It's Cosmo's Moon!

Taking inspiration from the impending "supermoon" scheduled to rise tomorrow evening, here are a few of my favorite things:

Margaret Wise Brown's infamous children's book Goodnight Moon:

Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney:

An adorable print from Etsy quoting the end of that precious book:

A clip from one of Team Newman's fave movies of all time (and most quoted in our house):

Two magical tunes ... one Classical, and one Classic:

Dvorak's "Song to the Moon" from his opera, Rusalka, as sung by Renee Fleming:

and Henry Mancini's Academy Award winning "Moon River" from the movie Breakfast at Tiffany's:

Hoping to snap some pics of Cosmo's moon tomorrow night from our Brooklyn rooftop ... so stay tuned!

Here's to an incredible weekend!

xx JN

What an Inspiration: Caitlin McGauley

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I was introduced to the illustrations of Caitlin McGauley and felt truly connected to her work. Her illustrations are simply divine - full of color, dimension, detail - I could frame them all and never tire of a single one. No matter the season, or the occasion, her work will perfectly encapsulate it!

How you must hop over and see her prints for purchase. Can we discuss what a treasure one will be to give for Mother's Day?

xx JN

In the Crock-Pot: Mexican Shredded Chicken

There is nothing overrated about walking in the front door after a long day to the aroma of dinner simmering in the Crock-Pot.

Maybe it's all those years living in the Southwest, but there is nothing more comforting to me than Mexican food. And among my favorites, shredded chicken tacos. With Cinco de Mayo just a few days away, I couldn't help but be inspired for a new Mexican dish!

Recently while spending the afternoon with a friend of mine, he introduced me to his newest obsession: the Crock-Pot he received from his sister as a birthday gift. Now let me tell you, this guy can cook (yes, we have hosted dinner cook-offs with friends and competed against each other ... that's how much we love to play in the kitchen!) So when Jason says, "You have to try this ..." I know I"m going to be beside myself in short order. He introduced me to slow cooker chicken. Ummmmm.

I have always associated my Crock-Pot with pot roast, my mother's (infamous) shredded beef, and my homemade 3-bean chili (before the days I introduced Le Creuset in my kitchen.) Shredded chicken? Why hadn't I thought of that?? Thanks to Jason, I started researching recipes online, merged a few together, and this is what I came up with:

Mexican Shredded Chicken*
serves 6-8

2-1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts (either frozen or thawed)
1 packet taco or fajita seasoning (I prefer the gluten-free varieties)
1 12-oz. jar of salsa or 1 can enchilada sauce (I prefer green sauce, but red is totally great, too)
1-1/2 cups chicken stock

*You can purchase all your ingredients for about $13 at Trader Joe's

Place all of the ingredients in the Crock-Pot - no need to stir. Cook on low for 6-hours (if thawed) or 9-hours (if frozen). Cooking times with Crock-Pots vary, so the true test is once the chicken falls apart when pierced with a fork. Shred the chicken directly in the Crock-Pot. Serve with flour or corn tortillas accompanied with shredded cheese, black olives, cilantro, lime wedges and sour cream.

Time crunch? Cook the chicken on high for 4-hours if you're home and can keep an eye on it.

xx JN

Thought for You

While LG whizzed back and forth on her scooter, I happened to notice this lovely wish staring at me.

As we start this beautiful new month of May, consider this my wish for you!

Pass it on!

xx JN

Beauty ... at the Bodega

I am always fascinated by the "it's such a dirty city" stereotype New York City gets flack for. Granted, if your only exposure to the Big Apple is a crime scene on Law & Order or a snapshot of someone passed out on a bench in a subway station, you're likely to believe that depiction.

But it's the simple things ... like the man who walks up and down Broadway in NoHo with multiple wands of incense burning, making his little bubble of the world smell lovely. Or strolling by Ladurée on Madison Ave on a gorgeous spring day and seeing the rows of French macarons in their myriad of colors.

For me, it's the juxtaposition that always takes my breath away - because you may have just passed a dog doing its "business" on a pile of trash, but yet, right in front of you is a bodega full of splendor such as this:

I find it a lovely reminder to appreciate beauty everywhere.

Because after all. Beauty is everywhere. Even Especially in New York.

xx JN