I went to IKEA last month and found a few things for my kitchen that I am loving. And then I bought a bunch of concert tickets that I am pumped about, so I think a Show and Tell post is in order! 

IKEA Kitchen Finds

I haven’t been to IKEA in ages, but I went with the kids recently to get some new bedding for Anna’s room. I came home with a small pile of really awesome kitchen stuff, so I feel I must share.

• Cheese Grater. IKEA made this type of cheese grater years ago. I’ve had mine forever and it’s still going strong. I even gave it to everyone for Christmas one year. Then IKEA stopped selling it for a while, which was sad, but now it’s back on the shelves! I’m so excited because every kitchen needs one of these. Reasons this grater is awesome: it doesn’t take up a ton of storage space, non-slip surface on the bottom, there are two grate size options, the container comes with a lid for storing cheese in the fridge, and it is only FIVE DOLLARS. This is, in my opinion, the best cheese grater around. Click here to buy.
• Steak Knives. These little knives are only $5 a piece and work great. Here’s the thing, I got some cheap-o steak knives when we got married that were marvelous, and I’m down to only one left. I don’t want to spend $100/knife (or even $20/knife, really), but every cheap steak knife I’ve met since stinks. Not this IKEA knife. It’s great. Not quite as marvelous as my free set of Farberware steak knives, but close. 😉 Click here to buy.
• Dish Towels. Okay, so, I bought these black dish towels and these grey/blue striped dish towels. They are exactly the same except for the color/pattern. The fabric finish is different from other dish towels at IKEA. These towels are pure magic and legit dry things off completely. Not a speck of water left behind. Plus, they aren’t white, so, you know, they don’t look like crap after a couple of uses. I ended up ordering more online and have a nice stash that will hopefully last me until I die.  
• Hand Held Whisk. This is so random, but this whisk is like those antique hand held whisks that existed before hand blenders came along. And I love it. And you can put it in the dishwasher. It’s kinda bulky, but, whatever, I’m just glad IKEA brought the old-school hand blender back! Click here to buy.
• Enameled Steel Grey Dishes with Blue Trim. I didn’t actually buy these dishes because I’m looking for white enameled dishes with red or black trim, however these were completely adorable. So, if you like grey and blue, you should totally get them because I feel like someone should. You can get bowls, plates and/or mugs. 
• Prize Wheel Game. This is one of those wheel of fortune spinny wheel things. No, it has nothing to do with the kitchen. Yes, it is completely awesome and fun to spin and perfect for practicing cello with your 7-year-old son. I’ve told two teachers about this and two teachers have since bought it. So, you know, if you have a need for a prize wheel, here you go! Click here to buy.

Live Music You Need to See

I just bought a bunch of concert tickets. Happy Birthday/Merry Christmas/Everything Else to me! We have already seen these performers perform live and they were so good we are spending money to see them again. 

• The Avett Brothers are on tour! Seriously, they are amazing live, and I’m not just saying that because they are my favorite band, which they totally are, but seriously, seriously, seriously, they are so good live. Click here for tour info.
• Hozier is out and about, too. This dude is unbelievable live and can really jam, plus he has the happiest, kindest vibe about him. Click here for tour info.
• Last but not least, Sara Bareilles. As a piano-player-singer-type, of course I’ve always loved Sara. But when I went to her concert a few years ago I had no comprehension of how truly spectacular she lives. Her musicianship is impressive, but she is also incredibly funny and witty. Her favorite word starts with “F” and she uses her favorite word a lot, but she makes it very endearing (haha!) and it’s not stopping me from taking my girls anyway. 😉 Click here for tour info.

Today I have a special edition of Show and Tell for you: Things That Made Me Cry. Fun times! Two of these totally awesome things are music related and the third has to do with food. All three are wonderful.

May It Last: A Portrait of the Avett Brothers

I must give credit where credit is due…my husband Nate has been listening to the Avett Brothers for ages and is the reason I know who they are. They are hands down one of my favorite bands and their concert a few years ago was one of the best we’ve ever seen. Judd Apatow must share the same sentiments as we do because he recently produced a documentary about the brothers and their band for HBO, May It Last: A Portrait of the Avett Brothers. Please go watch this documentary. It is just so wonderful I don’t know what else to say. Oh, I do know one more thing to say…I cried pretty much non-stop through the last 45 minutes of the movie. IT IS SO GOOD.

