CHIT CHAT with LA CONTESSA

February 7, 2022 96 Comments

Do you ever get a craving for FAST FOOD?

I have to say lately I have wanted a MCDONALD’S BURGER & French Fries!

It satisfies me and fills me up.

The other day I had to go get MORE medicine and I thought I would treat myself as I felt sorry for myself!

I brought it HOME and decided NOT to EAT it out of the bag but to put it on a plate!

A pretty plate…….a ONE of a KIND plate!

DRESDEN which I probably paid TEN BUCKS for if that!

I am or WAS a GOOD BARGIN HUNTER!

I know a GOOD thing when I see it!

I think I said that in my last post on being a COLLECTOR!

IT WAS DIVINE…………I noticed I ate slower as I was picking up ONE French Fry at a time and looking to see what it would reveal underneath!

THAT IS A GOOD THING RIGHT?

EATING SLOWER…..

Here is how I grocery shop!

With AFRICAN BASKETS which I LOVE!

I have been using these for years and they never break or wear OUT!

SO much easier to carry then a bunch of plastic bags or brown bags!

Again its about FINDING JOY in DAILY TASKS!

I am known as the basket lady in my local supermarket!

They ALWAYS get a COMPLIMENT TOO!

SO, isn’t it about time YOU start using BASKETS

so you too can help the PLASTIC disappear and the brown bags too!

I also carry CLOTH bags in the bottom of the basket bags just in case!

I buy MORE than will FIT!

AMAZON has them but I would prefer to find a small shop to link too……

TRY ETSY OR EBAY FIRST IS MY SUGGESTION.

Whole Foods HAS ONCE IN AWHILE but thats OWNED BY AMAZON!

AND IF YOU KNOW A SHOP THAT SELLS THEM HURRY AND SEND ME THE LINK and I WILL ADD!

QUEEN ELIZABETH celebrates her 70th year on the THRONE!

I love the fact she wears the pearls her FATHER gave her almost every day!

Queen Elizabeth II is rarely seen in public without her favorite three-strand pearl necklace —

a gift from her beloved father, King George VI, who passed away in 1952.

That chair she is sitting in!

I grew up with TWO of those chairs which I have NOW!

I have NO WHERE to put them but I refuse to part with them as they were my PARENTS!

I recall in my parents DIVORCE these chairs were brought up in court as ANTIQUES

and MY Mother’s lawyer argued they were REPRODUCTIONS!

Queen Anne Wing Back Style.

LET ME TAKE A PHOTO OF MINE AND SHARE!

THAT IS THE CALIFORNIA SUN DOING IT’s MORNING THING!

Temperatures are on the rise this week…….we need RAIN SO BAD it’s NOT EVEN in the Forecast!

NOTE BANKSY’s chin on BETTY’s BED!

POWER WARS GOING ON!

BANKSY has been known to take over Bettys Bed!

Visa Versa TOO!

IT IS HYSTERICAL TO WATCH!

DO any of you follow INDIA HICKS on INSTAGRAM?

She interviews her MUM frequently and that is worth watching!Her MOTHER is 93 and has had a “FRONT ROW SEAT” most of her LIFE as INDIA would say at “many extraordinary historical events a privilege that has not been wasted on her.”……she was a LADY IN WAITING for PRINCESS ELIZABETH and was with her on their HONEYMOON when she got the news THE KING her FATHER had passed. One moment a PRINCESS the next a QUEEN.

SHE was 25 when she became QUEEN.

Queen ELIZABETH has been at it for 70 years on FEB.6th 2022……

What a LIFE of UP’s and DOWNS do you know Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip were THIRD COUSINS?

What do you think about CAMILLA being called a QUEEN?

I think she has MADE HER SON VERY HAPPY after many mistakes along the way.

I cannot recall what book I read or maybe it was the movie THE CROWN where PAPA made him go off to BOARDING SCHOOL at a VERY YOUNG AGE!

I know, I know it’s the BRITISH WAY but its not a warm way to grow up if you aren’t THAT KIND OF CHILD.

MY STEP MOTHER is BRITISH……….she once said,

“WE ARENOT DEMONSTRATIVE PEOPLE!”

THAT must have been in response too something I said or DID!!!

OH JOY!OH JOY! OH JOY!

HOW would YOU like to RECEIVE A GIFT wrapped like THIS?

I have a FRIEND who is a bit MORE ECCENTRIC THAN ME ( CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT?)

………..I LOVE WHAT SHE DOES!

SHE uses magazine pages for cards and RIPS cloth for RIBBON!

She should have been in the styling industry for HOLLYWOOD!

Here is some of her WORK!

You can find her HERE!

on INSTAGRAM RIGHT HERE!!!

THIS MODEL COMES FROM MY Town!

She HAS A BEAUTIFUL INSTAGRAM AND SINGS AS Well……

I do believe she is making custom cakes now out of her home in MALIBU.

…….any reason to HEAD TO MAILBU is GOOD for me!

I worked at MALIBU MUTTS back in the 1970’s

I went to PEPPERDINE UNIVERSITY and was miserable!

Take a look at her feed……

SHE IS YOUNG AND BEAUTIFUL and has a GORGEOUS insta feed!

You can find her by clicking HERE!

THIS SHOULD PUT YOU IN A VALENTINE MOOD!

STYLED by Paiman Salimpour

Made by JENEFER TAYLOR

I have used FRESH FLOWERS for years on my HOMEMADE CAKES.

I have to say it ADDS something that BAKERIES LACK.

NOTHING BEATS A REAL LEAF OR FLOWER PLUS ITS LESS SUGAR IN YOUR GUT!

The enjoyment lasts longer TOO!

By the way MISS TAYLORS CAKES ARE GLUTEN FREE!

FOOD FOR THOUGHT PEOPLE.

GORILLAS ARE BIG AND STRONG!

WHAT DO THEY EAT?

“Notably, gorillas are folivorous, meaning they mostly eat plants, leaves, roots, shoots, and stalks.

Humans have the most diverse diet of all the great apes, eating everything from fruits and veggies to meats and dairy.

BOTTOM LINE GORILLAS EAT THEIR GREENS AND WE NEED TO EAT MORE OF THOSE!

TO BE HEALTHY!

WHO CAN SHARE A GREEN VEGETABLE RECIPE IN THE COMMENTS…….?

I AM IN DESPERATE NEED AS I NEED TO EAT MORE AND AM PLAIN TIRED OF MY RECIPES!

WE ALL NEED TREATS IN OUR LIVES.

CAKES AND GREEN VEGETABLES SOUND LIKE A GOOD MIX TO ME!

A LITTLE OF THIS AND A LOT OF THAT!

LOVE YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS

AND DON’T FORGET ABOUT CREATURES BIG and SMALL!

PHOTO BELOW SENT TO ME BY A READER of this blog THEVINTAGECONTESSA.NET

HOW MANY OF YOU WILL SUBSCRIBE BELOW TODAY!?

PS. I WAS HACKED ON FACEBOOK THIS PAST WEEK

so if you want to make sure you can keep TRACK of me I would subscribe below.

I THANK YOU FOR FOLLOWING ALONG……….

BE WELL AND BE STRONG

AND DO EAT CAKE

it does a BODY GOOD & FEEDS THE SOUL!

XXX

IS THAT A HEART ON HER FOREHEAD?

THAT is DEFINITELY A HEART AT MY FEET!

