one vacation per week

Can you imagine how great it would be if you got a vacation every single week? Well that's what I've got!

You might have another name for this... what's it called again? Oh that's right, it's called a WEEKEND! For the first time in two years I've got a weekend... but I'm calling it a vacation. I'm so excited I don't know what to do with myself. But I think I'm going to love it.


photo credit: via Hula Seventy

peaches & cream

Last night I made a peaches and cream pie with a sugar cookie crust for a little get together with some friends. It was dee-lish.


white peaches and regular peaches


waaa-la!

Update::
Here's the recipe:

Note- you should only make this when you have perfectly ripe peaches.

Crust
1 stick unsalted butter, softened (room temp)
3 tablespoons sugar
1 large egg yolk (room temp)
3 tablespoons heavy cream
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt

Filling:
1 lb (two 8oz packages of cream cheese (room temp)
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Topping
2 1/2 cups thinly sliced ripe peaches

Note: Be sure to blanch the peaches in boiling water for 60 secpnds, transfer to an ice water bath and remove skins before slicin.

Prehead oven to 375 degrees

To make the crust: In a large bowl, on the low speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until smooth (about 3 minutes). Add the egg yolk and cream and mix well. Add the flour and salt, and beat until just combined. (Careful not to over work or the crust will be tough.) Gather the dough into a ball and roll it out on a lightly floured surface to fit a 9" glass pie pan. Fold the edges under all around the rim and crimp. Prick the bottom and sides all over with the tines of a for. Cover the edge of the pie crust with foil, place on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Carefully remove the foil and bake for another 20 minutes until the crust is crisp and golden. Remove from oven and allow to cool on a wire rack.

To make the filling: n a large bowl, on the low speed of an electric mixer, beat together the cream cheese and sugar until smooth and creamy. (again about 3 minutes) Add the heavy cream and vanilla and continue to beat at a low speed until well combined.

Refrigerate the filling while the crust is cooling. When the crust is completely cooled, spread the filling evenly in the crust with a rubber spatula. Arrange the sliced peaches on top in a decorative manner.

Refrigerate the pie for at least 8 hours or overnight to ensure that the filling sets.

the end

oh london

"How soon country people forget. When they fall in love with a city it is forever, and it is like forever. As though there never was a time when they didn’t love it. The minute they arrive at the train station or get off the ferry and glimpse the wide streets and the wasteful lamps lighting them, they know they are born for it. There, in a city, they are not so much new as themselves: their stronger, riskier selves."
— Toni Morrison

Looking through some old photos and feeling very nostalgic.

I moved to London when I was 19. Just packed my bags and off I went with a one-way plane ticket. I was going to work as a nanny. Actually my first stop was Cardiff, Wales. I'd never even spoken to the family I was going to live with. Looking back I think how naive I was. But it was great. Maybe sometimes ignorance is bliss. I will do a little post on how much I love Wales another day. Tonight my heart is in London.

The situation in Wales didn't work out and I was suddenly all alone on the other side of the great big Atlantic ocean. I'm not going to pretend like I was all strong, independent woman. There were several moments of sheer panic, a few tearful phone calls home, and a whole lot of desperate prayer.

I'll skip the details but I randomly and miraculously got in touch with another family in London. I spoke to them once, took my first taxi and my first train and ending up in London.

I love London. For me it was the best thing I could have done. Not only was I living on my own for the first time but I was in London. I couldn't open my eyes wide enough to take it all in. If I wasn't so lazy I'd find/scan/post photos. But I am that lazy and the photos are not great.

Some of my favorite things about London:

saying "whilst"
riding the Tube
English money is prettier I think
looking at buildings that are older than the United States
the accents, oh gosh I love the accents!
the names of the pubs like The Frog & Radiator
roundabouts
my little yellow Austin Metro
talking to little old English men
driving to Cardiff
going out dancing in the City
my A to Z
Shakespeare's Globe
getting post
the amazing friends I made

and sooo many more things.

There are things I love about every place I've lived. But London was the first.

I think I love it best.

flickr fave: Polgaroid

I am smitten by these photos by Polgaroid. I had a hard time narrowing it down and I just love these.

i want to switch dentists

... because this one is cuter.

