clear and sunny and definitely meatballs

hello! happy wednesday. had a friend over for dinner last night and although i didn't even stay up that late, i didn't get much sleep and i find myself quite foggy this afternoon. regardless, a friend is in town and a couple more are coming for dinner, so i must persevere! making spaghetti and meatballs for dinner (meatless balls for sam) and garlic bread from homemade baguettes, with a pecan pie for dessert. there is more than a small part of me that wishes it was 1950 so i could do this for the rest of my life.



sweater: thrifted from the warehouse in camden
pants: thrifted from the warehouse in camden
boots: 80%20
necklace: thrifted many, many years ago

i'm maybe going to try to sneak in a nap while i let the bread rise and the sauce simmer.

have a lovely evening!

xo audrey

pickle

one of the many things i've been wanting to do once i got my own apartment (and kitchen) was to start jarring fruit and veggies, making my own jams, and pickling things. yesterday was sunny and warm so i went on a neighborhood stroll and bought some carrots and daikon root and stopped at the hardware store and bought a bunch of jars. my first project was to pickle them in an attempt to recreate banh mi, delightfully light and refreshing vietnamese sandwiches. i made the baguettes in the early afternoon and then, while the dough was rising, sliced up the veggies and bottled them up with some white wine vinegar, warm water, salt and sugar. i then made some homemade mayonnaise and a coconut milk corn soup and proceeded to enjoy the meal with more than my fair share of wine and beer.



the corn soup i kind of made up as i went along, but it turned out really delicious; i've become obsessed with soup recently because my sister bought me an immersion blender for my birthday last year and it makes it so easy to turn anything into a soup. i start with a veggie and basically just add stuff until it tastes the way i want it to. as a result i'm usually full by the time the soup is done, but i always find room for dinner.

coconut corn soup

2 ears of fresh corn
2 TB butter
one can of coconut milk
about a cup of vegetable broth
a few strands of saffron
plenty of salt
white pepper
cayenne

i cut the corn off the ears and put them in a large pot with the butter. sauté the corn until it is pretty soft and tastes about right; salt to taste. i added some cayenne at this point, then poured in the coconut milk and let that simmer for awhile. add the vegetable broth and continue to simmer. add about 4 strands of saffron, a couple pinches of white pepper, and as much cayenne as you want to give it some spice. you can blend it at this point or just let it be a little chunky. salt more to taste and voila! i served mine with a sprig of cilantro and a slice of avocado.



i ordered this sweater off gilt a few months ago, after stressing over whether to order and extra small or a small. at the last minute i went with the small and i've regretted it since - the sweater is just a littttle too baggy to be cute, but not quite big enough to wear as a dress. i compromised by wearing it with these very loud sparkly leggings from american apparel. i am not a proponent of leggings as pants, but if the sweater is long enough to cover your rear, i think exceptions can be made.

sweater: cacharel, gilt
leggings: american apparel
shoes: pour la victoire

to everyone who asked about the thrift store i visited while in philly, i asked sam and apparently the shop was in camden, not philadelphia proper. it was definitely a somewhat sketchy neighborhood, but isn't that always where the bargains are? the name of the thrift store was 'the village. check it out if you have the chance.

until we meet again,

xo audrey

this is what a kitchen should look like.

i'd include the mess of the flour in that statement. many apologies for my silence of late. it had been so long since i posted something that when i decided to this morning, it went like this - look for camera: 1 minute. look for camera charger/battery: 20 minutes. take photos: ten minutes. look for cable to connect camera and computer: 13 minutes. now that i've located all the necessary accoutréments (i just made up that accent mark, i hope it's in approximately the right place,) i should be able to keep up a little better.

what have i been up to in the meantime? cooking. lots and lots of cooking. some things i've made (at least what i can remember) in the last couple weeks:

eggs benedict. homemade pasta with cherry tomatoes, cheese, basil and topped with an egg yolk. basil infused creme brulée. ginger macaroons. carrot soup with granny smith apple and beet slices. beet soup with a cucumber dill garnish. mushroom goat cheese soufflés. a pear almond tart. huevos rancheros. homemade bagels. banana nut espresso muffins.





so basically i have just been living a life i didn't know could exist. where i am so happy it feels like bliss might start oozing out of my ears. but that's no reason to be so lazy about posting, and you guys have been very patient with me, so here we go.

i actually have quite a few new outfits to post - sam and i were in philadelphia last weekend and he dropped me off for a bit at the biggest thrift store i've ever seen - a huge warehouse full, and a REAL thrift store, where a pair of pants costs $1.90, not $19 like so many of the 'thrift' stores i see in brooklyn and manhattan. i picked up several things, and i really feel like a good trip to the thrift store can change your entire style, at least for awhile - i picked up two of these rather old-fashioned, high-waisted pleated skirts and i really adore the shape they make. also grabbed a few more high-waisted mom pants that you'll be sure to see a lot of, and a perfect lacoste cardigan that will definitely be making lots of appearances this winter as i attempt to stay warm in my three-quarter sleeve length coat.



top: vintage, artists & fleas
skirt: thrifted in philly
gloves: flea market
shoes: aldo

gave up on the hair straightening after one try. i think i like it better unruly anyhow.

more soon. honest.

xo audrey

**edit** i just realized i didn't even remember to black out the background of this post. THAT'S how out of practice i am i guess. i'll do it for tomorrow's post.

katherine hepburn

friday night: furniture moving. homemade margherita pizza. too much wine.

saturday: ikea (surprisingly painless,) furniture assembling (not-surprisingly painful,) banana-pecan pancakes for breakfast and dinner.

sunday: atlantic antic during the day, dinner party in the eve.

today was find-a-goddamn-job day, so i tried to tone down the weirdness and wear something relatively professional. perhaps not surprisingly difficult to do with my wardrobe. the good news is i have something brewing that i feel pretty hopeful about; i'll keep the details under wraps until i know something for sure. i'm not superstitious, but you know.



shirt: thrifted
pants: OTTE online
shoes: devotte
necklace: ebay
ring: gift, from sam, from atlantic antic
purse: thrifted

i am determined to be better about posting, but this one alone has taken forever because my internet still isn't up and running. more soon.