STEP INTO THE DAY WITH INTENTION

WHY?

BECAUSE YOU DESERVE IT!

96 Comments

Leave your reply.

paiman salimpour
· Reply

February 24, 2022 at 6:07 AM

I loved your chat with Donna and her style simple yet not boring mundane but filled with life it takes a certain character to make happiness happen and she seems to be ONE thank you Contessa for the share .
PS. Tale of the Yak always gets the best of us. LOL
- LA CONTESSA
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  Author
  
  February 24, 2022 at 7:04 AM
  
  YOU AND I ARE BOTH CUSTOMERS OF THAT YAK SHOP!!HAVE BEEN FOR YEARS!!!!!!!
  XXX
Leslie Anne Tarabella
· Reply

February 19, 2022 at 6:23 AM

I just discovered your fabulous blog from Katie at The Preppy Empty Nester and I have to say I just adore you already! Many of my newspaper columns revolved around using the good china and celebrating each day with beautiful dishes, even if you are only eating a slice of toast. Ta-la! I love your hamburger meal. So good to find you.
- LA CONTESSA
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  Author
  
  February 19, 2022 at 7:14 AM
  
  THANK YOU SO MUCH!
  THAT PREPPY EMPTY NESTER IS A GOOD LADY……….I MET HER ONCE UPON A TIME!!
  XXX
Hilda Smith
· Reply

February 18, 2022 at 5:09 AM

I love reading your posts Elizabeth and really think eating your burger and chips on such a fabulous plate is the way to go. Thanks for sharing all those links to amazing people. We are in the middle of a storm here in Ireland…. Eunice is her name. We are not being hit too badly on the East Coast of Ireland so far, but a yacht has come adrift from its moorings and ended up on the bank…
- LA CONTESSA
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  February 18, 2022 at 7:44 AM
  
  OH MY GOODNESS YOU BE SAFE AND STAY INSIDE!
  I NEED YOU TO DO SOME YOGA WITH ME!
  XXX
Janey
· Reply

February 18, 2022 at 2:58 AM

Hi Elizabeth. I so enjoy your posts. I have been reading them for a long time. We read a lot of the same blogs way back when. Ellie…may she rest in peace, Heather in Arles, etc. etc. Today a lot people have moved on to Instagram and left so many of us behind. Thank you not doing that. I guess I need to get with the times, for awhile I didn’t even know what a podcast was!
As far a occasional fast food..we in Texas (or at least I do) love our Whataburger! Great chair, and how fun that the Queen has one too! On the subject of Camilla. So many people despise her. I am not one. The circumstances that lead up to that mess helped create it.
Your baskets are a wonderful idea. I have been taking my own bags for several years now., and it bothers me that some folks don’t. Oh speaking of older blogs, did you know that Katie from Empty Nest has moved back to Texas? We hope to meet soon. Have a wonderful day…Janey
- LA CONTESSA
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  Author
  
  February 18, 2022 at 7:54 AM
  
  I DO KNOW KATIE HAS MOVED BACK TO TEXAS AND THERE IS A SURPRISE WAITING FOR YOU THERE!
  I MET HER FOR LUNCH ONCE UPON A TIME!
  THANK YOU FOR READING ME FOR SO LONG!I THINK ITS BEEN 10 years since I started this blog to help sell stuff from my ANTIQUE SHOP which I closed TEN YEARS AGO so its been lONGER!!!
  WE CALIFORNIANS do not KNOW THE WHATABURGER!!!TELL THEM TO COME WEST!!
  I was just speaking of ELLIE the other day……how many years has it been?
  Heather I hosted her at my HOME I sure hope she got her ACT together as I saw her ending up on the streets………
  NO I donot despise her I just feel bad for the BOYS knowing that their FATHER did not really Love their MOTHER thats what KILLS ME!
  I think she has HELPED CHARLES and hopefully all will be well in THAT DEPARTMENT!
  I KNOW!WHAT IS WRoNG WITH PEOPLE STILL USING THE PLASTIC AND PAPER BAGS!!!!!!!IT’s as if THEY ARE CLUELESS!
  GO treat yourself to a BASKET I promise YOU will get a thrill out of even packing it up yourself at checkout!I DO!!
  XXX
  - Janey
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    February 18, 2022 at 8:13 AM
    
    Elizabeth,
    I remember you going to lunch with Katie. I also remember you hosting Heather. I tried to contact her when I was in Arles and that is when she told me they had split and she was in the states. I felt terrible for her. I too offered to host her when I had my cabin in the mountains when ai returned ..but she was already at your house…and in a caftan no doubt!
    So true…about Charles and Dianna.I heard once that the best thing a man can do for his children is to love their mother…so true.
    Guess I will go on a basket hunt! ? Janey
lisa thomson-author
· Reply

February 16, 2022 at 8:56 AM

Hi LA CONTESSA, thanks for sharing your lovely life tips. Enjoying the daily tasks really is a divine way to live. I found myself in just the opposite mood last week. Some days I feel like I am the only person in the home who cares what it looks like. Men can be messy! But I am feeling much more energetic and motivated this week. I must eat more greens. I am the queen of salads though I have no actual recipe for you. I have a romaine lettuce and sliced pear with toasted pecans (and a little goat cheese) salad with a white wine vinaigrette dressing recipe that is quite popular with friends and family. I’m at the stage of life where I wing almost everything I make, especially salads.
Ooooh, I just love your pearls. How classy!!
I have now followed the SLS Design account. Well, the photos are absolutely delicious. The layered, old world and bookish decor, is right up my alley. Thanks for the beauty you share!
- LA CONTESSA
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  Author
  
  February 16, 2022 at 4:31 PM
  
  YOU ARE SO WELCOME!
  I WING THINGS TOO AND THE ITALIAN CAN TELL!!!!!!
  THATS WHY I NEED SOME NEW RECIPES!!IF YOU GET MY DRIFT!!!HA HA……..
  I”m LUCKY IN THE HUSBAND DEPARTMENT HE IS MUCH NEATER THAN ME!CLEANS AS HE GOES PUTS EVERYTHING HE USES AWAY!!!!!!
  DRIVES ME CRAZY!I TELL HIM IT IS BECAUSE HE ONLY DOES ONE TASK AT A TIME WHERE I AM USUALLY MULTI TASKING!
  IT’s MY CREATIVE FLOW I CALL IT!!
  XXX
  - lisa thomson-author
    · Reply
    
    February 16, 2022 at 6:50 PM
    
    Nora says creative flow is good! 😀 xx
    - LA CONTESSA
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      Author
      
      February 17, 2022 at 9:18 AM
      
      THAT NORA IS UP ON EVERYTHING!
      HAPPY SHE AGREES WITH ME!
      XXX
Kimberly Frick
· Reply

February 16, 2022 at 8:50 AM

Always divine, informative, inquisitive and fun. I love following you. I always meet wonderful creative people and learn more about you every time. Keep those chairs!!!!!
- LA CONTESSA
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  Author
  
  February 16, 2022 at 4:33 PM
  
  YES I wiLL Keep THE CHAIRS……….someone just told me the real deal is worth $30,000.00 each!!
  I must find out if they REPRO’s or NOT!
  If they are REAL ONLY THEODORE CAN SIT IN THEM!!!
  XXX
Jill James
· Reply

