currently coveting: cake shapes

i'm about to hop out of the house to run some errands. gotta buy some essential stuff, like cake shapes. mini gugelhopf and madeleine shapes, to be exact. yay! the weekend will be cake / tea time, with pretty mini cakes, served on etageres. stay tuned, people. xo

berry clafoutis

clafoutis... warm, sweet and fruity clouds. it's not really a cake, and it's not a pudding, either. it's really something between a spongy pancake and a mellow muffin with some fruity accents. thus, clafoutis is not limited to a specific day-time, it's perfect for every occasion. dessert, breakfast, midnight-snack, lunch. you name it, clafoutis it is. plus, you can make it with nearly every fruit imaginable (i used frozen mixed berries here, but canned sour cherries are delicious, as well).

berry clafoutis
500 g berries or cherries
4 eggs
120 g sugar
200 g flour
1 pinch salt
1 vanilla sugar
2 dl milk
some butter and icing sugar

butter a low, round cake pan. mix the egg yokes, vanilla sugar and sugar and beat until foamy. add flour, milk and salt. in a separate bowl beat the egg whites until firm. then combine both parts and pour the dough in the cake pan. carefully add the berries on top of the dough, and make sure that they don't sink in too much. bake for 25-35 minutes on 220 degrees. if the clafoutis appears to be a little too humid in the middle at first, be assured you will find that that's actually quite lovely. sprinkle with icing sugar and serve warm. bon appétit!

holiday happiness

hey, i'm back! the holidays were amazing. driving around germany from west to east and back, with no real purpose, accompanied by sunshine all the way. we've visited pretty, historic sights. ate great food. met friends and family. ugh, it was the ideal mix between enriching experiences and perfect relaxation. every holiday should be like that. the result is: i am really relaxed and happy, and ready for everything that's ahead and looking forward to the job start on friday (t-4 to go, yay).

fun reads

dear readers and friends, i will be off for nine blissful days. tonight, we're heading to davos for a short (skiing) weekend in the mountains. next up is germany, from monday to the next weekend. we'll be meeting friends and family along. i've planned on reading a lot of books (the ones above are only a selection of the many new books i've currently got at home), cooking good stuff, taking strolls and walks with no plan, drinking a lot of hot tea and basically just enjoying time with each other. ah, the perspectives...

have a lovely weekend and generally a good time, all of you! see you when i'm back (smirk).
xo
scarlett

jelly flats

we know them all from back when we were little kids: the plastic sandals. prescribed by our parents. vital for any trip to the beach, when we used to jump fearless into the dangerous sea. back then, i hated those jelly shoes on my chubby feet. i felt they were a limit to my freedom.

this summer, the jelly flats are back in fashion. many designers took them up in their spring / summer 2011 collection. i'm crazy over the vibrant colors and cute designs! 

1 kartell and moschino bow wow plastic ballet flats

2 tory burch jelly reva in yellow

3 chanel brown plastic bow sandals

4 fendi jelly strip sandals

5 marc jacobs jelly mouse flats

6 vivienne westwood heart flats

7 melissa campana jelly flats

8 kartell by norma luisa glue cinderella flats

9 j crew jelly flats with crystals

10 j crew jelly flats

11 melissa for vivienne westwood bow yuzui plastic jelly sandals 

freedom

yesterday was the last day in my old job at the ad agency. it was a very sad and emotional, but nonetheless nice occasion. and though i'm not really good at saying goodbye, i enjoyed beeing seen off by so many not only colleagues but friends. the handmade cook book they made for me with recipe contributions from everyone really moved me.

so today's my first day off work. two and a half* (*worth writing out) weeks of blissful freedom now, before i will start my new job at the new ad agency. i'm longing to do so many things i haven't found the time lately, or i've just been too plain lazy to do. i'm full of energy right now. and in order to organise myself, i've made this list of things (it's ambitious, i know).

