There is nothing quite like the bond of siblings, I should know I have nine!  Most recently, my sister Kelly got engaged.  She is getting married at the beautiful Christ Church in the Northern Neck of Virginia.

Last weekend I got the joy of helping her to find her perfect wedding dress at J. Crew.  It is a simple, but sleek gown that just mirrors her effortless beauty.  The Cecelia (as a note she looks much better in it than the model):

I told her I would send her the link to Lilac Bijoux as they have really neat jewelry, but their online selections were lacking in choices appropriate for a wedding dress.  Thank goodness for some of my favorite Etsy shops that I can give as a back-up!!!

So to follow are some inspirations I had- and as a note to Kelly who actually reads my blog, don’t feel like you need to like any of these, but check out the shops they have some really neat things.

Kelly has a beautiful tan complection and dark hair, and that made me think of one of three color combinations: 1) bright and fun accessories 2. golden hues to celebrate the Golden August of her wedding month or 3. aqua colors that she seemed to gravitate to when shopping.

On the colorful theme Whichgoose had this beautiful Artic Roses Teal clip set.  I adore all of Whichgooses sight and it helps that she is from Frederick, MD.  If you ever want neat floral or nature hairpieces, shoes or clips try her sight first.

Some fun earrings and a necklace from Joojooland.

And a bracelet from Jenny Trinh. (I would add one Peruvian turquoise bead right beside the pearl, and I am sure Jenny would add it for you too)

For the golden theme, this bridal hair comb caught my eye.

These golden earrings by Persimmon Tree, who has fantstic things in other colors, as well.

Or these golden earrings by Erica Leilani Designs.

And this simple, but elegant necklace from one of my very favorite Etsy jewelers, Made by Sam.

(Customizable… so is the item below.  You can change the stone color, metal color and initial) And matching bracelet.

Or go for a set and get the matching earrings too.

And lastly the aqua color.

These earrings from Erica Leilani Designs really caught my eye. And below are two bracelets that might pair well from the same designer.

This baby belle necklace from JooJooland.

And this hairclip to tie it all together by chicallure.

So even if you don’t love these combinations for your look definitely check out the above sites for nice jewelry and accessories.  I have found those stores to be reputable, with good quality jewelry and good customer service and ability to customize orders.

It is the abundance of small touches that we notice in any experience.  And really that is what good hostessing is all about.  Small touches that make someone’s experience just slightly better.  Many are really easy.  For example homemade salad dressing.  It tastes much better than what you can buy in the store and is extremely simple.

Here is the basic recipe for balsamic dressing:

3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar

2 Tbsp. lemon juice

1 Tbsp. dijon mustard

2 garlic cloves minced

1/2 cup olive oil

You mix the first four ingredients together then slowly wisk in the olive oil, taste and modify.  The great thing is that this is just the base.  You can add in orange zest, ginger, salt and pepper, basil, thyme, oregano, honey or whatever fits your fancy.  I normally mix the base recipe.  Taste, then season with salt and pepper as necessary then add 1/2 tsp. of any desired ingredient.  I really like adding in fresh herbs just to make it smell and taste extremely fresh.  Just be careful if you use honey to balance it out with a citrus acid component in the dressing or in the salad itself (like mandarin oranges).

I really love blue cheese and this dressing is my favorite because it uses yogurt in place of sour cream and has more tang:

1/2 cup plain whole-milk yogurt

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon granulated sugar

1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese

Dash Worcestershire sauce (optional)

In a small mixing bowl, stir together the yogurt and mayonnaise until smooth. Mix in the vinegar, salt, and sugar, and season well with freshly ground black pepper.  Stir in the blue cheese and Worcestershire sauce (if using), and refrigerate until ready to serve.  I am kind of a Worcestershire sauce addict, so I always use it.

