever been to a house blessing? It's a wonderful tradition where the priest comes to shoo away any bad spirits from the old house and Christen it with new life and purpose. It was wonderful having a house blessing at Stone Hill and we of course invited our priest Stuart from Christ Church Georgetown to take on the 160 year old ghosts. It was also a great opportunity to throw a party three years ago this week.

Each room is blessed separately. The prayers are wonderful. Sometimes it's nice to have a prayerbook lead you when you can't find your own words.

I'm so happy we have these photos but what was I thinking with auburn hair and eating my way through Baltimore that first year of marriage?! You can really tell that I've lost 18 pounds after looking at these photos. Vanity aside, Stuart started with a prayer in the kitchen and brought holy water to bless each room. You can find the Celebration of a Home in the Book of Occasional Services on page 146. It's a supplement to the Book of Common Prayer as well as another good one, Lesser Fasts and Feasts for the Episcopal church. Reminds me of something that would have been in Harry Potter's required reading section for some reason.

Brunch is my all time favorite meal. I love a party and all the items it takes to make it special. I recall this being a very, very easy party to plan. Susan brought the best fruit salad and Eric's mother Jean made a few quiche. We served smoked salmon with bagels, the no-longer-New System Bakery cinnamon glazed donuts, cheese grit casserole and ham with Sister Schubert dinner rolls.

Friends and family are of course the most important key to any party, but I'd like to do give a shout out to the buffet plate. The buffet plate is the most wonderful invention and a necessity at any good buffet brunch. I started my buffet plate collection after a friend's Derby Party in Louisville, Kentucky in college. Let's be honest, it was a hang over brunch for the 60 kids that hailed from liberal arts schools throughout the Mid-West. Amy's mother was so tickled at how excited I was about the plates she had set out for the brunch that she gave me my very first plate from her collection to start my own. The plate she gave me was the same plate that started her collection. It's a maize and blue (GO BLUE) hand painted ceramic star plate. The key is to collect them. Tell people you collect them and everyone enjoys the fun in finding 11 1/4 inch buffet plates for you. Most of mind were given to me, many were found at Pier One and Williams-Sonoma on sale. My favorite is my Chesapeake Chicken plate that McCall and I found coming back from Dewey one fortuitous morning. I like using china, glass, silver and cloth napkins when possible. Very green.

Grandmother Tayloe would have approved I think.

The party was pre-Epiphany. I chopped up our Christmas tree and decorated the whole house with it's branches. It was the most wonderful smelling party to date and we needed the room from the tree. If anyone is having a New Year's party and needs the space, start cutting up greens from your tree. Truly makes wonderful centerpieces.

It's wonderful going back and looking at how the house first looked when we moved in. We donated the sofa's to our youth group's room at Memorial and had so many wonderful neighbors visit.

Guy and Pam live next door who we simply love!

My mother-in-law still dreams about these donuts.

It was really our first party to bring out all of our wedding presents and share the joy of our little house.

The kitchen was the hub and of course where everyone gathered. See the greens on top of the hutch?

When I moved to DC originally in 1994 my mother told me I had to connect with Peggy Malone (West). She lives three miles away from us in Baltimore and we finally met back in 2008. Her parents set my GRANDPARENTS up on their first blind date. I wouldn't be here if it weren't for Battle and Alice Malone. We have loved getting to know Butch and Peggy and their fabulous sons and their families.

Our DC pals even made the trip for this event.

George and Susan weren't even engaged in this photo. I love that we attended their wedding and just celebrated Jemma's first birthday. A lot can happen in three years!

I've always loved this photo of Charles. I've changed the bookshelves seven thousand times since this was taken.

It's fun to walk down memory lane and see how much we've grown, and shrunk and how much we've accomplished on the house. We are close to finishing our new office and Eric has found an old bowling alley remnant to make a custom board table for future endeavors. He's so handy and nice to have around. Thank you for the wonderful four years at Stone Hill Charlie. Happy Home Anniversary!

LAMILL at the Four Seasons Baltimore

2011-12-28T11:56:00.000-05:00

On Thanksgiving morning E. and I were up and out the door by 7:45 am. We had a date planned at LAMILL Coffee at the new Four Seasons in Harbor East. It was a gorgeous, clear blue sky day and just a tad bit chilly. The perfect Thanksgiving Day.

The streets were quiet as many of the Turkey Trot runners returned from their jog. We should have signed up but I'm so glad we didn't. Our morning was most relaxing which I think was good for both of our hearts.

As any of you who have been reading this blog for a while know, my husband's passion for coffee is like some people's love of fine wine, football or religion. We truly plan our vacations around specialty coffee shops. You can see some of our favorites posted here. Because of this commitment we knew three of the staff members at LAMILL. Becca and Lindsay used to work at Spro and Kris was at Charmington's. We visited with them at the opening party and Eric has been a half dozen times without me already.

For some, coffee is just coffee. I totally get that. You buy your Folgers, measure, add to the filter of your Mr. Coffee, set the timer and voila it's ready with your morning paper. Coffee's come a long way from the Styrofoam cup for $.25 at the corner diner too. Starbucks revolutionized this "third place" experience being the middle ground between home and work. Even during the economic downturn people can still feel special about their complicated order that is usually made to order correctly.

Eric introduced me to specialty coffee. He was introduced to it in DC and London. I only know a fraction about it but am slowly getting the full skinny on what's what with fancy coffee. These grinders are kind of a big deal at LAMIL. They are custom painted for this shop and each one runs about $5,000. There are six total in the coffee shop. The simple fact is that some grinders heat the coffee bean, changing the flavor of the coffee. These grinders do not heat up the bean keeping the essence of the bean in a perfect state. They need so many so that they can create amazing coffee in a fast amount of time. Be prepared to wait however. It is worth it.

Lindsay's latte art in the process. I still have no idea how to do this.

LAMIL offers many different pastries and lite bites.

