On Holiday!

A whole 10 days in California! This is the place from which I came!... The northern region... to be slightly less vague. I have a new favorite store in Santa Cruz, Stripe, and I make it a point of visiting every time I am here. This time I got a couple of choice pieces for Holiday herself a little tea tray, and a hanging bottle that whispered to me as I passed her b(u)y... I could definitely spend hours and fortunes in this shop... Lucky for me my rule as of right now is, "only for the salon" and lucky for our budget the salon is tiny, so my boundaries are set for me.

I almost forgot...

This one is for you!

Macarons before noon...

This morning I did it, I just woke up and went for it!... I MADE MACARONS!!!! For the first time ever... Remember how I was so scared? Well I pretty much nailed it! Crispy little outsides, chewy center, with the formation of the pied and all--for those who don't know what a "pied" is, it is the little frill or pooch at the foot of the macaron, and well with out this small detail, according to the french (who know everything), it isn't any more of a macaron then it's coconut impostor. Which as a beginner cookie snob, I think it is my job to inform you that the coconut thing? NOT a macaron, for the record...

And don't even get me started on the sea salt butter cream filling! Ok well, since I am already started... The butter cream was really good, and buttery but just kinda sweet and a bit boring for me and so I thought, "you know what it needs? subtle yet bold flakes of sea salt!" and OMG!!! I was right!... And so I proceeded to eat a dozen of these them... Almost.

No macarons yet... But we did put up the tree?

I havent worked up the cookie courage ... Really I have not made the time... But hopefully this week will be the week. I can make them for gifts... That is if they do not turn out to be little turdy looking things... That is my fear, you know? That I will totally blow it, and this is why I procrastinate. Also I got the wrong almond meal, I got the TJ's kind that still had the skin on when they milled the almonds, so it is a speckley and I think I was supposed to get the blanched meal, or probably I was supposed to blanch the nuts myself and then ground them by mortis and pestle myself too, you know if I were a real baker. But I am not, so maybe I should just order them daily from Pix? Believe me that option is not off the table, but then neither are buttery little lavender short breads either, because I know that is something that I can make. Anyway there is a lot of talk about cookies and such but still no place to serve all of you good little girls and boys your treats. Soon you lovelies, hopefully we will be in our home come January (double crossed fingers and toes). There is movement behind this certain, I promise, we are almost there!

I may heart macarons, but I love my clients!

I do! I love love love them, it is so much fun to go into peoples homes, make them beautiful, hear their stories... And get paid for it all! I think it is the best! And I think you guys are the best!!! Thank You!

I heart macarons

I went to Powell's and I bought a book... I was looking for something special and I do believe I found it! Oh and then I went to pix for some inspiration... Unfortunately I have eaten all of the inspiration but I do still have the book.

Tonight we are going to trim the tree and I think I may attempt a batch of these puffy little charmers then, instead of the traditional forgiving sugar cookie... That may be a bit ambitious because I am kind of a control freak when it comes to ornament placement and it may be too much preasure... Doesn't that sound fun and Holiday spirited? Controlled decorating and anxious baking? I know, it's not, but my tree always look spectacular!!! And so goes the give and the take.

I am thinking we'll have to call a final decision closer to the decorating, see how the popcorn stringing goes and then we can decide about taking on the macarons.

I want this!

My new mission is to make macarons in the tiny oven aboard Holiday. I know that it is ambitious... But I can't think of anything else better in the world than sweet little Parisian puffed pastries made inside my little trailer!!!! And so now I need this book! Laduree` Fabricant dedouceurs ( Sweet Delights ) Laduree` makes clames to being the originator of these magic little sandwiches... and so I need to have this book!

Visualize with me...

Hello Universe,

It is Me, Robin (and Holiday), I am just writing to say thanks a million! Thank You! Thank You! Thank You, for making my dreams come true! You are truly amazing and abundant. As you know, I am now in my sparkly little space, my beautiful, amazing spot! AND I JUST LOVE IT HERE! Thank you for facilitating the magic that made my dream come true! Have you seen her?!?... What am I talking about? Of course you have, you actually have seen it all, every step along the way. But, Dude, Universe??? Can you even believe what an amazing thing we have made here? Truly a super special palace of magic and splendor! Wouldn't you agree?!? My, My, Oh Me Oh MY, but ain't she fine? Just Glorious! How she peeks right out from inside that secret garden, behind that regal wrought iron gate, Perfection! With her sweet little deck, that is actually her grand stage, as she shines her lovely light out on passer by's. Beckoning them in out of the blue-gray monotone of a Portland's winter day. Glowing like a small cottage in a darkening woods, wrapped in a Delicate Blush (actual paint color) with her sheer coral curtains and garland of twinkly lights casually draped around her outside, a little off the shoulder. What a flirty little dish she is! Warming guest with her luscious treats of drinking chocolate, sweet wines and petite pastries that are baked right on board, inside the tiniest little oven to ever attempt a macaroon! Her vanity surrounded by a halo of bulb lights wrapping us in her honey golden light and illuminating the beauty of it all!!!! What??? This Place is Bananas, so cute you could cry!, Right? Uhh!-I can barely stand it! She is absolutely marvelous, like a scene scavenged from the cutting room floor of a Wes Anderson film... So vibrant and quirky... And yet, it is a real place that people come to! They actually get to step inside this movie! They bring me their stories and dreams, our conversations dance and flutter to the sweet serenades of Edith Piaf or old timey Americana, as I spin gold from their silky tresses. They tip me in play lists, freshly canned pear butter, raspberries and heartmade goodies and they pay me in cash money! If the world is my oyster (and it is) then Holiday is the pearl! Thank you sweet, sweet universe for landing me here in this magic little matchbox of a fairytale come true! I am so grateful for all of the open and flowing goodness that moves through me and manifests my wildest dreams!