All About Me Archives - Page 3 of 51

Heart Shaped Cake

February 20, 2014 By Paola 3 Comments

Dear hearts I am back! Had a bit of a recurrence of the health problems which plagued me last year – adrenal fatigue, I’ll write a blog post about it one day soon – but I’ve been resting up and feeling good again.

And I need to get back to full blogging capacity because I’ve had some fabulous news that I’ve been bursting to tell you for some time now.

I’ve been chosen to be one of the featured bloggers on Blog Tour 2014 to New York City where we’ll be visiting the Architectural Digest Home Design Show and partaking in all sorts of fabulous shenanigans. Here’s the official announcement from organisers Modenus. Not sure how I managed to slip in among all those eminent interior designers to be honest.

I don’t know much about the itinerary as yet, except that we will be staying in a sexy midtown Manhattan hotel and spending a day at the Design Show. The last day of our tour will be organised by Tina and Sarah of NYC interior design studio Franklin Eighth. You may remember Tina as a monthly guest blogger on this very blog, so I know it’s going to be good.

Anyway, all this means I have the best possible reason to boost up this blog and my social media presence again, so do stick around for the ride. I’ll let you know a lot more details on the itinerary as I get them. #BlogTourNYC is happening from March 18th to 22nd.

In the meantime, here are some random pretty pictures of the chocolate heart shaped cake I made for my dearest best beloveds on Valentines Day. I again used the deliciously tasty and extremely forgiving ‘Mom’s Chocolate Cake’ from the first Macrina Bakery cookbook and the heart-shaped pan I bought ages ago from Ikea.

I frosted it with my usual buttercream (2 sticks/8oz/225g of butter to 6 cups of sifted icing/confectioner’s sugar) and added a little pure raspberry puree for both colour and flavour. I used a Ateco 825 icing nozzle, as I don’t have the rose tip that everyone else uses. Need to rectify that.

If you make and eat this cake please think of me. Due to the aforementioned adrenal fatigue I’m not actually supposed to be eating sugar. Ugh.

Fancy Hotel of the Week – Chateau Whistler Christmas

January 13, 2014 By Paola Leave a Comment

We’ve just concluded a weekend of festivities for the Minx’s birthday and it feels like the New Year has finally started. I actually love this time of year as I feel no guilt about sitting indoors in front of my computer, hiding from the unremitting greyness and gloom of a Seattle January, and can actually get sh*t done. Although Christmas feels like a long time ago now, I just wanted to share some photos of our trip to Whistler this year, mostly because we had the most wonderful time. We don’t have any family here in the States, so it’s become our tradition to drive up to Whistler and take a pampering break in a hotel. This year we managed to score a deal and stayed for the first time at the Fairmont Chateau Whistler, nestling at the foot of Blackcomb Mountain in Whistler’s Upper Village. And all was utterly perfect. Unfortunately for our finances it was so perfect that we might just have to return every year, deal or no deal. From the minute we drew up at the front entrance, it felt like Christmas had begun. Yes, roaring log fires, a quite ludicrous number of Christmas trees, life-sized gingerbread houses, beautiful wintry walks across the golf course, a big Christmas dinner-dance, macarons and chocolate fondue on tap, a very hard-working Santa and Mrs Claus, and even a Christmas stocking hung on the door of everyone’s room on Christmas morning are going to very difficult to beat.

There was obviously also far too much scope for ‘sparkly light’ photos. Apologies. The Minx-sized gingerbread house was all completely edible and smelt incredible. The view from our room. Not much snow (though enough for the Husband and the Minx to enjoy their skiing) but the golf course was still pretty. On the night before Christmas Mrs Claus read to the kids under the tree. Then we had enjoyed eiswein and macarons in bed while watching a relaxing movie. And Santa’s special stocking delivery the following day was a really magical ouch. Amazing food, gorgeous decorations and quite a good band actually for the big Christmas dinner-dance.

It was really hard to leave.

Edible Seattle January

January 6, 2014 By Paola 1 Comment

The Minx went back to school this morning, the Christmas tree will be packed away tonight, a watery sun is turning the lake to molten silver and finally I am back at my desk with two grumpy cats who hate the cold. Happy New Year to me.