You can find all sorts of great recipes for salad dressings.  The best thing to mix them in a mason jar or something you can put a lid on for future use.  Guests are amazed at how good they taste and it really doesn’t take a lot of time or effort.  I recently had a dinner party with gourmet pizza from a place nearby and a spinach salad with homemade balsamic dressing and oranges and almonds, it was wonderful.  My friends were extremely happy, and it took me minutes to prepare.   And for me if a salad has good dressing and unique ingredients, I don’t find myself at all disappointed in eating “just a salad.”

I have been chowing at so many places recently and I just don’t have the time to devote a post to each place so I am going to give some collective notes from the field.

Lyon Hall- the newly opened restaurant in Clarendon features a wonderfully diverse menu of all things seasonal and meatastic.  They have a nice and rather long beer list (with appropriate glasses for the beers).  The charcuterie selections of duck proscuitto and rabbit rillettes were a hit (although they needed some sort of serving mechanism- we used the leftover bread basket).  The pickled vegetables served with the charcuterie were particularly delicious.  The leek salad and pea and proscuitto snitzel both showed that Lyon Hall is quickly going to produce some extremely tasty and creative dishes for the neighborhood.

Cafe Normandie- Although this restaurant has graced the Main street of Annapolis for years, I had my first brunch there recently.  The omlettes reminded me that the French have a knack for making a fluffy and appropriately crisp omlette in a way that many other persons just haven’t figured out yet.

Cafe Atlantico- The cocktails at Cafe Atlantico tell you how your meal is going to be: full of surprise with a focus on creative, vibrant food.  The passionfruit martini was dangerously close to eating the juicy, gooey goodness right out of the fruit shell.  The guacamole, conch fritters and duck confit with fresh favas are noteables on the menu.

Earl’s Sandwiches- While this place has few tables, it has many fans.  Their freshly roasted meats and good bread make for excellent, comforting sandwiches.  My favorite are the Louis and the Cuban.

Liberty Tavern- on my most recent visit the candy bar dessert wowed me.  You wouldn’t think of Liberty tavern as a dessert destination, but their often changing dessert menu keeps me ordering more.  The pasta with fresh seafood wasn’t bad either.

H St. Country Club- this restaurant surprised me.  I didn’t expect it to be as good as it was.  Not as good as it could be with a little more care and finess, but it has potential that you wouldn’t expect.  Although I don’t know if they will harness the potential as it is clearly all about partying and drinking.  The tacos were good, duck entree also good.  But avoid the sangria on all accounts, and the mojito for that matter, both were terrible.  Stick with beer or something simple.  The games downstairs were fun.  They need a better seating system though.

The bar at Eventide- I find time and time again that this is a great place to relax.  Probably the best reason for this is that the managers are very hands on and involved.  The pretzels with homemade stout mustard and chopped Virginia ham are addictive.  The bison sliders are like a wonderful gourmet sloppy joe.  And the cocktail program is phenomenal.  The seasonal and well balanced cocktails here really are the biggest draw for me, the good food though is why I come back time and time again.  Save room for the brown butter cake.  Their desserts are elegant, but with excellent flavor profiles.

Sidamo- the best iced chai that I have had ever, period.  The food coming out here smelled delightful, and the ginger molasses cookies looked heavenly.

Taylor Gourmet- I had the South Street with arugula.  The bread was great, crunchy, but not too much bread.  The grilled chicken wasn’t overcooked with nice grill taste.  The ingredients were all fresh and none overwhelmed the other.  The fried risotto balls stuffed with mozarella were crunchy on the outside while just oozy enough on the inside to be delicious.  When not ordering for delivery will have to try the roast pork.

Kline’s Frozen Custard- I always mean to stop here on my way from court in Prince William County and I finally did.  This place is the ice cream stand of your youth, in my hometown it would be a-kin to the Custard Stand.  I got a mixer with vanilla custard and heath bar.  The custard here has a really rich full flavor while still really refreshing.  It may be the best custard around.

