Pregnancy & Birth

ISAK is "bang up to date" in this month's Pregnancy & Birth. The ABC poster on 300g recycled card looks great in a nursery or office or study or dining room, beautiful and educational and it says HI in the middle. Thanks to Amanda from Nubie Kids Boutique.

The Frauenkirche in Dresden

Recently, an Australian friend of mine went on a worldwide tour and sent me back lots of his photos he thought I would enjoy. I was immediatly struck by the beauty of the Frauenkirche in Dresden but even more so by its' fascinating story!

The baroque styled Lutheran church was originally finished in 1743, by George Bahr. The sandstone dome dominated the skyline of the city until it was finally completely destroyed in 1945 during WWII, along with much of the city. It lay in rubble for many years until it was declared a landmark in 1966.

However, the church was finally rebuilt in 2004, after the fall of communism, with only this one wall (the dark portion) being original. A happy case of restoration prooving you can't always keep a good building down!

Pork, It's What For Dinner ( And Dinner and Dinner)

I have no idea why I am such a prolific blogger this week. Don't you wish I'd just give it a rest?

But, it's time to talk pork, pork loin to be exact. Marinated on Monday morning in olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, shallots, salt, pepper, crushed red peppers and fresh herbs. Roasted Monday night with fingerling potatoes, 450 for 10 minutes, 350 for another 60, thinly sliced and served with a green salad.

Tuesday night, the pork had a starring roll in Cuban Sandwiches. Crusty rolls spread with butter and dijon mustard, more of that thinly sliced pork layered with slices of cheese, ham and pickles. Grilled on the trusty George Foreman grill. I gave the Lab nada, as we say in Cuba, not one bite.

Wednesday, ginger/ garlic fried rice with pork and broccoli. Oh, my. Riffing on a fantastic recipe at SmittenKitchen, I cooked the minced garlic and ginger in a 1/4 cup of oil, after it turned golden brown I removed it from pan and added finely diced onion and carrot to the fragrant oil, cooked them till soft, added previously steamed floretes of broccoli and the leftover pork now cut in small cubes, then 2 cups of cold cooked jasmine rice, I salted and peppered rice then cooked it slowly so a fine crust formed on bottom. I fried 2 eggs in a separate pan, and when whites were firm and yolks still runny, I assembled my dish. Into 2 blue and white bowls went heaping spoonfuls of the rice mixture, these were each sprinkled with 1/2 tsp. of sesame oil and 1 tsp. of soy sauce. Then I topped each with an egg and a scattering of the crunchy garlic/ ginger mix. If any bits of rice fell from my chopsticks, trust me they were gobbled up by that Lab before they hit the floor.

This concludes this weeks unsolicited push for pork and of course more home cooking.

Breaking Bay Area News : Sterling Park Pre-Grand Opening Oct 9th !

Visit us on October 9th from 10-6pm to take a early -bird tour of the new Bayview Terrace Homes.Palo Altos most prestigious new community Sterling Park.Located in the heart of midtown thoughtfully conceived and meticulously excuted neighborhood designed to create and sustain enduring value. A limited release of only seven homes will be released for sale. We will be releasing units 402,505,403,404,504,303 and 304. We estimate the prices to range from 599k- 799k. Call the new sales office today for more details on this long awaited phase release ! 650-251-0001 or email us at sterlingpark@classiccommunities.net 3299 West Bay Shore Ave.Palo Alto. Office open 10-6pm each day.

home

 I'm home.  Or at least I think I am.  After spending the last two weeks with the people I love so much it is hard to call my place in the world home.  But it is good to be back.  As I was flying into SLC this afternoon work thoughts started to line up in my mind as if to welcome me back and give me just a few reasons why I shouldn't pack up and move back to Korea to live out a life expat style.

Who am I kidding?

While I may be a bit homesick for my sweet family I get to see every year or so and the idea of living as a foreigner is almost always appealing to me, Salt Lake is home.  As soon as I get my schedule figured it out {is it midnight or 3 in the afternoon?} I've got a list the length of my arm I want to do with all this great fall weather.

Elegant Green House Architecture Design Ideas

The house is located lane this town offers views of the city. Houses that have the ability to capture the north-east winds and abundant natural lighting right in France. The atmosphere is warm and friendly, adding character house made of wood. With wide polished timber floors, 10 foot ceiling height. Impression wooden palette highlighted by a wall and stained glass windows, wooden games and colorful.

The Luxury Classical Hacienda farm House interior design in Lerma Toluca, Mexico

Luxury Hacienda farm House in Lerma Toluca Mexico-exterior view

Luxury Classic Furniture decoration

Hacienda farm House Master Bedroom design

Luxury Classic Stone Fireplace design

Equestrian farm House interior design

Open Dining area design

Hacienda farm House 3rd Cozy Bedroom

Bathrooms feature floral patterned hand painted walls

Hacienda farm House 4th Classic Bedroom

Hacienda farm house Indoor pool design

This is my review blog where I post from time to time about products and events I won in contests and give aways and do paid reviews of products that I enjoy for Blogher advertising.

