Pickle love

For Christmas I received a lovely and thoughtful gift in the mail from a dear friend: pickles! And not just any pickles...pickles that hail from Brooklyn, NY!

Brooklyn Brine Co. is a small pickle-ry that makes an assortment of tasty brine-soaked numbers such as fennel beets, lavender asparagus and whiskey sour pickles. 

This friend realized my love for pickles when we were celebrating at my birthday dinner and I ordered a Pickle Back (pickle juice, Jameson and Anchor steam).  It tastes just like it sounds, trust me.

How do you feel about pickles? 

A few of my favorite things...

Lots of time with the one I love

Trips to the beach

Dewy succulents

Orange houses

Flowers in December 

Palm trees

Christmas colors in the City

Tasty treats

White poinsettia's

Views from the lookout at the de Young Museum 

His and hers

Today we are headed back to Charm City after a lovely week in the Bay Area with Ryan's family. We ate great Italian food, walked all over the city, drank delicious cappuccinos, went to my favorite bookstore, City Lights, wrapped presents, ordered room service, slept in, visited old friends, went to the movies, enjoyed some sun (and plenty of rain), made our favorite tag-team meal, 5 cheese macaroni, watched Christmas specials on TV as a family, took major breaks from Facebook and the internet (hooray!) and all around enjoyed ourselves immensely.

We're pretty bummed to be going home, but I suppose Christmas can't last forever.  At least we all have New Year's to look forward to, right?

Do you have any big plans for the New Year's Eve? My big plans (and goal to incorporate into life in 2011)- one word: mimosa.

Hope you had a great Christmas week, too. Sending love and joy to you and yours for 2011.

Merry Christmas Week!

Wishing you a cheerful week of last minute shopping, office parties, overindulging, social anxiety, sugar comas, deviled egg eating, laughter with friends, joy with family and all around good times.  Really- enjoy it!  Take care and soak it all in. 

Christmas mixtape giveaway!

December 16, 2010

Dear Reader, 

My husband and I are in the process of finalizing our super-awesome Christmas mix.

Our plan is to give a copy to our friends/neighbors who aren't such big fans of the holidays.  We are both convinced all this will change upon listening to our mix.

I am expecting it to be such a hit that I would like to pass a copy along to you.

Please leave a comment and enter to win.  We'll draw names out of a hat on Monday and send it out ASAP!

Yours, 

Clementimes

Joan, Peggy and Betty Ornaments

These felt Mad Men Christmas tree ornaments are so adorable and fun. I wonder if anyone would know it was supposed to be them if they were hanging from your tree?  

Isn't Betty's scowl so fitting?  And Peggy's bangs are spot on.  Joan even has a finger puppet in her honor!

Christmas Wish List 2010

I'm a little late in getting around to this, I know.  But what the heck... here are a few things on my 2010 Wish List I wouldn't mind living without.  Heaven knows I'd be fine with a set of letterpress cards, a nice latte and a movie night with Ryan.  But here are few more special things, just for the halibut. 

A Cozy Macbook Sleeve

A Reason to Splurge Local at Red Tree B-more

A Monday-Friday Subscription to the NYT

A Variety of Delightful Nothings from Anthropologie

A Different Kind of Rodent

Beans, Beans, and Beans

Tips from Alice Waters

Garlic Rocker

More Music, i.e. investing in CD's I've been meaning to get for years...

Indulgence. Truffle Oil, Artisan Cheese and $8 Gelato

*Updates:

Mixing bowls suitable for double-boiling

More tights!

P.S. Santa came early with a cashmere throw! Yummmm!

P.S.S. Previous Wishes. 

Seasons Greetings from Baltimore!

As Christmas cards make their way to your mailbox, consider this a virtual card from me to you.  Season's Greetings from our house to yours!

Here are few of my favorite ornaments hanging on our tree... 

New blue mercury glass ornaments

Our gift from Martha Stewart for being good audience members 

Sparkling glitter balls

A glass heart my mom gave me 

Our 2010 Christmas tree time-warped to 1950

Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah, Kwanzaa and Holidays to you.  And thanks a million for reading my blog.  It means so much to me, really.  xo

Handmade Holidays

This year I'm feeling especially giddy about the holiday season.  Ryan and I got our very own little Christmas tree and spent the weekend hanging lights, unpacking ornaments and procuring some new ones, too.  It felt cheesy, silly and all around wonderful.

Have you been over to Etsy lately?  The gift guides alone are reason to take a peek and support hand made.  Happy gift hunting!

The Nutcracker

Speaking of ballet, if all goes to plan this Christmas, I'll get to see the San Francisco Ballet perform The Nutrcracker!  I've only seen The Nutcracker performed professionally once by the Pacific Northwest Ballet, so I think seeing it in SF will be a real treat. 

Keep your fingers crossed for time-off work!

P.S. My childhood ballet teacher who owns The Nutcracker Museum in Leavenworth, WA was Conan O'Brien's first guest on his new show.  I bet my grandma was sooo jealous!

Red Cap Cards

My friend Elka turned me onto Red Cap Cards and I have to say, I'm smitten over over them.  My favorite is the city scape card.  

Are you sending holiday cards this year?  I want Ryan to come up with a cute drawing and incorporate our stamp somehow.  We better get crackin'... I can't believe December is already here!  What happened to 2010?