Funny (not really…) how it seems we didn’t have rain for over a year here in Southern California and then this last week it was torrential every day. I loved it but knew that it was causing lots of people lots of hassles. Nothing cozy about mudslides…..

This past weekend seemed to usher in Spring so Marc and I took advantage of the beautiful weather and went on one of our favorite walks in the neighborhood around the Silverlake Resevoir. Lots of gorgeous houses that have beautiful views of the water!

As I have already been fervently working on my geranium garden I was hoping to see lots of lots of really robust plants I could pinch a little cutting from……

Many people think geraniums are boring, normal and even ugly but I’m always charmed by them brightening the window boxes of apartment buildings in Europe, especially Italy. They also have a great smell. My garden, a work in progress, is designed to have big chunks of red next to big chunks of fuschia next to a big chunk of peachy salmon. I have found all these colors and more!

This year I have decided to introduce Nasturtiums into the mix. I love their beautiful greeny-grey leaves and of course the multitude of colors. I found a patch next to the gargage – I think some of them will be much happier in my garden!

I am also working on Mexican Sage, another plant you can pinch and put right into the ground. My success rate has been about 60% but we have a huge plant on the property that doesn’t mind an occassional haircut. Mexican Sage is also called Salvia and somehow with its purple velvety flowers it is often mistaken for lavender.

I have to admit this makes me a little crazy! Mexican Sage is not Lavender! Do not get the two confused. You can SMELL the difference!

So with my hands already full of great new geranium “pinchings”, I even managed to find the perfect lemon which had fallen from a tree and lie in the grass. Thank you whoever, it made my tea delicious this morning!

They say the rain is coming back tomorrow but that’s ok – I’m not sure I’m really ready for Spring anyhow but I know my garden is!

Back on January 6th I posted a picture of my beautiful sister LuAnn who had transformed herself on a wintery Asheville night into a Russian beauty by donning a black fur hat.

Well, you know how they say dogs and their owners look like?

Check out LuAnn’s cute rescue pooch Molly. This is a whole new take on that saying!
Molly likes to go by the alias “Molly Dogonavitch” when she is in this attire!!!!! Has anyone seen her sunglasses???

I know very well that according to the fashion industry that we are still in the “Resort Season” but what I want to know is:
1. Who really takes these tropical vacations right after the Christmas holidays requiring chic bikinis, wraps and flip flips?
2. Who are these lucky Recession-free people?
3. If they have no financial worries, why aren’t they shopping at Prada or Gucci????
4. And for the rest of us who are staring outside at rain and snow, who the hell wants to look at bathing suits right now?

Thoughts???

I’m always a little late in jumping on the bandwagon and the slow cooking movement is no exception. Specifically the Crock Pot movement that is – sounded a little too flashback for me… But as fate would have it, Marc received one in his office “White Elephant” and did not, thank God, have the opportunity to trade it for anything else (I woulda killed him and he knows it!). So we are now the proud owners of a brand new 4 quart Crock Pot.

I”ve already used it 2X and loved both dishes. You know the idea is that you can buy a less expensive cut of meat to get these fabulous results so when shopping around I found a great deal on Pork Roasts. My original intention was to make Chicken Chili but thought since I have all this pork – and white beans and chili’s are delicious with pork why not make the switch!

So in the ingredients went and 8 hours later we had incredible stringy delicious pork chili! Of course the rest of the pork went into the freezer and next time I’m going to try BBQ pork (like I had in Asheville!).

Pot Roast Sunday Supper? You betcha! Again, my menu was decided when I saw a great deal on meat at the grocery store and believe it or not, never having cooked a Pot Roast before (somehow my parents missed that one…) I threw caution to the wind, threw this huge hunk of meat into the pot with carrots, onions and garlic. Ok, a splash of red wine just because and voila! again 8 hours later I had this huge pot of delicious simmering meat!

Since the neighbor dudes were coming over for dinner with appetites akin to Jethro from the Beverly Hillbillies I whipped up some mashed potatoes and a little steamed broccoli on the side. Gotta have that green!
Can we say Rave Reviews? Why yes, of course! (and can you also say amazing leftovers! we LOVE that!)