February 16, 2022 at 1:29 AM

Apologies for being late to the party but your post only came to my inbox today. Another fascinating post Elizabeth. Only you would enjoy your Maccas on a Dresden fine bone china plate. I had a peek at your friends IG and was most impressed with her styling, have now followed.
I am not really a Royalist (the Queen is our Head of State) but that said I admire her sense of duty to her people. Of course you share the same chairs, it is only fitting.
Sorry to read about your lack of rain and it is Winter , maybe there will be Spring rains for your poor garden.
Take care ,.
- LA CONTESSA
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  February 16, 2022 at 6:21 AM
  
  NO APOLOGIES required………are you FOLLOWING me on INSTAGRAM?I explained there we had a SNAFU!
  Plus I will be sharing an ITALIAN WORD a DAY there!So we can build up our vocabulary in case we get to GO SOMEWHERE!
  YOU AUSTRALIANS have SO MANY NAMES for the MC DONALDS!!!I LOVE IT!
  BIG HUG,
  XXX
Daron
· Reply

February 16, 2022 at 12:31 AM

Darling Elizabeth – Here’s one of my favourite veggie salads. I found it in the Times newspaper. You don’t have to use bulgar but can use cooked orzo pasta, but I love to use quinoa coz it too is a protein-rich old-world seed.
Enjoy!

Lebanese Tabbouleh
By Martha Rose Shulman
YIELD 6 appetizer spread servings, 4 salad servings
TIME 30 minutes

Lebanese Tabbouleh

We think of tabbouleh as a bulgur salad with lots of parsley and mint. But real Lebanese tabbouleh is a lemony herb salad with a little bit of fine bulgur, an edible garden that you can scoop up with romaine lettuce heart leaves or simply eat with a fork.

Featured in: A Focus On Fresh Herbs.

Middle Eastern, Salads And Dressings, Fine Bulgar Wheat, Fresh Herb, Tomato, Easy, Quick, Appetizer, Summer, Dairy Free, Halal, Healthy, Kosher, Low Cholesterol, Low Sodium, Low Sugar, Nut Free, Vegan, Vegetarian Mark as Cooked 735 ratings
INGREDIENTS
¼ cup fine bulgur wheat
1 small garlic clove, minced (optional)
Juice of 2 large lemons, to taste
3 cups chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (from 3 large bunches)
¼ cup chopped fresh mint
½ pound ripe tomatoes, very finely chopped
1 bunch scallions, finely chopped
Salt, preferably kosher salt, to taste
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 romaine lettuce heart, leaves separated, washed and dried
Add to Your Grocery List
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional Information
PREPARATION
Place the bulgur in a bowl, and cover with water by 1/2 inch. Soak for 20 minutes, until slightly softened. Drain through a cheesecloth-lined strainer, and press the bulgur against the strainer to squeeze out excess water. Transfer to a large bowl, and toss with the garlic, lemon juice, parsley, mint, tomatoes, scallions and salt. Leave at room temperature or in the refrigerator for two to three hours, so that the bulgur can continue to absorb liquid and swell.
Add the olive oil, toss together, taste and adjust seasonings. Serve with lettuce leaves.
Tip
Advance preparation: This will keep for a day in the refrigerator, though the bright green color will fade because of the lemon juice.

Martha Rose Shulman can be reached at martha-rose-shulman.com.
- LA CONTESSA
  · Reply
  
  Author
  
  February 16, 2022 at 6:25 AM
  
  SOUNDS WONDERFUL!
  I WILL MAKE AND REPORT BACK!I will do the Quinoa as I am GLUTEN FREE!Plus, I have it already in the pantry!
  I will look for my red glasses for YOU today and get back AT YOU on INSTAGRAM!
  I really need to get The NY Times!
  MANY MANY THANKS,
  XXX
caroline walker
· Reply

February 15, 2022 at 11:05 PM

A lively blog with interesting responses. Yes, the Queen has been magnificent. She will be a hard act to follow. Camilla has worked her way into her role through discretion, hard work, and humor, plus enormous support for her husband and he, in turn, for her. She will, I am sure, do just fine as Queen Consort. Family and friends in the U.K. tell me THE CROWN is so inaccurate as to be embarrassing. One said…”It is a load of rubbish!” I can’t comment personally as I don’t have television. The baskets are beautiful. When I use mine – plain in comparison to yours – I am surprised at the positive comments I receive. I’m a little surprised more people don’t use them. Here in Southern California, we had some very early morning rain today. So early and so little most people missed it but hope springs eternal. Be well, Contessa.
- LA CONTESSA
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  February 16, 2022 at 6:30 AM
  
  I had a feeling a bunch of it was MADE to LOOK WORSE THAN IT WAS SPEAKING OF The CROWN!
  AGAIN its NONE OF OUR BUSINESS ESPECIALLY HER FAMILY LIFE!WE ALL HAVE BLACK SHEEP AND SAD STORIES IN OUR CLOSETS!
  I HAVE THE PLAIN ONE TOO……..I USE IT AS A PURSE IN The SPRING TIME!I MUST GET THAT OUT!TIME TO CHANGE IT UP A BIT!
  RAIN IN CALIFORNIA WE WILL TAKE IT!
  XXX
LA CONTESSA
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Author

February 15, 2022 at 2:36 PM

NO MICROWAVE HERE!!!
MY MOTHER TRIED TO GIFT US TWO OR THREE over the years as she loved doing her HOTDOG in a BUN wrapped in a paper towel in them!
Even at my young AGE I GOT THIS WASNOT A GOOD IDEA…….I always thought some major HEALTH issue would come from this!
Guess I was WRONG but NO MICROWAVE in this CASA !I can simply cook them the normal way!SOUNDS DELICIOUS!
THANK YOU MARTHA and ENJOY THAT CRUISE!I WANT TO SEE SOME JOHNNY WAS PHOTOS!
XXX
Martha Foss
· Reply

February 15, 2022 at 12:33 PM

I love your blog posts!! I wish I could eat more big Nacs and French fries- however it’s a beloved fast food that goes straight to my hips!!!

A good easy recipe for fresh green beans is to put them in g Rv be microwave for about a minute ( with 1-2 T water) then drain put in a sauté pan with fresh garlic and olive oil sauté briefly add crumbled feta and sliced almonds S and P and you’ve got a fresh vegetable dish that’s great!! In the winter I have used frozen beans I just skip microwave part.

I also follow India Hicks. Her mother is absolutely a gem!!

Thanks and hugs to you, and yes Calif needs more rain for Gardens and our mountains.

Xo martha
Judith
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February 15, 2022 at 11:23 AM

“Step into each day with intention.” That is beautiful. I think I will. This is such a fun post, with so much to look at and consider. I confess to loving Sonic’s tater tots and a cranberry limeade. I have not had this since the before times, but it was a guilty pleasure in which I indulged every couple of months or so. Fabulous idea to enjoy your fast food on a beautiful china plate. As to the Queen, I hold her in high regard, and am fascinated by the royal family. I, too, feel for Harry. The whole thing seems like a set up, of which he was unaware. So sorry to hear of the water woes of the west; I hope you will get some rain soon. Off to make rolled, cut out Valentines Day cookies, a day late!
- LA CONTESSA
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  February 15, 2022 at 2:28 PM
  
  GOOD ON YOU AS THOSE COOKIES WILL GO DOWN JUST FINE THIS DAY AFTER!
  I GREW UP ON TATER TOTS……………I do not like the HERBS they put in them today!FEELS FAKE!
  WHERE DO I BUY CRANBERRY LIMEADE?IT COMES TOGETHER?
  I have LIMEADE in the freezer NOW and I have a SPLASH of Cranberry every night with water……………I must give this a GO!!!
  MORE SUGAR………OH HELL GOTTA LIVE…………
  MANY THANKS GIRLFRIEND!
  XXX
Ann
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February 15, 2022 at 11:21 AM

Do you know what I love about you, Elizabeth?
I shall tell you!

