Regrettably, this beautiful round of ‘Objets de Valeur’ slipped through the cracks somehow, and I am just now posting it. This submission is from Megan Tsang. I am really enjoying her photos and commentary on them…I’m sure you will too. Check out her blog for more gorgeous photos. Thanks so much for participating, Megan!

A bit about her…

I am an architect turned photographer.  I travel the world following my heart and meeting people wherever I can.  While I call Northern California home, I spend a third of the year in New York and traveling abroad.  I love mornings but am not a morning person.  And I’m always in a coffee shop, but never drink coffee.  I am silly, candid and honest.  And I absolutely love the life God’s given me.  I’m blessed beyond words.  

IMBIBE /

I recently went to Paris and a friend took me to this little whole in the wall restaurant.  The standing eating area was literally two people wide.  It was a tight spot with the most delicious food.  The menu is full of small plates.  We had about 10. :)  My absolute favorite was this foie gras macaron with sweet/spicy jam.  I just about melted when I bit into this goodness.  I felt so happy with so much good food in my tummy and so grateful to my friend who shared this little restaurant with me.  

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I was walking around the 11th Arrondissement.  The air was crisp and fresh as the rain poured from above.  It seemed so surreal to be walking around in this beautiful city.  Everything about Paris is dreamy and romantic.  I could have stayed there forever.

INSPIRE /

The clouds glistened in the glowing sun as the plane took off.  I stared off wondering where 2013 would lead me and what new surprises I’d encounter.  There’s something about looking out through a window that seems so encouraging.  Like the world’s at my fingertips and the possibilities are endless.  The unknown is out there ready and waiting for me to explore and savor every last bit of it.  

I’m so excited to have my first international guest for this feature – the ultra talented + super kind Asia Pietrzyk from Stockholm, Sweden!  Asia is an amazing artist and designer – I love her colorful illustrations and original hand lettering.  She has an exceptionally great eye for all things design, and regularly shares her findings via her blog (which I have to say is one of my absolute favorites to peruse – so get over there and check it out!) I just loved her Summerish and Stamp Obsession projects she shared – SO GOOD! Thanks so much for participating, Asia…hopefully we can meet one day, as I’ve always wanted to visit Stockholm! :)

Her articles of value…

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When I took this chocolate cake out from the oven, I thought disaster had struck, as I could see it was not fully baked. I was ready to throw it — however after trying it, I discovered that it was one of the best cakes I’ve ever made. It vanished in a few hours.

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One of my fave places in Stockholm is a charming cafe called Pärlans located in the heart of the very unique Södermalm district. I love to sit, drink coffee and most importantly taste their delicious handmade candies. The boutique has been designed to resemble the 40′s, so cozy!

INSPIRE /

I am a big fan of zines. This one arrived last week and was created by Johanna Tagada, a very talented artist based in Berlin.

Thanks, Asia!

This week, I’m so happy to introduce the darling Colleen Ludovice from Inspired to Share!  She is a blogger, designer and stylist living in Milwaukee – it must be true that midwesterners are super nice people, because Colleen certainly is a total sweetheart!  Her upbeat attitude and creative personality are infectious, and evident in her blog posts.  I love to visit Inspired to Share for the healthy recipes in her weekly feature, the Granola Files, as well as her inspiring Dream Job series, which features creatives pursuing their passions.  You can just tell Colleen has a zest for life, and I adore that about her.  She is currently in the process of redesigning her blog, and I can’t wait to see the whole shebang when she launches!

Colleen’s Objets de Valeur / 

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Thanks, Colleen!

So, I don’t have a recipe for you guys this week, but I do have some good ones coming up – promise!  I thought I’d show a round up of some grub I’ve gotten down with lately instead…maybe it’ll spark inspiration for you to create a fun meal?!  Cooking and making up recipes is one of myself and Henry’s favorite things to do!

Clockwise, from rom top left -

+ quinoa salad with cucumbers, peppers, mint, feta and tahini dressing

+ curried chicken on the grill

+ teriyaki bbq chicken (with sriracha), coleslaw with broccoli and fresh mangoes

+ kobe beef burgers, caesar salad and a nice glass of sauvignon blanc

* We just got a grill and we have been obsessed.  Especially since the weather has been so nice!

We eat a lot of salads in this house.  They are SO easy and there are tons of ingredient options.  Plus they are fresh and healthy, which is always a bonus!  We never buy store-made dressings, because I love whipping them up.  It kind of makes me feel like a scientist in a lab doing experiments, and I like that aspect of it.  This dressing is a favorite of mine, because it’s super versatile — you can put it on all types of salads, and it will complement the ingredients.  In this week’s case, we had some spring mix, avocados, baby heirlooms and red onion on hand, so that’s what went into our salad.  My other default salad is usually pickled beets, goat cheese, apples and red onion…yum.  So, let’s make the Orange Dijon Dressing!

INGREDIENTS /

- 2 green onions, chopped

- 1 – 2 cloves garlic, pressed (add more or less to suit your tastes)

- 1/3 cup olive oil

- 1/2 tbs. dijon mustard

- 1/3 cup orange muscat vinegar (could sub equal parts orange juice & red wine vinegar)

- 1 tsp. chopped parsley

* Toss all your ingredients into a food processor for the smoothest dressing (or a good old fashioned whisk always does the emulsifying trick, too).  Then enjoy over your favorite salad.  This makes a little over a cup of dressing (I’m not really good with measurements) — enough for a few salads.  Refrigerate for up to a week.

