La Libellula (The Dragonfly)

I’ve always loved the look of dragonflies, but had never really experienced them first hand until I moved out to the country and saw how truly magical they really are. Dragonflies come in the most luscious colors, brilliant blue, emerald green, bright scarlet and a whole array of shimmering shades.

Many, many moons ago, before scientists uncovered the benign agenda of this gorgeous creature, they were thought to have had magical and often sinister powers. Early-American children were forewarned that if they behaved badly, a dragonfly would sew their eyes and ears shut in their sleep. In Swedish folklore, dragonflies worked for the Devil himself, and had the power to weigh human souls – and pick out their eyes. Poor dragonflies! It would be centuries until they got the love and appreciation they deserved.

Asian cultures regard dragonflies as holy animals. In fact, the Emperor of Japan named his city “Akitsushima” which translates as “The Isles of the Dragonfly”. Today, Japan is the global leader in the study of dragonflies. However, in some parts of Asia – they love them…to death! And eat them as a delicacy. This is not that unusual. In Bali, dragonflies are fried with coconut oil and spices. In Thailand, their larvae are served roasted.

Let’s change the channel for a second, and have a think about a lovely drink called The Dragonfly. I may have to raise a glass in the real dragonfly’s reverence, as it is a symbol of victory, courage and happiness.

1 1/2 oz gin4 oz ginger ale1 lime wedge

In a highball glass almost filled with ice cubes, combine the gin and ginger ale. Stir well. Garnish with the lime wedge.

But dragonflies aren’t just a pretty face. They are bugs which establish a specific fight pattern to patrol their given area for food. The dragonfly, believe it or not, pre-dates the dinosaur, its needle-like body frightening onlookers. But dragonflies have no stinger, and really only want to go about their business – so if you see one, don’t kill it! It’s thought to bring about an entire string of unfortunate events. Merely observe and know how lucky you are that one of these gorgeous daredevils found you. In Zuni legend, they ar shamanistic with supernatural powers. If you’ve ever seen one in person, it’s hard not to believe this is true.

L'Anguria (aka The Watermelon)

Nothing says summer like a luscious, ripened watermelon. I’m a huge fan (as anyone who’s ever sampled my watermelon margaritas…yummmmm). I found this delectable recipe I simply had to share, from one of my all time favorite homey-type mags, Better Homes and Gardens. Just double click on the image to super-size it.) I can’t wait to bring a big tray of watermelon coolers out to my side porch for a summer gathering of friends.

Torta al Cioccolato

"What you see before you, my friend,

is the result of a lifetime of chocolate."
- Katherine Hepburn

This post comes with two immediate confessions. The first is, I’m not the world’s biggest chocolate freak. This has always made me feel somewhat inhuman, as though I was suffering from some alien-esque mutation. Dark chocolate is preferable, milk chocolate is unappealing, and white chocolate is unacceptable to me. I’ve done some research on this and it seems that it could be physiologically linked (something about iron in the blood). Either way, I never crave it, long for it, salivate anywhere near it…and certainly have no problems resisting it.

Except for when I’m making it.

And now for my second confession, which comes in two parts. The first is, I make the best chocolate cake in the world. And the second part is, I’d started this blog to share that recipe and then had second thoughts, wondering how revealing my recipe would alter the state of my mystical chocolate-cake universe.

Then it dawned on me…I’ll reveal the main contents of my recipe via someone else’s trademarked pudding cake. And who better than…Martha Stewart.

Here it is. Read it and weep (with joy).

Ingredients: 1 cup all-purpose flour 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 3/4 teaspoon salt 2 large eggs 1 cup granulated sugar 3/4 cup whole milk 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 3/4 cup firmly packed dark-brown sugar 1 1/2 cups boiling water 3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, broken into small chunks.

Directions: 1) Preheat oven to 350° F. In a large bowl, sift together flour, 1/3 cup cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt, set aside.

