Elle Decor

My favorite interior designer, gal pal (wine pal, walk pal, coffee pal, cheese plate pal, mani pal) and general get-it-done pal Amy Meier is in town this week.

As you may have inferred, that means projects.  She’s transformed a guest bedroom in what seems like the blink of an eye.  Once it’s all done, I have a sneaking suspicion I may forfeit my own bed to sleep there.

While you’ll have to wait to see the pictures on her portfolio, I can disclose my favorite detail: black windows.   Amy knows I can’t stomach frou-frou or girly, and nothing sharpens up a room like crisp black trim.  You might even say it’s eyeliner for your interiors.

Apartment Therapy

Design Crisis

Plush Palate

Bill Barr

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Nesting Blog

Apartment Therapy

Apartment Therapy

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Whoopsiedaisy!  I gave myself an extra day off.  In lieu of a proper post please enjoy photos of our weekend, courtesy of Amy Meier.

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1.  The makings of a guest bedroom: desk, reading chair, turquoise and stripes, plenty of light, maps galore.  Via Simply Grove.

2. The Lake Superior tote by Frost River Designs. Perfect for country weekends (or week days).  Stuff it with vegetables, fruits, baguettes, books, thrift store finds; the more you beat it up the better it’ll look. Via Sycamore Street Press.

3. Table with brass legs by Marcia Holzer Studio.  Via Elements of Style.

4. Bags in jewel tones, like this one and this one.  The first via Destined to Design.

5. Hammered brass spoon by Magpie & Rye.  Via Oh Joy!

6. Boat of Life print by Aardvark.  Via India Knight.

7. Clear dome umbrella.  Via The Neo-Traditionalist.

8. Hung chairs.  Via Automatism.

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It couldn’t be simpler.

Whenever you find yourself with a few drops of leftover hot coffee, send the dregs on a Siberian vacation instead of pouring them down the drain.   Transfer them into an ice cube tray and freeze for a sweltering day.

For a twist on the traditional proportions, drop the coffee cubes into a glass of ice-cold milk.  Some say milk hydrates better than Gatorade, thanks to its optimal sodium levels.

The ice cube technique translates well to any cold  drink: iced tea, lemonade, fruit juices.   It’s especially refreshing to drop the fruit juice cubes into glasses of water.

Has anyone tried cold brewed coffee?  (Directions here and here.)

Do you like it?  Is it worth the long steep time?

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One of the great pleasures of a CSA share is encountering vegetables for the very first time.

Tiny ones, perhaps, cloaked in Chinese lantern husks.

Farmer Dave’s ever-helpful distributors identified them as husk cherry tomatoes.  They are also called ground cherries, and cape gooseberries.

They’re often mistaken for tomatillos.  The two are close relatives and inhabit similar papery husks.  At ½-3/4 inch in diameter, the ground cherry is a quarter of the size of a tomatillo.  Ground cherries range in color from green to orange.  Their flavor melds the tomatillo’s citrus-tinged tartness with a cherry tomato’s sun-drenched sugar.

I regret not popping one into my mouth raw.  I don’t regret roasting them, however.  A little char balances all that sweet quite nicely.

Once roasted, whir them up in your food processor with fresh herbs, jalapeno, lime juice, garlic and a touch of cumin, and you’ve got a salsa that’s not quite verde, but just as refreshing.

Tomatillo Salsa Verde (makes about one cup)

• 1 1/2 pints small ground cherries, husked
• 1 jalapeno
• 1 medium clove of garlic
• 1/2 tsp-1tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 small yellow onion, coarsley chopped.
• 1 handful cilantro or parsley
• juice of 1/2 lime

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Husk the tomatoes and quarter the jalapeno.   Place them whole on a baking sheet. Bake until the tomatoes show initial sign of charring (one or two brown or black spots).  Put tomatoes, onion, cumin, garlic, lime juice and salt in a food processor.  Blend until combined.  Add the cilantro (or parsley) and pulse once or twice until the larger leaves are broken up. Serve over grilled chicken breasts, or with tortilla chips.

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1. Sam Winston’s Romeo and Juliet: in which he rearranges every letter in the play into collages. Via Daucus Carota.

2. Nautical sleeping bags, via A Cup Of Joe.

3. The Sketchbook Project: Thousands of sketchbooks tour museums and galleries nationwide en route to the Brooklyn Art Library.  Via Oh Joy!

4. Postalco’s miner’s key ring, via Lox Papers.

5. Stripe and crest pillow, via Oh Joy!

6. Alphabeasties, via Bliss.

7. Nadinoo navy mini (with pants, please).

8. Bike porter, via Daucus Carota.

9.  The Art of Lee Miller, via Ill Seen, Ill Said.  From fashion model, to Man Ray intern, to concentration camp documentary photographer.

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The Phonofone II by Science & Sons.  $600 at Charles & Marie.

My house is slow to adopt gadgets, especially ones that refer to themselves as “systems.”

The extent of our music system is a small, unassuming radio we bought to tide us over while we unpacked our moving boxes.  A year and half later, and that’s still all we have.

We’ve talked circles around the Sonos wireless system, which we’ll probably get.  Eventually.  When we’re retired, toothless and prone to cupping hands behind our overgrown, underperforming ears.

