Spring Blooms!

It is a rainy morning in Washington.  We are expecting up to an inch of rain by the time this system moves out of the area.  I took this picture this morning of an ornamental pear tree that is in bloom at Washington Harbour.

Blooming Pear Tree

I got a couple more shots of these trees during lunch.  Really beautiful

I don't think I've ever seen these trees in bloom on the last day of February.  Spring is a mere 22 days away.  I cannot wait.  Next Saturday (March 10) before bedtime, we "spring ahead" which is always a welcome time.  I'll gladly lose an hour of sleep to have more light in the evening.  Oh happy day!!

Anybody for Cheese Souffle?

When we got back from the party at Bob's I threw together a cheese souffle which I had started preparing before we left.

Fresh from the Oven

It turned out perfectly.  Check out the Food and Recipe page for the recipe.  This recipe is extremely easy to make.  I have one word for how this turned out.  DEE-licious!!

Party at Bob's

Bob had a gathering at his house last night.  Just an impromptu gathering of the group for a glass of wine, martini, beer; whatever your pleasure.  We took an apple brown betty.

I have to be honest and admit I did not make this.  We were shopping at IKEA yesterday morning and picked this up from their grocery corner, which by the way is spectacular.  This wasn't all we pick up there, but more on that later.

This was one of those deals where time is getting away from you, so you pick up something delicious and then jazz it up before you show up at the party.  Arranging the slices on this plate and giving it a generous sprinkling of powdered sugar just upped the presentation.  Much nicer than showing up with whatever you have chosen to bring still in the wrapper from the store.

Winter Beauty

There are plants that not only bring beauty and appeal to the landscape during the warm months of the year, but also bring their own unique look during the cold, winter months.  Such is the case with asparagus fern.  Ferns are not cold hardy, so you must bring them inside for the winter.  Even then, with humidity levels usually very low, it is difficult to keep them going until spring.  As in years past, I leave the asparagus fern in pots and hanging baskets, as you see here, so that they can be enjoyed until spring arrives.

I find this as beautiful to look at as when the fern was newly planted.  It's like the trees in the wintertime.  How interesting it is to see them bare of their foilage, exposing the bones of the tree.

You see here that I have two of these hanging baskets and I left the asparagus ferns in both of them.  The same goes for any of the ornamental grasses you may have in your landscape.  When they turn brown from the winter cold, they bring a whole new look.  I would much rather see these ferns during the winter months than to come home to two empty baskets or to have taken down the baskets all together for the season.

Bob's Birthday

I was invited to a birthday celebration on Sunday evening for my friend Bob.  What to do for Bob?  What does Bob want?  Don't know.  What does Bob need?  Nothing.  Hmmmm.  What can I do for Bob.  Let's see.  Bob likes to grill/barbecue/cook outside.  Spring is just around the corner.  I bet Bob could use some things for the grill.  I think I'll go to Lowe's and see if they have their grills and accessories out for the season and stop by the grocery and pick up some marinades and glazes and various things he could use when the weather warms up.

So that's what I did.  I was thinking how am I going to wrap all of this.  I found this really neat box at Lowe's.  I put a new grill lighter, Liquid Smoke bottles, Texas Pete, a couple Smokey Joe's marinades, a couple Jack Daniel's Marinade bags, a container of Old Bay and some spice rubs in there with some raffia in the bottom to keep it all from rolling around and tied it up with some ribbon I picked up somewhere many moons ago.  And voila!!  The perfect package and the perfect gift from Bob.

Now I'm just waiting for an invitation when the weather breaks.  He usually sends a message saying something like "dinner on the patio at Bob's.  Bring your favorite picnic food."  My favorite picnic food is a pitcher of apple martinis (which are Bob's favorite too).  I've already got the apple martini mix, so as far as I'm concerned, we are ready for spring to arrive.

Our visit to Eastern Market in D.C.

We spent some time at Eastern Market yesterday morning.  This is one place you definitely do not want to miss if you are visiting Washington or if you are a resident.

Eastern Market is Washington's oldest continually operated fresh food public market. It is located in the heart of historic Capitol Hill and is DC's destination for fresh food, community events, and on weekends, local farmfresh produce and handmade arts and crafts.


A stroll though the maze of vendors that line the sidewalks is a feast for the eyes.  Take a look.

Upon entering the marketing you see the end result of many creative minds in the displays of their craft.

A little further down, we started seeing all of this wonderful, fresh produce.

An endless array of most anything you could possibly want.  And very reasonably priced.

As you can see, we were not the only people there.  A bustling crowd.  And this was rather early in the morning.  We dropped Baxter off at the spa, which is right around the corner, at 8:30.  So this picture was taken around 9:00 AM and you can see that people were already out and ready to start their day at the Market.

