On Love
February 14, 2025
With love one is fearless. With moderation one is abundant. With humility one can fill the highest position. Now if one is fearless but has no love, abundant but has no moderation, rises up but has no humility, surely he is doomed.*
photo: gp
*Lao Tzu
You’ve got a week…
February 5, 2025
to pull it together, so this should be pretty simple. Valentine’s dinner at home, a fresh floral note, a little jewel could be fun and of course something sparkling. Easy enough. Happy Valentines Day!
Champagne, Prosecco, a Champagne Cocktail, Kir Royale, or an Aperol Spritz. Any way you go, you’ve got to love the bubbles.
Cacio e Pepe. With this Bon Appetite recipe dinner couldn’t be easier.
You’ll be wondering why you don’t make this 3 ingredient dessert all the time. Bruleed Raspberries.
Shell pink carnations just have an old school romance about them, but any sweet small bunch will do the trick.
Elsa Peretti knew a little something about quiet luxury. This bezel set ruby bracelet just says simplequietmodern in the most lovely way.
photo: Tiffany & Co.
all other photos : gp
Everyone Into The Pot
January 26, 2025
A simple soup for bitter cold winter days. No recipe really, but rather a guideline. Start with a protein selection then go through the refrigerator and pantry for any and all vegetables that need to be put to good use. Start chopping and browning when the news comes on and by the time it’s over, you’ve got dinner. Plate it up in a Chez Panisse soup bowl from Heath, add a basket of bread on the side and BOOM!, done and done.
photo: Heath
Today’s pot started with browning 1 lb. of ground beef, breaking it up into larger chunks. Remove from pot and drain off rendered fat. Add a couple of tablespoons of olive oil to the pot and cook 1/2 yellow onion chopped and three cloves of garlic sliced. Salt and cook until starting to become translucent. Then add the rest of the veg you have gathered. Today the selection was as follows, each chopped to similar size pieces; 1/4 head of green cabbage, 1/2 medium zucchini, a handful of mini San Marzano tomatoes, can of cut green beans with liquid, 1/2 yellow pepper, 1/2 large carrot, 1/2 package frozen cauliflower. Add these to the pot with the browned meat and 2 quarts of beef stock. Increase heat until pot starts to boil, then and simmer, covered, on lower heat until the firmer veg .like the carrots and cabbage, are tender about 20 mins. Add additional stock if needed and adjust seasoning.
I’ve switched this up using shredded rotisserie chicken with chicken stock and a slightly different assortment of veg and it’s just as simple, just as good.
photos unless otherwise noted: gp
“…America first.”*
January 20, 2025
No matter which side you fall, red/blue, liberal/conservative, Democrat/Republican it is hard to argue with this sentiment. Simply put.
*Inaugural speech of Donald J. Trump January 20,2025
That Was Fast
January 12, 2025
Just how many photos can one take in the course of twelve years? Plenty! Almost too many. And, how many simplequietmodern topics can one cover? Well, let’s just say alot. In celebration of the 13th anniversary of simplequietmodern I thought I would simply present here of few of your favorite posts and pics and a few of mine. Starting with the obligatory champagne toast and ending with a celebratory slice of cake, what follows are just a few highlights of the last 12 years. Here’s to another year of living simple, quiet and modern. I thank you for your interest and your friendship.
photo: Portello Iron Doors
Photo: Gardenista
Photo: Leonardo Finotti via Remash Tumblr
Top to bottom
Well you know me well enough by now to know that if there is a celebration there has got to be something sparking.
Any opportunity for fresh tulips and I’m on it. Like any day of the week really. And, Parrot tulips are a particular favorite.
I love a landscape that ties perfectly with the architecture. Might take a little more thought outside the box but it’s worth the exercise.
Seems most of you can’t get enough of Portello iron door and window frames. Hard not to love, right?
My newest partner in crime is all of your favorite, Buster Porkchop. Looking exactly like his brother Jaxon.
A perfect specimen from a quiet walk just spoke to me.
In Winter, this Blonde Ambition grass still has plenty of interest.
We definitely agree, the gardens of Piet Oudolf look as good in Winter as any other time of year.
I can’t help it. I love me some carnations. White is tied with this pale pink as my go-to.
I have never has a post as popular as the one featuring this gift wrap of recycled newsprint, jute twine and a birch stick foraged in the yard.
I have been collecting vintage Christmas ornaments forever it seems. This assortment in pink from the 40’s to the 60’s have come to be everyone’s favorite.
The Basalt glaze on this Heath Ceramics Tall Modern Cup is the perfect neutral. Seems that it’s in service more often as a vase than a coffee mug. Fine with me.
This 40″ inch diameter slice of fallen tree has been the centerpiece in my living space for over 20 years. It thinks it’s a coffee table. I agree.