The beignets are made to order and come out hot with powdered sugar and your choice of chocolate or butterscotch sauce. The butterscotch is spiked and I swear I got a buzz off of my last order. I happened to land at the coffee shop on National Pastry Day where they were giving away free beignets with any coffee order.

E. has been here multiple times. We both love the openness of the space and the light from the water.

We got to know Johnathan Liu who trains all of the LAMILL opening teams around the country and world. Such a nice guy and I must say that I love that the Four Seasons embraces tattoos and individuality more than in days past. He just shared this article recently from the LA Times with food predictions for 2012. Read item number two.

LAMIL is a coffee roaster out of LA.They explain the art of roasting beautifully on their website which I've quoted below:

Roasting is to coffee beans as cutting is to fine diamonds. A diamond only starts to sparkle after the facets have been cut. In the same way, a coffee bean won’t show its true potential until the beans have been expertly roasted. Fortunately, there’s no rule of thumb that says you have to spend two months salary for a great cup of coffee.

A good roaster has a thorough understanding of the unique properties of different green beans. He knows that Panamanian is roasted at 15.1 minutes and that Guatemalan is roasted for 15.4. Mistakes can be measured in seconds, so a roaster has to keep a constant vigil. Add to this the fact that they consume ten cups a day… it’s no surprise our roasters are a jittery bunch. But at least they can work long hours.

At LAMILL we small batch roast all our beans on our own special order German Probat G60 commercial roasters. Not only are these the finest, state of the art machines, but it’s also cool to be able to say ‘German Probat G60’. We make the same investment in our staff, being sure to employ only most qualified and talented roasters. At LAMILL we understand how important roasting is to the final product. We don’t take any shortcuts… we don’t make any compromises. If a batch isn’t right, we take the time to do it over, even if it means missing the Lakers game. That’s what TIVO is for.

We read the paper, enjoyed our coffee and had a very relaxing morning. So relaxed in fact that we forgot we had to put the turkey in the oven. Our 3pm dinner began at 6:30 pm. Whoops.

All of the espresso is pulled from this one mother of a machine. It was custom made for this shop and has another hefty price tag. I love the wood handles.

Eric is a huge fan of the simply grilled breads and honey butter.

I love Becca's reflection in the espresso machine. I took tons of notes to try to explain the espresso process. I'm stumbling with the right words to explain what I've learned. Allie explained it best to me telling me to imagine the water pressure coming through the machine as a fire hydrant. The pressure that the water comes through the coffee is represented in "bars". Barista speak is a tough one to crack. I'm not even sure if I got that right. They speak about how the fruitiness and tomato flavors come out when pulled at a certain bar level. I think. It's all very technical and the temperature in the room, weather outside and how beans are stored effects the taste of the coffee ultimately. I don't think your average Joe Nellie get's how much goes into this coffee science, but I'm still learning. Most important is roasting date. Don't forget to make sure you are getting coffee that hasn't been roasted for over a month.

Welcome to the Baltimore LAMIL. Look forward to more mornings with you soon.

Hoping everyone had a Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah. We are exhausted from a quick trip to become Baby Nephew's godparents in Michigan and a joyous Christmas with my 93 year young grandmother. My godmother Mary T. joined us for the drive which was the best! My Daddy smoked a turkey for the baptism and Momma made the best Roast Beast ever for the Christmas Feast. We look forward to friends visiting from New York for New Years Eve at Stone Hill and celebrating with Eric's family tonight.

May your days be filled with freshly roasted coffee, friendly barista's and healthy eating in the New Year, Nelle & E

The Spa at the Four Seasons Baltimore

2011-12-14T08:35:00.000-05:00

While the dust was settling last week in Harbor East, I snuck away for another visit to the Four Seasons to visit the spa.

The treatment rooms have a relaxing foot washing ritual that reminds me of Maundy Thursday. I grew up with massage as a big part of our family life. Only when I began my job at Mandarin Oriental DC, six years ago, did I truly understand the luxurious experience of massage at a spa. There is a ritual in five star hotels that I wasn't privy too at the hippie-earth-mother massage studio of my youth.

The "wet" areas are a big part of this ritual. You begin or end your treatment in the wet area. The space at the Four Seasons has relaxation hot tubs in light filled spaces. One for men, and one for women.

The heated lounge chairs are there for you to relax and wait for your therapist to arrive.

You may also wait in the tea lounge.

The locker rooms have my all time favorite luxury; Digilock's! I love not having to worry about bringing a combination lock or bulky key lock to gyms or a spa. I judge gyms by this feature. Is that weird? My husband is in the boutique spa and health club industry so I've been a little bit spoiled.

There are color therapy showers in the couples suite and the ladies and gentleman's lounges. Green is my favorite.

When Eric and I had dinner at Wit & Wisdom we took a quick stroll through the couples suite. This was a very important tour just in case a certain someone may want to book a romantic retreat one weekend, are you reading Charlie? The foot bath ritual is also performed in the couples suite.

It was fun seeing all of the unfinished details pre-opening at the spa.

Artwork will be coming soon and is from the Washington Color School from the 50's and 60's. It has a very modern feel with bright pops of colors.

The dust was literally swirling days before opening. It's amazing to see the transformation and how quickly the staff were able to put everything in it's place and wipe away any spec of dust. I was there this weekend and all of the art is up and the space is completely finished.

Each treatment room has it's own private shower as well.

This room had it's own private soaking tub with a great view of the Inner Harbor in Baltimore.

Espa is the line the hotel is using in their spa. I was very familiar with it as this brand is also used at Mandarin Oriental. My favorite tradition before having a facial or massage is the sensory test. The therapist let's you smell three scents. The scent you can smell the most has a deeper meaning to what your body is in need of. I thoroughly enjoyed my facial and look forward to returning. The location would be great for a getaway for a bunch of girlfriends visiting in town. How wonderful to have this luxury just miles away from Stone Hill. Welcome to the Baltimore!