And, one final thing: if you don’t know who the Avett Brothers are, start listening stat. Their most recent album True Sadness is perfection, but here are a few of my favorite older songs: Murder in the City (this one made me cry at the concert, it was embarrassing), Morning Song, and (of course) I And Love And You. (Photo credit: HBO)

Yo-Yo Ma

I took the girls to see Yo-Yo Ma at Copley Symphony Hall in San Diego. Yo-Yo Ma played the Brahms piano trios with pianist Emanual Ax and violinist Leonidas Kavakos and it was, well, beyond words. Three masters playing music written by another master on world-class instruments (some with the name “Stradivarius”). There were a few moments where the violin and cello played harmonies where I felt overwhelmed by what we had the privilege of watching and listening to. Another fun part of the night was Yo-Yo Ma’s countenance: you can just tell the man is filled with humility, kindness and joy. (And after hearing a few personal stories from Cate’s cello teacher about him after the concert, well, he is very firmly on my list of favorite humans.) If you ever get the chance to see Yo-Yo Ma in concert, make it happen. Click here for his scheduled concerts and appearances.

Ugly Delicious: Season 1 Episode 5

I know I already told you to watch Ugly Delicious on Netflix, but I do want to specifically call out a beautiful moment in the series. In episode 5 of the debut season, David Chang visits Yakitori Masakichi in Tokyo, where Chef Masahiko Kodama makes David yakitori, a Japanese-style skewered chicken. The chef grills Niigata-sourced chicken seasoned with Niigata salt over Japanese binchotan charcoal. David is pretty much overwhelmed by the perfection of what he tastes. When he tries to tell the chef just how amazing his food is, the chef’s reaction is, simply put, beautiful. Click here to watch Ugly Delicious.

Happy listening, viewing and crying!

Hello! I hope everyone had a fantastic Thanksgiving filled with the best food! We did…and we’re still swimming in leftovers. My family has informed me they are done with Thanksgiving food, but I beg to differ. We shall see…

Today’s guest menu is fun and different than anything we’ve ever had on the blog. It comes from my friend Rachel Faucett, the founder of the blog and company Handmade Charlotte. Rachel and I initially bonded as roommates on the ONE-Heifer trip to Malawi I took a few years ago (here’s proof). My connection with Rachel is something for which I will be forever grateful. There is seriously no one on this planet like Rachel. She has boundless energy and creativity and is hysterical to boot. When I was asking friends if they wanted to write a guest menu for my blog, she was the first to jump in, immediately responding with ideas and inspiration for dinners, crafts and music. I told her to run with it and now here we are. Grab yourself a cup of coffee, sit down, and enjoy a trip through Rachel’s meal planning brain, which is unlike any meal planning trip you will ever take.  Thank you, Rachel, for creating a menu that is just so you.

MONDAY

EAT:

This ricotta ravioli looks so beautiful and so deliciously inviting!

SURF:

I adore this Sailing Ship Kite! I think I may try to sail away to Neverland on it. Will you join me?

GROOVE:

Chill out to Yo La Tengo – My Little Corner Of The World while you enjoy your delicious dinner.

MAKE:

This is such a great fall crafting project.

FLIP:

Flip through this cool magazine.

VIBE:

All good vibes here! http://butdoesitfloat.com/

TUESDAY

EAT:

Soup meets glorious bread bowl in this brilliant combo!

STYLE:

WOW! I’m in love with everything from this shop!

MAKE:

How fun and adorable! Let’s make these hair ties with Lunch Lady magazine!

WEDNESDAY

EAT:

Dinner is a walk in the garden with these gorgeous pizzas!

MAKE:

J’adore everything about these DIY Parisian Dolls!

DIG IT:

We love everything about Winter Water Factory and painted our studio a pattern from their fall collection!

GROOVE:

Listen to Come On, Come Over by Jaco Pastorius

THURSDAY

EAT:

Order in from your fave take out place!

MAKE:

Sew Patches All Over Your Clothes! Check out these Etsy finds:

• Fruits
• Carousel Horse
• Sequin Owl

FRIDAY

EAT:

Mix it up and eat breakfast for dinner under your table! Try these awesome Fried Eggs and Garlic Toast and this Potato Skillet Bake! And for dessert? This Blackberry Slab Pie will be gone in seconds.

WATCH:

Watch silly home videos, or make some new ones!

MAKE:

Draw silly pictures. Can you sketch a silly portrait of your siblings or parents?

SATURDAY

EAT:

Nosh on these melt in your mouth grilled pimento cheese sammys!

MAKE:

Rock out with these DIY Rock Candy Magnets!

GROOVE:

Get your groove on with this cool Putumayo jam!

