Passing the Carving Knife

We have carved pumpkins as a family since my eldest daughter was a baby. We've carried this tradition with us through the years, the fresh smell of pumpkin heralding the true arrival of fall. As the years march on, the comfort of repeating a treasured tradition is one of the things I most look forward to. However, there comes a point when it's time to make a change to alter a tradition to fit a new moment in life. This year found a gaggle of 13 year-old girls sprawled across my front porch, hard at work scooping guts and carving pumpkins.

This is the last year my daughter Francesca will spend at the school she has attended since she was 5 years-old. This group of girls has grown up together. Next year they will scatter to attend various high schools throughout Seattle. Because this was their last Halloween together, I wanted to make this year especially special. I took extra care to decorate the house with squash, displays featuring Day of the Dead figurines and traditional Mexican sugar skulls, and as many candles as I could find room for. It wasn't a scary house; it was a magical Halloween house, with girls in their costumes flitting in and out all afternoon. 

My extra effort didn't go unnoticed. More trick-or-treaters rang our doorbell than I'd ever seen. Parent after parent complimented our decorations, telling me they and their children had been drawn in by the twinkling lights and the festive atmosphere. Tradition is a great unifier. When there is warmth, love, a sense of community, and an open invitation to join in, you can feel it.

Incorporating Francesca's friends into our family Halloween tradition was a great joy. Keep your traditions close to your heart. But also keep refreshing them. You never know who might come knocking at your door.

Happy (belated) Halloween,

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Easy as Blackberry Pie

Since my youngest daughter Francesca was a little girl she and I have repeated the same end of summer tradition. We pick blackberries and make pie. But his year we changed the tradition just a little. This year, Francesca made a pie by herself, crust and all. Yes, even a 13 year-old can bake a pie, from scratch, by herself. Guess what that means? You can too. Here’s how to make Francesca's After-School Blackberry Pie:

1. Add flour and salt to a food processor or mixer and combine.
2. Gradually add butter cubes and shortening into the mixture. Blend ingredients together until the mixture resembles fine cornmeal.
3. With motor or mixers on, slowly add the ice water until the dough forms a ball. If the dough doesn't do this, add a little more water.
4. Divide the dough into 2 equal-seized balls and wrap each in plastic wrap.
5. Chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees 

2. Combine the flour and 1 tbs butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Seat aside. 

3. Gently rinse blackberries under cold water in a strainer. Shake and pat dry, then transfer the blackberries to a large mixing bowl.

4. Add sugar or honey, the flour-melted butter mixture, and the cold, cubed butter to the berries. Stir gently, folding the ingredients until just combined. Careful not to crush the blackberries! Set bowl aside.

5. Remove dough balls from the fridge, unwrap, and place on a floured surface. 

6. Roll one ball into a 12 1/2-inch wide circle. Slip a greased pie pan under the dough and gently lift the dough into the pan. Fill with berry mixture.

7. Roll the second dough ball into a 12.5 inch circle and cut 2-inch-wide strips. Place the strips over the filling, first horizontally then vertically to form a checkerboard pattern. 

8. Pinch the edges of the strips to attach them to the bottom crust. 

9. Use your knuckle to form a fluted edge around the pie. Then sprinkle the dough latticework with 1 teaspoon of sugar. 

10. Bake pie for 1 hr, or until the filling has thickened and begun to bubble. The top crust will be golden-brown. Let cool for 1 hour. Slice and serve.  

If blackberries season has ended in your area, don’t worry. We’re just entering apple season!  The saying “easy as pie,” had to come from somewhere. So go ahead and try it; make a pie.

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Simple text directions for Francesca's After-School Blackberry Pie:

Pie Crust Ingredients 

(makes enough for one 9-inch double crust pie)

4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp finely ground sea salt

1 1/2 cup (3 sticks) unsalted butter, chilled

1/8 cup vegetable shortening

1/2 cup ice water  

1. Add flour and salt to a food processor or mixer and combine.

2. Gradually add butter cubes and shortening. Blend until the mixture resembles fine cornmeal.

3. With motor or mixers on, slowly add the ice water until the dough forms a ball. If the dough doesn't do this, add a little more water. 

4. Divide the dough into 2 equal-seized balls and wrap each in plastic wrap.

5. Chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.


Filling Ingredients  

1 tsp all-purpose flour

1 tbs melted butter

4 cups (or 2 pints) blackberries, preferably wild!

1/2 stick unsalted butter, chilled and cubed

1 cup sugar or honey

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees 

2. Combine the flour and 1 tbs butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Seat aside. 

3. Rinse blackberries under cold water in a strainer. Shake and pat dry, then transfer to a large mixing bowl.

4. Add sugar or honey, the flour-melted butter mixture, and the cold, cubed butter to the berries. Stir gently, folding the ingredients until just combined. Careful not to crush the blackberries! Set bowl aside. 

