Scent of the Month

This month's scent is Marc Jacobs Daisy Dream. Described as having a 'light and airy touch, bursting with top notes of blackberry, grapefruit, and pear. The heart notes are introduced with a bouquet of jasmine, lychee, and blue wisteria, and a medley of white woods, musks, and coconut water reveal the base notes.'

Clockwise from top left: sunglasses, bracelet, necklace, purse, shoes, dress, fragrance, lipstick

City Guide: Reykjavik

The Hallgrímskirkja Church in Reykjavik

A view over the city toward the port

Icelandic architecture

We had long wanted to travel to Iceland, especially their capitol city of Reykjavik, and suddenly everyone seems to be talking about the tiny Nordic Country. Fortunately, we were finally able to visit not long ago, and we are officially obsessed. Iceland is an easy flight from the East Coast, or many other European destinations, and is very tourist friendly, especially for English speakers as everyone there speaks the language. It is also a very compact, walkable city, and much can be accomplished in a short trip. These are some of our favorite places to check out in (or close to) Reykjavik:

To Fly

Icelandair has fantastic service, especially for what is essentially a budget airline. They have great loyalty rewards, if you are so inclined, and their Stopover option is the perfect way to go if you are planning on more than one destination during your trip (read about that here). 

To Eat

Some of the offerings at Sandholt

The front of Litli Bondabaerinn

Kopar: This was our favorite place for a nicer dinner. The crowd was very chic, the decor was rustic yet elegant, and it all felt very Icelandic. The menu was a delicious mix of local and imported ingredients, using traditional meats and fish.

Sea Baron: This place is fun and was highly recommended by locals, so the crowd is a mix of Icelanders and tourists. It's kind of a dive, and is counter service, but they have really fresh seafood (including Minke whale, in filet or tasting sizes) on kebabs. You pick your preferred fish out of the fridge and they grill it for you; they have soup and beer as well.

Sjavarbaron: This small, authentic seafood restaurant is part of a cute row of restaurants and cafés by the water, and has a more complete menu than the Sea Baron - i.e. many side dish options. Most people we encountered there were locals and it's very low key, perfect for a quiet night out.

Sandholt: This is listed as the best bakery in Reykjavik by the English language paper, and many foodie lists. Everything was delicious, and we loved the heavy doses of cinnamon and pistachio in the pastries we tried, but this felt like the most touristy place we visited.

Litli Bondabaerinn: This coffee shop is co-owned by a British expat. It serves excellent coffee and they have baked goods - all organic and with gluten-free options.  

Nightlife

The entrance to Dillon

Dillon - This whiskey bar is a fun scene, with live rock music or DJs, and a garden that opens in the summertime.

Grillmarkadurinn - This is a fabulous restaurant and bar, but we would recommend it as much for the scene as the food.  Definitely stay for dinner at the chef's counter if you are so inclined, but this is a perfect spot to start or end the evening with a cocktail or two.

Dolly - This club was recommended to us by locals, and it's a fun party spot for a big night out, conveniently located on a street with many of the busiest bars in town.  They seem to primarily be occupied on the weekends, though, Reykjavik doesn't have a nonstop nightlife scene by any means.

Museums

The National Museum of Iceland: This museum is a great first stop upon arrival to Reykjavik, with a fun permanent exhibit that helps you learn about the history of Iceland, and how its settlers learned to adapt to the rugged terrain and harsh weather conditions.

Aurora Reykjavik: There is no guarantee you'll get to see the Northern Lights during an Icelandic visit, even in wintertime.  This little museum and gallery is the next best thing.

The Icelandic Phallological Museum: This was one of the oddest museums we had ever heard of, so of course we had to check it out.  Opening the tiny museum, devoted to the male anatomy, was a dream of the owner's, and he has filled it with interesting artifacts and anecdotes - there is also a gift shop.

Viking World: This is between Reykjavik and the international airport, but we were there at the word 'viking'.  This museum has examples of viking ships, settlements, and weaponry.

Shopping

Don't try to buy any of these items in Iceland!