You really had to be there to enjoy this floral display.  Simply magnificent.

A walk down the main aisle continued to produce more of what the Market is so well known for and that is their extensive collections of fresh food and bakery items.  This meat case was by far the best I've seen anywhere in DC and surrounding suburbs.

Rotisserie chickens that looked positively delicious.

Freshly made breads of most any description.  We bought a Farmhouse loaf that will be used to make garlic bread this evening with homemade lasagna.  Yes, I am making lasagna this evening.  More on that later.

Lunch was a chicken crepe from one of the vendor stands just outside the main building.  I simply cannot describe how delicious this was.  Each order is made fresh as you watch the guys expertly prepare the crepe and then add the toppings of your choice.  This was the "Winner Winner Chicken" crepe.  I highly recommend it.

And last, but certainly not least, was the artist I stopped and talked to.  I absolutely love these paintings.  He had a large display.  I didn't want to offend him by taking too many pictures, but you can get the idea from this photo of his work.  If you are interested in more information on his work, you can visit http://www.kesslerart.com/.  I was so impressed with these.  I did not make a purchase from him yesterday, but I will definitely be going back.  I need to check out where I might have space for at least one of his prints.

So that was our trip to Eastern Market.  Time well spent visiting some of  the most creative minds in the area.  Check it out sometime.

Baxter Emails

Baxter is looking very smart after his haircut yesterday.  He told me he wanted to spend some time on the computer emailing everyone and thanking them for their well wishes on his recovery.  So, while I was making coffee and spending some time returning phone calls this morning, he decided to have some computer time.

We would like to thank Bonnie's Dog and Cat Grooming www.healthydogstore.com for taking such good care of him yesterday and doing a superb job on the cut and nail trimming.

While Baxter was having his spa day, we spent some time at nearby Eastern Market.  Be sure and come back later today for updates on that visit.  We found a wonderful artist there who graciously agreed to let us post some information about his paintings which I think you will enjoy.  We will have information for you to contact him if you are interested in any of his works.

Baxter's Visit with Dr. Freed this Morning

We had an 8:00 AM appointment this morning.  As you can see from the waiting room at Lynn Animal Hospital, we were the first appointment of the day.

An apprehensive patient waiting to be called to the examining room.

Looks like Baxter has made a full recovery from back surgery.  He passed his neurological tests and all systems are up and running as they should be.  We couldn't be happier.  He is taking a rest right now and asked not to be disturbed by the paparazzi.

For those in the area who might be looking for wonderful veterinarian, we highly recommend Lynn Animal Hospital http://www.lynnanimalhospital.com/ in Riverdale, MD.  We usually see Dr. Freed.

Now the day starts.  Today we will be working on installing the new tray ceiling in the dining room.  A separate post with pictures will follow later.

More Valentine Treats

I would be remiss if I did not report on ALL the gifts received on this Valentine's Day 2012.  I received a box on my front porch today from my dear friend Bev.  When I opened the box, it was filled with ample packing material so I started retrieving items from within.  The experience was sort of one like those little clown cars where the clowns start getting out and just when you think another clown couldn't possibly appear, he does.  Boxes and bags and jars of all kinds of goodies.

 Another wonderful gift.  We started doing this sort of thing a few years ago.  All of us having reached an age where we wonder at each holiday or birthday, "what do I get him or her", we started putting together little boxes or bags of small items we saw that we thought the other person might like.  Bev was a wedding coordinator a few years ago and knowing what wedding coordinators go through, I put together a box for her that contained things like a bottle of nerve tonic, Advil, airline size bottles of wine and vodka, mini tonic waters, cosmo mixes - things that I'm sure many wedding planners/coordinators would love to receive as the wedding day grows closer and the pressure is on.  As you can see in this picture, she chose the perfect items for me to experiment with in the kitchen.  All of this will be put to good use in the near future.

Thank you honey.  Happy Valentine's Day.

Tulip Mania

It looks like at least one of my readers saw my post last week about tulips being my favorite flower.

I received three bunches of the most beautiful red tulips this evening!?!?!!  What a wonderful surprise.

Thank you mystery reader.  Now the house is really looking and feeling like spring is just around the corner.

And so, we close out Valentine's Day 2012 with these wonderful flowers and Pekingnese winning Best in Show at the 137th Annual Westminster Dog Show in New York.  Of course we were rooting for Wire-Haired Dachshund, but we send our congratulations to the winner.

Coming up later this week, we will go with Baxter on his follow-up visit with Dr. Freed and we will visit historic Eastern Market in Northeast D.C.  Stay tuned for these stories and more suggestions on how to "Live in Comfortable Elegance."

Merin-GA!!