A pet that is a precious creature known to some as a pig.

Choosing to eat special treats that give you joy-boosts (I love MickyDees!) on gorgeous plates. Such a delicious dichotomy. You are decidedly yourself. I find myself drawn to such individuals as you, because it’s how I choose to live as well.

Freedom in fashion and decor – it all goes. Layered and layered to great effect. Give me more to look at. I love your style. Again, I haven’t found many people who share this outlook!

I could go on and on….
- LA CONTESSA
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  Author
  
  February 15, 2022 at 2:24 PM
  
  OH GOSH ANN PLEASE DO AS I DONOT HEAR THIS OFTEN…………..
  “A PIG WHO LIVES IN THE HOUSE!”ISN’T HE DIRTY?”
  NOPE CLEANER THAN MY SONS!
  “WHERE ARE YOU GOING ALL DRESSED UP?”
  I LOVE TO SAY THE SUPERMARKET AND THEN THE DOLLAR STORE!!!
  I give NO THOUGHT as to what I wear or how I SHOP for that MATTER it all seems to go together……….
  I SHOULD HAVE BEEN IN THEATER AS I LOVE THE STAGE SETS< THE COSTUMES
Margaret
· Reply

February 15, 2022 at 11:06 AM

What a fabulous post!! Loved your topics, right in line with my taste. I follow India Hicks and love it when she chats with her mother, what a treasure to have her and India has a great love and admiration for her mother. I am drowning over that designers website you linked, fabulous x 10! I too love using flowers on cakes, and petals for cupcakes and in tea. You are the queen of your own life, as we all should be. Thank you for all the inspiration. PS:Loved that you put your McDonalds on fine china?
- LA CONTESSA
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  Author
  
  February 15, 2022 at 2:19 PM
  
  IT WAS THE RIGHT THING TO DO ON THAT DAY!MY BURGER ON THAT PLATE!
  YES PAIMAN is a GOOD FRIEND of MINE AND SHE HAS SPECTACULAR TASTE!SHE IS ALSO ON INSTAGRAM………
  XXX
1010ParkPlace
· Reply

February 15, 2022 at 10:18 AM

I feel sorry for the royal family. Living in a fish bowl, the heir or the spare. How those distinctions must make a person feel entitled, or not. They are a fascinating lot to watch as we wonder what really takes place behind closed doors. I’m interested in strong women, and the Queen is at the top of that list. Too bad she would never write a memoir. I wonder if she’s had to cut off her highs and lows and live somewhere in the middle? Love your McDonald’s plate and your grocery bags as inspiration. Just like your silver coasters for simple drinks like water. You remind us to elevate the way we live… just for us… no one else. xoxox, Brenda
- LA CONTESSA
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  Author
  
  February 15, 2022 at 2:17 PM
  
  ELEVATE…………I NEVER thought of it that way!
  They are just pretty THINGS that NO ONE WANTS ANYMORE and I feel SORRY for them.
  AS I have stated in THE PAST I found most of my TREASURES at THRIFT SHOPS or CONSIGNMENT STORES.
  DID YOU SEE THE NEWS TODAY……..PRINCE ANDREW SETTLED OUT OF COURT!
  XXX
Heidi
· Reply

February 15, 2022 at 9:51 AM

Hi Elizabeth,
What a fun post, a little of everything this time!
The royal family is interesting but I don’t follow much of the drama. The whole idea of “royalty” is rather odd to me. That doesn’t mean I don’t look at the pictures when I see them!
I don’t eat fast food any more, but an order of fries every blue moon is fantastic!
I agree about using the good china, making things special every day, and eating the CAKE! I love it, will look into the gluten free baker!
Off to the grocery store this morning, you’ve inspired me to bring my market basket. I really don’t need much and think it will all fit this time!
Stay well you.
Xo Heidi
- LA CONTESSA
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  Author
  
  February 15, 2022 at 2:13 PM
  
  THE GOLEN ARCHES NEVER BOTHERED ME ESPECIALLY WHEN WE MADE THE TREK DOWN HWY 5!!
  One should wonder what’s in those BUNS!!!
  I BET YOU WILL FEEL BETTER WITH THAT BASKET………….XXX
Rosemarie
· Reply

February 15, 2022 at 9:31 AM

Hi there
This is an add on. People can use their water from their laundry etc (this is gray water) to water plants etc – it is LEGAL in California. Some people just fill up buckets – tho of course one can rig up a system – the ITALIAN would do this in no time! When we had a water shortage one summer here where I live – I wrote the newspaper and my letter was published re restaurants/water.
- LA CONTESSA
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  Author
  
  February 15, 2022 at 2:11 PM
  
  I WILL DISCUSS WITH HIM AS HE IS UP ON ALL THIS STUFF NOT ME!!
  XXX
- Cara (S. Fla)
  · Reply
  
  February 16, 2022 at 12:28 PM
  
  We just run a hose from our washer to the back garden & move it around to water different things. You have to use graywater –friendly washing liquid. We also wash our dishes by hand in a pan and pour the water into a bucket for outside plants–same requirement for graywater dish liquid. We alos catch the warm-up water in the shower and water with it. Easy peasy and very good for the environment.
Michelle Troglia Foley
· Reply

February 15, 2022 at 9:21 AM

All I can say is…McDonalds never looked so good! I love to dip my fries in 1000 island dressing. Actually dipping anything in 1000 island is my jam! Be well my Beautiful friend!
- LA CONTESSA
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  Author
  
  February 15, 2022 at 2:10 PM
  
  THAT WAS MY FAVORITE SALAD DRESSING GROWING UP………PROBABLY STILL IS IF I EVER GOT TO EAT IT!
  THE ITALIAN INSISTS UPON OIL AND VINEGAR!
  DIP FOR ME TOO BEAUTY!!!!!!!
  XXX
Sandra Sallin
· Reply

February 15, 2022 at 9:20 AM

Thanks for the tip about the India Hicks interviews. Have you read the Mountbatten biography? I love Big Macs. I don’t know if could wait until I got home. There’s turkey Burger I love in LA from Burger Lounge. I’ve been taking a cooking class on line with Julia Turshen and she made a gorgeous and deliscious chocolate cake.Do I need to go to your Facebook page to resubscribe. I don’t want to miss a word. Why do they always choose you? Would you believe that the Department of Water and Power commended us on our use of water. I think it’s because we have drought tolerant grasses that don’t require tons of water. So we cut back.Plus we mainly use drip watering. Except for the back hillside. It just didn’t work there. We had to put in sprinklers.But we do our best. We do get water from a different source than Northern California. I wish that our rain water and waste water were saved instead of being washed into the ocean, Anyway you look and sound great and it’s always a treat to read your blog.
- LA CONTESSA
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  Author
  
