summer moscow mule

S got me hooked on moscow mules last winter when we made them for the first time together on NYE. These little babies are not only beautiful in presentation, but s-t-r-o-n-g when made with the ingredients we bought! I'm not much of a recipe follower, but we found one that called for four simple and easy to find ingredients. Just add the copper mug and you've got an elegant, 1940s-era cocktail ready to be sipped. Now they are kind of our signature drink :)

The absolute, hands-down most important thing to get right about this drink is the ginger beer. S and I have had trouble finding Crabbie's ginger beer lately, but this is the beer to have as the base of your drink! It is delicious, but makes makes the Moscow Mule pack a completely unexpected punch. It tastes like ginger ale, but has a spicier flavor that ginger ale can't quite cut. The beer is a little expensive, but it is completely worth it - don't skimp on this part!

I am also a big lime person, so I added some fresh limes in addition to the lime juice (it can be found in the grocery store near the margarita mix).

Lastly - the mugs! S was so right about this one - you need the mug for this drink to taste and feel like the elegant 40's cocktail that it is. They are not only beautiful pieces of hardware that will look great in a cabinet or bar cart, but they are timeless and pretty easy to find. We found ours at Bed Bath and Beyond (link below) and ended up buying 6 or so more because my family wanted to add their own set to their collection!

If you're interested, these are the ingredients we used (and loved): copper mug / crabbie's ginger beer  / rose's lime juice / limes / ice 

And the recipe, along with some other summery takes on the drink, can be found at this amazing site. 

happy sipping! ciao, xo
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christmas 2015

 As I type this, it is Sunday December 27th...and I smiled today because some of the radio stations are still playing all the Christmas songs :) The cheer and the hype is what makes me really excited, and it is so contagious, all through songs, visions of red and green, and the smells of cooking, pine, cinammon-goodness...there are so many senses of Christmas.

So here are just a few (I mean, just a few) pictures from the holidays this year. Most of my efforts went into making a video, actually, so the best of the best you can see below. This is becoming somewhat of a family tradition, to make goofy movies...and I love it!

password: chritmat

ciao! xo and enjoy!

4 habits for a calming nightly regimen

image via 

Sleep is sacred. My outlook on sleep and my nightly regimen is quite definite - it's one of the most important routines I allow myself to follow. It's not necessarily a tedious to-do list, but rather a series of steps that I make the time for myself to take. I treasure my sleep! I have found that several factors account into a great night's sleep - no late snacks,  sleeping in my own bed, finding time to 'wind down' before hand - some are obvious! But here are some habits that I consistently stick to - honestly, every. single. night. 

1. Moisturize.  I never used to do this until recently but now using my favorite moisturizers - a rotation of this and this - is something I can't imagine not doing! It calms me, makes me feel cooler (literally, it brings down my temperature) and gives me this clean feeling. I usually apply a generous amount to my hands, elbows, legs, ankles, knees, feet - the usual dry spots. This is more of a personal preference but it is a nice treat to end the day!

2. Shut off anything with an on-off switch 15 minutes before closing my eyes. This is a hard one, because it's a rule that is so easy to break. I often do. But I find that when I steer away from digital light, I sleep better and feel so much more rested in the morning. I rely on my phone in the morning as an alarm clock, but I try to set it in advance. It involves discipline, but when it comes to sleep, you have to put yourself first and realize that a refreshing night's sleep really is important. The worst thing you can do before bed is scroll through dozens of instagram photos and crowd your mind with a billion thoughts - it's occupying your mind with visuals and ideas that will not help you wind down! Some old-fashioned techniques like reading a book or magazine never fail me. Luckily, I fall asleep (like a log!) quickly.

3. Stretch out. Okay, this one is my absolute f a v o r i t e. Spending a good, solid five minutes on stretching before sleep absolutely, 100% of the time gives me the most invigorating yet calming feeling ever! I love back bends and gentle yoga moves - nothing heavy duty or cardiovascular. I use a yoga block or strap sometimes, but mostly focus on lower body stretches in the legs, hip openers, and core. I do this all on the floor so that I can be all over the place. Sometimes in place of stretching I will attempt to meditate. I try to mimic my yoga classes. I take a few moments to breathe deeply and allow every fiber of my body to totally melt into relaxation - literally going from fingers to toes, up and down, under and over.

4.  Make your bed in the morning. I am sure there are people out there that will shake their head at this one - some people hate making their beds in the morning! And when it's me, during the process, yes, it's annoying. As I am tugging at the covers and throwing the pillows back up by the headboard, I always silently bemoan the fact that it is a work day and I have to get through so many hours before I can climb back into bed again. Parting the bed first thing in the morning is probably THE hardest thing about waking up! But by the time the day is over, and it's finally time for my regimen, the very last thing I do is pull back the covers and climb under my luxuriant sheets. I always think to myself, "I've earned this today!" as I unfurl the top layer of my duvet. So, simply, making the bed gives yourself something to look forward to later in the day, and sets up the reward in advance.

