September 2008 - Page 2 of 2

La fin

September 15, 2008 By Paola 6 Comments

For about twelve short but glorious weeks of the year – from the end of June to the middle of September – Seattle is the best place to be on earth.

For the last couple of weeks we’ve been enjoying the most glorious Indian summer, temperatures in the mid-to-high 70s (around 25 degrees) and cloudless clear blue skies. This weekend was another such but with added poignancy. The slight chill on the breeze in the morning and the leaves starting to turn red round the edges told their own story. The weather is supposed to turn colder by next weekend, so this weekend was full of small goodbyes.

The last sandcastles on the beach

The last lunch by the sea

The last strawberry lemonade The last margaritas on the deck

The last popsicle princesses

The last vestigial sunset through the trees

The last chance to watch the lights come on over Seattle and the sun glinting off the downtown buildings

The last chance to watch the moonlight on the water

The last chance to have a candlelit dinner with friends

It was also the last chance for some crazy drunken dancing under the stars but I’ve decided to spare you the photos

Mrs Thomas’s Book of Household Management

September 13, 2008 By Paola 15 Comments

This is hands down the grossest thing I’ve ever posted, so those of you of a delicate constitution please look away now. This handy household tip is intended only for those of you who are plagued by fruit flies as I currently am. (Is it just a Seattle thing?)

Take one small bowl. Put a piece of overripe fruit in the bottom (they are appear to be very partial to pineapple). Cover with clingfilm and pierce several small holes in the top. Ha ha! The flies are clever enough to work out how to get into the bowl, but too stupid to work out how to get out.

God, this blog spoils you lot sometimes.

Stem

September 11, 2008 By Paola 4 Comments

I want to be Orla Kiely – design one (possibly two) iconic fabric designs, and create a whole global empire.

It can’t be that hard surely?

All available from Heal’s in the UK. God, I miss Heal’s.

The Naked Chef

September 10, 2008 By Paola

I never quite worked out why Jamie Oliver was called the Naked Chef in the early days. I do, however, have all of his Naked Chef cookbooks and they are some of the most oft-referred-to cookbooks on my shelves.

Yesterday was the Husband’s birthday, so I decided to bust out Jamie’s ‘Party Cake’ from the Return of the Naked Chef.

Fortunately I was ably assisted by my very own almost-naked chef – much the best way to be when it’s a hot day and chocolate icing is on the menu – who helped with the baking and was in charge of design and decoration.

At this stage it looked almost healthy

At this stage it looked almost classy

OK, so scratch the classy bit

Oh well, everything looks better by candlelight

Back

September 9, 2008 By Paola

this is why I haven’t been blogging

I can’t believe how long it is since I’ve blogged. I’m not sure what happened, but we’ve just been trying to make the most of the summer here in Seattle and my blogging mojo just seemed to get left on a beach somewhere. And funnily enough this is a busy time of year for mirrormirror what with all the pre-Christmas ordering and PR to work on.

Thank you so much for all your kind and concerned comments and emails – I’m sorry I just abandoned you without a word – and I’m touched (and somewhat astonished) that people have been missing my somewhat random musings.

But anyway, just to get things back on track.

Things I’ve been doing over the last month in no particular order.

– Loafing about on beaches (including another trip to Cannon Beach, still the most photogenic place on earth)

– Travelling on ferries

– Eating Dancing Deer chocolate brownies (perfect for picnics).

– Watching the Olympics (we managed to get a live stream of the BBC’s coverage to make up for the godawful coverage provided by NBC. You have to feel sorry for Americans sometimes.)

– Getting really stuck into Project Runway. And Project Rungay. Leanne is my hot, hot favourite. I just wish I’d found my way to her Etsy store before she got famous.

– Finally watching Season One of the The Tudors and realising it is much better than I thought it would be. And what a lustbunny Charles Brandon is.

– Researching my family tree. And finding out that I come from a long line of Londoners and craftspeople.

– Making aubergine (eggplant) and pistachio salad over and over again. It is SO good.

– Eating pistachio icecream. I like pistachios.

– Getting into a new school routine. The Minx is finally now going to school four days a week, although they are much shorter days, with more commuting. But finally it feels like I have time to focus on stuff.

– Photographing new stuff for the shop.

Things I have NOT been doing.

– Following my eating plan

– Exercising

– Gardening

– House stuff

– Reading and commenting on other blogs (except for Project Rungay and er, PerezHilton). Sorry fellow bloggers.

Normal blog service will now be resumed…