Labor Day Tacos

Well the Rev. and I have been away most of August, and last week was a warm-up start to September. Our month is already filled with work and school activities for the Ninos. I am so grateful for Labor Day because it gives us a little breathing room before we kick into high gear. 

Since we were taking the day slow I decided to make homemade tortillas and salsa. I hit the farmers market this morning at my leisure (dreamy) and picked up all our ingredients. I think fresh salsa is just about the perfect party guest, not to mention fresh tortillas off the griddle. 

 I simply roast my tomatoes, then blend together green onion, cilantro, salt, jalapeño, and voila you have yourself a delicious salsa. The fresh ingredients brings any salsa together. 

Happy Labor Day!

Mel

Taco Box NYC

The Rev. and I love to wonder the city for lunch on Mondays(our Saturday). Since we are both originally from AZ we can't help but search for the perfecto taco in the city. We certainly have found a few favorites, so when we stumbled across Taco Box in the Bowery we need we had to stop. 

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Cinco De Mayo: Authentic Enchilada Sauce

Happy Cinco De Mayo!! 

Today I want to share my home-made enchilada sauce. It is so easy to make, and your guests will be begging for your recipe!  

  NOW FOR THE GOOD STUFF

Warmer Days & Cinco De Mayo

April in New York has proven itself to be a month of chilly days along with a bit of rain in the end. Spring has left me wondering if we will ever see warmer days again! I am ready for al fresco dinner parties on the roof and long days in the park. 

SUMMER PLEASE COME SOON!!!!

 Read more for my Taco Marinate

Small Meals Big Punch

The Rev. and I are so excited to host our dear friend D.Roseberry for supper this evening. Now, when your regular dinner crowd consists of at least 10 hosting ONE friend feels like a breeze. 

Since we penciled dinner together a week ago, I have been thinking about what to prepare. I thought I may do something a little special in the kitchen, but then when it came down to the shopping I opted for my favorite dinner choices; roasted chicken, brussels sprouts, patatas bravas, and a little Ciao Bella for dessert. 

 Now for a little something special……

SUPPER: PART DOS

Remember a couple weeks back I told you S made dinner. My ninos love sushi, soup dumplings, and chicken fingers. So, when it comes to dinner time they are opinionated and willing to help. When I realized how keen S was when it comes to preparing a meal, I jumped on that. I taught her to crack eggs, measure, and season. Now, I feel pretty confident she can put together a few small meals on her own that we all love. Tell me who doesn't like chicken tenders?

I do have to say our version of chicken nuggets are on the healthy side, but that is not to say they aren't delicioso. 

Monday's Happy Place

Do you wake up happy? Some people do, like our Henry. It is the best thing to wake to on a Monday morning when you know your week is more than FULL. 

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Mockingbird: AL FIN

After months of planning, gallons of cappuccinos from Maialinos, and lots of texting we have finally arrived to the finale of Mockingbird. The conference was much more then I could have imagined. The speakers were insightful, inspiring, and provocative. New friends were made and old friends were reunited. What more could you want in a conference? 

Now, when I was approaching the Mockingbird conference I knew I wanted to integrate the words from the blog and magazine into the table settings. Mockingbird is most popularly known as a blog and the writers for it are a group that takes words seriously. With that being said, I knew the written WORD ought to be our centerpiece. 

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DIY: GOLDEN AMBER VASES

We are just ONE week away from The Mockingbird Conference and we cannot wait!!!  I love a party, especially one that involves pop culture, art, and God. So, when it came time to think up our decor for the conference, I wanted to work outside the box. So, instead of running towards Mason jars, I found vintage inspired Amber glass jars.  When I opened my packages I was so pleased with the shape of the jars, but found them just a little too plain. 

Naturally I took out my metallic gold paint and took it to the jars, and I was hoping for a perfectly imperfect look. 

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Supper: Part UNO

My kids and I have been cooking up meals together practically since they were born. Preparing meals together is our afternoon activity, and I can honestly say is well worth the effort. I love a family meal that involves all of US, and the ninos do too. 

Like any good meal, we begin the experience at the table. Last night our family shared a meal with our dearest friends here in NYC, our neighbors. S was more then excited to host our friends and happily set the table on her own.

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A little Monday Inspiration....

Hello Monday! 
Today we find ourselves trying to stay warm and cozy here in NYC. When will the winter end?! I am hoping and looking forward to warmer weather in April and we are also very much looking forward to The Mockingbird Conference, which takes place April 3rd-5th here in New York City.   Nia K and I have been busy bees dreaming up the MBIRD conference within the walls of the very historic St. George's Church.

QUE?
You may ask yourself what is Mockingbird? In a nutshell a blog that highlights the presence of grace through literature, culture, and the arts, what is not to love. The blog content is smart, funny, and thought provoking. 

AND
If you're like me and have been home bound and reflective this winter season, you may find MBIRD particularly interesting. I love the opening quote for the conference.

“I’m sick of not having the courage to be an absolute nobody.” –Franny Glass in J.D. Salinger’s Franny and Zooey

I know Nia and I found ourselves hooked, inspired, and wanting more. So, when Dave asked us to help plan the conference we said YES (no hesitation), and here is how we have approached MBIRD's event……

COMIDA

Good meals during a conference are essential, a non-negotiable really. So,when it came to food we looked no further then Pixie and Scout.  We love their aesthetic, and food philosophy.  If you love farm to table, then you know your coming to the right place. I have to admit we were sold on their design too, so clean, modern, and fresh. 


LITTLE MISS. NIA

Nia has been dedicated to pulling the conference together. Throughout the process Nia and I have LOVED reading the various writings of our speakers, going through BIOs, and doing a little cyber stalking all over brunch in the Gramercy Hotel. I even joined a book club to stay focused on getting through all the content. 

