The Old Curiosity Shop, or Fall Flowers at Loot

It's impossible to pass these windows without stopping - they pull you in.  Skinny young men with fierce looking dogs, old men bundled in overcoats - they all stop to look.  They peer at the antique chairs piled with ornaments, at the orange Christmas tree made of piled-up Hermes boxes.  At pale chests covered  with blue and white china. 

They wander in and turn around in amazement.  They move toward a gilded pine cone, an old hunting lamp.  A framed print of  a brightly colored bird, a painting of an old cottage in a richly gilded frame.

There are shells crusted in jewels, branches dangling bright ornaments.

And there is a ceiling festooned with whimsey.  I'm going to Loot.  

See you there.  

Vanilla Time

A box arrived today, smelling of vanilla and promising delicious things to come.  It's from Beanilla, my new addiction.

It's not the first time I've made vanilla (check out my old blog post for the recipe).  I was inspired by my dear friend Desiree whose vanilla will change your life.   Beans, alcohol - she knows everything about making The Best Vanilla.  And yes, it makes a huge difference when you're baking.  Or making candy.

And if you want to have it for gift-giving season, it's time to get started.  So if you're lucky (and nice!) you'll be getting some little brown bottles full of deliciousness from me at Holiday time.  And I will be here for the next few months shaking the bottles and smelling the elixer.  Right now my kitchen smells like Christmas and love, my hands are speckled with seeds, and the garbage looks like some stone cold alkies live here.  It's just the vanilla....