  February 15, 2022 at 2:08 PM
  
  I MEANT TO TELL YOU ABOUT THE INTERVIEW YOU WOULD HAVE LOVED IT!LADY PAMELA TELLING ALL THE LITTLE DETAILS!!
  STAY AWAY FROM MY FACEBOOK AS IT WAS HACKED!
  ALL I KNOW FROM MY TRIP TO San Diego is the woman I had lunch with had NO idea nor a few of the ladies I dined with….this was in December.Seems they are the last to know.
  A LOT of people chose to IGNORE IT.
  Drip is good. SPRINKLERS from the little I know will use MORE WATER…………YOU COULD GET A SHAME ON YOU LETTER NEXT!!!BUT WHO COULD YELL AT SANDRA SALLIN?????
  NOT ME!
  XXX
Leslie Lord
· Reply

February 15, 2022 at 7:46 AM

I really do admire HRH Queen Elizabeth. She works so hard and has weathered many a storm. She’s had to endure many hardships with regards to her family. It just proves that families can be dysfunctional!
Your Dresden plate is beautiful! When I had my case at the antique mall Vanity Fare here in Victoria I had quite a lot of Dresden porcelain. They were very hot selling pieces! I didn’t keep any after closing my case.
I use a French market basket fir the farmers markets and local Root Cellar totes which are jute with a waterproof coating. They are strong and sturdy. I shop every few days now that we have had our three vaccinations.
Your Instagram friend has a lovely flair with decor! Like you she enjoys a home full of sumptuous fabrics, textures, arts and collectibles.
Hope you are well Contessa and enjoying life to the fullest…you continue to inspire.
XO
Leslie
- LA CONTESSA
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  Author
  
  February 15, 2022 at 2:01 PM
  
  THANK YOU……………I MUST TRY AND GET INTO YOUR BLOG AGAIN………..IT WORKED FOR AWHILE USING GOOGLE THAN IT STOPPED!AS I SAID ABOVE STUPID COMPUTERS!!
  XXX
May
· Reply

February 15, 2022 at 7:13 AM

Greens…Wonderful salad seen on, “Weekends With Yankee”, season 5, episode13, Beet salad with fried goat cheese. The little bit of sliced mint in the salad, (love fresh mint), caught my attention. I’d add fresh parsley. I also see buttery garlic salmon instead of goat cheese. Dandelion greens for variety. It is a nice base green salad to tweak.
- LA CONTESSA
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  Author
  
  February 15, 2022 at 8:58 AM
  
  THANK YOU SO MUCH……….I use to do a salad with arugula and baked goat cheese in bread crumbs!
  XXX
Kathy L
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February 15, 2022 at 6:48 AM

Prior to the pandemic, I very very rarely ate at a McDonald’s – only if we were traveling and needed a quick meal. However, since the start of the pandemic, once a week I drive to the closest McDonald’s, order a large diet Coke ($1!) and medium “hot” french fries, and eat them in quiet solitude in my car at a park on the way back to my house. Occasionally I also get a small vanilla shake with whipped cream on top (yummy). I think that initially the joy was an hour of ALONE time because, with the pandemic, suddenly my husband and I were in the house together 24/7. Now it’s a combination of bad habit and weekly joy.
I was just reading that, in the West, the period from 2000 to 2021 was the driest in 1200 years… and the human-caused climate crisis has made the megadrought 72% worse… and all indications are that extreme conditions will continue through 2022.
- LA CONTESSA
  · Reply
  
  Author
  
  February 15, 2022 at 7:12 AM
  
  YES the drought is BAD HERE!
  Trees are dying everywhere.
  WHAT IS SHOCKING TO ME IS PEOPLE IN Southern California HAVE NO IDEA WE ARE IN SUCH A MESS!AS THEY GET THEIR WATER FROM NORTHERN CALIFORNIA MOUNTAINS which have almost ZERO SNOW NOW!
  I have been FLUSHING on the second or third PEE now for MONTHS!
  Trying to do only TWO loads of laundry a week……….WHITES and COLORED.
  We haven’t turned on the watering system for the garden!I fertilized a MONTH AGO!!!!!!!!IT really needs a good soak to get in the ground and do its THING!Restaurants should be cutting back on FILLING THOSE GLASSES!
  WE HAVE A PROBLEM HERE!!
  I LOVE WHAT YOU ARE DOING!!!
  I CAN RELATE; ALTHOUGH THE ITALIAN HAS WORKED THROUGH OUT THIS PANDEMIC!OUTSIDE THE HOME.
  IT IS COMFORT FOOD FOR ME TOO!
  XXX
Gray
· Reply

February 15, 2022 at 6:11 AM

A fabulous post that is all over the place, in the very BEST way! I love it. I am also a Kate fan, not a Camilla fan, and not a Megan and Henry fan. Obviously a fan of HRH….
- LA CONTESSA
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  Author
  
  February 15, 2022 at 7:14 AM
  
  THANKS GRAY THIS POST HAS GONE OUT TWICE NOW……..SORRY IF ITS A REPEAT FOR SOME!
  I GUESS MAILCHIMP FAILED ME THE FIRST GO AROUND!!
  AS I LIKE TO SAY”STUPID COMPUTERS!”
  XXX
Naila khan
· Reply

February 15, 2022 at 5:08 AM

Let’s talk baskets….it’s crazy I was looking at them myself and thinking of stocking these as a side line. I’ve been in touch with some manufacturers in Ghana let’s see what they say! Your chair is a Throne and is so you…fit for a queen!!
- LA CONTESSA
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  Author
  
  February 15, 2022 at 7:15 AM
  
  LOVE THESE BASKETS FOR SHOPPING!!!
  I HOPE YOU CAN STOCK A FEW!!
  XXX
Jacqueline
· Reply

February 15, 2022 at 12:29 AM

I haven’t had a Maccy D since our children lived at home but there is nothing wrong in a bit of fast food now and again. We don’t have takeaway as I’m always disappointed with it but. I now fancy a McDonalds !!!
Charles should have married Camilla instead of marrying Diana ….. she has always been the love of his life but, the silly law about not marrying a divorcee prevented that and much misery ensued. I have no problem with Camilla. She will be a very good Queen Consort. Camilla and Katherine do a marvellous job ( as does Princess Anne ) They keep their heads down, work hard and ‘ never complain, never explain ‘. The Queen has done an amazing job and it will be a sad day when she is not here to lead our country. What a fantastic job she has done. There will be much celebrating this year. What with your name and chair, you would make a great Queen Consort Elizabeth !!!!! XXXX
- LA CONTESSA
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  Author
  
  February 15, 2022 at 7:21 AM
  
  I BELIEVE YOU!
  ON ALL ACCOUNTS…………HARRY & THAT WIFE were doing such a GREAT JOB!
  THEN SHE DROPPED THE BALL……….he had no choice but to support her as he has lIVED HIS WHOLE LIFE seeing his DEAD MUM on magazine covers………it’s just SO SO SAD.
  Every time my phone gives me a specific sound I think OH NO!AS the BBC has a special sound for BREAKING NEWS!!!
  THE QUEEN HAS BEEN THERE MY ENTIRE LIFE AND I CANNOT IMAGINE HER NOT THERE!
  GO GET A MACCY……….I see they are making PLANT BURGERS NOW!!!!!!
  XXX
yancey williams
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February 12, 2022 at 12:15 PM

Thank you for sharing your insta-friends, with us. I am always looking for new and beautiful feeds.
- LA CONTESSA
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  Author
  
