Family + Design + Life
So happy Bread Bandits are here in Sarasota! There’s nothing better than the perfect croissant, sourdough baguet, or delicious quiche! Hadley and Maisie give the chocolate chip cookies 2 thumbs up!
So if you’re in town or on one of the keys make it a point to stop!
We returned from Summer Vacation with a little souvenir! Let us call it a BIG surprise…shocking! Four Palms is getting a 5th palm, baby boy is arriving in Spring 2024. I’m not going to lie when I say Tom and I were happy and content with our two girls and had no plans of adding to our family, but the Universe had other plans. After 2 months of horrible morning sickness and anxiety, I have faith that everything will be OK.
With the new addition comes new challenges with our current space. Moving is non-negotiable as we love our neighborhood. Adding space is the only logical way forward. Tom works from home so a dedicated office is a must, along with a 4th bedroom. we’re in the very beginning phases of this new design adventure and I can’t wait to bring you along with us!
Design Consulting is my absolute favorite! It can be as simple as taking a tired home to the next level via paint, flooring, and lighting all very simple projects one can tackle on your own or with a little help.
The new black and white marble floor is timeless and our paint selection is for a deep foresty green. I pushing for clients to paint walls and trim the same color! Let’s see if they go for it!
Progress!
With our life-changing news of baby #3, we decided to stay home this Christmas just the 4 of us and enjoy a quiet time together. The house was cozy, and we ate a lot! I baked for weeks leading up to the big day mostly cookies (and I’m by no means a baker) total sugar cravings! The kids have enjoyed my slight sugar addiction, especially frozen cocoa!
We visited some of our favorite spots like Palma Coffee, Florence & the Spice Boys, and Wild Child (St. Pete) over break. Along with trying some new places like Tzeva located in Art Ovation and PigFish at Calusa Brewing their Fish Sandwich only served on Wednesday was out of this world paired with a side of malt vinegar and sea salt potatoes! If you follow me on Instagram you know my love for food and lots of stories of it!
So all in all though Christmas Vacation in Florida looked very different than our loud, crazy days back in NJ we made the best of this year and Facetime helps!
We have an odd room in our home that could act as a dining room, however with all the outdoor space we now have for dining we thought a lounge/playroom was more desirable for us at this stage. First, we had to add multifunctional storage. No more bins or baskets! Second, a concealed wine refrigerator, which let’s be honest houses more cases of IPAs than wine. So I designed this piece and let Tom in on picking the wood finish. I wanted to go a tad lighter, but we settled and I’m glad because it’s a different finish than seen lately in most homes! A beautiful honed leather-finished marble counter that I purchased sight unseen out of Tampa, but knew right away it was exactly what I wanted!
The beauty of this piece is that if the next owners want to make it a formal dining room this piece acts as the perfect sideboard with so much storage!
Still working on finishing touches, but so far so good!
We travel to Savannah every year for its beautiful architecture, delicious food, lovely strolls, and history. Hadley and Maisie would also add their annual trip to The Paris Market for a new Maileg Mouse. There’s something about Savannah that draws me, it could be my love for architecture and design or the fascinating stories from the past.
When debating on where to stay I highly recommend The Perry Lane Hotel. The staff, design, location, and restaurant all fit the bill not to mention the complimentary lobby champagne!
Where to eat: For a casual quick yet filling lunch I recommend Zunzi’s. I guarantee you’ve never had a sandwich like what they’re whipping up. For brunch or dinner Husk is a nice option. Located in the Historic District with a beautiful porch for dining and an elevated interior it’s worth it. Husk offers a unique take on southern favorites and we’ve never had a bad meal. Lastly, how can you not visit The Olde Pink House? The history and ghost stories alone are worth the stop. I recommend a nightcap at Planters Tavern located underneath The Olde Pink House, it’s moody, romantic, and sophisticated.
Cheers and book that trip!
It’s called Vacationland for good reason! We go to unwind, take it easy, explore, read, paddle, swim, spend time with family, sea glass, and shell hunt. It’s simple, lacks frills and we wouldn’t have it any other way. The local island farmers market every Wednesday is our big day out, with fresh bread, cheeses, meat, and a few treats it sure does beat supermarket shopping! Our lobster is ordered fresh and picked up directly at the boat. My Uncle Mikey makes his famous island pizza every year. I’m not sure how he turns out 8 gourmet pies all with different topping all made from scratch, but he’s damn good at it! We sure do eat and drink well!
Tom and I are very fortunate to give our girls this life experience. It’s important for my girls to have the spirit and desire to explore, be one with nature! Get a scratch, and laugh with their cousins. Make memories!
Living our best life on island time!
Welcome to your new home at Four Palms! Tom and I have always dreamed of owning a vintage car so when the opportunity presented itself we went for it! Coco is a 1982 Mercedes-Benz 380 SL. We found her in NJ and had her shipped down, looking forward to getting her road ready. Side note, we name all our cars…Coco joins Pepper and Manchego.
Date night never looked so good!
Simple and easy is how I roll especially when it comes to last-minute entertaining. Bonus this recipe is packed with flavor!
What you’ll need: classic hummus, cherry tomatoes, garlic, dill, cilantro, parsley, a lemon, salt, olive oil, pepper, salt, garlic powder, and gluten-free crackers (any delicious cracker will work).
I used premade organic classic hummus as the base (large container if serving a crowd).
First, cut your cherry tomatoes in half and place them on a roasting sheet with peeled garlic. Toss with olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Roast until tomatoes look slightly deflated with a nice golden stickiness to them. Have your hummus in a shallow bowl or plate smoothed out to about an inch of thickness? Place your tomatoes and garlic over top (if garlic isn’t your thing you can of course omit it). Have your herbs all finely chopped and sprinkle all that goodness over top. Squeeze 1//2 lemon and a little bit more salt (I love and use Crucial Four). Boom!
We have a pool!
The process was long and frustrating at times, but we made it through! From signing the contract to completion took roughly 11 months. It’s a straightforward design. We opted for a rectangular shape with a sun shelf at one end and a bench with jets at the other. We had the pebble finish diamond cut for a smooth finish especially nice on the sunshelf…no bathing suit snags! The tile is beautiful blue glass and matches the pool color to perfection. I didn’t want to a tile color or pattern I would regret in time. As for the pavers, they’re shell-tumbled limestone and the best thing about these is they remain cool in the hot Florida heat, they’re amazing! Burning your feet on concrete pavers to get to your pool is no good! Cheers to the completion of our first major project at Four Palms!
Jump in the water’s fine!
