Thursday, June 30, 2011

Kate Spade quotes...and snippets of Seattle

I found this card inside my new Kate Spade bag...


love this shade of green


For the record
 we used to have a blue Fiat Sport Spider convertible 
and it was a fun car...
I rarely drove it as I needed to sit on top of two pillows 
to see over the steering wheel and to stretch to reach the pedals...
Italians are obviously tall or at least a good bit taller than me!

it was a persnickety car
a lot of money went to the mechanic to keep it running!
Fix It Again Tony!

Seattle buys continued...


Brown and white striped linen trousers
wider legs cool for summer
Jones of NY
purchased at Macy's

I have seen a lot of stripes appearing in the fashion mags and in stores.
I like the stripes as they are vertical, they given the illusion of height
I can just imagine if they were horizontal...
Yikes!
I do not need to look wider than I already am!

 I remembered that I have a perfect partner in my jewelry chest back home
Debra K woven brown and burnished sterling necklace.


I want to wear these soon
I plan to team them up with a simple white tank and a sweater or a white shirt worn as a jacket


these crystals might work too
what do you think?


Exploring the shops near Pike Place Market we found ourselves in Sur la Table
their selection of cooking gadgets and gear was overwhelming
decisions are difficult when too many choices are available.

I was tempted to buy the pasta roller for my Kitchen Aid
but they were out of stock.

I found some basic napkins
I can always use more
as we use only cloth 
avoiding the toss away paper ones in an attempt to be more mindful
and Green.


and they were on sale...

So that about sums up the shopping 
I hope that I have not bored you to bits!

Dining downtown was varied and never once did we need a reservation
which as spontaneous tourists we really appreciated
I managed to eat only half of every serving 
as I found the portions large.

I have been very inspired by some of the unusual salads
and plan to recreate them here in The Humble Bungalow.

When we got thirsty we rehydrated 
at Starbucks
the first Starbucks in Pike Place had a line up out the door
 cameras were snapping madly capturing the images
of smiling tourists
in front of the sign
YES
there is a Starbucks on every corner in Seattle!

Please stay tuned there's one more....

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

What's in the bags?

Seattle weekend continued...
Do you remember we arrived early and had some time to kill?
So a shopping we will go...
I owe I owe it's off to work I go!

Some clues as to what is in the bags...


Coral lipstick does not suit me...
floating back to the party sounds dangerous
the phrase conjures up adventure
and possibly espionage...
I am intrigued!


Hobo has been on my radar for about a year
 and you might ask why..
well
it has been a cost factor
and 
I have needed to justify my purchase...
(money does not grow on trees here)
and my Rutherford and Brown wallet has held up remarkably well

I saw RED and was WOOED!!


Filthy Rich
awaits on my bedside table
I am curious about the title...
what does filthy have to do with riches?




it might look like a simple leather wallet
but it is so much more!


a cheery lining


commodious room for cards, cheques and coins
 in the zippered compartment- phone, passport and some lipstick!
I christen thee The Red Queen!
(she will be serving me for a long time!)


the Hobo can hop in here!

If you have been following me for awhile you might know 
 Black and White
are 
my Go To Shades
I try to colour my world but it feels like I am cheating on myself...

I dabbled with orange and green and with yellow
but I felt like a fake...
I embrace honesty in all things.

Mr. HB and I strolled through the handbags 
in Nordstroms...
one purchase in hand on a mission for more...
we moved methodically by designer and displays...

I let him know that I was on the prowl for a new bag before we left town...
I had done some research online and had narrowed it down to a few contenders.

What I had not anticipated 
was Mr. HB's opinion on which bag he preferred...
I selected the contenders and put them on my shoulder and moved closer to the mirrors
he commented
and 
I took his advice.


Black leather
quilted
bag


Kate Spade
N.Y.
a classic choice
affordable price
and
Mr. HB chose it
so I think that is 
WIN WIN WIN!


Pike Place Peony's
a plethora of petals
rich in perfume
and
pennies a stem....

stay tuned!