  February 15, 2022 at 7:22 AM
  
  SO WELCOME YANCY……….and they too will LOVE your cooking feed!
  XXX
D. A. Squires
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February 12, 2022 at 7:35 AM

So fun to read everything… and amazing how appetizing the McD’s dinner appeared on china… they should use this for an AD!!! You, in the caftan, turban, pearls, burger & fries on china plate and covered by one of your silver tureen/platter covers, you sitting on your Queen’s chair (with large, fancy pillow : ) at the head of your beautiful dining table dinner…with crystal, flowers, silver galore. A butler coming in to lift off the cover and a clever voice over… ‘treat yourself…, be a Queen for the day’…with the brown bag in the background…I can SEE this!!!
Adore the flower bedecked cake and your shopping baskets and agree about the royal decree…(cannot imagine otherwise.. to announce the King with a consort and not the Queen??? Kings and Queens MUST go together! I have read enough fairy tales to know this!! SLS is DIVINE!!!!!!!!!! The photos… swooning I still am!!
No green drink recipe in my disorganized files, but I would like one, too : )
So happy ‘Crouton’ the cow made her debut on your blog–she is a beauty and so special… no doubt a heart on her forehead : )
XO Happy Valentine’s Day!!
XO
- LA CONTESSA
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  Author
  
  February 15, 2022 at 7:24 AM
  
  MC DONALDS SHOULD HIRE YOU FOR THEIR MARKETING CEO!!!!!!!
  WE sent the email post out AGAIN did YOU get it this time?
  XOXO
Cara (S. Fla)
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February 10, 2022 at 3:55 PM

Elizabeth, I love those baskets, but cannot find ones wihtout the leather handles and I don’t buy leather if it’s new. I don’t imagine anyone would get rid of their used baskets so… I did meet someone selling tham at a fair and she said she could remove the leather, but that would defeat the purpose of not wanting to subsidize animal skin. Oh well, I can just use my boring cloth baskets!
Thanks for your fun blog!
Best wishes!
Juliet
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February 10, 2022 at 11:38 AM

Fast food on china, of course! I love that you get a craving too … for the bad but so good stuff. Once in a while … there’s no harm. I’m curious about your shopping baskets … do you stack them inside one another when you shop? I love the idea … my assortment so cloth bags has seen better days. Our queen, and I do consider her ours too, is such an inspiration. I love her pearls but did not know they were a gift from her father. They were so close and she has done him proud. India is wonderful … I have all her books … and enjoy her conversations with mom who has seen and done it all. India had her husband making a Valentine cocktail other Instagram yesterday. Cheers and Happy Valentine’s Day to you and the Italian. xo
- LA CONTESSA
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  Author
  
  February 15, 2022 at 7:28 AM
  
  I usually take just TWO in as I do not have THAT MUCH to BUY for the TWO OF US with a cloth bag or two in the bottom….
  AND NO I DONOT STACK THEM.
  THE QUEEN HAS TWO BACK UP PAIRS OF PEARLS………..one a GIFT from some SAUDI ROYAL and the OTHER I FORGET NOW!!!
  XXX
Pat
· Reply

February 9, 2022 at 8:19 PM

Of course you have the same chair as the Queen! I need to check out India Hicks’s Instagram. I wonder if she eats McDonalds burgers on a Dresden plate?
- LA CONTESSA
  · Reply
  
  Author
  
  February 15, 2022 at 7:31 AM
  
  I CAN ANSWER THAT!!!
  XXX
Elizabeth
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February 9, 2022 at 5:45 PM

Elizabeth, I have not eaten MCDonalds or fast food in years, but your phot made me think I need to get over there and have a Big Mac and some salt fries. I love eating on beautiful plates and drinking from cups, glasses, etc. I makes each meal an occasion.
As for the Queen, an amazing woman. I cannot imagine a world without her, lets hope she lives as long as her mother or longer. She unites people like no other.
Thank you for sharing your beauty with us m friend.
- LA CONTESSA
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  Author
  
  February 15, 2022 at 7:33 AM
  
  SO WeLCOME!
  I LOVE THAT QUARTER POUNDER WITH CHEESE!PLUS I THINK THEY ARE THE BEST FRIES OUT THERE EVER!!!!!!
  XXX
Lorna
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February 9, 2022 at 11:52 AM

Eating cake is good advice. I do it frequently. I made a triple chocolate cake for my son last week. He turned 16. I don’t know where the time goes!!
I am getting bored at work. I’ve been doing it for too long or I’ve just lost interest. So sometimes it’s hard to find the beauty in each day. But I try.
- LA CONTESSA
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  Author
  
  February 15, 2022 at 7:34 AM
  
  YOU HAVE YOUR BOOKS TO GET LOST IN AND YOUR GARDEN UNTIL IT GETS TOO HOT!
  I SEE YOU HAVE ANOTHER BOOK REVIEW FOR ME TO READ!!!
  XXX
Rosemarie
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February 9, 2022 at 10:31 AM

Hi again CONTESSA
The yeast is for flavour according to Baked by Melissa – “cheesy nutty flavour without eating loads of cheese”.
The QUEEN and her pearls – I just read she has 3 pairs! She liked the ones she got from her father so she had another pair made – and the Emir of Qatar gave her a pair with a diamond clasp – evidently she rotates the pearls so she doesn’t wear them out.
Plastic grocery bags – here (Vancouver) they are now banned in stores – so you must bring your own bag or purchase a paper one or a reusable one. Now too if you go to Mcdonalds etc. you have to PAY for the bag that they put your purchase in plus 25 cents for the cup. City wants to do away with disposable cups – well it’s doubtful that will every happen.
- LA CONTESSA
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  Author
  
  February 9, 2022 at 10:39 AM
  
  OKAY THANK YOU I WILL TRY AND REPORT BACK!
  GOOD ON VANCOUVER FOR DOING THAT…….We are THE LAST TO EVER GET ON TOP OF THINGS!!!
  XXX
Robin
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February 9, 2022 at 12:14 AM

This is a lovely post, dear Elizabeth.

Baci di Bella Umbria.

Robin
- LA CONTESSA
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  Author
  
  February 9, 2022 at 7:28 AM
  
  GRAZIE FOR READING………I READ TODAY ITALY WILL NOT REQUIRE MASKS ON OUTSIDE!!!!
  LOOKING GOOD I HOPE!
  XXX
Pipistrello
· Reply

February 8, 2022 at 4:12 PM

Ciao Bella,

It’s always lovely to hear from you and the home-life posts are my faves. Apologies for being too late to the party with your Collector’s Edition last time, but what a gladbag of reading you have for us today! How delightful that both you and our ERII can put your bottoms on identical chairs!! Our Queen is a treasure and I like that she’s affirmed she’s not abdicating like all the modern European monarchs are seeming to do and intends to keep going till the end. Camilla? I’ve become rather fond of her & not just because she can really carry off those big gun tiaras 🙂

Fast food doesn’t get much of a look-in here – Asian-fare, if anything – and I can count on one hand the number of McD’s I’ve eaten in my life but yours looks a vast improvement on a pretty plate. For us, like Jim, take-away comes home without the accoutrements to be put onto proper plates and eaten with fancy chopsticks or cutlery with linen napkins.

