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I have been prepping, chopping, dicing, and packing up like a crazy mad woman for a wedding shower cooking class that I am conducting for 24 lovely ladies later today. During a little rest time, yesterday, I stumbled upon this on Chow Bella…

… while I was actually looking for this…

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February 11, 2012   No Comments

the purchases!

Oh the things I would have bought this past Sunday at the Alameda Point Antiques Faire … IF only I had a big truck to drive it all home in! But, alas, I had but one suitcase – and a dinky carry-on at that. That sort of size limit turns you into a very discerning buyer!  Here is what I came home with…

A couple of lovely vintage skeleton keys.

A pair of outboard motor cuff links. The one on the left still has the little propeller that spins  The cost of these cuties? A whopping $1.00!  They are to be a future gift for a very good friend with a motorboat.

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February 8, 2012   5 Comments

heavenly shopping

I really don’t need an excuse to visit my daughter, Marissa, in San Francisco. I’d be happy to go anytime and as often as she’d have me.

But this visit was scheduled around the once monthly Alameda Point Antiques Faire held across the bay and over the Oakland-Bay Bridge on Navy Way in Alameda.  The first Sunday of each month brings more than 800 vendors and over 10,000 shoppers to the huge sale.  I first learned of the Faire through my favorite blog, Vignette Design. Interior designer and blogger extraordinaire, Delores, loves the Faire and has written of it often. Her favorite vendor is Big Daddy’s Antiques, so naturally that would be our first stop.

crated demijohn, industrial cart, and so much more!

I was beside myself with anticipation when we arrived at about 7:30 AM (the gates open at 6:00).  We made a beeline for the Big Daddy booths in aisles J & K. (the aisles run from A – Z).  I was delighted by every item in the Big Daddy booth, but also heartsick that there was not even one thing that was small enough to fit in my suitcase. The photo above and the next 7 photos were taken in the Big Daddy booths.

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February 7, 2012   4 Comments

how I love thee, let me count the ways…

I love San Francisco!

Saturday morning bakery breakfast…

… and market trip.

A cute fellow shopper.

Next stop – Coit Tower.

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February 6, 2012   3 Comments

we have our winners!

Good Tuesday morning! Thank you all for the lovely comments, the Facebook “likes”, and for encouraging your Facebook friends to also “like” LPG. The number of LPG “likes” went from 277 to 291, which is perfectly wonderful.

As I said yesterday, not one of the new 291 told me who suggested that they “like” LPG, but after some top-notch investigative work, I was able to determine the origin of several of the newbies. I discovered that the top two “saleswomen” were Jeanie Hays, who brought in at least three new people, and Amy Kilpatrick, who brought in at least two new people. In addition, Amy posted 4 comments here on the blog and Jeanie posted 1 comment. So Amy and Jeanie had the most tickets in the drawing – with 10 each!

All in all, there were 23 different people’s names in the big salad bowl with a total of 63 tickets. This is high-level math for me, so imagine the work involved – I believe that I  have a little tension headache from it! But alas…. we have our winners! And they are ~

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January 31, 2012   4 Comments

gentle reminder

Just a quick reminder that our CONTEST ends tonight at midnight.

Thus far, LPG Facebook followers have increased from 277 to 291! Shy of my 325 goal, but steadily increasing, which is so encouraging.

The only Problem – NOT ONE of the new followers has told me that YOU (or anyone else for that matter) told them to follow LPG, so how can I give you the 3 tickets you deserve?!? I suppose it is possible that all the new followers are already blog followers who are just now following LPG on Facebook, and either way, each of them receives two tickets in the drawing… but if you sent them there, I need to know… by midnight tonight.

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January 30, 2012   2 Comments

ANOTHER addiction! PLUS… a contest/give-away.

Yeah, I’ve got a brand new thing that is totally wasting all my time… so much so, that I do not even remotely want to post another Lobster Bake recipe today… tomorrow, I promise! 

Instead, today I shall tell you about my addiction … AND… we shall have a little give-away.  Sound Fun? YES IT DOES!!!

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January 27, 2012   13 Comments

new kitchen

Do you ever dream of a new kitchen? I do! Even though I have a very nice kitchen and one that has even been envied by others… the thought of a new kitchen makes me just sigh with delight.

For me, the kitchen should be at the heart of every home. It’s the room where you share your stories of the day with the rest of your family. It’s the room where you listen to your children complaining over something that they’re not happy about, as well as the room where you lend them a shoulder to cry on. But it’s also the place where you can entertain.

Luckily, there is a new website to peruse and drool over.

Cultivate.com is Williams-Sonoma’s first-ever design website focused solely on kitchen design and remodeling. Cultivate is packed full of editorial content, loads of inspiration, plenty of tips, and fabulous advice all about kitchens.

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January 20, 2012   No Comments

answers to my less than popular game

OK, I give in. Since a couple more people played and a few of you sent me emails – I concede. Here are the answers for the second edition of “What the Heck is That?!?”  And very impressively, this time we had one person get all three items correct. Kudos to my super smart (and super sweet!) friend, Kim!

Object #1

This is a manche à gigot, otherwise known as a leg of lamb holder clamp. Gigot is the French word for a leg of lamb or mutton and manche means handle. So this tool is used when slicing the leg of lamb. It is attached to the shank and then tightened to provide a clean grip for the carver.

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January 19, 2012   4 Comments

dress rehearsal

I know I said that today I would post the pictures and answers from yesterday’s game, “What the Heck is That?!?”. I’m going to hold off for a day or two. Maybe by then more of you will play the game. (see the image above of a very sad face). To be fair, I have sent the answers to Dagmar, the only participant besides Marissa. Thanks for playing, Dagmar! (happy face!)

So, what to do today… how about I show you my plans for Saturday? A dress rehearsal of sorts. This Saturday I am delivering on an auction donation I made for a very worthy cause. The donation was this.

The winners of the item chose to have the dinner at my house, so I’ve been busy for the last several days trying to find and round up all my “clambake” “beachy” stuff. Turns out I have a whole bunch of it, even though I live in the dry arid desert. Here is what I was able to find in my cupboards, garage, storage sheds, etc.

I know it’s hard to tell what is what in this photo, so how about some closeups? (not as closeup as the photos in the game that I’d love for you to play), but just closeup enough to explain what things are and what I’ve done with it all.

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January 18, 2012   6 Comments