Mrs. Claus Bar Crawl

2011-12-13T16:43:00.000-05:00

It's the Holiday Season...and I'm a crazy woman. I simply have to share photos from the Mrs. Claus Bar Crawl when Katiecakes came to town however two weekends ago. Em, was kind enough to deck out some bows (Craft Club second order of business) for our hair. She inspired me to don some festive sock-wear and play Mrs. Claus elf. E. and I were sick as puppies that weekend and didn't last at all. C'est domage. The scene was a stitch!!!

First, a Marie Antoinette Mrs. Clause with working snow globe. Oh my God! Talk about crafty. She made the whole outfit.

The Mrs. Claus' illuminated all of Hampden and we happened to partake during the Fraizer's on the Avenue stop. Wow. The bartenders were so nice but my gosh the waitresses were rude as snitz-fanny!!! Get over yourself and smile people. You have a packed bar with women singing carols and bringing you TONS of business. Have mercy!!!

It was a sea of red velvet and hot babes dressed up as tricked out Mrs. Clauses.

Ho, ho, HOOOO!!!

Texas Katie had a fun spin with cowgirl boots and flowers in her hat.

Honestly, do you think Santa would ever leave the North Pole if Mrs. Claus wore this sassy uniform. Thank goodness the real Mrs. Claus is a zaftig woman or none of us would get any presents!!! Dayum.

The highlight of the night was watching Katie and her cute beau dance.

Spotted: Natty Boh and Katie's cute purse on the same table. Atta girl Katiecakes.

Oh the twirling!!!

Cheers to Katie and all the Mrs. Clauses for such a fun night. I'm just sorry we couldn't rally to see you in the Mayors Parade. Megtown caught a great shot and didn't even know it was Katie! Notice the costume change. Wishing everyone the best in managing all the details of the season. Remember to smile, especially when wild and crazy women burst into song in your bar!

Green Trees

2011-12-08T09:07:00.000-05:00

The craft bug bit pretty hard last week. It inspired me to visit my favorite Martha Stewart's craft section of her website. When I saw a way to be green and crafty at the same time I was game.

What you will need for green trees:

assortment of magazines in different sizes
boning tool (otherwise known as a "boner" at Stone Hill)
spray paint, white, gold, silver suggested
glitter
cellophane

Start with an old magazine and begin by breaking the spine. I used a Baltimore Magazine and an Everyday Food to have two different sizes. I look forward to using a few Wine Spectators for taller trees.

Fold the pages down with your boner. I know, I'm hilarious. Is anyone reading or do you just look at the pictures? I caught myself saying, "Honey, have you seen my boner?" Died of laughter because I think I'm so funny. Moving on...

After the first fold to all the pages is done your tree will look like this.

Then fold the folded page one more time so it looks like a man's tie.

This final fold has to be completely flush so the tree will stand up straight. You tuck the little triangle into the pocket of the fold.

I spray painted this tree white and sprinkled hot pink glitter for a very special girl who lives in Hampden. Hot pink is our village's team color, if you will! I wrapped them in cellophane for our sweet friend's first birthday.

Happy Birthday Jemma! We love you.

Thanks to Emily for meeting me at the Charm City Craft Mafia Holiday Heap for our first official meeting of the Charm City Craft Club. I saw so many fabulous gifts and have more photos to come. Susan and George, thank you for inviting us to celebrate Jemma's first birthday. She is such a precious girl and we are so lucky to live so close to you all and watch her grow up...so fast!

Advent with Paperwhites

2011-11-30T09:26:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite holiday traditions is forcing bulbs. Paperwhites especially. The anticipation of the flower blossoms are a reminder of Advent and the anticipation of Christ's arrival on Christmas day. For less than a dollar a bulb it's a great and affordable way to brighten up a stairwell, mantel, windowsill and even a great hostess gift. The fragrance is intoxicating when they are in full bloom.

Each bulb looks like a little onion and the bottom is the part that has a rough surface. The top is obviously the little sprouting end. You will need bulbs, river rocks, or dirt, and a container.

You can use fancier rocks if you put the bulbs in glass. I love smooth river rocks in a clear glass vase but these simple river rocks were $6.00 and work perfectly.

Fill will rocks half way up the container. Place bulbs on the top of rocks.

Add more rocks half way up the bulb, filling the container as far as you can.

Fill with water about a half an inch up the bulb. You want to keep the roots wet.

Pick other cute containers and repeat. These little bulbs will grow in just about any small container.

Just add water, wait, patiently and joyfully with anticipation.

One of my Episcopal priest pals on Facebook posted this quote about Advent this past Sunday:

‎"...In the orchestra pit, the violin bows are poised. The conductor has raised his baton. ...The extraordinary thing that is about to happen is matched only by the extraordinary moment just before it happens. Advent is the name of that moment.”
— Frederick Buechner, Whistling in the Dark

Sending you best wishes for patience and joyful waiting this Advent season. Wishing our darling Baby Nephew the happiest of first birthdays today. We can't wait to hug and squeeze you soon.

Holiday Craft Gift Ideas

2011-11-29T09:20:00.000-05:00

I love using my hands and being creative. I was an art major, a youth minister and have dreams of being an art teacher one day. When Hopsy at Monograms and Manicures encouraged us to be crafty this week and share our Do It Yourself (DIY) skills for gifts this season I jumped right onto the glitter train. I had just read my December Martha Stewart Living magazine and saw a star that would be perfect for my mother-in-law. It's Oh Holy Night in living color. These are the before photos of our Breezeway pre-Glitterama Star making began.

As a side note, I found these darling succulents at Home Depot for $3.00. I've been trying to stage this room for months and think it finally looks right. I think putting a small plant in a unique container also makes a great hostess gift. You can NOT kill these little guys either which is great for the green thumb challenged.

I bought this container for $1.00 at a garage sale, had the succulent vines growing in my garden and the larger succulent was also just $3.00 at Home Depot. Pretty cute for $4.00 don't you think?

