Maple Sugar

The big news.

Okay. I don't think I can wait any longer to tell all of you this. No, I'm not pregnant! A friend pointed out to me that you all were probably thinking that, and then I put up those onesies, and...oh noooo!!!! How embarassing, no, I'm not pregnant, haha! But here it is. A while back, the adorable and talented musician and baker extrodinairre Michelle Branch contacted me about being head pastry chef/baker of a bakery she was opening here in Nashville. I was hooked on her concept from the beginning: a sweet little bake shop where you can purchase cakes, pies, cupcakes, and other old-fashioned homemade goodies, but also a place where you can go after dinner and have a specialty cocktail or local dessert wine with your slice of French vanilla almond cake. You know?!?! And not only that, but we will be sourcing as much of our ingredients as possible from local farmers...milk, butter, fruit, whatever we can. The rest of it will be kept organic and all-natural. If you are anywhere near Nashville, get excited, because this place is going to be sweet.

And, ya'll, this girl can bake.  As in, she makes up recipes from scratch. Baking recipes. You know how difficult that is. I am so delighted to be working with her, and I can't tell you how excited I am about this venture. Of course, I want to take all of you through it with me, so I've started a blog about it! And, consequently, I've decided to shut down this one. I have loved Maple Sugar and blogging about my leisurely life, and I have REALLY loved getting to know all of you, but I have been feeling for a while that my days of personal blogging were coming to a close. So please follow me over to the new blog! I will miss you sorely  if you don't! Here it is... and make sure you check out the "about" page from time to time for general information and updates about the bakery!

www.blog.thesugarbar.com

XOXOXOXX,

Rebekka

Structure and Solitude

 Some very exciting things may be happening around here that I can't wait to tell you about. This may just be the quiet before the storm!

toast

Toast, house and home Spring 08 catalogue. Got it right again.

*sigh*

Mmm.

Why must Restoration Hardware always have such beautiful, beautiful things this time of year that I really freaking want? For example, these Versailles Flannel PJs, priced at $129. "A print worthy of Marie Antoinette..." the catalog says. Oh, don't even.

And these, Wellies. The cornflower ones.

This herbal tea garden set, with chamomile, mint, and lemon balm seeds. Actually, I would buy this for Mary for Christmas if we didn't decide to not give each other gifts.

And, hellooo...foot duvets!? Need I say more!?

And this wooden sled...look how beautiful! This is for my future children, whomever they are, for the one day a year we actually get enough snow to go slipping around at Love Circle park. The crafsmanship...this is the kind of sled I can really get on board with!

Hope all of you are having a great week and are getting increasingly warmer and fuzzier as the holidays approach! I know I am!

Christmas list

Let's be frivolous for a moment, shall we? First of all, I want scalloped bed linens from Schweitzer Linen. My favorite.

Secondly, a cast-iron clawfoot slipper tub. With the white enamel feet. Are they enamel? Doug, you would know. Tell me.

Next, the entire nine piece set of the new Le Creuset color...they call it Caribbean blue, although I would probably call it mediterranean turquoise.

And then, this: a Steinway player piano. Wouldn't that be fun? I don't know why, but I have wanted one of these since I was teeny...it was those trips to Cock of the Walk. Does anybody know what I'm talking about? But I love classical music and it seems like a dream to be able to hear my favorite pieces from a real piano. Plus imagine how it would liven up parties!

And finally, this. Cooking in Normandy with Susan Herrmann Loomis, author of On Rue Tatin, which is a beautiful book, and some other cookbooks I love. A ticket to this, please...plus airfare.

(I do realize I'm not getting any of these things.)

What tops your list for most-unrealistic-Christmas-present? :)