And January has started in the nicest possible way with my very first editorial photographs in the January/February issue of Edible Seattle !

I can’t show you much until the issue leaves the newstands but here is a sneak peak at my new regular seasonal cake column (which will be appearing in every other issue), featuring my recipe for Spiced Parsnip Cake with Bourbon Brown Butter Frosting. I will be able to share the proper photographs and full recipe with you all here in a month or two, but in the meantime I recommend that you get the magazine if you’re in the Seattle area. Loads of fabulous seasonal recipes to be found within its pages.

I also recommended to new editor Tara that she interview the inimitable Vicky Brown of Little Brown Farm whom I met on the Whidbey Island Farm to Table Workshop. Vicky gave an inspiring and thought provoking interview, and Tara was kind enough to use a couple of the photos I took at the workshop to illustrate it. Of course it is totally impossible to go wrong with cute baby goats.

Again I’ll share the proper pics of our trip to the farm with you at a later date.

In the meantime there is nothing more exciting than seeing your work in print, here’s hoping I get more used to it in 2014!

Weekend Link Love

January 4, 2014 By Paola Leave a Comment

Here is a photo from my winter wanderings around the golf courses of Whistler and here are some more tidbits from this week’s wanderings around the Internet.

This article about focusing not on goals, but on systems is really resonating with me. I’ve been trying to improve it over the last year, but nobody in our house is good at systems and I spend SO much time looking for things or reinventing various wheels. I’ve also started watching this CreativeLIVE course from Ari Meisel on the same subject and it’s definitely furnishing plenty of food for thought so far.

At the same time, I don’t think the systems within my body are working terribly well (I’ve put most of the weight I lost recently straight back on) so this article about losing weight without dieting made a lot of sense. I think there’s a lot that needs to be fixed and I don’t want to struggle AGAINST my body anymore.

This article TOTALLY works with this year’s quest for more ‘deliciousness’ in my life.

Whereas this time capsule Paris apartment is my dream home. Surely the movie of this story must be coming out some time soon?

And finally these bodymaps of the physical manifestations of human emotions are just mindblowing. Here’s wishing you lots of happiness and love in 2014!

We’re having one last weekend of festive fun – hosting a British Christmas party and then going to see the panto today, followed by SingalongaSoundofMusic on Sunday – and then #maythelordandallthesaintsandangelsbepraised everyone goes back to school and work on Monday.

Life is Delicious

January 2, 2014 By Paola 7 Comments

I’m not a huge believer in resolutions, though I do like the idea of taking stock and making ideas and plans for the year ahead at the beginning of January. In fact this year I’ve decided that my new year will start on January 6th, as we’re still in full Christmas mode here – the Minx is home from school, the Christmas decorations will stay up until Twelfth Night and we still have various gatherings and activities planned.

Detailed resolutions don’t seem to work for me but I like the idea of choosing areas of focus for the year. Last year was The Year of Photography, The Year of Getting Fit and The Year of Getting Organised and I’d say I achieved one out of three (the photography), though I did make progress on the other two (and yes I DID tidy my desk). So this year is going to be The Year of Marketing (this blog is going to be a big part of that) and the Year of Getting Fit/Getting Organised 2.0.

I also love the idea of choosing a word of the year though I’ve never done it before. This year though, my word chose me.

I hit a big birthday at the tail end of last year and decided to give myself the present of a life coach and have been working with the inimitable Susan Hyatt. Though I’m very grateful for my lovely life and know I’m so much luckier than most, I wanted help with the stress, adrenal fatigue and insomnia which laid me so low this time last year and also help with building my new photography business.

We’re just starting the process and it’s been a fascinating so far, though there is still a lot to do. But the one thing coming out loud and clear so far is that I don’t stop enough to smell the roses and just ENJOY the simple things of life. That instead of rushing around from place to place that I should take the trouble to stop and just BE.

I got back from Whistler to find that Susan had sent me a special word charm necklace that she had commissioned from her best friend, jeweler Frances Cadora from Studio Fran, who makes the most spectacular one-off hammered silver pieces (I do LOVE my friends, but how lovely to have a tame jeweller at one’s disposal).

I was a bit teeny bit sceptical about someone else choosing my word, how could they know better than me?

