Tuesday Tip

Share some sweet basil with friends. For many, our summer gardens especially those in containers, are fading fast.

Lemon-Basil Butter Cookies-bet you can't eat just one!

Why not give the gift of herbs in the form of a cookie? This is a super easy receipe and has just 6 ingredients, that you likely already have on hand. Place a bunch in a pretty bag and drop them off to friends and neighbors. Don't worry, this receipe yields dozens, so you'll have plenty of leftovers to put in your freezer!

Wish I could send a bag of these to all my blog friends and readers!

Lemon-Basil Butter Cookies
Southern Living May 2001

Recipe:
1 cup fresh lemon-basil leaves*
1 3/4 cups sugar, divided
1 pound of butter
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 large egg
6 cups all-purpose flour

Process basil and 1/4 cup sugar in a food processor (I use my mini-chop) until blended.
Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add remaining 1 1/2 cups sugar, beating well. Add lemon juice and egg, beating until blended.
Shape dough into 1-inch balls and place 2 inches apart on lightly greased baking sheets. Flatten with bottom of a glass dipped in sugar.
Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on wire racks.
Yield 6 1/2 dozen
*Plain fresh basil leaves may be substituted for lemon-basil leaves (I use regular)

Enjoy!!!

Dear Summer,

Goodbye. Yes, it may be your unofficial end, but I think it's reason enough for celebration. You behaved badly this year. You were too hot, too dry, too buggy, too muggy -just too long. I hope the garden gate hits you hard on the way out. Please go away, as fast as you can. I'm waiting for autumn, with open arms.

So pretty, I love a charming garden gate!



An amazing backyard fountain from a recent house tour!

I can't remember a single summer in my life that I was more ready to see end. Maybe it was the temperatures, maybe it was the lack of time spent having fun, maybe it was work, the lack of blogging? Or maybe, it was the house hunting? We started the search in early spring, just dipped a toe in. We jumped in with both feet this summer. Do you know how hard it is to find a great house, in a city that you love, that has everything on your wish list and will likely be the last house you ever buy? Crazy hard...and exhausting!

Missing London

It's hard to believe the Olympics ended a week ago tonight. There were thrilling highs and crushing lows. Great stories of enduring hardships and sacrifice.  It did not matter that I watched them from my sofa. Somehow, I felt that these Olympics games were the best that I could recall?  

Sofa by Wesley-Barrell. Designer pup extra. In pounds, please.

Perhaps, I am am biased having been to London, that we have several British friends, or that ancestors on both our mother's sides were British. Perhaps, it was that the Queen's humor in the opening ceremony, rarely on public display, made us all laugh and relax and send the message that we were indeed in for a jolly good time. Who will ever forget the moment the future King of England gave his bride a spontaneous and enthusiastic squeeze as a spectator in the stands? Perhaps, it was the agreeable weather, which was nothing short of miraculous by anyone's measure. Or maybe, it's just simply a matter of fact, that our friends across the pond hosted a great Olympics!

I snapped this in early summer while visiting the Farrow & Ball showroom at the DC Design Center.
 I've said it a lot (to myself) this summer as I continue work on my most challenging project. Ever.
 It's been a marathon...of Olympic proportions!

And, even though the opening and closing ceremonies were fragmented, I enjoyed them. Truthfully, they could have been from any number of bizarre and fragmented dreams that rob me of sleep! And, if you are of a certain age, the music in the closing ceremony was a wonderful trip down memory lane and it made you feel youthful and capable of Olympic greatness- if only in your dreams.

To help cope with missing London and the Olympics, I will resume reading these two books:

 Both are based in England and that's where any similarity ends. One is written by Lady Fiona Carnarvon, wife of the current Earl of Carnarvon and current countess of Highclere castle. It covers the Edwardian period, the First World War and the extraordinary life of Lady Almina. It is neither a biography, nor a work of fiction, which is what what makes it so fascinating. If you are addicted to the mini-series Downton Abbey, this is a must read! The series inspiration,  including many of the characters names is clear. I think knowing the real story will only add to the enjoyment of the series when the new season resumes.

