I adore this DIY gift idea from Twig & Thistle! Such a great hostess gift!

We had an AMAZING week in Jamaica! Beautiful location, perfect weather! Over the next week I’ll share all my favorite parts of our trip – resorts, restaurants, sites, etc. For now, here are a few of my favorite photos:

I’m off to Jamaica for the next week (it’s work, not vacation, but I’m not complaining!). Can’t wait to see the sun shining again!

Yes, it’s a crazy name, but this book is AMAZING! I haven’t finished it yet, but I’m loving every word. The story is told through a collection of letters – such a great idea. I’m actually trying to read it slowly so I can enjoy it longer!

I love these prints and cards from paperfunk – totally hysterical!

I was going through my daily blog roll and came across an AMAZING design company on simple + pretty called Stitch Design. They have a great blog showcasing their work - here are a few of my favorite projects:

Due to the pouring rain this weekend we were forced to stay inside, so we had an apple pie baking contest (big dorks, I know, but we had SO much fun!). Four entries were made – all incredibly different (mini pies, pie with vanilla bean and cream, etc). I’m proud to admit that my friend Karen and I won the grand prize with this amazing cheddar cheese crust recipe from Martha Stewart (great find, Karen!).

Ingredients - Pie Crust

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for rolling
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar (6 ounces)
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water

Directions

1. In a food processor, briefly pulse flour, salt, and sugar. Add butter and cheddar; pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, with a few pea-size pieces of butter reamining. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons ice water. Pulse until dough is crumbly but holds together when squeezed (if necessary, add up to 2 tablespoons water, 1 tablespoon at a time). Don’t overmix.
2. Divide into two disks. Turn dough out onto a large piece of plastic wrap. Fold plastic over dough; press to shape into a 1-inch-thick disk. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour (or up to 3 days). See Cheddar-Crusted Apple Pie for rolling and fitting instructions.

Ingredients – Pie

• 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 4 pounds Granny Smith apples
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees, with rack in lowest position. On a floured piece of parchment paper, roll each disk of dough to a 14-inch round with a floured rolling pin. Transfer one round to a baking sheet for top crust; refrigerate. Wrap second round of dough around rolling pin; unroll over a 9-inch pie plate for bottom crust. Gently fit into bottom and up sides of plate (don’t stretch dough).
2. Place lemon juice in a large bowl. Peel, quarter, and core apples; thinly slice crosswise, tossing with lemon juice as you work. Add sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt to bowl; toss to combine.
3. Fill bottom crust with apple mixture; lightly brush edge of crust with water. Place top crust over filling; press all around edge to seal with bottom crust. Using kitchen shears, trim to a 1-inch overhang; fold under itself to form a rim, and press to seal. Using thumb and forefinger, crimp rim.
4. With a paring knife, cut five small slits in the center of pie; place pie plate on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake 20 minutes; reduce heat to 375 degrees, and bake until crust is golden brown and juices are bubbling, 45 to 60 minutes more. If rim browns too quickly, cover it with aluminum foil. Let cool completely on a wire rack, at least 4 hours (or up to overnight) before serving.

After another VERY long week at work, I went up to Litchfield County with my roommate and a bunch of our friends for our annual “Weekend in the Woods.” It is entirely relaxing – full of book reading, wine drinking, fabulous meals and great friends.

Eat

Pastorale – a lovely french bistro in Lakeville. Highly recommend the red beet tarte tatin and artichoke and mozzarella salad. Special entrees were amazing, as was the beef bourguignon.

Serevan – very cute restaurant in Amenia. Interesting combination of traditional American food with Mediterranean and Middle-Eastern influences.

See and Do

Ellsworth Farm – amazing farm in Sharon – great place to pick pumpkins. They have a fabulous corn maze every year – so much fun! They also sell amazing apple cider donuts in their little shop.

Millbrook Vineyards and Winery – there are a lot of Vineyards in Litchfield County, but my friends swear this is the best tasting facility. The Pinot is particularly great this year.

New Preston – adorable town with GREAT shopping! My personal fave is J.Seitz – selling great clothing, accessories and furniture from Mitchell + Gold, Cisco Brothers and John Derian.

Litchfield – beautiful town with great shopping and restaurants. Be warned – it’s busy there on a weekend in the fall – difficult to get a table for lunch or dinner anywhere!

Image from docfjw.

I adore this house in upstate New York. Makes me want to stay inside all weekend, drink wine, read – get cozy! (found on Black*Eiffel via The New York Times)

I can’t believe its Wednesday! I’ve been trying desperately to recover from our weekend on the Vineyard and keep up at work! The Food & Wine Festival was a blast – weather was great, but too windy to do the oyster flats tour. The highlight was definitely the grand tasting featuring a demonstration by Top Chef Stefan Richter and great food from local restaurants and wine from all over the world.

Hands down our most favorite find was the St. Germain booth. I’ve been admiring their advertising for years, but I’d never tried the incredibly tasty Elderflower liqueur. It’s AMAZING!

Try this amazing cocktail recipe:

2 shots Dry Champagne, Prosecco or Cava

1 1/2 shots of St. Germain

2 shots Club Soda

Serve over ice and stir well. Squeeze essential oils from a lemon twist into the glass and garnish.