It was wonderful having a few days off for Thanksgiving. Sunday we went to Annapolis and stopped into Michael's to get my DIY supplies. My husband didn't break out into hives either! He was so supportive and made sure we got the 40% off coupon. I'm crafty. He's thrifty.

I bought these enameled trays at least 14 years ago from Martha Stewart. It was one of the best purchases ever. I have four and use them for everything. Our turkey rested on them and they are also great for craft projects. I found a few fun other things and hope to make these snow globes soon as gifts. Once you open the crafty flood gates there is no stopping the flow of creativity.

Okay so for the Star of Bethlehem Star begin with a square sheet of card stock or watercolor paper.

The directions for this craft can be found here on Martha Stewart's site. It called for 20 inch stars made with watercolor paper. You can find this paper at craft stores and specialty art supply stores and have them cut it for you. I bought pre-cut sheets that were 12 inches only. 20 inch stars would make a dramatic difference. I'm just not sure where I would put such a beauty. So my foot long star will have to do.

Skip below to see the step-by-step directions. The next few photos are of the folds. You have to make sure that the points match up.

Once I got to this detail I had to punt. The height of the triangle was six inches. I made a mark at the three inch line and scored it to the skinny point of the triangle. (I hope that makes sense.)

Cut along the line and you will have one of your four point stars.

I recycled our old Christmas cards for the supports of the star. I cut them a bit differently but I think they will still work. You should bend them first to fit snug on the underside of the star.

This is the part where I should have used Kraft paper underneath the glitter action. I highly suggest you use Kraft paper underneath as a backup glitter catch that is easy to bend. The Solo cup is a great way to save the left over glitter. Worked like a charm.

Spray your star (away from your body, clothes, sofas, etc.) with spray adhesive. Do not spray on top of your tray. Big mistake. :)

I used Martha Stewart Crafts glitter in sterling. It's super pretty.

Let dry and repeat until all the points are covered on both stars.

The finished product will look like this. Hot glue gun both stars together and hang with a thick ribbon.

Hot glitter mess! Stuck to the tray. How funny is that?

It was a messy but fun and fast little craft. I'm sure making a ton of little small stars would look so pretty on a tree or even hanging on a large wall. Definitely pick up some spray sealant as well. The glitter will go everywhere if you don't! You can give this as a gift to friends and match their tree decor. I think a creamy white with bronze ribbon would be gorgeous in my mother's home. My mother-in-law may get a pink star. The options are endless and Michael's has so many pretty glitter options. We are lucky that we live so close to the Maryland College Institute of Art (MICA) as there are a ton of art supply stores within a mile of Stone Hill!!!

For another craft I love doing every year, check out this Christmas Card Ball made with old cards.

Hoping everyone gets a chance to use their hands this season to create something! I'm going to learn how to knit by the end of December! And I have even signed up for a sewing class that I hope happens. I do love to use my hands and see the start and finish of a project. Thanks again Hopsy for the fun idea. Can't wait to see what your other readers share!

Thanksgiving

2011-11-25T00:00:00.000-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving from Baltimore!

Eric's turkey was perfect once again this year. We kept referencing last year's post for direction. We used the exact same recipe from Martha Stewart and it was better than ever!

We think this is the best way to cut the turkey once it has rested. Slice the breast off of the bone and cut thick slices. It keeps the heat this way too. My aunt would be very proud that all of the food was hot on the table today.

The dry brine is the key to the gorgeous bird and amazingly moist meat. E. chopped fresh thyme and used a half cup of Kosher salt to brine this baby.

This year after the dry brine he wrapped it in a large plastic bag and then put it in the fridge overnight.

Then he prepared the herb butter for roasting. After the brine is wiped off you then add the butter mixture inside and out.

I was E's sous chef and chopped the apples, onion and got the lemons and butter ready.

E. did all the turkey heavy lifting!

My grandmother always says, "If you can read, you can cook." It is so true. I'm just so thankful my husband loves to cook. He basted every 30 minutes.

I made the cranberry sauce. This year with Port, peeled ginger and grapefruit zest.

I switched up the dressing and made it with corn bread, sausage and pecans.

We put the house together as best we could but did NOT polish the silver in time.

Last week I prepared the firewood and kindling in case it was chilly enough for a fire. It was way too pretty and warm today for a fire however.

Our little porch is shaping up nicely after E. added the screens this summer.

I added a fleece throw to cozy up with for cold mornings. I also found this great herb planter at Whole Foods. It has sage, rosemary and thyme.

The Whistler joined us on our last trip from Mom's house in Michigan. It works as a great front door stop and reminds me of my Grandmommy Nancy.

I switched up the Brussels Sprout recipe and added bacon for my Mother-in-Law. The pine nuts and bacon were crazy rich. Next year we are steaming broccoli!

We had a much smaller family gathering this year and a much smaller bird.

This allowed us to use all of our favorite wedding gifts and crystal and spend great time with Eric's parents and sister Kim. We always laugh and the joke of the day was that the kitchen was a "comment-free-zone"!

We are thankful for another year of life. I'm especially thankful for our Baby Nephew. There truly is so much joy and hope in this child and I'm so thankful for Mac and Elise growing our family.

For all of those who are not with us, we miss you and love you and are thankful for you. We are thankful for the bounty of the feast we had today. We pray for the people who are left wanting. Thank you Lord for sending your son to die for our us so that we may have life. That is such good news. Amen!

Liquid Earth

2011-11-23T11:24:00.000-05:00

Life has been very blissful at Stone Hill Farm as of late. My Charlie has had a few days where he has been able to work from home. This means we've had a little more time together. Anyone who commutes knows what a drain it is on your sanity. My husband's commute is sometimes three hours a DAY! Poor lamb. Most days he arrives home at 8:45 pm. It's a bummer leaving the house when it is barely light out and returning in darkness.

Too keep us healthy, sane and bright we stopped by Liquid Earth after work a few Wednesday's ago. This raw, vegan bar is just what the detox ordered.