For someone who loves to cook and who loves the details of cooking the Crock Pot is not about simplicity for me (although it certainly is). But I absolutely love the texture of these slow cooked meats and sauces it creates. Especially for those of you living where it’s snowing outside I highly recommend you run out and get one ASAP! Total comfort food!

Check out this great link from Cooking Light Magazine – it gives all kinds of tips and recipes!

Target has a great selection of Crock Pots and you can also go to CrockPot.com for additional models and recipes (oh and Crock Stars…get it?!! What will they think of next?)

I was in Switzerland over the holidays and the legality of absinthe came up. Well, we can all stop loosing sleep because it is totally legal, has been for a few years, and is readily available at your local cooler-than-average liquor store! Recently I was in Red Carpet Wines in Glendale, Ca and came across all these really amazing bottles. I felt like I was being transported back into another era. The history of absinthe is actually as fascinating as these labels. Take a look!

I better not catch one of my cats EVER doing this!!!!

Absinthe is commonly referred to in historical literature as “la fée verte” which means the Green Fairy (it is most commonly pale green). Technically it is a highly alcoholic distilled spirit (45%–74% ABV) which originated in the canton of Neuchâtel in Switzerland. Guess that’s one way to figure out how to stay warm during those cold Swiss nights!

Here comes the cool part: absinthe became very popular in the 19th and early 20th century especially amongst the bohemian culture. Opposed by Social Conservatives it’s fan club included Modigliani, Toulouse -Lautrec, van Gogh and Oscar Wilde.

I’m pretty sure the Adams Family must have loved this drink although it does not contain Eye of Newt it does derive it’s name from the Greek word for Wormwood which was used as a bit of a cure-all. In the 1840s absinthe was given to French troops as a malaria treatment and when the troops returned home, they brought their taste for absinthe with them.

It became so popular in bars, bistros, cafés, and cabarets that, by the 1860s, the hour of 5 p.m. was called l’heure verte (“the green hour”).

Check out the ingredients on this bottle – star anise, mint, wormwood, fennel, tarragon, Hyssop – what???!!!! Wow! make mine a double!

Absinthe has been portrayed as a dangerously addictive psychoactive drug but was at last vilified as no evidence showed it was more dangerous than any other spirit. Hello Tequila???

In the 1990′s the European Union began to reauthorize its sale and now there are over 200 different brands being produced, notably in France, Switzerland, the Czech Republic and even the United States.

And if you do decide to try a glass there is a little “ceremony” to it (which I think only increases it’s drama!).

More on this elusive and seductive spirit ……….

From a fantastic email my sister Lisa sent me, check out the other photos, they are really great and if you are in any way in a bad mood, you won’t be after looking at this. If you are, uh -oh…

One more, for the dog lovers! (awfully young to be getting so serious?!!!)

We love self-timers! And that is coffee with Bailey’s in our cups (starting early? why not, it’s Christmas!)
The order of events: breakfast, presents, collapse!

Champagne is a MUST for Christmas morning!

John gets a BIG surprise! We had to coordinate big time with Vinnie on sneaking this new mountain bike into the basement and then hiding it! It all worked out and looks like when the snow clears they will have some great rides in their future!

John has been collecting Christopher Radko ornaments
for over 10 years and has amassed quite a collection! They are all so unique and I love to look at them and discover new ones I hadn’t seen before.

During the day we went and saw Nine, we all loved it, a perfect Christmas day movie!

Forgot to mention after Christmas Eve dinner we went for a drink at the beautiful and super decorated
Grove Park Inn. The fireplaces are huge and there are tons of Christmas trees and Gingerbread houses. This place really says Tis the Season!

Is that LuAnn or Svetlana? A fur hat immediately transforms LuAnn into a Russian glamorama!

And to all a good night!
Thanks again to John and Vinnie who are PERFECT hosts and LuAnn for always being so much fun!
See you next year!