Little C.

Thank you Camille for such a great weekend!

Thank you for the prosciutto risotto, for the banana and chocolate tart, the smoothies, the lemon sauce chicken. You were a great chef this weekend, but careful not too become to bossy in the kitchen.

Attic treasures 2

I've had a great response to these family portraits this week, so I've selected a few more to share with you. Some many are great, it's a tricky editing process. But there will be more soon.

Ah Paris!

Last week my friend Cécile went to France for a wedding.

Air France lost her luggage and she was left with a nice envelope full a AF' cash to make up for the "inconvenience". As a result Cecile, back in New York, arrived at a party last Friday dressed with the best clothes ever. People say French women dress better, this is not a myth. It's because they have great-almost affordable- brands that even New York does not have. (I'm not complaining New York, I'm just stating the truth). Among them: Maje and Sandro.

So, guess who's going to Paris tomorrow hoping Air France will put my suitcase on the Hong-Kong flight?  Needless to say, my luggage will be full of the clothes I was planning to give to the Salvation Army.

Mom, you can start cooking that incredible chocolate mousse. Dad, it's time you open those 1979 bottles of Bordeaux. Camille, please clean your room before Wednesday.

Attic treasures

About 10 years ago, one of my aunt found around 2400 pictures taken by my great great grand father. We had them scanned so we could all have access to this humongous treasure. Most of them are family portraits. I think they are absolutely terrific! So here are a few of my great grand mother. The weird part is... I looked exactly like her at the same age.

Family Trip

My parents try to visit every year in May.

So I decided to spice it up this year and organize a little family trip to Cape Cod, MA and Newport, RI over Memorial Day weekend. We left the city around 1:00pm on Friday which could not have been a worse idea. We were stuck in traffic for over 8 hours. Thankfully, the driver-my parents' son in law- is generally speaking a calm person and drove us all the way while I was in charge of the atmosphere. I started with Leonard Cohen that my father loves so much, then a little ABBA to cheer up my mother after 2 hours at Mile 15 (she loved the Mamma Mia movie so much, it's embarrassing). After loosing inspiration and my father asking for classical music, I decided to shut it off and start a game. The "Portrait" game where someone picks a personality and the other ones have to guess who it is by asking questions. Bad idea.... My mother would pick the most obvious celebrities and it would take us 2 seconds to guess. My father on the other hand would pick unknown polish scientists and then would argue that all of us are a bunch of ignorants.

We finally arrived in Harwich Port at 9:00pm at a very cute B&B, Captain's Quarters where any flower lover would feel they've reached heaven. My parents picked the pink flower curtains-pink flower cushions- pink flower pillows cases- pink flower rug- pink flower wallpaper paper- pink flower comforter room. We picked the green plants curtains-green plants cushions- green plants pillows cases- green plants rug- green plants wallpaper paper- green plants comforter room.

Over the two days we went for walks across the Cape, visited cutes places and had meals in different types of restaurants one of them being Bucca's where we had dinner twice. My mother is tall, skinny, and out of my 3 sisters and myself she has the greatest body. She cares about healthy food, olive oil and steamed vegetables. Well... the virus got to her over the trip (I'm not talking about the swine flu). I'm talking about my mother eating fried clams, fried calamaris, French fries, four cheese raviolis in a creamy mushroom sauce, goat cheese risottos... and don't get me started on the cheese cakes.

We left early on Monday to drive to Newport spend the day and cut the road in half. We went for the touristy walk on the harbor, had lunch there and then went to the Castle Hill Inn for dessert and coffee. We sat in Adirondack chairs and ended up spending the afternoon watching the sail boats on the water. We did absolutely nothing and it was just perfection. That's when I knew my parents were really happy.

One last thing: at some point on our way back to New York, I saw my mother take a serious look at a McDonald's drive-thru. (Yes Mom, I saw you!)

Daddy's little girl

A while ago, when my 3 sisters and I all lived at home with our parents we had this contest.

On weeknights, we all knew that between 8:00 and 8:30pm my father would be back from work. The second we would hear the key in the door, the hallway would become a battlefield. The four of us would run, run as if we were running for our lives... to be the first one to "kiss welcome" our Dad. While we were running, we were also screaming, tackling and catching each other's poneytail. He might have been disappointed not having a son, after obviously trying so hard... But I doubt sons run evening after evening, year after year, relentlessly the way the four of us did.

Truth said: we were all Daddy's little girl...

My father's birthday is May 20th. To make sure he would get his gift on time this year, he planned a little trip to New York with my mother to spend some quality time with me (or so he says...). People, the pressure is on! I need to find a great gift for my Dad's birthday. And NO, we are not thinking recession gift, I want to treat my father. If I asked him what he wants he would say:1)a nice drawing or 2)for everybody to get along (which we do) or 3)grand kids. Let's agree that none of these are gifts. I thought about a 12 minute helicopter tour over Manhattan with my mom during their sightseeing but I'm afraid he doesn't like helicopters, or 3 nights in a nice B&B in Cape Cod over Memorial Day weekend but I'm afraid he won't accept that kind of a gift. So please help me with your ideas! I need to find the greatest gift for one of the 2 greatest men.

Oh Mother!

Traditions are good, breaking them is even better.

This happened maybe 12 years ago on Mother's day. Sunday lunch, my 3 sisters, my father and I are together to celebrate my mother. We all have very well deserved gifts for her when out of the blue she takes 4 yellow-gold pendants out of her pocket and hands them to us. Those were extremely delicate medals with our name and birth date that she used to wear on a bracelet. The surprise was amazing... I would have been spiteful and taken the opportunity to give us noodle necklaces instead, but she didn't. That's apparently how mothers are.

So Mom... if you read my blog, I think it's about time you bring this tradition back. It's been 12 years after all... Now I know it's recession 2009 but I've decided to be nice and help you out with a few ideas: the crystal/bullets pendants from seeunearthen are a good option, you can find them at Opening Ceremony and Curve, there's this summer shell ring by Mesi Jilly that I've had an eye on for a while at Vivre, the Silver Diamond ring is not bad either at the MOMA Store, the Alexis Bittar bangles will always please me, and then the Match earrings from Laura Lobdell are great. I think I'm done, for now at least.
I can't wait to see you! And don't forget: Mother's day is May 10th in the U.S. and May 25th in France, in case you're hesitating between two items.

PS: I love you Mom!