Happy New Year!

Happy New Year (2 days late)!

I spent the last day of 2009 at my favorite New York City restaurant, La Grenouille. It's ridiculously old school French, truly from another era. One can't help channeling Catherine Deneuve in Belle de Jour while in the famed spot.  It's refreshingly unchanged upon each visit and never disappoints. The tony Park Avenue crowd speak in hush tones while being served food that last was in vogue when Julia Childs still had her PBS show.

My idea of the  perfect way to end the decade?   Champagne + cheese soufle. ahhhh.... now, that's what I call a great ending!

May everyone's new year be full of love and laughs.

p. s.  Pinky promise more/better postings this year.

Thank you box

Ever have one of those days where you get that front row parking spot or there's no one in line at the post office or the bank teller (ooops, I meant Bank ATM) is available?? Those days are rare but great.  A few days ago, I was sitting at my desk and I had such a moment when I recieved an unassuming box that bore an awfully cool "E" stamp on the bottom right but otherwise, could have come from anywhere.

 It was a thank you from someone that truly was unexpected and unwarranted but boy, did it make my day.  It was filled with handcrafted felt flowers in different shapes, sizes and colors.

Now, way before Carrie Bradshaw on Sex and the City made wearing a large blossom hip, my mother would sport one for special occasions-a summer wedding, a ladies luncheon, so flower pins always make me think of southern ladies on their way to somewhere fun.

I love how this one has a  "Thank you so much" tag on it.

And this one, well, it's my favorite.

If you like flowers, check out emersonmade.com to see all the lovely blooms that this talented artist makes.  And yes, that gorgeous girl sporting an oversized pink number tis the fabulous maker and the brave guy wearing a more subdued flower is her husband. Aren't they the most handsome couple ever??
These guys make sweet stocking stuffers if you need any last minute ideas.

Enjoy!

Shopping Side Note

If you are in the New York Area this weekend, check out these too REALLY GOOD shows.

Holiday Craft Show, Sunday, Dec. 13, 11-6
Divine Studio
21 E. 4th St.
Soho


and


One of a Kind Show
First time ever in NYC but has been in Toronto and Chicago for many years.
Head to Pier 94 on Hudson Dec. 11-13, 9-6pm

Happy Shopping!

Martha Christmas Crafters

During the season's first snowfall, I ventured out to do my first round of Christmas Shopping. Rather than go the expected places, this year I wanted to venture off the beaten path and support local artists. NYC has an embarrassing riches of street vendors, fairs, open studios and during Christmas, they are all open. Just like delicious street food (dirty water hot dog, enough)?, you really don't have to darken a crowded mall to get fabulous, well priced and unique gifts. (Ok, FG, get down from your soap box.) So I hit the Starrett-Lehigh building where Martha Stewart's Omnimedia was hosting their first ever Christmas Craft Show Saturday afternoon.  I was a bit late due to the sideways snowfall, not arriving till the last hour.  Apparently, the line had wrapped around the building of folks trying to get in.    The show consisted of a room full of MSL staffers who each manned their own table, selling their homemade items. Here are some of my favorite vendors.

Note: I was a little bit worried it would be one big infomercial for Martha and her many, many brand extensions but it wasn't.  It really was a showcase of her talented staffers.  Everyone was a "non personality" except the first vendor-Emeril. While he wasn't there, they were selling homemade cookies and candy in bags labeled with his trademarked  "bam".  What a cute idea to steal.  If any of you have a saying like Wendy Williams "How you doin'?" or Paris Hilton's "That's hot," make labels and add to simple glassine or clear bags with homemade goodies to personalize your holiday party.

Wren Homemade made these TEENSY yet adorable hair clips.  I loved how she displayed her ways in such a Martha way all grouped together on a tray. (This was messy for her as I arrived so late.)

loveteenie.etsy.com

I couldn't get enough of these pastel hued fabric blossoms.  Perfect hair accessory year around.

Handlespout.com

Athena Preston sells ADORABLE felted animals. Check out the pig will also end up on my wish list this holiday season.  She also will make a personalized version of your favorite critter. Now, that is a gift that any pet owner would love.

apreston@marthastewart.com

So simple yet elegant these felted holly pins add a little something to a fall/winter  outfit.

Jonesfife.com

Ahhh.... Marcie McGoldrick Design's are uber chic yet still fine for chili and cornbread night.  She does have an etsy site but admitted that during the holidays between the craft shows +  existing orders, she doesn't update it so check back in January to see the breath of her line.

marciemcgoldrick.com

It wouldn't be a Martha Craft Show without a knitter in the bunch.  And with the temperatures outside suddenly taking a nosedive, no better time to stock up.

Pip-squeakchapeau.com

Quirky and unique, this crafter took a matchbox case and styled it up with a reindeer necklace.  At $45, it's a lot of look for the price.

AndreaCorson.com

How freakin' adorable is this plate? From flowers to carnival letters, her stylist wares are available at gleena.com.