Margaritas are probably one of my favorite cocktails.  Something about them (not just the tequila, guys) instantly puts me in a relaxed/vacation/beach-y mode.  Never a bad thing.  The only thing that IS bad about them is that usually they are total calorie bombs…like Big Mac with fries status.  And the mixers are full of sugar, weird color additives and who knows what else.  I personally like a fresher margarita.  Plus, who wants to stop at one?  With these, you don’t have to (until you do).

INGREDIENTS /

- juice of 4 limes

- a little over a cup of light lemonade (like Minute Maid or TJ’s)

- 3 shots tequila (I like silver, but use whatever is your favorite)

- ice

- lime garnish

* Dump it all into your cocktail shaker, and have at it.  Dip the rim of a glass in lime juice, and then press into salt (on a plate).  Pour over ice, and enjoy free of guilt.  This makes TWO ‘ritas, so share with a friend…or not! ;)

I decided that after some rather hearty food posts, it would be nice to shake things up with a healthy AND tasty food post.  Did I mention it’s the easiest recipe ever, too?  It sure is!  I love broccoli, but let’s be honest – steaming it can get really boring really quick, and it’s definitely not the most interesting option there is.  Your taste buds need something different and the additions in this particular concoction will offer them just that.  Let’s get healthy!

*This recipe is definitely NOT exact – I kind of just throw it together…tailor it to your liking!

INGREDIENTS /

- 1 or  2 heads of broccoli, stems chopped off

- juice of 1 lemon, and some zest as well

- parmesan cheese flakes (get the good stuff!)

- olive oil

- sea salt

- 1 clove of garlic, pressed

*Preheat oven to 425.  Spread trimmed broccoli over a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil, the garlic and a dusting of sea salt.  Bake for around 12-15 minutes, or until slightly brown/crispy.  After it’s done in the oven, transfer it to a large bowl, toss with lemon juice/zest (use a little at first, and add more to suit your tastes) and the parmesan flakes.  Enjoy!

I’m so excited to announce the third guest for ‘Objets de Valeur’, the lovely Cassie Pyle from The Veda House.  Cassie is a fabulous graphic designer, photographer and blogger.  I just adore her spot-on curation skills, and her great eye for design.  Of course I had to ask her to participate, not only for the beautiful photos I knew she’d offer up (and boy did she deliver, huh?!), but because she recognizes the importance of finding a healthy balance between life and work, which she writes about on her blog from time to time.  Striking that delicate harmony is a big part of this feature!

Cassie’s Objets de Valeur /

IMBIBE /

St. Louis has a few really great seasonal farmer’s markets to peruse. I took this picture as part of a summer collaboration with Jennifer of I Art U.

I am SUPER picky about the kind of pimento cheese I like.  Some recipes are  just waaaay too sweet…you’ve gotta know when to quit with the mayo.  Or god forbid, Miracle Whip.  NEVER use Miracle Whip.  My mom makes the BEST pimento cheese (of course I’m partial, but trust me, the lady knows what she’s doing).  Her recipe is perfectly sharp, with a nice little bite thanks to a time-tested blend of ingredients.  It’s the kind of spread that is great to snack on with crackers, or to sandwich between a grilled  kaiser roll with fried green tomatoes and some bacon.  Yum, right?!

INGREDIENTS /

- 1 block of extra sharp cheddar cheese (I’m partial to Tillamook)

- 1 tsp. apple cider vingear

- 1 jar of pimentos

- 1 tbs. mayonnaise

- a dash of worcestershire sauce

* Cut up the cheese into small cubes and throw ‘em into a food processor with the rest of the lot.  Blend it up, and add some more mayo if necessary – just a little at a time though!  You can always add more to make it creamier, but you can’t take it away. ;)  I personally like my pimento cheese on the chunky side.  Store it in the fridge or enjoy it immediately!

I’ve always, always wanted to have a food column on my blog.  I LOVE to cook – if I wasn’t a graphic designer, I’d definitely be a restaurateur.  ’On the Table’ will be a weekly feature; sometimes with drinks (like today), sometimes with food.  I can’t wait to share some (hopefully) good recipes with you, and practice my food styling/photography…which I also happen to really enjoy doing.  Here we go!

This week I saw a Santa Claus melon at Trader Joe’s and I had to try it.  I thought it would be more like a watermelon – pink inside, sweet.  But it turned out to be more of a honeydew melon type of deal.  Still yummy.  I decided to make it into a cocktail with some green figs I also had on hand, and voila – a drink was born!  It turned out to be a very smoothie-like consistency…but it certainly does the trick in the booze arena, if you know what I mean.

INGREDIENTS /

- half a Santa Claus melon (could substitute watermelon or a ripe honeydew)

- 4 figs (I used green figs)

- 3 limes, juiced

- 1 tbs. honey

- 2 shots of vodka

- 1 shot Midori

- handful of ice cubes

* Toss it all in a blender and pulse until smooth, pour into glasses and enjoy!  Serves 2-4 people depending on how much you’re drinking.