bon appétit...

It is time for Mardi Gras and that means time for my favorite cake - a king cake.  The Turnip Truck Urban Fare in the Gulch has the best king cake in Nashville.  It is delic with milk, flour, eggs and sugar. After it is rolled out it is covered with butter, cinnamon and sugar.  The cream cheese filling is to die for!  A food for thought - the green. gold, and purple on the king cake represent faith, power, and justice.  Since the Turnip Truck is all natural - they used spinach, kale, carrot, and beet juice for color instead of food coloring.  Now that is my kind of cake.

Don't be surprised to find a plastic baby in a lucky bite.  This means you have luck for the year.  Mardi Gras is on March 8th.

Enjoy!

{copy credit: nashville scene- carrington fox}

art that is goldsworthy.

So now that I have told you how great the Apple TV is, I will talk about the documentary we watched on it the other night - Andy Goldsworthy's Rivers and Tides: Working With Time.

Andy Goldsworthy is one of my favorite artists. He is a British sculptor, photographer and environmentalist living in Scotland who produces site-specific sculpture and land artsituated in natural and urban settings. His art involves the use of natural and found objects, to create both temporary and permanent sculptures which draw out the character of their environment.  It is just beautiful to watch him use the earth to create such masterpieces.  The photography is a key part of Andy's art to let others see how time effects the change. 


Here are some of my favorites: 

"My art is an attempt to reach beyond the surface appearance. I want to see growth in wood, time in stone, nature in a city, and I do not mean its parks but a deeper understanding that a city is nature too-the ground upon which it is built, the stone with which it is made." - Andy Goldsworthy

{photo credits: www.ulike.net}
{copy credits: www.wikipedia.com}

we feed our tv an apple a day...

A fabulous Christmas present Justin and I got was the Apple TV from his brother, Brandon.  With Apple TV we can rent movies and shows directly from our phones.  It connects to our TV through the HDMI cable and connects to our computer through our wireless.  (Dudes, I know you are with me...chicas, are you still there?) Our I-phones have an app that acts as a remote.  (As you see below, it comes with a remote as well).  The latest thing Justin added was the Netflix rentals.  We are able to rent the movies right to our set.  Other very cool features include access to the iTunes Store and media streaming from our iPhoto and iTunes libraries.  The best part is that is small and very discret, so you put it in any room.

{photo credit: amazon.com}

Happy Watching!

distinctively different.

Distinctively different.  These are the words that inspire me today.  Justin and I are joining Brentwood Baptist Church and attended a membership class last night.  The focus was living distinctively different, so others will see Christ in you and know you are different.  Of course when God wants to grab our attention, he puts little reminders all around us.  Therefore the Daily Verse went right along with this...

God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM." And he said, "Say this to the people of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you.'" - Exodus 3:14

Imagine having the kind of confidence God showed in this passage; when asked who He was, He simply said, "I am." Be confident in who you are - the "I AM" lives in you.  Today think of the things you enjoy and characteristics that make you uniquely you.  Live each day with intention - creating the life YOU love. Do people know you are different?   Here are some books I enjoy that will help inspire you to live distinctively and with style and grace.  What Would Jackie Do? : An Inspired Guide to Distinctive Living by Shelly Branch and Sue Callaway The next best thing to having Jackie O as a personal advisor, What Would Jackie Do? reveals the practical wisdom behind an icon and gives all readers a piece of the Jackie mystique, be it of the heart, the mind, or the home. Also try What Would Audrey Do? : Timeless Lessons for Living with Grace and Style by Pamela Keogh  In an era fraught with selfishness, artifice, and sensational headlines, the reality and tranquility of Audrey is precisely what the world needs now. {photo credits: www.amazon.com} Go be distinctively different!

oh diana.

This cold weather makes me want go home right after work, change into some comfy lounge wear, and relax.  I created a Diana Krall Pandora playlist and love it.  It immediately calms my mind.  I put Diana on and start cooking, enjoy a glass of wine, and can even read with this fabulous background music.  It is even great to play when you have dinner guests.  Her soothing sound takes me away from all the thoughts going through my head.

{photo credit: www.smh.com.au}


Relax!

grace.

I got the new February issue of House Beautiful and am loving this kitchen!  My favorite features are the butcher board counter tops, deep sink, and open shelves.  They chose a color similar to the morning dew we recently painted our kitchen in.  The dark fixtures create balance - they provide a solid foundation to give the room overall grace.

{photo credit: house beautiful, february 2011 issue}

two z's for the weekend.

Zico.  I found this tonight while shopping at Trader Joe's.  I realized I tried it once before at Whole Foods, but after researching more about it, this is a drink, I will drink more often.  It has 5 essential electrolytes, including more potassium (569 mg) than entire banana.  Also no added sugar and no fat. It is all natural - which I love!  For years it has been a source of nutrition, beauty, wellness and hydration.  Zico just makes you feel good.  I suggest trying it after your next work out.  It is the natural energy boost to rehydrate and recover your body. Ahhh...

{photo credit : www.zico.com}


Zolo's.  One of my new favorite restaurants.  Truly Italian with homemade marina sauces, wonderful European wines, and delicious desserts.  Justin and I went last night with Blake and Jenny.  We started off with the bruschetta.  It was amazing with fresh tomatoes, garlic, scallions, fresh basil, and olive oil - topped with baked parmesan. Jenny got the lasagna with layers of beef, Italian sausage, ricotta, parmesan and mozzarella cheese.  Blake got the Trio so he could try a little of everything.  Spinach & cheese ravioli, sausage, meatball and penne pasta in marinara - baked with provolone cheese. Yumm...
Justin got the eggplant paramsean - you can never go wrong with this dish.  I got the spaghetti with clam sauce.  I wasn't sure about this when I ordered it, but the baby clams prepared in a delicious white wine butter sauce was amazing! It was a treat to enjoy a wonderful dinner with special friends.  I always love going to downtown Franklin.

You can find Zolo's at 119 5th ave N. Franklin TN, 37064 and call 615.599.2901 to make reservations.  

{photo credit: www.zolosonline.com}


Cheers!