happy weekend

A weekend of family, creative projects & music awaits. Feeling waves of appreciation for my interesting & satisfying patchwork of a life. It's not all smooth sailing & shiny surfaces, but rich & textured & deep. Wishing you the same. Cheers!

pure camp

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Summertime spaces, with your vaulted ceilings, rustic eaves, airy & simple decor, & your windows & light, you are calling to me. Whether you're a cabin, a cottage, a casual pied-a-terre or an elegant summer estate, I'll take you.

via: 1. unknown // 2. wabi sabi // 3. the black workshop // 4. undecorate // 5. unknown // 6. brickhouse // 7. unknown // 8. katie lee // 9. trente quatre // 10. full house // 11. creative living // 12. my scandinavian home // 13. espacio vital //

happy weekend

melt my heart

Hot & humid weather has descended upon New England, & I must say, I just wasn't made for these temps. Indubitably, neither is chocolate. Earlier this week my kitchen was a whir of activity as I assembled a small herd of chocolate mendiants for a wedding this coming weekend, luckily finishing before the brunt of the heat hit.

Now that it is officially summer, it's time to shut down the chocolate kitchen for the season, & dive into other projects that have been simmering on the back burner. My cool little subterranean studio has never looked so appealing...

happy weekend

free range happy hour

Good food, good drink, great folks (including the furry variety). And of course, chickens. Perfect summer evening.

I love Vermont.

les chocolats de chloé

We always stop at our favorite chocolate shops while in Montréal, & Les Chocolats de Chloé certainly rates as one of my most revered. Tucked away in the Plateau on cobbled Duluth, Chloé's shop is cozy & hip, a neatly stocked little gem with a beautiful array of chocolate truffles, tablets, turtles, chocolate covered sponge toffee, drinking chocolate, sauces, praline-filled molded chocolate sardines, cocoa & pastilles. Her packaging & logo are whimsical & simple, with a line drawing of the chocolatier herself on a vibrant color-blocked background; her truffle decorations are simple as well, elegantly giving one a subtle clue as to what is waiting to be tasted inside.

Most importantly, what really impresses are the ganaches. Their texture is incredibly smooth & silky, & the freshest fruits & spices create flavorful combinations that play well with the Valrhona couverture & base (Manjari, I believe, the tangy & fruity notes lending themselves best to the fruit & spicy pepper offerings, like the espelette, banana, & passionfruit, in my opinion). The flavors are full & intense, but nicely balanced as they hit different places on your tongue & blend well with the rich chocolate counterpoints.

The woman behind the counter, not Chloé this time but a very knowledgeable chocolate enthusiast nonetheless, was wonderful, spending a lot of time with us & sharing information & a few samples. We left with a selection to take home, as well as gifts for friends, our last piece savored this past Sunday evening. We need to start planning our next trip up north...

visit here

happy weekend

May it be festive & extraordinary - cheers!

au grand air

We came home to a jungly yard with our scattering of summertime tables & chairs tucked into little green nooks, waiting in the rain for clear skies & glasses of wine. While I miss the buzzing sidewalk cafés of Montréal, I do love our little quiet patch of green. There's nothing like being out of doors to decompress after a busy day, or to enjoy time with friends, sharing good food & raising a glass or three.

I found these images especially lovely, adding human comforts to the arresting beauty found outside. Cheers!

via : 1 & 2. apartment therapy // 3. barefoot travel // 4. unknown // 5. outdoor sanctuaries // 6. kiyoaki

oh, canada

 

We finished up our Canadian immersion with a stay in Montréal this past week: a menu of food, music, art & the exuberant energy of the city filled us up to overflowing. More soon...

young strangers

Watercolor album cover art

Green Hill Builders