Go Fish

Before we get into the catty fishies let me just hug you for all of the stuff you've been sending about our vacays. Extremely helpful.

Thank you.

So. With that out of the way. Today I decided to make Catfish Stew for lunch. When Andrew came downstairs and decided to assist, I was all, "Great! You can clean up the mess you made in The Kitchen!"




And he was all, "You mean the mess I made MAKING YOU BREAKFAST?"

Anyway. Back to the Catfish Stew.

First, you cut up the fish.

Or, if you've cut off your index finger twice, once while butchering a cantaloupe and once in a second year studio class in architecture school, you let someone else cut up the fish.

Either way.

I like to buy the catfish that's already cajun seasoned. It's easy and makes for a tangier, spicier stew.

Next, fry the bacon over medium heat for two minutes or so.

Add tomatoes, water, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, and thyme.

Add the fish. Reduce heat to medium-low and cover. Cook about twenty five minutes.

Voila. Prepare yourself for delicious.

Catfish Stew

serves 2

1 pound cajun seasoned catfish fillets
4 slices of bacon, chopped
1 can diced tomatoes
1 cup of water
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon thyme

This post is linked to The Thrifty Home's 65th Penny Pinching Party.

Fa La La La La

I Didn't Know I Could Fall In Love So Fast

Have you seen this place yet?!

It's near perfect, with that old woodburning stove cranked up just outside of that airy kitchen, the one where I could totally see myself hunched over the counter reading a paper and drinking fifteen or sixteen cups of coffee.

That table is especially yummy.

Keeping Warm

Since we live in Florida you probably assume that it's all tropical and stuff this time of year. And usually it is. But this winter is freakishly cold and today it got down to freezing temperatures.

I don't mind all that much.

Monkey

And you wonder why we can never say no to him.

Still Decking The Halls

If you were here I'd hand you a warm mug of homemade hot cocoa. FILLED TO THE BRIM with big, squishy marshmallows.

When you finished it I'd make you come along for this afternoon's workout, which is repeat uphill sprints in. the. rain.

Then we'd bake another dozen or so Christmas cookies.

While listening to Lucia di Lammermoor.

And letting the dogs lick the spoons.

What are you doing today?

Is There Anything Wrong

With wet nose on the lense?

Andrew Will Be Blown Away By The Level Of Action Photography I'm Now Able To Produce

A couple of days ago we finally received a rug we ordered for The Kitchen eons ago.

It's a Surya Frontier 100% wool flat woven runner in Gray Ivory.









Thought you might be interested in my seeing it through the lense of my new love affair with the Nikon. I've been taking pictures nonstop, once I got over the paranoia of dropping it or forgetting it on top of my car or accidentally bumping it into a hot tub.

You know, my usual moves.

Love + Travel

After I posted our travel plans the other day, you all emailed me because you actually live in those places!

And you were all, "I don't want to bother you but I know of this thing you have to see and do and eat and don't forget they put vodka in the drinking water. Yadda yadda yadda..."

I looove that you took the time to yadda yadda yadda me and I wanted to say THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

(And we're still accepting any and all advice. And we're adding Cancun to the list.)

Seriously, It's Christmas

Did you know that Andrew has a very serious nature?

It's one that commands respect and attention, and it's only balanced by his completely unexpected and boyish charm. It's probably why he can negotiate multi-million dollar deals like pudding exchanges between second graders. He can also eat glass shards and syrup for breakfast. WHILE SMILING.



The last few weeks are the perfect example of this dichotomy, complete with scattered love notes and opened car doors and attentiveness that rivals the Secret Service. Odd, right?

"You're weirding me out. You're being too nice."

"Well, it is Christmas time."

Silence.

"I'm just making sure I'm on your Nice list."

"You're doing this for good presents?"

"Kelly, SERIOUSLY."

Flights Are $100,000

I was booking all of those trips recently, including a cruise through Travelocity, when I noticed they offered flight options.

For the cost of kidney.



Awesome.

Where's The Like Button?

The Only Commercial That Makes Me Cry

Every. single. time. Since 1986.

Long live Peter.





What are your favorite Christmas commercials?

BIGGER! BETTER! (Well, BIGGER)

If you're wondering why I didn't learn how to post bigger pictures the first time I shared this, so am I.

I know I'm, like, waaay late on this one, but there is sort of kind of a reason. It's called AWESOMELY CRAPTASTIC POINT AND SHOOT THAT SPITS OUT FOUR AND A HALF PIXELS.

But that was so 2010. Moving on, moving up.

SURPRISE, The Rest Of The World Is Cold

I don't think I have ever been so excited about Patagonia.



When we return from Juneau there's Vancouver then Seattle then Killington then Dubrovnik then Zaton then Rome then Venice then Montego Bay. So we'll at least have five and half minutes of sun.

Why am I just now revealing our super secret travel plans?

Someone pried a Christmas present out of me early.

One Client, Two Recipe Solutions, Six Favorite Pieces + Taking Photos For Design*Sponge

This is a long post. Bail now if you're not comfortable.

When I was a (very) little kid, my sister and I shared a bedroom, one that had white wallpaper with tiny pink hearts in a pattern that would cause you a migraine if you stared directly at it. I had a weird attachment to that room, and this bizarre ability to remember the most trivial details of it's parts, like if my sister would move my Pound Puppy. An eighth of an inch to the left.

Doris emailed me a few months ago, looking for just that kind of psychotic attention to detail, and asked if I could help her with her Living Room. One meeting and a handful of sketches later, I gave her a basic consultation that began with this new layout and a small novel of recommendations.



Renovating an entire home is hectic, and Doris is overseeing the implementation of this project herself. (Thank God it doesn't involve an order of Thomasville cabinets.) She's tackling our notes bit by bit, and trying to gather her strength to repaint the walls Martha Stewart Sharkey Grey. (YOU CAN DO IT! YOU CAN DO IT! YOU CAN DO IT!) Earlier today she emailed me pictures of the updated layout with the new stripe rug, which will be layered with a large blonde cowhide. Aside from the paint, she's redoing the fireplace, adding a chunkier end table, and burying the television cables. And then there's editing. Don't forget the editing.

So it's very much a work in progress.

Still, I wanted to share these with you, because I get a lot of questions about struggling with long, narrow areas. A LOT. I think you'll be surprised at how much was accomplished just by switcheroo-ing the furniture from the parallel facing couches to the layout above and tweaking a few of the existing pieces. Cohesive. Defined. Better.




So. THERE'S YOUR EXAMPLE. Don't ask for anything for Christmas.

Okay. Moving right along.




Remember how I mentioned that I was reorganizing my recipes? The binder thing reared it's ugly head again, but this time it's tolerable looking and has three ring hole punched plastic sheet covers FOR EACH RECIPE. (I know. I'm civilized!)

Wouldn't you know, though, that the very day that I finished it up, I came across this cuter than cute cutie.






So it's now in the Etsy shop. Speaking of which, here are my favorite new pieces that are up for grabs in the store.

Oh. Yeah. And there's one more thing.

I LOVE DESIGN*SPONGE, and Kate emailed today and was all, "We'd like to do something with your Kitchen but your crappy point and shoot pictures bite a big one." Actually, she really said something like, "Would you be willing to take a few more shots? The photos I pulled off your blog are a bit grainy." And I sighed and told Andrew, "Remind me again why I'm too cheap to buy a decent camera?"

And then took me by the hand.

Led me down the stairs.

Pointed at the tree.

And said,

"Open."

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

He even got me the right lenses.