Baskets are the norm here, too, but Mr. P surprised me with one shaped like yours recently which is good for carrying awkward things but they need to be featherweight as the basket itself is really heavy and hard to lug about, sadly. I like my Moroccan ones with long leather straps for the shoulder since I have to walk back from the shoppes. Yours fit so perfectly into the boot of your car, like a custom fit!

I’ve heard the podcast interviews with India Hicks and her mother. Lady Pamela is a capital interviewee, so lively for a nonagenarian and has some fabulous recollections of her eccentric family and life. Then I had a long and puzzled look at the pic of your rose-decked cake girl, wondering why you asked us to check out her Feet!!! Hahahah!

Baci xx
- LA CONTESSA
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  Author
  
  February 9, 2022 at 7:33 AM
  
  THOSE BIG GUN TIARAS ARE CALLED FENDERS!!!!!!DID YOU KNOW THAT?I LEARNED THAT FROM WATCHING LADY PAMELA WITH HER DAUGHTER!!!
  YOU MADE ME GO BACK AND LOOK…….ANOTHER TYPO ON MY SIDE?
  I FOUND FEED………….IS that a NEW WORD for YOU?It means the INSTAGRAM FEED what is put on there!
  HAPPY TO HEAR YOU TOO USE BASKETS!
  WE ALWAYS USE LINEN NAPKINS THE ITALIAN INSISTS UPON IT!
  I LEARNED THAT VERY EARLY ON IN OUR MARRIAGE…………XXX
  - Pipistrello
    · Reply
    
    February 9, 2022 at 3:23 PM
    
    Fenders?!! I like learning new words, hahah! Re the “feet”, I saw “feed” but misread it for some reason 🙂 xx
Rosemarie
· Reply

February 8, 2022 at 1:49 PM

Hi there CONTESSA
Another good/varied blog to brighten up a rainy day here on the west coast. Also a noisy day as the road in front of our house is being torn up for new sewer line – the cat is hiding in the basement!
Oh dear re more meds. China from the past is always so beautiful with the intricate/colourful designs on plates.
I remember hearing decades ago re eating slower – one should “drink” their food = really chew it and “eat” their fluids.
Anyway, why rush eating?
You asked for a recipe – here is one that I came across recently: Green Goddess Salad:
1 small head of green cabbage
3-4 baby cucumbers – or 1 large cucumber
1/4 cup chives
1 bundle of green onions or scallions.
***Wash and chop chop the above ingredients****
Dressing:
juice of 2 lemons
1/4 cup olive oil
1/3 cup nutritional yeast – this is IMPORTANT – can get at food store or on Amazon
1 tsp salt
2 tbsps rice vinegar
BLEND the above in blender
Then add:
1 cup basil leaves
1 cup spinach leaves 2 cloves garlic
1 small shallot
Blend all the above now together to desired dressing consistency.
******
Mix into salad greens – sprinkle with desired nuts.
****
Beautiful cake. I must followup the links you gave in the blog. These open so many interesting doors.
Take care.
- LA CONTESSA
  · Reply
  
  Author
  
  February 9, 2022 at 7:26 AM
  
  OH THIS IS GREAT!THANK YOU SO MUCH!
  NOW WHY IS THE YEAST SO IMPORTANT?HEALTH WISE NOT FOR THE TASTE RIGHT?
  I HAD SOME OF THAT A FEW YEARS AGO CANT RECALL WHO WROTE ABOUT THAT MAYBE THE MEDICAL MEDIUM?BUT HAVE DUMPED IT NOW PLUS BEING GLUTEN INTOLERANT.
  I remember MY MOTHER MADE A GREEN GODDESS DRESSING She WAS CRAZY ABOUT!
  THANK YOU THANK YOU!
  YOU HAVE GREAT READING SKILLS……………HA HA!!!!
  XXX
  - Cara (S. Fla)
    · Reply
    
    February 10, 2022 at 3:52 PM
    
    No, for the TASTE! Nutritional yeast is yummy– great on popcorn, salads, sprinkled over pasts… It’s cheesy and wonderful!.
    It’s not a candida-promoting yeast and has B vitamins. We stict vegetarians swear by it!
    - Judith
      · Reply
      
      February 15, 2022 at 11:04 AM
      
      Cara, is this the same thing as Brewer’s Yeast?
      - Cara (S. Fla)
        · Reply
        
        February 16, 2022 at 12:23 PM
        
        NO, brewer’s yeast is quite bitter! Nutritional yeast is often made by Red Star and can also be bought in bulk from most good health food stores.
Dee Black
· Reply

February 8, 2022 at 1:29 PM

Hello Contessa,
Good for you having a treat while going for more meds. Hope they work for you. Oh I would love to say hi to you in the grocery store and comment on your lovely baskets. You do have a gift of elevating the ordinary tasks to joyful pursuits.
Like Cindy, I’m not a royal watcher. Love your mother’s chair! Great idea…double cushion.
Oh my Banksy who does Betty think she is getting your great spot in front of the sink. Life is change and Betty is pretty cute.
Lovely Malibu girl with lots of talent. Going to check out her Instagram. Yes Contessa, I agree it’s fun to get a lift and motivation. You certainly do your share.
Been a cold winter in North Florida looking forward to sunshine. Thank you for sending rays out to us all.
- LA CONTESSA
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  Author
  
  February 9, 2022 at 7:23 AM
  
  IT WOULD BE LOVELY TO MEET ONE DAY………..
  WE MUST KEEP PUTTING ONE STEP IN FRONT OF THE OTHER……..
  MAKE JOY HAPPEN!
  HAVE A BEAUTIFUL WEEK……….XXX
Ellie's friend
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February 8, 2022 at 9:57 AM

The Queen and Prince Philip were third, not first, cousins. I think Camilla and Charles continuing their affair after and while Charles and Diana were married contributed in great measure to Diana’s instability. It was selfish, if not cruel. Had Diana herself not
had affairs a bit later, I believe Prince Charles’s reputation would never have recovered. Having said that, however, I am glad that Camilla and Charles are happy together. I think the Queen is right to make Camilla Queen Consort when Charles ascends to the throne. It eliminates it from becoming a perpetual topic for the gossip papers. I think the Queen probably wanted Philip to have been King consort but the optics were wrong and it was vetoed as it would give the public the misimpression that the Queen was just a pawn of Philip.
- LA CONTESSA
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  Author
  
  February 8, 2022 at 11:03 AM
  
  OPPS!
  I SWEAR LADY PAMELA SAID THEY WERE FIRST COUSINS!MAYBE SHE AND Queen Elizabeth WERE?
  SOMEONE AND ANOTHER WERE FIRST COUSINS!!!!I DID NOT MAKE THAT UP!
  I KNOW LADY PAMELA WAS TOLD NOT TO CALL HER LILIBET WHEN SHE BECAME QUEEN!
  MAYBE A FEW OF OUR BRITISH PEOPLE CAN CHIME IN HERE!
  Interesting little facts……….I have CHANGED FIRST COUSINS TO THIRD COUSINS. SEE this is HOW RUMORS START!!!
  MY MEMORY is FAILING MORE AND MORE EACH DAY!!!
  MY POOR ITALIAN IS GOING TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH THAT!
  XXX
cindy
· Reply

February 8, 2022 at 9:26 AM

Hi Elizabeth
I think I may be the only one that is not all that interested in the Royals, although I did/do love the Crown. I suppose if I lived in the UK or had a strong connection there I would feel differently. Wonderful upbeat post today! Love your African baskets. I would love to see you walking into the grocery with three of those in hand!!
- LA CONTESSA
  · Reply
  
