Simply…delicious

elisabettaricciardi — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 21:02:57 +0000

Sitting down at – seriously – one of the best restaurants I have been in my life, I cannot avoid thinking how easy is to make good food and how, equally easy, is to mess it up.

I am in Spain, Palma de Maiorca, for the annual trip to Europe, looking for inspiration, colors, joie de vivre. And -yes- good food.

The restaurant I mentioned above is a very plain, simple place, the kind of place that in the US would not strike any cord. In fact, neither a dim or fancy light is in sight, nor a bar with handsome stools and hundred of choices of vodkas. Instead, a bright, white light and inexpensive furniture covered with an, equally inexpensive, tablecloth open its view from the unattractive dining hall. So little for European charm, you think at first. Well, think again. But, first, allow yourself to walk in and choose the spot you like the best. No need to be seated by a host.

Soon a waiter with a sincere smile on his face, will come to you and, with his broken, heavily accented English, will guide you to a table where hundreds – literally – of kinds of fishes, never seen in the US, are at your eyes disposal. Colorful, shimmering and so fresh looking you would think they had just been caught. Which is true.

Make your choice (if you can) and your fish will be brought to a very hot pan where it will be cooked to perfection, without you been asked how you liked it done! What dressing there will be on it? What side dish? None. No need for it. Just the most delicious olive oil, a little, super-fresh, parsley, garlic. And you are ready for a ride to heaven.

I forgot to mention, next to the “fish table” there is another enormous table covered with innumerable kinds of glossy fresh vegetable that will be cooked for you with the same simplicity – no fancy words for it on the menu – and the same delightful outcome.

My thoughts here are that, sometimes, we work so hard to make a product appealing, be it food, jewelry or anything else. But the key to success, most often, resides in simplicity, good quality of the raw material and…love.

Spring is in fashion!

elisabettaricciardi — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 17:21:01 +0000

Spring is officially at the door for about a week now, as the majority of the colder states residents are looking forward to clean their closets to make space for some new outfits and gears for the warmer weather to come. And, with the more colorful and lighter clothes, our minds sparkle with the desire for new accessories. I can almost hear the tinkling of a long pair of silver earrings shining in the sun, complemented by a timid tan acquired during the first expeditions in the garden for bulb planting or during a rusty jogging, on the finally snow clean roads, targeting the extra winter inches.

A great accessory, good weather brings to my mind, is a thin, perhaps multi strings bracelet, perked up by fun little charms, to be sported on the, soon to be, bare arms. Or, if we fill the accessories should be in style with our bike clothes, then a cool, handmade, leather bracelet in a variety of different designs and colors might be very well chosen!

Let’s not forget that our kids spring brake is around the corner and, if we are ready to cruise to an exotic destination, hauling with us a suitcase filled just with bathing suites and sarongs, then a beady turquoise necklace might be the only thing we need to spice up our evening outfit, while we eat our Callalou refreshed by the ocean breeze.

So, whatever you are up to in the new season, check out our exciting spring collection: you’re sure to find your style enhancer!

Trades of the East

Simply…delicious

Spring is in fashion!