5. Remove dough balls from the fridge, unwrap, and place on a floured surface. 

6. Roll one ball into a 12 1/2-inch wide circle. Slip a greased pie pan under the dough and gently lift the dough into the pan. Fill with berry mixture.

7. Roll the second dough ball into a 12 1/2-inch circle and begin cutting 2-inch-wide strips. Place the strips over the filling, first horizontally and then vertically to form a checkerboard pattern. 

8. Pinch the edges of the strips to attach them to the bottom crust. 

9. Use your knuckle to form a fluted edge around the pie. Spring the dough latticework with 1 tsp of sugar. 

10. Bake pie for 1 hr, or until the filling has thickened and begun to bubble. The top crust will be golden-brown. Let cool for 1 hour. Slice and serve. 

The Plunge

When I first suggested to Francesca that she take art classes at RISD this summer instead of at our local arts center, she was hesitant. Even with me along, it was going to be a huge step outside of her comfort zone. But with encouragement from me, her big sister and her art teacher, she finally agreed to go. I started to save towards the trip, an experience I was thinking of as an investment in Francesca's education, both in the classroom and in life.

Now that our adventure in Providence is over, I can say for sure that the experience was invaluable for Francesca. It pushed her outside of her comfort zone and gave her new confidence in her artistic talent and her ability to excel as an art student. All of us, no matter how young or old, must go outside of our comfort zones in order to grow. As a parent, it was extremely satisfying to watch that growth occur before my eyes.

Expose your children to as much as you can. Encourage them to stretch and dare them to challenge themselves. Start young. Helping children find the courage to take the plunge is one of the most important qualities a parent can pass on.

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Simply

During our two weeks in Providence, RI, Francesca and I lived very simply. RISD gave us housing in an apartment-style dorm, and because Seattle is so far from Providence, we brought only the essentials with us-- sheets, linens, pots & pans and some Rosanna-ware.

In those two weeks in Providence, our life shrunk down to fit a smaller scale. We didn't get in a car once. Instead, we walked everywhere--to class, the grocery store, the laundromat--all the while admiring the breathtaking historic architecture of this old American city. Walking, going slower and simplifying allowed us to connect with our surroundings on a much more intimate level.

Both Francesca and I were surprised to discover how much we enjoyed living simply. We truly felt the difference it makes to cut out unnecessary elements and live with less.

So, if you can, I suggest a little experiment: simplify your existence for a week. Make a list of the most essential things you need and get rid of the rest. When we stripped down our lives, it became clear how little we actually do need. And, more to the point, without all the other stuff in the way, we were able to see something important: the things that make us truly happy.

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Have You Ever Wanted To Go Back?

Youth, with all its energy, excitement and wonder is a time everyone wishes to revisit...at least for a little while. While my 13 year old Francesca attended a 2 week long art session at RISD (Rhode Island School of Design) this month, I had the opportunity to return to my younger days as well. While Francesca created, I audited a summer session philosophy course at a nearby university.

The course focused on logical thought, which is good...logic isn't exactly my strong suit. Each class, the material challenged me to consider the world from a point of view I wasn't used to. But saying that the course challenged me is an understatement; what the course really did was revitalize my brain. For two weeks, I was exposed to young people with intensely inquiring minds and powerful intellects. As I sat and listened to them debate issues with the professor, I swear I could feel new neural pathways forming.

On the last day of class, I was so sad. As I walked away from a learning environment charged with curiosity and discovery, I felt like I was losing something. I'd forgotten how satisfying it feels to stretch the mind past its usual limits. In addition to learning some new things about logic, and the thoughts of the philosopher John Stuart Mill, I also learned this:

If you want to revisit your youth, return to the thing that makes you feel alive. Maybe it's classroom learning, maybe it's a sport, or maybe it's an art from, like dance, music or acting. And once you've rediscovered that thing that makes you most excited, add a twist. Try to do something new within the activity of your choice; don't just do the same thing you've become accustomed to. Take a risk...who knows what you'll learn.

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Francesca turns 13 with Heidi Klum, Tim Gunn, and Friends

Whew! What a party! We just finished celebrating Francesca's 13th birthday. The last girls walked out our front door at 11 am on Sunday after a nearly 24-hour long celebration. Seven girls slept over (though I doubt that anyone actually spent much time sleeping) and dined on chocolate chip birthday breakfast pancakes when they awoke.

Francesca’s guests arrived on Saturday afternoon to participate in 43rd Street Runway based on the hit TV show Project Runway. (We named the party “43rd Street Runway” after the street we live on.) Each girl brought three items of clothes from home to create a runway look.

