I realize that for many of you, summer started almost a month ago. But it is never too late to create a summer 2016 to-do-list / wishlist. (Here is my To-Do-List from last summer). Enjoy!
1. Go to Hot Yoga twice a week. (Already been twice in this past week, so we are off to a good start! #HumbleBrag)
Shavasana counts in yoga, right? (This is my dad last year on the Oregon Coast)
Summer (for me) officially begins tomorrow when I fly out to Oregon with the kids to spend the summer with my parents. Once out there, I have no friends, no life, no tutoring, and no real responsibilities (not necessarily very “summer-like” for most people….but it is my way of recharging). It is the PERFECT time for me to read. I have a long list of books I would like to read this summer, so here they are. If you have any book suggestions, please share.
Books / xoxo / Cruz
Here is a sample meal from my mother. And yes, she is a creative genius in the kitchen — she rarely looks at recipes and constantly uses her imagination to combine the freshest ingredients she finds. The key is organic and fresh veggies!
Tomato, Cucumber, Parsley, Anchovy salad. Fresh veggies from the CSA. True perfection.
For new readers of the blog (thanks The New Potato!), I live in New York with my husband Ken and two kids. But I “summer” in my hometown of Eugene, Oregon with my parents, and Ken comes back and forth. New York and Eugene couldn’t be more different, and I have come to love the contrast, and appreciate the positives (and negatives) of both. Here are some of the reasons I love Eugene, my first and always true home… (I bleed tie dye)…
And I am trying my hardest to make tie-dye a big part of my kids’ life, too.
Ladies, take a look at my new sandals. I get happy just LOOKING at them. They are bright, fun, flamboyant, colorful, special, unique, and simply happy.
Party on my feet!
Wonder what to do with a weekly CSA veggie box? Take a peek inside our Wednesday box (my parents get a box twice a week in Oregon) and see the creations assembled and imagined by my wonderful Mama!
Fresh, crisp, local, organic veggies. My dream come true.
Summer uniform: elastic wear shorts! More precisely, Josie Patch Isles Shorts. Soft woven… drawstring… the fabric is extremely soft, comfortable to slip on, and light for summer days and nights.
Patchwork
Not since 1997 have I been as into hummus as I currently am. Major mega hummus kick. Currently, here are my two favorite hummus (plural version?) to eat!
Edamame! Soybean heaven! So rich and good — can’t.stop.eating.it.addicted.oh.my.
Here we are, Oregon Summer 2015! I arrived just a little over 24 hours ago from New York and it feels like I never left. I must say that I have had a hard time adjusting the first week….I always want to make a plan and have a hard time not having a “busy schedule”. That said, after a week in Eugene, I get the hang of doing nothing and get to be way more mellow and relaxed (all of it disappears the moment that I land in NYC). Totally jet-lagged, exhausted, and tired, here is a quick look at some photos of my first 24 hours in Eugene.
A walk to a flat area (we live in a steep hill in every direction) where Tata (my father) was able to teach Cruzzie how to ride a bike. (and yes, That’s Life!)
I hope everyone had a nice Father’s Day! I had a wonderful time celebrating with my guapo, devoted, hands on, loving husband who is the BEST father out there; by riding carousels, sweating buckets at the Playground, drinking milkshakes and eating at Fred’s with my Father-in-law (also a terrific father). Next up, celebrating my own incredible fanny-pack-wearing, dependable, loveable, and smartest man alive father– when we go to Oregon on WEDNESDAY!!!! Not only do our packed bags signify the summer, but so too does my stack of fun books to read. So here is my summer 2015 Book List!
Since summer’s now here (well, kind of. Yes my kids are out of school but I am still in NYC…), I put together my personal to-do list for the season, filled with things I’d love to accomplish before Labor Day. Lots to do in just a small amount of time.
1. Drink rose and gobble up oysters at Grand Banks on Pier 25 in NYC. Doesn’t it look ridiculous? Unreal, oh-my-god-I-want-to-go-now.
The restaurant is on a BOAT! But not this type of boat. And definitely not this captain.
While it hit other states hard, Juno the Blizzard didn’t really hit NYC….but we still had (a tiny amount of) snow, no school, lots of hot cocoa, sledding, and snow angels. I was a little disappointed to wake up to 2 (ok, 6 total) inches of snow, but super happy to be with the kids and play in the snow. I hope all the JG readers in New England are doing OK.
