Odds, ends, and a recipe

Its Christmas Eve eve, the work week is done, and I'm in good shape for my weekend. I do need to make one run to the grocery store which I will do tomorrow when I'm rested and more likely to withstand the crowd.

I want to wish you a merry Christmas on Sunday, or a happy Chanukah right now, or whatever you celebrate, may it be everything you hope for.

I also missed posting something I do every December 15th, so to a certain man out there who reads the blog I'd like to say one more time, happy anniversary baby. 14 years, who would have thought.

And finally, a little gift to everyone reading who needs a vegetable side for the weekend. Not exactly a recipe because I don't really measure things out, but here's how I do brussels sprouts, and they're always a hit:

You'll need:
1/2 of a white onion, thinly sliced
3-4 strips of bacon (I like thick and peppery), diced
1/2 stick unsalted butter
Sprouts (I usually get a full third of a plastic produce bag)
Decent olive oil, but don't feel like you have to use super-good stuff
white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons of a good stone-ground or french mustard

Set your oven to 350 if you're going to roast. With no oven I use a crock pot on high and it seems to work just fine.

Clean your sprouts by removing bad leaves, and make a fresh cut on the end, then cut them all in half unless they're small and bite-sized.

In your skillet brown the bacon until its crispy. Remove. You may pour off the excess fat if you wish, frankly I leave most of it in. Fat is delicious.

Melt butter in same pan, add onions, and cook until they're golden and soft. Add bacon back, and sprouts. Move everything around to coat the sprouts in the butter and onion, and cook for a few minutes until the sprouts get some color on them.

While sprouts are cooking, mix about 1/3 cup of olive oil, about the same amount of white wine vinegar, and the mustard. Voila, vinegrette.

When the sprouts have some color (5-7 minutes maybe) remove from heat. Pour vinegrette over and toss to coat. Pour everything into roasting pan, and finish in the oven until tender but not mushy. I'd say 30-45 minutes, but you should test with a knife or a toothpick. Or do what I do and eat one every few minutes.

If you're trying the crockpot like me the time is about the same. Last time mine went a bit over an hour and I would have liked them a little more firm. Just test and go until they're as done as you like them. Salt and pepper to taste.

Serve em up warm and enjoy.

Somebody please buy these

Currently on eBay, Edward Wormley for Dunbar, here. 32" wide, 15" deep, 25" tall. The Buy It Now is $2200, offers also accepted. Local pickup in Chicago.

They'd go lots of places, I think they'd be super as nightstands.


The bathroom we just renovated is large, but because its a Hollywood bath between two bedrooms the layout is limited. Two doors, a window, sink, shower and toilet didn't leave a lot of room for storage. Using a pedistal sink rather than a vanity didn't help, although I'm totally in love with that sink.

So we needed a storage piece that would fit into one specific corner. This is Restoration Hardware's Shutter bath cabinet. We took a look at it, vaguely thought it might fit, but for just over a grand we didn't bother to measure.

Fast forward to Christmas shopping. We needed to pick up a few things that Resto on the Plaza was out of, so we headed out to the Leawood store. Imagine our surprise when the sign said the store was closing. Imagine our further surprise when everything in the store was half off.

That was enough for us, we drove immediately back home to measure to see if it would work. It would, and we bought it. The only disappointment is that we can't actually go get it until January 21st, when the store finally shuts it all down. They said they need to maintain the store's look until closing day, which seems a bit ridiculous to me. Everything is there, but everything is marked sold.

I asked why the store was closing and the lady said the company was closing all stores not in historic buildings. Apparently they closed two in Houston and opened one new one in a former US Post Office building. Houstonians, is that true?

I have no idea why they're doing it, if you know anything I'd love to hear. I do have a theory. I think they know they've gotten a bit of a rep for knocking off great old things. For basically being imitators. I think they're trying to give their repros a bit more weight by putting their stores in locations with some architectural pedigree.

Again, just a theory, and not even one I think will work. But I'm not a stickler for provenance on everything I own, and often find something I like. Mostly I'm just glad the store nearest Chez Malaise is staying open.

And its not even Christmas yet




Boxwood Home

39 Baltimore Avenue

Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971






The 2011 MidMal Gift Guide


For the boys:







For the house:


While we're talking about art and gift giving, do you check out www.20x200.com? New art, every week, reasonably priced. Look often. Below is Jenny Odell's 1376 Cylindrical Industrial Buildings. Google Earth is her art supply store.







The good is everywhere

You might remember this post where I exposed an eBay seller with a price of over two grand on a Ralph Lauren Henredon buffet that I know he picked up on Craigslist for $400 or less.

I received an email the other day from a reader who found that post after buying the same piece and doing a little research. He picked up the buffet and the round mirror both for $200 at his local thrift shop.

They're great pieces and perfectly scaled for his space, and much more reasonably priced. Scott, congratulations to you and your Mrs. on a super deal.

I should also note that his email, the second really nice message I received last week, reminded me that people actually do read this blog. I was reluctantly thinking about giving up but seem to have found my second wind. Later this week, The MidMal Holiday Gift Guide, chock-full of good stuff for your house and your man.