Install Day

I had to share some quick photos before heading to bed. For those of you who follow the Bixby & Ball blog - I apologize for the repetition. I'm so excited with how everything is turning out that I just had to share. I have been working on a project in Cardiff for a few months now and tomorrow is Install Day!

Our contractor installed all of the bigger items this morning and tomorrow we'll be bringing in all of the furniture and accessories!

We're having the space photographed in a few weeks and I'll share the "afters" as soon as we get them!

Brunch Recipes

{Grapefruit Brulee}

*Cut a grapefruit in half

*Slice a small piece off the bottom (so fruit will sit flat)

*With a serrated knife, cut around the fruit sections for easy eating

*Sprinkle a mixture of brown sugar, regular sugar, and a little bit of cinnamon on top of the grapefruit

>do this step just before putting in the oven. I did this too early my first time around and the

mixture gets too juicy and doesn't broil very well

*Place grapefruits in a glass pan and set under the broiler for about 5-8 minutes or until just brown

*Serve and enjoy!

**One of my goals for 2011 is to learn how to photograph food!

{Grilled Toast with Scrambled Egg & Roasted Vegetables}

*The name pretty much says it all!

*Roast tomatoes, onions, and asparagus (the same as here)

*Scramble eggs with a little bit of milk, salt & pepper

*Add Gruyere cheese to the eggs just before they're done cooking

*Sprinkle bread (of your choice) with a little bit of olive oil

*Grill bread on bbq until just brown

*Assemble "toasts": eggs first, then roast vegetables, place asparagus spears on top

{Apple Cinnamon Muffins}

*Full recipe and ingredients HERE

Happy Easter

{Happy Easter}

I'm off to finish making breakfast. Grapefruit Brulee, grilled toast with scrambled eggs and grilled veggies, fresh baked apples cinnamon muffins, and fresh fruit YUM! I'll share pics and recipes later!

Glamping

First, I need to apologize to my blog for the abuse it has received in the last two weeks. I didn't pay it one single visit. Life got the best of me - but I'm back (again).

On to "glamping." Have you heard of this?? David sent me a link chalk full of glamping examples. Don't get me wrong - I was a girl scout and I have camped. Unfortunately, due to an incident with a bear, I no longer like to camp in a thin nylon enclosure. But a nice, sturdy, wood framed "tent" I can do.

This October my Dad will be celebrating a very significant birthday. It's not one he's particularly looking forward to so we're planning a fun family getaway. We'll be heading to Treebones in Big Sur, CA. Treebones has been perfecting Yurt-style glamping since the 60's. This July my sister will be moving home from the East Coast after being away for 10 years. This getaway will be one of our first family vacations in a very long time.

The original owner of the land was granted permission by the U.s forestry to collect "dead" wood from the surrounding mountainside. He would then mill the wood and sell his found lumber. The old, silvery wood that was collected and waiting to be milled, looked like old bones - or tree bones as it's now affectionately known.

Now stands approximately 16 yurts and 1 human nest: a man-made wood "nest" with a wood deck and a sleeping cushion.

{image via Treebones}

Big Sur is one of those places that will always hold a special place in my heart. It's one of the most pristine places in CA. I always imagine it looks pretty much the same as it did many years ago. I will never forget the Thanksgiving my Dad drove to pick me up for break at college in Chico and took 2 days to drive all the way down the coast. We listened to the same best-of Van Morrison CD on repeat for the entire 2 days. It was heaven. My family was one of the first families in the area and built one of the main bridges connecting one of the many hair-pin switchbacks. I always love seeing the places I've heard so many stories about.

{Bixby Bridge}

{image via Galaxy Tab}

I hope everyone else is experiencing the same summer-like weather we're having here. Tomorrow I'm off to the beach!