Herb Away

I plan to have a lot of al fresco dinner gatherings for the duration of the summer...and well into Fall. As with all my gatherings, they will consist of French hemp napkins, linen tablecloths, lots of comfy down pillows, an incredible quantity of glittering votives everywhere you turn, and more laughs than a stomach can handle...Of course, good friends, good food, and GREAT wine are a given!

The food is always seasonal and consists mainly of Tapas so that we can all enjoy a bit of this and that.

Herb-coated olives & mushrooms.... goat cheese drizzled with extra virgin lemon-infused olive oil & rosemary sprigs................. fresh buffalo mozzarella intertwined with heirloom tomatoes & basil leaves...... seasonal fish grilled into bite-size pieces married with lemon & garlic

I think growing a fresh herb garden is essential food for the soul. Even way back in my apartment-dwelling days I always had some sort of container garden with a variety of herbs. I now enjoy a decently-sized yard--large by beach house standards--and I used to have a long stretch of my yard devoted to a substantial vegetable bed. Now with dogs I prefer they have an abundance of room to romp and play, so for the past couple of years my veggies and herbs are in containers. Tomatoes and mint are especially invasive; I prefer they don't have free reign to grown like weeds throughout the yard year after year, so containers for these are a must.

As the long weekend approaches in America, you may find you finally have the time to start an herb "garden" of your own! If you already enjoy the benefits, perhaps try incorporating a new, unusual variety into the mix such as Pineapple Mint--it's delicious shred over vanilla ice cream, atop grilled pineapple or in a Mojito!

And who doesn't love cooking with Rosemary....not to mention how great it simply looks? While I have several Rosemary Bushes throughout my property, I love the simplicity of this potted version:


You can even try growing an Herb Garden on the windowsill started from seed if you prefer. The benefits of course are endless: Organic eating, Good for the environment, Therapeutic...not to mention easier on the wallet. (During a recent Whole Foods visit this week,  they had heirloom tomatoes at $5.69/lb!)  I for one plan to add a few new varieties to my ever-growing garden...perhaps a Jalapeno Mint to counter balance the Chocolate Mint shown below. I'd love to hear what unusual herb you have growing...

Dream a Little Kitchen Dream

A super large French Farmhouse kitchen is something I always dream of...

....I imagine being on holiday in Provence in a rented villa
Cooking a simple peasant meal of rosemary roasted chicken and potatoes...
....fresh greens tossed lightly with EVOO, a plate of heirloom tomatoes lighted brushed with sea salt..
...crusty bread and a few figs and cheese on the side...
....and an amazing vin du table red wine that costs only about 5 euro (otherwise selling for $50 in the States!)....

Join my on my dream, won't you?

Get me these chalkboards STAT! Don't you love this look for a casual farmhouse cucina? Of course most of us lack the proper wall space needed to pull off the dramatic look of seven. Gotta love the industrial cheese and meat cutter on the far right. I love a meat cutter in a kitchen. The sign of a serious cook.


I added an entire room to my small 1920's beach bungalow when I designed my own kitchen.

Here's a portion of the unfinished kitchen several weeks before I actually took occupancy. Eighteen days before the movers were set to move me in, I hauled a box of some creature comforts to place in the kitchen for an informal gathering; an air mattress and a several votives were also in the loot (The first informal night slept here was magical and wonderful). Imported Australian Cypress wide-plank flooring had many, many hiccups to obtain, but I persevered as I loved it so (and still do). With three coats of self-mixed gloss top coat, the floor is the 2nd biggest item commented on (second to the refrigerator!) Timeless planks I think.


{...it's rather different now that's it's finished but you'll see more of that when I decide to allow one of my favorite magazines to professionally shoot it. I keep my home private so I've been reluctant to date.}

Black granite honed and edges all chipped. At night or for a party when the lights hit the edges, the glorious stone particles glimmer.

My installer refused to provide the treatment I wanted of a chipped edge. He just couldn't grasp my vision. We argued and argued, so I took out a napkin on the spot, scribbled out a waiver, signed it and handed it to him. A photograph of it is now the front cover to his brochure! I just prefer a look that is unconventional.

After almost a year of searching, I unearthed amazing hardware in Paris, distressed and beaten pewter...


But after I designed the Island from reclaimed wood, I couldn't find the right antique hardware to suit my eye. I bought new and soaked them in a "secret" mixture which sat in the sun for 7 days...result was the perfect look for me.


Discovered at a small antique fair in the Champagne region, this antique meat cutter serves as a holder for the cookbooks most used--the rest stored in the pantry library...

An antique French door propped on a wall serves as a favorite focal point....


I love to have people over and cook for them. Before I opened Vintageweave, I was part of a group of amateur cooks where we'd gather bi-monthly to cook together rotating at one another's homes. Dinner parties are now "dinner gatherings"--more informal and spontaneous, which I love!

It's a Rare Thing...

...but sometimes I just can not bring myself to sell my flea market finds....{Click on any photo to enjoy detailing}
For my guest room redo:

{Discover remnants of gorgeous new and vintage French fabrics: check.
Have seamstress and/or FG make into pillows: check.}


{Antique Enamel French Wall Basin}

Garden Flowers

A few pics from my garden....more expansive views of my sanctuary to come in later posts:

I'm very lucky in that the original owner of my 1920's bungalow was a Master Gardener. The years of tilling, feeding and tending have produced a soil where EVERYTHING grows big and bright. New surprises come up every spring in addition to those I have planted....

Russian Sage and French Lavender....



Rambling Jane Austin Roses...



Hydrangea varieties of 3 kinds...



Butterfly Bush, Trailing Geraniums...

And my new most favorite, Pomegranate Tree...