SUNDAY

EAT:

Make some Stuffed Butternut Squash for dinner!

MAKE:

Marbled Mugs! One for each person in the family! Fill them with Hot Cocoa afterwards!

GET COZY;

Fill your crafted mugs with the most amazing Hot Chocolate ever!

AS USUAL…please share your dinner plans in the comments! And, in honor of Rachel, share something that inspires you in addition to food!

It’s FRIDAY! WOOHOO!

I have just one food link for you today. If you’re looking for a good cocktail for fall, well, I’ve got you covered. Be sure to check out this recipe for an Autumn Stone Wall on Babble! The origin of this cocktail dates back to Colonial times, so, you know, you should totally drink it in the name of history.

Okay, so Nate and I went a little crazy this week. We went to three concerts, all on school nights. And I am feeling it today. Actually, I was feeling it yesterday when we still had one more concert to go, which I think makes me officially an old lady. But it was TOTALLY WORTH IT. All three concerts rocked (pun intended) so I have to tell you about them!

• alt-j: I wasn’t so sure how the band alt-j would sound live since their music has a very electronic feel, but they were amazing! Really, so impressive. Their music is layered and complicated and different in a very good way. Such a great show, I highly recommend catching them live if you are a fan of the band.
• Florence and the Machine: We knew Florence’s voice would blow pretty much everything out of the water and we were right. Her voice is unreal. And she is BANANAS, running and jumping and spinning like a crazy person the entire concert. She must work out a LOT because WOW. Also, she is unbelievably endearing and sweet. At one point she got choked up and confessed that she hadn’t wanted to do the show that night as her beloved uncle had passed away less than 24 hours prior, but that she was glad she had done the show anyway. I don’t know how she pulled herself together after that. Anyway, she rocks. Go see her show if you ever get the chance.
• Hozier: This guy. I mean, we all know he has a great voice (and it’s even better live), but he is also a phenomenal guitarist who can JAM. And his songs are all great. Oh, and he is SO nice, with just a really positive vibe. He not only introduced the band members but the entire crew, including the bus drivers. At the close of the show he linked arms with his bandmates for a big bow, which was adorable, and he kept plugging the other musicians in the nicest most un-annoying way, including the opening band Little Green Cars (who were really good, btw). Basically, we love him. I also highly recommend going to one of his shows if you ever can.

If you visit my Instagram feed, you can watch little video snippets from each show. They’re pretty sweet.

That’s it for me today. As usual, please share your own stuff in the comments! That’s what Show and Tell is for!

I have very little to share today except that I am SO excited to go to the Lorde concert tonight! And I am going to see George Winston tomorrow night. It’s going to be a good music weekend.

One quick food link to share from Babble – making pumpkin rocks with my kids for all the neighbors. We had a blast!

It’s show and tell, your turn!

Happy Friday! Actually, for me it’s UNhappy Friday because it’s our last day on the Cape. Back to real life in just two days!

Okay, Show and Tell time!

Have you heard Frank Turner’s music? We’re kind of loving it around here.

Breaking Bad is back! I am SUPER excited for this last handful of episodes. Also, I am on Team Hank. How about you?

I pulled together a round up of bacon desserts on Babble today. I’m still not convinced of this crazy fad, but every last one of the pictures in this collection of recipes makes me want to dive right in. Hmmmm….

I also rounded up 10 recipes for 10 different types of fish.

Oh, and lemongrass recipes. I really love lemongrass.

Check out our fun Mexican-themed family night we did with Grandma Phyllis!

And don’t miss these 10 tips I shared for staying healthy even when the busy school year starts. (I employed some of these techniques while traveling the last few weeks and we did pretty darn good!)

PHEW. For being on vacation, I’ve been busy. I need another vacation!

Remember, you can Show and Tell, too! Show us what you got!

Right before we moved from the Bay Area, I was laid off from one job and then quit another job for the move. Suddenly I had a lot more time on my hands. But, because I’m crazy, I quickly found ways to fill that time. I started writing for Babble and then started two other blogs, Kitchen Tunage (my music blog) and The Spoiler Alert (my TV blog, where I also have other great contributors writing). It’s like I like being a crazy person.

The other day Nate was like, “You should totally be sharing the Kitchen Tunage music on your food blog.” And I was like, “Isn’t that why I started the music blog?” And he was like, “Yeah, but it’s your kitchen playlist, it all goes together!” And I was like, “Hmmmmmm….maybe….”

