Trompe l'oeil...

Since changing my eating habits I have been very aware of how food is served and the relation of it's visual beauty and it's effect on pleasure and taste. Plating and presentation are what good chefs and cooks do best.
Garnishes are so pretty and I rarely take the time to add them to a plate.
I think that garnishes are like a gorgeous colourful Hermes silk scarf tied at the neck.
I doubt that anyone would disagree that they impart colour to perk up a basic outfit.

Spa food always looks so appetizing, and there's a reason. Spa food is incredibly lean and low on calories so to trick the eye and brain, the chef must make it look like a work of art, a worthy gift to a high paying customer.
You feel fuller after savouring a beautifully presented plate of food. Besides the added garnishes are edible, and even though they may be sliced thinly, they are artfully fanned out to make you think that you are getting more...
Trompe l'oeil !

While I've never spent more than a few hours each time I visit a spa, I have read numerous articles while dreaming what it might be like to spend a restorative week as a guest in a luxury spa somewhere exotic.

So I am trying to serve beautifully arranged dishes as I think they make a difference in how we feel about food.
If it is haphazardly cobbled together it's rather boring and why would you take time to savour the flavour if it is a mess?

Bland and basic,

a humble breakfast of banana slices on slices of Silver Hill's Little Big Bread.

Weight Watchers Friendly!

Imagine this with a few fresh red strawberries slices or a green kiwi.

Wouldn't that be lovely?

When making salads which I do with regularity, I now look for the brightest vegetables.

Mixing textures and shapes makes for a more interesting effect.

Food can be beautiful to look at as well as fueling and nourishing the body.

We eat a lot of salads and vegetables in The Humble Bungalow.

Roasted veggies with whole garlic cloves and onion quarters.

This makes a delicious side dish if you are serving meat or poultry for dinner.

Imagine this as a main course sprinkled with feta cheese and balsamic vinegar.

Yum Yum.

A pretty fruit salad, 

great as dessert or served with plain yogurt for breakfast.

Can you "taste the flavours" just looking at this colourful fruit salad?

It looks so appetizing all mixed together...colour, shapes, and texture.

 Humble Homemade buns...

bland to look at but imagine them with a wee drizzle of butter served with a robust soup or stew.

Friend and local caterer Jule makes food look so appetizing.

Perhaps you'll consider inviting her into your home to add some of her magic to your next event.

Primulas are blooming!

Look how they cheer us just by being here on a grayish day in the Pacific Northwest.

I bid you adieu as it's time for a tea break...

and some casual reading.

Make the most of your weekend.

Throw on a bright scarf and seize the day.

Carpe Diem

"You don't get to choose how you're going to die.  

Or when.  

You can only decide how you're going to live.  

Now."  

~ Joan Baez ~

A Gift From the Sea ~ beachy whites.

When I think of beachy whites I think of Anne Morrow Lindbergh's book "A Gift From the Sea"
This book has influenced me over the years...the first time I read it I was in the throes of peri-menopause and felt like I was at sea with my emotions, trying desperately to keep myself ship shape and stable in a violent storm.
Her words helped me to take stock and to look for the small things in my daily round that would keep me on an even keel. Those wise words continue to inspire and resonate with me today.

I make a point to read Anne's book every year. You might enjoy reading it.
A small book which can be a quick read, if unlike me, you do not stop after each chapter to reflect and digest the message within...

Anne wrote a lovely account about "finding herself" in a beautiful place where she lived for a short time as she needed to escape from her duties as a wife and mother. Anne lived a very simple and solitary existence listening to the waves and watching the tides roll in and out with the rhythm of the sea.
The beach taught her many of life's lessons.
Taking time to be in a quiet place, seeking solace from her hectic life, she was able to stop, listen to her heart, and it was only then that she found inner strength, her truth and was able to find her voice.
Writing this book has been her gift to many of us who have struggled at some point with the demands of life.

I am so grateful to have stumbled upon her work...and I often ponder what it might be like to own a rustic simple white washed home by the seashore.

I love looking at shabby chic rooms in the magazines and online sites.
This look is very popular, however, it is not in keeping with our dark heritage designated arts and crafts bungalow.

Dreamy, creamy whites are so soothing.
Beachy seaside whites play a big role in our guest room decor.

