Hello, friends…Here’s this week’s Sunday Seven in wine, food, lifestyle, design and travel!
An Almost-Free Vacation Home
If you’re willing to trade homes with travelers from France, Japan, Australia even coastal California, you now have your pick from a wider, swankier array of options thanks to the house-sharing boom. Companies like HomeExchange, have been around since the early 90’s (long before Airbnb!) and were the pretext of the movie “The Holiday,” in which Cameron Diaz swaps her Los Angeles mansion for Kate Winslet’s quaint English cottage, and both find love in their new cities. In the past few years, home exchange has gained traction in the US as more Americans have discovered that staying in a home versus a hotel can yield more comfort and space.
A Twist on Scrambled Eggs
For the most luscious, custardy consistency, borrow this method from the chefs at Nonesuch: Before cooking, beat the eggs thoroughly along with a good pour of cream and a dash of fish sauce, which gives the eggs a umami flavor. Whisk steadily over indirect heat, stick with it, and a few minutes in you’ll note the eggs thickening slightly. The goal is a fine texture, similar to grits. They appear almost soupy, but when you dip your spoon in they are set like a custard.
The 10 Best Wine Travel Destinations for 2019
Fair warning, this article will make you want to travel, and there are some gorgeous wine trips on this list. Lisboa, Portugal is on my list for this year! Some girlfriends and I are considering Portugal this spring — I know, we need to plan fast. I was also happy to see Temecula on the list. Mike and I just explored Temecula a couple of weeks ago over the holidays (I’ll have a post up on our favorites from there this week!)
The 2019 AD 100 List
The AD 100 list gets published each year with the latest 100 visionaries in architecture and interior design. This helps us to explore the work of these ones to watch — including new books, product launches, restaurant and hotel openings, and more. It’s also just fun eye candy to scroll through!
Stinky, Smelly Cheese
Whether you find the the smell of a stinky cheese delightful or despicable, here’s why it happens: Since all cheese starts with milk, whether it’s cow, sheep, or goat, the thing that makes each batch unique is the starter bacteria that are used. These special bacteria help break down the lactose sugars in milk and turn them into lactic acid. Indeed, the type of starter culture largely determines the taste, flavor, and texture of the final cheese result!
Winter Makes People Drink. But We Knew That.
You know the old saying, “It’s all about location, location, location”? It might apply to how much alcohol you drink. Recent research published shows a link between a region’s climate and its average alcohol consumption—specifically, the lower the temperatures and the fewer the sunlight hours, the higher the drinking levels. Red wine can increase blood flow and warm you on a cold day. I call that a reason to NOT embark on Dry January!
Vacation According to Your Personality Type
Not sure where to cash in that PTO next? Just leave it to the Myers-Briggs test. Whether you’re a introvert or an extrovert, there are getaway ideas for every personality type. Though the reliability of the model has been hotly debated, finding a personality type to identify with can be insightful and entertaining—even if the science isn’t foolproof. I am an ESFJ and don’t see mine on here, but if anyone else does, let me know if its accurate!
I hope everyone has a wonderful and relaxing rest of your weekend!
xx—BB
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