MOST IMPORTANTE 
I say whatever type of event  you are hosting, my advice is to  know your audience. When you know who your guests are, you are able to set the kind of scene that engages all senses (in the best possible way), and I say don't forget to throw in a few unexpected details. 

Now that we have booked the most fabulous speakers, and caterer I am fully focused on the aesthetics. I cannot wait to share the after photos. I have enlisted my most creative friends (Ginger, Jackie, & Nia) to assist with the table scape. All I can say is the written word will be the centerpiece along with a few rare breeds of ranunculus to brighten up the space. 

I hope you are inspired wherever you are and if your looking for a little something that will get you going, check out MBIRD.COM.


Mil Besos,


M

The Art of Hosting: Part DOS

Hello Friday!

I am so pleased to find ourselves at the end of another fabulous week.  How are your New Years resolutions coming along?  I have been so proud of the Rev. He is working hard to keep healthy this year, and we have just had a couple great weeks as a family. You know in life you have phases and weeks, and days in your relationships. Sometimes you hit a great rhythm and I feel like we are in one, which I am enjoying every minute of.

Now for the good stuff. 

The Art of Hosting: Part UNO

Today I am planning a dinner party for 8 on Friday. After the month of December, 8 feels so easy, but I know when it comes down to it, 8 takes almost as much prep as 50. We are planning a Taco Party, because who doesn't want to pretend they are on a beach in Mexico in the middle of January? 

Perfect Christmas Gifts

With the business of the Christmas season gift giving can be overwhelming to say the least. I think of all the wonderful people in my life and wish I could send them all a wonderful treat to tell them how much we love them. One thing I know I love most are Christmas cards. Yesterday I opened our mail box and found a dozen new Christmas cards. I was so excited and giddy to be exact. Receiving cards reminded me how special each card is and I can rest assured the cards we sent out touched our loved ones as well.

A few other gifts I love to give are photobooks, and cookbooks. The cookbook on the top of my list is Feast. Our dear friend Sarah wrote a second fabulous cookbook and it is especially for those you love their veggies. If your not a veggie eater you will find recipes to inspire you. 

Fall Weddings & Fall Flowers

Last weekend the Rev. and I had double duty. He officiated a wedding and I was the florist. We always have fun working together, but in order to get the job done while maintaining our sanity our fabulous sitters were to the rescue.  I also enlisted a couple of fabulous friends to lend a hand, and let me just say, we had a lot of fun.

When I approach any wedding I always encourage the bride to focus on seasonal flowers. I am a seasonal type of gal, not only are the flowers more vibrant, you also save a little too. Our picks for this wedding included; thistles, peonie English roses, 3 varieties of hydrangeas, 3 varieties of dahlias, crab apple branches, foliage, and scabiosas(a favorite). 

The 411 on Hosting

It is Friday, and a week ago I was hosting a party for 50. I know the number 50 may sound a little scary,  but I tell you the party can be done without breaking the bank. Here is how I approach a large parish party. 

Uno: I follow the rule 3 bites per guest, 1 bottle of vino per 6, and 1 bottle of pelegrino per 4. From there you can decide how many glasses you wish to serve per person. A little math goes a LONG way and will help you save some change. 

For last week's party, friends also brought food/prosecco to add to the mix, which I was very grateful for.  The menu consisted of a substantial cheese plate, french baguette topped with ricotta/figs/honey, Korean sushi (homemade by friends), two bite brownies, apples & honey, then a Mediterranean plate with olives, hummus, figs, and tapenade. We had plenty to eat and drink. I am pretty sure every guest left happier then when they arrived. 

 Once the table was set I placed flowers throughout the whole house. I love having a little blooming surprise throughout our communal spaces. 

What are your hosting tricks?

xo,

M

La Mesa

Our dining table has finally arrived!  We ordered the massive beast two months ago when Restoration Hardware was having a great sale. We are so pleased with our choice, and I know many, many, many meals will be had over this table. Since the table is pretty huge at 120 inches, there was no way it could fit in our elevator. We were so bummed thinking we would not have a table large enough to suit our lifestyle. However, lucky for us, our delivery guys pushed through and carried the beast 7 flights. It took them a full hour, and I believe it was a complete miracle no one was hurt in the pursuit of 701.  The evening it arrived we had our Sunday School dinner, and I was so pleased to host with our new mesa.

You can see we have much to add to our dining space, but for now I am pretty happy with our dining table. 

Besos,

Mel

Color Choices

Like I said earlier this week, our plans for our move and repairs to the rectory are already underway.  The painting began yesterday, so we had to choose colors quickly. A dear friend, Ginger, spent the better of three hours with me on Sunday painting color samples on the walls and doors. In the end we sketched out a color plan for each room. I am so grateful that Ginger suggested testing the paints on the walls. Lucky for us too, the sun was up and down during our visit, so we could see the color change throughout the day. When you are able to test your color choices out in a variety of light you can make your best selections. 

When I began this process I went directly to Home Depot and selected a variation of whites, grays, and blacks.  I have to say, there were many various whites I thought I would be satisfied with, but in the end some had too much pink or purple. Without painting in the space, I would have never known. For me, there is nothing more annoying then selecting a color that changes throughout the day. I personally do not like colors with green or purple undertones, just not my cup of tea. 

In the end I choose: Behr's Belgium Cream & Popcorn, Benjamin Moore's Black Ribbon & French Gray, Martha Stewart's Opal & Anvil. What are your favorite paint colors????

In the end I also painted a variety of grays in the entry way so that I would feel committed to our two bold color choices. I can't wait to see how the doors look in Black Ribbon!!

Besos,

Mel