the real deal

as tomorrow marks the first day of december, i am overjoyed to finally embrace the merry season of peppermint, poinsettias, and the birth of our savior, Christ. i've always been one to use my home as a physical manifestation of christmas joy, but this year it's going to be different. so long, velvet poinsettias. sayonara, plastic wreath. au revoir, cinnamon-scented pine cones. this year is all about the natural. the living. the real deal.


for the first time in my life, i have committed myself to indulging in the wealth of farm-fresh produce, to filling empty spaces with blossoms, to savoring a bit of nature in a concrete city. so in a season of light, life, and love, why would i settle for manufactured adornments? no, not this year. in the upcoming days, the smell of fresh pine will overwhelm the air, the sprinkling of needles will linger on the carpet, and the reddest of reds will be contingent on my poinsettia care-taking skills.

welcome, dear december! you are going to be a lovely month!

saturdays at 11 a.m.

if i could be on the road at 11 am every saturday, i would. it's at this time when kcrw features good food with evan kleiman. not only do i learn about restaurant openings, exotic spices, and detailed food preparation, but i am also updated with the market's best through the "market report." at 11 am the local growers are interviewed, disclosing the secrets of the trade.

peruvian purple potatoes. walnut oil. the magic behind grass-fed chickens. in one hour, the radio is a gastronomic conquest. a savory conversation with "foodophiles."

as dangerous as it may sound to be distracted on the road by envisioned meals, it is well worth the risk. good food is quite the treat, and if you know anything about me, you know how i love my treats!

a season for persimmons

burnt orange.
firm to the touch with an ever-so-slight soft flesh.
the tomato-like fuyu or the heart-shaped hachiya.
seeds? maybe. bite into one, and you'll know for sure.

yes, these are persimmons. glorious, glorious persimmons! it is definitely autumn when the fruit stands and produce aisles gleam with this gem. in the height of this lovely season, i just can't get enough of persimmons...a natural addition to my everyday repertoire. and what a wonderful feeling - using today's bounty to experience flavor that will last through winter. enjoy!

domestic

every now and then, i feel it is absolutely necessary to err on the side of domesticity. to ground yourself and be in tuned with those instincts characteristic of le femme. yes, in a day and age marked by efforts to lessen the gender gap and eliminate the "traditional" view of the woman's role, i do believe it's okay to partake in domestic days. so in light of this belief, i share my day...

a leisure weekday breakfast with a dear friend, qualifying me as a "lady who breakfasts." a deep clean: dusting, scrubbing, vacuuming...the full bit. bills, bills, bills, and a heaping load of laundry. afternoon tea and list-making for tonight's dinner. grocery shopping and meal preparation in anticipation of a shared evening feast.

there's something about these kind of days that make me feel productive. peaceful. beautiful.

productive because i'm doing something. peaceful because i'm doing something at my own pace. and beautiful because i'm doing something for someone, not just for Me, Myself, and I. so here's to those few days when rubber gloves actually feel good on my hands and my signature scent is as fresh as the outdoor pines.

indulgence

there's something about san francisco that screams indulgence. and i don't mean the kind of indulgence that connotes gluttony, lust, temporary satisfaction with all things material. instead, it was indulgence in joy, in rest, in absolute freedom and newfound delight that made last week's trip to san francisco one to write home about...

we relished in the sites: golden gate bridge, city skyline, harbor.

we succumbed to sweet rest: a picnic in golden gate park, lingering chats over ghirardelli hot chocolate, unhurried walks from here to there.

and then there was the food. world-renown, glorious food! peruvian cuisine at chef gaston acurio's La Mar. rustic dishes at tyler florence's Wayfare Tavern. and fresh seasonal flavors at alice waters's Chez Panisse.

it was indulging in the senses that made me feel enlivened. reawakened. in san francisco, i was reminded that a life lived without feeling is a life lived without color. and who wants to live without color?!

...we sure don't!

lists

i didn't realize how much i rely on lists until today, when i wrote "make a packing list" with a check box beside it. really? on a list of things to do, are you really going to include another list? and then it dawned on me that as much as i enjoy crossing things off my agenda, it's rather disconcerting to think that i have an agenda at all. that i structure my days in such a way that permits me to complete tasks. for as free as i believe my life to be, i feel that i am limiting myself to whatever is written on my moleskin. and that scares me. i wonder if it's not on my list of things to do, will i do it?

this self-reflection led me to think about a recipe. a list of ingredients with specific instructions to follow. oh how easy and comforting it is to use the exact ingredients with the exact measurements, following the author's prescription to a T. what comes out is good. satisfying. safe.

but what about those times when i improvise? when i make substitutions based on how i feel? when i say "forget the list" and explore? those are the times when i feel free. when i discover something new, interesting, surprisingly delicious. i let myself feel before i think. and that is what i strive for: letting go of the lists so i can live without inhibitions, taste without reservations, and love without conditions.

wednesday

today is a lovely day. it is wednesday. it is fall. a bit warmer than my liking, but who can complain when santa monica is as peaceful as it is?

here's some love to get through the rest of the week :)