Raspberries and Cream

I don't like cake. Its usual overwhelming sweetness doesn't play well with my ultra sensitive taste buds. And if you remember, I also don't bake. There are, however, some exceptions to both, e.g. this Lime-Yogurt Raspberry Mousse Cake - A genius concoction by a pastry chef I know and the perfect vehicle for freshly picked raspberries. If you like nauseatingly sweet things, you will hate this cake, but if you are like me and lean more towards subtle and delicate flavors this cake might become your favorite dessert. Lucky for you it's easy to make.

Join me on my second cake baking adventure:

Ingredients

1. 1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
2. 2 tablespoons cold water
3. 6 tablespoons fresh lime juice
4. 7 tablespoons sugar
5. 1 cup plain whole-milk Greek yogurt
6. 2 cups heavy cream
7. Your favorite pound cake or sponge cake (sliced horizontally into two)
   
8. 2 cups raspberries
9. 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
   

Directions

1. In a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over the water and let stand until softened, about 5 minutes.
   
2. In a small saucepan, combine the lime juice with 5 tablespoons of the sugar and simmer over moderate heat just until the sugar is dissolved, about 3 minutes.
3. Remove from the heat and stir in the softened gelatin until melted.
   
4. Transfer the lime gelatin to a medium bowl and let cool slightly.
   
5. Whisk in the yogurt.
6. In another bowl, beat 1 cup of the cream with the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar until softly whipped. Fold the cream into the yogurt mixture and refrigerate until chilled and set, at least 1 hour.
7. Beat the remaining cup of cream with 1 tablespoon of sugar and 1 teaspoon of vanilla.
   
8. Cover the first cake layer with the lime-yogurt mouse and raspberries.
9. Add second cake layer and cover with whipped cream and remaining raspberries.

Snap shots

I spent an hour looking through Phillip Lim's new website today - I really like all the little bits they added to it, specially his and his doggie's interview with ME magazine and pictures of his Tokyo store. I can't wait to go back to NY to see his lingerie collection, and all the gorgeous Fall bags- I really love his dark/metal look for next season. Here is a collage from some of my favorite items:

Dali skull

I love Ana Bagayan's fairy tale images, specially this one, Silence. The big expressive eyes are so haunting. Here is an animation of her creative process for this painting.





































Prints will be available for sale August 13th.
Source: MLFY

Raspberry Red

I spent a beautiful weekend in endless raspberry fields with my family. I love the deep pink color of freshly picked berries and their sweet plump flavor as they dissolve in my mouth. I spent most of my time photographing all the wild fruits, flowers, fields and insects and of course eating handfuls of berries :)
I have a delicious recipe I'll be sharing with you soon.

Here are some of my pics:

Treasury opens Today

It has been so exciting watching Listopad evolve into Treasury. The culmination of this was last night, when I stopped by to see the brick and mortar version that everyone was eagerly anticipating and Katerina and Cathy had worked so hard on. The store is lovely, filled with thoughtful arrangements, inviting seating areas and beautiful flowers. It's the kind of little shop I'd like to spend my afternoons in, drinking tea, chatting with Rachel and Holly. I had such a fun time looking through the vintage clothes, adorable little jumpers, romantic lace dresses, colorful prints - everyone I talked to had found a favorite, none of us could leave without it. I bought a dark turquoise cropped jacket and a long gold necklace, but I will be back for more.... specially if they have some more delicious cookies for me to eat ;)

Treasury
1843 14th St. NW, WASHINGTON DC 20009
Thursdays 5pm-9pm
Fridays 12pm-8pm
Saturdays 12pm-8pm
Sunday 12pm-6pm

The colorful vintage party crowd.


One of the many gorgeous little arrangements.


Holly Thomas looking at a cute pink bag.


Sparkling water with mint leaves in a vintage bottle. Brilliant and refreshing.


Rafia bag collection.


Vintage bow ties and sunglasses.


Ian Svenonius spinning vintage rock and roll on vinyl.


Earrings, necklaces and the like.


Cathy and Katerina.

Hollywood Intuition for Target

L.A. boutique owner and stylist Jaye Hersh has partnered with Target for the latest accessory collection - Hollywood Intuition. I really like a couple of the pouches, although I'm a little wary about faux leather, it hasn't worked that well in their previous collections. I'm excited to see it nonetheless, I've always liked the accessories at her L.A. boutique. You can judge for yourself, the collection will be in stores this Sunday.

Fall in love

I am so excited to have Hopeless as our second "favorite online shops" feature. I LOVE luxurious lingerie, I love collecting it, I love looking at it, I love opening my "lingerie" drawer and seeing all the gorgeous fabrics and beautiful colors and textures. Hopeless is one of my favorite lingerie lines - Each garment is designed and produced by Gabrielle Adamidis in Melbourne, Australia. She has been sewing her own clothes since a young age, and has been formally trained in dress-making and pattern-making. Her garments are impeccable, I adore everything about them - the romanticism, the color contrast, the vintage look - I feel like she designed them specially for me!

We asked her a few questions about her style and her inspirations:


Dahlia Bra and Willow Camisole

Tell us a little bit more about your store:

"Hopeless Handmade Lingerie specializes in high end lingerie and sleepwear, handcrafted from silk, organic cotton and the softest bamboo jersey, with exquisite detailing and vintage flair. Our mission is to provide garments that empower the wearer and celebrate the female form.

Hopeless provides for those who appreciate beauty and invest in quality. Our lingerie is made from sumptuous fabrics and meticulously hand-finished, using techniques to ensure the longevity of each piece. Most garments are made to order, allowing clients to choose different colour-ways and ensuring a perfect fit."

How would you describe your personal style?

"These days I am very lazy! I work from home so spend a lot of time in comfy clothes. I am hoping to introduce a few more practical Hopeless lounge-wear pieces, so I can feel a little more glamorous on those lazy days!

But when I do have to get dressed up I love vintage dresses and accessories, anything with bows and ruffles, and beautiful fabrics. Especially pieces from the 40s and 50s - where women had a really curvy shape - I think I would have fit in much better then! If I had more time for myself I would indulge in a lot more vintage fashion and designer pieces, I love having things that no one else does, and things that have been made with love. I think about the past with a romantic nostalgia, but I must admit I spend much more time on the internet admiring pieces than I do in real life, as I have so many commitments to my business and sewing takes up most of my leisure time. The internet provides a convenient escape."

How does it influence your store?

"I make things that I love, and every piece is inspired by things that interest me. From nature to history to art, I constantly absorb inspiration from around me, and put everything back into what I create. While I might not dress up everyday, I love dreaming about it, and I hope that my pieces inspire people to dream that way too. It isn't very practical to wear my lingerie everyday, but thats ok, they are for special times, they are things to treasure."

And what is your most cherished lingerie item (that you've made, or otherwise)?

"It is hard to pick just one! Probably a pair of vintage seamed stockings, they are in perfect condition and I have no idea when they were made, but they are really beautiful. Also I made a tartan bustier when I was at school that fits me perfectly. It took me months to make so I definitely cherish that!"



We picked a few of our favorite items from her Posie Pepper Collection:
Left to right - Pansy Knickers; Dahlia Bra and Lily Garter Belt; Daisy Bra and Rose Apron.

Picking my favorite was easy, it won't be easy buying just one! I am really looking forward to the Hopeless lounge wear line!