In the meantime, I like to dream about these three music players-cum-art-pieces.

All three are highly designed, impractical in one way or another, and quite out of our budget.

What I love about them, though, is how interesting they are to look at even when completely silent.  They’d do as much for your décor as they would for your Debussy, Dire Straights, and Damien Rice.

The swan-like ceramic Phonofone II, for instance, is an entirely powerless amplifier.  Using only the acoustical advantages of its form – that’s right, no cords, no batteries – it amplifies the sound coming out of your earphones up to 55 decibels, or about the output of a laptop computer.  It won’t shake your floorboards, but it’d do nicely for a bedroom or library.

Linn Sondek LP12, $4,000 and up depending on components

This Scottish baby is the Rolls Royce of record players, if Rolls Royce were all about sleek, minimalist design.  Its patented construction eliminates vibration and acoustic feedback.

Hand carved wood phonographs by Sights & Sounds of Edison, $900 and up.

In Milan, Ohio the Gfell family handcrafts wooden phonograph horns in the tradition of local son, and phonograph inventor, Thomas Edison. A reliable source swears their showroom is worth the trip to Milan, so if you find yourself near Cleveland, seek it out.

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Anybody else have childhood memories of trying to escape the encroaching itch of an Aran sweater?

No matter how many layers I had on underneath, the wool made the slightest bit of exposed skin crawl.  The only truly protective undergarment scenario was a turtleneck tucked into tights (to avoid the dreaded stomach/wool encounter), and even then the wrists and chin would occasionally get a brushing of the itchy stuff.  Despite the discomfort, I always loved how they looked.

Luckily the creamy, cabled sweaters are cropping up in various stages of interpretation this fall.  You can go the traditional route (see L.L. Bean’s men’s sweater below), but those who value a little shape around the waist may consider the updated cuts.

If you prefer to go straight to the source, Murphy’s of Ireland,  The Aran Sweater Market and Clan Aran Sweaters are all good places to poke around for the real deal.  Look for hand made versions, and try to spot clean rather than wash.

I’d pair them with dark green cigarette pants, a pea coat, and a vintage or faux fur scarf, and a dose of black eyeliner.

How about you?

***UPDATE*** A trusted Galwegian source (a.k.a. my brother-in-law) shared some insider tips on buying and caring for an authentic Aran sweater.  Take heed:

“Just make sure you buy hand knit, regardless if it’s 5 times more expensive. The machine version falls apart while the hand knit will last a lifetime. My dad had a sweater for 30 odd years which he lost before it died of natural causes – actually I think my mother may have knitted it. The updated version I would imagine (don’t know for sure) probably does not have the greased wool.  Before knitting the wool was greased with a product similar to candle wax. This made the sweaters water/dirt repellent and suitable for fishing. Also beware that they shrink if not pre-shrunk.”

LL Bean’s Irish Fisherman’s Sweater, $119 (Men’s, so buy a size down)

All Saints Winter Bomber, $270

BDG Fisherman Cardigan, $68

Topshop Knitted Aran Cardigan, $100

Le Mont St Michel Fisherman Sweater, $195

Related Posts:

12 Items for Fall: Buying Less and Better

3 secrets for Perfecting Fall’s Cat Eyeliner

P.S. Follow 5thjoy on Twitter, and join the Facebook fan page.

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My unlikely flirtation with vegan recipes continues apace.

This sweet, raw corn chowder, courtesy of Food & Wine, fits the summer bill in so many ways:  it’s great use of ubiquitous corn, full of good fats, and blends up in an instant –as long as you remember to soak the cashews the night before.

The end result is sweet, with a salty, garlic-tinged finish.  Frothy comes to mind, as does corn soufflé.

Right now in my corner of Massachusetts it’s spitting, with a “real feel” temperature of 58.  Mercurial August will likely blast us with a scorcher or two, though, so put this recipe in your pocket for a sunny day.

Raw Corn Chowder adapted from Ani Phyo via Food and Wine

• 3 1/4 cups fresh yellow corn kernels (from 4 large ears)
• 2 cups water
• 1/2 cup raw cashews
• 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small garlic clove
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped basil leaves
• Freshly ground pepper

Soak the cashews overnight to soften them.  Reserve one cup of corn kernels for garnishing.  Put all the other ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth.  Garish with whole corn kernels, fresh basil and a good dose of cracked black pepper.

Related Posts:

Lemon-Tahini Kale Salad with Cranberries, Pepitas and Almonds (Vegan)

Nancy’s Lentil Salad (Vegan)

P.S. Follow 5thjoy on Twitter, and join the Facebook fan page.

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1. Stina Persson via Oh Joy!

2. Puzzle cheeseboards via The Kitchn

3. Holiday magazine covers via Hither & Thither

4. Topshop flats via {wit + delight}

5. Serif tote via Bows & Sparrows

6. Cardboard bunting letters via Lake Jane

7. Scratch map via A Cup of Joe

8. Birthday cards via Lake Jane

9. Sequined cigarette pants by Isabel Marant via {wit + delight}

10. Art deco lights via Daucus Carota

11. Translocation by George Logan via India Knight

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