what’s cooking | bitter spring cocktail and a giveaway

May 1st, 2012
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Grapefruit Campari Gin Cocktail

Update: Congrats to Meghan at Mustard and Sage for winning Scrappy’s Citrus Bitters. 

It’s been a while since I’ve had time to spend here. To mark my return I’m having a little giveaway. Kaufmann Mercantile is one of my favorite online retailers. If you’ve been there you already know why. The shop is highly curated and the best of the best when it comes to all those handy little things you need around your home, office and garden.

The kind folks at Kaufmann have a set of Scrappy’s Cocktail Citrus Bitters, made in the NW no less, to give to one of you. The set features grapefruit, orange, cardamom and lime bitters. All are perfect in a cocktail or even a glass of soda water. Believe me, I’ve tried them. Rules are simple, comment below with the cocktail you would make with these citrus bitters and be sure to visit Kaufmann Mercantile to see all their fine wares. I’ll pick a winner Monday, May 7.

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Bitter Spring – serves 1

Spring in the Northwest is not unlike winter in the Northwest. It’s rainy, cool and leaves everyone aching for warmer weather. This cocktail is a bit of a spring tease too. It’s colorful and bright as spring should be but upon first taste, you’ll realize, it is not sweet and sugary but very much a grown-up drink.

2 ounces good quality Gin
1/2 grapefruit sliced
1 oz club soda
3 dashes Scrappy’s Cardamom bitters
1/2 ounce Campari

Instructions:
Muddle the grapefruit slices, gin, club soda and bitters. Pour over ice. Add the Campari floater and serve with a lemon twist and a salty snack.

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GRAPEFRUIT CAMPARI GIN COCKTAIL

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travel | oregon coast

March 8th, 2012
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I’m a water person. I always have been and always will be surrounded by it, if I can have my way. Water energizes me as much as it relaxes me. Last weekend, Jevan and I celebrated our 5th anniversary on the coast. We ate chowder, we hiked, we explored in the drizzle and enjoyed every second of a very quiet weekend.

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insta february

March 5th, 2012
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Left to right: lunch at home | Oregon black walnut | Road tripping through Bellingham, Washington| Snowboarding at Mt. Hood | Tanner Goods/Woodlands photoshoot location | First chair at Mt. Baker | Lovebirds | Woolen knits at Dehen Inc. tour | Sunshine in the form of flowers from a friend

A few photos I took with instagram last month. You can find me on instagram (as caseykeasler) to see more of what I’ve been up to on the daily.

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color story | black and white

March 2nd, 2012
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color story

Clockwise from top left:  Tree | Clock and shelf | Plateau | La Carnet de Manifold | Pontiac and surfboard | Black shelf and white kitchen | Betty Davis

I’m working on a new project and am really drawn to the contrast of black and white. There’s something so simplistic about the absence of color I will always appreciate. Not to mention the drama it creates.

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scouting | fern life botanical chart

February 29th, 2012
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Rule of thrifting #1: Whenever you stop looking for it, you find it. I’ve been on the hunt for a vintage botanical chart for some time and finally came across this one a few months ago. It was hanging on a wall behind a bunch of other large pieces of furniture and bad art. I asked the shop owner to pull it down for me to see if I could repair that corner that pulled out of the frame. It was such an issue to take it off the wall, the shop owner gave me an extra 20% off so as not to climb through the mess to hang it back up on the wall. Sold for $50. And I actually don’t mind that part of the chart has pulled away from the frame.

You can find similar botanical charts here. Three Potato Four also has them from time to time too.

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color story | mint

February 27th, 2012
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Ann Woo – Sunset Green | Cisco Home pendant | Victorinox Mint Green| Digital Collage |Graphite Pencil | Mint and Copper Cuff | Mint dipped hobo |

Mint. My color for spring.

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what’s cooking | vindaloo sweet potato hash

February 24th, 2012
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This recipe just happened on a Saturday morning, as the best breakfasts do. No store lists, no shopping, only what I happened to have in the house. My mother-in-law gave me the Vindaloo spice for Christmas. I’ve never had it before, even in Indian food, and I’m not sure how I made it so long. Vindaloo is a highly spiced hot Indian curry made with meat or fish. The dried spices are also great on potatoes and I may have candied some walnuts with it too. It’s perfect for a wintry meal.

The recipe will print on a 3×5 or 4×6 card. You can also right click and save it.

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scouting | gitane workshop

February 22nd, 2012
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My good friend Scott Friedman of Gitane Workshop recently shared some new work with me. He’s a master craftsman, that’s for sure. All pieces were built in his Denver, Colorado workshop. He’s added some new styles, like the Monarch coffee table, which is a genius piece in that it packs down to a 5x5x33 size package. Give him a shout if you need something you can’t find. He can definitely make it for you.

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projects | upholstered headboard

February 20th, 2012
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bedroom furniture

I can’t rememeber a time when I’ve ever shown my bedroom. Maybe I have and I apologize if I did, it was likely a sorry state. I’m not one to go out and buy a bunch of pieces all at once, so this room has been a work in progress since I moved back in September.

Jevan and I built this headboard over the weekend. We didn’t argue, we didn’t need multiple trips to the hardware store, no one stapled a finger to plywood and we spent about a total of 3.5 hours and less than $75 (including supply buying time and those sour cream and onion Pringles I couldn’t resist at the checkout). It was like a dream project if there ever could be one.

bedroom furniture

In the Tanner Goods workshop, we’ve been working a lot with waxed canvas. I really like the idea of using it for a headboard because of it’s utilitarian meets modern look. Not only is the color great, but because it’s waxed the fabric has a stiffness to it that you don’t get with other fabrics.  I could even take my headboard outside in this Portland rain and it would fare well. Can you’re headboard do that? I didn’t think so.

bedroom furniture

Hospital corners even a maid at the Waldorf Astoria would be proud to show.

bedroom furniture

Another semi recent acquisition; a pair of teak side tables with a leather magazine sling.

bedroom furniture

A handmade dream catcher from my gal pal Tiandra. Teardrops get me good.

bedroom furnitureI can’t go anywhere in this house without Winnie following me. So there you have it, a gratuitous dog photo. And a little color combo: army, orange, white and gray. Happy Monday!

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january mix | head above water

February 8th, 2012
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Photo: my pal Justin Gorman of Paper Make Stack.

January is the month of the hustle. I put this mix together with that in mind. It’s what I’ve been listening to as I work. Good focus music I tell you.

  1. A1 | Darkside – Valentina Black REMIX
  2. Blessa | Toro Y Moi | 5:58
  3. Ritual Union | Little Dragon | 8:41
  4. Best Night | the War on Drugs | 12:09
  5. Sweetest Kill | Broken Social Scene | 17:40
  6. Cannons | Youth Lagoon | 22:46
  7. True Blue | Dirty Beaches | 26:24
  8. Thankful | Caveman | 29:10
  9. With Just One Glance | Nicolas Jaar feat Scout LaRue | 33:10
  10. Tomorrow Never Knows | Junior Parker | 36:59
  11. Fake Blues | Real Estate | 40:25
  12. Genesis | Grimes | 44:03
  13. Posters | Youth Lagoon  | 48:15

Download the mix here.

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