2) In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, granulated sugar, milk, butter, and vanilla; add to flour mixture. Stir batter until just combined. Spread batter evenly into an 8 cup shallow baking dish. Set aside.

3) In a medium bowl, whisk together remaining 1/3 cup cocoa powder, brown sugar, and boiling water. Pour liquid evenly over batter, do not mix. Distribute chocolate chunks into batter.

Bake until a tooth pick or skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out with crumbs adhering to it, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.


I’m not sure how true this is, but I recently read that chocolate is a great source of magnesium, copper, iron, and zinc. An average chocolate bar is supposed to contain the same amount of antioxidants as a glass of red wine.

So…if you really want to achieve maximum health, combine the two and enjoy all the wonderful benefits only chocolate can bring.

La Noche de Las Chicas!

Girlies, and jewelry, and margaritas – oh my! What better way to spend a May 5th than with some of the coolest chicitas—and frosty drinks—Nueva York has to offer. Watch as I put my eight years of Spanish study to its bestest use in decades – my high school maestro would be so proud!!!

Muchas gracias to our gracious hostess, Christine Seisler, for lending her fun Chelsea apartment and trustworthy blender, both of which made the evening feliz and festivo.

Few people know that Cinco de Mayo originated as more than an excuse to drink obscene amounts of tequila, but rather as the day the Mexican Army won the Battle of Puebla over the French in 1862. It’s said that Americans have appropriated this day and celebrate with more entusiasmo than those who reside in Mexico, which really isn’t at all surprising, as Americans are always looking for a way to combine other country’s victories with alcohol. La manera norteamericana!

And there we all were last night – ready to partake in that great American tradition! In attendance were my dear friend Judy (right), and new dear friend Nell.

Nell went home with a pretty jasper and chestnut necklace, highlighted with tiger eye and even more jasper!

She and Judy had a duel over some very pretty shells which Nell won by channeling the powers of el día de madre.

I have known Kathryn as long as I have been in New York (si, es verdad!) and she always leaves with everyone buzzing, “Quién es esa chica???”

My darling Ericka brought her two sweet friends Diana and Heather, and I can’t get enough of any of these girls. Why do we not hang out more, I ask you???!

And, of course, we all felt so lucky that our very own nearly-eight-months embarazada Phyllis came out for the event! None of us could stop buzzing about her little one, who we’ll all meet within the coming weeks!

The backdrop for the evening was a jewelry party, where girls could purchase pretty things to match their moods.

As the hostess, Christine chose a lovely lavender shell necklace.

Ericka was there also to scope out jewelry for her upcoming nuptials a year from now.

Can you see the bling her betrothed gave her on the other side of the margarita?

Just today I found a recipe for Bobby Flay’s White Peach – Silver Tequila Cocktail, which I am sure (ahem!) I will need quite a bit of practice in order to perfect for next year.

2 ripe white peaches, peeled, pitted and chopped
1/4 cup silver tequila
1/4 cup peach liqueur (recommended: Creme de Peche)
1/4 cup lime juice
2 tablespoons simple syrup
Ice cubes
Slice peaches, for garnish
Mint sprigs, for garnish
Directions
Place the peaches in a food processor and process until smooth. Pass through a mesh strainer into a bowl.
Combine the peach puree, tequila, liqueur, lime juice and simple syrup in a blender and blend until smooth. Serve over ice in rocks glasses. Garnish with a slice of peach and mint sprigs.

There’s almost nothing in the world easier than quesadillas. If you don’t believe me, try this recipe below:

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter
2 large flour tortillas
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack Cheese
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
Salsa
Sour cream
Guacamole
Directions:
Heat half of the butter in a large skillet.
Place 1 tortilla in the pan.
Sprinkle both cheeses on top of tortilla. Place the other tortilla on top.
Use a plate, skillet, or pan lid to press down tortilla when cooking.
When one side starts to get a little brown, add remaining butter to pan and flip over to cook the other side.
When cheese is melted, remove quesadilla from pan.
Slice into wedges and serve with sour cream, salsa, and guacamole.

