Big Table Farm / Love & Squalor

Emma & Clemantine at Big Table Farm
Collecting Eggs on Big Table Farm
Houston the Human Whisperer!
Emma Riding Hummer Bareback!
Moo!!!!!


Mom - Photo by Emma Serr
Matt Berson - Photo by Emma Serr
Clare Carver and her artwork along with Family wine- Photo by Emma Serr
Big Table Wine - Photo by Emma Serr


Wine Sample - photo by Emma Serr
Emma and Clare sorting egss for the CSA.
Angie washing dishes from Lunch.
Emma filling egg crates for the egg CSA.

Art by Emma
Angie and Matt's livingroom
Baby Roxy in a great outfit picked out by Emma - leg warmer's and all
Playdate Pdx- crazy spring break day.

I recently ventured to Portland Oregon to visit some very good friends. Not only are they wonderful people filled with live and good humor they are amazing cooks and they make wine! What a great combination. My daughter Emma and I spent a week with Angie, Matt and baby Roxanne for Emma's Spring Break from school.

We visited our favorite Portland Restaurants (Broder & Pho Van) and Vintage Store (Xtabay). The supreme Mr. Gabe the Pomeranian was summoned from home to visit Xtabay just for Emma which was quite a treat and offered me a few extra minutes of diversion so I could entertain my vintage fantasies and purchase a wedding gown for re-purposing. Later in the week we even ventured downtown to Play Date Pdx just for Emma and Roxy. It was a little crazy but totally fun.

The highlights, however were wonderful wines - Lots of Love and Squalor Riesling and a new Wine from Matt - Behemoth (coming soon), which is a rich full bodied red, ripe for indulgence.
We were also fortunate to taste a lovely Pinot Noir at Big Table Farm - Spicy and delicious!

Ok, so I have to admit, I'm a bit of a farm junkie and Big Table Farm was one of the most enjoyable I've ever been to. Emma got to collect eggs, ride a horse bareback and help me save a chicken from unfortunate demise (which unfortunately, no one photographed). I hope you enjoy these photos of our wonderful Portland experience.

All Things Swedish

It's summer time and I've been working on my house projects. I do this mostly because my daughter is in school and I have time to get my hands dirty. Right now the kitchen cabinets have been sanded bare and I'm trying to decide what colors to paint, what kind of counter top would look best (in an ideal world) and what kind of tile backs plash will go with the fantasy countertop.

I'm so grateful that my good friend Kelley Flynn can help me make these decisions. You see, she's an amazing interior designer. So, I'm very lucky indeed!

Over the Spring Break I went to visit some dear friends in Portland Oregon and as always we go to Broder, which is one of my favorite restaurants. Of course they have a fabulous kitchen and the space is very cool. It's a little Swedish Bistro with lovely pickled beets on the side. So, I got to thinking about it as inspiration for my own kitchen and also about all the other wonderful and inspiring Swedish delights out there in the world right now. Here are some of my favorites. Let me know about some of yours.....

Broder and friends :

I could just spend the whole day at Ikea! Not only can you purchase your butcher block counter top, but you can outfit your entire pantry with Swedish Yummies, AND have lunch while you rest.

Oh, there is also Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren, with her Villa Villakula -

And ABBA.....

And the Millenium Series by Author Stieg Larsson -

Not to mention True Blood Star Alexander Skarsgard!