The meringues for Valentine's Day turned out spectacular.  I made them on Sunday afternoon.  They baked for five hours in a 175 degree oven.  They were the perfect consistency.  Not too soft.  Not too stiff.  And not brown.  You do not want them to brown.

Tonight I melted bittersweet chocolate in a double boiler over simmering water.

I removed the chocolate from the heat and added the canola oil.

I dipped each meringue in the chocolate and placed them on a parchment lined baking sheet to cool for one hour.

Then it was time to start assembling the boxes.

I lined the bottom of each box with tissue paper with a repeating heart design.  Then I placed 4 white paper baking cups in each.

Then I filled the cups with meringues.  I love the way this looks.

Then it was time to get the boxes closed and tied.

And here is the final creation on the table ready to go out the door with me in the morning.

Let me just add that, as any good chef would do, I sampled a few of these this evening after dipping the bottoms in chocolate.  TO-DIE-FOR!!!  This is a great recipe and they are the most delicious meringues you have EVER tasted.  I have posted the recipe on the Food and Recipes page.

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!

Cool, man

Who was the coolest pup at National Airport this afternoon?

Baxter!!

Somebody Wants to say Good Morning

Somebody just told me that he doesn't want any more talk about fireplace renovations or snow or any of that.  He wants to be in pictures.  And he should be!  So here's everybody's favorite miniature wire-haired dachshund, who seems to have made a full recovery from back surgery in December.

Rood morning reveryone!!

Now, if we could just get the ASPCA Pet Insurance company to pay their portion of the claim for his surgery, everything would be right with the world.  But, alas, they are refusing to pay anything.  How could anybody say no to that face?

The Fireplace Renovation

Here are the pictures of the fireplace renovation.

We started with the faux stone finish that I did a number of years ago.  This was actually a very nice look and I was very proud of how it turned out when I did it.  But, times change and I felt like it was time to upgrade this look.

Here is the mantel primed with Kilz primer.  I have to admit at this point I was a little nervous.  I thought, "what have I done!"  But, I moved ahead, undeterred and confident that I had made the right choice to change the look.

I painted the mantel and the walls on either side Behr brand Platinum Gray.  I love this color.  It matches the matting in the framed piece you see here that my cousin painted.  This color is also in the print in the slipper chairs that are on either side of the fireplace.  I was happy with this outcome but the brick was just not working for me.  It was dirty from years of wood fires before I installed the gas insert and to me, the project looked unfinished.  So, I decided to paint the brick platinum gray too.

And here is the finished project.  I love it!  The gray is beautiful and the black glass doors look clean against the brick.  You couldn't really see the doors before.  All you could see was the dirty brick.  That's where your eye went and it took away from the whole look.  We removed the terra cotta hearth a few years ago and replaced it with the slate you see here.  Once again, the gray works beautifully with this stone.

All things considered, this project was a success.  I'm so glad I moved ahead with my decision to update the look.  Oh, I should also tell you that the glass door insert you see here has saved me many dollars on heating costs the past two winters.  It essentially seals the opening to the fireplace and prevents the warm air from escaping up the chimney.  I believe it also helps with cooling costs in the summer.

A Dusting

We woke up to a bit of snow this morning!

Baxter was up at his usual 6:00 AM jumping and nudging and saying "it's time to get up daddy."  So we made our way through the house and when I opened the blinds to let him outside, I was shocked to see we had any accumulation of snow overnight.  We have brilliant sunshine this morning but temps in the 20's.  Brrrr.

A good morning to have a cup of coffee and get to work in the kitchen.  I have pre-measured all the ingredients for the Italian Meringue Drops.  I will get those in the oven this afternoon.  They need to cook in a 175 degree oven for 5 hours, so I'll put them in when we get back from the airport.  Steven returns today from the NAHB Annual Convention in Florida.  So we will run to National to pick him up at 2:00 PM and then come back and finish our cooking.  Another busy day at Welcome to Crest Avenue.

Oh, Sweet Mystery of Life at Last I've Found You

For those who want to know:

Saint Valentine's Day, commonly shortened to Valentine's Day, is a holiday observed on February 14 honoring one or more early Christian martyrs named Saint Valentine. It is traditionally a day on which lovers express their love for each other by presenting flowers, offering confectionery, and sending greeting cards (known as "valentines"). The day first became associated with romantic love in the circle of Geoffrey Chaucer in the High Middle Ages, when the tradition of courtly love flourished. It was first established by Pope Gelasius I in 496 AD, and was later deleted from the General Roman Calendar of saints in 1969 by Pope Paul VI.  Modern Valentine's Day symbols include the heart-shaped outline, doves, and the figure of the winged Cupid. Since the 19th century, handwritten valentines have given way to mass-produced greeting cards.

