Summer 2015 Book Club

~ now that it's summer time, all we can think about is how we are going to relax and enjoy the sunshine. both Tarah and myself like to enjoy some downtime and do some reading. personally, i am a voracious reader and have been since my youth. i go through many, many novels a month and nothing calms me down as much as reading does.  i'm as old-school as it gets when it comes to books. i, must, need, have to have a book in my hand. not an e-reader, kindle or kobo. i've tried and failed miserably. i love the smell of books, the way the pages tear by the lightest of pulls, the wrinkles of saved pages and the curves of the bind when it bends. my collection of books that i've read in my lifetime rivals a bookstore. i've had to par down so every time i move i don't schlep an obsessive number of novels with me. they're an accomplishment for me, a part of my forgotten youth and they bring me as much joy as my furball of a dog does. i can't imagine a day or a world without a book and i hope i don't have to ~

~ we've joined up with Chapter Indigo's reading initiative and are encouraging everyone to #GetCaughtReading. there are so many amazing novels, fiction, non-fiction, young adult and more available at Chapters Indigo. to make it a bit easier, we've put together a selection of books from our summer book club {it's just me and tarah at the moment but if you'd like to join ;-) }. we're both excited about reading while resting, getting some sunshine and drinking some delicious bevvies! the selection covers fiction, non-fiction, young adult and more. each novel is different. some are light-hearted and others are heavier reads. some may take you the whole summer while others are a good weekend book. i've just started reading The GoldFinch and am very excited about delving deep into this amazing writen, Pulitzer Prize winning novel!~

~ we'd love to hear your suggestions on your favorites and what is on your book list for this summer!! xoxo Oz

Earth Day: An SBD Girl's Adventure into Gardening

~ so i decided to start an herb garden.  i of the kill everything in a planter variety have decided to venture forth and grow my own herbs.  thankfully, the wonderful ladies at Garden Works in Burnaby, B.C walked me through what i need and how to take care of my newly planted herb garden ~

~ walking in to a place like Garden Works is daunting and inspiring at the same time, i can see a beautiful landscaped backyard, one with trim greenery and colorful flowers......i can almost envision it in my backyard, i just wish i could afford to pay someone to do it for me! alas this would not be a DIY if i just PAID someone, so here are some of the tips i received on starting your own container garden, herb or otherwise ~

~ you will need tools, so a spade and gardening gloves are a must, i picked my gardening gloves up from Chapters and my tools from Home Depot. dry soil or cactus soil, regular or organic soil, gravel, fertilizer, and your herbs! 

~ pick your containers, i chose round wood containers in different sizes. make sure they have a drainage hole/holes at the bottom so that water doesn't pool and drown your herbs.  pick your herbs, and pay attention to the types of soil and how much sun each needs because you want to group the herbs that need the same sun exposure and soil type together.  I chose lavender, rosemary, English thyme and french thyme, chives and Italian parsley.  lavender and rosemary need dry, airy soil and like to spread, so i grouped them together in their own container.  the 2 types of thyme, chives and Italian parsley all went together in the large container ~

~ when assembling, i put a layer of gravel in the bottom of the container i planned to put the rosemary and lavender in, followed by the cactus mix soil.  giving both room to grow, i scooped out what i thought was an appropriate amount of soil, de-potted my herbs and laid them in.  fill in the herbs with the surrounding soil and gently press to secure ~

~ i followed up with the remaining herbs in a larger container with a layer of gravel, organic potting soil and laid in the rest of my herbs following the same instructions as above.  once everyone was in their little dirt jacuzzi i gave them a shower with some fertilizer and water. check out the results below!

Valentine's Dinner {For Her}

~ valentine's day is a special day for a lot of couples. a day to celebrate their love for each other. whether you're a romantic person throughout the year or not, the day itself brings out everyone's romantic side. for us, a special dinner made by our love is one of the most romantic gestures we can imagine. with our help, you can put together a simple, Parisian-insipred dinner for your lady that will wow her ~

~while cooking might not be the strength of every guy out there, the menu we've put together here is quite easy to do. as long as boiling water is something you are comfortable with, you'll be gold ~

~ decor is simple, some champagne flutes, candles, a gorgeous bouquet and these super pretty stone hearts. a simple white tablecloth, soft pink linens and gold cutlery is all you need for a romantic table for two. don't over-complicate it, that's not how the Parisian's do it ;-) ~

~ for an appetizer you'll both love, a beautiful roasted beet and pear salad topped with goat cheese, slivered almonds and a balsamic dressing will be sure to impress your lady love. it involves a bit of prep work with the beets but is otherwise super easy. appertizers and dinner is served with a delicious prosecco that is sure to pair well with the meal~

