besides no makeup

The Daily Doodle: What I wore to work today.

chloe knows

The Daily Doodle: the little black dress I love. 

Created by Chloe in 2006. Perfection for this Fall. Nabbed from {this is glamourous.}

cool girl for fall

The Daily Doodle: What will you be wearing this Autumn?

DSquared2 Resort 2012

summer into fall

The Daily Doodle: Summer sales begin to dwindle and fall fashion starts pouring in. Is it really that time already?  

Garance Doré's photograph. Garance herself is an illustrator.

vive la Chopra

In Deepak Chopra's commentary about the dietary habits of centenarians across the globe, Chopra explains that a psychologically pleasing diet contributes in a quantifiable and very meaningful way to one's overall state of health, even if your daily pipe or other indulgence is clearly "unhealthy."

soul surfer

The Daily Doodle: The best surfer in the water is the one having the most fun. 

In Deepak Chopra's commentary about the dietary habits of centenarians across the globe, Chopra explains that a psychologically pleasing diet contributes in a quantifiable and very meaningful way to one's overall state of health, even if your daily pipe or other indulgence is clearly "unhealthy."

aujourd'hui l'aubergine

The daily doodle today is eggplant. I have been lusting for a little Moussaka lately, and though The Mister is not this violet nightshade's biggest fan, I went ahead and labored through the late afternoon to make us a homemade version anyways, (like I said, I have a scratch to itch.) Lo and behold, I turned my man into a believer!

Moussaka: I used a very loose version of this recipe. I prefer Creme Fraiche over Béchamel - which removes quite a bit of work -  and I use parmesan only on the top and then serve with extra at the table.  Fresh grated parmesan only, please. Make it a new house rule. The nutmeg/cinnamon flavors are a must, and pumpkin pie spice will do just fine. I also substitute Beef for Lamb as it is in-season, add zucchini to liven it up, and a word to the rookies: as with any lasagna-style baked and layered casserole, Moussaka does not fit under the category of wham-bam-thank-you-ma-am. 

Ingredients at their best in AUGUST include:

Aubergine

Basil

Beetroot

Blackberries

Corn

Crab

Duck

Fennel

Fig

Lamb

Lettuce

Mackerel

Melon

Nectarine

Peaches

Plums

Summer Squash

Tomatoes

Get thee a grater. I have (forcibly) used our family's rape a fromage to grate enough parmesan for twenty plus people on regular occasions --- and 20-plus French cheese loving people no less! My family must have moved up in the cheese grating world, because this summer they sent me home with the above 'heirloom.'

wheel of fortune

Aah, Scorpio: Analytical, All or nothing, Energetic, Industrious, Self-Assured, Vivacious...

Miss Astrid Kirschenbaum in an impromptu apres surf stretch/yoga session. I am all about intertwining yoga into my day little bits at a time. A few sun salutes upon waking, some crazier poses in the grass while outside, and warriors or stretching to wind down in the evening. Most importantly I am evermore mindful of my posture. 

Vrishikasana ~ Scorpion Pose

Vrischik ~ Scorpio

For more info click Pincha Mayurasana, forearm balance.

menu du jour mousse au citron

A thick lemon mousse can top a cake (just keep whipping the cream!) and the curd can be used as filling. Or style Francaise: spread the tangy curd thin on a tart shell and serve the whip on the side. 

These days I am a fanatic for anything cremeuse and have no qualms perpetuating my current cheese/yogurt/cream infatuation. This lemon mousse recipe really struck a chord with me and is a welcome divergence from my usual baked cakes/breads/cookies. Here is a fluffy, summery lemony mousse that is perfectly tart, sweetened only with agave and as far as mousses go, a no-brainer.

Lemon Mousse

Make lemon curd by whisking together 2/3 cup Agave, 3 Eggs, 1 cup Lemon Juice, the Zest of 4 lemons, and 1/2 cup melted Butter. Microwave for one minute intervals until the mixture coats the back of a metal spoon. No kidding - lemon curd in the microwave - and here your friends will think you are so sophisticated.

Whisk one pint of Heavy Whipping Cream by hand. Put a whisk, metal bowl and the cream in the freezer for eight minutes so everything is super cold and then whisk away - fast as you can switching directions. It will take about five minutes, albeit feel like a very long five minutes!

Gently fold the whipping cream into the curd starting with only a little and gradually becoming more liberal. Add until you find the desired consistency or taste, you may not need all of the cream. Save the remaining cream for this month's peaches or your AM coffee. I drizzle a little agave and grate a little zest over the top when serving to company.

I have been using white-board markers on mirrors to announce the in-house ice-cream flavors to my family or the menu for the evening to dinner guests. This would also be a fun way to post chores or a grocery list. The markers should work on mirrors, glass, refrigerators and so forth, but test the surface before going buck-wild. 

bring it back to me

There are still products worth traveling for and foreign trends to be spotted first-hand -- even before Vogue hits the press. Though nearly all objects may now be available throughout the world, there is something special about carrying a taste of your travels home. Mr. K laughed when I pulled out a large jar of Nutella from my lesportsac, but importing it yourself just tastes better doesn't it?!

Hair protection Phyto Plage "l'originale" is yet to be trumped. 

And is a must for surfers.

NUXE spray-on dry oil smells other-worldly.

Savon de Marseille is a cure-all best bought as big as possible. 

"Extra Pure 72% Olive Oil."

Mini Mavala Nail Polishes are sold in even the most obscure of Pharmacies.

About an inch tall they have the new cool colors before they are cool. 

Foutas. These very soft, very stylish, quick drying towels/throws/sarongs/table-cloths are Turkish, yes, but currently all the rage on the Cote D'Azur. They can even replace your regular bath towels especially if you live by the ocean where fabric tends to remain damp. Originally used in the Hammans (saunas) these towels are 100% cotton and a breeze to care for. 

basics

A magazine-inspired doodle from long hours in the Delta Lounge. 

Yoga is really trying to liberate us from ... shame about our bodies. To love your body is a very important thing -- I think the health of your mind depends on your being able to love your body. ––Rodney Yee

I used this Rodney Yee book while abroad to keep up my personal practice. It is a great book for getting back to the basics no matter what your level. After all, the basics are what it's all about. 

home, the abiding place of the affections & special green tea

I'm back home to hubby after a little euro-vacation with the family. 

How is your summer going? The above two sketches filled some lay-over time in JFK; they are both inspired by photos from magazines. 

Once a year I get the great opportunity to reset my buttons in low-key, slow and sumptuous France. Hopefully the next posts will reflect my refreshed mentality. 

Switch-up the caffein this summer. Matcha 'Python' Green Tea Cappucino. 

Although not a French acquired habit, I was happy to come home to this Cali-inspired drink. For a Matcha Green Tea Latte or Cappuccino steam up 1 teaspoon matcha green tea powder and 4-8 ounces almond milk in a frother, with a whisk, or simply shaken and sweeten to taste. I take it plain. I hear it is also amazing when poured over ice. 

With matcha green tea the whole leaf is ingested, rather than just the steeped water of bagged teas. Researchers from the University of Colorado found that the concentration of the antioxidant EGCG available from drinking matcha is up to 137 times greater than the amount of EGCG available from other commercially available green teas.  The caffein in matcha tea is released like food -- slowly throughout the day. It is said to boost metabolism and help reduce cholesterol levels when drunk regularly.

I buy my matcha at Teavana.