Infusing grandeur into otherwise drab Mondays with five things/ideas/events for the week:I.  There’s nothing better than homemade ice cream on a hot summer evening. Despite the advent of bikini season, I’ve been experimenting with new flavors nearly every week since April. Finding rich flavors like Burnt Orange and Candy Appletoo filling, my concoctions lately have centered around icier granitas...

Infusing grandeur into otherwise drab Mondays with five things/ideas/events for the week:I.  While it seems that everyone I know is either in Paris or planning a trip there, I’m left daydreaming about the city of lights stuck at home this summer. Knowing that I lived in France as a high school student, friends often ask for recommendations. I always refer them to this phenomenal Conde Nast...

Infusing grandeur into otherwise drab Mondays with five things/ideas/events for the week:I.  With June Gloom in full effect, I had an especially difficult time motivating myself to leave the house today. Rather than hitting the gym or going for my Golden Gate Bridge run, I decided to take a leisurely walk around my neighborhood. I was delighted to find a new sweet shop Sugarfinaon Union Street....

Infusing grandeur into otherwise drab Mondays with five things/ideas/events for the week:I. As part of my never-ending endeavor to simplify home entertaining, I’ve written about color bunching, garlands, and preserved plants in lieu of fancy florals. Well things are about to get even easier. Keep things fresh, and eliminate flowers all together, by filling your vases with greenery. Often...

Infusing grandeur into otherwise drab Mondays with five things/ideas/events for the week:I.  Today I had one of those deliciously long lunches that make work-days so much more tolerable. A very dear girlfriend, who moved away a few years ago, was visiting and suggested we indulge in Pizzetta 211. Not one to decline woodfired carbs and fromage, I carefully surveyed the menu online and pored over...

Infusing grandeur into otherwise drab Mondays with five things/ideas/events for the week:I.  One day shy of Cinco de Mayo, and I realize I have no plans… To remedy this, I’m inviting friends over for my take on Tacolicious tuna tostadas with chipotle aioli and crispy leeks paired with spicy-sweet passion fruit habanero margaritas. Easy to make and much more appealing than waiting in what will...

Infusing grandeur into otherwise drab Mondays with five things/ideas/events for the week: I.  As a caterer, I’ve discovered that the most requested entree is salmon. While I have nothing against the fish, it’s not a particularly memorable dish. Even if a marinade or sauce is on-point, the fact that the accompanying slab of salmon looks like every other slab you’ve ever seen from Tadich Grill to Un...

Infusing grandeur into otherwise drab Mondays with five things/ideas/events for the week: I. Thanks to Ina Garten, I remember quite clearly the very first time I felt the pangs of my undomesticity. I was in the midst of bar exam hell, when a friend stopped by with Blue Barn salads and Susie Cakes for a much-welcomed study break. Too exhausted to partake in our usual gossip session, I turned on the...

Infusing grandeur into otherwise drab Mondays with five things/ideas/events for the week: I. If Instagram is a barometer of trends du jour, spring has most definitely sprung. My feed is filled with snaps of beautiful blooms, darling picnic feasts, and bright hues for decor. My palette preference this season is a combo of hot pink, pale turquoise, and light gold - which means that when I came...