Hamptons Shingle Style Homes

These homes have such a light warmth and upbeat cheeriness to them. To own a home in the Hamptons is pretty much a given amongst the rich and elite. The shingle style homes take on a rustic weather-beaten appearance in attempt to suggest a comfortable and informal look. However, these homes are anything but humble and not meant for just regular working joe folk like you and me. Wealthy folks get to enjoy varying looks such as turrets, gambrel roofs, Palladian and transom windows, shingles on siding and roof, porches, cross gables, irregular roof lines and the list goes on. Let's have a look at some of these styles and inevitably let out a few oohs and ahhs in the process.

These shots show you some of the fabulous wood work moldings around the windows and framing. These details are pivotal for achieving the shingle style look.

I'm a big supporter of both the grey and brown shingled homes with white trim. This picture shows a great example of a porch at its best.

This style roof is what is known as a gambrel roof. I love the adorable curves and country feel.

Seen here is a great example of the irregular roof line commonly found on these homes.

These two homes are shining examples of the cross gables features.

Another great shot of the gambrel roof line and porch.

This style of home displays the irregular roof lines, a turret, eaves on several levels, Palladian windows, transom windows and the porch. This one is the whole she-bang!

I think most house lovers recognize this masterpiece right away. This was Diane Keaton's home in the film Something's Gotta Give. Julia over at Hooked On Houses or Cote De Texas both do great jobs touring this house.

This gorgeous home was used in the film Grey Gardens. The flowers and shutters make my heart pitter-patter.

This eye catcher is the East Hamptons home to comedian Jerry Seinfeld after purchasing it from singer Billy Joel. The 12 acre waterfront property features a 22 car garage and baseball diamond. How much you ask? Jerry threw down a cool $32 million to live it up in style with his wife Jessica and kids in these larger than life digs.

Now let's mosey on inside and check out the interiors of these fabulous homes:
This summery living room is making me crave a glass of lemonade or a slice of pineapple. This room has breath taking beams, light colour palette, wood floors and transom windows.

Just take it in!

I think this kitchen would fit perfectly into a Hamptons style home.

Ahh the window seat, does anything top it?

A very important step when going for the Hamptons look is the use of wood -not iron- on the railings and great informal fixtures like this lantern style pendant.

More great use of the lantern pendants.

Transom windows on three walls and french doors really lighten up the space.

This is the dining room from the film Something's Gotta Give.

Erica's amazing bedroom in the film.

This room doesn't need an introduction.

This kitchen was inspired by the SGG movie and I think it nailed it.



Breezy and beautiful!

Sex And The City 2 -Aiden Is Back!

Holy cow am I excited for the ladies return! There was a lot of speculation on whether or not Aiden would be in the second SATC film-he even denied it!-but here is the proof. Aiden is back and by the looks of it, stirring up trouble and old feelings in Carrie. Fabulous fashions, tons of guest stars, hilarious one-liners, a beautiful setting in Abu Dhabi and Charlotte's gorgeous kitchen all have me needing a cup to catch my steady stream of drool. I can't wait to hit this movie up with my bestie From The Seeds.

Strawberry Mascarpone Tart In The Kitchen

There was a big rainstorm on Saturday night and after going for a long invigorating walk through it, I got home around 11:30pm, toweled off and decided it was as good a time as any to bake something rich and delicious. This was the result of that night and it was a big hit at Easter dinner with the family the next day. (Excuse dark pictures because well, it was dark, it was almost midnight!)

My food processor has been broken for what feels like ages now and boy, do I miss the ease of making crust crumbs with that life saver. This was the result of about 45 minutes of crushing ginger snaps with the bottom of a drinking glass. Please come back to me processor, I'll never do wrong by you again!

My lovely assistant was in charge of pouring the delicious butter. Let's all take a moment to ooh and ahh at his fine craftsmanship shall we?

The ingredients are pretty straight forward and easy to find-FYI there's sugar hiding in that canister. Basically, if it's creamy and/or white it goes in the tart. That came across as filthy...... mind outta the gutter and let's move on!

You can imagine that at this stage, I was ready to scrap the whole silly tart thing and just beach myself on the couch with this creamy filling and strawberries. Being the trooper I am, I resisted temptation to go Godzilla on it and carried on..... the beaters however, were not so lucky.

I like a thick meaty crust so I typically crush more crumbs than recipes call for.

One of the best parts about this is that once the crust is baked it doesn't have to go back in the oven.

I don't think that homemade food needs to look "restaurant beautiful." Desserts like this are more charming with small imperfections like mismatched strawberries strewn about. It's a sweet reminder that it's made with love and/or by someone you love.

