I've definitely approved this.

Sunshine continued all of Sunday as well.  We went to show our faces around town...

The kid does not sop moving for a second.  I'm not sure what's happening here, I think we're proposing to each other.

Vito's hair matches the foliage... he he he....

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I'm magic!

This morning it was stormy, rainy and grey clouds were congregating like teenagers without a cause.  I gave them a dirty look.  (The clouds not the hypothetical teenagers.)  The clouds dispersed because they knew what was good for them.  Now it's bright and sunny, and Vito is complaining about forgetting to bring his sunglasses.  

No matter what the situation is, I always tell him to just tell his wife if something is not going the way he wants it to go, and I'll fix it.  But I draw the line at sunglasses.  Remembering to bring them will stay his responsibility.   ;) 

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I'm all about clever 'semi-DIY' stuff but this just made me go hmmm......

R U KIDDING me!? 850 Churros!!!?

(found via Messy Nessy Chic)

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Eat the furniture please.

 I saw this in a magazine, snapped a photo to remember to look it up...  How cute!?  A waffle maker with little furniture shapes!  A real "treat" for any home decor obsessed friend.  Or maybe your toddler who needs to play with their food before eating it.

source

Not sure if this is yet available for sale to the "general public" but this is definitely a fun way to surprise your guests with desert or a gift for that hard to shop for person who already has it all.  And now we can finally furnish the gingerbread house of the gingerbread man!

And guess what!?  Tomorrow is FRIDAY!

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Corner View: Street Art

Years ago, while on a girls vacation to Sardegna, we stumbled upon these amazing murals of Muravera.  We  were strolling in the direction of the beach during siesta time in peak sun with the whole town shut down except for a few coffee bars containing old men with their mid day espressos.  Being our giggly early 20s type selves talking about our flirtations with boys the previous evening we were completely surprised and taken aback by these amazing murals.  
Corner view theme by Tania
Hosted by Francesca
Invented by Jane

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Weeknight Dinner: Salmon, Potatoes and Magical Green Beans

At our house weeknight dinners usually take 15 - 25 mins to prepare.  Not because I don't like to cook, or because I'm a jet-setting career woman with a kid and a husband and don't have time.  I'm simply impatient and love instant gratification even more!  Or maybe can't focus on anything for longer then 15 minutes because I start kinda staring into space a little bit... then wandering around the room.... yes! Sort of like someone who is affected by the shifts in the moon's trajectory! Exactly!

Anyway, I like weeknight dinner to be a quick production I call 1, 2, 3 cooking.  Some kind of meat or fish, plus grain or starch, plus vegetable element, and then rotate to exhaustion for endless combinations.

Take yesterday's dinner: 

~Yeah yeah, there is one "over browned potato", I know, I know, everyone still lives.~

Menu: Seared Salmon + Herb Potatoes + Garlicky Green Beans

1. Herb Potatoes - Peel and chop potatoes into cubes (the smaller the cubes the quicker they'll cool) and boil them in slightly salted water for about 8 mins or so, until the potato cubes are easily pierced by a fork.    Drain water well then add the potatoes to heated skilled with 2 tbs of cooking olive oil.  (At this point I take out a portion of potatoes for Jr.)  Add your favorite herbs and spices!  I use oregano, basil, dill and red pepper.  Fry them for a few minutes making sure to turn ALL of them once in a while (or you'll get one that'll get away from you and burn...). 

2. Salmon - pour 1 tbs cooking olive oil in a skillet, warm it up place salmon in and one twist of salt and pepper.  After about 4 mins turn it on the other side for 2-3 more minutes on lowered fire. 

3. Garlicky Green Beans - In my super market I buy a packet of nicely cut green beans so I don't need to chop them up.  Add a little drizzle of cooking olive oil to a small pot.  Add the green beans and let them hang out in there for a minute or so turning them over.  Chop-up 2 cloves of garlic or use a garlic squeezer and add them to the green beans and mix.  Add a quarter cup of water and cover the pot to cook for a few more minutes.  The water will mostly have cooked off and the green beans should be soft yet still crunchy.   Secret Ingredient Alert***  If you like Warcestershire Sauce, throw in a tea spoon of it in.  Or a tiny bit of soy sauce will also do the trick.  

I gave Jr. the green beans without the Warcestershire Sauce, he threw them at me, one by one, and then grabbed the ones (with the sauce) from my plate.  Then he told me he wants to date an exotic dancer... And I had a heart attack...  No, just kidding.  But that's the scenarios I imagine every time he exhibits independent thought.

Vito also liked the dinner and did not announce that he wants to date any exotic dancers... what a relief! 

Happy weeknight cooking!

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I visited the Woonbeurs (Interior Design Expo) Amsterdam this weekend.  It was magic.  I saw absolutely incredible things for the home of really surprising quality and craftsmanship.  It was overwhelming   But of course here at the Sunny Orangery, too much of a good thing is just about right.  It was however alarming to see the number of companies that make and sell throw pillows!  I have counted 35 at least.  Throw pillows everywhere...  Pillows that look like little carpets, pillows with silk flowers on them, pillows with birds on them, with poetry on them and so on and so forth.

I did leave with a feeling that what it all comes down to is having excellent sales people because NO ONE will know or care about your product if you don't strategically stick it under their knows at the right time.

Mexico?

Sexy... This display was done as a luxurious tent in the desert with burning incense and candles.  I just wanted to recline there eating grapes for an hour or six.

I wanted to just take this guy home with me!  Isn't he so "matter of fact" cool, so colorful and ethnic, yet modern too.  When I came home and showed it to Vito, he said it was a good thing I din't take him home.  

Of course that made me want it even more!

Lesson for the day: Kiss a sales person, they're saving your a$$!

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