Indian Cooking with Ria Mathews

For our fifth wedding anniversary, I surprised Eric with an Indian cooking class at The Kitchen Window in Minneapolis. He loves to make curries, daal and home made naan, but is sometimes disappointed with uneven results, and this class promised to help refine our skills.


Our teacher was the lovely Ria Mathews, who guided us through an elaborate menu in celebration of Diwali, the festival of lights, which is also the opening of the financial year in India. A big feast is a traditional way of welcoming wealth and light into your life for the year- who wouldn't want more of both?


The menu was quite ambitious for a two hour class with six would be chefs at each station and we all got lovely bound copies of the recipes at the end of the night.

First, we created a simple mango lassi with yogurt, mango, milk and sugar in a blender. Next up were a sort of spinach potato chip, made by dipping each piece of spinach in a light batter and quickly deep frying them. They were incredibly delicious- the cumin seeds in the batter were toasted in the hot oil and became nutty and rich. Though I usually shy away from deep frying at home, I'd be willing to make an exception for this crisp little snack.

A hearty curry was next- hers included tamarind pulp which made such a difference in giving the curry an interesting sour tang. I can't wait to try it again when we head back to Hawaii where it is easy to find this exotic ingredient.

Puffed fry bread was next. Little pancakes of dough are slid into the pot of hot oil and immediately begin to puff and turn golden brown. (They reminded me of the sopaipillas I fell madly in love with when I lived in New Mexico.) One can see why a wire strainer and drying rack are essential equipment in an Indian kitchen! Since our meal was entirely vegetarian, I didn't feel even the slightest bit guilty about using so much oil. It didn't feel heavy or greasy at all.

We finished the evening with a caramelized carrot dessert with candied raisins and nuts. It is meant to top ice cream- ours didn't quite turn out, but a sample of Ria's definitely made me want to attempt it at home at least once more.

Have you ever taken a cooking class? This was our first, but I'm looking forward to trying it again soon.

Apple Picking Attempted

If the blog is feeling a little woefully untended lately, it's due to all the fun we've been planning and having here in beautiful Minnesota. I am savoring all the beautiful colors, textures and flavors of fall. We took a visit to Apple Jack apple orchards when we first arrived with some of the Nelson ladies, including my charming nieces, Delaney (almost 1 year!) and Margaret (almost 3!).

The pick your own apple orchard had already been ravaged by the hoards when we got there, but Margaret and I went in search of them anyway. We called out "Apples, Apples, Where Arrrrre Yooooou?" but when none appeared, Margaret sagely said, "They don't want us to find them 'cause they know we want to eat them up!" Words of wisdom. We enjoyed watching several rounds of rotten apples being blasted out of the apple cannon instead, then retired to the cafe for some caramel apple sundaes. (Holy smokes, there is nothing quite like a crisp, tart, Haralson apple right from the tree, is there?)

What does fall look like in your neighborhood?

Inspiration for a Dull Workout Routine

This ad for Athleta caught my eye as I was flipping through my fall magazines. I like the combination of grace and power in her pose- it makes me want to sign up for a marathon, do something fearless like skydiving... or just work the edge a little harder in my yoga class.

What inspires you to get moving? How do you keep your workouts from getting boring?

Movie Recommendation: Win Win

Eric and I snagged Win Win from a Redbox recently, and I can happily suggest it as a beautifully crafted story with well written characters, perfect pacing and a thoughtful conclusion. (Also, it stars Paul Giamatti, one of those actors who comes with a neon light above his head blinking "See this film! I'm in it, so it's probably good!")

Win Win tells the story of Mike, a lawyer specializing in elder care law with a practice that is slowly and painfully sinking into the red. In desperation, he unethically takes on wealthy client Leo's guardianship so he can collect an extra $1500 commission each month.

This one act of dubious morality sets in motion a series of events that leads Leo's troubled grandson Kyle to stay with Mike and his family. Kyle is headstrong teenager who has run away from a mother struggling through a drug treatment program. He is sixteen but has peroxided blonde hair, bold tattoos etched across his back and a serious cigarette habit. Though he is respectful and appreciative to Mike and his family, it's clear that he will do exactly as he pleases.

Mike spends his free time volunteering as a high school wrestling coach. Their team is limp and uninspired, just like everything else in Mike's life, so when Kyle shows an interest in training with the team, Mike doesn't expect much. It quickly becomes clear that Kyle is a very talented, powerful wrestler. Suddenly Mike (and his fellow coaches) have something to be excited about.