The all white collection of beach glass sits beside a clam fossil and some coral.

Barnacle and shell in the background.

Shades of white.

Sunshine and shadows.

Can you see Chester's silhouette in the shadow?

Large shells are often sold at flea markets and antique malls.

I bought this one at a local flea market many years ago.

The distressed oar standing up behind the wicker chair was a boulevard freebie.

I stop for boulevard freebies, often quickly!

 If you are following behind me in the car proceed with caution and I do put on my turn indicator.

I abide by the rules of the road.

I am guilty of following rules to the letter and I cannot tell a lie...

perhaps a little teeny tiny white lie

but only if it concerns a wedding or baby shower or a surprise 

never ask me to lie for you, it cannot be done!

I've added a touch of pink...

reminds me of Rachel Ashwell who created the Shabby Chic shop and books.

I loved watching her TV show and would dream of having my own Shabby Chic cottage.

So this guest room satisfies my urge to live in such a cottage...

 if it was on a sandy beach I'd find myself walking barefoot in the sand while the waves wash in and wash out beach combing 

for some pure white sea glass and creamy shells.

"The sea does not reward those who are too anxious, too greedy, or too impatient. One should lie empty, open, choice less as a beach - waiting for a gift from the sea."

~ Anne Morrow Lindbergh ~

Lashing out...

Applying mascara is one of my daily habits...it has been part of my regime since I was a teen and feels as natural as showering and wearing deoderant.
I bought my Maybelline in the five and dime stores, Woolworth's and Kresge's.
You can read about the Maybelline story here.

Maybelline came in a small plastic box with a tray of powdered black tint and a separate brush.
All that was needed before promising "long luxurious lashes" was a bit of water to moisten the cake of mascara before loading up the brush.
(as unhygienic as it was many of us used spit)

If you are in your 50's or older you may remember this wee red box that promised a bit of glamour for a only few cents. These days mascara prices have soared and are made by every major cosmetic company.
The brushes and formulas have really changed...I have tried many!
How does one choose the best one without trying all of them?

I have been a fan of Aveda and Lancome Definicils until I was recently lured away to try the popular Benefit brand "they're Real!" I have given this mascara a real "girl scout" try and I am sorry to report that I am really disappointed.
I don't like the plastic applicator which "mascara-ades" as  a brush.
While generally I am a very polite Canadian, I must speak honestly as I blogged about this awhile back and I remember that a reader asked me to give her some feedback.
"I cannot abide this goopy mess..."

"Benefit" if you are reading this, the opinion is purely mine, and in no way do I want to attract any litigation...
I am sure that the hundreds of fans and their rave reviews on Sephora cannot be wrong.
It is just not for me,  a "natural look" is what I aspire to for my lashes.

Finding myself at the local pharmacy waiting for my thyroid prescription to be filled I had a few minutes to browse so I set my designs on procuring a less expensive mascara that might deliver on the promise of darker lashes that were separated without gloppy goopy results.

I bought two tubes that were under $10 each.

Maybelline Great Lash and Almay Intense I-Colour for hazel eyes in Midnight.

I have disposed of the Benefit mascara which is on the bottom of the image.

I have tried the Almay mascara and I love the brush 

which does not load too much product when it comes out of the tube.

My personal opinions will be posted after I have had some time to evaluate these two mascaras.

The rain eased up a bit this afternoon

but not enough for me to walk my regular 5K route.

We have a bit of a pond forming in our north side yard,

 our gardener remarked was a bit deeper than he expected when he was out there weeding today!

 An unexpected visit from my BFF meant we could sit, share tea, a piece of chocolate, and a chat.

Thanks S!

Gosh darn it, I found another engaging book...I really do love reading!

Kathleen Tessaro wrote this early on in her career before she wrote her most recent and delightful novel 

The Perfume Collector.

I read Elegance a few years ago and this book, Innocence, actually fell off the shelf into my hands!

What are you reading and are you loyal to any particular brand of mascara?

Lazy daze....a great cuppa, a good book and the hum of domestic machines.

Ah I love a quiet morning in The Humble Bungalow.
A day where life unfolds slowly as I potter about watering the plants, wiping the kitchen counters, tidying up the kitchen and doing some laundry. A pretty ordinary day really but that is how I like it.