Thanks so much to all of our great girls for making an incredibly rainy night so bright and fun. Viva la cinco de mayo!!! Until next year – adios!

I [HEART] Paris

If it’s April in New York, then it’s April in Paris, and if I’m in New York, then it’s safe to assume that I’m not in Paris. This is a great tragedy, as there’s truly nothing to compare to Paris in the springtime—or, any season of the year-which is why, today, I decided to search out all things Parisian in my sunny spring day in another stylish little town called Manhattan.

I’ll start the day with a decadent hazelnut crepe. (This is not an every day occurrence, mind you, but a special treat for this Paris-in-NY experiment!) Just after I’d returned from Paris, over 8 years ago, I bought a crepe maker, and was surprised at how delicious and nutritious crepes can be. I admit that my favorites involve Nutella, but my other personal fave includes asparagus and goat cheese. Mmmmmmm.

I had no idea how easy crepe making could be – so, so simple. The recipe below suggests a mixing bowl, but I just throw it all together in a blender.

1 cup all-purpose flour
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter, melted

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and the eggs. Gradually add in the milk and water, stirring to combine. Add the salt and butter; beat until smooth.

Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each crepe. Tilt the pan with a circular motion so that the batter coats the surface evenly.

Cook the crepe for about 2 minutes, until the bottom is light brown. Loosen with a spatula, turn and cook the other side. Serve hot.

The women of Paris know the importance of being beautiful. This is different from New York City, where the women understand the importance of being trendy and professional. Beauty is more than fashion, it’s an innate je ne se quoi mixed with the ideal blend of sensuality and confidence.


Before I get dressed, I spritz on my favorite fragrance. I am an enormous fan of all things Christian Dior, and currently wear (after years of being a self-proclaimed Anik Goutal junkie) the light, embodied Hypnotic Poison. You simple can’t have a fantastically French day without the right perfume.



There’s a certain daring to daily French style. My favorite color is red, and I’ve never been one to shy away from red lips. Besides, what else would go with my springtime staple, classic red trench? Oh, yes – the perfect scarf! Mine is not quite Hermes, but precious to me, as I found it in a tiny shop off a Roman cobblestone road.

Then, I might skip over to Park Slope where my fantastic friend Brion often dresses his Shi-poo Marcel in these adorable French berets. You can see by the look on his face that he loves every second of it.

When I’d first arrived in New York in 1997, I was ecstatic to discover a Francois Truffaut festival right near where I was living – and felt as though I was in my own private ciel watching double features of my favorite filmmaker’s life’s work. While each and every cinematic endeavor is fantastique, I am a sucker for the Antoine Doinel series, my favorite of them all being “Stolen Kisses.”

There are many places to catch a Paris film in New York, but the most appropriate is—where else?—the Paris cinema, doused in its perfect shade of deep scarlet.

I saw the magnifique masterpiece “Amelie” there, and (ask my old roommate!) had it on essentially every minute I was home from 2002 - 2005. I loved getting lost in the saturated cinematography, and, bien sûr, the fantastical story.

Ideally, a French movie would follow a lovely dinner at my favorite NYC French restaurant, Danal.

What would a Parisian day be without the ideal Provencal mas—or, farmhouse—city escape? Luckily, I have my sweet chateau just outside the city. It’s Pennsylvania, not Provence, but if I light one of my favorite French candles (always in a light fig scent, se vous plait!) it’s just about perfect.

I love Paris. I love just thinking about Paris. And now it’s been over 8 years since I dansé through the streets of the city of light.

As this blog is devoted to all things beautiful, it could easily have focused on all things Parisian. If so, I would have had to change the name from Che Bella to Cela Est Beau!

So, Paris until we meet again, I will see you in New York. Always remember -- j’taime!

