Little Pleasures: Good Stuff

1776... Good number.

Manchego. Try it.

Tempting combination

Having the playground all to yourself 

TGIF!

Fabulous Frilly Flowers

May is a great month. Not only because the weather is getting warmer, but also because beautiful flowers abound. The peony is one of the most popular flowers around this time of year. As I mentioned in a previous post, the fluffy bloom's arrival at Trader Joe's is especially exciting for me. It takes a fair amount of restraint for me not to buy armfuls of the ultra-frilly and delightful flowers. So, if you haven't picked some up yet, get to TJ's STAT! They may not be around for much longer.

I'd love to know: What's your favorite spring flower? 

Cookware Conundrum

I'm undeniably drawn to and intimidated by cookware. I dream of effortlessly creating sumptuous meals with the skill of a truly gifted cook. There have been many successes in my kitchen, but also plenty of failures. 

In an effort to hone my skills, I recently purchased a new All-Clad skillet. Nonstick. It's GORGEOUS. But, it scares me. I'm nervous that I'm not good enough for it. My fears became reality last week when I tried to make pork cutlets. The breadcrumb coating on them got stuck to the bottom of the pan, and the beauty of the meal was ruined. The cutlets tasted fine, but presentation is everything! (Perhaps I should have followed the cooking guidelines in the pamphlet that came with the skillet...)

So, I need to get back into the kitchen and try again. Maybe not pork cutlets, but something else that will make me feel like I am the chef who long to be.

Any suggestions/tips? Do you also suffer from cookware intimidation?

Little Pleasures: Here Comes Summer

Cherries galore

Days like this in La Jolla

Fragrant white jasmine all day long

Weekend lunches at Malibu Seafood

Southpaw

Welcome to my world... But, being left-handed does have its perks.

Ya Know, For Kids

It seems that you can find a kid-sized version of just about anything these days: Mini bagels, mini pizzas, Mini Coopers... But what about kid-sized versions of classic literature?

The other evening, Hubby did me a solid by taking Baby Bee out so that I could make progress on a freelance project. When they returned, they had a surprise for me. It was Pride & Prejudice! There have been multiple film adaptations of this great novel (The 1995 BBC version is my all-time fave... Hello, Colin Firth!), and even a recent zombie-filled literary version. Yet, I must express my LOVE for this BabyLit book. 

While there are several other books from which to choose, I'm so happy that my darling Hubby and Baby Bee selected this one. You can never have too many books, right? What a great way to introduce our girl to Jane Austen (and counting)!

P.S. Just in case you wondered what the Netherfield ball would have been like...

Abeille Boissons: Agua Fresca

The temperature is on the rise... Memorial Day unofficially marks the beginning of the summer season, and instead of only consuming plain water to quench your thirst, add some agua fresca to the mix. It's really easy to make. All you need is a blender, some fresh fruit, juice, water, mint, and ice.