It’s been a long week. Friday mornings are key days for a cup of coffee. So let’s talk about the premium cup of joe you can find in Hawaii. I had hoped to visit a Kona Coffee plantation, but this trip to Hawaii we only had time to stop in at the Hilo Coffee Mill. It’s on the road to the Volcano as you head out of Hilo and they do the roasting for beans grown on various island farms. I knew the cherries grew on coffee trees which you can see on out in the Mill’s front yard, but they will also walk you through the roasting process ( lower right hand corner). 
We showed up at the Hilo Coffee Mill about 5 mintues before closing and the staff couldn’t have been more welcoming. We stocked back up on our Kona coffee supply! Typically a pound of 100% (not a blend) Kona will set you back about $25-35. If you’re interested, sign up for their email newsletter. The Hilo Coffee Mill occasionally offers free shipping! You can read more in the related article: “Exotic Tastes of the Big Island” from January 2010 in the NY Times.
Archive for April, 2010
paradise in your cup
April 30, 2010white flower farm in litchfield, ct
April 29, 2010Every spring I get the itch to visit White Flower Farm. There’s an out of the ordinary selection of plants for sale and always something exceptional blooming in their gardens. This trip, the tulips were stealing the show! We needed the bright splash of color on this gray, cold Sunday. Despite the rain, I got a new peony plant (hopefully this one will bloom pink next year), and and some exotic herbs: Siam Basil, Vietnamese Coriander and Chocolate Mint!
I would love to buy some parrot tulips this fall, but I refuse to plant an all-you-can-eat buffet. Without fail, the neighborhood deer chomp off the tops of our tulips. It’s positively maddening!
If you don’t live within driving distance to Litchfield Connecticut, you can buy through their catalog and online.
There are always two other mandatory stop whenever I’m in this neck of the woods. They’re both in nearby Woodbury, the antiques capital of Connecticut:
Ovens of France for the best almond croissants this side of the Atlantic
Carol Pecks’ Good News Cafe to fuel up with a tasty lunch
how to open a littleneck clam
April 28, 2010Here’s a little known fact about my husband: as a teenager, he worked at a raw bar in Milford. This comes in handy, as he’s still quite good at opening clams and shucking oysters. I am so afraid of stabbing myself, I can’t even get clam open… forget about an oyster. On a lark, I filmed him opening up a littleneck last weekend. We used the G10 (point and shoot) video feature. It’s not that great, but I thought it might be helpful if some of you want to try this at home. Be careful, he does make it look easy! 
at home: with jane and lucy
April 27, 2010Some days I regret leaving my dLSR at home. Cara’s baby shower was one of those times, but I got a few shots of our phenomenal host Jane, at home in her Cobble Hill Brooklyn apartment. And here’s my favorite shot of the day: Jane’s hypoallergenic sweetheart of a dog, Lucy Gumdrop. As the story goes, Jane’s finance told her not to be a ‘greedy gumdrop’ while picking out her puppy-to-be… and the name stuck.
And let’s talk about Nespresso machines. This is the NYC second home I’ve visited with this luxe coffee maker and its jewel colored pods. What do you think of these single serving machines? I will say - these are the perfect bowls for a cappuccino!
candyland
April 26, 2010Little Noah is about to get a baby sister in the next few weeks, but I don’t think he’s worried about a new arrival.
At last week’s baby shower, he was under the spell of the hypnotic sweet swirl of the lollipop. 
more spring blooms
April 26, 2010I’m still sniffling, I think it was a cold, but others keep asking me if I have allergies. I can’t seem to shake off whatever I’ve got and it’s been a week now.
There are still loads of flowering trees in Connecticut. These flowers, covered with rain, are from a pear tree for sale at White Flower farm for $145. I’m glad it didn’t fit in the car. The white blooms were so tempting. 
These are our neighbor’s blossoms. I think they are from a crab apple tree. Don’t you just love the various shades of pink?
wheel of wonder
April 24, 2010For most of the week I’ve been plotting to photograph the instant amusement park that popped up in the Westfield Shopping Mall in Milford. The bright lights always pull me in, but I’m too skeptical to ride these portable makeshift rides that drift along from town to town. I decided my best photo op was at dusk from the top of the parking garage near the movie theater. I was a little underwhelmed with the view when I got there last night, but even in the distance you could hear the scream of people having fun all the way across the paved lot. It’s a sure sign that summer can’t be far off.
baked
April 23, 2010When Michele tells you it’s a good oatmeal cookie, you should definitely buy more than one… even if you are stuffed from eating Steve’s Key Lime Pie. Trust me, I speak from experience. Back in Connecticut, we split our 1 and only cookie and I had some serious regrets. I was craving another cookie, but we were nowhere near the Baked outpost in Red Hook. Undeterred, I moved on to Plan B and bought the Baked Cookbook. 
Truthfully, I’m no good at baking. It’s too exacting a science for my temperment and usually requires extra time on the treadmill, but tasting that delicious cookie is motivation enough to buy some cherries & coconut and to get that oven preheated. Hopefully I’ll find some time in the kitchen this weekend.
steve’s authentic key lime pie
April 22, 2010My husband will tell you he doesn’t like dessert, but you do not want to come between him and his key lime pie. 
On our tour of Brooklyn we stopped in at Steve’s Authentic Key Lime Pie and D’s 4″ tart was gone before Burke could even exit the shop.
If you can’t get to Key West, this shop (on a pier in Red Hook) is an easy way to get that kooky island vibe, without leaving NYC.
spring thoughts
April 19, 2010I’ve been hearing a lot how tree pollen counts are off-the-charts this season. This is photo from the pair of flowering plum trees we have at the foot of our driveway. Out of the blue, I’ve been sneezing a lot today. Everyone keeps asking if I have allergies, but I’m worried that I’m coming down with a cold instead.
Going foward, you may notice a G10 or a D50 tag when you see my photos in a post. I’m adding this tag so readers will know what camera got the shot. In this case it was my Canon G10, a trusty little tank of a point & shoot that’s always in my bag no matter where I go.
What a beautiful spring day we’re having and nearby in neighborhing Massachusetts, it’s Patriot’s Day. That means Miranda is off and running in the Boston Marathon! I wish her well on her journey. I don’t think I could ever run that many miles in one day!