Cold Weather Soup

Mondays are gym night for me, so I often shy away from cooking much more than a few chicken breasts to top a salad. Today is cold and dark out (we're expecting rain) so a big pot of warm silky soup would really hit the spot. Which reminds me, I've been eyeing these soup bowls and napkins for our table. Is there anything more comforting than a pot of soup simmering away on the stove? What other cold weather foods make you feel warm and toasty? A few more bone-warming soup ideas below.

The most perfect potato soup.

Camille's take on chicken tortilla soup.

I love lentils, especially this red lentil soup topped with olives and feta for a Mediterranean spin. 

I made this tomato soup a few days ago,topped with the Gruyere grilled cheese croutons It may be my favorite Ina recipe!

or a big pot of this chicken and barley soup.

image via Food and Wine

Thunk! Thunk! Thunk!

(pretend hits-pretend microphone) Is this thing on?

After months of being away and focusing solely on a little something called a wedding... I'm back! And excited to share everything that has been going on! what was Casa almost-Berlin is now officially Casa Berlin! Yahoo!

So many cool and exciting things to go over!! Wedding and honeymoon deets... a new puppy... continued improvements on our house, the holidays, and a really cool announcement about our wedding!! I can't wait!!

Until tomorrow peeps!

xoxo

Silvia Berlin (yay!!)

Oh Happy Days Are Here Again!

Internet the big day is October 22! Do you want me to start my married life happy as a clam, eating insane amounts of cheese, croisants and drinking gallons of champagne? If so, don't enter the Paris giveaway going on at Oh Happy Day.

 If you don't give a flying rat's ass about my marital happiness then enter here!

* Photo from here

Flipping Out

Until today, Ryan Brown was known to me only as Jeff's ex on Flipping Out. Well internet, it turns out he's nabed his own show on TLC and I stumbled upon these photos of his house from a story the LA Times ran in 2009.

I love his mix of different styles. His house looks comfortable and lived in. Something I aspire for in my own home. I love the elevated dinning room and the nautical touches throughout. The use of textures... (his daughter would go perfectly in my house too!)

The bead board ceilings... the dark hardwoods... sigh...

It's perfect.

You can visit his online store here
and his professional design company here

You can see the rest of his home here.

ummmmm.... Busy much?

*Photos via LA Times

TGIF: Blogger Sucks/ Mother's Day Table Setting

Awesome. Blogger deleted my inspirational (to me) post from Wednesaday.

I am really over blogger right now but equally ready for the weekend.

We plan on working on our front yard, hooray! I'll post photos as soon as that yard is worthy of them.

For now, enjoy a few poorly taken pictures of my table setting for the mother's day lunch we hosted on Sunday. I made the runners with outdoor fabric that was on sale at Joanns (a HUGE accomplishment for me as I'm not only left-handed and unable to cut in a straight line but I also can't sew and apparently I have a hard time ironing), the sea stars, shells, driftwood and capiz I've collected over the years, the iceberg roses are from our front yard and the hanging paper flowers are Martha Stewart (they were my favorite part of the day.) Btw, the table and benches were made by Bryan the day before- we still need to distress them a bit and apply a light stain/poly and they'll be all set to go!

Happy Friday!

* Photos via Bryan's iPhone

A Year Ago Today

A year ago today I posted this: (You can see that post here)

I am happy to report that there are a lot of great changes and things I have done that I am glad I did. I am happier and healthier. I have allowed my creative juices to flow, through this blog and in life. I changed carriers and have allowed myself the oportunity to want yet a different one. I am engaged to an amazing man that grills the best steaks I've ever eaten and knows just how to turn my frowns into smiles. We've purchased our first house, which is slowly turning into our lovely home. We will be getting married this year and embarking on the next stages of our lives together. It's been great.

 So, the question remains: A year from now what will I wish I had done today?

Slacker Much?

Forgive me internet for the neglect to my little blog. With all of the work on the new house, hosting little get-togethers with our friends and family and continued procrastination on our upcoming wedding things have just been a little out of hand. But... I'm back! Ooohhh... before I forget, I'm planning on going to design school. It's a little tough because I have to hold a fulltime job to be able to do the aforementioned things but I couldn't be more excited! This has always been a dream of mine... well, dream no more! :) More info on that as soon as I stop that procrastinating too!

Ta ta until tomorrow!