Last but not least, I am coveting these children coats + dresses.  Her palette is so Martha "subtle grey and greens" and the details were incredible.  If only the designs were for Big Girls, I'd have dropped my visa.

dominiquerouzier.com

The Show did not disappoint.

Enjoy!

A Bunch for Brunch

Sunday, a few friends came over for brunch.  What's not to love about brunch? The food is good yet inexpensive and no one is expecting Julia Child cooking techniques.  My glitch was this little old thing called "a budget".   See, I don't buy expensive shoes or go crazy on clothes but I do throw caution to the wind (as well as my wallet) when entertaining.  Armed with determination to make Susie Orman AND my inner control freak "everything must be fantastic" hostess happy,  the menu was kept simple.

Mimosas
My trick was to splurge on fresh orange juice.  The inexpensive Cava was $8 at Trader Joe's and added the perfect bubbles to the drink. It's a universal truth that the "nice" stemware always breaks WAY before the cheapies.  I found these basic flutes at  cb2.com to give guests so it's fine if they break yet I still like the look.  At $3.95 a pop, they are one of my favorite finds.

view list

Guests were greeted with a platter of sliced coffee cake and my trusty French Press full of hot, Italian roast coffee.  Add a tray with whipped cream and frothed milk and your guests will think Starbucks is in the house.

I swear by Bodum's press. It's a classic.  

Ina Garten's Herb Baked Eggs (http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/herbed-baked-eggs-recipe3/index.html) served in Lodge's preseasoned individiaul cast iron dishes added some panache and protein to the menu.  With a slice of fresh melon and some buttered brioche bread lightly toasted and the meal was complete. http://www.lodgemfg.com/

Lodge Tableware Round Mini-Server

If you live in a small spot and might not have a proper dining room table, these old school rattan trays do the trick.   Pier 1 sells these for $5 each but I found mine at the fantastic Hospital Thrift Shop on Nantucket for .25 each.  

I had to kick the guests out which is always the best sign of a good party.  Added pleasure, my wallet still had something in it.

Frances turns Frugal (well, for a week anyway)

I have a confession.

Being frugal is not my thing.  I hate left overs and shopping sales. Yes, I read the WSJ and know about the global recession and I'm not a spendthrift but when it comes to food, I pay up. Friends use me as a Zagat Guide and I follow chefs like some girls do rock stars. But after one too many $18 drinks and $40 entrees, it was enough to put this otherwise happy girl into a bad mood. The real kicker was when I got "check out shock" at Whole Foods picking up things for a dinner party. I realized that I could have taken my guests out to dinner for what it cost me to entertain. Something had to change.

I started thinking about favorite suppers made with a song and remembered when food writer/chef, Sarah Copeland (edibleliving.blogspot.com), crashed at my apartment for a few weeks and offered to cook dinner one night.  My refrigerator had dismal offerings yet somehow she made one of the best meals I have ever had.  I still dream of the fruit dessert she conjured somehow up.  As a life rule,  I don't even eat non-chocolate desserts but this was exceptional.  She raided the dusty cognac bottles in my bar and poured on ripe clementines with a touch of sugar and vanilla bean.  Mouth watering delicious....

My mother is also a serious frugal at heart.  While fondly called the Queen of Mold after Ruth Reichl's (ruthreichl.com) description of her own mother in her book, Tender to the Bone,  Mom makes the world's best vegetable soup tossing the week's leftovers into a pot. And I mean everything. It's always a bit different but soooo good.  I know, I know... a lot of amazing/favorite dishes are made from old food-the Cuban dish rioja vieja, bread pudding-the list goes on... I love to eat them all, it's the making that somehow gets me.

Inspired by both these ladies, I decided to raid my ice box and fridge and not visit the awfully alluring "Garden of Eden"or  Whole Foods  on my nightly walk home from the subway for one week. For inspiration, I  used a few blogs when faced with defrosting the many bags and containers in the freezer that no longer represented anything worth eating.

Maybe they'll help inspire you too:

inpraiseofleftovers.com  (how GREAT is that name!!  Thanks for passing this along, Jordan)

thefrugalchef.com

thepioneerwoman.com
101cookbooks.com

food52.com

I am hosting a few friends for Brunch this weekend and embracing my new found frugalness.
Will report in on menu + how it went.

Stay tuned.

Autumn in New York Playlist

Grab a cocktail at the Carlyle Hotel.  Don some pearls and high heels and Jackie O dress.  Be a good old
fashion flirt.  These songs have me whistling down Madison Ave. with a swing in my hips.

Autumn in New York by Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong
Sunday in New York by Bobby Darin
New York, New York by Frank Sintra
Manhattan by Rod Stewart & Bette Midler
Take the "A" train by Ella Fitzgeral & Duke
Chelsea Morning by Judy Collins
New York Skyline by Garland Jeffreys
Brooklyn Bridge by Frank Sinatra


Enjoy!