time to get lost

No, I am not off on some ideal romantic getaway. Instead, I am busy working away in a few cities and in a few industries. Here are some images of love that I love. It never hurts to have a little escapism…

a late return

I have decided that I would like to return to A Fresh Dille after a few months hiatus. Never expecting to leave in the first place, I feel an apology is in order. I know how sad I am when blogs I regularly read come to a close. So please come back and read if you wish and I will try and keep things festive. I will resume posts about some of my favorites…food, fashion, and fitness. Of course travel and other areas of interest will probably make an appearance as well. Thanks for listenening lovelies. Hope all is well out there in the blogosphere.

quand il me prend dans les bras …

when he takes me in his arms…

currently watching louis garrel in one of my favorites, dans paris.

images from hedi.

fashion words tonight.

bag & bliss.

sweet potato fries, A Magazine # 1 (curated by Maison Martin Margiela) spread with Jane Birkin.

I was “bag tagged” by the lovely Brooke, and here is the bag that I have been carrying. The size of my Marc by Marc Jacobs Hillier Hobo is perfect for my day to day needs and a few magazines, which is one of my qualifications when choosing the right day bag. This bag is from the spring collection and I find the blue to add a little more excitement to my outfit than the basic black bag. Inside, I carry all sorts of goodies and here they are…

old tortoise ray bans from my mom, black cashmere beret/ beanie, oscar blandi dry shampoo , top coat nail polish, bond no. 9 perfume samples, burt’s bees pomegranate chapstick and cuticle cream, one nail polish remover pad, one green tea, an elephant necklace, random red ring (with a game in it?) from new years popper, my passport (always have with me), mints, neue gallerie and metropolitan museum pins, coco red chanel lipstick, smashbox cream liners and brush, vintage red wallet, moleskin journal, two pens, my blackberry, and bobby pins.

There it all is! Sometimes I try to consolidate more but I do carry a lot with me.

ciao.

More Fall/Winter ready-to-wear talk tonight…

i hope it is not too late…

The extreme shame I had been developing due to my lack of blogging resulted in a fear of returning to A Fresh Dille. It still amazes me that some food bloggers can post about everything they eat in a day. Kath from Katheats and Jenna from Eat, Live, Run are just two who fall into that category with extreme schedules of their own each day and a limited amount of time to blog, however they do, and quite well. I knew from the start that I was not going to be blogging to that extent and not even necessarily focusing on food each post. Still, I read blogs pretty regularly, even if it is a quick blackberry read on the walk to class from a 7am cross country practice. I try to make it happen.

Making promises to post is not the way to go for me. I have realized this recently and therefore will probably begin posting away again because I don’t have the same “blogger’s quilt” I expressed in my last post.

Here are some photos I took at my summer home on Martha’s Vineyard at the end of August.

Alpaca’s from Island Alpaca who were hanging out at the Farmer’s Market.

Some squash and a “squash blossom” which will always remind me of my mother and her small obsession with them throughout my first trip to Italy at 16.

Garlic is just too beautiful in a basket.

These will always be “vineyard flowers” to me.

This is how I would have spent my time with my sister and cousins while my parents hit up the West Tisbury Farmer’s Market 15 years ago.

After the market, we headed to the small flea market. I was less than impressed this year and saddened that the location was moved the the local high school’s parking lot. In any case, I saw some beautiful bottles that deserved a photo or two.

The next stop was Chilmark Pottery.

Looking at the food photographs I took over the few days I was there this summer, I can say that they are less than stellar. I ate a fair share of fresh fruits with oats for breakfast and even tried my first pluot. (YUM!)

Now I see why they are all also called “dinasour eggs.”

The backpack that appears to be glowing was the last purchase I made before returning to Boston for my last semester of college. I have gone 4 years without one but I felt it was needed for the cross country season. I was right and use it almost everyday. Although I have always been a purse or bag girl, I guess the adventurer side of me has shown through this semester.