Apart from the hum of the washing machine and a snoring cat snoozing on the kitchen chair it's hushed and calm.
The startling sound of a whistling kettle signals that it is time for tea.

I do love a great blend of tea and I have several that I keep on hand.

The everyday pedestrian tea is Ty-phoo decaf tea and I drink copious amounts of this brew.

In my tea cupboard I currently have Murchie's "Golden Jubilee", Harrods "Stronger Tea"

 assorted Silk Road teas...my favourite being The Abkhazi blend.

Cookies made a couple of days ago ~ chocolate chip and dried cranberry.

Taste great on the first bite.

No need to have more than one...nibble it slowly and savour the flavour.

Yum!

I started to read this novel awhile back but then a library hold came available so I put this down.

I am back reading it now and it is a fun read despite the morbid topic.

Australian author Debra Adelaide's novel was nominated for the Orange Prize for Fiction.

I'm almost finished and don't want to put it down.

I love when a book grabs you and holds your interest.

 I think with a title like this, I might have an inkling what might happen in the end.

So I bid you fond adieu, 

I'm off to read in our Humble Bungalow living room.

I think there will be one Morris chair available as Chester has settled onto a kitchen chair so I predict that Pepper will be on the other Morris chair!

Hope that your week is chock full of good things.

Wanna Be Barbour...OOTD

I love the English gentry country style.
I can picture those hacking jackets, cashmere sweaters, tartan scarves and Hunter wellingtons.
But truth be told my lifestyle is about as far away from country as it could be.
I am a city gal living a modest life in a quiet neighbourhood with my husband and two cats.
Dressing honestly guides my purchases and dictates what I will keep and wear not what hangs in my closet waiting to be worn. I dont believe in keeping things that just take up valuable space and gather dust in our tiny home.
(with the exception of my wedding dress and my Aunt Tirzah's fur coat)
It's my sister who lives in the country on 3 acres which houses a riding ring, paddocks and a barn.
She rides, teaches and judges riding and owns several horses.
Hers is country style with an equestrian flair...the riding boots and quilted jackets that I admire so much.

Sis and I shopped at the VV Boutique last week before our lunch.
We found a few gems...

QED London wanna be Barbour jacket.

Under $20

Brand new Eddie Bauer down filled mitts at an astonishing price of 99 cents!

With our cold weather on our long walks my hands have been freezing in my leather gloves. 

Only last week I was remarking to my walking partner that I really needed to buy some mitts...

 lo and behold they were waiting for me.

I was wearing my walking summer weight capri's to the Yoga studio and I admit that I missed my grey Lulu Lemon's which were two sizes larger and donated months ago.

I cannot believe I found Lulu lemon Yoga pants at $9.99!

So much cheaper than buying them new and I only need one pair so black is the perfect choice.

These loose yoga pants will allow me to feel less constricted when doing the downward dog.

My sister had wanted to eat at Bliss for quite a few months so we decided to go after our thrift shopping.

It's vegan and delicious!

The cafe is not large and they do take away as well.

You can buy their cookbook and make these dishes at home.

We sat at the window table and enjoyed the warmth of the sun shining through the window.

Masala Burger made with seeded "bread" and a cashew nut curry burger.

It was served with a dollop of cashew cream.

I have never felt so much energy after eating a meal and I felt sated throughout the afternoon.

OOTD

QED London jacket

Gap boyfriend jeans

Amalfi shoes

Mother loves these shoes...

they were another great score at the Thrift Shop.

I've worn these a lot and will continue to do so because they make me happy when I put them on.

My wardrobe is pretty workable now that I have restocked the basics.

I cannot think of anything more that I need for Winter...

now Spring and Summer are another matter.

I may need a skirt, some tees and a pair of shorts but there is plenty of time to cruise the thrift shops before our weather warms up.

In the meantime I am cooking up a storm here in The Humble Bungalow.

We have a family gathering this weekend and I am pulling out all the stops making a roast beef with Yorkshire pudding, roasted vegetables with scalloped spuds and gravy.

To top it all off dessert of fruit salad and a rich dense fudge chocolate cake.

What are you doing this weekend?