1 make home-made gnocchi
2 prepare healthy breakfasts
3 eat more fruit
4 go out into the forest and take pictures in the dim rays of sunshine
5 edit photos i took during the last few month
6 tend to my (three) plants on the balcony and make them spring-ready
7 read the five new books i bought on saturday
8 spend a lot of time in bed
9 clean the flat from top to bottom, including the kitchen
10 cuddling with my nephew
11 strolling about the city with no plan at all
12 leaf through my cookbooks and plan a reunion dinner with family that i will host in april
13 try out a new hair do
14 spend some days in germany, and maybe visit weimar
15 spoil my boyfriend

and: remember that there is always a reason to smile (it won't be hard).
lots of love
scarlett

picture source: we heart it

home office inspiration no.4

1 table lamp base surveyor and shade via target
2 brown croco leather vide poche via lvharkness
3 bowl ming coral & white via williams sonoma home
4 derian coral paperweight via lyberty uk
5 wise ol canister via anthropologie
6 random vintage telephone
7 rinjani basket via crate & barrel
8 dark global folio bin nature's brown via target
9 large sanban storage basket via crate & barrel
10 random old typo wood box
11 ming coral and white tissue box via williams sonoma home
12 carson anywhere desk ebony via target
13 ming coral and white covered jar via target
14 capri canvas chair via crate & barrel

white velvet cupcakes

i've first spotted red velvet cakes some time ago on tastespotting. those decadently red and mysterious looking cakes, also known as devil's food, immediately attracted my interest.

the exact history of red velvet cake is unknown, as many different legends and myths are being spread. one version claims that the cakes are originally from canada's largest department store chain eaton's restaurant and bakeries, where they were served in the 1940s and 1950s. another story claims the cakes were invented by the hotel waldorf astoria in new york.

the deeply red color is yet another secret: some say it is a result of the additional ingredients vinegar and buttermilk, that will naturally turn the cocoa into a deeper red color. some will use beets, though. others yet simply fall back on food coloring to achieve the signature red.

i badly wanted to try the red cakes. but in the end... i couldn't bear to tint in with chemical and poisonous looking food coloring. it seemed to be too simple and not a really healthy option. but then they looked so plain, and i immediately regretted not having colored them... i topped them with a cream cheese frosting and some white chocolate shavings.

conclusion: velvet cake really does taste rather nice. next time, i will change the buttermilk for real milk, though. plus be bold and color it red. or green, even.

home office inspiration no.3

1 capri glass jar candle via target
2 vintage style paris stationary via 7gypsies
3 glass marine bowl via williams sonoma home
4 martinique short lantern via target
5 simply shabby chic crystal candlestick table lamp via target
6 grey crystal chair via fads
7 regina andrew small clam bowl with antique gold interior via candelabra
8 whie cottage desk via target
9 random vintage chateau linen footstool
10 shabby silver glass candlestick via shabbystyle
11 shabby silver glass vase via home&living
12 crystal stone paper weight via crystalshop uk
13 random vintage magnifier
14 acrylic letter tray via crateandbarrel
15 gift company shanghai bowl via target

folk favorite in march: seabear

it's already march. though temperatures are still icelandic, there might be a hint of spring in the air (for the optimists)...

to the pessimists among us (or me), i'll introduce an icelandic and at the same time hot indie folk band: seabear. before, everything i knew about iceland was their rebellious volcano (or in fact glacier) with the lovely name (the eyjafjallajökull). now i know seabear, i feel i know much more about reykjavik and iceland, in general.

seabear is a formation around the singer / songwriter sindi mar sigfusson (another lovely name, though i wasn't able to write his name properly since my keypad hid some of the accents, my apologies). seabear started as a one-man band and then turned into an (almost) orchestra. today, the band counts seven musicians.

their music can best be described as subtle, unagitated and peaceful. why is 'peaceful' so important? well, contemporary music tends to make me nervous, at times. there's just too much going on for my liking. on the contrary, seabear is just really lofi, snug and... feathery. like the perfect contrast to iceland's dramatic scenery.

my favorite songs off their latest album 'we built a fire' are 'bright house' and 'cold summer' (side note: the latter one was used in a grey's anatomy episode once. another one even made it into the gossip girl series. not that that's an important factor in your judgement, i'm sure. i'm just saying...).

warm yourselves (by the fire, with seabear or with each other). and hold on, spring is (just) around the corner!
scarlett

cocktail shorts

cocktail shorts. one of the best inventions ever. why always only dress up with dresses? dressy shorts offer a sophisticated and suitable alternative for a glamorous evening look. look for silky fabrics, lace or fabrics that are glammed up with sequins, embroiedery or beadings.