Over the weekend, we went to the Lavender Festival on the McKenzie River with the family, including our nieces and nephews. What’s at an Oregon Lavender festival? Lavender. And a couple of lavender vendors. And, well…that is about it! That said, we enjoyed the scenery, smells, colors, and ummmmm lavender.
Purple lavender haze
Summer is my main time to read a lot; longer days, less to do, and no TV. That said, I have been obsessed with Scandal (so horrible it’s good), surfing the internet (searching for a fall coat), and sports (Wimbledon and World Cup)… so here is my list of books to read this summer! Hope you get some inspiration from this list. Enjoy!
1. A Replacement Life (Boris Fishman)
(Side note: Boris Fishman’s father is a doorman in our building. The story behind the family and the book is truly inspiring, and I can’t wait to share more with you in a future post.)
I don’t love celery. Actually, I dislike it. But for some reason, I love this celery salad. Weird because the salad is celery plus a little parsley and shallots. Call me crazy. But trust me, this salad is crunchy, refreshing, summery, and tasty.
I jumped on the overall trend bandwagon back in November. Well, actually, last Spring I had my eye on a pair of Roseanna overalls, but didn’t bite the bullet….so it was on my mind well before November. At first I was nervous about sticking out more on the Upper East Side (my affinity of birkenstocks, patagonia, and backpacks aren’t shared by the average UES woman), but what do you know? ALL OF THOSE items are now trending as cool. Oregon style = hipper than you know and > UES stuffiness.
All of my favorite recipes are originally made by my favorite chef, my mama. My mother is hands down the most inventive, creative, and talented chef in the kitchen (among many other traits and accomplishments). And this green bean salad has been in her repertoire for years, and as a result has become one of my go-to-salads. It is fresh, easy, healthy, and good in any season. Enjoy!
Here I go AGAIN (and again and again) with some love for tie dye! It doesn’t matter what year or season it is, I will always have a love for the look. And thank you, Upstate, for creating this beautiful shirt! Upstate creates one of a kind pieces of wearable art by using dye techniques based on Japanese shibori. Each of my Upstate items, I LOVE and WEAR and ROCK.
Totally in love with my beachwear from Surf Bazaar! Their tanks, tees, and tunics are my beach and summer go-tos (FYI- we just got back from a great vaca in Puerto Rico), and now they have created a pant that is beyond amazing. And these aren’t just your typical pants — they are the perfectly combined craziness of (1) neon (2) drop crotch (3) embroidered cutouts. It is every trend in ONE pant — Hallelujah!
Neon eyelet!!
Fruit crisps might not be the most photogenic dessert, but they sure are delicious. Even if they look gloopy and mushy (which they are), they still remind me of easy, relaxing, summer nights. This recipe for Peach Crisps was adapted from Alice Waters’ The Art of Simple Food and can be used for any fruit crisp (raspberry, apple, blueberry, rhubarb, the sky is the limit!)
Ingredients:
Guest blogger alert! Here’s Ken with another fun grilling post:
Greetings! It is great to be out of sweltering New York, and more importantly, reunited with my summering wife and kids in Oregon for a week. I am blessed to have the ability to really focus on my true passions during my vacation: cooking for my in-laws, and guest-writing for a women’s lifestyle blog. Good times.
I have stepped in for the Josie Girl before, mostly with grilling posts on artichokes and fruit (and separately, Lemon Mint Pasta with Bacon and Tips for Expectant Fathers) The focus on fruit, vegetables and general health? Not necessarily my first choice (play to your audience), so it’s time for more of a traditional and fun (and manly) post on…. Beer Can Chicken.
Ingredients. 4 lb chicken, can o’ beer (room temperature), olive oil, salt, pepper, and if you have it, rosemary, and thyme.
This coleslaw is a great side dish for a summer evening. Crisp, crunchy, light, and tart. And best part: NO MAYONNAISE!
Ingredients:
99.99% of the time, my hair is up in an olive-oyl chignon. I rarely wear it in a different style…guilty of being boring and predictable! Luckily, contributing editor Ali, via her hair stylist, Kate has some tips for us! Here they are! Thanks, Ali and Kate! Take it away!
Ali, and her amazingly styled, perfectly cut hair. Thanks to Kate! (and genetics, too. Obvi).
