Rather a busy weekend...

This past weekend was full of activity but it was a pleasant balance of work and play...

A little bit of shopping

(these did not come home with me)

I wore my pearl pendant...

a 60th birthday gift from my kids.

(They are grown adults now but they'll always be my "babies!")

J'adore Pearls!

A little time was spent in the garden 

dead heading hydrangeas and harvesting our first Liberty apples.

Mr. HB took me out for lunch to the Oak Bay Beach Hotel.

I had a huge salad...a Weight Watchers friendly choice.

Delicious and so very healthy.

My weight is up a couple of pounds over my "goal weight" but I am working at getting it back down.

I weeded my closet...donated a bag to the charity shop.

Then I took the remaining summer clothes downstairs to the guest room closet.

My dressy clothes are made up mostly of black and grey shades.

I ordered some new long sleeved tees from Lands' End.

They had a 30% off sale this weekend which ends today ~ Monday.

One white, a bright purple blue and a raspberry.

Last Spring in Paris I had my colours done.

Turns out that I am a Winter...

(who knew?)

Slowly embracing colour and they all go with my black basics and my Hermes scarves!

I made Jamie Oliver's Chicken Thighs with Potatoes and Tomatoes.

Jamie at Home Cookbook.

Delicious and an easy one pan dinner.

This was the scene that I saw when I walked along the seafront this week...

I'm exploring a new hobby.

Mah Jongg.

The lessons start this week.

Want to keep my brain cells vibrant and stimulated...

learning something new is always exciting.

Hope that your week is off to a flying start!

Pasta and Pearls...and a tasty recipe from Monet's Palate Cookbook.

Greetings...from The Humble Bungalow Kitchen!

I'm cooking up a storm today...

These juicy Heirloom Tomatoes are just begging to be eaten.

The Farmer's Markets are teeming with them so how could I resist?

Now what to make with them?

A simple salad or sandwich?

Or?

Do you remember my post about the Lion heart tomatoes from the Market in the South of France near Auvillar ?

We made a simple yet delicious lunch of sliced tomatoes served with a fresh brioche....

a little butter and sea salt elevated their taste to...

(remember that scene in the deli of Meg Ryan in When Harry Met Sally?)

We served them with a chilled glass of Rose.

Food can transport us back in time when we 

remember the smells and the flavours.

Red luscious and delicious.

The recipe that inspired me to get cooking today was found in Monet's Palate Cookbook.

The book showcases Monet's Vegetable Garden at Giverny 

with

 recipes that use the food and ingredients grown in his French Potager.

With all the red images it's time for a bit of green...

Le Coq towel from France...reminds me everyday of my trip.

The pasta pot with a built in colander is heating up while the tomatoes are roasting.

Halved tomatoes tossed in olive oil, with minced garlic and salt and pepper.

Roast for an hour at 275 or until softened.

Top with oregano, anchovies, and capers, drizzle with balsamic vinegar.

Roast another 10 minutes...

enjoy the aroma that is filling the kitchen!

You'll need oregano, tomatoes, red pepper flakes, garlic, salt, pepper, basil, pasta, olive oil, butter, capers, balsamic vinegar and anchovies.

And Pasta!

Once the tomatoes are done your pasta should be cooked al dente...

toss in 2 tablespoons of butter, 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, a small handful of torn basil leaves, salt and pepper to taste.

When the butter has melted add in the tomatoes and mix together...

the fragrance is out of this world.

Wear an apron and comfy shoes 

(or in my case ~ Lands' End slippers)

it took me awhile to go through the steps of this recipe and dinner was later than usual but it was so worth the effort!

Pour a glass of red wine

place the pasta in a bowl

grab a spoon and a fork and twirl away to your hearts content...

savour each delectable morsel of flavour.

serve with garlic bread to sop up the juices

Dinner's done.

"My garden is my most beautiful masterpiece."

~ Claude Monet ~

"Instead of going out to dinner, buy good food. 

Cooking at home shows such affection. 

In a bad economy, it's more important to make yourself feel good."

~ Ina Garten ~

Snapshots of an emerging Spring....walking OOTD.

Today it's a sunny morning!
I'm smiling as it is such a gift after a dull week of weather.

The Spring flowers are blooming

the plum and cherry trees along the boulevards are budding forth in various shades of pink

  the petals are fluttering down like pink snow.

A fog bank hugs the Washington shoreline on Juan de Fuca Strait.

Walking the 5K route I weave through the picturesque Gonzales area of town.

it's a scenic spot to perambulate.

OOTD

My walking gear is pretty standard, keeping warm is very important.

I wear a warm scarf to chase the chill and keep cozy.

Chillax coat which is waterproof, lined in fleece and is not too heavy.

I carry my keys, some money and my IPhone in this small cross body bag by Roots...

it's a hands free option which allows me the freedom to swing my arms.