Seattle weekend....

We had a marvelous time!


We arrived before the hotel's check in time 
so we had the Mayflower Park store our bags and we went shopping!
(More about that in the next post!)

The weather was quite lovely, warm and sunny.
Seattle can be cool and rainy but she performed beyond our expectations 
as did our accommodations.






We were delighted with the suite
and the Love Thy Canadian Neighbour Package included breakfast and valet parking!
The service and the staff are amazing and we feel very spoiled...
I suppose that is why we keep returning to our 
"home away from home"


Oliver's is the lounge in the Mayflower and we enjoyed a cocktail
Mr. HB had an Oliverita which is like a marguerita
and I sipped a French 75
(the bartender filled the glass so full!)

We walked for many hours every day taking in the sights and sounds of downtown.
Seattle is such a pretty city located by the ocean and the snow capped mountains beyond
the people are friendly
the streets are green
  so many great spots to stop for coffee
cafes and restaurants galore
lots to see and do...


looking up at the canopy of trees


people were out and about enjoying the fresh air


a giant game of chess was being played in the square!



Open spaces and greenery
people friendly spaces...


We watched children as they ran through this water feature
giggling and laughing as the water poured all around them


Pike Place Market
and more...
in my next post.

Thank you for the many anniversary wishes...
officially our 37th is not until July 20th
I suppose we will be celebrating for a few more weeks!

I have been away from my computer for a few days
 and 
now need to catch up on my blog reading...



Friday, June 24, 2011

My bags are packed...I'm ready to go!

Does your neck get chilled when you travel?
If I am sitting near the air conditioning or in a draft I get very cold and I find that very uncomfortable.
So when I travel I never leave home without my pashmina. It's long, wide and warm. I can wrap it as a shawl or double it over and wrap it around my neck. It takes up little room and can be thrown into my travel tote or draped on my shoulder.


one side is a soft beige 


the other... cafe au lait 

I have had this Pashmina for many years and it has given me great service.
I will be taking it with me when we visit Seattle.

I have packed the following pieces
as they can be 
mixed and matched.

Sympli black jersey tunic dress and waterfall jacket
black leggings
black Sofft sandals
black MTNY ballerina flats
black Eileen Fisher capris
black Sympli Vneck sleeveless top
white Style My Way capris
2 white Joe tank tops
tan Eileen Fisher shrug/sweater
white Cut Loose casual cotton coat
black Sandwich packable rain coat
nightgown
lingerie
and 
crystal and black artsy Debbie K necklace
white scarf with grey and black roses

( I have left room should I find something to buy!)


Here we are a few years back on our anniversary
we were going out for dinner when our lovely daughter captured this image.
I love to go away with my husband!
leaving town gives us a chance to reconnect without any distractions
there are no chores to be done
no meals to be cooked 
and 
no work related duties.

I will not be checking in as frequently while away
as I do not want to miss any opportunity to share in the fun
of exploring 
one of our favourite spots in the Pacific Northwest 
Seattle!


Enjoy your weekend!


Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Martha Stewart is in the house!

Martha Stewart is a household name here...
I think that Martha Stewart Living Magazine and her TV show have influenced home makers and domestic gods and goddesses. She brought home keeping back into focus with her show and her "good things" and recipes gained such popularity. I would sit down every Sunday and soak in her 60 minutes of Martha.

Macys, Kmart and Sears have sold her products.
Her name has been associated with everything from pots to paint.

A new line of cleaning supplies appeared at my local market and I bought one to see how it might perform.


This "green cleaner" worked it's magic on the Bungalow bathroom.
For extra oomph I am using a micro fiber cloth
which seems to make domestics a whole lot easier.

Our cleaning gal has been off for quite a few weeks now
I cannot remember if I mentioned this fact.

She was injured in a car accident 
and is undergoing physiotherapy
she is improving but it is slow going
soft tissue damage
and I think she has whiplash.

I have missed her weekly visits so much.
The Bungalow is admittedly not as tidy
I am trying to keep on top of it!

