Grapefruit Martini

It's New Year's brunch at the Urban Cottage.  Come in and have a grapefruit martini.

Actually, calling this cocktail a grapefruit martini is a little unfair.

The addition of rosemary-infused simple syrup makes it much more special.

I actually call it the St. Stephen cocktail.  If you want to use your name

in place of Stephen, I won't be at all offended.

It's a great brunch cocktail and, as such, I've taken it easy on the alcohol so you can have one

or two and still move on with your day without drooling on your Sunday's finest.

It's refreshing anytime of the year and is sure to fend off colds, scurvy or whatever

else might ail you.

                               For each serving:

                               6 oz. freshly squeezed grapefruit juice

                               1-1/2 oz. vodka

                               1 tablespoon rosemary syrup*

                               1 lime (for zest)

                               ice

                               *see recipe below (patent pending)

                               Combine all ingredients, shake in cocktail shaker with ice
                               or serve over crushed ice in martini glass.

                               Top with a dusting to lime zest.

                               

                                   1 cup sugar

                                   1 cup water

                                   2-3 springs of fresh rosemary

                               

                               Bring sugar and water to a boil.  Turn off heat and add

                               rosemary sprigs.  Set aside to cool.  The rosemary will

                               turn a little brown so I usually take it out and replace it

                               with new sprigs when company's coming over.

                               Store in covered jar in refrigerator.

I don't usually use pink grapefruit but certainly looks pretty in pink.

Enjoy!

Great Things at New Years

First, I'd like to tell you about the Great Reads series hosted by Rambling Renovators.

Jen was kind enough to include me as one of her great reads along with

several other blogs that may be totally new to you.  Two rounds of "great reads"

are already posted and I should be showing up sometime today.

And if you don't know Jen's blog, you'll certainly enjoy seeing her home renovation.

Her project gallery is filled with amazing before and after posts.

Be sure to check out her laundry room renovation.  It's incredible!

We had our first measurable snow Saturday through Sunday.  Since we had almost

no snow or rain all last winter, it's a great thing.  And it makes even the

scrappiest garden look like a winter wonderland.

This is the trouble with boxwoods in our area.  A little snow and they splay right out.

A rose bush.

The upstairs Christmas tree waiting to be picked up for recycling.

Across the street.

But inside, I'm looking ahead to spring.  I'm planting a new round of "yellow paperwhites" (seems like an oxymoron) which are said to have no scent.  I think they're just daffodils.

A few hyacinths, conifer and hops off the tree are ready for New Year's brunch

and fill the dining room with an aroma of spring.  They promise great things to come.

And may your New Year be filled with great things!

Happy 2013!

Stop by Jane's last Flowers in the House party of 2012.

You might see an old friend or make a new one.

Merry Christmas

Many of you noticed I won the Christmas tree contest on Scot Meacham Wood's blog.  There was a panel of judges whose work I really respect so taking home my second award was really quite an honor.  But I'm actually quite surprised I won because it wasn't the tree I planned on entering. 

I just didn't have the time to get it done in time.

My initial thought was to have a tree centered under the Moravian star pendant

in the guest bedroom.  Since you weren't able to make it for Christmas this year, 

I would clean out the guest bedroom and set the tree up in the center of the room.

The stars being a guide for sailors, I thought a tree decorated with marine signal flags

would be the perfect theme and I would want them all basically the same so they would look

like a sea of stars on the tree.

I would use hang tags to make the ornaments and trim them

into the basic marine flag shapes...

...and use silver glitter to give them a little bling.

The tags would also be perfect to write a few 

prayers, dreams, wishes or messages to the universe.

I would add a little Love and Joy.

I've never had a tree centered in the room before; it would be a little unconventional.

But it would be a wonderful place to sit and enjoy the sea of stars.

May love and joy come to you.

Merry Christmas!

