Nesting

Stockpile little gifts. Everyday tip #68

March 8, 2012

When I come across sweet little gifts on sale, I stock up. The only rule is that they be things you can use up, and things that don’t go bad. Having a box full of sweet-smelling soaps, notepads, candles, fancy vinegars or cooking oils…basically little luxuries that your friends and hosts wouldn’t buy for themselves. [...]

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Bring flowers home. Everyday tip #64

March 4, 2012

I love getting flowers as a gift, but nothing beats buying flowers for myself. I recently reviewed a flower arranging kit for work and it taught me two things: 1. Inexpensive flowers are just as nice as expensive ones (see my arrangement of tulips and daffodils from the grocery store above) 2. The right tools make [...]

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Ceci n’est pas un switch plate. Every day tip #59

February 28, 2012

What you see up there is my latest home improvement project. Ta-daaa! Yes, it’s a humble switch plate cover but it completely brought the master bedroom together. I’m a firm believer that the tiniest of details make a big difference. When the old switch plate broke, I set out to buy another plain beige one. [...]

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Celebrations. Everyday tip #56

February 25, 2012

“He showed the words “chocolate cake” to a group of Americans and recorded their word associations. “Guilt” was the top response. If that strikes you as unexceptional, consider the response of French eaters to the same prompt: “celebration.” ― Michael Pollan If you’re going to celebrate, HAVE THE DAMN CAKE. No guilt allowed. Pin It

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Food Routines. Everyday Tip #53

February 22, 2012

I love eating the same things over and over again. Most of you know that I make myself a salad for lunch almost every day. On the days when I need something more, I make myself a grilled cheese sandwich, with extra olive oil and parmesan drizzled on top. (Yum!) I guess you could argue [...]

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Surround yourself with happy things. Everyday tip #50

February 19, 2012

You certainly don’t have to surround yourself with things that make you smile, but why wouldn’t you? I love my new set of measuring Matroyshkas – they’re adorable and practical. And if they help keep clutter at a minimum, then it’s a win-win. (I hate that expression, but it fits here, don’t you think?) Sure, I could [...]

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A peek inside Adele’s house and what your house says about you #46

February 15, 2012

I just discovered this gorgeous video of Adele performing “Someone Like You” at home: Just when I thought it would be impossible to love this woman any more (her voice! her lyrics!) I find this video that gives us insight on her songwriting process, I mean it’s pretty obvious what the song is about, but [...]

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A touch of loveliness. Everyday tip #39

February 8, 2012

I bought a white hyacinth at the grocery store last week and I put it in the bathroom. You might be surprised by that, but why not? I go in there multiple times a day — it’s the first room you go into in the morning and the last place you visit before bed. Why [...]

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Bedtime baths aren’t just for babies. Everyday Tip #37

February 6, 2012

A friend and I were talking when I started complaining about how hard it is for me to wind down at night. “I bet a nightly bath will cure you of that.” “A nightly bath? How do you even have time for that?” For you see, I was envisioning those movie bubble baths — the [...]

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An extremely easy sauce for grilled meats. Everyday tips #35

February 4, 2012

This sauce is so easy all you need to know how to make it is on that picture above. You need: A red onion, chopped or sliced as you wish. I like chopped, but I’m too lazy to cut it into tiny little pieces, so I just make chunks. The juice from a few limes. [...]