Summer at Chez La Vie

Blog friends, I apologize for my absence. My husband has been urging me to put up a new post for weeks, and M. Lane kindly nudged me awhile back, but I knew it was time when I received a random text yesterday from my oldest son to "Update the blog!"

Life has been good at Chez La Vie. My youngest son is home from college, the weather has been, for the most part, fine, and though I haven't traveled anywhere yet this summer there have been plenty of cocktails in the garden and grilling on the patio.

To catch everyone up, here are some photos from recent happenings:

Remember my great yard-sale furniture find? My husband finished painting the pieces and we're very pleased with the result! We're still looking for suitable hardware, but in the meantime we painted the original pulls to match the wood. Here is our new dining-room cabinet. The color is Benjamin Moore Elephant Tusk, inspired by the wonderful blog Good Bones, Great Pieces. The artwork above the cabinet is by my youngest son.



And here is my cabinet for my sewing-room storage. It's painted Benjamin Moore Windmill Wings (2067-60). When my husband and I vacationed in Nantucket several summers ago, we visited a lovely shop called Le Cherche Midi. While there, I bought a Laguiole Sommelier's Tool for my husband, and I was also taken by the paint color on the shop's cabinets and shelves (you can see it on the website's "Tour.") I asked the sales person if she knew the shade, and luckily she was able to oblige. I hadn't had a chance to give it a try until now, and it looks incredible!



Father's Day, 2009. Brunch at Café Selmarie, Chicago, with my husband and sons.



My sons gave my husband a bottle of single-malt scotch (Highland Park Scotch Whiskey Cask #1673!) from Delilah's. Here they are in Oldest Son's apartment.



Before breakfast, oldest son washed out some glasses (because of course all the dishes were dirty, being that three 23 year-olds live here) so we could toast our wonderful father/husband!

Our local July 4th parade was rained out, but despite me constantly checking the news on my iPhone (!!), we didn't find out until we walked all the way to the parade route. (It was the first time in over fifty years that the parade has been cancelled, and they were so loathe to break the chain that the commission didn't decide until the last moment.) Still, I took the opportunity to wear my appropriately red Wellies!



We went back to the Farm for another dinner; this one was "The Whole Hog" and featured chef Paul Virant of Vie Restaurant in Western Springs, Illinois. My youngest son came, too. Here we are in front of the bee hives:



Essentially, every inch of an immense Heritage-breed pig was utilized in this feast. Including the head: one of our appetizers was a tart featuring the boiled down head meat and tongue. And yes, it was amazingly delicious. (Even though I felt like I might be the guy in the Texas Chain Saw Massacre.)

As we had done on our last visit, we took a tour of the facilities before dinner. Because it was so muddy due to all the rain the week before, we didn't get to go into the goat pens to pet the kids. We did, however, see the goats being milked. I had a great view (sorry I couldn't resist posting this; it's too awe-inspiring):


During the meal, washed down with a delicious Rioja, we had an unexpected surprise. An ewe had JUST given birth, and the dairy manager brought the kid out for us to see. She was still wet--and absolutely beautiful. Here she is, just a half-hour old:



If you are in in the Chicago area, I know this farm's cheeses are being carried at some of the local Whole Foods. I encourage you to seek them out--we purchase some weekly at out local Farmer's Market (where the owners actually sell their own product!) and devour it almost immediately. It's a staple with Friday-night Martinis!