Blacksalt for Mother’s Day Brunch- I truly love Blacksalt and kudos for having a normal a la carte menu and not ripping off the general public because it is a holiday.  Highlights were the fresh herbs in the gratis fruit, the crisp hot beignets loaded with powdered sugar and the Louisiana poached eggs with perfectly cooked crawfish, and a poached egg that would make you slap your Momma if it were not in fact Mother’s Day.  The little market outside also provided some wonderful lemon lavender sugar cookies in nice packaging for Momma.  (They had a whole stall of only lavender goods and I only had $6, so sad)

Coastal Flats- The lobster roll here is really hard to beat in this area, especially when served with nicely grilled corn.

Tacklebox- as a general note- do not get the lobster roll here, it is a disappointment.  However, the wood grilled bluefish is amazing, especially with a side of grilled asparagus or broccoli, and that makes for a really healthy meal.  The mac and cheese here is a little strange, way too saucey, like gourmet kraft gone wrong, as if it doesn’t sound wrong with that description anyway.  Also the fried clams here are pretty darn good.

I am sure that there are more, but that is all I can think of.

Coming up- homemade dressing recipes.  For Tamaki, with love.

They other day while running errands with the Pup and Hubby, stomachs began to growl.  It was a beautiful day so we decided to head to Heidelberg Pastry Shoppe.  When the weather is decent, and sometimes even when it is not, they are out grilling wursts.

I got a beautiful knauckwurst- a little spice, but a lot like a big flavorful hotdog, on a homemade bun.   What I love is if you are unfamiliar with the taste of their wursts they will give you samples to help you decide.

We split some sides of homemade German potato salad (a mix of skin on potatoes, caramelized onions, vinegar and spices served warm), pretzel and apple strudel.  This was a huge meal even when you split the sides.  But everything is prepared with care and baked fresh.

They have picnic tables over on the grass some with umbrellas, so you can sit outdoors enjoy company with fellow diners and enjoy the splendor of nice weather in Virginia.  Max got to run around in the grass and sniff for sausage, of which he found none, a big disappointment I am sure.  We got some time in the sun and very good food.

The shop itself has pastries, breads and deli.  Whenever someone asks where to find some sort of baked good, I always end up seeing it at Heidelberg.  Their Black Forest Bread is exceptional for sandwich making.  And while their pastries are not as artistic as Patisseries by Randolph, I have found that they have a great variety of the German favorites my Amish Nanny used to make me.

And to top it off, with my hands full with drinks and Max, they carried my lunch to the table for me.

Readers,

I have a new love.  He weighs 7.7 pounds and is a fluffball.  His name is Max.

He is a rescue Bichon, and just the sweetest little pup ever.  Getting him I realized the creators of The Knot, The Nest and The Bump forgot a step- The Bark.  Many of my friends have dogged-up already, which is great for getting advice and now I thought I would share some of mine with you.

This edition is Annapolis:

Annapolis is about as close to dog heaven as there can be here on earth.  All the shops downtown have water bowls and treats, the stores let you bring your little ones in with you and the restaurants have outdoor seating.  And the best part is while all this is going on there is a frenzy of meet and greet with other dogs of all breeds and sizes.

The Loews in Annapolis is not only a very pet-friendly hotel, but they are having “Canines & Cocktails for a cause” happy hours from 5:30 – 7:30 on April 16, May 21, June 18, July 23, August 20 and September 24.  Each happy hour goes to benefit a different dog organization such as: SPCA of Anne Arundel, National Canine Cancer foundation and Partnership for Animal Welfare.

Next up is Paws- the absolute best dog boutique store I have been to so far in my dog owning time.  They have dog art, dog treats- even frozen dog treats, the best selection of leashes I have ever seen, dog apparel (but not silly apparel), dog night-lights, they have bells for potty training your dog and so much more.  Plus all the employees are knowledgeable about the products, and have dogs, and most of the products are locally made too! (Supporting locally owned independent business is a big thing for me, especially when they give back in good ways.)