I hope you can try one of these - they are so simple and anyone can try it out. Let me know if it works for you and if you see any noticeable difference! Wishing you a refreshing and restful sleep!

ciao!
xo

dinner on the deck

Evening dinners on the deck in the months before it gets swelteringly hot is the one of the best things we all love in our family. This dinner, inspired by the kebab recipe I shared here, just came together effortlessly. We have gotten so good at pulling this kind of a thing out of nowhere! Our dinner was a relaxed and quiet al fresco garden dinner for mother's day - featuring our mediterranean kebabs, pesto rotini, wild grain rice, roasted red potatoes and of course some of my favorite pecorino cheese. To top it off? My one and only favorite wine, chianti.

Barefoot evenings on the deck like this make summer feel like it is really here - it's easy to completely slip away and forget that there is work and responsibilities and an early rise coming in the morning. I love these lazy nights, where the dinner slowly carries on into the darker twilight hours, and no one needs to know the time or check their phones because everyone is there. Once the sun goes down, the lights lining the deck make everything look so magical. Dinner is usually followed by everyone unhurriedly roaming to the fire pit, where more wine is drunk and s'mores are made...

These kinds of moments make me so excited to have my own dinners and gatherings...with lots of wines, lots of cheeses and olives, dishes inspired by Tuscany - simpler and lighter and better - alla griglia. I'll have a big annual festa, where everyone wears light linens and sits at a huge, long wooden table filled with all sorts of pasta piatti and small dishes. Dinner will drawl on to the latest midnight hours, there'll be fairy lights strung about, and the great white moon and the stars will be the grand finale at the end of the night.

ciao! xo

birthday!

Today is my birthday! 25, ahh so old! It has been a great weekend! I have been blogging all about California (and even more to come) but I actually spent my Bday on the East Coast, in Washington DC! It was awesome :)

In California, with S, we celebrated my birthday a little early (above) with Susie Cakes. S raaaaaaved about these and after taking my first bite, I could see what the hype was about. There is something quite hypnotic about a deliciously sugary and moist cupcake. In our box: mocha, vanilla, chocolate, and a chocolate. Haha, we like the classics :) I cannot wait for my next Susie Cake!!

I love you S! And I'm so looking forward to this year!
ciao! xo

gelato date

Over the weekend (and for the first time in too long) my Siena friends reunited for some brunch and gelato!! It was perfect. I snapped a few pictures of our gelato date at Capogiro (I wrote about this place in an old coffee diaries post here) before our concoctions melted away. 

It's so casual and even probable to stop for a simple gelato in Italy - we were reminiscing about that - but here in the USA it's obviously not as easy to find a cute little corner gelateria that sells your favorite flavor. (sigh: i'm still searching for the frutti di bosco). We're lucky that Capogiro is here in Philly and whips up thirtysomething fresh batches of gelato daily! It'll hold me over until next time I'm in Italy. The wait for the frutti di bosco is worth it.

ps. Irish potato flavored gelato is AMAZING. sounds odd, but I promise it is good.

ciao! xo

to seven years!

S and I are celebrating a big one :) I am so excited and proud of us. It is so cool to me that I've known this boy for so long. Since high school! And now, bi-coastally we are doing it. I love you.

ciao, xo

make me hot chocolate

"Make me hot chocolate!" is something I've been pleading for lately to my sister who makes THE most decadent, rich hot chocolate you've ever seen. I swear it is the best on the planet - way better than a cup at Starbucks. The recipe - which you probably think I would post - unfortunately, has to be kept a secret. BUT - you can see the trimmings on top definitely make it creamy and delicious! For best results, drink with family and/or friends and sip from your favorite mug (preferably matching ones like ours). Top with whipped cream, some mini marshmallows (or jumbo, whatever your preference), and some sundae syrup and you've got the finishing touches on one darn indulgent cuppa.

Hot chocolate is meant to be enjoyed on snowy winter days. And quite conveniently, yesterday we had a snow day! I did a lot - little preparations for grad school, caught up on blogs, work for work, a little painting/editing, and I even started reading The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck (I'm already done 1/3 of the book!). It felt like a Sunday night, but suddenly we are halfway through the week. Can't believe that it is already Wednesday.


cheers to you!
ciao, xo

simple joys

Simple joys are...

A vibrant burst of hydrangeas on your night table during the coldest winter months.

Blankets by the fire with your sweetheart.

Late night air-popped corn during a Harry Potter weekend.

The warmth of a climbing under the covers at night.

Fancy candles for the not-so fancy occasions.