  Author
  
  February 8, 2022 at 11:06 AM
  
  ONLY TWO BASKETS as you can see the basket on the right has a cloth bag inside!THREE is TRICKY to MANAGE as they donot fold……….BUT I HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO DO IT as they sit perfectly inside the larger CARTS!THEN I HAVE MY BASKET HANDBAG which loops over the hook under the handle!
  IT ALL CAN BE DONE BUT FOR TWO OF US TWO BASKETS WORKS GREAT!
  XXX
Donna
· Reply

February 8, 2022 at 8:59 AM

YES! When I eat fast food…well, basically almost everything I eat….I use a beautiful vintage dish too! I have a large collection of pretty dishes collected over the years. They always make everything taste better! And every morning I choose a different cup for my morning coffee depending on how I’m feeling that day. And your baskets! I LOVE that you use them for shopping. Why not?!?! They’re perfect to be used that way. Thank you for the links, Elizabeth….and the wonderful post!
- LA CONTESSA
  · Reply
  
  Author
  
  February 8, 2022 at 11:08 AM
  
  THE AFRICAN SHOP IN EMERYVILLE HAS THEM!
  I USE A DIFFERENT CUP TOO EACH MORNING!NOT ALL ARE OLD but they have a nice shape none of which are COFFEE MUGS.YOU ARE SO WeLCOME!
  XXX
Paiman
· Reply

February 8, 2022 at 8:11 AM

Thank you so much for sharing our post one of the hardest things I get asked often is what is it that you exactly do ? It takes me a minute as to describe my tale as I have been doing interior and garden design , styling for photo shoots and magazines, creating one of a kind objects and clothes , customizing culturally immersed travel experiences for wonderful people my narrative has been unusual indeed but the journey of making mundane beautiful has been a road I have travelled with passion and joy ! Collaborations with amazing artisans has been the DNA of SLS design indeed!
- LA CONTESSA
  · Reply
  
  Author
  
  February 8, 2022 at 11:11 AM
  
  I HAVE KNOWN YOU NOW FOR WHAT 30 YEARS!
  YOU NEVER DISAPPOINT!!!!!
  I think you should share a video of your HOME on INSTAGRAM…………..A TOUR FOR THOSE OF US THAT NEED A LIFT!!!
  YOU HAVE A LOT TO SHARE AND GIVE……………XOXO!
Patricia Kellar
· Reply

February 7, 2022 at 10:49 PM

Yes indeed, your chair is the same as the Queen’s – how marvellous is that! I have seen some of India Hicks’ interviews with Lady Pamela, her mother. What a great character, with a lifetime of information and adventures to tell. It was good to read the Queen endorses that Camilla should be titled Queen Consort, the traditional way. Camilla is by all accounts a lovely woman, who has worked hard, soothes her husband, and carries out a lot of royal duties besides. People should not carry grudges about events from 40 years ago. Everybody can change and grow throughout their lives. A lovely post Elizabeth.
- LA CONTESSA
  · Reply
  
  Author
  
  February 8, 2022 at 6:44 AM
  
  THANK YOU PATRICIA……….YES THE CHAIR CAUGHT MY EYE IMMEDIATELY IN THE PHOTO!I would LOVE to use them at the HEAD of the TABLE but the seat is too LOW!Maybe I can have a cushion made to make us GROW?
  I agree it is GOOD that THE QUEEN took care of that QUEEN BUSINESS and it is ALSO GOOD CHARLES is a MUCH HAPPIER MAN THESE DAYS!HE was so on TARGET with the ENVIRONMENT and that GARDEN he has created at HIGHGROVE IS OUT OF THIS WORLD!
  XXX
Parnassus
· Reply

February 7, 2022 at 10:36 PM

Hello Contessa, I don’t eat what is usually called fast food, but I have noticed in general that “outdoor food” tastes better outdoors. However, there used to be several take-out sushi places near me, and I always refused the packets of condiments and disposable chopsticks, and went home and used my own nicer ones. I use plastic bags for groceries because I have a long walk to carry them home (sometimes a mile), and substantial bags are just too heavy. However, I am still mindful of the environment and reuse them as many times as possible, and they can be recycled at the end of their useful life. Congratulations to Queen Elizabeth on this milestone!
–Jim
- LA CONTESSA
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  Author
  
  February 8, 2022 at 6:38 AM
  
  THEN YOU HAVE A GOOD REASON JIM!When I lived in ITALY 30 odd years ago the plastic bags were 10 cents each and EVERYONE brought them back the next visit to the grocery store and re-used time and time again!They were WAY a head of US here in the LAND OF PLENTY!RECYCLING GLASS BOTTLES was a THING BACK THEN TOO!
  I’m IMPRESSED you walk to and from the grocery store!THAT would not be possible for me!
  XXX
Jo floyd
· Reply

February 7, 2022 at 10:23 PM

Another wonderful thoughtful post Elizabeth , our souls all need feeding and love makes the world go around. Smile as you walk down the street, in the supermarket all day everyday and the atmosphere around you changes, people smile back and sometimes even speak, it opens doors! I know you feel the same.!!!!!! Much love xxx
- LA CONTESSA
  · Reply
  
  Author
  
  February 8, 2022 at 6:34 AM
  
  MY WORDS TOO JO!
  AMAZING WHAT A SMILE AND A COLORFUL BASKET CAN ACCOMPLISH!
  I LOVE TALKING TO PEOPLE IN THE GROCERY STORE especially if the shorter women need help reaching the TOP SHELF!
  I am ALWAYS THERE with my ARM.
  XXX
  - Josephine Floyd
    · Reply
    
    February 15, 2022 at 9:44 AM
    
    Haha , my husband has been known to say a bit like an orangutan !!!! About me of course. So pleased I am tall and can usually see over peoples h3ads . My grandmother was 5’1” , Grandada 6’4” height has carried on in my family granddaughters are nr. 6 ft.
    Share my joy I am off to a Melbourne this morning to see my lovely daughter and family, first visit allowed in 2 yrs and to know we can get back in the country .so s excited xxxxx?????
Vicky
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February 7, 2022 at 7:21 PM

I am a Camilla fan, I think she has done Charles the world of good humanising him. As a citizen of the Commonwealth I am pleased that the Queen has taken care of the matter so there is no argument after her death. However the thought of losing the Queen is a sad one. After Philip died, reading about all the things he had achieved in the service of others during his lifetime made me see him differently. I think without Camilla and the breakdown of the marriage of Diana and Charles who knows if William and Harry would been allowed to go down the path of marrying commoners and personally I think Kate Middleton is the best thing that has happened to the Royal Family for years, she and her family have demonstrated to William how a normal family operates, something the RF badly lacked.
- LA CONTESSA
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  February 8, 2022 at 6:31 AM
  
  I AGREE especially the bit about KATE!
  THAT WOMAN CAN DO NO WRONG!
  IN the clip with INDIA HICKS and HER MOTHER it was mentioned that PHILLIP was not allowed TO WORK the first few years!
  After ELIZABETH grew into her role she DEMANDED HE BE GIVEN A POSITION AND SOMETHING TO DO!I think he was a GREAT SUPPORT for the QUEEN even though he was not well represented in the PRESS.
  THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR COMMENT VICKY!
  XXX