How to Customize Concrete Countertops

I blogged a few months ago about casting your own concrete sink. Here's another customization for you DIY concrete countertops: throw a handful of colored glass fragments, semi-precious stones, or metal shavings into the mix. The aggregates will be revealed upon grinding and polishing, much like terrazzo floors. Find more concrete tips on the Concrete Network.

Inspiration: Kips Bay Decorator Show House Slide Show

These images are from the Kips Bay Decorator Show House slide show. Whew. That's a mouthful.

I'm not 100% sure what KBDSH is. To be honest, I was too distracted by the slide show to finish the article. But from what I gleaned, it's, "the interior design world's yearly coming out party."

If you have a better attention span than me (i.e. over 6 seconds), you can read more here. Or if you just like pictures, you can open the slide show from the same page.


Via Apartment Therapy.

Shameless Plea: Save "How I Met Your Mother"

I ran across an entry on Modern Cottage asking us to go watch "How I Met Your Mother" on CBS Mondays at 7 pm Central time. I want to echo this plea. I love TV and I'll admit it. I watch a lot as I work in the kitchen or on the computer, and "How I Met Your Mother" is by far my favorite sit-com.

I'm so shocked to hear that CBS is considering canceling it. So please, please, tune in and give it a chance. I will attest that this show has some of the best, funniest writing on TV and a wonderful cast. You don't need to catch up on the plot, you can jump right in or read a little back story here.

So CBS, if you're reading. Please don't take this gem off the air.

Dollhouse Murders

Growing up, The Dollhouse Murders was one of my favorite novels. If you missed it, it was the story of a dollhouse that mysteriously acted out murders. That was fiction, but it turns out that a woman named Frances Glessner Lee (1878-1962) actually built 18 minature crime scene dioramas for student analysis.

Though barred from attending medical school because she was a woman, Lee dedicated her life to the science of crime detection. Combine that with a love of dollhouses, and voila.

The dioramas are collected in the book, The Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death. Maybe I'm a little morbid, but this sounds really cool.

Via Apartment Therapy.

DIY: Greek Yogurt

Traditional Greek yogurt is thicker and has more taste than what we're used to here. If you are cooking Mediterranean cuisine, it's always better to use traditional style yogurt. Unfortunately it's hard to come by in most grocery stores.

Fortunately, The Kitchen has some tips for straining the excess water out of regular, plain-old, easy-to-find yogurt. Hooray.

Triple Word Score: Scrabble Sofas

Leave messages for your house-mates on your slightly uncomfortable-looking, but probably fun Scrabble Sofas.

If you like the pillows, I believe you could do a DIY version using iron-ons and some inexpensive pillows.

Via my friend Pablo via Geekologie.

Blogging Bon Appetit's May Issue

ARTICLES:
"Bon Appetit's" May issue is a travel special edition. It covers where to eat in places like France, Spain, Italy, and Austria and some local recipes for each region. Though not listed on the cover, there is a great article and accompanying recipes from Istanbul. I have to divulge, that I am extremely partial to Turkey and wax poetic on the topic whenever I get the chance. My husband is an Istanbul native and my mother-in-law is the most amazing Turkish cook.

Luckily for everyone, May's Turkish recipes are already available on the site. My personal favorite is Mucver, or zucchini patties, pictured above. If you have the chance to go to Istanbul, do not miss out. It's an amazing place. If you can't head to Turkey, I have a few restaurant suggestions:

Dallas:
Sevan (this is not a Turksih restaurant, but serves a very closely related cuisine)
2221 Greenville Ave
Dallas, TX 75206

(214) 821-0601

Cafe Izmir (again, not actually a Turkish restaurant, but it serves many Turkish dishes)
3711 Greenville Ave
Dallas, TX 75206
(214) 826-7788

New York:
Turkish Kitchen
386 3rd Ave
New York, NY 10016
(212) 679-1810

BOOK REVIEWS:
Page 38's book reviews offer two selections that caught my interest. The first is "Off Duty: The World's Greatest Chef's Cook at Home." I have always wondered what famous chefs cook for themselves and their families after a long week at the restaurant. This book offers an answer. Featured chefs include, Thomas Keller, Charlie Trotter and Alan Ducasse. I found some additional details listed under "Good Reads" on Eddybles.

The second is "Harumi's Japanese Cooking," by Harumi Kurihara, the Japanese Martha Stewart. I found some additional information on the book at Trends in Japan. Harumi offers tips on easy Japanese home cooking, including sushi.

PRODUCTS:
Morphe sugar bowl and milk jug
in stainless steel.
$95 for the set.










The Josephine carafe and glass.
$210 for the set.

Horse Sense: Room Inspiration

Yesterday, I somehow stumbled across a Decor8 post from last month containing this amazing room photo. Of course, I'm partial because there's a photo of a horse. But I love the rest of the room too. I love the way this room has depth and pattern but allows the horse photo to function as almost the sole focal point.

I believe I recognize the stools from West Elm. My question is, where are designers finding the incredible equine art?

Room by Taylor Howes.