let it........

Overnight 20" of snow in Brooklyn
A winter wonderland
 

Photo of Prospect Park in 1904 from HERE

Wishing you a very Peaceful Christmas

This has been quite a year 

to think merely 12 months ago I was preparing for, what was, unknowingly

to be our last Christmas in our house in Ireland.

Now here we are in New York 

The adjustment for the children has been more difficult than

I anticipated but slowly, we are all finding our way.

I thought it appropriate on this Christmas eve to share with you

these beautiful photographs by someone whom I have met in my new life here in 

the big Apple

Meghan Hickey

There is such a quiet peace in her photographs

These are taken from a series called

"Sensible Longing"

They find the sacred in the Urban world

Meghan wrote this about the series

In many ways, the series Sensible Longing grew out of my budding relationship with the Rolleiflex medium-format camera I acquired a year and a half ago. I'd seen some work by another photographer on a Rollei, and I knew right away it was the tool I needed - the tone, the texture, the romance with light were all what I was looking for, plus I quite simply loved the square shape. As I began to learn more about this particular camera, its personality traits and limitations, I really began to appreciate the sensory experience it provides: looking down into the hood, half tuning out the noise around me, I steal a moment alone with the subject, and give myself permission to be present in a way that might not otherwise be possible. It's a contemplative moment, and in keeping with the spirit of the project. I will occasionally will use another medium-format camera, such as a Diana, for the series, but the Rollei is my partner in this enterprise.

Wishing you all the most peaceful and serene of

Christmas Days

x

blog blank......

Blog Blank: when you saw an image or an article on a blog

not too long ago that you now want to reference, re-read,

show someone or refer to for some other reason......

but you cannot remember where you saw it and cannot

after too many an hour trawling through familiar blogs,

find that one image/article/christmas present you were looking for

Chadwick Tyler

Haunting 

,,,,,,,, and beautiful

by

Chadwick Tyler

Breakfast Biscotti

Sometimes the morning after a day of feasting

one doesn't feel like a large slap up brunch

but more a crunchy,
yet sweet breakfast of strong coffee and Italian biscotti

I started to make these when I lived in
rural Ireland and purchasing Italian Biscotti
meant a train ride to Dublin.
Now I know these are better than any store bought ones I have tried.
The method sounds a little fiddly but really it is incredibly simple
maybe just a step more than your usual cookie
But this is what gives these their tooth breaking crunch.

RECIPE

1 large egg

4ozs sugar

1/2 tspn vanilla extract

5 ozs plain flour

1/2 tspn baking powder

1/4 tspn salt

2 ozs whole almonds

3 ozs chocolate chips

METHOD

Line a baking tray with parchment paper

Pre-heat oven to 350f/180c

Whisk the egg and sugar with an electric whisk until pale, you want it to leave ribbons when you lift the whisk

Add vanilla extract, then fold in flour, salt and baking powder

Add choc chips and almonds

Shape dough into a log approx 10" long which is tapered at each end

Bake in the oven for 25 minutes

Remove and leave to set for 5-10 mins

Slice into biscotti and lay back on the baking tray 

Pop back in oven for 10 mins then turn and cook for a further 5-10 mins

Remove and cool on a wire rack

You can store them in an airtight container for 7-10 days... but

They probably won't last that long.

Photo's by Helen James

Sometimes it's the small things....

New table and chair from

Ikea

for my budding Artist

Photo by Mark Geary

Tom Ford

Tom Ford the modern day Midas

He turned around Gucci

He was THE designer of the nineties

His first movie was oscar nominated

His scents are divine

his eyewear coveted

I have to say I never really liked his Gucci work

I admire him, but it was not to my taste

However, now he has returned to women's wear

and the pieces look exquisite

Tom created a sensation when he decided to show his capsule collection 

to a miniscule 100 selected people

shunning many press and bloggers

and going against the grain of instant gratification.

The pieces are immaculately made and meant to last 

The true future of luxury.

New collection available at his Men's stores

As seen on http://www.vogue.com/magazine/