Infusing grandeur into otherwise drab Monday mornings with five things/ideas/events for the week:

I. Marcel Proust enchanted me the moment I heard his rumination that “love is reciprocal torture.” The spectacularly melancholic French author is the subject of one of my summer reads How Proust Can Change Your Life.  The unusual self-help book breaks Proust’s musings into nine different ways to help you improve.  Among my favorite chapters: “How to Suffer Successfully” and "How to Be Happy in Love.“  Coming in at just under two-hundred pages, I highly recommend fitting this witty masterpiece into your next day poolside.

II.  An interior design friend recently posted this photograph of the entry to her home.  I instantly fell in love with the fresh topiary against the charcoal shingles.  To reproduce the aesthetic - purchase topiary (here online, or sift through your local Home Goods store for amazing deals) and place in black urns (obtain the exact urns pictured from Pacific Heights Place).  The look will add a dash of luxe indoor or out.

III.  An extraordinarily simple way to add color and flavor to your dishes is to freeze fresh herbs in olive oil.  The aromatic cubes will quickly brighten staples like scrambled eggs, chicken breast, and pasta.  Freezing the herbs in oil prevents browning and freezer burn.  This method is best for rosemary, oregano, thyme, and sage (mint and basil don’t turn out quite as well).  

IV.  The thick fog today motivated me to stay inside and cook.  Craving something decadent, I decided on my Lobster Pot Pie.  To change things up a bit, I swapped the lobster meat for shrimp (but kept the lobster bisque filling).  I picked up eight large shrimp from the local butcher, who shelled and deveined them for me.  The only change to the recipe is to saute the shrimp for one minute per side in butter before adding the mushrooms, peas, parsley and sherry.  Flaky seafood pot pies in half an hour?  Yes, please!

V.  If you haven’t experienced San Francisco’s Film Night in the Park, you’re seriously missing out. Kicking off the season with Ghostbusters and ending with American Hustle, the recurring event takes place during summer months in Washington Square Park, Dolores Park, and Union Square. You’ll find me on a blanket underneath the stars this Saturday for a viewing of the quintessential SF Steve McQueen flick, Bullitt.

Have a wonderful week!  xx tt