We haven’t done this in a while!
This beautiful fragrance called Pale Grey Mountain, Small Black Lake (so good!) from my friends at D.S. & Durga has become a new favorite of mine. The scent reminds me of my childhood basement, and also of the ride Pirates of the Caribbean at Disneyland (smoke and water?), as well as walks I have taken in England. They, of course, are more poetic about it. This is also one of the most perfect package designs I have ever seen. That box!
These beautiful bronze nails were a birthday gift from Bryan. He knows how much I like triangles. I’m using mine to hang a necklace on my wall, but I keep coming up with reasons to buy more.
I’ll buy every book Nigel Slater publishes. I am at the point where I can’t wait for the US version, so I order the newest from the UK. Eat has everything we love about Slater packed into a small and flawlessly designed package.
Heidi Swanson is my hero. Everything she does she does beautifully, and Quitokeeto, the online shop she opened, is no exception. My heart skips a beat when the shop is updated because I know I will learn about something new and wonderful. This honeydew from Canada is a perfect example. It has a complex and rich honey flavor that is delicious on anything. My friend Katie and I think it gives us crazy dreams. (is that possible, Heidi?!)
I accidentally spent the summer reading books about single, lonely women. In another time they might have been called spinsters. I am not sure what was drawing me (subconsciously) to these books, but it made for a weird summer of reading. Excellent Women by Barbara Pym is really outstanding, and highly recommended.
Blood Countess incense from Blackbird is the perfect thing to be burning on Halloween.
Possibly the best bottle opener ever, from one of my favorite design studios. I keep giving these beauties as gifts because I want everyone to have one.
I tried Purple Door ice cream in Milwaukee and I was blown away by their whiskey flavor. It is the ideal creamy consistency with strong whiskey flavor from Great Lakes Distillery’s Kinnickkinnic whiskey. It is available in Chicago at Treasure Island stores.
While we’re on the topic of things: We recently visited some of our favorite friends (Hi Steph, Greg, and Ames!) in beautiful Boulder, Colorado. In addition to some amazing meals (Pizzeria Locale! Oak!) we also shopped at Cedar & Hyde, which is one of the best stores I have ever been to. Seriously. I was so happy to be there, and so sad it is far from home. The ladies who own the store have done a superb job of curating a collection of things that felt like they were picked out just for me. If you’re in Boulder, or plan on being there, check it out!
Happy autumn, everyone! I’ll be back in a couple of days with a dark & stormy recipe (it’s not what you think!)….
linda says:
October 16th, 2013 at 12:58 pm
“dark & stormy”
Makes me think about The Violet Hour, and I’m hoping you’re talking about my favorite cocktail :)
Morgan says:
October 16th, 2013 at 2:56 pm
Hi! I’m a long-time reader of your blog and felt compelled to comment because or worlds have now officially collided in full-circle. I grew up in OP, therefore love your nods to cinnamon doughnuts at the farmers’ market, and now live in Boulder. That beautiful photo of you in front of the flatirons captures Boulder fall beauty at its finest. Cheers!
Tim says:
October 16th, 2013 at 3:08 pm
Morgan! So awesome to hear that. Boulder is so beautiful, and I was really impressed with all of the restaurants we tried. Also, hikes, shops, bikes, etc..
Rockin Arugula says:
October 16th, 2013 at 3:18 pm
Fun post! I need to get that cologne for my man…who’s searching for something woodsy/smokey and he’s big on hiking so the name is perfect.
Marygrace says:
October 16th, 2013 at 3:43 pm
“and also of the ride Pirates of the Caribbean at Disneyland.”
Best description. What is it about smokey dampness that’s so amazingly appealing? If there’s a fragrance that smells like that, I have to have it.
Annie D says:
October 16th, 2013 at 7:38 pm
I TOTALLY know what you mean about the smell of Pirates of the Caribbean. Now I have to see what that smells like in a bottle!
Did you read The Woman Upstairs by Claire Messud by chance? I thought that might be on the “single, lonely women” book list.
And finally, a huge congrats on the Chicago Magazine profile. So very cool!
David says:
October 17th, 2013 at 1:22 am
I wanted to try that honeydew ever since I saw it on Quitokeeto & Heidi raved about it. Glad it lives up to it’s reputation (although I thought that bottle-opener was some sort of fancy brass knuckles…) ~!
ileana says:
October 17th, 2013 at 5:31 am
What a fun post! I’ve been wanting to get myself a Slater book – would you start with Ripe or Tender?
ps – not exactly about single, lonely women, but have you read Cheryl Strayed’s Tiny Beautiful Things? It is *so* good.
Tim says:
October 17th, 2013 at 7:38 am
David- The bottle opener is brass, so you could probably use it to defend yourself against the gangs of Paris!
Ileana- I don’t know how to pick. Keep watching Amazon, they sometimes have a deal for both. Ripe has more sweet recipes, Tender more savory.
Annie- Thanks! And yes, one of the books was The Woman Upstairs. By the end I had really grown to like the book and her writing, though there were moments throughout where I was unsure.
Molly says:
October 17th, 2013 at 8:29 am
Talk about coming full circle…the owner of Purple Door was a counselor at my high school in Minnesota. I move to Milwaukee to go to college. My parents move to Oak Park. I find your blog, share it with my folks, and we’re all loyal readers. The former counselor moves to Milwaukee and starts Purple Door. I become addicted. Thursday, 10/17 one of my favorite bloggers is recommending ice cream from a former school counselor. My head is spinning! I want some whisky (ice cream).
Tim says:
October 17th, 2013 at 9:25 am
Molly! I love it. It is a small world after all.
Sasha says:
October 17th, 2013 at 12:57 pm
Yes to whiskey ice cream!
This idea is still fairly new to me, but now I’m a total convert (just like your tip to add whiskey to oatmeal). Fell + Cole, an ice cream company in Seoul, makes green tea and whiskey ice cream with chunks of plum. I tried it this summer and it is as good as it sounds. Now, of course, I want to try just pure whiskey ice cream. Could it just be that whiskey makes everything better?
Heidi says:
October 17th, 2013 at 6:24 pm
It’s funny – I’ve been having crazy, vivd dreams the past few nights, but I thought it was from the big yellow brut honey! Now I’m intrigued.
Big west coast hugs & thanks, xo h
emily says:
October 18th, 2013 at 7:33 am
one of my favorite posts ever. so good. also, can i move in?
Stephany Park says:
October 18th, 2013 at 9:40 am
Tim!
I was so stumped by what I should get my husband for our anniversary/his birthday.
Thanks for this post! Also, Congrats on the feature in Chicago Magazine!
Katie says:
October 18th, 2013 at 12:20 pm
Do you happen to know when the U.S. version of the Nigel Slater book will come out?
Shobelyn says:
October 22nd, 2013 at 7:55 am
Hi Tim, I am wondering why you like triangles? My grandma liked triangles because she said it is manifestation for planes of existence. Mental, spiritual and physical. When we were little, she had this triangle wire model where she put her water for us to drink. The tip of the triangle she said is our connection to the universe. I thought it was weird but I honored her belief.
molly says:
October 30th, 2013 at 11:02 pm
Ha! Yes, on the Nigel book, the whole (increasingly) long bookshelf of them! I, also, got mine from England last week, and have been madly dog-earing pages ever since (carrot bulgur porridge? who else could make this sound so intoxicating??).
The only problem being that I’m awful at metrics, and every Nigel I own is the UK imprint, and so rendered entirely in grams. Guess I’ll have to get with the program.
schneiderluvsdoof says:
November 4th, 2013 at 4:37 pm
You guys really took flight!