Bob's Bistro

As if we haven't been doing ten million things in preperation for the holidays, Bob, decided that it was time for another Bistro. Of course our original intent was to have it in October but time just got away from us. So instead we just hosted it last weekend. Five days before Thanksgiving! It was probably one of the best parties we have ever given. Everyone was so relaxed. That had a lot to do with the fact that the hosts were also relaxed. This time we had fewer people and one less course to serve. We also planned food that didn't take so much time at the party for us to be cooking in the kitchen. The night was absolutely beautiful, and the food.... it was so seriously delicious!

-M.

Happy Thanksgiving!

This Thanksgiving is going to be so much fun! Some of my family (it is quite large and we are seldom all together on this holiday) and I are going to spend the weekend up in Pinetop. Bob's brothers have a lovely cabin that they are letting us use. You would not believe the amount of items and food we are bringing up there! Seriously, we had to ask our neighbor to borrow his trailer to pull behind my brothers Tahoe. We are cracking up! We are going to look like the Beverly Hillbillies driving down the road. Because we are cooking fanatics and want to have the table looking perfect, we are bringing our own pots and pans, food processor, china, tablecloths, decor, all the food and of course, an extra portable convection oven just in case! I know this sounds crazy, but my family is just as in to this as Bob and I are. We are also bringing loads of DVD's, because what Thanksgiving would be complete without watching Miracle on 34th Street?

We plan to bake pies on Wednesday night, cook and watch the Macy's parade on Thanksgiving, then Friday will be games, Christmas movie marathon, and hanging out with Grandma. Plus, it should be snowing up there!!! Perfect!

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you.

-M.

p.s. We are cooking cranberry-glazed turkey with cranberry-cornbread stuffing pictured above from Martha Stewart. We absolutely love this recipe and have used it for 3 years! I highly recommend you trying it next year!

Family Tradition

One of our favorite Christmas traditions started when one year my husband came home, arms laden with shopping bags and announced that we are starting a village! He had purchased about 4 houses and some accessories. Well, that was just the beginning. Ten years later, we now have about 30 to 40 Department 56 houses! (I try not to count them) This year in order to keep the size manageable, we decided to split up the villages. Usually we do not start setting up until after Thanksgiving. However, this year just feels different. We are feeling the Christmas spirit much earlier. And it seems to me that a lot of our customers are as well.

We have already watched 3 Christmas movies, and, I am so happy to say that we have already finished 2 of our 3 villages! Now we can relax come December and enjoy just looking at them.

The pictures shown are of our Christmas in the City Village. I have discovered that our set ups never photograph well. When I use the flash it completely takes away the charm of the softly lit buildings. So in order to let you see how enchanting it really is, I used my camera on the candlelight setting which doesn't use flash. The only problem is you have to hold the camera very still. Which I obviously cannot do. Sorry if some of them are a little blurry.

You can get your own village started at M & Co. Papery. We carry the Department 56 Original Snow Village, Christmas in the City, and the North Pole houses. Our Christmas would not be the same without these little lovelies.

-M.

Oh Pear!

Do you see the lovely living room in the photo below? While I was perusing Phoenix Home & Garden magazine I was struck by the painting shown on this homeowners’ wall. Right then and there, I decided that I absolutely MUST duplicate it. The only trouble was, I had never used oil paints before, and the only painting I had done prior to this was with those little CeramCoat water colors. (The kind where you can just pick any color you want and don’t have to mix it.)

Well, I am not going to bore you with the long story, but let me just tell you one major detail. I found this picture in 1998! TEN years ago people!! And, it has been the bane of my (and my husbands) existence ever since! I invested in the paints and the canvas (those large ones are expensive!) and started the painting immediately. At that point, realizing I had absolutely no idea what I was doing, and not willing to throw it out because of how much it cost, I hid it in a closet. Yes, pathetic. Through the years I would take the painting out with all intentions of working on it, but somehow the pear would end up sitting in the office waiting, waiting.

My husband threatened many times to throw it away at which point I would always promise to finish it. Finally, this last summer he took it out and said finish it or its going to the dump! Yikes! He meant business this time. All of this to say…. Yes, I did it! The painting is done!!! The hugest, hairiest monkey is off my back! I seriously cannot tell you how happy my husband is. The pear has saved our marriage!

I have posted a picture of the finished product. I hope that this gives you some motivation to finish those unfinished projects laying around. Or maybe just throw them away!

-M.

Sweets!

These are just a few of the Christmas pretties we have in the store. I can't resist anything that has to do with sweets and treats. Napkins, ornaments, aprons, garlands, you name it. If it looks like a baked goodie or anything candy, I gotta have it! So if you share this sugar obsession, come on in and take care of your sweet tooth.

-M.

My husband and I have decided to have a Polar Express movie night with my nieces and some of our friends' children. It is going to be so much fun! There is nothing better to kick off the holiday season than movies and hot chocolate. And, just because I have to have the full theatre experience, we purchased a new sub-woofer this weekend. The kids are going to love feeling the rumble of the train while they're sitting on the couch! I will definitely post pics of the event, along with invites and party ideas.

Vacation at home!

(Spicy Salmon Tartare with Avocado relish and Bobs Love Potion (don't ask))

(Carmelized onion tart with tomato salsa and scallops in orange cream sauce with fresh herbs)

Last weekend my husband and I celebrated our 15th anniversary! We had the best time. Usually we go out of town for the weekend, but upon checking, we discovered that all of the hotels we wanted to stay at in California were booked! (go figure!) So, we decided to do something different and spend our vacation in town instead. I have heard of this concept, but have never tried it. So Bob took time off work, just as he would if we went out of town, and we spent the weekend eating at fabulous restaurants, cooking, and going places we don’t usually go to. We both agree that it was our best anniversary yet. I highly recommend taking a vacation in your own hometown.

You can’t beat the benefits:
No travel expenses!
No rental cars
Experience all that your area has to offer and you never knew
Sleep in your own bed at night. (I love my pillow)

To fascilitate in choosing restaurants, we used the eat.shop.phoenix guide. You really must get ahold of one of these books. They are wonderful.

These are some of the yummy restaurants we ate at and would definitely recommend:
Pizzeria Bianco – Phoenix
Barrio Café – Phoenix
House of Tricks – Tempe
Zinc Bistro – Kierland, Scottsdale

Being that we also love to cook, we spent the last half of the weekend heating it up in the kitchen. If you love to cook or would like to expand your culinary horizons, I have attached pictures below of some of the great cookbooks we have in the store. I am a picky buyer of cookbooks, so trust me, these are good!

Look at these new stamps available just in time for your Christmas cards! I love it when you can find the perfect stamp. It completes your package. When you are sending something beautiful on the inside, you want it to look good on the outside as well! So don't forget to pick up these grand stamps.

-M.

Just wanted to show you one of the cute new invites we just got in the store. Of course I have to show them paired with my favorite Caspari napkins. We always have a great selection on hand for all bridal events. But who needs an excuse to have these gorgeous napkins on their table?

-M.

p.s. For update on the money raised for the Nielsons at the BlissFest check here http://http//blissfulliving-domesticbliss.blogspot.com/2008/10/fundraiser-update.html