Friday, August 13, 2010

Love is a Verb


IMG_0010, originally uploaded by TTT with Toulouse.

Isn't this perfect!
Love is a verb!
This little vignette was in Natellie's (well, her family's) bathroom.
a great thought to start the weekend off with.

Plum Crazy..

I have been told that I am a bit whacky,
quirky even
but now
I think I'm
PLUM CRAZY!
Our plum tree is loaded with
plums~
a plethora of plums!

"John!!
let's make jam!"

recipe search....
.a jam that is not too sugary as the plums are really sweet!


One of my favorite foodie magazines with
great "healthy" recipes!


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John picked some of the plums -
like a bucket load!

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We pitted about a third of the bucket.

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followed the recipe ...
cooking away



added the sugar
and the pectin
cooking...cooking ...cooking
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HOT!!

and messy!

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Finished!
let cool 24 hours
and then freeze
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Making jam reminds me
of taking pictures
using
F I L M
you have to wait to see how the pictures turn out.

The jam seemed a bit liquidy in the jar
not like real
JAM
Hopefully,
it will jam up.

If it doesn't,
what to do?

Fage yogurt with plum sauce and granola?
(don't you just l o v e Fage yogurt?)

Duck with plum sauce?

Chicken with plum sauce?

Lamb with plum sauce?

Tofu with plum sauce?

Plum smoothies?

hmmmm........

Keep your fingers crossed that the Plum Crazy Jam jams up!



........

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Meet Natellie ~ a Most Amazing Artist and Cute as a BUG!

Travels
to Morro Bay
brought me and Toulouse
to the home of
Natalie Saia,
a young artist who's art is
knocking my socks off!

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I actually met Natellie about
four years ago.
Her mom, Barbara, is the rock star
that raises funds and runs
marathons
and half marathons
and for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
I knew Nat as a runner and
serious basketball athlete
and a neat "kid".

....
flash forward
.....
I casually pop by one of my favorite junk haunts,
There is Barbara (HI Barbara!)
and her daughter Natellie
and

Natellie has her
OVER THE TOP
fun
Mixed Media art
cheerfully
displayed
among all the really cute things
that Ruby Rose sells.

WOW!

I bought a couple of cool pieces:



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1. a cool knife, fork and spoon drawing

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and
2. an amazing drawing of keys and more keys and more keys
(like to your heart)
titled
"ESQUELETOS"
(skeleton keys)

the keys unlocked my heart
and I love

Natellie's art!


So, we talk! Natellie is studying Graphic Art and plays serious basketball and has only a couple of weeks left in SLO -
I am thinking that maybe Petit Soleil
would be the perfect
"second"
stage
for
Nat's art.

Toulouse and I went to Morro Bay
to discuss this further
...


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Nattelie has been
seriously
painting and creating
beautiful
works in a little,
tiny corner of her bedroom!

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Every nook and cranny was
colorful
with amazing stuff
to look at

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Natellie collects everything NIKE...
she has some
300 pairs
(or some crazy number like that)
There are Nike shoes,
Nike shoe boxes and
Nike shoe drawings
(that she drew)
proudly displayed
everywhere.

In the kitchen
are these
precious little
cupcakes

(that look almost good enough to eat!)

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Back in her bedroom hangs this super cool chandelier
(surrounded by Nike boxes)

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It was a feast for my eyes - everywhere!
And you know,
Barbara, her Rock Star mom,
is an
avid collecter and artist
in her own right....
(that will be a whole other adventure with Toulouse)




Natellie has a portfolio
of really creative
work
that she did
for school
...
I ESPECIALLY LOVED THE CRANES!
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like the origami cranes
in Japanese legend that
come to life and grant wishes,
good health
and healing.

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the colorful
Dia de los Muertos art
were tucked in
behind
baskets of cherries
..


Back to her little corner
IMG_0014
next to the closet door that she drew
a
Nike shoe on

she creates
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...
and types little quotes
and
goodies
on
an electric typewriter


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I had such a fun couple of hours,
inhaling all the
colors,
the collections,
the smiles
and cheeriness
of the home that
Natellie
lives in
(while she's home from college)
and
creates in
and shares with her family
and dogs...



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Thanks, Natellie (here with Betsey Johnson)
I had so much fun
and
I cannot wait to see all the fun,
colorful
amazing creations
you will
show at
Fete d'Arte
at Petit Soleil!

Au Revoir,

Sunday, August 8, 2010

Well here's a fun coincidence....

so,
you know I posted a recipe for
Chocolate Zucchini Bread
a while back?
Well, who knew?
There is a fabulous blog
called
or
Chocolate and Zucchini
that I fell in
L O V E
with
and there is a recipe,
under chocolate recipes,
for a
Chocolate Zucchini Cake!
Is is quite similar
to the bread recipe,
but it doesn't have
yogurt and I used
olive oil .
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It looks really moist and
I love the coffee addition
to
bring out the
C H O C O L A T E
flavors!

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I sent half of the cake back to
Santa Cruz
with Annie~
She LOVES
ANYTHING
AND
EVERYTHING
CHOCOLATE!
I'll let you know what she thinks!
and
if you make the cake
or the bread
or
BOTH,
please let me know what you think~