They specialize in fresh organic produce and great juice drinks.

There are a few tables in the restaurant or you can pull up to the juice bar.

All juices are served in these great Pyrex measuring cups. E. had the O.C. Loco with organic carrot, Granny Smith apple, celery, parsley and spirulina that is served in a sea salt rimmed glass. Is it bad that I think it would taste awesome with Sloop Betty Vodka? Kinda against the point of being so healthy, but still...that would be a killer Sunday Funday drank.

I enjoyed the Phat Beet. Word. There are Granny Smith's, Red Delicious Apples, Beets and Ginger in this Hot Pink goddess of goodness! Not only do I love the taste but I just feel happy to drink anything PINK!!!

Our server was so kind and spoke highly of the freshly made guac so we had to go for a little snack as well.

They literally mix the guacamole on-site moments before it hits the table. It was magically delicious. Kasia told us in our Detox class that avocado is very good for your gut. I think it is also good for the soul! Check out there adorable website here and visit them. Your gut will thank you.

Thank you Liquid Earth for existing! We love to juice at home but sometimes it's nice to have someone looking out for your best interest who will also clean up the juice pulp once all is said and done. Thank you universe for letting E. and I have a little more time together lately. We are now a one car family and feeling very Eco and getting quality time to and from the train station. Wishing everyone a healthy and restful Thanksgiving.

Best of Luck

2011-11-21T13:39:00.000-05:00

While strolling in Harbor East I happened upon this bright and cheerful candy shop called Best of Luck the week of Halloween.

The colors are so cheerful. I'm dying for that yellow and white rug!

The shop has many different candy and chocolate options as well as retro candy that line the walls. Wax lips are one of my most favorite party favor for a photo booth area!

I had never seen Halloween Peeps before.

The vignette's were darling and suggested creative tablescapes with candy.

Lucky Thompson is the owner and I simply adore her name! She told me that her older brother named her and it stuck. The candy is sold by the pound and also in large buckets above the check out desk.

She has a friend that bakes all the packaged cookies and spiced pretzels.

Wouldn't this be a delightful location for a party? Kids would go crazy. I think bachlorette's would swoon with a little champagne and pop rock combination!

Lucky has an assortment of bags that are themed with the season. You can call her and she can arrange the bags for your corporate group or kids party. I ran into her gifts at an art opening recently! I knew immediately they were made with luck.

I'm not a big candy person but have so many food memories as a child. I remember eating my first Whatchamacallit with my cousin Chris at the lake in Georgia. There was as rite of passage as a teenager when we were allowed to go to the gas station (via boat or car) without our parents and pick out any candy bar in the store.

Wishing you the best of luck and all the success in your darling location Lucky! It was wonderful meeting you.

Wit & Wisdom Preview Dinner

2011-11-17T11:21:00.001-05:00

Last week Eric and I were invited to enjoy a tasting at the brand new Four Seasons in Baltimore. Wit & Wisdom, a Michael Mina tavern, is one of three new restaurants at the hotel in Harbor East. I enjoyed a site inspection earlier in the month while the team was undergoing rigorous training to prepare for this week's opening.

Boxes were being unloaded, Four Seasons team members were in from all over the world and dust was swirling while getting the restaurant ready. The space has an open floor plan with a hip coffee shop at one end called La Mill, The Wit & Wisdom bar anchoring the center and the restaurant space with open kitchen at the far end.

Lounge seating is also available for casual dining.

We recognized friends we worked with from our Mandarin Oriental days in DC at our tasting. Eric and I met while working there over six years ago.

The open kitchen boasts of wood fire grilled items and top-of-the-line appliances that other chefs in the city will be sure to covet.

We were seated in the lounge area for our tasting in front of our own private fireplace.

La Mill is just beyond Eric in this photo. I love the ode to Poe at the coffee bar.

I started with the peanut soup, which came deconstructed.

The toasted marshmallows and chicken cracklings were the perfect balance of sweet, salt and crunch to this simple peanut soup.

I made sure to mix in the sweet marshmallow so each bite had this unique, melting flavor.

E. started with the crab au gratin. It was deliciously light. Nothing that you would expect from the term gratin and allowed the sweet crab meat to shine.

I went to visit the kitchen expediters who were doing extremely well for the very first day of service.

The bar wasn't operating just yet, but believe me, this is going to be the place to be seen in Baltimore.

Our favorite surprise of the meal were the hush puppies. This side was perfect.

These nuggets of delight were crunchy on the outside and remarkably moist on the inside.

They were served with a sweet and spicy sauce that came warm in a petite little jar.

E. enjoyed the Rockfish.

I had the rabbit boudin with country-fried rabbit loin. The sweet potato puree was fantastic and the slices of apples and braised shallots were a perfect marriage on the plate. It was a lovely nod to fall.

The coffee is Lamill but does not get "pulled" from the cafe space.

This was the most playful Red Velvet Cake I've ever seen plated. The ice cream, chocolate mousse, spiced pecans, chocolate nibs and velvet cake were a delightful combination. The cake wasn't too sweet either. As a whole it worked beautifully with every bite.

E. had the Apple Crisp which was perfect in every way with the gorgeously curled apple laces and cinnamon ice cream.

It was fun seeing the hotel in it's nearly ready stage. We went to the opening party last Friday and magically everything was in place, all dust had vanished and the staff was at full attention.

The flags are now flying and the Four Seasons Baltimore is open for business. We look forward to many more special occasions in the future!

Thanks again Martha for the wonderful tours and Julien for our gracious invitations last week. Here's to your continued success!

