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

I.  I’m currently visiting a friend who has absolutely nothing culinary in his kitchen.  We’re talking no bowls, cooking utensils, or even pot holders - and the absolute worst offense - he has only one wine glass.  Despite this knowledge, I couldn’t kick the urge to make cookies given the dreary weather we’ve been having.  Rather than buy everything necessary to make the dessert, I shamelessly bought packaged cookie dough and added a few things to give them that personal T&T touch.  Here’s how-to make delicious Cinnamon Salted Chocolate Chip Cookies in a pinch: (1) buy pre-made cookie dough; (2) heavily butter a baking sheet to add crispness and homemade flavor; (3) roll the dough into balls and place on the baking sheet; (4) sprinkle a little salt over each ball; and (5) sprinkle a generous amount of cinnamon sugar over each ball then bake according to dough instructions.  Voila!  Gourmet cookies out of a barren kitchen. 

II.  Satisfied with my cookie accomplishment, I settled into the couch last night to peruse the New York Times.  An op-ed titled “Why Nutrition is So Confusing” was among my suggested reads, so I clicked on the link - knowing full-well that I would likely regret it given my dessert binge moments earlier.  After I put aside my guilt, I enjoyed reading the intelligent piece that points out how little most of us know about healthy diets - and how difficult it is to find accurate information on the topic.

III.  We’re heading back into wedding season faster than you think.  Something that’s evidenced by my inbox filled to the brim with emails from brides-to-be.  One wedding favor idea caught my eye for something to re-purpose for my dinner parties - these cheeky hangover kits from an Etsy store. The muslin bags come empty so that you can fill them with mints, aspirin, mini-tomato juice and vodka bottles for a little hair of the dog…  Whatever your pleasure!  I can’t wait to surprise my guests with them as they leave my next rambunctious dinner.

IV.  Ahhh, Valentine’s Day…  There isn’t anything about this annual February treat that hasn’t already been said, so I will spare you my musings on the “holiday.”  But even the most jaded of the anti-Cupid will have a difficult time resisting Daily Cup of Couture’s adorable “Be Mine” finds.  I’m particularly smitten with the ultra-feminine Saint Laurent satin bow, and plan to pair one immediately with new Alice + Olivia frock.

V.  Speaking of Saint Laurent, do you think it’s possible that the haute house dropped “Yves” because so many people screwed up the pronunciation?  Probably not.  But just in case, it’s our fashionable duty to make certain that no one ever mispronounces a label again, causing a beloved designer to slaughter their own brand name.  Here is a handy guide to master the dialect of designer couture. 

Have a wonderful week!  xx tt