*recipe for Roasted Beet Salad with Goat Cheese with Balsamic Reduction*

2 large beets

1 Bartlett pear

slivered almonds

balsamic dressing {reduced on low temperature until it becomes thick and syrupy or store bought}

herbed goat cheese {as much as you like!}

1 handful candied pecans {chopped coarsely}

~ roast beets wrapped in aluminum foil topped with a bit of olive oil for no less than 30-45 minutes, set aside to cool

~ peel beets {the external skin needs to come off before slicing thru. remember, beets can stain your fingers so use some disposable gloves or whatever you have and work on a plastic cutting board, not wooden}

~ slice beets about 3 cm in thickness {they can be slippery so do your best to get nice, even slices}

~ slice the pear in half and then in wedges of similar thickness

~ begin arranging your plate: start with 4 slices of beet, topped with 5/6 slices of pear

~ scoop out some goat cheese from its packaging and simply form a small ball of deliciousness and place atop the beets and pears

~ sprinkle some pecan pieces around the salad

~ drizzle with a delicious balsamic reduction

~ dinner is simple: a beautiful pesto spaghettini topped with a delicate quail egg {once cracked, cooks within the heat of the pasta and becomes like a carbonara, creamy and delicious}. shave some parmesan on top and this dinner is a perfect way to feed each other while staring dreamily in each others eyes {if that's your sorta thing ;-) }

~ for dessert, impress your lady with delicious heart shaped berry hand pies. you'll need no magic tricks here, some pie crust, mixed frozen fruit, heart shaped cookie cutter and the love you have for your gal ~

* Heart-Shaped Handpies recipe *

1 store-bought pie crust thawed

1 package frozen mixed berries

1 cup sugar

heart-shaped cookie cutter

flour

~ in a pot on your stove top, pour in 2 cups of frozen berries and 1 cup of sugar and let them marinate over medium temperature. keep your eyes on it as you aren't trying to make a syrup, more a chunky sauce

~ once reduced, turn off temperature and let it cool a bit {and thicken up slightly}

~ roll out your pie crust on a floured counter so it is approximately 2 cm in thickness

~ punch out 4 heart shapes

~ spoon in some fruit into the middle of the heart, avoiding a 1 cm edge {to avoid spillage}

~ top with the second heart crust and using a fork, pinch the edges down to keep all the yumminess inside

~ bake for 10/15 minutes {or packaging directions} and serve warm with extra berry sauce

*All Photography by Matthew Burditt *

Valentine's Dinner {For Him}

~ national love day, also known as Valentine's day is celebrated tomorrow. restaurants of all kinds put out special menus, are completely booked with reservations and champagne bubbles grace every table top. but sometimes all you want to do is spend a romantic evening with your loved one in the comfort of your own home. we've put together a super easy three-course meal for you to follow for a special night in with your significant other ~

~ even if you aren't the most chef-saavy person, the menu we've put together is fool-proof. even the table top styling we've done is simplistic but makes a statement ~

~for him, we've put together a rustic table top with a decadent three-course menu that he is sure to love : 

 ~ we wanted to evoke the feeling of being in a log cabin, sitting around the fire with your special someone. some candles, a bit of nature, tree trunk plate chargers {a DIY btw!} and some heart-shaped stones are all the decor you need. we loved the idea of putting the table together on a plaid tablecloth with a some copper mugs and gold cutlery. it was the perfect amount of romantic rustic-ness ~

~ for a delicious appetizer that you will both love, put together a simple, melted brie in an oven-safe brie baker topped with some caramelized onion jam and slivered almonds. some sliced baguette and a delicious  and refreshing moscow mule bevvy is the perfect way to start a decadent meal ~

*recipe for baked brie*

1 brie of your choice {make sure it is small enough to fit in your brie dish and the more creamy {triple cream for example} the longer it will stay melted}

1 large onion

a few tablespoons of sugar

salt and pepper to taste

slivered almonds {can be omitted}

~ slice the onion into thin slices {not too thin otherwise they will burn quickly}

~ heat a non-stick pan with olive oil before placing the onions in the pan {make sure your pan is big enough to fit all the onions otherwise you'll have to do two batches}

~ with the temperature on medium-low, cook the onions down until translucent

~ add salt and pepper and some sugar to speed up the caramelizing process

~ turn down the temperature to low to cook down the onions until they're perfectly sweet {slow and low will give your the sweetest, most perfect caramelized onions}

