So far, 2013 has been the year of the bug.  Save for a few days last week, one of us has been sick since day one.  We both have our own way of dealing when we’re under the weather.  My other half refuses any sort of drug therapy, opting to suck on cloves of garlic (forcing me swiftly to the other side of the house).  I’m a little less puritan about these things and will happily down a dose of Sudafed or anything that will rockabye baby.   We both, however, honor and  respect the power of nutrition in both prevention and healing.  So today, on day five of this lousy cold, I’m waging war.  My weapon – the biggest hunk of ginger I could find.

I’ve been researching homemade ginger ale recipes and decided to mashup a few of those that look best.  Most call for a traditional simple syrup made by simmering ginger into sugar and water.  I wanted to keep things as clean as possible so I opted for honey instead of refined sugars.  I also added cardamom seeds to amp up the flavor.  And of course, lots of fresh squeezed lemon.

[Slice 1 1/2 cup of raw ginger.]

[Combine the ginger + 1/4 cup cardamom seeds + 1 cup honey with 1 1/2 cups water.
Bring to a boil then reduce to  simmer  for 20 min.]

[Strain the syrup and allow to cool.]

[Collect 1/3 cup of fresh lemon juice - roughly 1 1/2 lemons.]

[Add 2 tbsp of syrup and 1 tbsp of lemon juice to a glass of ice.  Top with 1 cup of sparkling water.]

This really is the perfect concoction.  Sparkling and spicy with a bit of tang and not too sweet.
Maybe I’m just desperate to feel less lousy but I’m pretty sure I can feel it working.
Bye bye, bug!

xo – Heather

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens…

Wide open spaces
Airport-free travel
Nowhere to be
A hundred hikes to choose from
A local, craft beer after a day on the trail
And breathtaking views around every corner

This year we hit the road for the holidays, destination – Sedona, AZ.  While we missed being with family, I must say, this was a pretty brilliant idea. Not too far away but far enough, if you catch my drift. I left Sedona feeling that giddy, expanded thing that you feel after you’ve travelled to a new place, learned something or tasted a new flavor for the first time.

I’m now back into the swing of biz as usual but this trip gave me a very nice and dearly needed dose of Zen.
Hanging on for as long as possible!

xo – Heather

Happy 2013!
May it be filled with adventure,
unexpected joy and much love!

xo
Heather

While it’s technically Boxing Day
I’m still wishing you all a very Merry Christmas.
As for us, we’re going to drag out our white one
for as long as possible!
xo
Heather

I have this funny memory from high school.  A couple of girlfriends and I were cruising the rural routes of South Dakota late one night before Christmas (there may have been an older boy or two along for the ride).  We were driving around checking out the houses that were lit for the holidays.  As we spotted the glow of lights in the distance one of us would announce “Oh look, it’s the yuletide season” in our best, most awful British accents. We repeated this pubescent goofiness over and over, giggling ’til it hurt.  It seems pretty silly now but it left an indelible mark because that moment surfaces every year during the holidays and this year is no exception.

We cooked up a little yuletide magic of our own last week.  ”Oh look…”

In a nod to my family’s honey business the angel on our tree is a little bee doll.
Next to the ornaments made by my nieces she’s my favorite thing on the tree.

xo  Heather

While we were back East for Thanksgiving we took a drive up the New England coast to spend our last night in Kennebunkport, Maine. We love the idea of a cozy inn but aren’t exactly classic B&B people. We found The Inn at English Meadows and as far as finding our perfect spot, we sort of nailed it.  Our sweet & savvy hosts Eric and Liz  moved to Maine after growing professional careers in NYC’s apparel industry.  Leveraging their obvious sense of style they remodeled this lovely victorian home to reflect a more contemporary, less traditional esthetic.  They’ve completely mastered the art of cozy + modern.  From the bed linens to the bath products, everything was warm and tasteful (bath products were my very faves from Malin & Goetz).  And don’t get me started about the breakfast portion of the program.  I only wish I’d nabbed a photo or two of the poached pears with marscapone or the homemade pancakes with fresh Maine maple syrup.  Some moments simply can’t be interrupted.

