Shout-out to the Daddies!!

Happiest Father's Day to all you fantastical Daddies out there!!

It took me about 4 years to finally realize that the DaddyFroo in this house is not as keen on the sweet breakfasts (french toast, waffles, pancakes, cream etc.) as he would greatly prefer a savory spread. That's what he got this morning. Sunny sides on french baguettes, smoked salmon, garlic and herb butter, muenster cheese, tomatos, basil etc.. Apparently I have been found guilty of committing the all-too-popular male-crime of assuming my spouse liked what I liked. This breakthrough breakfast tray puts us in a better place. :)

We all know the secrets to a happy man: food. (Plus some other more interactive things.) So showing them some yearly gratitude is easy as pie. Or in our case, rye.

Freida usually enjoys the cooking part of breakfast time, so I opted to get her involved in some other ways this year (since we were skipping all that pancake flipping!). We've been working on sprucing up Daddy's workspace (his looks rather drab now that mine is decked out!). We made a simple little framed handprint, wrapped it in newsprint, and topped with a paper tie!

Shout-out to all you wonderfully helpful and happy husbands!! We could never do this job without you!!!

Grill, Baby!

Barbecue season may be in full swing from Memorial Day through Labor Day, but Father's Day always seems to be peak grill zone around here. And while kids love to imitate their Mamas in the play-kitchens, there's something to be said for Daddy role models; and these play BBQ grills sure bring the heat! MoMA Store BBQ set, $60.00  

Melissa & Dough tabletop grill set, $20.00

DIY toy grill tutorial

On a Curve

This is one of those things that simply takes my breath away! A natural and rustic wood flooring concept from Bolefloor. The tagline: Life is not a straight line. And I'm in love. :)

Festive Threads: Yair Emanuel

Happy Monday, Mamas! Thought I'd jump straight into the week through a little window of holiday past, and share some of the most beautiful Judaic silk embroidery that can surprisingly be found at many Judaica stores across the country.

My sister-in-law (thanks Masha!!) brought back some Challah covers from Israel last year, and while I'm not usually the biggest fan of Judaica gifts - I was smitten by the vibrant and colorful ethnic embroideries of Yair Emanuel. It's quite amazing how much life can be brought to the table through one piece of practical art! Plus, setting up the tablescape for a party is much simpler when you can follow a general color lead. And Emanuel's pieces offer just that - a tremendous color scheme.

The cover I got is called "Creation", and features bright various hues of silk thread beautifully stitching out the 7 days of creation onto raw cotton; lending the already-ethnic art that much more raw authentic validity... Feels like a little piece of Jerusalem.

P.S. The paper goods are Caspari - always beautiful!

Weekend Round-up!

Happy June weekend, ladies!! I'm feeling the season all around, and love getting gifts of weekly seasonal fresh flowers (thanks love!!). Gladiolus like these would make for a lovely buffet table arrangement by adding height and color to the food layout, don't you think? I'm sure you are all in a recipe/tablescape buzz right about now, getting ready to ring in the summer holiday via dairy deliciousness! Thought I'd take a minute to link some of my favorite things around the web this week...

- The most adorable kids craft/play idea for Shavuot!

- I need to remember this more often...

- My latest article for the Algemeiner: Born this Way?

- New on the Market: modern House Numbers @ Heath.

- Simple + Charming + Convenient DIY for Father's Day gift.

- HOTmilk Maternity/Nursing Bras ridiculously reduced at Zulily!

Some holiday-relative posts you may have missed:

- Cultivate social conversation at the table via big buds/low florals.

- Idyllic Ice Cream Sandwiches.

Also, for those of you who asked for a white cream sauce recipe when I posted this pasta dish, the most important part of any cream sauce is a good Roux for the Béchamel (white cream sauce). I learned this technique within the first few months of marriage (while watching much-too-much Food Network!), and it has come in so incredibly handy so far, and I've used it countless times since then. Here's the best step-by-step directions! I personally use that starter recipe + a cup of grated parmesan cheese and some crushed garlic cloves. From there you can add to what you'd like it to be (mushroom cream sauce, white wine reduction, salmon, pink sauce, florentine etc.) Enjoy!!