And now for the kiss of the wind,

And the touch of the air�s soft hands,

With the rest from strife and the heat of life,

With the freedom of lakes and lands.

Excerpt from Paul Laurence Dunbar

IN SUMMER

Valentine is closed for the summer and will reopen September 12 with 

David Brody

Cindy Tower

Liz Ainslie

i made an impulsive purchase and bought this dress...

Impulse control. I thought I had it and then I saw one of my favourite bloggers sporting this beautiful lace number - the perfect summer dress. I fell in love instantly.

Suddenly, all of the sense in the world left my brain. I pounced on my credit card like a crazy honey badger and in mere seconds it was a done deal.

Other than my wedding dress, this is the most I've ever spent on a dress (even this gorgeous maxi was on sale when I bought it). In theory, I believe you should opt for fewer high-quality items than many inferior goods. I just haven�t been very good about putting that into practice. I�m good at mixing high and low in my home, but not as much in my closet. I see a purse that�s $350 and shy away, but I�ll end up with five $70 purses without thinking twice (most of which I either tire of after a while). Being in my late thirties, you'd think I'd have this figured out by now.

Have you ever made an impulsive purchase? And what's the most you've ever spent on a piece of clothing? I can't be the only one, can I?

I'm hoping this dress fits well and is worth the splurge. Will keep you posted!

Have a great week!

Pictures via.

Consolation

In high school, I wanted to be a cheerleader more than anything.  I adored the uniforms:  black and orange wool skirts with wide pleats, cozy crewneck letter sweaters, black socks and saddle shoes.  I especially loved the oversized chrysanthemum poms the cheerleaders wore on their left shoulders at football games and how their maneuvers made the creamy petals fall like flakes of snow at their feet.

But our cheerleaders were not just enthusiastic sideline champions of the boys football team - they were fierce competitors in their own right who had been winning competitions all over the state for three years.  This meant that to be chosen for this elite club, one needed to be able to jump high, hold the weight of another girl on the shoulders and thighs, and make military precision arm movements in unison.

The year I tried out, I practiced every day after school in the driveway.  But no matter how hard I worked, I simply could not improve my jumps - I was always just an inch or two too low - a subtle difference but one that would not go unnoticed by the judges.  In addition, my mother had already spoken to the cheerleading coach who had told her that only one twin would be allowed to join the squad.  This meant I was competing against my sister, whose jumps were consistently higher than mine by those inches.

I felt no animosity toward my twin and fully expected her to win a coveted spot but I tried out anyway.  I was in good shape from years of ballet and was proud despite the fact that unless there was a miracle, I would not be selected.  So I was not too disappointed on the late bus that pretty spring afternoon and I was genuinely excited for my sister.  The noisy bus distracted me from my loss as I listened to other school stragglers like the girls field hockey team and detention inmates.

When we pulled up to the grassy field at the top of our street, I saw my mother sitting on the wooden bench near the road.  She stood up as the bus door opened for me and underneath her arm I saw a large white box tied with a yellow paper ribbon.  I remember the soft smile in her eyes and the words she said, "I didn't know who was getting off the bus today but I brought a present for her".  My mother said she could not see the differences between my sister's jumps and mine, no matter how many times I tried to show her but I was never sure I believed her.  A placid breeze carried the scent of fresh earth and early blooms as we sat on the bench while I untied the ribbon and opened the box.  Inside was a beautiful broadcloth peasant dress in the richest grape hue I've ever seen.  It was trimmed in large red rick-rack and had puffed sleeves and a small flounce at the hem.  "This dress will look so nice with your new red patent clogs", my mother said, still smiling gently.  She clearly felt much worse than I.

I don't think we spoke on our walk down the hill that led to our house.  I held the dress box and my mother carried my books and purse.  When we reached the backdoor, the warming sun was just dropping behind the town's massive water tower and I could smell dinner cooking in the oven.  When I passed the dining room on my way to hanging up my lovely new dress, I noticed the table had been set - one of the chores that was always left for me.

eat: raspberry sea salt brownies & buttered popcorn cookies

Sweet-and-salty desserts are definitely my jam and these two recipes have quickly become faves in our house.

First up, raspberry sea salt brownies. Because sea salt makes every dessert mouthwateringly delicious, don't you think?

These are especially gooey and chewy with a wonderful thin crackly crust on top, a burst of tangy raspberry with every bite, and a slight salty finish. You're going to find yourself sneaking into the kitchen for *just* one more piece.



Raspberry Sea Salt Brownies
Makes 24 brownies
Adapted from Cook's Illustrated, March & April 2010 issue

Here's what you need to make them...

1/3 cup Dutch-processed cocoa (I used Hershey's)
1� teaspoons instant espresso (optional)
� cup plus 2 tablespoons boiling water
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
4 tablespoons (� stick) unsalted butter, melted
� cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2� cups sugar
1� cups all-purpose flour
� teaspoon salt
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, cut into �-inch pieces (I used semi-sweet choco chips)
1 pint of fresh raspberries
Large flake sea salt for dressing

Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with foil, leaving about a one-inch overhang on all sides. Spray with nonstick cooking spray.

