Two years ago, my mom opened up a consignment/vintage shop called This Old Thing? on Route 302 in Westbrook, Maine. A life-long dream realized, her charming shop features three rooms jam-packed with vintage jewelry, clothing, formal wear, house and kitchen items and antiques. So, next time you are headed to the mountains or the lake, or are in the mood for an after-brunch shopping spree, check her out (and tell her I sent you!) 
xo Al
After bopping around Manhattan for a couple days enjoying the food (Eataly, DBGB Kitchen & Bar, Junior’s, Rickshaw Dumplings) and shopping (Uniqlo, Henri Bendel, FAO Schwarz), Miek and I took a cab across the bridge to visit Tig’s and Daniel’s new apartment in Crown Heights.
They whipped up a tasty brunch of parmesan and olive-oil-dressed arugula salad, jalapeno cheddar scones, poached eggs, oven-roasted tomatoes, apple pancakes (which tasted like flan!) and mimosas. We sat around, with Nymphadora Tonks the shih tzu underfoot, listening to tunes, eating, chatting, and celebrating their recent engagement! We went up to the roof to look at the skyline at dusk, had a savory and cozy dinner at Pok Pok (extreme and legit northern Thai cuisine), and then had Mr. Shah take us back to JFK.
xo Al
What happens when four friends eat big, steamy, soul-warming bowls of pho, go home, crank the tunes, have a dance party and play with their digital cameras? THIS:
xo Al
Sometimes it is nice to get away, even if “away” is only 20 minutes down the road!
Christmas was so glowy and cozy and special this year. We bounced around to family get-togethers, and even had snow!
And, my sister got engaged!!!!
xo Al
After getting in a minor car accident on my way home from work yesterday (don’t worry, everyone is fine, just some fixable car damage!) I’m reminded of how grateful I am for the people in my life, my beautiful home, and the things that give me peace and make me happy in this crazy, unpredictable world. Things happen {so, so} quickly – a reminder to be mindful, to live in the present, to be thankful for what I have, and to continuously send positivity into the universe.
Here are a few things making me happy these days:
[Baby Caramelo, who is always wide-eyed and big-eared]
[Our turntable – perfect for playing Dad’s old records and Miek’s new ones]
[His and Her rock and roll nutcrackers]
[A memory shadowbox]
[A vintage chicken tea set]
[Photos of loved ones]
And finally, this is hilarious!!
Yours, Al
I’m really in the ho-ho-holiday spirit this year. I love Christmas music, classic holiday movies (for example, Miracle on 34th Street, A Charlie Brown Christmas, Frosty the Snowman, A Christmas Carol…and on and on), all the special food, and family time. I know it’s not even December yet, but I just can’t help it.
Happy Holidays, reindeers *ahem* I mean, readers! ❤
xo Al
Ahhh… vacation! Finally, a few days of peace and quiet. I plan on spending some time with good books, Saved By The Bell reruns, lots of turkey and stuffing on Thanksgiving, and getting acquainted with my new oven.
I remember when I first discovered baking; measuring and mixing and lovingly stirring together ingredients. When I was younger, before Pinterest and Tumblr, I used to hand-write my recipes out on 3 x 5 cards. I found a bunch when I cleaned out my cabinets. It was like a mini time capsule! Pumpkin oat cookies! Raspberry crumble! Thumbprint cookies!
Lately, though, I’ve had a craving for biscotti: those crispy fingers perfect for dipping in morning espresso. I followed this recipe but tweaked a few things since my house was extract-free (maple-finished Crown Royal was a satisfactory substitute) and I wanted to use up some chocolate chips. Some may find the double baking process arduous, but it makes the house smell good and is important for the right amount of crunch.
(Cookie-Cat decided she wanted to help…)
xo Al
Last night, Miek, Erik and my birthday girl sister, Cecelia had an epic night of carving pumpkins, dancing to Thriller, eating Totinos pizza rolls and boneless buffalo wings and too much Halloween candy. Our costume theme was “Dress As Your Significant Other.” Unfortunately, I have few photos of the guys in their sparkles and leopard, but here are a few highlights of the evening (including a shot of Miek’s fabulous “smoky eyes”)…
Happy Halloween! xo Al
Yesterday kind of sucked. I had to wake up at the crack of dawn – it was still dark out – to prepare for an appointment with my dentist to get two fillings. Note to self: no matter how “small” or “surface” the dentist says my cavities are, get the novacane. Just do it. Do not fear the “small shot”…fear the multiple spinning, drilling tools, weird suction devices and very, very sensitive teeth.
After paying what seemed like a larger-than-fair amount for the medieval torture I had just endured, I proceeded to fumble my iPhone in the parking lot. It bounced on the ground a few times, and landed face down. Fearing the worst, I said a few prayers to the spirit of Steve Jobs, and flipped the screen to find a giant spider-web shatter. Great. Gmail alerted me to a new email shortly thereafter. “Oh good, my new iPhone case has been shipped and is en route.” Perfect.
After a weekend of attempting to install our new gas range, only to discover that the existing gas line was not only ancient and the wrong size for the updated appliance, but was not up to code, I received a text from Miek announcing a successful install. A giant sigh of relief. All I could think about was this recipe highlighted by Emily from Cupcakes and Cashmere, some arugula salad, an apple/pear/raspberry pie and some aged gouda. Once I got home, I lost myself in chopping, stirring, peeling. Melted cheese is a lot cheaper than therapy.
xo Al
Hot Off The Dress 