caribbean style

Here's a little Island decorating inspiration

from this month’s Coastal Living magazine.

I just love the informal, relaxed look of this Bahamian home.

Bring a little island flair into your home this summer with

woven basket textures,

a single huge palm or philodendron leaf in an interesting jar,

or open shelving that includes a few treasured items.

What do you think?

ciao! fabiana

"watermelon steak" salad.

This sounds perfect for a hot day like today, 

Watermelon "Steak" Salad. 

There's no meat involved, 

just a big hunk of watermelon!

Recipe found here.

ciao! fabiana

the ladies of london are back!

I feel like we have been waiting forever for Ladies of London to return. I’m so excited!  This was my favorite tv indulgence of last summer.   You may be happy to know that Ladies of London season 2 kicks off Monday, September 7 on Bravo.  

Caroline, Annabelle, Marissa, Juliet, and Julie (she is married to the Earl of Sandwich and has now been upgraded to full time cast member) are returning. 

As I hoped, Caprice and Noelle are out, making room for Sophie Stanbury (friend of) and Caroline Fleming (full time and pictured above).  Caroline Fleming or the other Caroline, is the former host of “Denmark’s Next Top Model”, and she was born a Baroness into one of Denmark’s oldest families, is a mother of three children and was married to Rory Fleming, nephew of Bond creator Ian Fleming.  

Friend to the show, Sophie Stanbury has been long-time friends with Caroline Stanbury, who introduced her to her brother Alex, and they are now sisters-in-law. 

ciao! fabiana

fun ballet flats

Kind of a fun take on the usually plain ballet-flats.

For tall girls like me, flats are essential!

What do you think?  Would you wear any of these?

I like the ones pictured at the top best.

via InStyle

ciao! fabiana

add a little candlelight

It’s the magic of candlelight, 

a subtle transformation from 
daylight 
to evening splendor.  

ciao! fabiana

herb wreaths

In Victorian times, herbs were fastened together into bouquets. Herbs each had symbolic meanings which added to the fun and fragrance of this tradition.  In modern times, herb wreathes take the place of bouquets, and we appreciate them for their decorative beauty as well as their aroma.  These are so pretty to hang in the kitchen or garden.

To make an herb wreath, harvest herbs, leaving the stems about 3 inches long, and place in water. Use fresh, herbs, and make sure they are will withstand being wrapped around the wreath.  My favorite picks are lavender, rosemary, bay and sage. Wash and clean up the cuttings and lay out small bundles of each herb, using three to five stems per bundle. Next, wrap floral wire around an 8-inch or 10-inch, double-wire wreath so that the wire forms a sturdy base which is helpful for securing the herbs. Using the same wire, secure the herbs to the wreath, wrapping the wire around the bottom of the herb stems. Place the next bundle so that it covers the stems of the first, arranging each variety of herb in its own section.  Finish off by hanging with your favorite ribbon.

image via bhg

ciao! fabiana

a healthy bloody mary mix and more

I recently discovered a line of healthy tomato products that I love called Dei Fratelli.  This family-owned company really takes pride in the food they produce, and you can taste the difference in the freshness of their tomatoes.  Dei Fratelli, which by the way means “brotherhood” in Italian,  makes great packaged tomatoes, tomato sauce and tomato juice.   Some of them come in cartons instead of cans, which I really like. They also have some amazing recipes that I have tried and wanted to share with you today.

 Bloody Mary Mix

Ingredients:
·    1 (46 oz) can Dei Fratelli tomato Juice ·    1 1/2 Tbsp. Celery salt ·    1 1/2 tsp Ground black pepper ·    3 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce ·    1 1/2 tsp Hot pepper sauce
Preparation: In a large jar or bottle, combine the tomato juice, celery salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and hot pepper sauce. Secure the lid and shake, or stir to mix until well blended.  (Store in the refrigerator for up to one week.)  Mix with vodka and enjoy!

Peppercorn Bacon and Tomato Shrimp Chowder Ingredients:
·    1 (14.5 oz) can Dei Fratelli Petite Diced Tomatoes ·    4 Cups Water ·    1 1/2 lb medium Shrimp, shelled ·    4 slices thick Peppercorn bacon ·    1 medium Onion, finely chopped ·    1 medium Green pepper, finely chopped ·    1 tsp garlic	·    2 Cups Potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch dices ·    1 Bay leaf ·    1 tsp Salt ·    1 tsp Freshly ground pepper ·    3 - 4 dashes Hot sauce, to taste
Preparation: In a medium size pot, add water. Cook until boiling. Add shrimp and cook 2 minutes. Remove shrimp from pot. Strain water and measure 3 cups. Keep on warm temperature until needed. In a Dutch oven, fry the bacon until crisp. Remove bacon to cool on paper towels. When cool, break into pieces. Add onion, green pepper, and garlic to bacon grease and sauté until tender about 10 minutes. Pour in reserved water. Add the potatoes, tomatoes, bay leaf, salt, pepper and hot sauce. Bring slowly to a boil, then turn the heat to low and cook and simmer for about 10 minutes or until the potatoes are tender but not mushy. Add the shrimp and bacon. Continue cooking for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and discard. Serve the chowder in heated mugs. Serves 6 to 8

Red Pepper Shrimp Linguini            Ingredients:
·    1 (14.5 oz) can Dei Fratelli Chopped Italian Tomatoes ·    1/3 Cup Olive oil ·    1 Cup White onion, sliced thin ·    1 Cup Red bell peppers, sliced ·    2 1/2 Tbsp Garlic, minced ·    1/4 Cup Fresh basil, finely chopped ·    2 Tbsp. Oregano ·    1 Tbsp. Rosemary ·    1 tsp Salt	·    1/2 tsp Black pepper ·    3/4 Cup Mushrooms, sliced ·    1 1/2 lb Fresh large shrimp, cleaned and deveined, tail on (can substitute thawed frozen cooked shrimp) ·    1 lb Linguini, cooked al dente per package instructions
Preparation: Heat oil in large pot with lid. Add onion, peppers, garlic, basil, oregano, rosemary, salt, pepper and mushrooms. Sauté over medium heat 5 minutes. Add tomatoes. Cover and simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add shrimp and simmer until shrimp is pink and hot (if using frozen cooked shrimp, approx 5 minutes to heat through). Toss with cooked pasta. Serves 8-10 For more healthy recipes from Dei Fratelli,  visit their recipe page. ciao! fabiana