Treehouse redefined

I never had a treehouse. I was never really attracted to them; until I saw the Yellow Treehouse Restaurant. That's right, a restaurant in a treehouse! If you were one of those weirdo children who hosted pretend dinner or tea parties, it can finally be a reality; that is, if you happen to be in New Zealand. Something tells me a restaurant like this wouldn't be too successful, or desirable, during the winter months in the Northeast.

The cocoon-like structure was brilliantly executed by Auckland New Zealand Architects. They have an amazing layout of the design process from beginning to end on their website (and can be found here).

New Zealand previously wasn't in my Top 10 Places to Travel, but they certainly moved up a few notches thanks to the Yellow Treehouse Restaurant. Photos via CONTEMPORIST.

Frying Solo: Holy Pesto!

There are very few things in this world I love more than Purell. Nothing makes me feel more sterile than coming to work in the morning after a germ-filled T ride, pumping a glob onto my filthy hands and killing 99.99% of germs (p.s. whatever that .01% is, it must be pretty damn scary). Anyway, if you didn't catch my point, it's that I love pesto. It, like my other favorite recipes, is pretty hard to mess up, which is probably why I like it. You essentially throw a bunch of ingredients into a blender/food processor and you're done. The one frustrating aspect, besides having to wash the dishes afterward, is that it is not easy to save. It gets brown no matter how much oil or lemon juice you dump into it (please also read this as a warning as to why you should never buy pre-made pesto in a store; you never know what they put into it to keep it fresh. Then again, I guess that can be said for most store-bought items).

One other non-random item I want to mention is that you should feel free to change the amount of each ingredient below based on which flavors you enjoy more. In other words, this isn't baking; it's not a science. Feel free to experiment; in cooking and in life. I'll quiet down now and get to the recipe...

Ingredients:
30 basil leaves - a good basil leaf will be the same size as a dollar bill if you folded it in half length wise and then folded it again non-length wise (is there a word for non-length wise?).
2 garlic cloves
Half a lemon worth of juice
1/4 cup pine nuts (raw or lightly browned in a pan) or walnuts
1/4 cup EV dubs O
salt 'n peppa
small hunk of parmesan cheese

Execution:
Throw all the above ingredients into a blender/food processor. Blend/food process away until it looks like... pesto!

Why it's worth executing:
Here's the deal: there are way too many ways to use pesto for my holiday-brain to suggest. One of the easiest and tastiest is to grab some fresh mozzarella, tomato & brioche and assemble yourself a tasty little sandwich. You can also:

• toss it with pasta
• mix it with ricotta, stuff it into shells, top it with Heavenly Slow Roasted Tomato sauce and bake
• toss it with arugula, throw in some peas and shave some parmesan on it
• make a deconstructed bruchetta (slice of bread, pesto, Heavenly Slow Roasted Tomato & top with some mozz - and bake)

As always, pictures to follow; in addition to more formal recipes of the above-mentioned delicacies.

A Gift That Gifts: TOMS Shoes

A couple of years ago I was reading some magazine - either Vanity Fair or Vogue. They had a little blurb about a company that would donate a pair of shoes to a child in need for every pair of shoes you purchase. Love it. I immediately went to their website and checked it out. My husband and I ordered 2 pairs that night; back when they only had a few colors available. Him a 14 in navy. Me a 9 in olive.

We thought for sure TOMS were going to be the hottest things around. Two years later, I can count on one hand how many times I have seen someone wearing a pair. I guess this is a good time to mention I'm not all that observant. Their website proves that; in 2006, they donated 10,000 pairs of shoes to children in need and in 2008, they have increased that number 2,000%. For a pair of shoes that retailed for $34 in 2006 and between $42 & $70 in 2008, that's quite impressive (the pair for $70 are suede on the outer and fleece lined). A new style of boots is also out this winter for women that retails for $98 (and are vegan friendly).

Point is, with the upcoming holiday season, a time for giving, there is no better time to give a gift that gifts, especially in this economy. I especially encourage giving TOMS gift to anyone under the age of 5, mostly because when you hold the shoe in your hands, you can't stop making baby noises while shamelessly uttering "oh you're so cute!!!"

