Friday 8 January 2016

Martha Stewart Living February 2016 edition


We are all just getting into 2016 and wanted to ease into it with a nice and easy post.


 
I haven't made any proper new year resolutions or none that are original enough to mention.
 
Just looking at Martha's monthly schedule makes me laugh.

Mine is more like this.
 
Monday - recover from weekend
 
Tuesday - Browse Netflix and try and get something done
 
Wednesday - finish TV show marathon on Netflix, eat, and try and get something done
 
Thursday - feel empty because your show marathon is over and look at the piles of things around the house of projects you have started and thinking about working out
 
Friday - think about working out and finishing projects around the house while wondering what to eat for dinner
 
 
 
Loi from one of my favourite blogs Tone on Tone
has been a busy bee too!
 
We all knew he was talented and his home in Maryland and his holiday house in Maine demonstrates his aesthetics and
design sensibility along with showcasing his beautiful Swedish antiques and other collections such as the white ironstone.


But his home is featured in this issue!!
 
If you are reading this Loi,
Congratulations and I am so happy for you!


For regular readers, you will know how happy I was to see a neatly folded and placed throw!

 
I loved seeing his home in a proper publication and appreciated looking at his home from this professionally edited vantage point.

 
I do love his kitchen in its simplicity and functionality.
It is one of those kitchens you can't imagine anyone won't like.
 

I can't imagine those who are not as of yet following Loi
but if you haven't you really must visit his blog where he shares pictures of his home but also his garden.
( Click on links to see his garden )
He also has a green thumb!


I hope that Martha decides to feature his garden as well in another issue in the feature.

 
Do you like pretzels?
The taste is not that noticeable for me apart from those obnoxious salt crystals or the MSG ramen powder cheesey thing they sometimes dunk the pretzels in.


But I like the shape.
It's the shape that people must be attached to otherwise they should have gone extinct centuries ago.

 
I only included this segment because of the different ways to make the various shapes.
 
 
Do you have your pencils in a candle jar at home like I do?
 
But do you want an alternative mature option of carrying around pencils in your bag instead of in
a Hello Kitty cotton candy pink zip pencil case?
There aren't many adult version of pencil cases around.
This looks simple and easy enough to make.



After all the parties and entertaining, I think people are now doing more drinks but I love this little snack or tapas to serve with cocktails.
 
Another preferred version of this type of hors d'oeuvre is one that Ottolenghi does in his catering menu which is dried apricots stuffed with blue cheese mix and walnuts.
So easy and tasty.

 
I just included the citrus picture because it's a beautiful image.


Instagram is okay and all but even the most ardent amateur IGer won't buy and cut up all that citrus fruit for a simple shot.
 
We still buy magazines for that thank you very much.


I am surprised Martha included these chocolate cakes as it is the false diet hope month of January even though it is the February edition.

 
I suppose this is for those Valentine's day treats.


I do think espresso shots should be provided with cupcakes instead of lemonade because I get such a sugar coma that espresso is one of the few things to even out the sugar.


Leave it to Martha to remind us to sharpen our knives
after all that chopping and backstabbing.



 
I hope you have a fabulous weekend wherever you are! xx
 
All images via my iPad edition of Living

31 comments:

  1. Loi lives in DC (not maryland -but CLOSE) - I've been to his house a few times and it's even MORE beautiful in person; like living in a magazine. His shop in nearby Bethesda Maryland is GORGEOUS as well! He's definitely one of our top local talents in the DC area!

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    1. Lucky you!! I think his garden deserves a mention too so hope Martha shows some photos of that too at least on the website.

      I think I got mixed up with the addresses...thanks for correction.

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  2. Love his house too!! I envy your schedule- it's a true luxury to have time to yourself to fill as you please- jealous! Have a lovely weekend xxxx

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    1. I was being a bit facetious as I do a bit more than that! Have a great weekend too xxx

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  3. I love pretzels...the big ass ones with mustard. My mother said her New Years resolution, one of them, was to take up coloring. My immediate response was WTF? Is this a new past time? I now see "adult" coloring books at Food City. Is this why you need to carry pencils in your purse? I am so confused. I have one pen and I can never find it. My to do list tomorrow consists of packing up linens. Part two of my reno begins.

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    1. sometimes these things are just a conduit for sauce. Yes coloring is huge! if yuo go to the airport the empty piles or nearly running out ones are the coloring books. Yes I think the pencil case is an offshoot of this but like you even if i had a pencil case i wouldn't be able to find that either.

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  4. Sorry, I think I put my comment one post down which makes me look a bit crazed so feel free to delete. Have just read a fascinating memoir, which mentions old Martha a lot, The Bucolic Plague about two city boys who try and make it in the country. One of the couple works for her.
    One really memorable scene is about her peony party for staff with everyone grousing about the food, each other and the peonies. They had come to expect perfection and anything less was to hard to bear.
    It's light reading but well written by an adman and is very real.

