Farm To Table
It’s as simple as that.
xoxo
Carrie
Photos Taken at Underwood Family Farms.
Table Linens: Heather Taylor Home
Category Archives: Places
Packing for the Desert
We are heading to the Desert for the long weekend and I can’t wait.
The Desert restores me and I always come back to Los Angeles relaxed, refreshed and calm (unless traffic is a bitch coming back).
Here are a few of the things I’m packing.
This Ikea bag is perfect for throwing towels, goggles, sunscreen, snacks, you name it.
It’s a big one and holds everything our family needs poolside.
Buy it here: www.ikea.com
The Tom Ford’s have come and gone, but the Ray Ban Aviator has been my go to shades for over 20 years now.
I have my college sorority sister Helaine to thank for introducing me to this style.
They’ll be traveling with me.
Buy them here: www.ray-ban.com
I just got this Lemlem cover up from J. Crew and it will be perfect for throwing on when we head to the pool.
Buy it here: J Crew
I plan on lounging all day poolside with a big stack of fashion and trashy gossip magazines.
To redeem myself a tad, I am also packing the latest book our book group is reading, “The Tenth of December” by George Saunders.
By it here: Amazon
The desert gets cold at night so I am bringing my favorite shawl from Viriginia Johnson to keep warm when the sun goes down.
Buy it here: www.virginiajohnson.com
I love Scrabble and I am hoping to get my husband to play a game or two with me.
Buy it here: www.hasbro.com
The most important things I am bringing with me are my family.
They make life fun.
Not to be forgotten, Mr. P is along for the ride, he’s a fan of the Desert too.
It just wouldn’t be the same without him.
Have a great weekend everyone!
xoxo Carrie
Decorate Your Cake and Eat It Too
This past Monday was a holiday, so I needed an activity that would appeal to a 5 and 10-year-old.
My niece Sophia had spent the previous night with us and was going to spend the following day so I needed something to keep both girls entertained. Much to Caroline’s chagrin, she was not going to be playing my ” My Little Pony” and “Squinkies” all day with Cousin Soph.
I decided to take the girls to Duff’s Cake Mix.
Duff”s Cake Mix is the brain child of Duff Goldman, star of Food Network’s ” Ace of Cakes” and owner of Charm City Bakery.
It was a blast and it was a hit not only with the girls but with me too.
The place was super clean, the staff VERY helpful and friendly.
Which is quite a feat when you have children jacked up on sugar running around.
There was great rock ‘n roll music playing that actually made me want to dance instead of taking a Tylenol. More importantly for a bleary eyed Mom, a great cappuccino made with Intelligentsia Coffee.
So here’s the deal.
Pick a cake flavor and decide on a cake or cupcakes to decorate.
Then decide on butter cream or fondant to cover the cake and as well as the color for the outside of the cake.
You get to pick two toppings, two bags of icing, and a fondant to decorate with.
There is a station set up with brushes, molds, cutters, and all sorts of tools to create your cake masterpiece.
You can get as much or little help as you want from the staff.
Duff himself was helping kids smooth out their butter cream, very cool!
Here are the finished products.
The best part?
Eating the cake.
It was quite delicious!.
xoxo
Carrie
A Night Out on the Farm
I love my visits to the midwest, especially during the summer.
Last night we went out to my favorite haunt when I am visiting my sister.
It’s called Heritage Prairie Farm and we went for Mike’s Wood Burning Oven Pizza night. The ingredients are all plucked from the farm and local food artisans. The pizza oven is set up outside in back of the little farm stand. You sit on picnic tables mere feet from an adorable Burrow, Goats and Corn. Once you place your order you head on into the farm stand for beverages. That night the signature drink was fresh honey, mint, lemonade and vodka, served in Mason Jars (of course). We loved the pizza so much that were eating off our children’s plates, when the tears started we realized it was in our best interest to order another pizza. We ordered a simple margarita for the kids (the mozzarella made just a few miles away), 4 cheese pizza with homemade bacon, fresh spinach with a white garlic sauce and pepperoni, and a sausage/bacon/wild mushroom pizza.
We ate so fast I forgot to snap a shot of the pizzas when they arrived at the table.
Luckily, I got this before the plate was empty.
If you don’t want to sit at a picnic table to enjoy pizza and cocktails, you can cozy up to this spot.
Perfect for wine drinking and sunset watching.
My Favorite Goat
The kids ran around and danced to The Stones, played with the animals and picked apples off the tree. While they were working off their steam I ventured(cocktail in hand) into the market for a little damage. I love their home-grown products and I love to support the farm. Win-Win. I gathered bags of freshly milled whole grain wheat, buckwheat and organic popcorn. Jars of homemade pickles and pickled beets. And a ton of honey….Rosemary, Lavender, Cocoa and Plain. I bought flights of honey for hostess gifts.
The lovely Ladies of Heritage Prairie Farm
Despite the drought that has devastated the midwest, they had fresh corn for sale along with a variety of other organically grown vegetables.
Mozzarella that was used for our pizza and for sale in the shop
Part of my Haul
The Farm also offers the venue up for weddings and events. They have cooking classes, a Saturday Farmer’s Market, and year round Farm Dinners that are based on seasonal crops. Next time, I am scheduling my trip around a Farm Dinner!
Sun setting and stomaches full, we headed on home.
Thanks Heritage Prairie Farms for another great experience!
xoxo Carrie
Decorating A Cabin
Photo: www.decorology.blogspot.com
When I married Adam he promised to love me in sickness and in health, etc… the one promise I will not let him forget is that we will one day own a cabin, on a lake, preferably in my favorite state of Wisconsin where I am now.
Photo: My view out the window.
I’m in the North Woods of Wisconsin, in an unincorporated town off of County Road Y. It’s 9:45 and the sun hasn’t set.
The sky is a golden orange. I’m sipping wine and dreaming of decorating my own cabin one day.
Photo: calfinder.com
Photo: Elle Decor
Photo: dragonflydesigns.zzn.com
Photo: www.deptoftheinteriordc.blogspot.com
Photo: slytastic.wordpress.com
Photo: Elle Decor
Photo: House Beautiful
Photo: www.kitchenisms.com
Photo: Elle Decor
Photo: www.harvestfurniture.blogspot.com
Photo: Sunset On White Fish Lake
So I’ll keep dreaming of my cabin, in the meantime I will enjoy the heaven I am in right now.
xoxo Carrie
Want to See What Paradise Looks Like?
We were lucky enough to be invited to my friend Olivia’s Beach House over Memorial Day Weekend. It’s been in her family for generations. The weekend was beyond my expectations. Pure magic lives with in this Gated Beach community. I feel like I would be a trader mentioning the name of the place or really anything about it. It’s a tight lipped group and houses are not sold here, there are handed down from generation to generation. I want to be invited back so I’ll let the photos do the talking.
#5 Patio
Breakfast
Cute Kitchen
Living Room Bookcases
Pierre
It was a 72 hour play date for kids, dogs and adults alike.
The laughter, wine and food flowed….in home massages, vintage shopping, and sunset cocktails. Kids playing outside all day. Dogs running on the beach. Long Walks. I came back refreshed and focused.
A dose of Paradise with do that.
xoxo Carrie