Company: TOMS
Website: www.TOMSshoes.com
Price Range: $34 - $49 for children, $42 - $98 for adult

Signage: New Orleans Style

I'm going to try to make a more active attempt to take pictures of signs that get my goat, because there are certainly plenty out there. We will christen this new section with this lovely sign I saw on my recent trip to New Orleans. I was in a convenience store buying a bottle of water since I was afraid to drink from the tap (no, I know. It's not a third world country but if you saw the hotel I was in...) and was greeted by this sign at the counter. Of course it drew my attention because everyone wants something FREE, until you realize what they're offering. Something tells me the jails in NOLA are cleaner than Bourbon Street.

Presidential Pets

Now this is flat out nuts. TIME put together a slideshow of photos
detailing the various Presidential Pets, which is clearly in response to the incredibly adorable Obama daughters demanding their father get them a pet when they move into the White House. Check out the insane combination of pets that Calvin Coolidge had. Something tells me that bob cat and goose weren't the best of friends...

Frying Solo: Heavenly Slow Roasted Tomatoes

*Now updated with a photo!

This is one of the simplest yet most time consuming recipes you will come across. Boy do I know how to market my recipes. The inspiration comes from Tyler Florence. It is perfect for a wintry Sunday afternoon after waking up more hungover than Joan Rivers after/during the Oscars; it's also nice if you have a personal chef make it for you. In any event, here's how she blows:

7 plum tomatoes
4 garlic cloves, minced
6 sprigs of thyme, de-sprigged
salt 'n peppa
1/4 C EV dubs O
dash of red peppa flakes (optional if you want to add spice)

Preparation:

Preheat your oven to three hundred. Wash the tomatoes. Slice them length-wise. Throw them, gently, in a bowl large enough to toss the 14 halves of tomatoes with the above ingredients. Add the remaining ingredients and give it a swirly until all the tomatoes are coated with goodness. Lie a piece of parchment paper on a cookie sheet and place the tomato halves facing up. Scrape out the oil and nibbly bits from the bowl and pour over the tomatoes. Place in oven. In 3 short hours, they're done.

Why it's worth the wait:

These heavenly little buggers can be used in many ways, some of which I'll post about later. My favorite is to throw them in a blender to make a sauce, which can be saved in the fridge, freezer or pantry (if jarred appropriately). The sauce can be used on pasta's and pizza's. If you choose not to make a sauce, you can leave them whole and use as a topping for a piece of white fish or a deconstructed bruschetta. It can also simply be used as a side dish because they are so spectacular on their own.

I will certainly post some pictures of these delectable little creatures next time I have 3 hours to spare on a weekend (read: don't expect them any time soon).

New Beginning: Frying Solo

Having been in a relationship for four and a half years, I thought there would be no better time to write a new blog section about being single; those who are flying solo. Okay fine, this isn't just for singles. I just liked the title. It'll be more for people who become enraged (to put it mildly) when they open a cookbook and see recipes that feed 5 or 6 people. In other words, this isn't a cookbook for open feeding; it's for those who want portion control (read: I'm a control freak). I always thought it would be easier to double a recipe than halve it, or worse yet, third it. I also come from an appetizer family so I never enjoy too much of one thing. The Food Network site functions worse than JetBlue in a snowstorm and epicurious is fun, but I'm funner. And besides, being loyal to only one website is so late '90's. So anyway, here it is. Take it or leave it. Shake it or bake it, but preferrably you'll fry it because we all know that tastes better. Thanks for your clicks!

iPhone-tography

The first image is the pre-unveiling of the new Apple store on Boylston Street. It was a creative play on the famous Green Monster scoreboard in that stadium that houses that team I don't pay attention to which is borderline sin in this city. The opening was actually a very big deal for Boston; for something to not be made of brick is a landmark - a welcome one at that. Robbie and I went opening day; total disaster. The lines were endless, cops everywhere, our poor dog insanely over stimulated.

When we finally went into the store a few days later, we both agreed it was just like any other Apple retail interior. I should probably clarify: Apple interiors are never disappointing, but just boringly similar.

The other picture is of Robbie standing in front of the enormous Apple logo on the third floor. I believe he's looking into the soon-to-open Mandarin Oriental across the street, which is also mighty spectacular and insanely large.

iPhone-tography

This is probably one of my favorite images to ever come from my phone (or my camera in general). We were second row at the Mika concert in Boston. It was one of the very first shots I took that night; right when he made his initial appearance on stage. Not only is it a great image but I do have to say the concert was spectacular. If you have never listened to his music, I suggest you get on it.