of Queen’s Day – it’s party time!

Happy Queen’s Day! For a full 24 hours each April 30, the country explodes in a burst of orange merriment, free concerts and flea markets to celebrate the Queen’s birthday. It’s madness. If… Continue reading →

of chevron revival, or a DIY dresser revamp

So, in a previous post I included the following disclaimer: WARNING: Wielding a spraypaint can may send you into a megalomaniac episode. Once you’ve tasted the power of instant colour, you will find… Continue reading →

of TGIF tunes: Cloud Control

I always get a little anxious when Friday comes around, because that’s the day when many of my favorite blogs unleash a link round-up to everything cool, quirky, touching and beautiful they’ve discovered… Continue reading →

of fresh, bright Hummus

Not to feed you incriminating information or anything, but the Man and I are hooked on the epic HBO series Game of Thrones. Every week we gather with a few friends who share… Continue reading →

of the secret power of compliments

I rode Lotje languidly to the coffeeshop this morning, locked her to an obliging telephone pole, and stumbled in. My bright-eyed friend looked up from her newspaper, gave me a once-over, and told me I… Continue reading →

of Regime-Change Chocolate Torte

When I promise the universe a luscious chocolate cake, the universe knows I will deliver. For years I’ve been making a dense flourless chocolate torte called Winning Hearts and Minds Cake. The singular… Continue reading →

of Liverpool, or four hard days’ nights

Liverpool. City of big hair, orange tans, thick Scouse accents. City of my sweet friend Maia, who has none of those things. We spent a four-day weekend alternately braving the city and retreating… Continue reading →

of quiche lorraine, or how to keep a man fed in your absence

Quiche is a bastion of Western oomph! in my mother’s otherwise Asian kitchen. Growing up, quiche meant guests for lunch. Quiche also meant braving the risks involved in balancing a tin box oven… Continue reading →

of tracking the endtimes, or Senioritis, Ltd.

Last year I officially stepped down from my position as CEO of my company, Procrastination, Inc. After 20+ fulfilling years, I was happy to pass the torch to a younger star rising in… Continue reading →

of the slow and simple lunch

I like slow days – the kind where I don’t shoo myself out of the house until one p.m., having spent the morning on some epic domestic task like turning a stale loaf… Continue reading →