the week in review: art, flora, my "least meal" and staggeringly thoughtful birthday gifts

A pictorial review of the week. 

/ 1 / 

A Sunday trip to the Birchfield Penney art museum. James J. Vullo's "flying sculptures."

A recreation of Charles Burchfield's studio.

/ 2 / 

Birthday dinner at Tempo. Tasty tart mocktail to start.

Antipasto. The feta and salami were amazing, and even better paired with the roasted red pepper spread.

Best carpaccio in town: herb and sea salt marinated rare beef sirloin with arugula, shaved parmigiano reggiano, garlic dressing and capers.

This would - hands down - be my "last meal." It's been my favorite special occasion meal in the city for the past five years or so: proscuitto wrapped filet crusted in warm gorgonzola, over the best gnocchi I have ever had (browned and somewhat crispy on the outside, pillowy and warm inside) with garlic braised escarole. Looks fussier than it tastes, but the combination of flavors is seriously stunning considering that they are not particularly exotic. Just perfectly prepared.
Never ever fails me.

Sorbet trio for dessert - highlight was the one on the right: a lemon buttermilk sorbet. I wasted no time in looking up recipes to make at home. Found one here - a bowl of it is sitting in the fridge, waiting to be put through the ice cream maker this weekend. 

/ 3 / 

And speaking of sweets, here's just one of the small cooler full of whoopie pies my Grandmother sent me for my birthday. *Verklempt!*

/ 4 / 

The medley of shade loving plants that my mom lovingly packaged up from her garden in Maine and sent to me for my birthday for my shade garden project. Verklempt again!
There's Solomon's seal, peony, lady's mantel, lily of the valley, white and red bleeding heart, columbine, Bethlehem sage, ferns and hosta. 

I don't even have words. To say my mom is amazing is such an understatement. 

/ 5 / 

Saying goodbye to the ridiculously long-lasting dubium bought weeks ago. I kept trimming and downsizing, trimming and downsizing until almost every last bud had popped. Finally, I came home to this. It's as if they collectively said, "Enough already, lady - our time has come. Just let us die!" Either that, or the last bloom standing decided she needed more space and shoved all the others out. 

/ 6 /

Grocery store flower pick of the week: Campanula. I plan to play around with them this weekend.

/ 7 / 

Tired of wasting fruit, citrus and herbs on their way out (but still edible), here is my quick and easy solution - especially good for cleaning out the fridge before or after a trip to the grocery store. I am enjoying a big glass of apple-lime-mint flavored water as we speak, and it's fantastic. 

Highlight not captured on film: Baby's first real kick! Big enough for Evan to feel. The look on his face when he felt it was priceless, and I'll never forget it. 

Definitely not a highlight - Adam Yauch's passing today after a battle with cancer of the salivary gland, age 47. The world lost an extremely talented musician and (although I didn't know him personally, I'm willing to bet that everyone who did would say that he was) just a really, really good person. RIP, and xoxo.

Happy weekend, everyone.