tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55994679008943193872011-11-27T17:13:06.114-08:00Vignettes about family and friends, growing up Italian, and recipes too.Pete and Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12672025753828084665noreply@blogger.comBlogger121100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5599467900894319387.post-87291642990230403402010-11-10T14:08:00.000-08:002010-11-10T15:02:34.390-08:00

So happy to be back! Spent much of 2010 getting back on a healthy track. Would have loved to have taken an "Eat, Pray, Love" journey, but instead spent a lot of time reading (visiting many cities, towns, countries and interesting characters), working in the garden, testing out new recipes (something of an international journey itself!), and working on our radio show. We have been working on some

Pete and Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12672025753828084665noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5599467900894319387.post-59440552172305200172009-07-12T22:13:00.000-07:002009-08-31T13:31:10.978-07:00

After a stretch of spectacular weather we had a rainy, "nice to chill out at home" kind of day. Most times Sundays are a day for reflection and some sort of mini-project. The sort of activity that makes you happy, makes you laugh and brings back memories. I'm not suggesting that we set aside time to do things that make us happy, rather it's an opportunity to steal some extra time for your own

Pete and Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12672025753828084665noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5599467900894319387.post-7929774368884133552009-06-28T00:27:00.000-07:002009-06-28T06:39:23.585-07:00

Today Pete and I celebrated our 22nd wedding anniversary. We have known each other for 25 years. I knew who Pete was before I met him in 1984. We both hosted radio shows on different stations in Baltimore. I was born in Bermuda but grew up in Baltimore. Pete had arrived in Baltimore from Houston via Philadelphia. The market was buzzing about this high energy, "Hot Hits" radio format that was

Pete and Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12672025753828084665noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5599467900894319387.post-67102033588968939112009-06-27T13:56:00.000-07:002009-08-31T13:39:40.471-07:00

It's another beautiful summer day. I love the sounds of the mower and hearing the kids laugh and play through the open windows. It's a lazy kind of Saturday (not too lazy - I believe it will take us a lifetime to learn how to disengage completely!). Pete and our dog Beemer have gone for a ride to run some errands. So, I am just doing a little organizing. I am in what you call a "floating" or "

Pete and Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12672025753828084665noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5599467900894319387.post-10342821807849844882009-06-24T18:54:00.000-07:002009-06-24T21:46:54.050-07:00

At the moment I am listening to Beethoven's Symphony No. 6 in F Major, the Pastoral Symphony, his ode to nature. I am loving the first movement: Allegro ma non troppo. It is a tranquil and cheery movement that compliments the gorgeous day we are having. I am sitting at my computer looking out the window enjoying this sunny, breezy early summer day daydreaming about a place where life can be easy

Pete and Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12672025753828084665noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5599467900894319387.post-50450810944400036532009-06-23T23:09:00.000-07:002009-07-07T17:10:29.658-07:00

When I visit my sister I am not allowed to cook in her kitchen and any idea I have to contribute to the menu gets me a raised eyebrow and a “whatever.” It’s usually followed by, “Colin won’t like that.” Colin is my sister’s only child and my beloved nephew and godson. Of course I’d like to get a hold of his room one day and work my cleanliness is next to Godliness magic on his artfully arranged,

Pete and Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12672025753828084665noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5599467900894319387.post-58823461762409276692009-06-23T00:20:00.000-07:002009-06-23T22:43:52.856-07:00

REFRESHING SUMMER DRINKS:One of the things we love to do is stock up on an array of sparkling and effervescent no-alcoholic drinks to make colorful fruity concoctions for summertime. Whether it’s a backyard barbecue, the Fourth of July, or family pizza night or burgers on the grill, these delicious drinks are always a hit!We stock up on things like World Market’s all-natural Italian sodas in

Pete and Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12672025753828084665noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5599467900894319387.post-53976039163975968542009-06-22T04:20:00.000-07:002009-06-23T01:51:41.473-07:00

Just the other day I had coffee with my friend JoAnne. We had seen each other at various events and emailed each other, but it was the first time we had a chance to sit down and have one of those wonderful kinds of conversations that flows in and out of thoughts effortlessly and inspires smiles, laughter, tears and sighs. It's the kind of conversation that doubles back, sprints ahead, looses it's

Pete and Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12672025753828084665noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5599467900894319387.post-62107665665984187192009-06-22T04:04:00.000-07:002009-06-23T01:31:01.743-07:00

For fun I am part of the Power Reviews team at Lamps Plus and from time to time review lighting products, home furnishings, decorative items and other design decor. My review team nickname is "Candle Girl" for my love of soft washes of color and all things that glow. I love to decorate my home and be creative about re-purposing items and hunting for vinatge pieces. So, it's fun to do and it's

Pete and Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12672025753828084665noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5599467900894319387.post-81971611852033302382009-06-22T01:16:00.001-07:002009-06-22T01:16:50.134-07:00

Lamps PlusBeautiful Scroll Tray for Any Decor Candle Girl Happy Valley, OR 6/22/2009 5 5Pros: Perfect for serving, Sturdy for serving, Fits into my Tuscan decor, Compliments all styles, Very Versatile, Accent on any table, Love mix of wood and iron, Love the mix of textures, Multi-functional, Great in any roomCons: no consBest Uses: Mercury glass and candles, Display books, Kitchen gourmet

Pete and Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12672025753828084665noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5599467900894319387.post-42750481339010976912009-06-19T03:04:00.001-07:002009-08-31T13:42:16.137-07:00

How many times have you passed someone on the street only to turn the other way? Would it make a difference if you knew that the person lying on the ground was once a hugely gifted musician who had attended the famed Julliard School of Music on a scholarship? The same school attended by the brilliantly gifted Yo-Yo Ma. Our latest Pete & Brenda Third Thursday Book Club meeting was a discussion of

Pete and Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12672025753828084665noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5599467900894319387.post-50660589040503099602009-06-18T03:29:00.000-07:002009-06-24T03:03:14.053-07:00

What would life be without family and friends, especially these days? We find ourselves staying in more, cooking more, and spending more time around the kitchen table than ever before. Long after the meal is over we like to linger to laugh and share and reminisce about life and stuff. It's why we invested in comfortable fabric chairs so you don't stick to the seat after lingering that long! For

Pete and Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12672025753828084665noreply@blogger.com