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    1. I think it was confusing because all comments disappear into the ether to get approved ;) Yes Martha Stewart has made her OCD work for her and my opposite traits is why i find her fascinating because piles of stuff don't really bother me.

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  5. How exciting for Loi! It translates beautifully to the magazine. Guess I'll have to ease up on my grudge against MSL for changing the iPad edition so much and just buy it.
    Martha's Month is always my favorite. She doesn't do it either, but it's lovely to imagine she does. I'm sure she does the workouts. But we all know she's not the one doing most of her tasks. I still love Martha for her body of work, she's been the biggest non-real-person-in-my-life influence. It does make me laugh when I see her kitchens on her blog and there is not a Martha Stewart pot or pan in sight.
    Have a good winter, I hope Netflix treats you right and you stumble upon some fab cane chairs!

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    1. I can't even imagine what it would be like to be in Martha! It could be you next though Stephen. You with your lined up Creuset pans filled with delectables.

      Martha is my anti-hero heroine. This fetish I have for her is purely voyeuristic and to be fair I can feel she is chilling out a bit more and not so alphabetize your row of ctirus orchards anymore although I think she still won't let hre black horses out in the midday sun because she likes them a certain shade of black.

      Have a good winter too and Netflix is very good to me indeed :)

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  6. I am a long-time fan of Loi Thai, and agree with you that he can do no wrong. I am constantly amazed at the light and elegant look he is always able to achieve, and love the antiques that he features.

    Pretzels are one of my favorite snacks, and almost impossible to obtain in Taiwan--good ones, anyway. I only like the crunchy kind, preferably sourdough. Pretzels are one of the few foods that are crunchy and (usually) salty, without being simultaneously oily or sweet.
    --Jim

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    1. I love the way his home looks so livable and not just a design statement.

      You are so lucky to live in Taiwan and have access to all that yummy food though Jim!

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  7. I had simit in Turkey. They are similar to pretzels.
    Other than that, I've nothing to add :)
    Happy new year to you!

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    1. I overloaded on simit this weekend with the lassi and they were good.

      HNY to you too!

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  8. Great post Naomi. Love your reviews on Living. I am so excited for Loi. I didn't know he was in this! So cool. The citrus recipes and the chocolate cake look fun! Happy New Year. xo Kim

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    1. It must be so exciting I can't even imagine it! HNY Kim xx

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  9. You are so kind! Thank YOU for the shout-out :) I've been a Martha fan for almost 25 years; having our home featured is a dream come true. I still cannot believe it...
    xoxo
    Loi

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    1. I'm not kind - just telling it like it is Loi! You must write about the experience when you can!! xx

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  10. Good gracious, those perfect topiaries! Thank you for the introduction to Loi's blog, which I shall visit momentarily.

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    1. His garden is spot on. He's one of the few that can do both house and garden!

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  11. There are definitely some great foodies who use Instagram to be really creative and trust me they would do all that for a simple shot - I do scroll thinking where do you get the enthusiasm and time to do that, and I love food! I'll definitely take a peek at Loi's blog - looking for lots of inspiration now I've put a deposit down on another house although it's not ready till September!! xx

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    1. OMG - I am sooo excited for you Colleen!! But I don't know if I could go through all that trouble as an amateur ;) xx

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  12. Congratulations. You deserve it. Your blog gives me so much pleasure and inspiration.

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    1. Yes I think Loi deserves it as well and I love his work and blog too!

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  13. Dearest Naomi
    You really should make at least one resolution, they are loads of fun, and because you know one of the best things about having resolutions is the opportunity to break them, or at least set them aside for the moment.

    Interesting enough, one of my monthly chores at Totem Hall is to sharpen knives, not saying that happens every month, but that kind of gets back to the whole resolution thing…

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  14. Your Thursday was my Monday! It's hard coming off of the holidays and vacation.... I'm overwhelmed by the long and winding road it will take to get back on track, maybe I should turn on Netflix?
    I adore Lol and am so pleased that his home has been featured here and I agree, his gardens are so special. Fun to meet you and see your blog!

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  15. I just finished reading The Bucolic Plague, which is about a couple who buy an old farmhouse in the country and decide to make the farm, the animals, the landscape, etc, as perfect as Martha's. Funny in parts, annoying in parts, and since one of the guys actually worked for Martha until he was, um, downsized, very interesting.

    Loi has such a good sense of where to stop, doesn't he?

    I love romping through magazines with you, and by the way I loved your New Year's post madly, just couldn't get my comment to leave my screen.

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  16. I love that kitchen. So calming. Martha's schedule always amuses me. She must mainline Red Bull. Those cakes look so good though. I love a soft pretzel so I might spring for the issue just for that...

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  17. Hello CSW. Easing into 2016? No, you've placed the stakes high. Perfect home, calligraphic prezels and food to admire that we shouldn know better than to eat!
    Well, maybe after a month of detox soup...
    Thank you for dropping by and helping out with the textile cause!

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  18. I would rather have your timetable than Martha's!

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  19. "Marthas Month" -- oh, Martha! Lol 😝

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Thank you for dropping by!