a belated xmas present for m which i finally finished over the holidays. these are the first pair of socks i ever knitted and i've already started knitting a pair for myself. i'm addicted!

if only i could rewind and relive the holidays... family time, board games, knitting, warm fires, and endless cooking. here are some of my favorite dishes prepared by my mom and dad:

+ rack of lamb persillade with sauteed portabella mushrooms
+ my aunt marina's breakfast crepes with meyer lemon and sugar
+ lasagna with warm broccoli salad
+ homemade vanilla + mocha ice cream in ici waffle cones
+ tomato and goat cheese tart
+ french granny apple tart
+ affagato (made with my mom's new espresso maker)

clearly we're big ina garten fans. so now that my stomach is officially in withdrawal, it's now back to the basics: micro greens + asian pears.

i decided to make my own wrapping paper and gift tags this year. nothing like pen and ink to make things more interesting!

sunday eats

+  seeded cheddar jalapeno bread sticks with tasty grapes
+  carrots plus purple and yukon potatoes (to be roasted with sage, rosemary, and bay leaves)

for xmas, i decided to get my mom this set of fog linen placemats. not surprisingly, i ended up getting the large gingham pattern for myself. i love the simple packaging that each set arrived in.

elsinore carabetta braided wool necklace from here. so beautiful.

reminiscing about sunday pancakes.

"excuses" by morning benders.

odette fox necklace packaged beautifully by jennifer. an xmas present to myself.

i'm trying to get into the holiday season by knitting a pair of socks this year - my first ever. they will be an xmas gift for m. i'm not sure if he knows that they're not machine washable...

last night with friends: game night + hannukah fun.
nothing like board games, erica + alex's homemade latkes with applesauce + sourcream, and my homemade cinnamon/raison rugelah. no, i'm not jewish, but the food... oh my, the food...

above: erica + alex's menorah featuring their pug tank. amazing.

blocks by serena mitnik-miller - great color combinations.

my take on a chullo hat using this.

i'm mildly obsessed with interiors - the private, special, inner sanctums that speak volumes about the people that inhabit them. i love a good behind-the-scenes look at just about anything, and thankfully the selby allows me to indulge in voyeuristic tendencies without being a total weirdo. favorites...

1. confetti systems
2. lindsay + fitzhugh (i went to school with fitzhugh)
3. and most recently annie novak at eagle street farm via primoeza