Fall is full force in Boston right now and I love every day of it. Yesterday, I was walking through the Boston Common, which I call the Central Park of Boston, when I heard two girls complaining about how cold they were. I couldn’t fathom it. I love it. I can’t imagine anything more fresh than walking outside in the perfectly crisp air. My apple picking plans had to be put on the back burner on Sunday after an exhausting cross country race on Saturday but I plan on seeking one out this coming weekend. I hope this scattered post will bring back some readers and maybe I can even get some new ones. My commenting will resume as well. Off to go running, have a wonderful Tuesday.

I must apologize

for my lack of blogging. I will say that I have true blogger’s guilt but my hectic schedule leaves no time for some of my favorite activities such as blogging and time for friends. It is really quite sad but I am running for my college as well as finishing my last semester of school. I hope to report back on my Martha’s Vineyard week with my family in August as well as some yummy dishes we ate and saw.

Here is a tid bit…The Martha’s Vineyard farmer’s market is a real favorite of mine. Within a few hours of being on the island after a quick hop over from Boston, I saw many “Buy Local” tees and although I did not find one for myself to wear, I did buy local. The MV farmer’s never fail to turn out some of the best produce but the sungold tomatoes my aunt brought from her farm in Blauvelt, NY were the best things I tasted the entire time. Too bad tomato season is coming to a close because my new obsession with these babies has really upped my excitement for all tomatoes. Vegetarian Times‘ September issue featured a cover shot and recipe’s from Cafe Flora in Seattle and I knew I just had to attempt the Heirloom Tomato and Sweet Corn Pizza. The recipe was not a total success, I feel it deserved more of the garlic pistou but the whole wheat dough (store bought on island) was topped with two fabulous seasonal foods that we had on hand blended perfectly together to make what I would actually call a flatbread. I call if a flatbread for two reasons. First, I was never a fan of pizza. When I was younger, I would turn down a slice at every birthday party I went to and favored other italian dishes such as gnocchi with fresh pesto always. Secondly, I made one of the two completely cheeseless and the base of the roasted garlic pistou was the only ingredient apart from the vegetables.

The basil we bought at the market was the largest bunch I have ever season. Of course this was a star ingredient as well.

They were served as an appetizer at cocktail hour on the deck.

Tomorrow I will do my best to share some more. Ciao.

real men bake quiche.

This entire post is dedicated to my lovely father, whom I photographed above. Recently, he has been inspired to take photographs of his own culinary skills. Being an artist himself, I have no lack in faith that he could probably take more beautiful photos than I. It is no secret in our family that he loves pie and he has been known to insist on baking a pie in the summer heat. However, we have a mutual affinity with quiche. Last time I saw my father in Manhattan, he brought up a memory he had of me saying I had the best quiche ever in Amsterdam. It was true and the secret ingredient was pine nuts. It is embarrassing to admit, but the stunning counter top in this photograph made me homesick. You have to admit, this quiche looks mighty tasty.

I have gone the summer without eggs or dairy, but I know that this lifestyle choice will not last forever. I have complete respect for all those who choose to eat vegan, and I try to as much as possible but will never call myself one. I love food too much to not try new things with family and friends. Nevertheless, you will never hear of me eating any red meat or poultry. My food philosophy is to savor flavor and fuel my body the best I can.

I have been a busy little bee this last week and my posting has been semi shoddy. Two reasons (excuses?) are that 1) I was uninspired after a mandoline accident involving my thumb and 2) my old digital camera has broken.

In the meantime, I will try to share some favorite fashion images, running workouts, and recipes I am trying this week.

a fresh first post

Hello. Bonjour. Goedendag. Holà. Ciào. Namaste. Góðan dag.

A first hello on a first blog post is quite intimidating, therefore I thought I would cover a few bases in English, French, Dutch, Spanish, Italian, Hindi, and Icelandic.

In my first official post later today, I will bring up a few of my favorite places in one of my most adored cities, Amsterdam.