Watching this kid dominate all comers makes these grown men feel powerful by proxy. It's a moment where every single one of the characters need the encouragement. Mike is broke and tired out by middle age and the monotony of his life. Co-coach Stephen just needs an escape from his wife and rude teen aged step-son. Mike's best friend Terry needs something to obsess about besides his ex-wife's affair with the contractor of the massive dream home he's just lost in their divorce. And Kyle needs a second chance and redemption in the aftermath of his mother's addiction and his own sketchy past.

This film did all the things I enjoy most in movies. It told a story that felt believable by showing me finely drawn characters and the way their motivations and personalities tangled their lives together to move the plot forward. Nothing felt rushed or wasted and there were great performances from even the supporting characters.

Have you watched anything great lately?

Last Minute Halloween Costumes

Here are two more cool, easy last minute Halloween costume ideas that don't involve 6 inches of cleavage and stripper heels. No Sexy Blanks this year, or ever again. Thanks Martha!

This Medusa costume is genius. And think of the fun you'd have playing with Greecian-esque make-up! (And you could practice for your Project Runway audition tape by turning a bedsheet into a pretty toga. Bonus!)

Maybe I'm the only wierd-o who happens to have spainish moss, Faux feather birds AND long white feather false eyelashes on hand at any given moment, but those shouldn't be too hard to track down at the craft supply store. I love the eccentricity of this bird's nest chapeau, especially the way they played it up with the frosted make-up.

What are you doing to celebrate this year?

A Perfectly Imperfect China Cupboard

The cupboards in our rented apartment came stocked with dishes, so ours are jostling with theirs for space. Someday I hope to have a china cupboard like this one; pretty enough to leave open for all to see. I love how all the china is in a similar neutral palate, with some pale pale hints of color mixed in. It's tidy, but just messy enough to really belong to someone. Perfect in slight imperfection.

This image is from the new Design Sponge at Home book. Have you had a chance to peek through it yet? I'll be ordering my copy soon.

The Best Undies on Earth.

These are the best undies on the planet earth. No panty lines, totally sexy AND totally comfy? That is the trifecta my friends. I just wish they came in a few more neutral shades... Since I'm not 16 years old.

I still find things at Victoria's Secret from time to time (like these adorable polka dot pj's!) but it's not my first stop anymore. It feels like a teenage girl's idea of what is sexy, which doesn't appeal to me as a grown woman.

Where do you shop for pretty under things?

An Open Letter to Anthropologie's Shoe Buyer

Dear Anthropologie (Beloved & Adored Above All Other Retail Chains),

I do realize that "quirky", "vintage-inspired" and "creative" are your calling cards. I love that. And no where is this aesthetic more visible than in your footwear offerings. They are, shall we say, rather European selections. (Sometimes verging on clown like.)

I trust your curation and all, but could you tell me a little more about the customer who would buy these peacock inspired heels? What is she wearing them with? Where is she going in them? But most of all, can you tell me why she is so determined to have her feet look like a thick pair of Marie Antoinette's baroque piano legs?

Though confused, I remain as devoted to your sale racks as ever I was,

Madame B

Pumpkin Party Favors

This year, I'll have the pleasure of celebrating my birthday in Minnesota with my family and lots of dear old friends. Instead of a million separate birthday dinners, I thought it would be fun to throw one giant bash. I've rented a rec center and started menu planning with my mum (Butterbeer will be served in honor of Mr. Harry Potter and thanks to the no booze rule of the public park service!) I'm also planning to have everyone carve or paint a pumpkin.

I found these great miniature faux pumpkins on super clearance after Thanksgiving last year, and I thought they would make fun party favors. I painted little eyes and mouths on them with acrylic paint and now I can't stop smiling every time I pass them. Aren't they funny?

Do you carve a pumpkin every year? I heard there might be a pumpkin shortage this year because of all the severe weather in the northeast. So get yours early!

Movie Recommendation: Friends with Money

Eric and I saw Friends with Money when it first came out in 2006. (We still lived in Chicago back then!) I remember being cruelly disappointed by the ending in the theater, and I decided to watch it again to decide for sure.

Nicole Holofcener, the writer/director, makes wonderful movies about women who have everything, yet still feel vaguely dissatisfied. Her characters are subtle, funny, touching, real and a little pathetic. Her films, which also include Walking & Talking, Lovely and Amazing
and Please Give, don't offer much in the way of plot- but they do offer touching insight into the lives of modern American women.

Friends With Money interweaves the lives of four friends. Three are wealthy and successful, one is a burnt out ex-teacher, and all are struggling through the long march of middle age and the private misery they have created for themselves.

