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Mad Hungry

A new cookbook by Lucinda Scala Quinn.

Lucinda was formerly the food editor of Martha Stewart Living Television and she is now a co-host of the "Everyday Food" cooking series on PBS. She's also host of "EatDrink" on Martha Stewart Living Radio....and let me tell you...SHE ROCKS.

Today I canceled all of my responsibilities and commitments (I know...bad bad bad) and hopped on the Bart train to San Francisco...with my "oh so ready for an adventure" friend, Iva.

Why?

Because Lucinda was in town.

promoting her new book!

Lucinda has written a down-to-earth cookbook full of recipes, techniques, hints and humor about how she feeds her husband and "Mad Hungry" 3 boys. Let me tell you...I can totally relate. My boys are now 16, 13 and 11. The older two are bigger than me with the 11 year old almost as tall and I am. They eat...and eat...and eat. (good thing I like to cook) This cookbook has tremendous tips on how to feed a house full of of growing people...successfully.

It was a gorgeous day in San Francisco...

The Ferry Building (where she did her demo and book signing) was alive with activity...

Sweet little shops with sweet treats....

A fantastic farmers market (Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturday mornings) surrounded the building. Organic, locally grown seasonal fruits and veggies were in abundance.



And Lucinda was there doing a demonstration on one of the recipes from her book. I'm kinda thinking...this gal is my hero. How she can successfully feed her family is amazing. Now you must understand that feeding 3 growing boys is a bit of a challenge...for example...my middle guy is a soccer player. Serious soccer player. He gets home from practice around 9pm and he's famished. He sits down to eat. I present to him his dinner plate with a bit of this and that from our family dinner earlier. I put the plate in front of him, removed the foil covering and waited for his reaction...thinking he would be so excited because I made one of his favorites. What came out of his mouth but....IS THERE MORE??? He hadn't taken a bite, hadn't smelled it, hadn't even picked up his fork yet.

OK, back to My Hero...

So we sat in the warm sun, watched Lucinda cook and listened to her humor. She really is adorable.

After she was done we stood in line so we could meet The Great Lucinda and get her to sign our books. She was so sweet to sign a little note to my curly haired 11 year old. He gets out her book...often....to decide what I should create for breakfast...and lunch...and dinner.


She also wrote me a sweet note with a heart making me a member of the "3 boys club".

Then we each took a quick snapshot with her....


And headed home...

A funny note...I put the cookbook on the counter...open to the page where she had written the note for my little guy. He walked in from school, stopped, read the note, looked up at me with his freckles and dimply smile and said "What's for dinner?"

To follow Lucinda's book tour, you can read her blog at www.MadHungry.com.

p.s. now I am anxiously awaiting the publication of the hopeful book on how to manage the 12,000 weekly loads of laundry that boys create.

Seriously....

Is this not to die for???

Well I guess it's either your thing or it's not. It is definitely my thing. I am giddy over the fact that I am the proud new owner. But.....it signals the beginning !! The beginning of the dreaded bathroom remodel. Something I have put off and procrastinated on since we moved in 8+ years ago. Funny thing is that when we were looking at this house I remember standing in the master bath with the husband and the real estate man and we all agreed that if we decided to buy this house (the worst house on the best street) that the master bath would be the first thing to be overhauled. Here we are over 8 years later and pretty much everything BUT the master bath has been overhauled.


But now I am excited about the project and inspired by this sweet thing. It's going to look fantastic over the claw foot tub (yet to be discovered, purchased and delivered).


I'm contemplating this piece for the guest bath...which was "cleaned up" when we first moved in but really needs an overhaul also. Sssshhh....don't tell the husband. I don't think he will go for the 2 for 1 special on this one.

These were found at Sweet Magnolia in Danville, Ca. A gorgeous store not to be missed if you can make it here.

Dolly Love...

Yes...I have a thing for dolls...have you figured that out yet? One of my most favorite cloth doll artists is Kaf Grimm of Olde Cape Primitives. Her work is fantastic. Each and every dolly has their own personality and seems to want to be your very best friend. Stop by her blog and see her boys, girls, cats, witches, pumpkins, devils, raggedies and so on. She has a wonderful assortment of her work on the right side running down her blog.

Tell her I sent yah!!

p.s. not only is her work special and sweet...she is too!!

photo courtesy of Olde Cape Primitives

Loading up the sleigh...

These guys are heading to Texas to celebrate the season.


You will be able to find them at

Two Friends Folk Art
3701 West Alabama
Suite 120
Houston, TX
(713) 523-8889

I will also have more holiday goodies to offer on my next blog sale

Sunday, December 6
6pm PST

Breakfast Conversations....

Lately I have been cooking breakfast for the boys. It used to be fend for yourself...have some cereal... but I have come to realize that if I cook then they will all sit down at the same time, eat and have some great conversations with me. Here is one from this morning that I will treasure...

Curly haired 11 year old munching on waffles ~ "Hey Mom...Dad and I were talking last night about Christmas."

Mom ~ "mmm hmmm"

Curly ~ "Dad asked what I wanted for Christmas."

Mom ~ "mmm hmmmm"

Curly ~ "Well I thought about it and I realized that I don't really want anything. I mean I have everything I need. Maybe a new video game or two would be nice."

Mom ~ "You have a good point...none of you really "need" anything."

Curly ~ "So let's have a low key Christmas...each get one or two things and then we don't have to spend lots of time Christmas morning opening presents. We could play a board game together and we could walk down to Starbuck's together for a mint hot chocolate."

Mom ~ "I think that is a great idea."

Curly...big smile on his face.

Two big brothers....lots of grumbles.

It's love....

Seriously....is this not the cutest thing you have ever seen? Besides a newborn baby...or that pair of Prada shoes you just HAVE to have....this has to be the cutest~!

I first fell in love with Karen O'Brien's "Quiet Companions" a number of years ago. When I first saw Karen's work it stopped me in my tracks. So much personality in these faces. So much sweetness. I was participating in the same show as Karen and I thought I would stop by her table "later" and claim a bear. I couldn't decide which one I wanted so I thought I would wait until there were less choices.

BAD DECISION.

BAD ~ BAD DECISION.

The show started, the doors swung open and WHOOOOSH....bears gone. I don't mean that there just weren't enough to choose from...or that the ones that were left weren't to my liking. I mean they were GONE.

Nadda, zip, zero....none left.

This time, at the Tinsel and Treasures show, I wasn't going to allow that to happen. I ended up bonding with this guy and I absolutely, postively ADORE him.


Wait...is there a bigger better word than adore? I mean just look at his face....he's about to tell you a secret, a little story...

And he tells me ~ every ~ single ~ day. He sits on his shelf...looking out at me...sending love with his eyes.

I am over the moon that I am the proud owner of this fella. I absolutely adore him...did I tell you that yet?

adore: to pay divine honor to; worship

Adore and Worship....I think those are the correct words. I adore him and worship Karen's talent...

I think he needs a friend.

p.s. click on the pictures to enlarge them...but beware...if you do...you will want a companion too!!