Boston Solstice

 

I prefer the long days of summer but at this time of year, I love the twinking holiday lights.  I thought it would be fun to give you quick tour Boston using the holiday lights as our guide.

 

I skipped work a little early and dashed over to Quincy Market just in time

to catch the cobalt blue sky of twilight.

 

The Christmas tree at Quincy Market.

 

Looking back toward Faneuil Hall seen faintly on the right,

the twilight last just about 15 minutes.

 

 

One of the Downtown Crossing stars.

 

The Boston Common Frog Pond is turned into a skating rink in winter.

 

 

It was nice to see so many people enjoying the night.

 

A view from the Boston Common toward Back Bay.

 

 

A beautiful Beacon Hill doorway.  Notice the apples and pinapple above the door!

 

 

The bridge across the pond in the Public Garden.

 

 

The trees that line the grassy mall down Commonwealth Avenue.

 

 

A peek inside a Beacon Hill townhouse.

 

 

It's fun to take a stroll down historic Charles Street in the dark

and see the shops all lit up.

 

 

 

 

Goods on Charles Street has vintage and unique items for the home.

It's always worth checking out.

 

 

Perhaps I need a present for myself!

 

 

Finally back home to enjoy the lights of the Christmas tree

and the high-definition Yule Log on cable.

 

The best thing about Winter Solstice is there's always brighter day ahead!

The Tree 2012

The Christmas tree is up and decorated although it's hard to be joyful.

This tree was inspired by last year's tree in the dining room.  I wanted to see

if I could achieve a nature inspired tree that evoked the feeling

of a walk in the woods...well, a woods decorated for Christmas.

Let me show you some of the details.

As I revealed in my earlier post, I cut two Boston ferns and have used them as decorations.  In the end, it wasn't at all necessary to wire the ends.  I didn't like the look of them hanging as ornaments.  If you're going to use them, I would recommend adding them last, and it's really easy to stick the fronds in to the needles and just let them hang.  

Below the bird's nest are hops.  I don't know if they're naturally green or whether they're dyed.  I think they look like little caterpillars or bumble bees or something and I love their droopy nature.

I've also added pine cone garland, a few gold hydrangea, pine cones and vintage ornaments.

Even though I have a collection of vintage ornaments, I wanted a restrained palette of colors that fit the theme.  Spacious skies, amber waves of grain, green green grass of home, from sea to shining sea.  It was difficult not to use some of my favorite ornaments.

I made several of these bird ornaments just like the ones we made when we were kids.

I spray painted clothespins in a dark green paint (Montana's "Toad") and glued a nest and a partridge on each one.  The "eggs" are rose hips I cut out of the garden but you can use two or three beads.  Pearls always look nice.

In places where the clothespins were visible, I just stuck a little moss underneath.

My brother makes really beautiful rustic birdhouses and sells them.

He whipped up the cute little birdhouse ornaments are few years ago.

I was going to make a grapevine star and fill it with moss for the top but

I came up with this "birdcage" in a moment of pure genius.

You may remember my gothic light pendant from an earlier post.  I thought it make

a great crown for the top of the tree but I couldn't figure out how to attach it.

When I turned it upside down, I thought it looked like a chinoiserie birdhouse.  So I

took it apart, stuffed it with moss and added a sweet little bluebird.

The tree at dusk with a blue reflection from the mirror in the front hall.

Yes, the tree skirt is leopard.  I guess it's a little element of humor but it also kind

of looks like a speckled egg print. 

Yes?  No?

A night shot.

So there it is.  Not as inventive as last years but it's much more elegant.

And I enjoyed doing it.  

I still haven't figured out the secret to taking a great photo of a lit tree.

I did this one with two lamps on in the room.   Just automatic setting.

No flash, no extended shutter speed.  Have any secrets?

I also shot this at twilight when the camera picks up the sky color

as a beautiful blue that I think looks great.

I still have a few things to do around the house so I'll show you

when it's all done.  Are you ready?