Haute Chocolate

I have a small confession. For the past couple of weeks now,  I've been sneaking off to the kitchen every afternoon to whip up a cup of hot chocolate. 

Perhaps it's the darker, colder afternoons sending me in search of a little extra pick me up. Truth be told I have always enjoyed sipping on something hot to get me through those last couple of hours in the work day. In the New Year, green tea with all it's antioxidants will fill my cup. As resolutions wane, that will eventually evolve back to my trusty ol' cup of joe. But in need of something sweet one particularly tough day, I happened upon an unopened box of Swiss Miss hiding in the cupboard and I have to say, my afternoon ritual suddenly turned into well... a delight.

Fast forward to Thanksgiving. I was steeping vanilla beans in some milk that would eventually become custard and I got to thinking about how I might up the ante on my daily treat. Lo and behold, there are dozens of ways to turn that cocoa into a haute cup of chocolate. Here are eight I can't wait to try!

 Rick Poon | a la mode

Paula Deen

Nigella Lawson

Katie Goodman | Good Life Eats

Alex Rushmer | Just Cook It

A Cozy Kitchen via Tasty Kitchen

Martha Stewart

Kristin Rosenau | Pastry Affair

Evergreen

It's the only time of year we hang a wreath on our front door. But much like a national holiday, when most of our neighborhood is donning the red, white and blue, the wreaths that have started to appear over our respective thresholds and mantles are at once a unifying gesture. It's like the neighborhood is collectively saying the holidays are here and I'm all in, and as far as I'm concerned, nothing says let's celebrate like an evergreen wreath.

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Around Here // Patio Banquette

Just off the kitchen dining area, sits a screened-in patio that we use often, especially when entertaining. When we bought Holtwood House, we actually considered a complete tear down of this area, convinced that it would provide too much shade to these poolside windows. It also was quite outdated, with slick yellow tile that we knew we could not live with, but was a low priority item on the long, long list of renovation tasks we were facing.

I always say that scheduling a party will motivate you to tackle all those things you've been putting off and in this case, it was true again with the patio. We knew we needed seating and we also wanted to be able to use this area as an extension of our house for long term entertaining. One weekend just before our housewarming, The Mister quickly constructed these banquette benches. We upholstered the top with 3" foam and went with an all-white pillow color scheme along the back- easily bleached when cleaning is needed.

It's a casual spot to hang out poolside, but dresses up nicely like it did on Thanksgiving with a little floral and my favorite Anthropologie placemat.

Holiday Floral // LA Flower District

Today, I thought I'd share a few floral moments around Holtwood House as seen over the Thanksgiving holiday. I parlayed my current fascination with rocks, agate and geodes and worked them into my holiday tablescape. Air plants were mounted to vintage brass candlesticks that flanked the center arrangement and worked to counter the weight of the amethyst. A little greenery eventually made it's way to every corner of the house, a detail which helped make the house feel festive and holiday-ready.

But before all that fun could begin, I made a trip out to the LA Flower District (one of the happiest places on Earth as far as I'm concerned) early last Wednesday morning. I loaded up on pods, berries and greenery and spent the remainder of the day styling my arrangements. You know, those are my favorite kinds of days... quietly creating with a little background music, just before the true hustle and bustle of staging a party begins. 

Most major cities have a floral district of sorts- a place where vendors gather to sell mostly wholesale to the trade. There are two within my reach- Downtown LA (my market of choice) and San Diego- and just as expected, there was plenty of inspiration to be had at the "Mart" that morning around every corner.   

Never been to the Flower District? There are a few things you should know. 

Go early. Professional floral designers arrive as early as 2am to get the best picks. If you are non-trade, plan to arrive by 6am on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Entry hours are a later on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Plan to arrive right at 8am on those days. Though posted hours suggest the market is open much later, you will start seeing some of the bigger vendors packing up early.

Bring cash. Though many vendors take credit cards, it really helps to expedite your transaction (and limit your budget in the event you want to go completely nuts) if you have cash. Unless you are carrying a trade badge, you will also to pay the $2 entrance fee at the door and they only take exact change. Quarters are also helpful if you are lucky enough to snag a parking spot on the street or need to use the pay only restroom.

Dress in layers. An early morning walk through these chilly buildings calls for a sweatshirt and gloves- particularly this time of year. You'll likely peel a layer or two off, depending on how late you stay.  Better to be prepared than uncomfortable.

Bring a hand cart. Bundles of newspaper wrapped blooms get heavy. Avoid frequent trips to the car and bring a little shopping cart if you have one available. It's best to keep all your picks visible anyway so you can easily pair to what you've already purchased. 

The "district" has two sides. The Southern California Flower Market off Maple in my opinion has the best selection of flowers. My favorite vendor there is Mayesh. Go there first and snatch up anything unique you must have. It will likely be gone if you think you are going to come back to it. Price out more common blooms like roses, hydrangea, tulips, etc... from several vendors.  The other side- Los Angeles Flower Market- will hook you up with the best selection of tropicals and orchids.

The lowdown on other details, including hours and parking can be found on the LA Flower District website.