Shopping is pricey in Reykjavik, and much of what's available is the same from store to store.  However, the government regulates prices, so you don't have to worry that that ski jacket you loved was less expensive in town than at the Blue Lagoon gift shop. Our favorite brands there were 66 North for amazing, durable, and lightweight winter wear, and Farmer's Market for cozy sweaters and chic scarves. 

To Stay

Hotel Holt: This boutique hotel is family owned, and boasts both an extensive art collection and well regarded restaurant.

Radisson Blu Saga Hotel: If you prefer a larger/chain hotel, this is an excellent choice. It is ideally located near the port, and has a very cute lobby and downstairs bar.

Spa Trips

The Blue Lagoon

Fontana: This hot springs center is adjacent to a large lake, which it sources the water from to fill their several pools of varying temperatures. They also have saunas, and a café that serves cured lake trout and black bread baked in the warm sand.

The Blue Lagoon: No trip to Iceland is complete without a visit to the healing waters of the Blue Lagoon, an artificial lake between the main airport and Reykjavik. We highly recommend dedicating a full day to the Lagoon, where you can relax on the indoor sun deck, soak in the water, get spa treatments, enjoy lunch, or do a bit of shopping.

Farther Afield

Arctic Adventures: This is the best service for any active day trips you may want to venture on outside of the city. No matter what you want to do, they have you covered!

Tip

Be sure to check out Reykjavik's local English language newspaper, The Grapevine, for special events and more information about what's current in the city.

Menu: Summer Vegetable Dinner

Late summer in Napa

Labor Day weekend is always filled with barbecues, pool parties, and beach days, all of which tend to have burgers and hot dogs as staples. But the end of summer is also the end of the incredible variety of fruits and vegetables we have been enjoying all season, especially in California. Our warmest months do tend to flow into early fall though, so we don't have to say goodbye to our favorite produce too soon.  We will be savoring these delicious vegetable dishes for the next few weeks.

Caprese Salad with Heirloom Tomatoes

Artichokes with Green Goddess Dressing

Summer Squash Carpaccio

Green Gazpacho

Corn Soufflé

Provençal Vegetable Tarts

Snap Pea Salad with Radish & Lime

The Best Dressed at the 2014 Emmys

January Jones in Prabal Gurung

Sarah Paulson in Armani Prive

Samira Wiley in Christian Siriano

Julia Roberts in Elie Saab

Camilla Alves in Zuhair Murad

Angela Bassett in Elisabetta Franchi

Sarah Silverman in Marni

Jessica Pare in Lanvin

Michelle Monaghan in Giambattista Valli

Debra Messing in Angel Sanchez

images from dailymail.co.uk, huffingtonpost.com and people.com

Song of the Week

Of Montreal - Honeymoon in San Francisco

Crazy About: Work Out Wear

Clockwise from top left: jacket, tee, hoodie sweatshirt, palm bralette, running belt,

running capris, grey & red sneakers, shorts, blue & black sneakers, jogging pants, 

striped strap sports bra, fitbit, earbuds, tennis dress, swimsuit

True Blood Finale Party

We are huge True Blood fans and will be sad to say farewell to the HBO series this Sunday, as the seventh and final season comes to an end.  It will definitely be toughest to let go of our favorite character, Eric Northman, but hopefully a little finale party - including a few True Blood themed cocktails and some Southern fried chicken - will help ease the pain. 

Arlene's Bon Temps Bloody Mary Recipe

from the True Blood Cookbook

Ingredients:

6 ounces tomato juice

1.5 ounces vodka

1 tsp fresh lime juice

.5 tsp Worcestershire Sauce

Salt

Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Cayenne Pepper

Cracked Ice

Pickled Green Beans or Pickled Okra - for garnish

Combine the tomato juice, vodka, lime juice, and Worcestershire in a cocktail shaker.  Season with salt, black pepper, and cayenne.  Stir.  Fill a highball glass with ice and pour the drink over the ice.  Garnish with the beans or okra.  Serve immediately.