The other book is a debut novel from a young author named Daniel O'Malley. It's about a group of people with supernatural powers who work for her Majesty's Secret Service. Sounds hokey right? I did not expect to actually like this book, but when another author recommended it-I thought why not give it a try?

So with England as the perfect backdrop, historic references, drama, suspense, supernatural power and a good deal of humor, it's a bit like the Olympics I would say!

Tuesday Tip

Tips on how to clean your goddess...or other stained marble.

In the spring, I did a post on busts with the intention of showing you mine and promptly forgot until now!

The owner from a favorite shop holding the bust for me to view all sides.
 Even though he said he had already vacuumed and wiped her down, she was still such a dirty girl!

This is how she looked in the shop after being outfitted with her new iron stand. The original marble pedestal
that surely once held her form was not found when she discovered in the celler of an estate in Europe by the shop owner. I actually didn't mind her sepia patina, but felt I needed to try and capture her original appearance.

I honestly didn't have a plan on where/how to start and just plunged in with what seemed reasonable and safe. Which ended up being mild dish detergent, baking soda, and lots of scubbing with soft tooth brushes and soft rags.

Though my cleaning method was working, I panicked halfway through and searched google for tips!
 It seemed this was okay. I also read suggestions to use hydrogen peroxide and chalk.
The hydo seemed to work a bit, the chalk was useless!


Add equal parts time and patience. And voila!

When the sunlight comes into the room in the morning, she glows!
 There is still some staining and discolorations, which doesn't bother me at all.
 Based on their location, I suspect she may have resided outdoors at some point.
She needs a proper name, but in the meantime I'll keep referring to her as the goddess.


Dear readers, if any of you have additional tips on cleaning marble, please share them!

Citrus Is Sensational For Summer!

How would you like a recipe for the best dessert you'll have all summer? One that is impressive enough for company, but easy enough to whip up just because you're in the mood for something cold, creamy, with a little crunch and full of wonderful citrus flavor? Yes? I thought so!

I acquired this recipe from a caterer that I had the pleasure of working with in Williamsburg, Virgina about 8 years ago. We met by accident (it's a long story, so I'll provide the ultra condensed version) and when she found out I loved hosting parties and was passionate about design, she made a proposition I could not resist. 

Secrets to a great tart!

She was catering a bridal luncheon for the daughter of her client and asked if I thought I could I do the table setting, handle the flowers, and favors? I said yes and she arranged for me to meet her at the residence a few days later-basically to asses my abilities! The housekeeper, of the stunning big old house, led us to the butler's pantry. It was a large butler's pantry with more dishes than I had ever seen outside a store setting. It was spectacularly beautiful and simultaneously utilitarian and the image is still etched in my mind. I perused the options of dishes, linens, crystal and silver and took advantage of the abundant assortment of hydrangea and roses from the expansive garden, then spent the next few hours completing my "interview" for the job.

Catherine and I worked on 2 more parties together for this client and a few others before I moved. I learned so much from her and this recipe is one example. It was love at first bite! And, the fact it can be made ahead-a caterer's secret weapon as well as that of any busy hostess and a working person's saving grace, just added to the perfection. It's been a favorite of the A&A house since I first made it for my family and my son always requests it for his birthday instead of cake. Until now, I have never shared this recipe with even my closet friends. But since blogging and blog friends have been such a treat, I thought this was the perfect way to say thanks for reading and participating in our on-going conversations...especially when my blogging has been so erratic this year!

 I generally use a square tart pan and cut approximately 3x3 slices and often there are requests for another piece!
So if you're serving a crowd or want leftovers, make extra tarts. If you don't have a whip cream dispenser with decorative tips, a big dollop of fresh cream is just fine.