But Susan did. She chose the word DELICIOUS and it is perfect and wonderful and feels just right. (I also feel honoured as she runs a fabulous online program called ‘Life is Delicious’ so it feels like she is lending me HER word).

So 2014 is the year that I look for deliciousness – in food, in photography and in life in general.

Have you chosen a word of the year? Or an area of focus? Or are you sticking with old fashioned resolutions? Or are you perfect just the way you are? And if you want to commission Fran to make you your own word charm necklace for the year then I’m sure she’d be delighted to hear from you. (Oh and even her gift boxes are beautiful, handmade and covered with gold leaf).

So This Is Christmas

December 20, 2013 By Paola 1 Comment

I was planning a more thoughtful blog post this morning, but then this morning THIS happened, so the kid and I are at home and planning to go sledding and bake gingerbread cookies.

I think this will be my last blog post of the year, as we are again off to Whistler on Sunday. If you’re at all interested in our exploits I will of course be Instagramming the shit out of them. Come and be my friend here.

Have the most wonderful end of the year wherever you are, thank you for all your emails and comments and interest in 2013 and I look forward to seeing you on January 2nd.

I’m so excited by my new blog and really can’t wait to see what 2014 brings.

It was a bit of a ‘soft launch’ of the new blog this month, so I could iron out a few wrinkles. Back with a VENGEANCE in January though. You won’t know what hit you.

Weekend Link Love

December 14, 2013 By Paola 1 Comment

Here are some interesting tidbits from my wanderings around the Internet this week to keep you busy over the weekend.

We’re in full Christmas frenzy mode here. Tree is up, gingerbread dough is relaxing in the fridge and the Minx and the Husband have ballet and choir performances all weekend. So I think there’s going to be quite a lot of relaxing in front of the TV (not in the fridge) with wine and Christmas movies for me. Anyone else got any more riveting plans this weekend?

{This year’s traditional Christmas bokeh picture is revealing that we have a big ‘hole’ in the lights two-thirds of the way up the tree}

I was lucky enough to have a seat at the taping of photographer Chase Jarvis’s interview with social media guru Gary Vaynerchuk (Chase’s studio happens to be about 5 minutes from my house). I can’t recommend it highly enough to anyone (especially a creative person) who wants to use social media more effectively. I’m reading his book Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook at the moment and it’s giving me much food for thought as I start reinvigorating and changing my online profile.

If you haven’t yet seen it, this animation of an Ira Glass quote on storytelling, and perseverance and creativity and well everything, has REALLY resonated with me.

Rene’ Redzepi of Danish restaurant Noma – voted the best restaurant it the world in 2013 – visited Seattle and an amazing dinner, cooked by local star chefs Matt Dillon and Blaine Wetzel, and organised by the amazing Lara Hamilton of cookbook store, Book Larder, was held in his honour, OUTSIDE. IN NOVEMBER. WHEN IT WAS WAZZING DOWN WITH RAIN.

I was lucky enough to be there, and although everything was a little moist, the setting was magical and the rain careering in torrents down the see-through canopy certainly made for a memorable evening. Stupidly I forgot to bring the card for my camera, so couldn’t take photos. Fortunately for us all Shauna Ahern, aka Gluten Free Girl, was on hand to tell the tale. Redzepi’s cookbook A Work in Progress is stunningly beautiful and full of inspiration and ideas,

Wonderful photos of Philip Johnson’s Glass House, where the New York Times recently spent the night.

As someone who is trying to reinvent themselves as a photographer, this piece about reinventing yourself by author, entrepreneur and hedge fund manager James Altucher was also an inspiring read. His book ‘Choose Yourself’ is on order. I will report back. (I’m on a bit of a self-help book kick at the moment, all part of the massive mid-life crisis I’m going through. Cheaper than a sports car though.)

I am contemplating rewatching Love Actually . I saw it when it came out and found it unbearably schmaltzy, so have never seen it since. I understand that now there is an Internet-wide discussion as to whether it’s a good or bad movie. Where do you chaps stand? Should I rewatch?

UPDATE: So I rewatched ‘Love Actually’ and I think what really bugs is how utterly ridiculous all the stories are, with the exception of the Emma Thompson/Alan Rickman one. But the images of London at Christmas are droolworthy. I felt so homesick watching it. But what do you guys think?