Christine (Catherine Keener) is a screenwriter and one half of a husband and wife writing team. As they read through the dialog of their latest endeavor, we see that they have given up even a facade of civility in their marriage and working relationship. Instead, they are distracting themselves by building a giant addition to the roof of their home that will give them an ocean view- never mind about the neighbors.

Jane (Francis McDormand) is a successful fashion designer whose husband everyone assumes to be gay. That he runs a hair care company and loves shopping for cashmere at sample sales isn't helping matters. Jane is seething with a midlife crisis in full swing and is filled with rage at the smallest slights. She comes unglued when another mom fails to acknowledge a play date their sons had and flies off the handle in a very memorable scene at Old Navy.

Franny (Joan Cusak) is a multi-millionaire who spends her days home making (with the benefit of a full time staff) gossiping about her friends and attending fancy charitable events. Her husband seems to enjoy being a kept man and relishes spending her money on their kids.

Olivia (Jennifer Aniston) is the only one without means. She recently quit her job at a fancy private high school where the students drove nicer cars than she did and has resorted to cleaning houses, smoking lots of pot, stalking a married ex-boyfriend and wallowing in entitled and destructive self pity.

So lets just say, they each have their issues.

The part of this film that stuck with me across all these years is Jane, who, in her frustration at being undeniably middle aged at last, has given up washing her hair. She tells her husband, "Remember when we first met? All the shampoo I had? I was obsessed! It was like each bottle was a new chance... A new chance to be pretty. And then I met you, and I found out they all have the same sh*t in 'em."

To me, that is the heart of the whole film. Everyone has the same sh*t to deal with; themselves. Our culture makes it easy to put off. You can distract yourself with consuming for an entire lifetime. But the longer you put it off, the harder it gets to avoid the heart of the matter (you are going to die!) and the more disgusted with yourself you become.

Each of these women is circling around that problem. And so the ending comes without a perfect resolution. Interestingly, the conclusion for Olivia bothered me much less now that I am five years older. This time around I knew that her character getting rich wasn't meant to be a happy ending.

John Lennon said "Everyone knows that money doesn't buy happiness, but everyone wants to find out for themselves." I am sure Olivia got a chance to learn that lesson herself.

Do you have a favorite writer or director whose movies always seem to speak to you? (Another of my favorites is John Patrick Shanley.) What is it about their world view that appeals to you?

Eat Like a Local on the Big Island of Hawaii: Ultimate Burger

Did you know that the largest cattle ranch in the United States is located in Hawaii? Thousands of head of cattle are raised right here on the mountains of The Big Island. But even though these cows start out eating fresh green grass and roaming hills with premium ocean views, more than 90% of these animals are shipped to the mainland to be fattened on feedlot corn before their final trip to the slaughterhouse. It's a shame given the premium price free-range, grass-fed beef commands, (and the way animals are treated in these lots. Did you see Food Inc.?) but this island doesn't have the proper meat processing facilities, and the local market is not yet large enough to support the industry.

Ultimate Burger may be the restaurant to help change that. This local burger joint serves up 100% locally raised, grass-fed beef. You can definitely taste the difference in the freshness of the meat. The texture is crumbly and tender- not tough and greasy like other fast food burgers. These burgers taste like red meat should taste- irony, rich, but also clean and healthy.

You can choose from a wide array of toppings for your burger; from bleu cheese crumbles to caramelized onions and pineapple slices, something will definitely hit the spot. And of course, such a beautiful burger needs a worthy bun. These are buttery, freshly baked and lightly toasted to really bring out the best in all the ingredients.

The fries are the real reason I keep going back however. Local potatoes are cut into superfine shoestrings, fried into the perfect marriage between crisp and squishy and then laced with generous sprinklings of fresh thyme, pepper, garlic and salt. They are served with an aioli dipping sauce (sour cream and cayenne pepper is my guess) that is totally decadent. I've found myself ordering fries and some of their perfectly tart, never overly sweet lemonade and nothing else on more than one occasion. (Ask for their punch card- after 10 orders of fries you get one free! If you're just visiting, start one anyway and send it my way. I guarantee it won't go to waste.)

What's the best burger joint in your neighborhood? What makes it so delicious?

Stay Like a Local on the Big Island of Hawaii: Island Spirit Spa

Island Spirit Spa in Kealakekua on the Big Island of Hawaii is whole heartedly dedicated to all natural botanical remedies. In fact, Mandi, the ethstetician, goes so far as to say, "If you can't put it in your mouth, you shouldn't put it on your skin." She points out that your skin absorbs chemicals and sends them straight into the bloodstream just as if we were eating them.

