Lemons, Poppy Seeds and Wimpy Doughnuts

The combination of lemons and poppy seeds is like edible happiness for me. So when I pinned this doughnut recipe months back, I knew I'd eventually break down and make them. It was my first time using a doughnut pan, and I don't think they turned out quite right, probably human error. They didn't puff up. They were just sad and skinny, and doughnuts should be fat and happy ... like the people who eat them.

All that to say, I didn't really mind. They were still delicious, just not very doughnut-like. The consistency was actually a lot like these muffins, which are also delicious. So I'd say, give them a try, maybe you'll have better luck. And remember, if life gives you lemons, make a lemon glaze, pour it over anything and life will be all right.

[recipe courtesy of: The Novice Chef]

Yard Games

Croquet is typically my lawn game of choice, but giant Connect Four, Jenga, Twister and Scrabble would be too fun to resist. When I was in the third grade, I played Jenga against a family friend of ours who is a surgeon. She, thankfully, ended up winning, but the match went on so long, I still consider myself a Jenga champion. It's all in the tiny fingers, which would probably not come in handy for giant backyard Jenga.

[spotted here: 1, 2, 3, 4]

Cute Cookies

I'm not usually one who describes things as "too cute to eat," but these cookies come close. Made to order by BB Sweets, the vanilla shortbread cookies are each decorated by hand. I love all the detail captured. The sweet little babushkas are my favorite, just look at those eyelashes and rosy cheeks. And according to the customer reviews, the cookies taste as good as they look.

Weekend in Photos

We kicked off the weekend with Shake Shack and a show. Death of a Salesman was great, horribly depressing of course, but the performances were amazing. We rarely see Broadway shows, so it felt like a special date night. On Saturday, we had a big lunch at Parm. The calamari, garlic bread and chicken parmesan sandwich were all delicious, but the huge slice of their signature ice cream cake was the highlight. Just looking at it makes me happy, as does this dog chilling in a van in Soho.

Thoughts of the Week

Who'd think you could make jewelry out of straws?

I like salads you can eat with a spoon.

This makes me want to get my hands dirty.

It's like jamoca almond fudge ice cream at Baskin-Robbins but better.

A sweater fit for springtime.

Lemon cake and afternoon sunshine sound like a perfect combination.

Succulents come in the loveliest shades.

I'll take things to put on toast for $400, Alex.

There are never enough stripes.

So that if you get lost, you can just look down.

Happy Friday, everyone! We're headed to the theater tonight to see Death of a Salesman starring Philip Seymour Hoffman and dreamy Andrew Garfield. Any big weekend plans?

Shake Things Up

My visit to a speakeasy got me thinking about vintage cocktail shakers. There are so many beauties out there, and they're easy to find on Etsy and eBay. Don't you think they would look great filled with flowers? You know, when you're not making Manhattans.

[spotted here: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]

San Francisco Eats

Discovering new restaurants and finally tasting food I've heard about is one of my favorite things about traveling. Here's what I found in San Francisco:

Bourbon & Branch is a dimly lit, cozy speakeasy that requires a password. Sounds intimidating, but just make a reservation and they'll send it to you. The drinks were incredible, the bartenders friendly and since no cell phones or photography are allowed, you're forced to relax and enjoy your libation and your company. It's actually refreshing.

Drinks were followed by an outstanding meal at Sons & Daughters. Seriously, in the top tier of meals I've eaten. I'm still kicking myself for not running back to the hotel to get my camera because my iPhone photos don't nearly do it justice. They offered an eight-course tasting menu with dishes like trout roe on a buttermilk crisp, pork belly with English peas and mint, bitter orange soup, and three delicious bread courses that were maybe the three best breads I've ever eaten. I'm still thinking about that piece of warm buckwheat toast.

On Saturday, we visited the farmers' market at the Ferry Terminal Building to try the Roli Roti food stand, something I'd seen on the Cooking Channel at least a year ago. The line was long but moved quickly. We got two porchetta sandwiches which are topped with sweet caramelized onions and arugula. It was juicy, crispy, chewy, all kinds of good.

Inside the Ferry Building, Miette has lots of tempting sweets, but I could barely think about food after that pork sandwich. I did manage to try one of their hazelnut macarons, which was delightful.

Roam Artisan Burgers was our dinner spot. They have tasty grass-fed burgers with all the fixin's, housemade sodas and killer milkshakes. The place was packed with a line out the door minutes after we sat down. It was the perfect casual dinner.

For Sunday brunch, we loved the beignets and massive (by New York standards anyway) mimosas at Brenda's French Soul Food.

Mmm...now I'm hungry. Thanks to Kelly, Brandi and Aly for your recommendations!