Such a great way to spend the last night of our holiday.
If you get the chance, please book a night or two with Eric and Liz.
We’re already cooking up an excuse to go back!

xo Heather

Eight years ago I packed up my life in Boston, loaded up the old Honda and hit the Mass Pike westbound for San Francisco.  After one too many heartbreaks and dreadful winters I’d had it with New England.  Six years earlier, I had moved to Boston, taking a chance on love that, at the time, I felt was worth taking.  He begged, I went.  Of course, you know how that story ends.  When it did, I was certain that Boston must have something else in store for me.   That the universe, God, my late relatives and angels…all of them must have had a hand in this disastrous messiness and that something happy and ‘big’ was going to happen.  In Boston.

That being the case, I was determined to suck it up, settle in and wait for the inevitable ‘it’.  So, I waited.  And waited.  And froze and waited.  Years went by and in the end it seemed that Boston had simply been a wrong turn or maybe a test that I’d failed.  It was time to acknowledge defeat and beat it back to Cali.  That December I left and quite literally didn’t look back.

Until a few months ago when Nigel suggested that we spend Thanksgiving with his siblings who live outside of Boston.

And so…it was.

I now can see that my time in Boston wasn’t about unrequited love or impossible winters.  Something much bigger was happening all along.   While I was waiting for lightning to strike my dearest friendships and some of my most special memories were were being forged.  I miss that time, those friends and the place.  Boston, you’re alright.  I’ll see you again soon. xo

]]> http://thewischlist.com/2012/11/29/new-england-redux/feed/ 2 heathermauvee header http://thewischlist.com/2012/11/20/pre-flight-date-night/ http://thewischlist.com/2012/11/20/pre-flight-date-night/#comments Wed, 21 Nov 2012 07:07:59 +0000 Heather http://thewischlist.com/?p=6725 ]]>

Tomorrow its off to Boston for a feast a la familia.
But tonight in Venice it’s a night out a la me ‘n him.

Happy Thanksgiving!
xo Heather

My Mother has been walking between 5-10 miles a day for the past couple of years.  Of course she looks and feels fantastic and given that she and my Step-Dad, Jim spend the winter months traveling the country, her strolls often allow her to explore some beautiful, uncharted territory.

I’m a walker too.  I’m not logging Mom-like miles but it’s how I prefer to navigate and see a place.  A couple of years ago I shared a walk to my office in San Francisco.  This morning, my camera and I hit the streets of our new(ish) neighborhood.

Today’s observation: it appears as though Venice is a tricky treatin’ kind of  town!
The yard ornaments in the hood are pretty clever.  A reflection of the FX and movie make-up talent around these parts, no doubt.

Later tonight our street shuts down for a showing of
It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown and Rear Window.

Have a great Halloween!

]]> http://thewischlist.com/2012/10/27/on-foot/feed/ 3 heathermauvee venice_header tiques brig fin flower_peek flower underbridge boat2 canal_2 canal_3 frank rec_1 surf_1 tees stand mural_1 boo http://thewischlist.com/2012/09/11/september/ http://thewischlist.com/2012/09/11/september/#comments Tue, 11 Sep 2012 20:04:25 +0000 Heather http://thewischlist.com/?p=6491 ]]>

“Do you re-men-bah…the twenty first niiiiight of Sep-tem-bah…” Does anyone else hear Earth, Wind & Fire right now?

Not only does month nine signal birthday time over here it also means the transition to Fall, my fave of seasons.  Back in the day it also served up a new school year which meant reuniting with friends. My classroom days are long gone (as are the seasons) but we’ve been in LA since the start of summer and I’m excited to say that this month is all about reuniting with my No. Cal. besties.

We kicked off the parade of houseguests last weekend with a visit from two seriously sweet lady friends, Vember and Justine. Together we learned that the aperitif that begins at 7:00pm doesn’t need to end before dinner.  In fact, a pile of pistachios and manzanilla olives make a for the perfect seven-hour meal.  We hit every inch of Venice, leaving no canal, shop or inch of beach untrodden.  There was an amazing lunch at Gjelina and drive up the coast.  The main event was a backyard feast whose menu and prep were a true team effort.  And in large part, we kept it gluten and dairy free (save for a few gooey heaps of buratta and some vanilla gelato).

The meal was sort of spectacular:

Grilled white peaches with prosciutto and burrata, drizzled with balsamic reduction
(inspired by the dish served at Gjelina)
Grilled vegetable salad with shaved parmesan
Roasted cauliflower and green beans
Grilled ribeye steaks
Strawberry crumble with vanilla gelato

But not as wonderful as the company.
Thanks for a great weekend, ladies!

xo
Heather