Actually, it’s just traditional Irish colcannon — potatoes and cabbage — but it took me two years to get this recipe made. Promise me you won’t wait that long. The mix of buttery cabbage and potatoes is great this time of year. See the recipe from Tyler’s Ultimate, after the jump. — Sarah L. (more…)

Picture this: It’s Friday morning and my mental TGIF celebration as been interrupted by an impromptu swoonfest over Katie D.’s envelope template find (my DIY envelopes are always a sorry sight, so much for those origami classes!). So, I’m having the best midmorning ever when, over on Twitter, a chic little bird by the name of CasaSugar Tweets about a way to personalize and send a vintage-style telegram for just $6.  This is one glimpse of heaven worth re-sharing. Telegram Stop is a wonderful website that allows you to deliver modern day sentiments by way of authentic-looking telegram. Simply type out your message and they’ll add the STOPs in the appropriate places and send your ‘gram for the low price of $5.65 national or international, from any country. A crafty (and instant!) alternative to your everyday drugstore card, these might be just the thing to announce your next event or milestone, with bulk rates to match. Visit the site to learn more, and be sure to stop by the “Stumped?” section for tips on making your note sound more last-century. – Sarah C.

By the looks of the White Mountain Office, plots to take over the world are hatched here daily. Worthy of uber evil James Bond villains, the offices are actually home to a Bahnhof AB data center (or at least that’s what they want us to think). The super lair was designed by Albert France Lanord Architects and is located 100 feet below the surface of Stockholm.  Not surprisingly, it was once used as an atomic bomb shelter and could withstand the resulting fallout. — Katie D.

Last weekend, in the tradition of the crisp fall season, I visited an orchard to go apple picking. It was all sorts of rosy-cheeked fun and as wholesome as a Doris Day movie complete with tractor rides, tree climbs, freshly baked cinnamon donuts, and cider — oh the cider! I’ve never had a better cider than the apple orchard variety and was craving it hard once I returned to the city. Luckily, after a little trial and error, I stumbled upon the perfect orchard-quality cider recipe. The best part? The prep time is only five minutes — no squeezing apples required! Check out the recipe after the jump. — Katie D. (more…)

I realize that it may be considered too early in the season for this, but as someone who may be single-handedly fueling the hot cocoa industry in this country, I have something to share. As the days grow colder, I’ve been seriously considering upping my game when it comes to cold weather drinkware, and I’ve identified my next purchase. I saw these spoon coffee mugs, $3.95 each at CB2, as I was pulling the catalog out of my mailbox and I am going to make them mine. Perfect for coffee, hot cocoa or tea, the spoon holster doubles as a handle while keeping used spoons off the table and at the ready. I’ll definitely be snagging a few for some friends who share my cocoa obsession. One reviewer even suggested dipping the spoons in chocolate and gifting them with hot cocoa packets. Santa, are you taking notes? – Sarah C.

While we love our little Northwest rambler, I can’t help but be sad that our original fireplace had to be removed because of earthquake damage 10 years ago (long before we owned it). The winters can be rough up here, and our entire house is electric-powered. That means if the power goes out during a big winter storm (which it is known to do), we either have to bust out a generator (and get a generator, as well) or shiver under layers of blankets and sleeping bags. We NEED a fireplace. Badly. I love the indoor stove Erica mentioned last year, but I can’t find anything else about it. So after spotting a mention of this portable fireplace at Not Martha, I decided to Google “affordable modern ventless fireplace”. And what did I come across? Anywhere Fireplaces: where the ventless fireplaces range from $100-$400. I really like the Chelsea (pictured above), and at $349 with free shipping, it’s a mere fraction of the cost of a similarly styled Blomus Chimo fireplace. See more great modern free standing and tabletop fireplaces at their site. I for one, can’t wait to snuggle up with some hot cocoa in front of one soon! — Megan B.

Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE fall — but when I’m rising for work and it’s still dark outside, I’m not exactly shining. One thing I’m hoping will help get me out of bed and over to the espresso machine with ease is a new alarm clock. A new alarm clock that looks old. Urban Outfitters has a promising 70’s alarm clock with a retro color palate and funky font. Reviews say it has a loud alarm (which is good because I’m a heavy sleeper), and at $19, it’s a bargain, and portable, too! Twemco’s flip clocks (pictured above) take me back to my childhood and my parents’ loud and gigantic alarm clock, but have ten times the style. Find a variety of models and prices on eBay. I’ve always wanted one of L.L. Bean’s classic Big Ben Moonbeam clock, available in five shades, including a new Dove Gray shade (yum!) and have heard the flashing light alarm is a gentle yet effective method of waking up — can anyone chime in with their own experience? — Megan B.

I hate washing dishes. Every time I look at a recipe’s ingredients, I mentally tally up how full my sink is going to be afterward. The worst offenders seem to be chopping herbs, which require a food processor or a large chopping board and knife. Thanks to Joseph Joseph’s compact herb chopper ($25 on A+R) I can finally chop up cilantro without spending an extra ten minutes of quality time with my sponge. The clever little contraption is a cutting board and knife all in one! The blade and non-slip chopping base wipe clean effortlessly and then fit snugly together for easy storage. — Katie D.

1) Nomskulls are not just for Halloween. You loved these creepy cupcake molds, and can find ways to repurpose them, too. Heather says: “Wouldn’t these be terrific for an older boys Indiana Jones birthday party? The money brains in temple of doom always get me.”

2) Baking bread reminds us of fall. Katie D.’s orange cranberry pecan bread had some fans with tasty enhancements. Rebecca says: “Oh how I love fall … and I can smell this bread already! Whenever I make bread using dried fruit like raisins, cranberries, apricots, etc., I sometimes let the fruit soak for a few minutes in boiling water to help rehydrate it. The addition of this water helps it stay a little moister when toasting, and also seems to make the fruit burst with flavor when you bite into it. Happy fall, folks!”

3) Liquid or bar soap? You’ll take both. While opinions vary, many of you prefer liquid at the sink and bar for the shower. Fanny says: “I like liquid soap for hands and bar soap for the shower. For some reason, I’ve experienced many more issues with the scum at the sink than the shower.” What’s the soap situation at your house?

4) Envelope stencils are a welcome help for our handwritten note habit. Jennifer says: “I love this idea. I’ve tried to make my own envelopes before and it’s such a pain in the rear.
 My grandma and I write periodic letters back and forth, and I wrote my fair share of letters to marine boot camp this summer. I felt so very old-school.
 Oh, OH, and do you know that they’ve stopped teaching cursive in school?? Crazy, I know.”

5) Martha Stewart’s Slithering Wreath is a winner, and Angela’s version has its own fans! Shoppingsmycardio says: “Ooh, that was the decoration I loved from oct’s issue too…great minds! You did such a fabulous job on it! I’m thoroughly impressed.” See it here.

In photo: Yoola wire pendant lamp

Check out this super-foxy tray by Darling Clementine featured over at Whorange. Move over, owls — foxes just might be the hot new cute animal!

Badder Homes and Gardens hips us to MyKEA furniture decals in true sardonic style.

Bring a touch of fall to your home with crisp apple decor cute enough to use all year, at ShelterPop.

Brutalism: it’s not a type of comedy, it’s a design style from the 60’s. And we like it! Thanks to the ever-informative Retro Renovation.

The devil’s in the details: Aleister Crowley’s rice pilaf recipe. Apparently, Satan likes curry. Via Dangerous Minds.

Over at the New York Times Diner’s Journal we get a peek at what readers across the US feed their kids. The offerings run the gamut from spaghetti tacos to kale and chocolate chip pancakes!

You can own Lenny Kravitz’s New Orleans Creole cottage, and it’s everything you’d expect and more — at Casa Sugar.