Sitka & Spruce

The Melrose Market was one of the last stops Josh and I made before hopping on our flight back to California. We lunched at Sitka & Spruce and were so impressed. Everything was perfect--the ambiance, the open kitchen (always a favorite), the service, and the freshest local and seasonal ingredients used for a most delicious meal. We ended on some of their homemade caramels (to die for!). One of their beautifully baked sourdough loaves came home with us, too...it was devoured within a couple of days, ha!

The other places I enjoyed in the market were Marigold and Mint, Bar Ferd'nand, and Butter Home. Today, I'm daydreaming of being there again... 

THE PNW

There's something about the Northwest that is so refreshing to me. Seattle was good...so good. I'm thankful for the opportunity to be in places that move me, while getting to know new people and developing deeper relationships with friends. 

Looking forward to catching up with you all. And a big thanks to Amy, Michelle, and Cassie for guest posting while I was away!

Guest Post -- Michelle from Gold-Hearted

Heya, Michelle here! I'm a jewelry designer and blogger, and I recently made the move out East for an internship. My little Brooklyn abode (okay, okay, my 75 sq. ft. room) has yet to be decorated, so I thought it would be fun to share what I'm envisioning. A few key pieces, plus treasures I've collected throughout my travels, will make it feel like home in no time.

painting / lamp / pillow / clothing rack

-- Gold-Hearted Shop -- Blog --

Guest Post -- Cassie from The Veda House

Hi there I ART U readers. This is Cassie from The Veda House and I've been sponsoring Jennifer's blog for several months now because her little space of the internet is so inspiring. While she's away I wanted to show you guys something that has been inspiring me. I'm usually not a big fan of animated gifs and feel that in most cases, they are distracting and don't have a purpose. REED + RADAR (Pamela Reed & Matthew Radar) have changed my mind about the possibilities of using animated gifs. They do an amazing job, bring fashion to life (literally), which allows people to see the clothing move and interact with the person wearing it. Cool huh? They've shown me that with simple animated gifs, you can make experiences, like look at fashion clothing, so much more dynamic and interactive. Really neat! Enjoy.

-- The Veda House --

Guest Post -- Amy from Stitch and Hammer

I received a pasta machine over the holidays. I've put it to use several times for linguine, however, this was my first attempt at making ravioli from scratch. Since the recipe is so simple, the quality of ingredients makes all the difference. Italian Semola (most ideal for its high gluten content) and fresh farm eggs with a dark yellow yolk is ideal for making quality pasta. Ravioli from scratch is easy and can be prepared and served in less than an hour. I highly recommend, The Geometry of Pasta for its straight-forward recipes, plus the illustrations are wonderful. For our meal, we made a white wine and shallot reduction sauce, which paired nicely with the sweetness of the roasted squash filling of the ravioli. We sauteed spinach and dressed it with a squeeze of lemon. Apple galettes were for dessert. 

-- Stitch and Hammer -- Shop -- Blog --