Breakfast by the Bosporus: Menemen

Yesterday, we went to a cafe on the Bosporus to eat breakfast. We got a table against the marble railing, looking out over the water to the the other side of the city.

We ordered a very typical Turkish breakfast called menemen. It's a modified scrambled egg, mixed with tomatoes and peppers and served in a metal pan.


Menemen Recipe:
2 small tomatoes
1 small green bell pepper
1 spicy green pepper (such as a Hungarian wax pepper)
1 tablespoon olive oil
4-5 eggs

Peel and cube tomatoes. Then dice the other ingredients. Sautee in small pre-heated skillet with olive oil until slightly wilted. The peppers should still have some crunch.

Over low heat crack eggs into the skillet and scramble in the skillet cooking until eggs are fairly firm but the entire dish is slightly moist due to the vegetable juices.

Serve with a white, French-style bread.

Istanbul and Zara Home

We're spending the next few weeks in Istanbul visiting family and friends and attending a wedding.

The weather here is beautiful, about 90 degrees during the day and 70 degrees at night. And other than a puny mosquito (at least by Texas standards) that keeps tentatively buzzing by my ear, I have not a care.

I've already had the chance to do a little shopping. I was finally able to see Zara Home first hand. You can read more about my shopping experience on Shak in Style.

I'll be updating whenever I get the chance with photos and stories from Istanbul.

This is the view from our balcony in Tarabya. During prayer time, you can hear the calls of three different mosques mingling together and surprisingly harmonious.

Le Beanock Hammock

Doesn't this look idyllic? It's a hammock crossed with a beanbag. Get the details over at Apartment Therapy LA.

Dallas Shaw

Art from the Dirty Pop collection by Dallas Shaw. The big signature is very cool.

See more of her work here.

Via Turquoise.

HZL by Henzel Rugs

My friend Jeff tipped me off to the HZL by Henzel Web site a few days ago. It features beautiful modern rug designs with a heavy pop influence. I especially like the cross shape, which was available for all of the designs I viewed.

The rugs are quite reasonably priced, ranging from $595 for a 66" x 66" cross rug to $2099 for a 98" x 98" square.

Shown here, Surf (left) and Golden Surface (below).

Bongenre Melamine Dinnerware

Poolside and picnic dining are getting a little dose of elegance thanks to Bongenre. The company manufactures gorgeous dinnerware patterns in Melamine for very reasonable prices.

Winchester Mandala Hot, 4 places settings for $90.

Wilde's Sun, 4 12" dinnerplates for $45.

Louis Rouge, 4 12" plates for $44.

Bone Screen from White on White

White on White, purveyor of extremely reasonably priced Mod furnishings, has this very cool Bone Screen on sale for $300. Unfortunately, it's only available for local pick-up.

Updated Grandfather Clock

The Grandpa Clock from Generate is a working 2-D version of the grandfather clock. The clock is printed on canvas and supported by a wood frame that contains a clock movement and antique-style clock hands. It's stylish, easy to move and doesn't require any winding.

$79 at Generate.

Via BLTD.

Dope Dormat

This doormat is awesome.

The Fo' Shizzle doormat, $19.99 from What on Earth.

Via Style Hive.

Turkish Tiles from Ann Sacks

Ann Sacks now has a line of beautiful Iznik tiles . The designs are true to Turkish tradition, filled with deep blues, aqua, forest green, and red. The patterns are bold, especially on a large scale. But they're right in keeping with the new bold wallpaper prints.

Recently, Elle Decor used what looks like Turkish tile in their Morroccan Fantasy room for DIFFA (shown below). It is really stunning.

Outfits as Art

This display at Fusion Home Fashion would make a great art installation in a bedroom. And it's practical too. More about how to make your own on Shak in Style.

Mushroom Forest Tables

I love this Mushroom Forest table from Design Public. It's like a mod fairy tale as an end table. It was designed by Thomas Wold and is available in two sizes (larger size shown).

Chinese Lattice Wallaper

I love the geometric busyness of "Chinese Lattice" from Bob Collins. I had to look at the top photo a few times before I was 100% convinced this is wall paper. It almost creates an optical illusion.

The images are from House Beautiful's June issue. You can order the paper at 1-800-282-9971.

Trends: Bicycles in Design

Bicycles are really quite beautiful. They're simple, good exercise, easy on the planet, and look spiffy on everything from wallpaper to ceramics.




From top left,
Flower Pedal wallpaper, Crescent, acrylic on paper by Taliah Lempert.



Left, the Links spice dish set from Modnest. Each piece features a stylized bicycle component.

Below, Recycled Bicycle Chain Bowl from Elsewares, a poster from the ArtCrank poster show.

Bye Bye to Bitter Garlic

Raw garlic can have a bitter flavor. Especially if you have the bulb for awhile. This can be an issue when you serve a dish that needs a delicate dose of raw garlic, like hummus or herbed olive oil for dipping.

I read recently that the bitter taste can be prevented by simply taking the green shoot out of the center of the garlic clove before chopping.

To remove the shoot, simply peel the clove and slice it length-wise. Locate and remove the light green shoot from each side of the sliced clove and prepare your dish.

Patio Set for $199

The retro-inspired Orbit outdoor lounger set is on sale at Crate and Barrel for $199! Summer's barely here and we're already marking down patio furniture? Sounds good to me.

Via Crib Candy.

A Tale of Boat Living in NYC: 79th Street Boat Basin

I listen to NPR quite a bit. And I found myself stuck in the car this afternoon in what they call, "a driveway moment," unable to stop listening to a captivating story about house boats in New York City.

The story describes a 50+ -year-old community of live-on boats in the Hudson, where quirky artists, lay-abouts, businessmen, and famous authors (Mario Puzo was once an resident) have lived side-by-side. Residents describe it as an urban village where everybody knows everybody and you're likely to pass a dead body or save a suicidal man in a tux on your way back from the store.

I was most interested in the boat of an artist, described as a cross between an opium den and a Turkish brothel. The images this story paints in your mind more than make up for the lack of accompanying photos.

Take a listen here.

UPDATE: That's the 79th St. Boat Basin, not 57th St. Thanks to Daniel Weiss for the great piece and e-mailing with the correction.

Anais Nin's Hideaway at Silverlake

The LA Times site currently has some lovely photos of Anais Nin's Silverlake 1-bedroom hideaway. The author, famous for her erotic writings and diaries, had just the sort of immaculate and femininely exotic tastes you might expect (especially if you've seen Henry and June).





I am fascinated by this photo of her desk (right). I love the little portrait and the fish sculpture. It has personality but looks clean and minimal.

In the main room of her home, the combination of lavender, fuchsia, blue, gold and brown is so subtle. The decor gains life, femininity and movement from the color, while maintaining a zen-like sense of peace and neutrality.

What a beautiful place to be inspired.

Via Apartment Therapy LA.

Plus Appetizer Plate

Crackers + Dip.
Pita + Hummus.

This porcelain "plus shape" appetizer set is adorable.

$10.99 at Grounded.

Stackable Planters = Living Space Divider

These stackable planters look like aged terracotta, but they're actually made from composite (and light at 15.4 lbs).

Line them up to create a modern railing that looks like something you'd find on a European side-street. Or stack them for a stunning sculpture.

Tuttisuperterra planter, $295.

Via Better Living Through Design.