Some of the goods at Paws:

This lady bug collar could be in my Easter Basket:

Or a Fleur de Lis bowl for my little Spanish/French dog:

Or if you want a fancier look around your house, get this marbelized dog bowl:

And Max says this Bichon hat is perfect, it has a pocket for treats!

So while in Annapolis, just stroll around Main St, State Circle and Maryland Avenue and peruse the stores with your pup.  And catch a bite somewhere outside.  Or grab a sandwich at the Big Cheese and head to the city dock to meet up with lots of other dogs.  Or if you can’t make it to Annapolis, Paws has a fantastic online website for ordering.

So I thawed another large chunk of ham and sliced it down for sandwiches.  A couple where so tasty I thought I would share:

Ham and Brie on Pretzel Roll- to be fair this sandwich is totally stolen from Draper’s Cafe at the Greenbrier, although they do it better than me, although I try.

Buy some fresh pretzel rolls from Heidelberg Bakery, Whole Foods or Wegmans.  Note they don’t last very long so don’t get too many extra.

Slice roll in half.   Spread a nice spicy brown or stout mustard on the bottom roll.  Add a generous amount of ham- the stack should be at least 1 3/4″ thick, add a couple slices of plain brie.  Put in a grill pan or under the broiler for about 3-5 minutes until bread is just a little crispy and the cheese melts.

Apple Cheddar Ham Panini

Use a nice grainy bread.  I like a sliced loaf of multigrain myself.  On one slice of bread put a little mayo, on the other side (I opt for mayo on the bottom slice) put a generous amount of apple butter.  Slice some ham, I like mine as thin as I can cut it.  Put in on the bottom.  Top with some white cheddar (I like a medium sharpness).  And then slice some apples thinly and straight and top.

Put a little olive oil on the bottom of a grill pan or griddle once the pan is about medium heat, place the sandwich baste a little oil on the top side of the bread.  I like to use a meat press for my panini’s and grill them for about 3 minutes on each side.

I should have taken pictures they were pretty.  Unfortunately they were so tasty the thought didn’t cross my mind.

Griddle idea- here.  The Le Crueset Griddle is a little pricier than the Crate and Barrel one I featured in registry ideas on a previous Wedding Wednesday earlier, but it also heats very evenly and cleans easy.  I like mine, but I think over time this one would wear and cook better. $165.  I like the large surface of these griddles and that they can easily slide in with your baking sheets and don’t take up much room.  Grill grooves on one side, smooth on the other for a griddle.

Meat Press- here.  I know this says it is for bacon, and it is, but it can be used for so much more.  I like it because the size makes it easy to fit in most pans and it is only $12!

My last trip to Miami was very bitter sweet.  I left my Dad’s bedside to see him for the last time to go, but I knew in my heart he would want me to go, really he would want to be there.  My Father was a sunaholic.  He loved to go lay on the beach, get frozen drinks and turn at just the right time to have the perfect tan.  He enjoyed Anguilla, St. Barts, and the French Riviera way more than any city.  He never went to Miami, but he would embrace Miami, the good food, pretty women and lots of sun.

We went despite everything because our best friend was getting engaged.  And I think it was important for me during that time to embrace the good that was happening, as well as, the bad.  Just feeling the warm sunshine I was reminded how much Dad loved to feel that warmth.

The Skinny on Hotels.  Now I have stayed at many places in Miami and visited others.  And some notes on hotels.  First off, stay in South Beach.  Everything you really want to be around is either in or near South Beach.  After being at the Biltmore or Ritz Key Biscayne, it is just a lot nicer to be at South Beach.  Second, don’t stay at a huge hotel, pick a medium sized one.  My favorite is the Ritz in South Beach.  I prefer it because of its great location right at Lincoln Road, the 24hr pool and decent spa, and the spacious bathrooms with wonderful Ritz beds.

I also really like The Palms, which is a little more North, but also quieter and has a nice beach area, which isn’t quite so busy, with nice, comfortable rooms.  I also really enjoy the hammocks by the pool for a lazy afternoon napping in the sun.