Lands' End trail shoes...

I love the word perambulate...

per·am·bu·late/pəˈrambyəˌlāt/

verb

"walk or travel through or around a place or area, especially for pleasure and in a leisurely way."

I also love an English pram...

Mr. HB and I are over the moon that our son and his wife are expecting their 3rd baby!

I'll be getting my knitting needles out soon.

I knit blankets for Isla and Henry and so I will continue the tradition with the new one.

When I had my Grammy Day this week Isla was so excited about the new baby...

she wants a sister...

Sunny clumps of yellow daffodils.

Earlier in the week the weather was rather bleak

and I had to force myself to go out.

The weather was dreary...positively beastly.

(not as cold or snowy as those in the east are enduring)

Mission style arts and crafts house on Hollywood Crescent.

Bald Eagle looking out to the sea...

Carrot Ginger Soup

Gordon Ramsay's recipe for lamb breast was very tasty.

I'd never cooked a breast of lamb before and it is a very inexpensive cut so it's a budget friendly way of enjoying our fresh local lamb.

A couple of light reads from the library.

Toss the Gloss had some great tips.

I specifically liked that she mentioned various brands of inexpensive products that deliver as well as the higher priced lines.

Oak Bay Street art...near the library.

The weather forecast is favourable for a Happy Valentine's Weekend.

Jeans...OOTD

If we are talking about our favourite clothes
and we are today
I have a confession...

My all time favourite OOTD to wear is a white Tee or shirt and pair of great fitting jeans.
They can be worn with diamonds, gold or pearls...
a Hermes silk scarf, a pashmina, a thrifted woolen wrap,
they can be worn with heels, ballet flats, boots or flip flops...
a Chanel tweed, a leather Moto jacket or a soft well worn hoodie.

If I only could choose one outfit for the rest of my days.....
jeans would figure prominently in the equation.

It might sound silly coming from a grown woman who is just a few weeks away from 60
I am here to confess that  "I DO LOVE JEANS!"

I've worn jeans for decades and think I always will...
they are on my "desert island list"
after sunscreen, moisturizer, mascara and lip balm.

My tatty 2 year old g21 skinny jeans have worn out their welcome,
but it's not surprising with so many wearings and washings....
so they have been donated to the charity shop.
At $10, the cost per wearing must be less than 5 cents by now.

I've seen and heard of NYDJ jeans but have never actually tried a pair on until recently...
they are available in Petite which is wonderful because I really hate shortening jeans.
I didn't go looking for them, they rather fell off the hanger as I was perusing the racks at The Hudson's Bay store.
A woman of a certain age mentioned that she had several pairs of NYDJ and thought they made the best of a "woman's assets" Hmmm...
I thought I'd give them a try...

I'm not sure if I should be raving publicly about these jeans

(they may fall into that shadowy category referred to as "Mom jeans!")

Are the Fashion Police on duty?

I do like how they fit...

(I am a Mother and a Grand Mother)

A great fitting pair of jeans can take you most places...

not the red carpet, a funeral or a wedding

not in my crowd

BUT

they are on my "desert island list." 

I have worn jeans since I was a teenager

plan to wear them forever

they have no expiration date...

and are so versatile in how you can style them.

I have put together a few jean OOTD options.

Vintage beaded wool sweater ~ Pelican Cove

jeans ~ NYDJ

gumball pearls which IMO

compliment and elevate a simple Tee and jeans

Tank top ~ Lands' End

beaded cardigan ~ Spanner

pearls

jeans ~ NYDJ

tank top ~ Lands' End

cashmere cardigan ~ Lands' End

jeans ~ NYDJ

remember to have fun and be creative with accessories

think of yourself as a painter and take risks

put you own personal stamp on things

Why Not?

black top ~ Jeanne Beker

jeans ~ NYDJ

shoes ~ Amalfi

I love these shoes...they make me feel so happy when I wear them.

Tweed jacket ~ Jeremy Spenser

jeans ~ NYDJ

shoes ~ Stuart Weitzman

love the bows on the toes...

this vintage baroque pearl pin is a perfect pairing with the jacket

(thank you darling daughter I adore this gift and wear it often)

I'm feeling the Paris vibe with this OOTD

striped top ~ Gap

jeans ~ NYDJ

ballet flats ~ Lands' End

sterling stack of bangles...

Tiffany and Co.

mingle with artisan designed silver bracelets

I've had fun putting these together and I have oodles more options in my closet...

Do you wear jeans?

What brand of jeans are your favourite?

BTW 

if you like to watch British dramas...

Mr. HB and I have just finished watching Last Tango in Halifax 

 and now are binge watching Happy Valley on Netflix...

Sally Wainright writes entertaining and engaging TV.

Downton Abbey is not the only show in town.

Take care

XO