Celebrating Summer: Fresh Fruit centerpiece

This is my favorite time of year. I love attending the fruit and vegetable markets that are sprinkled throughout the various neighborhoods of my city. A side effect of this hobby is a very full fridge. When my fruit drawer wouldn't close yesterday, I took everything out and made this enormous fruit tray, which my daughter graciously photographed for me. I love the way the colors pop against the dark walls in my dining room. Sadly, our current heat wave means that all of the fruit landed back in the fridge shortly after the photo session.

Dinner at Poppy

I know, I am a lazy, lazy blogger these days. Summer is prime re-modeling time, and at the end of a busy day, I haven't had the energy to form any creative ideas or inspiring thoughts. No matter. My kids still love me.

I did however, take a break on my anniversary-which turned out to be a lovely day. My husband and I used the occasion as an excuse to visit Poppy, the new(ish) restaurant owned by one of our favorite chefs-Jerry Traunfeld. We first sampled Traunfeld's cooking ten years ago at The Herbfarm in Fall City, and visited the restaurant again two years later in Woodinville. Both trips commemorated our anniversary, so it was only fitting that we return to celebrate our twentieth.

loving the Veuve Cliquot colored curtains!

Poppy was vastly different than The Herbfarm, in a good way. A much more casual environment with light, contemporary furnishings, Poppy is nestled into a bright spot at the north end of Broadway Ave on Seattle's Capitol Hill. Poppy features "thali", (a series of small plates similar to Spanish tapas) created in Traunfeld's signature style, using seasonal ingredients and fresh herbs from the kitchen's garden. Vegetarians will appreciate the option to order a meatless version of the day's offerings.

While The Herbfarm did accomodate vegetarian requests, I felt a bit cheated on both occasions watching my fellow diners devour the creatively prepared meat dishes. Fortunately, Vegetarian cooking has evolved in the last several years, and Poppy has kept up- offering a wonderful meatless meal. My favorites included the zucchini-basil gratin (a great flavor combination) the pickled cherries with sage and lavendar (strong, unusual flavors-perfect for a small dish) and the carrot agnoloti with peas, fava and porcinis.

fall Thali platter

I'm no restaurant critic, but we had a lovely dinner here with creatively flavored cocktails and inspiring food. If you've been thinking about going, treat yourself! I would hate to see Poppy disappear.

photos via poppyseattle.com

Letter to my husband.

Hasselback Potatoes

I haven't tried these yet but don't they look divine? Garlic, sea salt and olive oil make up the bulk of this delicious looking roasted potato side dish. Get the recipe here.from the delicious food blog, Sea Salt with Food.

Moss Graffiti

In the early '80's I lived in a home that had a stone fireplace. We were told that if we watered it regularly, the stones would grow moss-an idea that fascinated me. However, Mum had allergies, so growing moss indoors wasn't on her agenda. Still, I remember sneaking into the living room with a squirt bottle more than once...

When I stumbled upon this article, it reminded me of that fireplace. I just may try this DIY Moss Graffiti project. Think of the possibilities: house numbers, garden art-I love it!

Ants, ants everywhere!

 

Our home sits on the edge of a forest, which provides us with some wonderful experiences.  From exotic bird sightings to salamanders, our yard is truly a delightful place to explore. However, we don’t get to pick and chose which creatures we co-habitate with, and we have more than our share of bugs.  Far more in fact than the average city dweller.

This year the ants came early. We have little sugar ants and huge, carpenter style ants that seem to have an exoskeleton as thick as a turtle’s shell.  I have been willing to live with the ants until now. After all, we are in their forest.

Fresh cut peonies are one of my favorite things about summer. The one large bush that we have manages to provide a bouquet for nearly every room in our house. The ants have taken up residence in my peony bush, and seem to be devouring  the unopened blooms! Unacceptable.

From the research that I have done on gardening sites and blogs, the ants are harmless and will leave once the blooms open. This is the first year that the ants have made their appearance on the bush, so I am not sure what to do-should I wait it out, or continue to scrape and spray (with water) away the little buggers? Any thoughts or knowledge would be appreciated!

French Friday: Paris Made by Hand and Pia Jane’s blog

I just received my copy of Paris Made by Hand by blogger Pia Jane Pijkerk. Filled with information on the “fait main” movement in Paris, the book outlines “more than 50 shops and studios that embody that spirit and where you’ll find the most original and creative clothing, jewelry, handbags, ceramics…” etc. This book will come with me when I do make it back to Paris. Wonderfully photographed and full of inspiration, I am thoroughly enjoying this little gem.

I’ve had Pia’s blog on my favorites list for sometime, but I was so pleasantly surprised by this post, that I had to share it. Close your eyes, and you’ll be transported! Thanks, Pia for this post. It's a wonderful gift to your readers.