Author: fairfaxhill

october mood – adding string lights for a little whimsy

Every year, I look forward to the beautiful light that October brings… soft, cool, and a little mysterious. Halloween is just around the corner and spooky decorations can be seen all over town. I especially love the orange string lights on people’s porches at night. I also love how something as simple as string lights can make everything feel special. I’ve set a few orange lights on my porch, but I am having some technical difficulties. It looks like I need a longer extension cord. I am hoping to get it fixed by tomorrow! I’ve been out & about more than usual this month and drove into the City a few times. Here are a few pictures: And now I need to go buy some candy! Happy Halloween! 💛 Gabi

quick pasta with fresh tomato sauce

Hello there! Ina Garten’s recipe for Summer Garden Pasta was trending on my feed for several days and I wanted to try it, but after reading you had to let the tomatoes rest for four hours, I knew it wasn’t going to happen. If you know me, you know that my favorite recipes are quick and easy to prepare. Waiting four hours? Not for me! But later I found a similar recipe – also by Ina – that could be prepared in just a few minutes. Much better! I’ve made this two times already in the past two weeks, and can see this joining our weekly staples, like Mustard Seed Chicken, Chicken Souvlaki with Tzatziki, and other favorites. Ultra sweet, summer tomatoes, the kind you can only find at the market during this time of the year, are the best for this recipe. And don’t skimp on the Parmesan cheese, or my own little secret that I learned from my grandmother: adding one (or two) pats of salted butter right before serving! It makes a …