Bring on the New Year-My Modani Living Room

It's the last day of 2014!  How did the year go so fast?  I hope all had amazing holidays and I hope this last one is no exception!

I've been away from the blog-o-sphere far too long lately, but there have been major changes in my life and the focus on family and a new job have been first and foremost.  However, I love blogging and have missed it, so along with a healthier diet and hitting the gym more often, (yeah right,) I resolve to get back to it!  (I'm pretty certain blogging will be the easiest of any of these!)

So let's get on with it!

Susan Miller of astrologyzone.com says that as a virgo, my main focus for the next 3 years will be my home.  I LOVE my home!  And decorating it!  (I don't always talk about it, but home decor is probably my first love, yes, even over clothes!)  I would rearrange the furniture every six months if it didn't require the hubby to rewire all the electronics!

Modani has the best collection of modern sofas and home furnishings and I'm obsessed!  (I'll take one of each please!)  I could furnish my entire home with just this place!  

         My Modani Living Room by joyce-k featuring a cow hide rug 

This would be my ideal living room, clean and modern, all of these pieces would fit in perfectly into my open concept living/dining room...Let's start with the sofa, shall we?

  I have wanted a white sofa for years but the fact that I had pets made it very impractical.  Well, I'm down to just one fur baby now and he is perhaps the messiest of all of them.  But since the Bristol 3 Seater Sofa is leatherette, clean up would be so much easier!  (And it's current price of $990 makes it that much more accessible!)  The Gabriela "Home" Pillow ($30) is jute and I love the natural texture of it against the smooth sofa.

The Zebra Print Cow Hide Rug is the perfect amount of pattern yet comes off as neutral.  I could put this in any room in my home!  ($540)

The Kemi Lounge Chairs ($490 each) along with 2 New Tuco White Floor Lamps ($340 each) sitting opposite the sofa would really open up the space heading into my dining room, making for great flow between the two.  And I love how luxe one big lamp per chair feels!

So instead of coffee and side tables (which I always seem to be bruised from,) I'm opting for 2 Tedo Stools ($160 each) which keep the space open and add more seating but are practical as side tables as well...you gotta put your drink on something!

I know it's a whole lot of neutral, but I have plenty of colorful art that would be the perfect pop to this set!

Happy and Safe New Year to everyone!  Now I'm off to beg the hubby for new furniture...
J.

Out And About In Austin

Warning-Picture Heavy
This past weekend, on a hunt for a very specific mustard, I visited no less than 3 local farmers markets.  When the lady who makes and sells the mustard was finally found, she was already sold out!  (It's that good!)  Bummer, but at least I know where to find her and I guarantee that I'll be first in line to get it this coming weekend, and I'm not complaining about that because Austin has some great local vendors and there's nothing like cooking with fresh foods and of course there's no calories in taking pictures of pretty food...

On Saturday the BF and I visited the Barton Creek Farmer's Market, one of the nicer and bigger markets around. Isn't this beet beautiful?  It's from one of my favorite local farms, Johnson's Backyard Garden.  They always have a great variety and a few interesting things as well, (like black Spanish radishes.)


I didn't buy any beets or radishes but I did buy some of these turnips, which I have only eaten once and have never prepared myself, so these will be an adventure for sure!  (Let me know if you have any good recipes!)

  I love this sign!  And I'm looking forward to eating some lamb.  (I go for ground.)  It's a new item in my diet and I only eat it every so often because it's a heavier and fattier meat than chicken or beef but it's delicious!

Afterwards we stopped at Gourdough's Public House for lunch, another new place for me.


Anything and everything served on or with a donut!  Burgers were actually served on donuts instead of buns.  Sounds weird because you think it's going to be overly sugary but not so!  They were a little bit on the sweet side, but without any frostings or fillings it worked perfectly with the saltier items that it was served with.


 I had 3 Little Guidos.  Pork belly, mozzarella, basil and tomato on donuts with homemade chips.  What can I say but WOW!


I guess technically this place is a bar and the rustic, industrial interior is really quite perfect, very Austin.  Afterwards, we rolled ourselves home for a nap.

  On Sunday we thought we would try to catch the mustard lady at another market, this time it was the Mueller Market, but sadly, she wasn't at this location.  However, this one had more prepared foods, and was very child friendly with a petting zoo and balloons.


You see the rectangular donut on the right?  Peanut butter frosting and jelly filling.  And it was amazing!  (Ok, so it wasn't the healthiest of weekends...) 

So after admiring some ducks we made our way out to Micklethwait's Meat Trailer, the newest, hyped up barbeque joint (trailer) in town.


 Barbeque goes fast here in Austin and to get the good stuff you gotta go early, that's all there is to it.  Usually you need to be in line by 10:30 AM.  We got there around 1:30 and they were already sold out of everything but ribs and sausage and 2 or 3 sides.  I was already full by the time we got there so after a few bites of sausage, I was done!  The BF enjoyed the ribs.

Verdict-Sometimes BBQ gets a little over spiced but we both agreed that you could actually taste the meat and it was very nice.  We will be returning to try the brisket.

As if this post isn't super long already, here's a few pics of the local scenery around the BBQ trailer...

Gigantic BBQ pit/smoker thing...I don't claim to know the process, I just eat it.  And for some reason I find these things wonderfully depressing, like oil derricks.


This little salon was right next door...


and this Airstream was sitting next to it.  I looked up the website - I'm some what intrigued by facial acupuncture.  Anyway, it was just as pretty on the other side...

Used to be that you never went to the East Side of Austin...ever...

What's going on with you?
J.