It was very trying, fending off midnight sweets cravings and not sneak a piece before Easter dinner. Imperfections are cute but half eaten leftovers served to family on holidays is not so cute.

I recommend making it easy on yourself by putting on your loosest fitting sweats and letting go of your traditional thoughts about healthy eating before succumbing to this heaven in a pan.

Ingredients:

Crust:
3 1/2 cups Crust Crumbs (I used gingersnaps which gave it a spicy kick but you can use graham or chocolate crumbs too.)
7 Tbsp Melted Unsalted Butter

Filling:
1 container (275 grams) Mascarpone Cheese
1/3 cup Sour Cream
3/4 cup Cream Cheese
1/3 cup Sugar
1/4 tsp Vanilla

Topping:
Sliced Fruit (I used 10 strawberries I had on hand but any fruit like raspberries, peaches etc would taste delicious.)
3 Tbsp Warmed Fruit Jam-of your preference; I used peach mango.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Add butter to your choice of crumbs and blend until crumbs are evenly moistened. Press crumb mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a 12-inch-diameter tart pan, preferably with a removable bottom. Bake for 8-10 minutes until the crust has darkened in colour. Set aside and cool crust completely before coming back to it.

Beat all your filling ingredients until completely smooth. Spread your filling in the cooled, prepared crust. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for at least 2 hours.

After it has thoroughly cooled, lay your choice of fruit over the filling as you wish. Brush the fruit with your warmed jam or you can drizzle it over the tart with a spoon. Serve immediately or refrigerate up to 6 hours.

The Apron-Front Sink

These beauties are often referred to as a "farmhouse sink" and are typically found in period style kitchens with traditional country decor. They add a great sense of depth and down-home charm while being a throwback to the rustic utilitarian style of kitchens. The apron-front sink has recently made a huge come back and can be found reproduced in many different materials. Most commonly is the cast iron coated sink in an enamel finish which gives it the warm white appearance-my personal favorite. You can also find the sinks in stainless steel, vitreous china, granite and marble which tend to be much higher in price but can really make all the difference in the style you are trying to achieve.

Take a peak at these farmhouse sinks below and let me know your thoughts. Do you think they're worth the higher price tag or should this style have just stayed gone?

The vintage fridge and distressed woodwork with of course the great sink, add to the charm of this farmhouse kitchen and simply melts my heart with it's cuteness.

A stainless steel version of the apron-front sink.

This kitchen has such a romantic spa feeling to it with the elegant faucets and woodwork posts framing the sink. At first I was sure I was looking at a bathroom but it is a kitchen despite the double sinks. I think this picture proves that a farmhouse sink looks twice as good doubled and can even be beautiful in the bathroom if you so choose to.

I'm a huge fan of the wood counter tops on white cabinets because it's durable without giving up any style. Add a farmhouse sink to that mix and you cannot possibly go wrong.

Rustic decor at it's finest.

It's like a bath tub on your counter! I'd love to spend an afternoon washing apples or bathing a puppy in that sink.

Painting cupboards can be a very tricky thing but this kitchen nailed it. I love the blue on white sink with open shelving and bamboo blind. It's so adorable, I just can't stand it.

Huveos Rancheros In The Kitchen

Don't you just love a food that's fun to eat and say? I can't say "Huveos Rancheros" without rolling my R's. Being a vegetarian can make it tough when it comes to making everyday dinners so when I come across a gem like this I get "high five" happy! This colourful meal provides you with all your food groups without lacking in the flavor department (and it's vegetarian to boot!). I walk you through the process of making this with pictures and at the end you will find the whole recipe.

I am a big veggie lover so a recipe that requires vibrant produce like this is aces.

*Tip* When mincing onions I wear my fella's sunglasses; it blocks the onion from stinging your eyes with that searing tear inducing pain not to mention the added bonus feeling like a tough chick while you chop. Be careful not to cut too erratically though because it does get significantly darker under those things!

I think citrus zest makes everything taste better, it's so fresh and invigorating. Plus, it makes my hands feel and smell really clean.

This is how the salsa will look after all the chopping and zesting is done. I suggest taking a deep whiff of this fragrant bowl.

This dish has a special surprise ingredient: gin and lots of it! .....just kidding, the gin was gulped down long ago and the gorgeous Van Gogh bottle has since been re-used for olive oil by buying a pouring spout at the dollar store. It looks much prettier on the counter than a generic store brand bottle.

And it pours like it was born for the job.

My frying pan happens to fit the size of the tortilla shell perfectly which makes it especially easy for this sometimes messy recipe.

Everything is better with cheese.