Tiny Prints Christmas Card Ball and Maryland Pink and Green Giveaway-

2011-11-08T07:07:00.000-05:00

Bethany over at Maryland Pink and Green inspired me to re-post this creative Christmas Ornament craft post from last year. She has a great giveaway from Tiny Prints today that is fabulous! I seriously love Tiny Prints and have used their cards for years even before I was married. Anyone remember my card from the pilgrimage to Ireland that little Stuart took of me at the Aran Islands? E. told me that we shouldn't send Christmas cards this year *gasps for air* so I'm truly crossing my fingers for a big blog win at MP&G. If they are free he can't argue, right? This company produces great quality cards that are perfect for this craft project. Go visit Bethany and enter her giveaway today! The contest ends on Nov. 6 and you get a chance to win 50 free cards! What a joyful way to start the holiday season. Scroll down a bit to see the Martha Christmas Card Ball craft. Send me photos if you make one please.

Handmade Christmas post from Dec 10, 2011.

A few days before our guests arrived for Thanksgiving a squirrel got into the house. I'm writing this calmly and rationally but I screamed bloody murder. It was hilarious. The little guy was so fat and slow too. Yet, I hit octaves I didn't know I could reach. E. thinks I let him into the front door while bringing in the new dining room chairs. Um, no sir.

He gnawed the window sill and shredded the wood. I've left the pile of matchsticks and this precious nutcracker that I found in San Francisco as an ode to the squirrel's visit. I just asked him to leave and he tipped his hat and left out the breezeway doors. A Stone Hill neighbor that recently moved emailed to ask if I took photos of the squirrel for "the blog". Sadly, I wasn't thinking of a photo op at the time. So this will have to do. We found it in Napa at a fantastic antique store called Heritage Culinary Artifacts. Any family members reading? You can get me ANYTHING from this incredible boutique. The owner, Lisa, was delightful and gave me a great deal on my little port wine cordial goblets that I used for Thanksgiving. Now I just need to buy some almonds and pecans to crack.

I am slowly getting out the Christmas decorations. One year I asked Uncle Charlie what his favorite Christmas Song was and he answered, "A Partridge in a Pear Tree." My precious husband. I love the Twelve Days of Christmas too but would never in a thousand years have guessed that was his fave. I asked him yesterday and he said, "Silent Night". This is funny, because I've been getting E. partridge themed ornaments and cookie cutters for five years.

Last weekend we went to the Charm City Craft Mafia Holiday Heap and found this darling partridge.

I found this fancy dance partridge at the Kate Spade store in Georgetown the first Christmas we were dating. We also received the Twelve Days of Christmas hand painted paper-mache balls from Mary T. two years ago and love them. It's fun that we actually have three pear trees. So the gift theme works with our little Stone Hill Farm. "Bring us some figgy pudding" is next.

I love how ornaments bring up memories of past trips and stories. We got him on one of our two trips to West Virginia. We love this bar called the Purple Fiddle and this little hippie with his yellow turtleneck just epitomizes the joint perfectly!

I'm a big Martha Stewart fan but had never really tried any of her crafts . A few years ago I found this Christmas ornament craft. It is the coolest because you get to recycle your old Christmas cards and have way-cool, handmade, unique "balls" verses the shiny ones that are so commercial. It is so fun to see my Uncle Dick's handwriting on this card too.

This one was made with a tiny little circle punch that I got at a craft store with our 2007 card. Martha now makes her own "branded" punches that I'm sure are at Michael's.

You can use any size hole punch. I like the two inch size. Find any extra cards you have left over from holiday's past. I love to use Tiny Prints. The matte finish cards work the best. You can't make this with photo cards unless they are paper photos with a matte finish.

We gave our parents each a wedding ornament. I over ordered my Christmas cards that year.

I am by no means a hoarder, but I do save a lot of paper. My craft closet houses one of my most favorite collections. I don't even know what to call it but super-crazy-paper-obsessed-collection. I have multiple binders that hold this collection of awesomeness.

Each plastic sleeve holds one friend with their wedding invite, their thank you note for the present I gave them, their baby announcements, baby thank you note, Christmas Cards and any fun letters they've written me over the years. I have a great memory. My friends make fun of me for having such a great memory and remembering tiny details. I think it is only because I have letters that I can reread. I have all of the dates of weddings and birthdays in one place to refer back to as well.

Amy and John were some of my first friends to get married. I've had this stuff for so many years it is crazy and I LOVE looking at how their kids have grown through the photos. E. finally got to meet them in California while we were in San Francisco this past February. So if you are anything like me and want to do something memorable with your old Christmas cards, try this crafty little project.

Thanks to all of my friends who still write me letters. It warms my heart. Our Christmas cards get here on 12/20/10 so I'll be frantically sending them out this year. This blog has become a big, fat letter that will hopefully be a great reference to what the heck we were doing in the winter of 2010.

Leinenkugel's Beer Garden at Power Plant Live

2011-11-07T13:28:00.000-05:00

My sorority sisters are going to be so jealous. I can hear a resounded "sweet" rise up from the corn rowed state of my college days. Why you ask? Well because Baltimore has the first ever Leinenkugel's beer garden with retractable roof. It opened a few months ago and I took a look to see the event space.

It's in the center of Power Plant Live's plaza in downtown Baltimore.

The roof has a rain sensor and will close upon "feeling" the first drop.

They specialize in tons of beer on tap and light fare such as pigs in blankets, pretzels and crab dip.

I'm heading there tonight to check it out.

Baby Hastings' Baptism

2011-11-07T12:25:00.000-05:00

October flew by and another huge highlight was becoming the godmother to this precious angel girl, Baby Hastings. Mary Margaret and I met at Christ Church, Georgetown oh so many years ago. It is always wonderful going to church with her and this was such a joyous occasion.

I have witnessed so many baptisms at this font. One child I remember was sitting in front of us. Lucie is now 14! I could hardly believe it. Seeing our priest bless Hastings and welcome her into the Body of Christ was so emotional. Scott and I of course had tears in our eyes. We cry. I love that! Eric and Mary Margaret are the quiet, soulful ones who I'm sure had similar emotions but not as evident. Hastings looked so beautiful in her gown and bonnet. Her godfather is their dear friend Chris.

Back on Capital Hill Marge pulled out all the stops for a gorgeous brunch.

