Where's the Holiday Spirit?

Mum and I have been enjoying a lot of much loved mother daughter time.  Spending loads of time with some of my closest girlfriends and enjoying lots of LA hotspots, even squeezing in some visits to the set of some of her favorite tv shows.  Although I'm enjoying having her here so very much, if you came over to my house you'd never know it was the Holidays, which is strange because I usually go all out for this time of year!

So, if you're like me and the only holiday decorating you've managed to accomplish is that red lip you've been trying to pull off, well never fear, you're not alone!  I've been scouring the web for the past couple of days trying to find some inspiration and of course it's boundless. One of my favorite holiday xmas decos {apart from the obvious real tree} is the sometimes overlooked holiday wreath.  Here are some of my favorites from around the web.
The Well Wishings Wreath

Find a pre made rustic wreath from Michaels or your local craft store and then keep a stack of note cards and markers by your door. What better way to decorate your house than with well wishings from the people you love! Found here.
Eenie Meenie Minie Mo

Why choose one when you can have them all! Love a seasonal wall! Better yet, they're all home made and found here.
Paper Wreath

Made entirely out of doilies and strung with lights, this 'how to' is found here.
We Are One, But We Are Many!

It's no shocker that this one is a favorite of mine and still no shocker that it was found here
Rustic Wreath

Okay I lied, this one might be my favorite. Just love the simple nature of this lil guy. Found here
Recycled Wreath

This one's made entirely out of Coffee Filters! Found here.

How are all of you going with your decorations?!

xx tash

unknown wisdom

Update:
I'm a forgetful spaz and forgot to reference my sources.. sorry :(
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cool nights, warm tummies

There's nothing better than having a rich hot chocolate at the end of the end of the day... Wait, I lied, there IS something better than a rich hot chocolate at the end of the day. Home made sweet mint marshmallows melting on top of a rich hot chocolate, at the end of the day :)

recipe here {sans toasted coconut but add 1/2 teaspoon of peppermint extract}

Sprinkle the bottom of the baking dish with crushed peppermint candies and powdered sugar, add marshmallows and top with another coat of crushed candies and sugar. Let it dry out overnight, cut into squares and redust with powdered sugar.

Make your hot chocolate and add 2, 3, 4 {or more} of your minty masterpieces and watch them slowly melt and create a chocolate minty heaven! The photos really don't do it justice but I'll go so far as to say that this might just change your life. Here's to cool nights and warm sweet tummies!

xo tash

parisian perfection

I spotted this the other day and my heart immediately skipped a beat. I've had a real longing lately to leave my LA digs behind and spend some time traveling through Europe.  Totally "eat pray love" style, except the prayers being to Bacchus {God of wine} and the love being about the enormous amounts of European food I'd be happily surrendering to.

I want to marvel at something, have my breath be taken away by something that is bigger than me and my current heartache.

This Parisian loft would encompasses all charm and bewilderment that I'm seeking.

...winding stairwells.

...view of the city, books and art.

...warm places to curl up after long days of being inspired and culturally fed.

I can smell the sweet pastries rising in the oven and the seductive music calling my name.

Folks, I think it's a serious case of Francophilia!

Who's in?

xo tash


{source}

Soft Spots

The holidays for me are about landing on soft places and all the lovely things that make you feel ooey gooey on the inside {and unfortunately can make you look a little ooey gooey on the outside if you have over indulgent tendencies like me hehe}.

One thing that's always a lovely reminder of my childhood is my mum's Banana bread. I 'turned up the volume' as Ina Garten would say, by adding some milk chocolate chips... hold for applause.

Mama Bird and The Chirpy Birds

Chocolate Banana Bread

Ingredients

3/4 cup of room temperature unsalted butter

1 cup of vanilla sugar {or normal granulated sugar}

3 eggs

3 super ripe bananas

1/2 cup of buttermilk*

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

2 1/3 cups of all purpose flour

pinch of salt

1 heaped teaspoon of Bicarbonate Soda

1 cup of good quality Milk Chocolate chips or more if you're crazy about choccy!

*if you can't find buttermilk, mix half yogurt and half milk together until smooth.

Preheat Oven to 350F or 180C

Cream butter and sugar together until light this will take a couple of minutes.  Then add one egg at a time waiting until mixture is properly incorporated before adding the next.  Once all eggs are in mixture, add banana, buttermilk and vanilla.  Turn off mixer and add sifted flour, salt and bicarb mixture by hand. When it's just brought together {you never want to overwork the flour} add the chocolate chips and mix until even.  Place in your preferred baking dish, either traditional loaf pan or muffin/souffle cups. A cake will take around 45 minutes and the muffins {depending on the size} will take from around 15-25 minutes. 

The bread will get denser and moister as it sits. But good luck finding that out, ours always disappears before the days end!

xox tash

gone but not forgotten

my great auntie Ivy on her wedding day in the early 20's

When my mum arrived last week she bought with her an oooolllld family album... Well if you're anything like me then you'd understand why I became completely obsessed with spending hours scouring over these photos that date as far back as the 20's.  Family trees and family history is something that I'm just utterly enthralled by. I know that everyone has a story but for some reason I'm so intrigued by my families story and that might have something to do with the fact that there's little information on either side.

This photo is of my dad and his parents as they arrived off the boat to Australia and became citizens. I love the excitement on his face

My mum's side of the family came over from England and my dad came over from Greece when he was a small boy. There's not a lot of information on my dad's side of the family as the hospital where my Yia Yia was born burnt down years ago. In fact, my Yia Yia never even knew her own birthday {or age for that matter} and just always celebrated the day of her birth on her first born's birthday! haha!  My Nana was an orphan and fell in love at an early age with my Grandfather.

My papa Harry 

Unfortunately I have no living Grandparents and so to see my very own predeceasing generation of people in their hay day is just something that brings me so much joy.  My mum's parents were always so in love and have one of 'those' love stories that I hope my kids and grandkids will one day want to emulate.  They even died close together and my mum always says that my nana died of a broken heart never wanting to live without my 'papa'.

My Nana Rae

I never met my Papa, but I did met my Nana Rae and the strange part is that I remember her. I have so much love for her and the graceful woman that she was. This photo of her on her 21st birthday encapsulates all the things that I remember about her, her beauty, her poise and her gracefulness. I wish I could've known her. Where ever you are family, I love you! Thank you for being you and thank you having my parents! I will always be grateful that you're all a part of me. I will continue to love you and ask for your advice. You will never be forgotten.

love always,
your grand daughter xxx

my manifesto

I believe...

...that the kitchen is the heart of the home

...in butter

....that it's the smallest and simplest things that take up the most room in your heart

...in baking

...in burning and learning

...in family

...in dessert. always.

...in art

...in second bites and second tries

...in lists

...in a good playlist

...in my instincts

...that love is always the question and always the answer 

...in slow food and home cooked meals 

...in good wine

...in girlfriends

...in Nutella 

...in picnics and road trips

...that food tastes better if you have good thoughts while you're making it

...in good posture and clean hair

...in singing at the top of your lungs

...in handwritten letters

...in magic

...in gratitude 

...in tickle trains {girls you know what I'm talking about}

...in pooches

...that everything feels better after an english breakfast tea with milk

...in pancake Saturdays

...in game nights

...in tradition 

... that one day I'll have a family of my own

...in George Clooney. duh.

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What are some of the things that you believe in?

xox tash

p.s. the premiere was fab but no pics... it was the usual no camera policy.. boo... either way, go see Frankie and Alice.  Aside from Halle's amazing performance {what's new though} the story alone will knock your socks off!