Happy Friday!

We are loving the Lanvin Fall/Winer 2011-2012 collection. Check out those beautiful red and coral dresses...and they move so well when fist pumping! However, our male dancers should maybe just stick to catwalks #whitefolk.




So who mandated no white after Labor Day in the first place? If you must know, Time dishes the scoop.

Obsessed with the new web site Museum of Useful Things offering fun kitschy items and great gifts. Personally, we love the idea of this Mason's Tote as a weekender bag!

Never be without the perfect card again, from the always lovely Kate Spade.

Lucky west coasters never have to do without 'em, but east coast gals are always craving lemons. Learn how to preserve lemons, thanks to SF Girl by Bay.

This fairly perfectly sums up the interaction between your bi-coastal Muses over last week's "earthquake". Too funny.

meatless monday - green smoothies!

The Muses were together this past weekend in DC, and they had a little too much fun yesterday between the Next Food Network Star casting call and extra large beers at African restaurants - needless to say, the Meatless Monday post did not happen.

But never fear, faithful readers. We are excited to bring you today the green smoothie. We've been following sweet Kallie of Kallie Brynn Photography for about a year now, and besides lusting over her photos of France, cooing at snapshots of her sweet little girl and ooh-ing and aah-ing over her amazing photography portfolio, we also have been intrigued by the instagram photos of her green smoothies. These concotions seem bizarre but the thought of downing no less than four fruits/veggies in one sitting with the use of an everyday blender truly compells us. We asked Kallie for a recipe, and she sent us 8! You're such the over-achiever, Kallie!

We're posting a recipe that we've tried and can attest to its deliciousness, as well as Kallie's favorite and also including a few photos taken by Kallie of her smoothie creations. We hope these recipes inspire you to concoct your own favorite - the ECM has recently discovered that parsley and lemon juice give her green smoothies an added zing that really opens her eyes in the mornings.

Enjoy! And be sure to leave a comment letting us know how you make them your own!

Kale-Apple Smoothie
3/4 cup chopped kale (stem removed)
1 small stalk celery
1/2 banana
1/2 cup apple juice
1/2 cup ice
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth and creamy. Enjoy!

ECM note: using an apple instead of the apple juice works well, and combining spinach and kale takes some of the bitter kale bite away. Throw in a banana for added creaminess. Also, the use of So Delicious Coconut Milk is a great option!

Kallie's Favorite Smoothie
one handful frozen each:
-strawberries
-mango
-pineapple
one handful fresh blueberries
one banana
carrot juice
orange juice
two handfuls of spinach

Kallie's note: "I make this one the most (about every other day) and play around a lot with different frozen and fresh fruits. I also add cucumber often and sometimes substitute kale. Most recent variation: one handful of spinach and one stem of kale, a little cucumber, added some frozen peaches, and used fresh strawberries."

Readers - stay tuned to Kallie's blog, as she intends to do a series on her smoothies in the near future!

Daydreamin'

The Muses are in a daydreamy kind of mood these days. Maybe it’s the fact that it’s summer and life on campus is a bit dead for the WCM. Maybe it’s the heat getting to the ECM’s head, despite the fact that this weather is her natural habitat and she should be OK with a forecast calling for “oppressive” heat and humidity. Regardless, the Muses are daydreaming....and what else would they dream about but desserts? Duh.

During an email correspondence related to opening up a pastry shop, the Muses debated what kind of shop they would want. WCM suggested to ECM that perhaps she should have a shop like the beloved Miette.



Admit it – you had a smile on your face while watching that video. How could you not?

But if we’re honest with ourselves, we know that this bakery is really the stuff that the WCM’s dreams are made of. She would want a calm space, walls covered with thick grey and white stripes, each pastry made with complete perfection, and Coralie Clément playing in the background.

But the ECM says - why have that, when you could have THIS instead?!




Yes, we all know that the ECM is a big kid in a small adult’s body. What she really wants is a rockin’ bakery with rule-breaking desserts, spontaneous dance parties, and hand-written signs.

Sigh. Girls can dream, can’t they?

Things the Muses have loved this week

The Muses had a great start to the week... because we were TOGETHER! We baked cupcakes, drank dry rosé wine, and engaged in much mutual flattery. Also, ECM admitted her fear of rhubarb.  She had never tried it because she was turned off by the idea of baking something unidentifiable (red celery) into pies. With Kim Boyce's help, WCM made her a believer.

french red poppy from parthenope's instagram

Rhubarb Tarts from Kim Boyce's (amazing) book Good to the Grain


Josh Garrels' new (free!) CD Love & War & The Sea In Between


Good Reads


Kor Water Bottles helping us stay hydrated


carting stuff around in Map Totes (of course the ECM has an Austin tote)


Pumpkin Oil Ice Cream & Pepita Brittle


Anticipating the opening of Graffiato in DC


Have a beautiful weekend, pretties.

xo

The Muses

Intra-Musing: french veg. sides

You should know that all this musing began between the Muses themselves. We find ourselves wondering, “can I really get away with wearing this large belt over this shirt?”, “what is appropriate to bring to my work party?”, “how the heck do I cater a meal for 100 people?”. So emails are sent (or text with photo) to the one other person whose opinion we can always count on...the other Muse (well, and our beautiful, way-too-perfect-at-everything friend Kristen). We thought it could be fun to see some of the intra-Musing that keeps this show running.


The West Coast Muse (WCM) received this email today from her beloved East Coast Muse (ECM)

subject: I want to make this for dinner next week

poached eggs and parmesan cheese over toasted brioche with pistou

But I want something French-y to go with. Green beans with a lemon vinaigrette? I have no idea. I'm bad at French food. Advise, please.

The WCM can be trusted with such questions because, while she is technically Midwestern, she is French at heart. She lived in France for a tick and most days can be found sporting black and white stripes, listening to the Bénabar station on last.fm, and drinking heavy cream.
The other person who can be trusted with questions about easy French food is Ina Garten.

Brussel Sprouts Lardon

Green Green Spring Vegetables

Simple Roasted Asparagus (which would be good with a lemon vinaigrette)