This past trip I stayed at the National.  When their Pool Suites are renovated it will be really nice.  During the renovation it was so noisy relaxing by their beautiful pool was a no-can-do.  The rooms were moderately sized, bathrooms were smaller, like a boutique hotel.  My only quibble with the bathroom was not the size, but the half glass shower door which got water everywhere and was a bit more chilly than a normal shower.  (Very European like)  It is also really lacking in amenities and their toiletries were dreadful.  But if you wait till the renovation is done it isn’t a bad hotel at all, especially if you can get a good deal and don’t mind going out of the hotel for your amenities and bringing your own shampoo (with the Delano and Ritz next door spas are just a step away).

After Sleeping, Eating is Best.  When you want an excellent meal, head to Hakkasan at the Fontainebleau. The monstrosity and madness, and almost half mile walk through the resort, is worth it for this restaurant.  The extremely long bar has almost any spirit you could think of with a huge drink list.

For dinner we had the dim sum platter, tea smoked ribs, duck spring rolls, soft shell crab with curry and grilled shanghai dumplings. The dim sum platter, tea smoked ribs and soft shells were the best, but all the appetizers left us very satisfied and hungry for more.  Dumplings weren’t too thick and everything had excellent flavor. For entrees we had five spice wagyu in hot pot which was really really good, if you like beef this is a must order.  The stir fry xo prawn with pineapple was good, but not a must have spicy and sweet, but just not as good as other entrees, such as the roasted satay chicken with very crispy skin and juicy chicken, shredded ribeye beef that was spicy and chewy got a B+ in my mind, the doung bo pork was excellent and the snow pea shoots were excellent with both garlic and ginger sauce. End of the meal with a white chocolate mousse with passionfruit sorbet to leave yourself on a sweet and tangy, the mousse had great texture and richness, but the passionfruit really cut the sweetness.  This is one of our all time favorite restaurants in Miami.

Next on the list is the Blue Door in the Delano.  This place holds a special place in my heart as it is where I got engaged.  The menu is always creative and excellently prepared, with great ambiance.  I like indoor seating for a intimate, romantic dinner, and outdoor for a more fun, laid back vibe.  At night the whole place seems to be a glow with a just right amount of ambiant light.  The Homard Paillette and Mango Porco are some of my favorites on the menu.

Being from a city with a real lack of deli- Hubby and I always stop by Jerry’s for a lean pastrami.  It is tender, juicy with great taste.  I like the melt myself.

I also really like Sushi Samba, Tantra and for Cuban in South Beach Puerta Sagua.  And if you do stay at the Biltmore, the one big perk is they have great restaurants.

To do once the Sunburn sets in.  I love visiting Vizcaya.  It is a beautiful house, with really nice gardens and a fun history.  I also really like to shop at Merrick Place in Coral Gables.  An outdoor mall, with covered walkways, housing all designer stores such as Diane Von Furstenburg and Caroline Herrara.  If you want a daytrip, head down for some great diving in the keys, or head to Key West.  You can also charter a boat to take you around to check out the outrageous celebrity homes.  Did you know J. Lo has a huge, ugly bunny statue in front of her gigantic pink house?  Lastly you could take a drive down to the Fairchild Botanical Gardens, they are a bit of a drive, but have some really unique plants.  And of course, Little Havana, is definitely worth checking out.  Or stay local and wander Lincoln and Collins Avenue.

(Vizcaya)

Wouldn’t it be nice to live like this?  Way to go James Deering.  You’re an industrialist with vision.

Dear Readers,

Thank you for your patience.  I am officially starting my blog back as of today.  Many of you may know that my Father, Henry Moomau, passed away.  It has been a very hard past couple of months dealing with everything.  But it is time to begin again.