Please excuse the wonky photos - Harlow was trying to go in the opposite direction and I am not yet talented enough to take one-handed polaroids.

Swan Lake - this is pretty amazing

John & Kate - no eight

I'm tired of hearing about the other Jon & Kate.

photo via Julia

have a great weekend

This was the best thing I've read for all week. Don't you love Erin?

Candyland celebrates it's 60th birthday with a life-size game in San Fransisco.

SX-70... the magic camera

Possibly the creepiest thing ever... found when searching "jeans".

An adorable video about naming a baby

Check out the Taz Polaroid camera

A new fave on Flickr

Ethan laughing... I posted it awhile ago but I still love it.

Have a lovely weekend!

photo source: unknown

not just a corner

photo via Thespian Muse

totally possible

photo property of rebecca pepperell

"Don't undertake a project unless it's manifestly important and nearly impossible."
Edwin Land
(inventor of Polaroid film)

The Impossible Project is getting closer to becoming a very possible one. I think this is an amazing undertaking and I get more and more excited about it everyday. You can check the site for updates. As of right now the project has 11,561,717 seconds remaining. Seconds-wise that seems quick.

So what is The Impossible Project?

Basically, after Polaroid announced that it would stop the production of instant film (so sad!), The Impossible Project bought up all of all of Polaroids dead stock along with the machinery and equipment at Polaroid's Netherlands factory. (so happy!) The plan is to re-start the production of analog instant film in 2010

photos of the factory in Enschede (NL)

photos of the Polaroid equipment at the factory

And now Urban Outfitters is teaming up with the The Impossible Project to make sure the remaining Polaroid Stock doesn't go unloved.

There is so much work going on and there are lots of ways you can show your support... 2010 is not that far away and it's totally possible!



Factory and equipment photos from the The Impossible Project website- used with permission.

music monday... on a tuesday

What can I say... I get a little behind sometimes. Here's a sweet little video and a few songs from one of my favorite bands: Nada Surf. I like their website too.

Concrete Bed

If You Leave

Always Love

I love, love, love all these songs and literally never get sick of any of them.

If you want to download them just change the "hxxp" to "http" and if you like them please support Nada Surf by purchasing their music.

fiat planters

Fiat and designer Fabio Novembre have installed 20 life-size fiberglass replicas of the automaker’s 500 C compact car in Milan each with a tree planted inside. The cars are parked along the Montenapoleone, Milan’s epicenter for fashion and jewelry.

The project is called Per fare un albero ‘To make a tree’, and is a collaboration with the Municipality of Milan - Department of Design, Fashion and Events. The idea was to bring some summer shade to the popular stretch of sidewalk in the capital of Lombady. All the 500’s will be parked in their current location till the end of September following that they will be moved to other parts of the city.

Spotted over at Swiss Miss. How awesome are these?

a soap opera

My friend posted this on Facebook and it made me laugh - I had originally heard it on the radio. I love the English.

Attached is some correspondence which actually occurred between a London hotel's staff and one of its guests. The London hotel involved submitted this to the Sunday Times. No name was mentioned.

WHAT TO DO WITH ALL THOSE "FREE" SOAPS WHEN TRAVELLING

Dear Maid,

Please do not leave any more of those little bars of soap in my bathroom since I have brought my own bath-sized Dial. Please remove the six unopened little bars from the shelf under the medicine chest and another three in the shower soap dish. They are in my way. Thank you,

S. Berman

---

Dear Room 635,

I am not your regular maid. She will be back tomorrow, Thursday, from her day off. I took the 3 hotel soaps out of the shower soap dish as you requested. The 6 bars on your shelf I took out of your way and put on top of your Kleenex dispenser in case you should change your mind. This leaves only the 3 bars I left today which my instructions from the management is to leave 3 soaps daily. I hope this is satisfactory.

Kathy, Relief Maid

---

Dear Maid -- I hope you are my regular maid.

Apparently Kathy did not tell you about my note to her concerning the little bars of soap. When I got back to my room this evening I found you had added 3 little Camays to the shelf under my medicine cabinet. I am going to be here in the hotel for two weeks and have brought my own bath-size Dial so I won't need those 6 little Camays which are on the shelf. They are in my way when shaving, brushing teeth, etc. Please remove them.