Thank you Wikipedia.

I like to give Valentine's treats to all my friends.  It can be the simplest of things.




These cards are from my childhood during the 1960's.  I remember giving and getting them at school.  The cards today will not look exactly like these but you can still find them at CVS.

There is also the option of making a card yourself and leaving it on your cube-mates desk at work or attaching a little ribbon to the card and hanging it on a friends front door or placing it under a windshield wiper.  What a pleasant surprise. 

I particularly like this card sent from Julia Child and her husband some years ago:

What a clever idea.

I will be making Italian Meringue Drops and leaving a box on the desks of my friends at work.  I must give credit where credit is due and tell you that, as much as I wish this was my original idea, it is a Martha Stewart recipe.

I will reach out to other friends with cards just to let them know I am thinking of them.  You would be surprised how much of an impact such a small gesture of kindness can have on someone, especially if they have had a death of a loved one recently or any other circumstance that may have them spending this holiday alone.

We're Back in Business

Duracell to the rescue!  We have a working camera again.  And I didn't have to run all over downtown D.C. to find new batteries.  I decided to try the CVS that is within walking distance of the office first and they had them.  According to the package we won't have to worry about this again for another year.  I was a little shocked at $17.99 for a four pack.  But then I thought about all the years I have had this camera and never replaced the batteries.  That made it a lot easier to spend $18.00 on a 4-pack of batteries.  Plus I had a 20% coupon already loaded on my CVS card.  All things considered, quite a deal.

So we're off and running again.  Pictures of the finished fireplace coming tomorrow.

The Theater is Dark today

The theater is dark today.  No photos.  Why you ask?  Because the battery pack in my camera has taken its last charge.  It's done.  Toast.  No more pictures.  I will run to Radio Shack or Best Buy or wherever I have to go to purchase 2 new AA Lithium, rechargeable batteries.  More project work and pictures either later today or tomorrow.

Sirius XM Radio

I renewed my subscription to Sirius XM Radio today.

Sirius Radio is a satellite radio (SDARS) service.  They are headquartered in New York City, with smaller studios in Los Angeles and Memphis.  Subscriptions are prepaid and range in price from $12.95 per month ($8.99 for each additional receiver) to $499.99 for lifetime (of the receiver equipment) subscription. There is a $15 activation fee for every radio activated. I paid $131.63 or $10.97 per month for one subscription.  I have not had the car wired yet for Sirius.  That will come in the spring or summer.  There is a very small port with a face plate that sits next to the amp in my house.  This faceplate is removable and once the car is wired, I will be able to simply take the faceplate with me and plug it into the port in the car to enjoy uninterrupted music.

I first received this sevice as a Christmas gift and I was immediately taken with the concept.  No more of the same old annoying commercials and useless jibber-jabber that you get with regular, land-based radio stations.  For more information on their full line-up of stations, visit http://www.sirius.com/.

Another Spring Arrangement



Another arrangement I put together to help bring some spring color and life into the house.  Putting together an arrangement like this is really not that difficult.  Sometimes I prefer just a single type of flower in a vase.  Very simple.  Very elegant.  I especially like tulips in this sort of arrangement.  It shouldn't be long now before we are able to find good quality tulips.  Tulips are my favorite flower.  I like them all in all colors and varieties.  But nothing really can replace the standard tulip.  So simple and elegant.  Here is a classic example.

Really beautiful.



The perfect ending to the Weekend

Baxter and I took Steven to the airport early Saturday morning for his flight to Orlando to attend the National Association of Home Builders Annual Convention.  We ran a few errands on our way home from the airport.  Once we got home and got the car unloaded, I decided to put the rest of the weekend to good use.  I painted the brick around the fireplace enclosure in the dining room.  Here is what it looked like during that process.

(More pictures to follow tomorrow.)

I installed the room darkening shades in my bedroom.  Then I steam cleaned the hardwood floors with the Haan steamer and cleaned the carpet in the tv room.

During our errands on Saturday morning, I picked up some fresh flower arrangements from our new Aldi grocery store.  I was pleasantly surprised to find some fresh cut arrangements there that were tastefully put together.  I picked up three bunches.  I start to get antsy for spring and warmer weather this time of year.  We are a mere 42 days away from the first day of spring and I'm ready for it anyday.  Keeping fresh flowers in the house during the dark winter months helps lift your spririts.  So I put a fresh vase on my nightable.

Sunday evening I decided to have a glass of red wine and to relax and enjoy all I got done this weekend.  I used my new wine glass I got from Bob for Christmas that says "It's 5:00 somewhere" with many different graphic depictions of the official beginning of the cocktail hour.  A wonderful way to end a nice weekend.