1 h&m scalloped hems shorts
2 anthropologie swingy lace shorts
3 see by chloé scalloped washed silk shorts
4 emma cook lace trimmed silk goergette shorts
5 club monaco sequin hot pants
6 cynthia rowley sequin evening shorts

1 topshop lace and silk shorts by kate moss
2 topshop simone high waisted shorts by jones and jones
3 topshop blue sequin shorts by ktz
4 topshop blue scallop hem shorts
5 francesca claybrook cocktail shorts
6 topshop sequin shorts

1 lover lace-trimmed silk shorts
2 topshop tassle hem shorts by rare
3 diane von fursenberg beaded silk and lace shorts
4 topshop simone high waisted shorts by jones and jones
5 tibi sequin shorts black
6 ashish loose sequin shorts

pair it with a crisp white t-shirt, a slouchy, silky blouse or a cropped sweater, a slim blazer, and some signature, shiny accessories like a bling clutch or metallic bangles. feel free to dress it down with flats, too.

spring awakening

i've only spotted these pretty little flowers, brave fighters against the cold weather. those harbingers of spring are a sure sign that warmer seasons are to come.

happy weekend, everyone. enjoy spring awakening!
love
scarlett

home office inspiration no.2

1 random white wood frame with typo card
2 ingrid candle holder via crate & barrel
3 eiffel tower place card holder via bedbathandbeyond
4 monogrammed mugs via anthropologie
5 white sarah bird lamp, unknown source
6 chelsea square canister via crate & barrel
7 dyptique chevrefeuille scented candle
8 vinea letter holder via target
9 ralto covered glass jar via target
10 delfina large covered jar via crate & barrel
11 mitzie mirror jewel box via crate & barrel
12 french country desk via target
13 white wooden magazine rack via toysandinteriors
14 black vienna chair via crate & barrel
15 black and white bird vases via target

home office inspiration no.1

you might have read my post about zen home offices. well, i truely believe that the right accessories make every desk a nice desk. here are a few inspirational mood boards for the hard worker and daydreamer, equally.

1 various antique mason ball jars

2 dorm 12 pencil jar via target

3 small round crystal lamp via the crossdesign

4 random pink glass buddha head

5 ikea turquoise salong vase

6 isa odile glass vase via beth stevens

7 waterford great barrington executive desk organizer via target

8 parsons white laquer desk

9 turquoise chica wall vase via crate & barrel

10 white coral branch on stand paper weight via williams sonoma home

11 dolly clear drum chair

12 textured glass vase hurricane via target

13 mirror jewelry box by target

14 louis crystal chair

zen home offices

i've never been a big fan of home offices. especially the type of home offices with those typical, heavy, masculine desk chairs on wheels, which i strongly detest. ghastly! somehow, those chairs manage to ruin the 'zen' (or whatever you call a cosy atmosphere at home). there is, however, the type of home office that is loveable, polished and light and creates a private atmosphere that invites you to sit and work. the sort of space where inspiration just flows endlessly. that's the type of home office i would definitely add to my home.

here are a few examples i found (which, by the way, inspired me to create a few home office mood boards that i'm going to post soon):

stay tuned! and in the meantime: work hard - and be nice to people (smirk).
picture source (from top to bottom): 1 via centsationalgirl, 2 + 3 via cupcakes and cashmere, 4 via rachel caldwell, 5 via rue mag, 6 via elle décor