S. Berman

---

Dear Mr. Berman,

My day off was last Wed. so the relief maid left 3 hotel soaps which we are instructed by the management. I took the 6 soaps which were in your way on the shelf and put them in the soap dish where your Dial was. I put the Dial in the medicine cabinet for your convenience. I didn't remove the 3 complimentary soaps which are always placed inside the medicine cabinet for all new check-ins and which you did not object to when you checked in last Monday. Please let me know if I can of further assistance.

Your regular maid,
Dotty

---

Dear Mr. Berman,

The assistant manager, Mr. Kensedder, informed me this A.M. that you called him last evening and said you were unhappy with your maid service. I have assigned a new girl to your room. I hope you will accept my apologies for any past inconvenience. If you have any future complaints please contact me so I can give it my personal attention. Call extension 1108 between 8AM and 5PM. Thank you.

Elaine Carmen
Housekeeper

---

Dear Miss Carmen,

It is impossible to contact you by phone since I leave the hotel for business at 745 AM and don't get back before 530 or 6PM. That's the reason I called Mr. Kensedder last night. You were already off duty. I only asked Mr. Kensedder if he could do anything about those little bars of soap. The new maid you assigned me must have thought I was a new check-in today, since she left another 3 bars of hotel soap in my medicine cabinet along with her regular delivery of 3 bars on the bath-room shelf. In just 5 days here I have accumulated 24 little bars of soap. Why are you doing this to me?

S. Berman

---

Dear Mr. Berman,

Your maid, Kathy, has been instructed to stop delivering soap to your room and remove the extra soaps. If I can be of further assistance, please call extension 1108 between 8AM and 5PM. Thank you,

Elaine Carmen,
Housekeeper

---

Dear Mr. Kensedder,

My bath-size Dial is missing. Every bar of soap was taken from my room including my own bath-size Dial. I came in late last night and had to call the bellhop to bring me 4 little Cashmere Bouquets.

S. Berman

---

Dear Mr. Berman,

I have informed our housekeeper, Elaine Carmen, of your soap problem. I cannot understand why there was no soap in your room since our maids are instructed to leave 3 bars of soap each time they service a room. The situation will be rectified immediately. Please accept my apologies for the inconvenience.

Martin L. Kensedder
Assistant Manager

---

Dear Mrs. Carmen,

Who the hell left 54 little bars of Camay in my room? I came in last night and found 54 little bars of soap. I don't want 54 little bars of Camay. I want my one damn bar of bath-size Dial. Do you realize I have 54 bars of soap in here. All I want is my bath size Dial. Please give me back my bath-size Dial.

S. Berman

---

Dear Mr. Berman,

You complained of too much soap in your room so I had them removed. Then you complained to Mr. Kensedder that all your soap was missing so I personally returned them. The 24 Camays which had been taken and the 3 Camays you are supposed to receive daily (sic). I don't know anything about the 4 Cashmere Bouquets. Obviously your maid, Kathy, did not know I had returned your soaps so she also brought 24 Camays plus the 3 daily Camays. I don't know where you got the idea this hotel issues bath-size Dial. I was able to locate some bath-size Ivory which I left in your room.

Elaine Carmen
Housekeeper

---

Dear Mrs. Carmen,

Just a short note to bring you up-to-date on my latest soap inventory. As of today I possess:

On shelf under medicine cabinet - 18 Camay in 4 stacks of 4 and 1 stack of 2.

On Kleenex dispenser - 11 Camay in 2 stacks of 4 and 1 stack of 3.

On bedroom dresser - 1 stack of 3 Cashmere Bouquet, 1 stack of 4 hotel-size Ivory, and 8 Camay in 2 stacks of 4.

Inside medicine cabinet - 14 Camay in 3 stacks of 4 and 1 stack of 2.

In shower soap dish - 6 Camay, very moist. - On northeast corner of tub - 1 Cashmere Bouquet, slightly used. - On northwest corner of tub - 6 Camays in 2 stacks of 3.

Please ask Kathy when she services my room to make sure the stacks are neatly piled and dusted. Also, please advise her that stacks of more than 4 have a tendency to tip. May I suggest that my bedroom window sill is not in use and will make an excellent spot for future soap deliveries. One more item, I have purchased another bar of bath-sized Dial which I am keeping in the hotel vault in order to avoid further misunderstandings.