Citrus Tart
2 cups crushed gingersnap cookies (use a brand that you like to eat)
6 tablespoons of melted unsalted butter
3 tablespoons of dark brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
1 (14oz) can of sweetened condensed milk
1/3 cup frozen (no pulp) orange juice concentrate, thawed but icy/cold
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (do not use bottled)
2 tablespoons of fresh lime juice (optional-I usually omit this)
2 large eggs separated

Stir together the first 4 ingredients and press the mixture with your fingers into the bottom and up the sides of a 9 inch tart pan (it doesn't matter if it's square or round) with a removable bottom. Next, whisk together the condensed milk, OJ, lemon juice and yokes of the eggs together until just blended Then, beat egg whites with an electric mixer on medium speed until stiff. Fold the eggs whites into the juice/milk mixture then pour the filling into the tart (crust) pan. Bake at 325 degrees until filling is set-about 25 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack then cover with wax paper and chill overnight. Remove bottom of tart pan and form and place on a serving dish. Garnish with fresh (only) whip cream, citrus and mint. ENJOY!!! 

Tuesday Tip

Peace + love and beyond the expiration date = happiness + savings!

I took this picture from the top of a Bed, Bath and Beyond coupon I tore out of a page
 of  my fall 2011 Traditional Home magazine!

In case you didn't know, the retailer Bed, Bath and Beyond accepts expired coupons! I'm not kidding. I discovered this by accident about 2 years ago (forgive me for not sharing it until now) when I was buying all the stuff my oldest needed for his first year of college. When I went to pay, I pulled out my coupons and realized they were expired.  The clerk, a sweet elderly gentleman, informed me they take them even if they're past the expiration. You can bet that ever since that shopping trip, I've never set foot inside their doors without several coupons in hand. Especially, since it's one of those stores you might pop into for a few tea lights and walk out with 3 other items you didn't even know you needed! 

Saving for my next visit!

You may be interested to know that world renowned interior designer, Bunny Williams, mentions in her latest book, Scrapbook For Living she finds shopping the storage container isle of retailers like Bed, Bath and Beyond "almost as thrilling as exploring a fabulous antiques shop." I enjoyed reading this little tid-bit and it fascinated me to know there are people like me who are obsessively organized, but love all things old and historic. Somehow though, I can't imagine her using a coupon!

Reader Poll: Bedrooms, Bathrooms & Closets-How Big Is Big Enough?

When it comes to the master suite, I think most people fantasize about having it all: space, privacy and organization. But the real question is how much of each do we really need? Or perhaps after these 100+ degree temperatures and power outages, maybe you just want a small swimming pool in lieu of a bed or tub!? I thought it would be fun (and quite helpful for anyone who is considering a renovation) to break it down by each component.

The Master Bedroom: Do you want just enough room for the bed, bedsides table and lamps? Or do you want space for a chest, dresser or desk? What about a television-I know, so taboo in the design world, but I have to ask, so be honest? Or do you want a larger room that could accommodate seating, a fireplace, or bookshelves?

Simple elegance-Alessandra Branca

The Master Bathroom: Assuming it's an en-suite arrangement, do you wish yours was bigger or just more luxurious? In this case, luxurious is defined by the quality of materials. Do you want a great big shower with a seat, jets or a rain head? People are much more willing to give up a bathtub for a bigger shower these days-would you? If so, do you worry that it may would impact the resale value of your home? Do you require/wish the toilet to be in it's own room?  Do you prefer separate sink consoles or one long run with 2 sinks? A linen closet? Is a seated make-up area desirable? What about a television? Heated floors and towels bars? Or do you really want to separate spousal/partner baths with maybe only a shared bath tub and shower? The latter becoming a fantasy for many!


Classic- David Flynn

The Master Closet: Do you fantasize about a walk-in? Or would a well organized reach-in closet make you just as happy? If you share a closet, do you wish you didn't? Do you want a place to sit in your closet to put your shoes on or ponder the day's outfit? Do you like to see your clothes or prefer them hidden behind doors? Do you want a counter, table, or storage island to fold clothes and pack for trips? A window? Is this the ideal location to store the iron and ironing board or is that still the laundry room?

Serious luxury-designer unknown
The stuff that dreams are made of-mine anyway! 

Based on the above questions, if you were to design the master suite of your dreams or had the opportunity to change your current master suite, would you opt for:

1.) A bigger bedroom, bathroom or closet and why?
2.) What amenities in each category would you incorporate into your dream spaces?

I can not wait to hear your opinions and if I've left something out on your must have/or wish list tell me!