My friend Lisa and I recently enjoyed a very decadent pedicure there. The all herbal experience is starkly different from what you get at the typical nail salon. Where you are accustomed to strong chemical smells, florescent lights and aggressive callous removal with all sorts of medical looking instruments, this was all about gentleness, the subtle scents of real plant products and a calm, soothing atmosphere. Mandi warns that the results are different too, but also points out they are more sustainable because they work with your body, instead of fighting against it. We were willing to give it a go.

The treatment begins with a salt and mustard foot soak. Mandi carefully explained what each of the herbs does and why she's chosen them specifically for you.

Freshly squeezed guava juice doesn't hurt either! We nibbled away the nuts before I could snap a picture.

Beautiful leaves and coffee berries plucked from the jungle just outside the door made us feel like Hawaiian princesses.
A sugar scrub and massage help exfoliate and rejuvenate tired feet.

Another of Mandi's special blends. She also offers workshops where you can learn how to create spa quality treatments with the things you have in your cupboards and garden.

Here we are afterward, thoroughly pampered and relaxed! I am looking forward to my next splurge at this lovely spa, and I've already begun experimenting with making my own beauty concoctions at home.

Do you have a favorite spa splurge?

An Anniversary at Home: Silly Facial Hair, Lobster, Champagne and Baked Alaska

Eric and I decided to celebrate our anniversary at home again this year. (It's been Five Years!) Spending an evening at home could easily be dull, but Eric and I had a lot of fun making the extra effort to make it extraordinary.

We spent the whole day cleaning, cooking, and decorating together. It was so nice to spend the day preparing together, making a special effort to create something memorable for each other. And there is a lovely intimacy that comes from spending a whole day together this way that one would never get at a fancy restaurant with a waiter hovering over you and violinists circling around waiting for a tip. Instead, it was just the two of us, quiet happy preparations and some Tropicalismo on Pandora.

I made this pretty centerpiece with grocery store roses and leaves snipped from around our tropical home. I'll show you how to get the same look in another post.


The blown glass candlesticks were a thrift shop score- $2 a piece! The candles I had on hand were a little small for them, so I used an old trick of my Mom's and filled them with rice to hold the candles in place. Don't they look dramatic? The damask linens were scored on ebay and all the pretty china and crystal came along with our furnished rental apartment.


After the food and atmosphere were ready, I got good and gussied up. I wore these crazy long false eyelashes just for fun. (They have a leopard pattern on them and matched my hair quite nicely!) I did a bouffant sixties hair do and wore a pretty blue silk chiffon swing dress, heels and eccentric cocktail earrings of my own making. Eric shaved his beard but left a silly Frenchie Foo Foo mustache just to make me laugh.

For dinner, I made a simple spinach salad to start with and Eric made delicious cheddar bay biscuits (with a super decadent butter sauce!) and grilled lobster tails. There was plenty of iced champagne of course!

The crowning touch to our feast at home was this Baked Alaska. I used Martha's recipe for the most part, but substituted boxed cake mix for the fancy from scratch cake she made for the bottom. Browning the meringue with a blow torch at the table was a fun and dramatic way to finish a spectacular meal.



Afterwards, we read our vows to each other in the candle light (thanks Momma D and Daddy G!) and talked about the moments we remember from our five years of married life. Then we snuggled up to watch The Princess Bride, which is extra special to us since my Dad gave us a copy on our wedding day and reminded us to tell each other "As You Wish" whenever possible.

We're still learning, but I know how blessed I am to share my life with my best friend.

Happy Anniversary Becky Kazana! Let's Celebrate with a Flamingo Wedding Cake Topper Giveaway!

Today is the 3rd Anniversary of Becky Kazana! I've so enjoyed growing my wedding cake topper business on Etsy. It has given me a lot of pleasure to create happy memories for brides and grooms all over the world! I am so grateful for the success of my little enterprise.

To celebrate, I'd like to do a little giveaway of my best selling item: The Flamingo Bride & Groom Wedding Cake Topper! I have a pair that are slightly less than perfect, but I know one of you will enjoy it year after year nonetheless.

To enter, please visit my shop and then leave me a comment describing the most enjoyable wedding you've ever attended and what details made it so. Please leave a thoughtful entry since I'll be picking my favorite comment to win. Don't forget to include your e-mail address so I can get in touch if you are the lucky winner! (No email, no entry darlings. I can't chase you down to give you goodies!)

Bon Chance!