The bathroom sparkles 
and 


now it is steeped in fragrance
 a lovely soap from my dear friend and artist, Cheryl Fortier 
which is hand made in Auvilar, France
and 
home grown roses.

Last night I was so tired I could hardly keep my eyes open
what saved me was to soak my feet in aromatherapy salts
while listening to Bruce Springsteen
and 
sliding between the sheets before 10 pm

as I type tonight I yawn....
I have pushed the Miele around the Bungalow
upstairs and downstairs
made dinner
and 
have done 2 loads of laundry
and 
it is only Tuesday...

I think that I am getting very cranky and weary in my old age...

Martha 
how did you ever keep all the balls in the air?
You made it look so easy....

were there out takes?
did you have help?


ZZZ


Sunday, June 19, 2011

Whitewater Cooks...shrimp bisque!

Lovely daughter and I spent about an hour in the kitchen cooking the best ever shrimp bisque!
Rave reviews from everyone...
It's great for a lunch or a dinner party.

It's another winner from Whitewater Cooks.
I highly recommend their cookbooks...
if you love cooking and enjoy sharing meals with family and friends you will want to have these on your shelf.




I love what they say about the bisque...
Yes! we want to feel like we are in a Paris Bistro!



serves 6-8 as a starter

we ate it as our main 
served with a crusty baguette
smiles all round!




Prep bowls are great for recipes like this one


The Harvey's Bristol Cream Sherry 
is leftover from the Christmas trifle



Saute


I love Le Creuset pots for soups and stews
they conduct such even heat and are oven proof
 (lifting them is a wee bit of weight training)


the clam juice has been added
and the aroma is making me feel giddy


I used my Braun hand blender to puree rather than the food processor
saves a bit of clean up 
be aware that it might splatter so wear your apron and be careful not to splash yourself



Meet
our lovely daughter
she agreed to have her photo taken and to be introduced
 on The Humble Bungalow Blog
Thanks honey!



I hope that you will let me know what you think if you try this amazing bisque.
I am so excited about it!
I can hardly wait to make it again...
it is the best bisque ever
and 
I have sampled many many bisques over 56 years!

Saturday, June 18, 2011

David Austin Roses...

Greetings from the Humble Bungalow Garden...
a bouquet of blooms await...
grab your secateurs and follow me!


frilly and fragrant
Abraham Darby


I forget the name of this rose and have lost the tag!


Clusters of flowers cling to this bush all summer long
it is so easy to make a fabulous arrangement 
all you need to do is cut a bunch and sit them in a vase full of cold water
they look spectacular by themselves.


This sweetly scented rose is an old variety
and was an orphan on the garden club's sale table
I scooped it up as there was a bloom in a wee cup advertising it's scent.
It loves the sunshine and is a greedy drinker
I would call this a high maintenance rose.

We all know someone whom we consider to be high maintenance 
don't we?


Citrus scent
peachy petals
do you recognize this one?
It's a David Austen winner
Abraham Darby 
again...
I bought two of these temptresses
one could never be enough
as I snip them 
so they can spread their scent in the main rooms of the Humble Bungalow.



I love Roses
they are children in the garden
I feed and nurture them...
tend to their particular tastes
show them off
take pictures
and brag about them!



One year I won Best Bloom in Show at the local Horticultural Show.
I had my name engraved on the silver rose bowl
and could keep the bowl for the year until the next show
when another bloom was voted more beautiful.


The Bungalow Garden


The first Jude the Obscure rose


Gertrude Jekyll


The Humble Bungalow Front Porch


and meet Molineux
she's the new kid on the block
I'll be finding a suitable spot for her 
I can hardly wait until she puts on a show!
be prepared as I will be showing her off when she performs!

I once had a rose named after me and I
was very flattered. But I was not pleased
to read the description in the catalogue:
no good in a bed, but fine up against a wall.
- Quotes by Eleanor Roosevelt


On that note...
I'm signing off

Enjoy the weekend, whatever you do...

I hope that you will take some time to stop, look, and smell the roses.