The simplest Summertime pleasure, a batch of new dills in an heirloom crock.
Funny how many of you have holiday recollections of this cookie favorite baked up by your Mom, Grandma or a neighbor. Perfection.
Crazy right? An abundance of recycled newsprint and too much time being snowed in resulted in this homespun yarn knit up into a rather interesting swatch. Maybe this is the year it becomes something important.
Sometimes Easter needs a rest from all the cliche’ pastel shades and treatments. Sometimes a simple egg displayed simply is in order.
I’m clearly not the only one who spends time daydreaming about a small lovely modern black cabin in the woods.
Yards and yards of doubled black linen yarn salvaged from a project gone wrong and turned into the most luxurious textured blanket. Nap anyone?
No one needs an excuse for cake and this Crazy Chocolate Cake is perfect for this celebration. White frosting on that? Yes, please.
all photos except where noted: gp
Bundle Up
January 7, 2025
With an Artic Blast bearing down on most of the country, it’s a good idea to stay bundled up. I’m no stranger to wearing my signature black knit cap indoors all day as well as out. But, considering it’s over ten years old and was an impulse purchase at the hardware store for a whopping fifty cents it might just be time for an upgrade. Naadam’s Signature Ribbed Cashmere Beanie for the win. While I’d prefer one in black it is end of season and what is left is on sale. So, I might just have to go with one of each of the colors remaining, Oatmeal for something neutral and Firecracker for a bit of less quiet luxury. Ya gotta love a sale.
photos: Naadam
A New Year, A New Introduction
January 3, 2025
And, a New Year Sale! Knoll knows just how to kick 2025 off. While this New Year sale applies to everything, it’s worth checking out some of the newer introductions. This Panoramic Sofa designed by Piero Lissoni for example. The curved tight seat with reconfigurable and removable backrests transform from sofa to daybed to chaise or even an island if that works for you. I would start with your textile selection, like this Knoll classic texture Cato, which has been in production since 1961. Then you’re off to decide on large or small back cushions, no cushions and right or left orientation. There simply can’t be any wrong decisions here. Have fun.
photos: Knoll
Ring It In
December 30, 2024
No matter how you plan on ringing in the New Year, there is always a place for a little something bubbly. Added to a simple menu of ” befores and afters”* and you have the makings of a great celebration, large group or small. Cheers to all of you that have checked in here this year. I am very grateful. Happy New Year!
Ya need glasses and these modern cylinder flutes are perfect.
Photo: CB2
You can’t go wrong with a classic Champagne Cocktail.
Someone is always asking if there will be Greek Meatballs, so yes, there will be.
Same goes for these Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Dates.
Someone might be in the mood for a French 75. Photo: Epicurious
My personal Champagne accompaniment for as long as I can remember, classic Gougere.
As pretty as this is, as long as there’s Champagne it’s hard not to include a Bitter French. Photo: Epicurious
Made in advance and so easy to plate up, a Peppermint Semifreddo caps things off with the perfect sweet note.
*any combination of appetizers and desserts served instead of a traditional meal when entertaining. Unless noted, photos: gp
Fa La La La La ,
December 24, 2024
La La La La *. Merry Christmas.
photo: gp * Deck The Halls, lyrics by Thomas Oliphant 1862
I Was Thinking
December 23, 2024
Santa has been making his annual rounds for centuries with each stop providing a few carrots for the reindeer and a plate of festive cookies for the big guy. That’s a lot of sugar and a lot of carbs. Would Santa appreciate a treat that was a bit healthier? I think he would. Enter the Three Ingredient Shortbread , gluten free with no refined sugar. Tossed together quickly with butter, almond flour and maple syrup they will be done by the time that last favorite ornament is hung and your first Christmas Eve Manhattan is poured. Santa’s going to push you to the top of the Nice List for sure.
G’s Three Ingredient Shortbread
Preheat oven to 350.
Mix together 1 1/2 cups of fine almond flour and 1/2 stick of softened unsalted butter. Add 2 tablespoons of pure maple syrup, a couple good pinches of kosher salt and 1 tsp vanilla extract. Cream all together with a wooden spoon until a dough comes together. If the dough seems dry, add an additional bit of maple syrup and if too moist, add a bit of almond flour. Roll a tablespoon of dough into a ball and place on a parchment lined sheet pan. Sprinkle the tops with a pinch of turbinado sugar if desired and flatten slightly with the bottom of a glass. Bake on center rack of oven for 12-15 minutes. Check the bottom of a cookie at 12 minutes. If it’s browning, take them out. The cookies will be pale even if the bottoms have color. Cool on the tray for a few minutes before moving to a cooling rack to avoid breaking. Makes 10 cookies.
photos: gp
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