George Harrison music marathons during lazy mornings.

The satisfaction of a newly-organized and cleaned living space.

Feeling alive, breathing blasts of winter cold air after a quick jog.

Fresh laundered pajamas.

These are just a few simple joys off the top of my head from the Christmas break. It was 12 days long - a record! - as Christmas was on a Thursday. It allowed for the longest possible break..and it was heavenly. I relaxed so much that I truly have forgotten a lot of the worries that I'll be unfortunately tackling again today. All I can say is that this little vacation has been such a treat. S was back home from California and his presence has been an integral part to this happy, eased feeling. We got so much done but also had so much time to relax, meander around, and just be us. I miss it already! But I've never been happier or more content with life. I am just so so happy and blessed.

As for the rest of my little joys...the past few weeks have actually been quite productive. I was accepted into my top grad school of choice, so I will be starting classes VERY soon indeed and getting back into the swing of all things academic! I am a little nervous, too. In my peak, I remember writing 10+ page papers was a breeze - but now I am a little intimidated, as I work a full 8+ hour workday with work that sometimes has to come home with me. I know I could have a lot more on my plate so this is the best time to 'get it overwith,' as it were. I suppose the little bit of nerves is normal!

Another big feat (for me) was totally gutting my room and cleaning it up. I was able to clean out old and useless clothes and put them in bags for donations. I went to the Container Store - my new favorite - and bought a lot of, well, containers. I organized SO much of my stuff. Paint stuff, scrapbooking stuff, makeup stuff, stationery, yoga stuff, handbags, even high school yearbooks. Poof! Organized.  After cleaning it up I decided that over the next couple of days I want to do some major feng-shui changes. Maybe even new paint! I am thinking bright and crisp. Thoughts on white?

Lastly, with the extra time off I made some small strides forward with running again - I overcame the fear of the crippling cold (by crippling I am talking about 40-50 degree weather, don't laugh at me) and just got out for short 1 mile runs. Pairing that with a lot of yoga made me feel waaaay less guilty about holiday eating. The satisfying feeling of having a run done, yoga class under your belt, and making smart decisions about eating - it just leaves me light and airy and literally happier. It sure does beat food guilt!

I am feeling overall cozy, comfortable with everything...but ready to begin the challenges of work and grad school. I'm looking forward to getting trained as a better writer - I have lately felt like my writing is so loose and unrefined. I am debating on also joining a gym - we will see how I can balance the time - to improve on my strength and have something besides running to balance yoga. All is well, all is good. Feeling happy and grateful.

ciao, xo

happy monday! (eek!)

2014: in review

This time of year always seems to speed up; the days between Christmas and New Years' disappear! It is a quiet, cold, grey morning - quite seasonable and fitting - the kind to make you feel glad to be sipping a warm coffee underneath a blanket by the window. I am ogling at these photos, reminiscing - partially with nostalgia, but mostly thinking about how very blessed I am that I got to do all that I did. Just a glimpse at this good year.

a shrimp feast in hermosa beach.

bold pops.

summer indulgences...

my 'best dressed' outfit at mini golf.

sweet springtime sbux pit stops..

new finds

one of my favorite views of the year

october campfires

many coffee diaries were added to the books :)

breakfast in Redondo Beach

the most beautiful coating of white.

winter trip to the cabin

i'll take one of each please :)

late summer beach nights

best choice of the year: getting back into yoga

the winter looked a lot like this..

homemade pasta on christmas day

 I guess it is something that we can all agree with as we get older: the year goes by quick.  Once we take the moment to look back and reflect, though, we see that it was a year of small metamorphoses that really do make up who we are in the present. I am perplexed at the idea of the present, but it is something that I think yoga has helped me wrap my head around...it is refreshing to 'zoom out,' not overthink.

2014 was awesome. I think halfway through the year, in the summer, I hit my stride. Health wise, I began running and that was a huge accomplishment in my books - I have since stopped slowed down in that regard but it set such a good tone for the remainder of the year. Big changes happened. S moved to California, we went to LBI, I made a visit to the West Coast, but - to me - some of those best moments are the quiet weekends. S's big departure has definitely changed a lot of things, and I miss him terribly, but it has also opened new avenues for travel. I have never had a reason to go to SoCal before - and now it's probably my #1 destination! I've already got another trip booked!

This year we kept a memory jar to be opened only on New Years' Eve. I am SO excited to open these little notes. We seem to have collected dozens. Funny moments - like the time a mouse lived in the trunk of my mom's car...poignant moments - driving S to the airport for the first time...those kinds of things, even the ones that feel forever ago, I can't wait to revisit.

Thank you for reading along in 2014. I hope to continue with the 'adventures' in 2015 - I always say my best years end in odd numbers. Bring it on :)

ciao, xo - and Happy New Year!