My older daughter Alessandra was in charge of the judging. She recruited two friends to play Tim Gunn and a guest judge from London named Ling Ling. Alessandra played Heidi Klum. Once everyone had arrived, the judges presented the girls with a “challenge:” to create three distinct runway looks based on the film of their choice. The girls then drew numbers one by one choose 4 additional items from the abundantly stocked 43rd Street Runway Dressing Room. After they chose their new items, the girls split in to groups to create their looks, and walked the runway half an hour later.

The fashion show was hysterical. The girls were very creative and presented some great looks.

I was also very impressed with the judges’ ability to stay in character and channel the haute couture attitude of the fashion world. The girls and the judges alike really “made it work.”

No birthday party at our house would be complete with out a matching table design. I started with Rosanna Dauphine Candlesticks in black to create an edgy fashion look. I arranged the homemade red velvet cupcakes on our matching Rococo Noir Cake Pedestals, and made a surprisingly cool-looking tablecloth out of pages torn from Harper's Bazaar.

The day’s entertainment didn’t stop with the fashion show. Not many people know this, but Tim Gunn is also a magician (at least he was at this party) and wowed all of us by levitating a table and transforming a paper flower into a real one with a flash of fire.

After the cupcakes had been devoured and presents torn open, the girls retired to the basement to play-- what else?-- Band Hero Featuring Taylor Swift on the Wii. Various parents dropped by as the day wore on to watch the fashion show video footage. Heidi, Tim Gunn, and Ling Ling also stayed on for a pizza party. It was a great day and great fun.

I have to admit that putting 43rd Street Runway together was hard work. It required attending to many details and called for a few strategic planning session. But all of us, the 13 year-olds, 21 year-olds, and 50-some year-olds, had a wonderful time together. That fact alone made it all well worth the work.
.
auf Wiedersehen,
















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*the invitation for Cesca's party at the top of the post was created by Trista, one of our talented graphic designers

Simplicty: An Avenue to Happiness

Last weekend, I took my girls to see Up, the gorgeous new Pixar film that just came out. We laughed and laughed and adored the movie. Halfway through the film, the adorable, chubby boy scout named Russell talks about going out to ice cream with his dad after a scout meeting. He describes the flavors they'd get, and the special curb they'd sit on as they ate it. Then Russell says, "It may seem boring to you, but I really liked that curb."

I loved that the movie took the time to focus on the beauty inherent in sitting on the edge of the sidewalk eating ice cream. I think Russell even says something like, "It's the everyday things that mean the most in the end" and I believe that is so true.

There is so much value in small things like staying at home and making an evening of it by preparing a meal together, playing a simple game of cards or taking a walk in the neighborhood and capping the night by snuggling up on the couch and watching a great movie. When we take the time to enjoy these kinds of moments, we learn that we can in fact find joy in the textures of our everyday lives. Evenings like these cost little and mean much. Enjoy what you have in your own backyard. Enjoy the wonderful array of gifts right in front of your eyes. You'll be amazed at how far it goes in making you feel closer and more connected to your partner and/or your children.

I can't emphasize this phenomenon enough: When we truly take a moment to look around us and become conscious of all the wonderful things we have right at our fingertips, that elusive feeling of contentment magically alights on our shoulders.

This related quote about the topic really resonates with me:
"Sometimes there's so much beauty in the world I feel like I can't take it, like my heart's going to cave in."



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A Recipe For Happiness: $2.99, a Loaf of Bread, and a Day With The Ducks.

Much of what we do at Rosanna and what I talk about on this blog is with the intention of exploring ways to help us live well and happily in the world. However, living within the constraints of this recession, we have all had to reassess what it means to live well. Lately, I've been thinking about this a lot. For inspiration, I've revisited my own childhood when times were simpler and slower and having fun didn't require spending a large amount of money, or any money at all.

Time and time again I seem to return to the same theme. Cultivating happiness and peace, often times means taking time to enjoy small pleasures that don't cost a thing, like taking a walk in nature...or feeding the ducks.

Last weekend I was out with my family for a stroll through Fremont, one of our favorite Seattle neighborhoods. We blazed through our window shopping faster than expected, and were left with nothing "to do." Again, I thought back to the things I loved doing as a child...playing make believe games for hours, exploring the natural world in a pack of neighborhood kids, or dancing in the living room around my parents to the smooth sounds of Sergio Mendes and Brazil 66. I wanted to do something that would elicit that same feeling of simple delight for my family. Then I had an idea.

We went to the grocery store and bought the cheapest/healthiest loaf of bread we could find. Then we walked over to the canal and looked around for some ducks. When we found some, we sat down and got to work on the bread. At the risk of sounding like a geriatric, I have to say that the hour we spent with the ducks was the best hour of our day. We laughed together watching the ducks interact with their different personalities, that made up the dynamic of their flock. As silly as it seems, just spending an hour as a family feeding the ducks was a sweet experience that made us feel closer, happier, and more peaceful.