Happy About Feeling Blue

Blu, azul, bleu…no matter how lovely it looks and sounds, few ever boast about feeling blue. Except me. Not in the usual down-in-the-dumps traditional interpretation, mind you. I supposed on this particularly gray day today, I’m longing for all the beautiful blue accoutrements that give this coolest of colors a warm association for me.

It’s strange when you think about it that the expression feeling blue carries the connotation it does. After all, blue skies don’t make you feel dreary. In fact, psychologically speaking, blue is supposed to have such a calming effect that it makes the time pass by more swiftly. Perhaps that explains why, when I’m laying on a Caribbean beach staring into its crystal blue waters, time flies right by without a care in the world. (Or, could it be the pina coladas…hmmmm…)


I’d never experienced “blue” before or since the strikingly serene Greek Islands. I suspect it’s the distinct contrast between the white-white buildings and the blue-blue water, but this magical combination evokes the feeling that one is floating on a cloud in the sky.

When someone spots you wearing blue, it’s supposed to subliminally spark confidence. (Ever heard that you should wear blue on a job interview? That’s why.) Forget about policeman uniforms, and the navy “power suit”. Think whimsical, bright blue, like this turquoise 3-strand necklace I made, with all the blue stones and crystals I could find.

Cobalt blue glass is thought to have been around since the middle ages, but it was an 18th Century chemist who labored to capture its rich color and establish an easier method of production. Here I’ve strung deep, translucent cobalt blue disks together, separated by the most perfect baby pearls.

The reason brides wear “something blue” on their wedding day isn’t strictly just to give them more to fuss over…it’s because blue was once thought to ward off evil spirits. I have a whole collection of bridal jewelry called my Something Blue collection. Some of it really is blue, like this quartz and gold necklace, the stones have the lightest, clearest tint of aqua…

Look at how brilliantly the light flashes through these Swarovski crystal earrings!

Included in the collection is this crystal and rose quartz necklace. (“Where’s the blue here, Liza?!” you ask?) Well, just as blue carries such deep meaning, rose quartz is thought to be the stone of true love. And in my opinion, anyone and everyone getting married could use a little extra luck on this important day!

Regardless of all its benefits, there are some things in the world that should not be blue…like food. I’d hemmed and hawed over including pictures I’d found from a “blue food festival” and then realized that viewing them would indeed bring arouse a sorrowful connotation.

There is one food, however, which is perfect in its bluest form, every which way: blueberries. Though blueberries are a North American original, they’re perfectly integrated into many fantastic recipes from around the world.

There is absolutely nothing to make your gray skies bluer than the perfect Italian torta. Don’t forget to drizzle the honey on top… (I don’t think I need to justify why – do I?)

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter softened
1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
3 eggs
1/2 cup apricot preserves
1/2 cup raspberry preserves
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups blueberries
1 teaspoon honey
Powdered sugar to garnish
1 mint sprig to garnish

Combine flour, sugar, butter, lemon peel, lemon juice and eggs. Mix until ingredients gather into a dough. Working on a lightly floured surface, knead until dough holds together and is pliable, about 3 minutes. Shape into a ball, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate about 20 minutes or until firm.

Heat oven to 350 F. Lightly grease and flour an 11-inch round tart pan with removable bottom.
Roll out dough and place evenly in pan. Remove a small piece of dough from edge, roll into a ball, and use to gently push dough into fluted edges. Bake in preheated 350 F oven, about 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack, about 30 minutes.

Heat apricot and raspberry preserves in small saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently, until melted. Stir in vanilla. Remove from heat and let cool slightly, then spread over crust. Pour in blueberries, spreading evenly in shell. Drizzle with honey, and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Place mint sprig in center of cake to garnish.

:-)

I can’t think of a true blue better excuse to buy buckets of organic mirtilli…can you? A whiff of this delectable, mouth-watering treat would ward off the most severe case of the blues…guaranteed. Buono mangiare!