I need the recipe for this grit casserole. It was divine!

They also served a perfect sausage breakfast casserole. Ohmygosh it was so good.

Hastings had a wardrobe change and wore this family gown from Scott's family. Both sets of grandparents were in town. Scott says I remind him of his mother Kim. Such a compliment as she is so joyful and fun. At their wedding, Eric and I were newlyweds and she gave us a set of Christmas ornaments with our initials. So thoughtful. I'm sick I didn't get a photo of Marge's family members Lynda, George, Rebecca and Robert. Too many Bloody Mary's and fun conversations I guess. We loved getting to know Robert, Marge's sister's new husband. His father is a photographer so he was snapping shots as well.

I did get to steal a few minutes with my precious goddaughter. Isn't she such a beautiful child? I know I'm biased but seriously! She is such a pretty baby girl.

We receive you into the household of God. Confess the faith of Christ crucified, proclaim His resurrection, and share with us in His eternal priesthood. BCP page 308

I love baptisms. It helps reaffirm everything I believe. Our priest Stuart always adds a line, "You are marked as Christ's own forever." Amen!

It was wonderful being part of your special day Baby Hastings. I look forward to walking with you in Christ and giving you spiritual guidance along the way if needed. Just remember we all have faults and are not perfect. Christ makes it possible to feel whole, complete and affirmed. He died for YOU! Look for affirmation in Him, dear one and believe. Marge and Scott, thank you so much for the honor of this role. Love you so!

The Rain in Spain stays Mainely on the Plane

2011-11-03T11:33:00.001-04:00

In the midst of a wild work month I was able to sneak away for a girls weekend in Maine. It was wonderful seeing friends who no matter where, no matter how long it has been since we've seen each other it is as if time stood still. I needed side splitting laughter with great friends and was so thankful that despite a crazy travel schedule I bucked up and bought the ticket for this perfect October weekend.

My friend Mary lives in Maine. She's just returned from three years in Brazil. It is so nice to have her home and be able to talk on the phone with her and fly just over one hour to see her! I visited her up north with our other pal Shannon about 9 years ago. It was great to be back. She took us to the ocean and I found this acorn. This simple, precious, tiny acorn just looked like a nugget of goodness on the cold, wet beach. It's now in my kitchen reminding me of this fun mini-break.

It was cold. The leaves were past their peak but fall hung in the air. Ah Maine, you gorgeous, gorgeous creature you.

Most of our time was spent in Bath, ME on the Kennebeck River.

Oh my Lord is this town charming! Every building seemed to have a more fabulous weather vane. The village screamed New England coastal town.

People stopped us on the street, chatted us up, asked us where we were from and were genuinely interested in why we were in town.

We took long walks and I was distracted by beauty at every turn.

The girls let me trail far behind. It was nice not being in a hurry.

The homes begged for a parade. Oh how I wish I had a Sotheby's realtor to take us inside this gorgeous abode.

It was wonderful to see how well maintained these vintage beauties were kept. The Bath Iron Works company is the largest employer in the state of Maine. 6,000 people help build ships in this modest and beautiful little town.

Our walks led to much laughter, merriment and leaf gazing. Shannon, Holly, Mary and Lily were my weekend companions. Shan and Mare met Hol in college.

Mary's home is only a few blocks from the river and the main street in town.

The schooner icon was everywhere.

Mary took us to visit a friend a few miles away. Her home was built in 1840 and the round windows on the second floor were from a ship! Stone Hill was built in 1840. It's neat to think of the similarities to our Mill Village and Bath's shipping village.

The beveled glass windows have been preserved and reflected a beautiful sunset.

We dropped in on another neighbor who wasn't home.

There were historic markers on nearly every home downtown.

Some drank beer.

Other's had martini's.

More laughter ensued.

The fire pit wasn't ready yet, nor was the wood burning stove installed in time for our visit. Curses. Next time Mary, we are so getting our smores on out here.

This train track seemed like a Halloween nightmare waiting to happen. Spooky.

This reminded me of my cousin Tayloe's paintings.

More schooners.

I couldn't get enough of the darling gates in this town!

Charlie, isn't this divine?

Long rocky beaches...I couldn't get Barry Manilow out of my head all weekend. And we all couldn't stop singing our usual best-friend-playlist of Bye Bye Birdie, The Sound of Music and My Fair Lady (hence the post title)! Eric says I'm my most authentic self when I'm with these girls. When you've known people since you were eight it makes a difference.

It was fabulous being on the coast. Fun fact. Maine's coast as the crow flies is 280 miles. If you walked the coast it would be 2500 miles. If you walked each island and coast it is 5000 miles, larger than California!

Our long walks with Lily were the highlight for me. You can tell we've changed a bit when getting together isn't about sitting in a bar getting loud. We walked and sat around Mary's house and made sock monkey's!

Lily is a precious new addition to the Moran clan.

Hiya stupid!

Thanks again for the incredible hospitality Mary. Sorry I was so cold. I'm kind of a baby. But you knew that already. Your house is so, so cute and I can't wait for my month's vacation with you this summer! :) Shannon, I miss your face and loved getting in trouble with you again. "Can you stop with the comments" will go down as a favorite memory from the weekend. Holly, as I said you are the funniest woman I've ever met. I'm glad Mary and Shan picked you up along the way and introduced us. You truly had the cutest sock monkey of all time. Bridget! I'm so sorry you missed the weekend. We would have been much louder in bars I fear if you were in tow. There is always next fall! Love you girls!!!

Road Trip: Terrain

2011-11-02T13:11:00.000-04:00

This summer we drove up north for a little adventure. I couldn't BELIEVE how wild the Susquehanna River was when crossing. Do you remember those horrible storms and hurricane?

We were on the car phone with my pal Mary in Maine and I couldn't stop saying..."Oh my gosh, you would NOT believe this!" See Mare! Crazy.

We love road trips.

I make up stories about the people who live in old farm houses imagining big family meals around the table and some spooky guy living in the shed. Okay not really but I love checking out old farm houses.