~ once cooked, let them cool down {they will get warm again once atop the melted brie}

~ for the brie, simply cut the top rind to allow an air pocket {and bubbly brie to seep out}

~ place it in your brie dish and bake for at least 20 minutes for perfectly melted brie

~ top with caramelized onions and slivered almonds and enjoy with baguette wedges

 

~ for dinner, treat yourselves to a delicious meal of steak and potatoes with some veggies. We kept it simple: seared steak topped with herbed roasted garlic butter, fluffy mashed potatoes and grilled asparagus ~

*recipe for herbed roasted garlic butter*

1/2 cup butter at room temperature

1/2 garlic head {or 5 cloves of garlic }

herb of your choice chopped finely {we loved parsley for ours}

salt & pepper

saran wrap

~ roast garlic by placing garlic cloves in aluminum foil, topping with olive oil and salt & pepper. wrap tightly and roast for at least 45 minutes. you'll be able to smell the garlic scent waft through the kitchen 

~ while waiting, chop parsley finely

~ once out and cool enough to touch, soft your butter with a fork for easy working

~ squeeze out the roasted garlic into the butter,  add parsley and salt and pepper and mix together

~ tear a piece of saran wrap and place your flavored butter in the center

~ wrap the saran around the butter and roll the package until it is cylindrical in shape 

~ twist the ends tightly and place in freezer {if making ahead of time} or fridge for it to get cold

~ slice off a delicious piece and place it atop your steak while still hot. it will create a delicious sauce and flavor

~for dessert: skillet brownie with some creamy vanilla bean ice cream and slivered almonds. we switched up our bevvy to some sweet white wine garnished with mint leaves that paired well with dessert ~

*all Photography by Matthew Burditt*

Happy New Year {2015}

~ wishing you all health, happiness and prosperity in 2015. thank you for sharing in our love of beauty|style|pretty things. we cannot wait to share in more prettiness with you all! ~

xoxo Oz & Tarah

Holiday Festivities

~ my family celebrates Christmas on the 24th. i spend Christmas day normally with my best friend's family. we're Persian so Christmas to us is an adopted holiday. i grew up with my cousins whose mother is absolutely bananas {bananas is good} over Christmas so we became accustomed to celebrating every year. i love Christmas mostly for the presents. i'm kidding. its a great time to spend with family and friends and just settle down and enjoy some quality time, good food, drinks and just overall merriment. i bake A LOT over the holidays, gifting everyone i can think of with delicious goodness. i've gotten better over the years, practice making perfect and can now call myself an avid baker. i cook also but i've been cooking for a while, the baking is relatively new. there is something about feeding people that brings me joy. especially baked goods. i think their tummies feel the same. i thought i'd share a bit of my Christmas eve with you all. we had a bunch of family friends over and watched Home Alone 1 & 2. i hope you all had a wonderful day and Santa was good to you ~

~ started my morning with a delicious cup of creamy earl grey tea {i love the one from the secret garden tea house in kerrisdale} in my new monogrammed anthropologie mug. i was so sad i didn't get one last year because it is just the prettiest! i jumped this year when i found it and im glad i did!

~ this adorable entry way table is decorated with all dollar store finds! even the vases. i just spray painted them gold~

~ i love a good bar cart. styling a bar cart is loads of fun! this versatile bar cart was a gift to myself last year. i've used it for so many different things and its so perfect for any kind of event. i got some super pretty lights from martha stewart {thanks tarah} to give it a little glimmer. a mix of target and indigo accessories and bar ware were perfect compliments to the bit of decor on the bottom level. i like scouring home sense and michaels for good deals on decorative items. i thought it worked out in a really lovely, understated way~

~ a closer look. the lights are battery-operated so i had to find a creative way to hide it. a few gold napkins and a champagne glass filled with ferrero rocher chocolates et voila. i included a little DIY sparkly moose i made a few days ago ~

~ couldn't leave out my little fur monsters in their snappy bow ties ~

~ a super delicious appetizer: burrata {from trader joe's} with a tomato compote that Tarah makes from a Jamie Oliver recipe. it is SO good. we usually serve it with proscuitto and baguette. and of course i have a monogrammed cheese plate from indigo ~

~ some of the baked goods i made: raspberry thumprints and coconut thumprints topped with creamy caramel and fleur de sel ~

~ a very delicious lemon cream cheese tart topped with pomegranates and mint chiffonade. i adapted the recipe from joy of baking ~

~ of course no Christmas eve would be complete without leaving Santa come cookies ~

 xoxo Oz