Family + Design + Life
How can you not love these doors? They draw you in and are so darn cool! Our home was built in 1978 and I’d like to think they are original to the home. I tell Tom all the time if we ever move the doors come with us or we have them custom made.
We raised the roof (literally) and added on! To be honest the process wasn’t so bad. The worst part was having no roof for a few weeks, just a tarp during the rainy season in Florida. What we gained … a beautiful outdoor space with lighting, fans and a custom cypress ceiling. The addition includes an office, and more closet space. While in the process we decided to redo the entire roof and not tie in. We kept with the mid century vibe with custom long/narrow windows and a stucco exterior finish.
Cheers to our 1st big renovation!
Owners of Focaccia Sandwich & Bakery in Sarasota, FL.
Tom and I love food! So when we heard Chef Nick was catering private dinner parties at his restaurant we jumped at the chance! Nick doesn’t mess around! He and Danielle us high-quality ingredients and both have genuine love for food. It was a pleasure to have them host us.
The dinner menu was curated to perfection, the ambiance was lovely with gentle candlelight. This food was like nothing Sarasota has to offer at this time. Course after course, we were all blown away! If you have a special occasion coming up or just want a unique night out with friends I highly recommend a night at Focaccia Sandwich & Bakery.
I’ve had sleepless nights over our backsplash. What tile, what goes with the countertop I don’t love, but not replacing? Then it hit me I wanted a concrete look. So we went with micro-cement.
We used www.epodex.com and the best part was we applied the cement directly to the current tile backsplash!
It took us 4 days to complete which may seem long but life got in the way and we certainly wanted it to dry properly between coats (2 coats for us).
It’s warm, has texture, and is not overwhelming for a space.
Is crap a bad word? Ugh, I hope not because your kids will be shouting for more “cut the crap” pops!
Today’s fudge pops are loaded with garbage and I refuse to buy them so let’s make ’em!
An iconic summertime treat with 6 ingredients.
What you’ll need measuring cups/spoons, a pot for simmering, a blender, and popsicle molds.
Ingredients: Whole milk, heavy cream, semi-sweet chocolate chips, unsweetened cocoa, sugar, vanilla
In a pot pour:
2 cups whole milk, 3/4 heavy cream, 1/4 sugar (could substitute with maple syrup), and 1 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder. Bring that to a simmer (do not overheat the milk).
In the meantime add 1/2 semi-sweet chocolate chips and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract to blender. Pour warm milk mixture over chocolate chips and blend for a few seconds. when it looks nicely blended pour into molds and freeze overnight.
Though the weather is still hot hot hot here in Sarasota, the need for some Fall decor is a must no matter the climate! My favorite may be the warm twinkling littles at night in both The Lounge and Living Room. The girls love the bats!
Yes, please to cheese! The Artisan Cheese Company in the Rosemary District.is a great little spot. I recommend pairing your board with a crisp Rose or Sauvignon Blanc. I’d say it’s the perfect little spot for a lunch date.
One of my favorite places in Sarasota is Selby Gardens. It’s pure magic! When we have visitors The Selby is always on the list of “must sees” and now that they have The Green Orchid by Micheal’s on East you can indulge in a beautiful lunch after a morning of strolling the gardens. One thing you must understand is thereis nothing mundane about these gardens. My husband and kids love a visit! Side note, if you live in Sarasota, Lights in Bloom at Christmas time is unreal (I’ll do a follow-up post on that magic). So take my word for it and make it a point to visit this very special place.
Now to nerd out a bit…The Green Orchid by Michael’s on East is the world’s first net-positive energy restaurant. In addition, the restaurant uses organic produce from the rooftop garden as ingredients in their drinks and dishes…dreamy!
A little treat to welcome our guests at Four Palms. For my sister’s visit, I went a little kitschy with some quintessential items from our local surf shop. Florida Orange Bubble Gum in the mini carton (takes us back to our childhood vacationing in Melbourne Beach, FL), a Siesta Key koozie for those cold beverages, hydrating water, and animal crackers as a homage to Sarasota’s rich circus history.
With Baby Bowden due any moment it was important for us to celebrate our Hadley turning 10 without going overboard. We kept it sweet and pretty. Flowers, finger foods, and fun! Sometimes ya just gotta keep it simple for your own sanity!
Trader Joe’s flowers all day every day!