A New Dawn

December 6, 2013 By Paola 7 Comments

*Tap microphone* Is anyone out there?

I know it’s been forever and a day, but I’m back!

And hoping against hope that at least some of you will be able to find me.

Welcome one and all to ‘mirrormirror’s new home. Pull up a seat, have a slice of cake and make yourselves comfy.

I’ve spent the last few months working with the amazing Kaytlyn of Beneficial Design and the guys at Foliovision to design a lovely new online home and transfer the old blog over from Typepad to WordPress (yay! I now have widgets and stuff, and can do amazing things like, you know, reply to comments. )

I’ve even got a shiny new blog URL. Please add www.mirrormirrorblog.com to your blog address books.

It’s all still a bit of a work-in-progress, so if you spot any glitches, hitches, bugs or things which you really don’t like, please let me know.

And also, drumroll, do you remember this post? Where I confessed that I wanted to be a food photographer? Well, I thought about it and worked on it and have spent the last few months pulling together a photography portfolio to match the blog. I’m so proud of this baby I want to burst. Come and check it out at www.paolathomas.com.

I’m going to do another post about my photography very soon where we can talk about it at more length. Suffice it to say for the moment that creating a photography portfolio is hard y’all (<— my new favourite American word).

But that’s enough housekeeping. I’m just SO happy to be back and promise I’ll be blogging here regularly from now. I’ve missed you lovelies a heck of a lot.

Things I Am Loving: The Secret Garden

June 20, 2013 By Paola 6 Comments

Pssst. Don’t tell the Minx, but I just bought her a colouring book for our plane ride at the weekend.

Well, to be more accurate I’ve just bought myself a colouring book, as I’m sure she would probably prefer to be plugged into an electronic device of some sort.

But honestly, who in their right mind could resist the intricate and magical pen and ink drawings in Secret Garden by ‘ink evangelist’ Johanna Basford?

Twelve hours on a plane doesn’t seem nearly so long now. (Check out this review from the Guardian, which includes some printable pages to download).

Speaking of The Secret Garden, which remains one of my favourite children’s books of all time, check out these beautiful clothbound keepsake editions of children’s classics from Puffin, designed by the amazing Daniela Terrazzini.

As the mother of an utterly voracious and rather advanced reader I’m the finding the classics to be one of the best ways of giving the Minx age-appropriate reading material. I understand from the Internet that these beautiful books can be hard to track down, but we found ours at the weekend in Seattle’s wonderful Elliott Bay Bookstore. Some are also available on Amazon. (There are some more boy-friendly options too.)

I, er the Minx, can’t wait to read them.

School’s Out for Summer

June 17, 2013 By Paola 2 Comments

So henceforth there’s going to be an awful lot more of THIS going on in our lives.

School finished last Friday (I still can’t get over how LONG the school vacations are here), so we’ve got a summer full of camps and visits and trips planned.

I’m painfully aware that this is probably the last summer that the Minx will truly be my little girl (can you believe she’s already eight?) so I mean to make the most of it. I think it will be good for me to slow down a bit too. All the stress-related issues I talked about at the beginning of the year are much better, but I’m still not sleeping as well as I should and a summer of fun in the sun, relaxation, stress-free photography, reading, cooking and dreaming is just what the doctor ordered I think.

I’m hoping to get fitter (just started using a Fitbit yay!), learn stand up paddleboarding, read lots of books, do a few workshops, cook up a storm and host lots of parties.

We have trips booked to Menton again (leaving on Saturday!) – we have rented an apartment there for three weeks – and to Canoe Island, and Grandad is coming to stay. The Minx will be going on her very first overnight camp (leaving mummy and daddy to have our first consecutive nights away together since she was born).

I WILL continue blogging, but only when it really feels like the right thing to do (though I have got tons of things I want to talk to you guys about). If you want daily updates though, please come and find me on Instagram.

Instead this summer will hopefully be all about this

this

and this

I hope yours is too.

I’m hosting ‘Mom Camp’ tomorrow. In the morning I will be teaching five eight year olds how to make pie and then we’re doing on a photography scavenger hunt. Think of me…

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