Makes 1 drink

Sookie's What a Fried Chicken Recipe
 from the True Blood Cookbook

Ingredients:
1.5 cups of all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Lard or vegetable oil… for deep frying
Two 3-3.5 pound broiler-fryer chickens cut into serving pieces

Combine the flour, salt, paprika, black pepper, and cayenne in a large plastic or paper bag.
Shake to mix.
Heat about 2 inches of lard until it registers 360 degrees farenheit on a deep-fry thermometer in a large, heavy pot. Put four chicken pieces in the bag, and shake well. Add the chicken to the hot fat and deep-fry until golden brown and cooked through, 12 to 15 minutes.
Drain the chicken on paper towels.
Repeat the process with the remaining chicken.
Serve hot or warm.

Serves 4-6

And for decor:

Clockwise from top left: sweatshirt, (fairy) light, white sage, viking helmet, 

red crepe paper, cook book, beer glass, voodoo dolls, card game, confederate cap,

fangs balloon, shot glass, bon temps tee, werepanther pillow

California Architectural Gem: Ennis House

Located in Los Feliz, the Ennis House was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and built in 1924. Drawing inspiration from Mayan temple architecture, it is constructed of pre-cast concrete blocks. One of a number of houses Wright designed in L.A. during this period using the cement block technique, the structure is reinforced with metal bars. Because of the larger budget of the owners it's also on of the largest built with this method. Typical of Wright's style, it is designed to embrace the land it's constructed on. The building is foreign and unusual looking for the time, but also features familiar elements of art nouveau style with metal scrollwork and stained glass.

Such a gorgeous pool, and view.

The library's built in bookcases, what an amazing space to read.

This interior hallway is pure magic.

The paved courtyard separating the main house and garage is designed to highlight the view.

The house is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and is available to tour 12 days out of the year. It's definitely on our list of places to visit.

All images from Pinterest.

Foodie Favorite: George's at the Cove in La Jolla

 George's at the Cove came highly recommended to us by several people ahead of a recent visit to the La Jolla area in San Diego.  The restaurant's location is spectacular, with a terrace featuring incredible views of La Jolla Cove Beach, its resident sea lions, and the Pacific Ocean itself - although we did have to contend with some fog on the night we were there.  The drinks and food were excellent, with the seafood dishes being standouts.  We settled on a special sea bass dish, served on a bed of greens and mushrooms, and topped with leeks and an Asian-influenced black sesame dressing - we were far from disappointed.  You can read more about George's on their site.

Song of the Week

Charli XCX - Boom Clap

Crazy About: Camel & Navy

Clockwise from top left: hat, blouse, sweater, skirt, oxfords, coat, boots, clutch, dress, scarf

Art Everywhere US

While walking down the street in San Francisco the other day, we noticed a different kind of bus stop advertisement. When we saw the website listed on the bottom (arteverywhereus.org) we were curious to know more. 
Art Everywhere US is a campaign 'to create the largest outdoor art show', running for the month of August across America. Carefully chosen pieces of American art are displayed in public on buses, billboards, and at bus stops, among other locations. 58 works of art were selected from 5 leading museums in the US (The Dallas Museum of Art, The Art Institute of Chicago, The Los Angeles County Museum of Art, The National Gallery of Art and The Whitney Museum of American Art) with the help of a public vote. We think this is a fabulous idea, and love the fact that these famous works will be so accessible to everyone this month. Hopefully this becomes an annual 'exhibit'. Here are some of our favorite pieces from the selection.

John Singer Sargent - The Fountain, Villa Torlonia, Frascati, Italy, 1907

Grant Wood - American Gothic, 1930

Margaret Bourke-White - World's Highest Standard of Living, 1937

Edward Hopper - Nighthawks, 1942

Mark Rothko - White Center, 1957

Jasper Johns - Three Flags, 1958

Roy Lichtenstein - Cold Shoulder, 1963

Andy Warhol - Campbell's Soup Can, 1964

Edward Ruscha - Hollywood, 1968

Chuck Close - Phil, 1969

Cindy Sherman - Untitled, 2008

All images from ArtEverywhereUS.org