Summer Screenings

This weirdly cold summer made it feel like it was JUST about to start and now it's somehow August.  In fact I have a feeling we'll be getting an Indian Summer this year and people will start saying Indian Summer a lot.  I dreamed of having Summer screenings all season but the hour got away from me so now I'm making up for lost time and had two screenings in the last two weeks.  There is really nothing better than sitting outside with a fire, eating delicious food and watching a movie.  Last night we screened Goodfellas and ate a giant Italian feast.  

As an opener we watched an Old Blue Eyes concert while eating a little bit of this.

I made the table all nice and Italian restauranty with a red and green theme, candles in the wine bottles and little white roses for flowers.  It's fun playing restaurant.  

The pictures of the food all look sort of magical and that's because it was.  The camera doesn't lie.

Our menu included sausage and peppas, rigatoni with vodka sauce, mama jo's famous bolognese with linguini, caesar salad with pancetta and heirloom tomato caprese with burrata.  Oh and can't forget - tons of fresh bread from Bay Cities with delicious olive oils.  We ate so much our heads exploded.  

After the movie ended we then decided to all get our picture taken with the title of the movie projected onto us which I have feeling is the beginning of a new tradition.  

  

Time to plan the next one!  Maybe Indian Summer?

Thrift Find of the Week: Old Glory

This wasn't on the thrift list but as I was checking out at the Salvation Army the spirit of America ran through me and all I could see were stars and stripes.  Maybe I'll wear it as a blanket to keep me warm on the beach while I watch fireworks.

Happy Birthday America!

Spicy Summer Gazpacho Time!

Tomato season is upon us and my tomato plant has taken off!

Recently I've picked a few for salads and eggs but since there are more and they just keep comin' I thought I would make a spicy gazpacho!  Simple to make and so refreshing!

Ingredients:

4-5 medium tomatoes (quartered)
1 cucumber (peeled and roughly chopped)
1 red bell pepper (cored and chopped)
1 small poblano pepper (cored, no seeds and roughly chopped)
1 small red onion (quarted)
lime juice (1/2 a lime or so)
cilantro (a few sprigs)
1 sliced avocado
pinch of salt & pepper
2 tablespoons of olive oil

Throw tomatoes, cucumber, peppers, little bit of the cilantro and onion into the blender and blend away.  Transfer to a bowl and stir in lime juice, olive oil, salt and pepper.  Chill in the fridge for 20 minutes.

Pour into bowls (should serve about 4).  Garnish with some sliced avocado and cilantro.  I also might try throwing in some cooked shrimp for a heartier version.  Or for lunch, pair it with an open faced tuna sandwich.

The 3 Minute Sundress!

Here's a fun DIY tip for all the ladies on how to make a summer sundress in three minutes with three materials.  It's so easy a cavewoman could do it.  If she had the following materials.


Scissors
Pencil
Pillow Case

Instructions:

1. Pick out a pillow case (either one you're not using at home or a cute vintage print from a thrift store).  I just got this pink gingham one and another one with a red, white and navy floral pattern and white striped hem.

 

2. On the folded end (not the hemmed end), draw semi-circles for the neck and arms with a pencil and then cut along the line.

3. Put on your new dress! 

You can throw it on over your bathing suit.

Or pair it with a belt to "dress it up."

  

Wait'll summer gets a load of us!

Thrift Find of the Week: 70's Outdoor Table Runner

Just in time for summer get togethers, I found this far out table runner that fits my eight foot picnic table perfectly.

I love the tassels too!

Time to have a groovy party!

Party.. Pizza Party!

Made delicious personal pizzas last night and boring old dinner turned into a pizza party!



These are fun to make but they also make great use of the extra veggies and items in your fridge that were starting to lack purpose. There's nothing I hate more than wasting food!

One was a sausage with grilled onions and plantains (which were left over from a recent meal at a Cuban restaurant) and the second had chicken, asparagus, tomatoes and basil.

Added a caesar salad on the side and the pizza party was complete.

Sufferin' Succulents! Best Gardening Trick Ever

Succulents are made of magic and I'll tell you why.  Recently I transferred this jade to this larger pot and while doing so a few of the smaller branches broke off.

Rather than tossing them in the compost bin I instead put the little guys in some small pots I wasn't using and now I have four new healthy succulents for the price of none!

I also did this with some other succulent scraps and created this mixture of plants that has taken off!

And this started as a scrap from a neighbor.  I remember when it was just a wee little nub.  Ah they grow up so fast.

The best part is how easy it is.  Just snip a small piece off of a healthy existing favorite.

Make sure you have a clean edge on the stem, press the stem into the soil and give it a little water.

Now you have a cute little succulent baby that will grow up to be a big mamma!