It's quite the revelation, no? You don't need to spend large amounts of money to be entertained. You don't need a day at the spa to relax and you don't need to go on an expensive vacation to have quality family time. All you need is a loaf of bread and some ducks.





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Portrait a Young Artist

Last May, as we were just getting this blog off the ground, I wrote a post about our children's involvement with Rosanna the company. At the time, Mimmo's son Marco was working in accounting, my older daughter Alessandra was working on our book proposal, and my youngest Francesca was designing a new collection, which I mentioned would be out Spring 2008.

Nearly a year later, here we are! I'd like to introduce to all of you Francesca's very first dinnerware line, Portrait of A Young Artist. The name of this line was inspired by James Joyce's famous novel Portrait of An Artist As A Young Man, but the line itself was all Francesca.

When we traveled to Washington, DC last April, we visited the National Gallery. Francesca went around the whole museum with a video camera, narrating as she saw different works by Impressionists, classical Italian painters, and classical statues from ancient Greece. She especially loved the three paintings by Johannes Vermeer, recently portrayed by Colin Firth in the film Girl With The Pearl Earring.

Francesca was enthralled by Vermeer's work, and when I suggested perhaps she could design a dinnerware line based on her inspiration, I didn't have to say much more.

Francesca's dishes are collaged with a mixture of her own representations of famous paintings, including works by Monet and Renoir.

Here's a shot of the collection.

A photo of Francesca painting a plate in a ceramic factory in Deruta, Italy this summer.

While designing your own set of dishes as a child may seem like a singular experience, with the event of paint your own pottery studios, Francesca's situation is not so impossible to recreate. But whatever sparks you child's enthusiasm, be it painting, drawing, acting, singing, or playing a musical instrument, I encourage you strongly to expose your children to the arts. We often assume that children don't have the attention span for a trip to the museum or a night at the theater or ballet. But, if you choose a show carefully, beautiful art can inspire and enthrall children the same way it does adults.

Arts education is so very vital. Too often, arts education funding is cut from the budget in favor of raising money for a new gymnasium or other "more important" activities. But the arts are just as valuable to raising curious, well-rounded children as the rest. By teaching our children about the arts we are being advocates for the arts, raising another generation of patrons, creators, and performers. And that is something to be proud of.


1. Bring your child to an art exhibition in your community on a weekend afternoon. Buy a guide on the artist or show so you can describe each piece and engage your child.

2. Make an outing to the theater a special event. Have your child invite a friend. Go out to dinner or lunch afterwards and talk together about what you just saw.

3. Take your child to family concerts in your community.





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Let Them Eat Cake!

Most of you know this quote as it is attributed to France's most decadent queen, Marie Antoinette. She was recently portrayed by Kirsten Dunst in a film by Sophia Ford Coppola. When I took my daughter Francesca to see this film a year ago, she was entranced, and proceeded to transform her bedroom into a homage to Marie's lavishly furnished rooms in her palace at Versailles. She even has a pair of our gold electroplate Dauphine Candlesticks on her bookshelf!

Fast forward to one day in late December. My two daughters Alessandra and Francesca and I are racking our brains to figure out what to do for Francesca's 11th birthday party in January. Over the years, we've created a legacy in terms of original birthday party themes, and the pressure was on to make this one as exciting as the rest. That was when my clever 19 year old had a "Eureka moment" and came up with the idea of a Marie Antoinette party in which the guests would come in costume, have their makeup done (white powder, beauty mark, and all), and dine on french pastries. Francesca immediately loved the theme, and because we happen to have a darling collection called Marie Antoinette in our line this year, it was perfect timing.

Here's the invitation:


When the day of the party finally came, Francesca dressed up in one of her sister's old theater costumes. Alessandra did her makeup and hair, and when Francesca came downstairs, she looked like a bona fide member of the French court. Then, her friends started arriving, all spectacularly attired and coifed. We had the soundtrack from Sophia Coppola's film playing in the background, and Alessandra did the girls' makeup while they watched scenes from the movie and admired each other's ensembles.

The table set with Rosanna dinnerware


Party guests


The birthday girl eats cake


After everyone had been done up, the girls sat down for tea and delicious pastries from Le Fournil, one of the best French bakeries in Seattle. As the girls happily devoured eclairs, cream puffs, and napoleons, we talked about the story of Marie Antoinette, what it was like to live in the French court and how it would feel to to wear a corset all the time! Prior to receiving the party invitation, a few of the girls didn't know who Marie Antoinette was, so I included in each favor bag a note card about the abridged history of Marie. This party was wonderful because not only did the girls have a blast, but they learned about history in an thoroughly engaging and interactive way.



So, as Marie said, "Let them eat cake!"

And we did.

A votre sante!





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