And then I realized, I also kinda wanna share my Babble stuff with you, too. Plus, I’m always up for talking about TV.

So, I am instituting Friday Show and Tell!

Here’s how Show & Tell will work. I’ll share my “stuff” from the week. But I want you to show and tell, too! Share posts from your own blogs, share something you found online that week, share an interesting news story. Whatever you want!

Have you heard Lorde? She’s only SIXTEEN. Unreal. She’s huge in New Zealand. She should be huge here. Let’s make it happen.

Also, I hope you’re feeling Safe and Sound, because we are definitely feeling it around the Maynard house. Good stuff.

Marie is loving Orange is the New Black. I might have to jump on the bandwagon! I am loving Dr. Vogel. A LOT. But I I am not loving that Jasmine M went home. Such a bummer! (Also, old news, but if you’re into Mad Men or Game of Thrones, I had to write about those season finales, here and here.)

I made some beautiful bread in honor of The Hunger Games, I shared some ways to improve your cooking experience while camping, and compiled my MOST FAVORITE chocolate chip cookie recipes all in one place.

Your turn! Show and tell!

Last night Nate had a surprise date planned. Months ago he told me to get a babysitter for June 1 and that it would be a late night. I didn’t find out what we were doing until we were driving in the car last night! He did a great job keeping the surprise.

So…where did we go? To see Imagine Dragons! I have to tell you about it because it was so much fun. The lead singer Dan is our friend’s brother, so it’s been really fun to watch their meteoric rise since the first studio album came out last August. It’s quite stunning, actually. Last night’s show was amazing and they are better live than on the album (not all bands can boast that these days…these guys are legit musicians, which became apparent watching them play). We randomly ended up sitting next to another band member’s mom and his two aunts. Ryan’s mom told us how she loves telling people that she got him guitar lessons in 5th grade and that he’s been devoted ever since. You could tell the family was so excited and delighted for the band, a bunch of nice guys that they love. And when Ryan spotted her in the crowd near the end of the show, it was so cute. At one point when the crowd was singing the lyrics, you could tell Dan was in disbelief. It was really sweet. Dan’s wife’s band Nico Vega opened for them. She was crazy in a really great way and a total rocker, plus her voice was amazing. The best part, though, was when she brought their headphone-wearing 10-month-old daughter on stage for a kiss. The entire crowd chorused with “Awwwwwww.” It was such a fun night, filled with positive energy and great music. Thanks, Nate!

Alright, back to business!

MONDAY:
– Chicken Stir Fry
– Dumplings

TUESDAY:
– Cilantro Sour Cream Enchiladas

WEDNESDAY:
– Sweet Potato and Black Bean Burritos

THURSDAY:
– Leftovers

FRIDAY:
– Rachel sandwiches

SATURDAY:
– Eat out

SUNDAY:
– Breakfast for dinner (tbd)

You know the drill…please share your menus! And have a great week!

I have something fun to share with you today and I’m super excited about it! First, let me set the stage.

This blog was born because Nate brought home an old, free iMac to put in the kitchen. I’ll never forget saying, “What will I do with a computer in the kitchen?” Makes me laugh looking back. Anyway, in addition to creating a free Blogger blog to list out the things I cooked for my brother’s reference (yes, that is why I started the blog), I also set up iTunes so I could listen to music while I cooked. It was revelatory. Having music playing made my time in the kitchen so much more enjoyable and I loved it!

I tried to write about the music I was listening to, but it was hard to keep up and, frankly, didn’t seem to fit on the blog, even though the music was a big part of my cooking life. Then I had a couple babies and kind of forgot new music even existed. Lately, though, I’ve gotten more into it again. Between the kitchen and the car, the kids and I are listening to a lot of music. New music, old music, all kinds of music. I’ve even started “Music Education” with the girls to make sure they don’t end up on American Idol one day saying something like, “I’ve never heard of the Beatles. Are they famous?”

I’m constantly wanting to share this music with you but haven’t really found a good way to do so. Until now!

Enter Kitchen Tunage.

Because one blog apparently isn’t enough, I’ve started another! Kitchen Tunage is my Tumblr blog that shares my kitchen playlist. It’s nothing fancy. I’m not a music critic and I don’t claim to be. It’s just my playlist, what we are to listening to now. There’s a lot of good music out there and I can’t help but want to share it with you!

The playlist will have old favorites, new discoveries, random stuff we’re listening to and the lists of bands that the girls are being educated on. I’ll update it almost daily. It’s gonna be fun! Head over, take a listen, and spread the word…my little Tumblr needs friends!