There are so many stone houses in this part of the world.

It was a gorgeous Saturday and the road was calling us.

Our road trip brought us to Terrain, a garden center outside of Philadelphia where I could do major damage on cookbooks, gardening items, flowers and ferns. Katiecakes told us about it earlier this summer after our Asbury Park trip. We wanted to have dinner at the incredible restaurant. But alas, it was closed for a wedding.

We had thirty minutes to shop as they were setting the final touches for Jen and Jeff. I'm not sure who these folks were but loved the decor.

The pots and flowers were a unique backdrop for a wedding.

We were under dressed or may have stuck around and crashed. Ha! Totally kidding. That is not our style.

The wedding was set in one of the simple buildings and was rustic beyond words and so charming. The burlap runners were a neat touch juxtaposed with the fresh flowers in beakers and Ball jars.

How sweet is the lace around this burlap bouquet? I recall a wonderful event that won a design award for the Virginia is for Lovers campaign. It was an aphrodisiac designed party. There were rounds with burlap, twigs and leaves set for the masculine side and satin, linens and lace for the feminine tables. I wonder if this bride read about it from the early 90s?

Back inside the shop, each display was more fantastic than the next. I'm dying for these chairs. They have them at Talula's Garden in Philly.

They also have a great collection of Simon Pearce to purchase.

I asked if we could purchase some of the garden display boxes and was told NO. How dare they put them on display? I really don't like being told no and was in a bit of a mood as we drove all the way from Baltimore for 30 minutes of shopping, where the staff people wouldn't give us the time of day. We even called in advance and there wasn't a note on the phone message. I'm sorry, but if you are open, be nice and still offer good service, or CLOSE earlier.

I loved this garden box. NOT FOR SALE.

Since the restaurant was closed for the wedding we headed a mile away to The Blue Pear and sat at the bar. Our meal was delightful and the only photo I took was of the truffled popcorn. If only the web had scratch and sniff screens. Steve Jobs, are you listening in heaven? The scent of this popcorn is what dreams are made of seriously.

We had the nicest time and met these fabulous new friends, Jim and Dianne who were celebrating their 14th wedding anniversary. They skipped their dinner reservation to continue talking to us! It was so wonderful, we exchanged addresses so we could send each other Christmas cards. I'm completely turning into my Mother! I love any location that has such friendly people.

Tranquil Tuesday: Pride of Baltimore II

2011-11-01T12:46:00.000-04:00

I'm not sure what to do with myself today. It's the first Tuesday in four weeks that I am NOT on the Pride of Baltimore II. Last week was the biggest treat as I got to sail out of Old Town Alexandria for a lunch. Hard work does pay off.

It was a perfect fall day with a chill in the air.

I grew up an hour from Lake Michigan. We sailed sunfishes, kayaked and had friends with motor boats. I've only been sailing twice and both were on The Pride of Baltimore II. The sound of the water being displaced by she ship is something I crave now. The silence is addicting. I want to learn to sail and friends have offered to teach us. I'm ready when you are friends!

You can see the Washington Monument in the distance.

Enjoy this Tuesday wherever you are. Hopefully it includes a sail for some of you!

Pride of Baltimore II

2011-10-24T21:43:00.000-04:00

Pride of Baltimore II, Boston Harbor

Is anyone still out there? I've been "occupying" the Pride of Baltimore II every Tuesday during the month of October. I have travelled to Boston, New York, DC and tomorrow will be sailing on The Pride out of Old Town Alexandria. I'm over the moon excited. I feel so blessed to have a job that takes me to different parts of the country. Getting to see it from a tall ship is pretty magnificent. More to come soon.

Boonzaaijer Bakery

2011-10-06T22:23:00.000-04:00

When in Kalamazoo another favorite stop is Boonzaaijer Bakery. They made our wedding cake and are as classic as apple pie in Kalamazoo. This Dutch family name is hard to spell but rolls off the tongue when you are in a fix for sweets. The company has been around since the 60s when they moved from the Netherlands.

They sell bakery cookies.

And Dutch treats.

There are always cakes available to buy without pre-ordering. We picked up a small cake for the family. My brother made rib-eyes one night and this cake was the perfect end to such a decadent meal.

My brother can burn. (That's a good thing.)

The best part about this bakery is that they sell cake by the slice!

The eclairs looked amazing but honestly I've never had anything, anything, but the plain vanilla cake with Bavarian Cream filling. It's this simple center that wins the prize for the best food memory of all time. I remember having Boonzaaijers (pronounced boon-zayer) at birthday parties and of course the best was at our wedding. The tradition is to cut the cake and feed each other one bite of cake, right? Well E. and I cut TWO SLICES at our wedding. That's why we are laughing so hard in our "cut the cake" photo. We sent that photo as our Christmas card and said, "Wishing all your days are sweet."

Mom and I went in for the cake tasting for our wedding so E. missed out. This was his first time in the actual bakery. E. got his first bite of Boonzaaijers in Tucson a few years ago! Mrs. Braithwaite carried Shannon and Dan's wedding cake on her lap all the way from Kalamazoo on the plane. I swear I had two pieces at her wedding too!

The staff are sweet too.

Sporks are included.

I love the Dutch tulips on the cake tasting table. Duff needs to go here for his show Sugar High!

The Bavarian cream is heavenly. It's light and not too sweet. The cake isn't too sweet either. The frosting is the sweetest and we had fondant rolled over our wedding cake which was delicious. I'm not even that big of a fan but it was perfection without that overwhelming almond extract taste that most fondant has.

Oh my goodness my mouth is watering. This is way off the detox folks.

We didn't have any cake left to save the top from our wedding cake. Rumor has it that Uncle Frank had THREE pieces. One piece just simply isn't enough. We love you Boonzaaijer's!

Please tell me one of my Kalamazoo readers knows someone, who knows someone, who knows the owners so we can get the word to them that we are huge fans. Thanks!