*Another Tip* When cracking the egg onto the tortilla shells it makes it much neater if you hold the yolk in place with a shell half until it sets enough that it wont fall to the sides making a mess. If it doesn't work for you, it really doesn't make a difference for the end result. I just like it to be pretty.

Aren't eggs so happy looking? I always smile at a fresh cracked egg.

Browned to perfection. (When you flip yours for the first time, expect a bit of a mess and maybe even a cracked and leaking yolk. The more you do it, the easier it gets.)

I like my yolk just seared on top and runny inside, leave it flipped for longer if you don't like it gooey.

Topped with salsa and a sour cream dollop is your cue to start salivating.

Poke that yolk and dig in to the ooze. If you are looking for more food on your plate, this dish goes great with some fresh greens or black beans on the side.

Serves Four

Ingredients:

For Shells:
Four Soft Tortilla Shells (the heartier and grainier the better in my opinion!)
Four eggs
1 cup Grated Cheddar Cheese
4 tbsp Olive Oil

For Salsa:
2-3 Roma Tomatoes (I used a handful of grape tomatoes purely because that's what I had on hand)
Half a Red Onion
1-2 Jalapeno Peppers (depending on spicy preference)
Half a Lime Zest and Juice
Optional: 2 Tbsp fresh cilantro if you like the taste

Directions:

Mince tomatoes, onion and peppers then mix in a bowl with lime zest and juice(add cilantro if you're using it too). Set aside for later.

In a skillet on low heat, pour 1 tablespoon of oil in pan and add a tortilla shell. It's important to keep the heat relatively low or the tortilla tends to burn quickly. Sprinkle 1/4 of the cheddar on the shells and let it start to melt. Crack an egg onto the tortilla (it's ok to be messy!) and let the egg cook to your preference-about 2-3 minutes. Flip the entire shell and sear the top of the egg-about 15-30 seconds. Repeat for all four tortilla shells.

Remove from heat and add a spoonful of salsa and a dollop of sour cream to your tortilla masterpiece. Dig in!

Those Shoes Are Definitely Bi-Curious

Safety first people! I choked from laughing so hard while watching this so make sure you properly prepare yourself. Best part is "You Do Not Cross A Sugabaker Woman!" Enjoy these ten minutes of hilarity.

Define "Normal"

Around my house, I may like to think I wear the pants but I'm just in deep denial. Being that me and my fella are the only people in our home, the powers of deduction would lead you to believe that he must then be the one wearing the proverbial "pants" but... you would be wrong. The one that rules the roost in my house stands at around one foot tall and is actually hairy than my fella (who was lovingly referred to as Chewbacca back in his high school days-you'll see why below.) This little dictators name is Safari and she runs the show. For the record, the following is based on a true furry story.

So please tell me, what is normal?

Is it leaving your bookcases hideously empty because she loves to put herself on a figurative and very much literal pedestal in order to look down on her peasant servers (aka yours truly)?

 
Or is it accepting that your clothes will never really be fresh when you put them on because she prefers to sleep in pre-folded warm out of the dryer clothes?

Or could it be surrendering from the epic battle of counter territory because she knows, as well as you, that your shouting has no follow through?

Is it looking the other way when the most discernible palette to reap the benefits of growing herbs also eats bugs on a regular basis?

Maybe it's creating one large bed from every set of bedsheets we own even if it means sleeping in the linen closet because let's face it, she's worth it.

Perhaps normal means submitting power over your pillows and sleeping with your legs hanging off the bottom of the bed in spite of being over 6 feet tall? After all, she was there first.

And don't think that just because you had a hard time actually getting the fresh laundry folded to begin with that any slack would be cut for you to put them away later. Because it's normal to wait out your cat for some drawer space.... right?

Any chance that "normal" means waiting for her to get bored blocking my breakfast cereal in an attempt to bully me into feeding her first? To her credit she did figure out how to open the cupboard and stand on protest against these inhumane living conditions. That kind of makes her a trail blazer.... right? RIGHT?!

Even though we're merely her back-scratchers, poop-scoopers and food bowl fillers, every now and then we organize and revolt against her tightly woven reign of diva-hood. Those times make for moments like this (also check out the obvious reason for the beastly nickname):

*For the record, this was on her as long as it took to snap a quick shot so please don't write me letters about this obvious display of animal abuse; I'm already well aware of it.*

Normal or not this little prima donna is my baby and she gives me sweet moments to smile at every day no matter how bad it has otherwise been. This last pic I lovingly refer to as "Rodent Loves," is a prime example of her gooey sweetness in action. (FYI The rat is fake and used as a Halloween decoration)

Do you have animals that rule your house or even just you? Tell me about your babies!