Party Time

Happy New Year Everyone!

Kate Spade

2010 has been quite a year. Lots happened: I retired and restarted my blog, I switched jobs from working in a showroom to working for an architect, my business has grown, I discovered yoga after I hurt my knees, and I got engaged!

Homes and Gardens

Being the positive person that I love to be, I have lots to look forward to in 2011. I don't LOVE New Years resolutions but I do love goals and thinking about the future. My main goals are to work on expanding my business, planning our wedding, and working on fixing my knees (I heart yoga).

Eddie Ross

2011 will be a wonderful year full of amazing design. Honeysuckle Pink is the Pantone color for this year and it's fun, festive, and pretty. These two pink tablescapes make me think of fun and celebration...like tonight!


Have an amazing night celebrating the year that is now over and looking forward to the fabulous year that we have ahead of us! BTW, does anybody want to buy me those shoes from above? Thanks! Be safe and drink champagne.

Alicia B.

New Years Resolution #1

A dining nook from composer, Gian Carlo Menotti's home in Italy. Via Arch Dig.

After being very much against New Years Resolutions, I came up with two things I'd like to do this year. I am against them because I feel like they make you look back at the previous year, count up your shortcomings, and then put you into overdrive on trying to "improve" yourself when you're probably doing well just as you are. Some people go to extremes or come up with so many resolutions that they get in trouble with their husbands (my sister). Be that as it may, I realized that after about four years, I had pretty much forgotten all the Italian that I'd ever learned and that made me sad. My first New years Resolution is to be more Italian. I do not have one Italian bone in my body but if you recall, I spent a semester in Florence (Firenze, sigh.), living with a family and studying art, eating so much pasta, and learning the language. It was amazing and I look back on that time fondly.

Last night I made one of my favorite Tuscan meals for dinner, Pappa al Pomodoro. It is a Tuscan bread and tomato soup, and topped with some fresh Parmesan, it is delicious! Here is the recipe I used; simple and fast.

First, I sauteed some garlic and an onion in olive oil.

Then I added 3 delicious tomatoes (skin removed) to the mix and let all this soften and meld with each other.

During this time I had some day old baguette that I absolutely could not let go to waste, so I soaked it in water for about 5 mins. I broke it apart and added that to the mix as well.

These ingredients should simmer for about 10 mins. I know how this might look, but until you've had it, you don't know how delish it is.

Then spoon some out, top it with some extra virgin olive oil and fresh parm and basil and EAT! It looks scary but is so good!

A room in a boutique hotel, Villa Bordoni, in Tuscany. Via Mr & Mrs Smith.

As for the other part of this resolution, my other sister suggested that an affordable way to bring the Italian language back into my life was to download podcasts. She's a genius because I searched for some and there are tons of people on iTunes that want to teach you Italian! Maybe I'll even make it back to Florence this year, who knows! I'll tell you my other resolution tomorrow...What are yours? One of my friend's is to sew more--great one!


Alicia B.

Happy New Year! 2009: The Year of Happy

From Eddie Ross. Yum!

I don't really believe in New Year's Resolutions. I think they're needless--don't we have enough to worry about to begin with? The usual, lose weight, go to the gym, stop smoking etc are too cliche for words and just make you feel bad and guilty if you do them (or don't depending on which one you chose). This year I'm choosing more positive resolutions--using my power for good instead of evil.

Laughing girl from Veer.

I'd like to be nicer to people, and in turn, maybe people will be nice to me and others (it's contagious, I hear). It's something I deal with in New York and it's starting to get me down. Sort of like Pay it Forward without the alcoholism and death. I was in the suburbs yesterday at the mall (I know, it sounds so 90's) but all these random people were smiling at me. Being the hardened pseudo New Yorker that I am, I was surprised but also, I smiled back.
It was a nice feeling.

Organized closet from Martha.

Another one is to cut out the clutter. You know, keep it cleaner. As Emily at Square One Organization says, it takes the same amount of time to put something in the wrong place as it takes to put it in the right place. Organizing for me is really fun, especially when I have the time. I love receiving Martha Stewart's Organizational Tip of the Day, too.

Attractive bookworm from Domino Mag.

My older sister says that she'd like to read more. That's another good one and I wholly approve of improving one's mind as a New Years Ressie. Reading is also a good way to relax. It's much easier and more mindless to just sit down with the remote and flip the channels, but I always feel better after I've read. It doesn't necessarily need to be a book, could be the newspaper too. Thanks, you passed the test.Figueres Mansion take by ME. Is this where I'll be living? Perhaps.

Design-wise, I will be moving at the end of February into my own apartment, so one of mine will be to design my own space as best I can. I think it will be a fun fun project and THOUGH I'll be missing my roommate like crazy, it will be a new experience that I'm looking forward to. Picking out my color scheme (I've already thought about it), possible new furniture, fun decorative accents, and space planning will be some of the challenges as I'm sure I'll be moving into a shoebox with a side of kitchen and a dash of bathroom.

ME again. Drink up!

Well, it looks like I've got my work cut out for me for 2009, but I remain upbeat about it! I think 2009 should be the year of getting back to basics, cut out the greed, the meanness, and just be happy and nice. Am I living in a dream world? I don't care. What are your resolutions?

Happy New Year!


Alicia B.