S. Berman

It says it's an actual incident but I'm pretty sure Shelly Behrman was a stand up comic from the 60's. Either way...

finally friday

I'm very excited about the This is Home Project.

The Sartorialist's book came out on Wednesday. It looks amazing.

This Lemon Blueberry Buckle is SO good. What is a buckle? See for yourself. I made it. It was good.

Abby picked lots of pretty flowers

Loving these Polaroid postcards.

Naomi posted one of my favorite verses of scripture.

Roku vs. Apple TV... I'm trying to decide.

I also love these i ♥ lists by Suann.

I'm so jealous that Rachel got to go to Mamie Gâteaux on her trip to Paris. Lucky ducky.

This had to be the most stylish playhouse I've ever seen.

An adult size tantrum when misses her flight. I love that she manages to get a hair toss in.

photo via joie de vivre

falling in love

(via Julia)

ok ok ok

I've been looking for this book for awhile. It's Ok Ok Ok by Mike Slack. As you can probably guess it's a Polaroid book. It's also out of print. On Ebay it's listed for $133.95... just a smidge out of my budget. I looked on Amazon and it was listed between $56 and $144. I went back and looked on Amazon and found a "used-good" copy for $.01. There was no picture but for a penny I figured could risk it. Well I got it today and it's in PERFECT condition. Thank you thank you Amazon. And thank you nice seller on Amazon.

If I seem overly excited about this it's because I never ever find good deals and I am a terrible impulse buyer. Next thing you know I'll be clipping coupons.

craving: fresh figs

I have been craving sweet, juicy figs for awhile now but they are no where to be found. So for now I'll just enjoy these beautiful photos by Jen and Pia.

What are you craving?

music monday

I thought I'd post a little music video by one of my favorite artists: Bethany Joy (Lenz) Galeotti.



You should check out her Everly CD. And here are a few more songs if you want to have a listen. Leaving Town Alive is pretty much my theme song.

(just change the "hxxp" to "http" to download)

Leaving Town Alive

Ophelia

Crazy Girls

Enjoy! xoxo

the english muse

I was invited by Tina to guest blog over at
The English Muse
so I thought I'd share some pretty polaroids from my
one of my favorite new photographers: Rebecca Pepperell.

(photo by Rebecca and used with her permission)

a very good weekend

I spent the weekend avoiding the Santa Barbara fiesta and instead took my niece and nephew to the beach. They loved it. We came home tired and happy with our tootsies overed in tar.

Disneyland

We went to Disneyland this week and had a blast. But boy was it HOT! My niece and nephew loved it and it had been a long time since we'd been too. We were all way too hot and sweaty for photos so I just took some photos of the rides.

joyeux weekend

This week has been manic but in the very best way. Being Auntie Vanessa is my favorite. We've been busy, busy bees!

(So the freak out was totally premature - it usually is.)

Have a wonderful weekend!

Photo from Podszewka, found via The Happy Girl That I Am

V is for Vanessa

It's not the greatest photo but see the V in the corner?
It's from Chelsea.
I love it.

picnik

Thank you everyone for the feedback. And thank Vanessa for suggesting Picnik. For only $24.95 a year I decided to try it out. I like it. I like it a lot.

My stupid, stupid scanner is insisting that it is not connected to my computer... which is obviously a lie since I can see the connection... it's RIGHT THERE... see? But I'm too pooped to put up much of a fight.

So I used one of the photos I already had uploaded and played around with it for a little bit. What do you think? Have you used Picnik?

original

picnik-ed

picnik-ed

picnik-ed

I do love Polaroids just the way they are... but it was fun playing with the colors.

feedback please

In order to make my little blog home a little cozier and prettier I've been playing with the layout of my blog and I need some help.

Are you having to scroll to the right to see the full screen?

Does the font for the "about me" section on the right look different than the rest? Does it look squished?
(I've looked in different browsers and can't tell anymore)

Any suggestions or feedback in general? I know I need a new header but am currently without photoshop.

Anyway please be honest (but be nice too k?)

Thanks very much in advance.



photo by Jen Gotch