the muse

This is a beautiful photo of my friend, Emily, who is off exploring her roots in Belgrade, Serbia.
She's the perfect artist's muse (and an artist herself). Taken by Nikola Zecevic.

Table for Two: victory 44

I would call myself an "aspiring foodie." If it were in my budget, I'd visit every great restaurant in town (of which there are many) and try the best dishes. For now, we settle for eating at an excellent eatery once a month or so. Our most recent was chef-owned Victory 44 in North Minneapolis. We shared small plates of bacon-wrapped stuffed dates, roasted beet salad, and charcuterie with some friends. I also had seared scallops over barley risotto and Alex had The Perfect Burger. I was most impressed with the small plates. The most unique thing about Victory 44 is that the person taking your order and serving you is also a chef in the restaurant, giving them an even more intimate knowledge of the food.

coming soon (to my closet)

I just bought this sweet 80s sweater from Sally Jane Vintage on Etsy. This would look 

ah-mazing (and possibly very nautical) with these RED pants from EmersonMade.

yes, please.

I love coffee. Something about it makes me happy. My dream is to have an
at-home barista bar and I like to imagine having friends and family over for Sunday brunch to
eat croissants and egg bake. Naturally, I'd be at my espresso machine whipping up drinks.

My favorite coffee supply store/site, Clive Coffee, recommends the Rancilio Sivia V3 as 

the best at-home espresso machine under $1000. So...it'll be awhile before I'm barista-ing.

Clive's site is the perfect combination of information and tools. They are a Portland-based
company that's dedicated to helping people make great coffee at home. What's not to love?