Whisk cocoa, espresso powder, and boiling water together in large bowl until smooth. Add unsweetened chocolate and whisk until chocolate is melted. Whisk in melted butter and oil. (Mixture may look curdled.) Add eggs, yolks, and vanilla and continue to whisk until smooth and homogeneous. Whisk in sugar until fully incorporated. Add flour and salt and mix with rubber spatula until combined. Fold in bittersweet chocolate pieces and half of the raspberries.

Scrape batter into prepared pan, sprinkle with remaining berries and sea salt. Bake until toothpick inserted halfway between edge and center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer pan to wire rack and cool 1� hours.

Using foil overhang, lift brownies from pan. Return brownies to wire rack and let cool completely, about 1 hour. Cut into 2-inch squares and serve. Brownies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days but I prefer them chilled and like to store them in the refrigerator (brownies will keep for up to 5 days refrigerated in an airtight container).

P.S. A friend told me she made these using a box mix & just added in the raspberries and sea salt. Her family loved them. No judgement here. In fact, I might even try it myself.



Buttered Popcorn Cookies
Makes about 24 cookies
From The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook, by Deb Perelman

Here's what you need to make them...

2 tablespoons vegetable oil or canola oil
1/3 cup popcorn kernels

1/4 teaspoon table salt
1 tablespoon melted butter
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

To make the popcorn: Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large saucepan until hot. Add the kernels, and cover, shaking the pan to make sure all the kernels are in contact with the bottom of the pan.  As soon as you hear the first few kernels pop, shimmy the pan until all of the kernels pop (5 minutes or so).  Remove from heat, add melted butter and salt, and transfer to bowl.

Dough: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  In a large bowl, beat together butter, sugars, egg and vanilla until smooth. Whisk flour and baking soda together.  Stir flour mixture into butter-sugar mixture, until combined.  Fold in popcorn, making sure to get dough well distributed.  It�s okay if the popcorn breaks as you�re mixing, and don�t worry if it seems like there's too much popcorn for the amount of dough. It all works out in the end.

Bake: Roll dough into mounds the size of a golf ball or slightly bigger.  Place on a parchment lined baking sheet, making sure to leave a 2 inch gap between cookies.  Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until edges are golden brown.  Let cool for a minute or so on the baking sheet before transferring to a rack to finish cooling.

Enjoy!

You might want to try these with a glass of chocolate almond milk while watching Orange is the New Black.  Just an idea (:

Mistress of Herself

I've written about her before on this blog, but Mrs. Delany continues to capture my imagination and inspire me as my premier muse.  In addition to reinventing herself many times over, she kept living well and enjoying life long after many of her contemporaries had fallen.  Her gorgeous paper mosaicks (sic) created after her 72nd year, her needlework, her shell designs all remain for us to explore. 

I will forever be drawn to flowers on black backdrops such as the awe-inspiring dress above because it echoes so much of her art and needlework motifs.  In fact, if I had $425 un-earmarked, I would be purchasing Gucci's new and lovely Flower Print silk scarf.  With its roses, trailing vines, and even insects, it is the perfect foil for all things Delany.  I have officially embraced the movement.

But it really is the woman herself who draws me in.  Despite bitter hardships and a horrible arranged first marriage, she was always ready for her next reincarnation.  She never looked back.  She began creating her mosaiks during the potent stage of first grief after her beloved second husband's death - a time when one would expect a drawing in of life and creativity.  Instead, Mrs. Delany constructed over 1,000 pieces of artwork that still captivate us with their intricate detail and uniqueness.  She also maintained her friendships with the younger women in her circle through correspondence and extended visits, always curious about the latest fashions and trends. An arbiter of good taste and good sense, she was a woman who stood up for herself in times when women were suppose to be docile and subservient.  Mrs. Delany was no pushover and spoke her mind.  She knew who she was and based her life on that vision.  Lessons for today.  Difficult work for any woman.  Profound for an 18th century one.

Enthusiastic letter-writer, lively conversationalist, skilled needlewoman, social observer, she was mistress to no one but herself.   

etsy: lovely day fleur hand lettering

How lovely is this hand lettered quote? It's the work of Minnesota-based photographer and illustrator Rachael Johnson of Lovely Day Fleur on Etsy. I came across Rachael's Instagram account serendipitously and was instantly smitten with her beautiful script and choice of quotes (her photography is stunning, too).

This William James quote (it's okay, I had no clue who the dude was either) caught my eye because it speaks to the notion that we are all connected in this life -- more deeply than we may even know. I find such comfort in that sentiment. Loved it so much that it's now on its way home to me.

You can see more of Rachael's work here.

P.S. I also dig these two hand lettering ladies, Chelsea and Justine, and have a piece from each of them in my home.