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Boston Bound!
I grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area, the architecture and history of “The City by the Bay” is one I hold near and dear to my heart. There are such beautiful Victorian neighborhoods and gorgeous waterways, and of course the Golden Gate Bridge. But I found my East Coast “City by the Bay”, and that is Boston. I first visited in 2016, and was so amazed how beautiful the city is! I really had no idea I would fall in love with this city, and now it is a destination to return to as often as I can! The history, architecture, shopping, culture, food! This city has it…
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Strawberry Cathedral Trellis
Sitting on my deck, staring at a blank wall where a potted lemon tree once sat, I started to think. “What would look good there?” It looks so bare with the tree gone, Oh, a nice little bistro table and a couple of chairs. That would look good, and function well. So I go out and find a beautiful little marble top table, and spray paint a couple of old iron chairs I had in the back yard. Perfect! But wait a minute, something is missing? So I say to my daughter, ” would you like to go to Lowes and look for a little trellis and a few strawberry…
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Pickled Red Onions
Sweet, Savory, Crunchy, Tangy, DELICOUS! All the trendy restaurants are elevating sandwiches and burgers these days with pickled red onions. Who knew they are so incredibly easy to make! And they add a wonderful surprise to your ordinary burger. I started making these a few months ago for my family, and now I have to keep a jar in the fridge weekly. They can’t get enough! Try them, you’ll love them, but be prepared to have to keep making them, because they will be requested. Ice Cube Smoked Cheeseburger with Pickled Red Onions, and Potato Salad Ingredients 5 Small Sweet Red Onions 16 oz Apple Cider Vinegar 5 Tablespoons White…
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Festive 4th of July Mantel
A few times per year I like to change up the mantel, and the easiest way to do this is during the holidays. The large picture of my two kids when they were so little doesn’t really change, because I haven’t found something I like better. lol. They are a big reason I started decorating for every holiday and every season. I wanted to make it fun for them and now it is fun for me! It can be something simple or very extravagant. I have decorated this mantel for more events than I can count. Holidays, Birthdays, Graduations, Accomplishments.. Whatever the occasion, the center piece of the living room…
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Mom’s Classic Yeast Rolls Recipe & Bonus Cinnamon Rolls Recipe
Ask anyone in my family and they will tell you, “these are the best yeast rolls you will ever taste!” They are a labor of love, and we usually only got them on special occasions or holidays. I remember my mom getting up early in the morning, and magically turning plain flour into heavenly, buttery, yeasty rolls. These rolls took all day to prepare, and the anticipation for one built as the hours ticked by, waiting for what seemed like an eternity for the dough to rise, only to be punched down, kneaded and rise again, then punched a second time and formed into little mounds of perfection, rise a…
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Vintage Pet Bed
My sweet 4 year old pup, “Oliver” loves to get comfy on my couch, he especially loves the top cushion on the right side. I would fluff and re-stuff that cushion, but he just kept breaking it down until my couch was so lopsided, that I had to get a new one. Needless to say the new couch is not as comfortable for him and I had to find a solution to keep him comfy. I was looking for dog couches and beds that would look nice in the living room, but WOW those beds are really expensive, upwards of $200 to $300! Not to mention I couldn’t find anything…
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Crumble Top Blueberry Muffins
So these Blueberry Muffins, aren’t just any every day run of the mill muffins, they are amazing! They are so good, that when I went to visit my daughter who was away at college in Boston, I asked her what I could bring for her from home, and she jokingly said, “Blueberry Muffins”. So guess what? she got them! I baked them the night before I left, and packaged them in a cupcake carry case, and flew from San Francisco to Boston to deliver them to her and her appreciative roommates. They held up amazingly well for the overnight flight, and my friend and I resisted gobbling them up mid…
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Strawberry Shortcake Trifle
Do you have a favorite desert? One your mom or grandma made when you were growing up? One so simple, yet so delicious it is the first thing to go on the desert table at any family gathering. Strawberry shortcake trifle is that desert for me. We never called it a “Trifle” growing up, it was just simply Strawberry Shortcake. I had no idea that there was another version of my favorite desert until I was well into my 20’s. The small dry sponge cake, or biscuit, with cool whip version definitely does not resonate well with me after growing up with this version. So much so, that I grow…
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Beautiful Bodega
About an hours drive from my home in Northern California is one of my favorite places on this earth! I have traveled many places both far and wide, but nowhere else that I have encountered gives me the peace, serenity, and calm like the beautiful rugged Sonoma coast, Bodega area to be exact. I have been coming to this area since I was old enough to drive, first stumbling upon this small coastal town while exploring different beaches with friends. I remember buying a huge colorful kite at the little kite store in town, taking it down to the beach and the satisfying feeling of getting it launched into…
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Welcome to Vintage Virgie
What year exactly is Vintage? I mean, I guess it depends on your age. My 20 something year old kids consider a Sony Walkman vintage, as I gasp, my cheeks redden, feeling extremely old, then my voice might raise or shriek in a very offended way as I tell them to,” just go away” LOL. They know I’m just kidding, but it makes me think, what exactly is Vintage? I am officially old enough to say objects from the decade of my birth are definitely vintage, even though my mom might not agree. The 1960’s absolutely had some very groovy pieces of furniture, clothing, dishes, and dĂ©cor. But I think…