Please visit my main blog at this link:

 MILLE FIORI FAVORITI

Thanks!

detail shot or welcome home

Whats the first thing you see when you get home? If you have this condo (office?) in Carmel, CA, it just may be Ganesha, an Indian god. Why have an ordinary door knocker when you can have something extraordinary like this instead (and I am loving this green door)? A house may be about location, size and style but a home is in the details.

True Or False

The lovely Sara Louise over at LaPetite Village has awarded SmallButCharming the StylishBlogger Award for my stylish garden. If she could see it now....

And the challenge is to write 5 things about yourself no one knows, then to pass it on to a ( in my case) truly stylish blog.

I've decided to shake it up a little and I will post 10 things and you can, if you so choose, decide which 5 are true.

1. I have been married 3 times.

2. I'm a natural blonde.

3. I was the reason my girl scout troop disbanded.

4. When I moved off the island of Nantucket I left behind a pink and turquoise 1956 Chevy named China Doll.

5. I was stolen away from my palace as an infant and adopted by an American military couple.

6. I love to fly.

7. I lived in a ghost town in Arizona and was the town bread baker.

8. I'm always well manicured.

9. I attended Catholic all girls schools and was expelled from 2 of them.

10. I hate dogs.

Since every blog I read is beyond chic I offer this award to all of you and if you choose to reveal some hitherto unknown facts about yourselves I for one would love to read them.

I will now stop pestering you with posts and go and file my impeccably clean nails.

last day blues

 there is a reason why I usually prefer to take pictures of things more than people when I'm out n about.  I don't like to intrude or make people feel like they are on the spot.  And then there is the biggest reason, I'd rather not draw attention to my tourist status.  I know I don't exactly blend in, but I don't have to wear a neon sign either. These guys sitting around the table enjoying the cool evening air seemed like the right group of people to try out a new in your face style.  I pointed the camera at them and they instantly warmed to the idea of having their photo taken.  Hmm, maybe I've been a sissy for no reason? Then this guy comes running out of the store grinning a Soju soaked grin and gave me a big bear hug, planted a big wet sloppy kiss on my neck and started dragging me back to the table to join them for another round.  No thank you, kind Ajashi.  Until this point my mom was standing nearby watching the scene unfold with an 'oh dear, she does the crazziest things look on her face."  I pointed her and said we were happy to continue walking but he grabbed her hands smiling wide inviting her along too.  We left very soon after laughing at the situation although I took a very soapy shower when I got home.  I think I'll go back to my stealthy ways of picture taking.  Less human contact the better.

 Today was my last day and we decided it would be best spent on the Harley.  Eight hours later and I feel like I jammed in just about as much as I possibly could in one vacation.

 Ben wanted me to pose like a mummy in front of the tomb.  Koreans are the best at throwing out poses for pictures.  The people that went before us looked like a blend of Vana White and Hello Kitty and always throwing the very necessary 'peace' sign.

 have you ever noticed how much Koreans like to do 'Peace' in pictures?  This is Ben's hybrid version which also doubles for documenting how many mounds {tombs} there are in the picture as well.  I'm wondering what he would have done at the next stop where there were 20+ mounds...

 live eels flipping around in that silver dish there.  Makes me hungry for some sushi how about you?

Thank you for indulging me and my travel log.  Honestly can't even think design right now I'm so in vacation mode.  Back to work later this week.

Tidningen VI

A nice little press piece! Tack Marie och Stefan!

A spot to hang your hat

Don't we all wish for a little place to hang our hat and get away from it all? This charming dormer window in Paris looks to me to fit the bill. The ubiquitous geraniums in pots on a Juliet balcony really are so welcoming and homey. You know behind this facade is a little garret bedroom covered in toile de jouy with stacks of books and a cozy daybed with velvet covers and pots of tea with shortbread(at least in my daydream). Is it me or does fall have everyone longing for a nest of their own? Where would yours be?

East Coast Trip

We left a rainy Taegu last week and headed for the beach.  

 Dillon and I explored the neighborhood around our hotel.

Day 2 - We traveled along the coast and picked a new place to stay.  {Neither hotel is pictured here though Kwona says this home was probably built right after the Korean War.}

Day 3 - Ben really {really} wanted to go scuba diving but it was too windy.  So what better thing to do on a windy day?  Wind surf of course.  

The guy in the blue had a shop on the beach and when Ben asked how much it would be to rent some gear he let us try out it for free.  And not just for a little bit.  He spent a few hours with us having a great time.  Along with the gear and laughing encouragement, he was a very good teacher.  He spoke very little English and my even smaller amount of useful Korean created the best possible teaching environment.  Something about not being able to communicate makes me concentrate more.  I'd love to take this sport up; a great work out and something to make me look forward to a windy day.