The Great Bee Challenge 2009

So I am attempting beekeeping again this year. 

Last Saturday I drove to a reputable beekeeping source to purchase my package of bees. I took them and placed them in their new home placed in the middle of a fruit tree orchard.  A couple of hours later they were flying around all of the fruit trees jumping from blossom to blossom....I think these bees might just work out...much better work ethic than the ebay bees. 

As I was traveling last week I noticed that the windows and visual displays at Anthropologie are all about bees and honey.  Here are a few photos I have from the places I visited in the last week.

Boston Area

Big wild hive made from chicken wire and rolled paper.

The Gateway in SLC

Cardboard and translucent paper made to look like honeycomb.

NYC
Hanging honey bear bottles.

Quick Trip to NYC

On Sunday night, after seeing the matinee of Wicked, I took the red eye to NYC.  Even though it rained the whole time  and I had the worst umbrella ever I was able to squeeze in a few fun things.  My friend Tiffany was a total sport and agreed to meet me and go to dinner and a movie......Thanks Tiffany you have great taste in movies! 

We had dinner at the the Shake Shack where I may have consumed the best french fries of my life.......

After dinner we stopped at Magnolia Bakery for a couple of cupcakes and then went to the movie Valentino The Last Emperor.  
 This was such a great movie.  I hope it makes it to Utah because I would love to see it again.  I had no idea what went into creating a couture collection of clothing....amazing.

The second day I was there I stopped into Saks Fifth Avenue.  In all of my trips to NYC I had never been inside.  It is beautiful.  I loved this pastry shop where all the pastries are put on these little plates and they travel around the counter like sushi at a sushi bar.  

And of course there was the floor filled with shoes.......

Cookbook Challenge Update

If you remember back to the first of the year I made the goal of cooking one thing out of every cookbook I have before I buy any new cookbooks. I really have been falling behind in this goal so I have regrouped and I am ready to start again. Plus I have a whole new list of books I want to buy.  Here are the latest books I have crossed off the list.

Sticky, Chewy, Messy, Gooey

By Jill O'Connor

This is another of my favorite books from Chronicle Books.  The graphics and photos in this book are so well done.  I baked the Gooey Caramel Butter Bars.  They were delicious and really easy to make....they did have 4 sticks for butter so how could they not be delicious, right? 

I am thinking about trying these next-Rich Risotto Rice Pudding.  This cookbook is full of great recipes I am sure I will be cooking something out of this book again. 

I made dinner using recipes from off the shelf by Donna Hay.  I am a huge fan of Donna Hay. She is from Australia and creates the most amazing cookbooks.  They are filled with simple, recipes and tons of beautiful photos.   She also has a magazine that I love buying if I feel up to spending $20 on a beautiful international magazine. 

I made Green Olive Baked Chicken that was made with the following ingredients-green olives, garlic, parsley, lemon zest, cherry tomatoes, salt and pepper.  It was so delicious and so easy.  I also made spinach polenta with roasted balsamic tomatoes and coconut rice with caramelized bananas.  

I love Donna Hay books and I am happy to say I have two more Donna Hay cookbooks to use this year.   

I would love to rip out my whole bathroom and remodel it to look like any of these.

I love this sink!

Remember To Visit These Places

I have spent most of my work day on the internet looking at photos of old fashioned candy stores for a new little project I am working on. I found 3 very cool candy shops that I need to remember to visit.

San Francisco Area
The Candy Store

Miette Patisserie and Confiserie

I have been to the shop at the Ferry Building in San Francisco but I am now curious about the Candy shop. It looks like there are 2 additional locations one in the Hayes Valley and Marina areas. This is so on my list!

I think my favorite new candy store find might be this store in Seattle.

The Confectionery


This place looks like it would be so fun to visit and they have a great blog that shows all of their amazing packaging and cute products.

So Over It..........

This was my view on the drive home.....let me just say it is April 15th. My view should have been of tulips and trees full of beautiful spring blooms not snow covered streets and mountains. I am so over it!