My Father was about 50% of the reason why I am a foodie.  My Father loved to dine out, there was a twinkle in his eye when he thought about going to get something to eat.  And he loved to share the experience.  He would share tasting menus with me, part of his filet mignon, any bite that I might want of something he was eating, he gave me.  He always had dessert.  And he always enjoyed food be it a humble sausage biscuit at the Irvington Farmer’s Market or a meal at NOLA in NOLA.

My Father also taught me to go big or go home: if you want something you have to go for it, all the way.  Work hard, play hard, love hard.  If you are going to throw a dinner party- throw a great dinner party. If you want eat out, eat out well.  If you want to succeed- do it.

He had impeccable manners and expected the utmost in civility from his children.  He had Southern charm to pair with those manners, that helped him garner the respect of many.  I am so grateful that I learned that civility from a young age, it has carried me through life well.  I know that every action towards every person counts.

My Father taught me a lot.  And there isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t think of him.  He wasn’t a perfect man, but he was a good man.  And he loved life dearly, so readers- Love life dearly!

To my Blog Readers,

Very sorry that you haven’t gotten any new posts and you probably won’t for the near future.  My Dad has had some very serious health problems and is in critical care.  For that reason I will be rather distracted.

Thank you for your loyal support during this time.

Katelin

I have been itching to go to New Heights now for months.  In the whispers of foodie land I heard great things about Logan Cox, the chef and the creativity he has brought.  And I wanted to go before everyone realizes he is a genius and you have to make reservations a month in advance.  Can I just say with strong affirmation: now is that time.

I went during Restaurant Week- of all weeks to try out a new fabled legend, Restaurant Week is not it.  Still it was the only interesting place on the list with a reservation.  But man, if ever did a restaurant pull off Restaurant Week while still keeping it high end and creative, New Heights did.

New Heights is in an akward area of Woodley Park, but thankfully they have valet parking.  Downstairs is a small, but glamorous gin bar.  While everyone is touting dark woods and prohibition era cocktails, this bar keeps it really prohibition style with a huge gin list and house made tonics.  No nonsense just good gin.  It is glamorous in that it doesn’t try to hard, but feels particularly delightful to sit at.  It isn’t Gibson or Zaytinya glamorous, it is glamorous for people who don’t need other people to make them perfectly happy.  I particularly recommend the Krahn.

Then you go upstairs to a cozy, warm dining room.  The owner Kavita, is particularly friendly and you can tell she puts a lot of care into the oversight of her restaurant.  The server chilled our wine while we sipped various gins, and the bread basket with warm, moist cornbread gave promise to the rest of our meal.

The appetizer of chicken liver pate was smooth on perfectly crisp toast and eaten with the pickled vegetables had a really nice balance.  The artic char entree was creamy in texture on the tongue; however, the skin was crisp and had just the right amount of salt to balance out the sunchoke puree and broccoli rabe.  However, the real winner was the roasted pork loin that was cooked perfectly with perfect texture- a little crisp on the outside but juicy and incredibly tender on the inside- the smoked apple butter served with it made the bites a refined, homey taste that you could have eaten four plates of, paired with brussel sprouts and buckwheat polenta the dish had a great winter warmness to it.

Desserts were a nice finish to the very composed meal.  Ginger creme brulee had a wonderful taste of real, fresh ginger not something you get in many “ginger” dishes.  The toasted almond biscotti served with it was some of the best biscotti I have had.  I would love that recipe (hmm, this might have a follow up post).  The sugar and masala doughnuts were light cake doughnuts with good spice, but the chocolate dulce de leche sauce served over them was incredibly decadent, and you will want to finish any part not swabbed by your doughnut with a spoon.

The service was professional, not fussy, not too absent, he hit that fine line where he read you just right.  Wine glasses looking a little low, filled, but not after every sip.  Recommendations given when asked and very thoughtful to personal likes.  Courses explained as they arrived, and yet it was never intrusive.

And this was only Restaurant Week… I look forward to seeing what this place can do every other night of the week.  Next time I am bringing my gin loving girls with me.