Urban Comfort

Just a Number

 
I find that I'm still etching glass. There's something addictive about it and I continue to find glass sets at thrift stores that are just begging for a little embellishment.  At any rate, I etched a set of plain cocktail glasses for one of my husband's colleagues - a whiskey lover celebrating her 40th birthday. I thought they would be a good reminder that age really is just a number. 

I used my Slice (and the numbers from the Seasons card) to make the stencils for these etchings (you remove the number you've cut out and use it for something else. For etching, you use the negative space from the cut-out). However, you can also create stencils by printing out numbers from your computer, cutting them out, tracing them facedown on the back side of vinyl (I use Loomtack™) or Con-Tact paper and finally, cutting the number from the vinyl with an X-acto knife or sharp, fine point scissors. You can visit my previous post for the rest of the instructions.  One note - use inexpensive glassware because you're bound to make a mistake along the way - mainly leakage. Better yet, practice on a piece of junk glass before you get to the better stuff.

I liked these so much that I etched more for myself. Someone please lock up the Armour Etch before I etch everything in my house!

Summer Whites

 
Despite the fact that my house looks like a bomb went off after I finish a creative assignment, I have a deep appreciation for organization. This may be one of the reasons for my continuing love affair with Pinterest (if only the rest of my photos were so organized). 

Here's a roundup of my latest visual inspiration, no doubt driven by the tropical heat and humidity that is part and parcel of a New Orleans summer. 

Texture: 
 
 
 
  
Simplicity:

 
 
 
   
 Sheen: 

  
 
 
 
Image Credits:  1) via This is Glamorous; 2) via Once Wed; 3) via Urban Outfitters; 4) via Bolig; 5-7) via This is Glamorous; 8) via Sanctuary; 9) via Delikatissen; 10-12) via Sanctuary; Title Image via Desire to Inspire

 

Lime Sugar Cookies

 

 

 
A little something for a summer afternoon... 
 

Lime Sugar Cookies:

6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 Tablespoons cold vegetable shortening
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup lime sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1. Beat together butter, shortening, sugar, and 2 Tablespoons of the lime sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together over egg mixture, then beat on low speed until just combined. 

2. Form dough into a 10-inch log (2-inch in diameter) on wax paper, then wrap in wax paper. Chill dough until firm, at least 4 hours.

3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

4. Remove wax paper and cut log into 1/4-inch-thick rounds. Bake cookies 1/2 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets in batches in middle of oven 10 to 12 minutes, or until pale golden. Immediately transfer with a metal spatula to a rack set over a sheet of wax paper and sprinkle tops with remaining lime sugar. Cool cookies.

Lime Sugar:

2 limes
3/4 cup granulated sugar

Remove peel from limes with a vegetable peeler, removing any white pith, which will make your sugar bitter. Chop zest, then grind in a food processor until mixture is pale green with bits of zest still visible.

Note: I use a Microplane grater to get the finest zest possible, without any pith. (This also eliminates the chopping step.) If you don't have a food processor, you can aerate the mixture in a clean coffee grinder or with an immersion blender (using the blade attachment).

Font Fetish: Summer Getaway

  
I thought it was time for another font roundup. As I'm chained to my desk with a heavy workload, I can only dream of the road trips, diners, motels, seaside breezes and bad coffee that these fonts evoke. But a little daydreaming never hurt anyone.  Have a happy weekend! 

Downloads:

Airstream

Seaside Resort

Ballpark

Stony Island

Louisianne

Air Conditioner

Turnpike

Lobster

Barbecue Shrimp

  

If ever there were a dish loaded with meaning, it would be this one. Not just this particular recipe, but this particular occasion. The recipe itself was a long time coming. It belonged to my childhood best friend, who I've written about before (and to understand the meaning of this recipe, you'll need to know that she has since died).  At any rate, my friend used to make this recipe in college, but only for boys she fancied. It was inexpensive, took no time to make (so she still looked fresh when she sat down to dinner) and was impressive enough to warrant another date. She would go on and on about how wonderful this meal was, but stubbornly refused to hand out the recipe. She never once made it for me. I was equally stubborn, and refused to ask her for the recipe more than once. 

More than a decade later she had ovarian cancer and was fighting a losing battle. She came to visit me in Los Angeles, and one afternoon she silently placed her coveted recipe card on my refrigerator. It was in that darkly comic moment - one that can only happen between true friends - that we both acknowledged her gift as a sure sign she was dying.   

Whenever my husband and I make this dish we talk about my friend. It's another way we keep her with us. Far from a somber occasion, we always find a reason to laugh - which is exactly what she would have wanted. And I'm pretty sure that wherever she is, she's annoyed that I'm handing out this recipe on the Internet. I'm definitely having the last laugh.

But it was hard to laugh when I went to the local seafood market today to purchase these shrimp. I had been putting off buying and eating seafood, as if somehow my denial could make the oil spill disappear. I realized that denial was exactly what I'd engaged in when I pulled into the market and saw that only a few vendors remained. Far from the usual laughter and banter, the vendors were mostly silent and somber, their demeanor relieved only by the sight of a little girl working her family's seafood stand, gathering blue crabs for the few customers there. I felt teary. This was not a part of the process that I was prepared for. If I return in a week - will there be even fewer vendors? This is something I have never even considered before - our city, no seafood. I can't even begin to comprehend that possibility. 

Our dinner was wonderful, despite the mixed emotional baggage. It was shared by family and friends, as all the best meals are.

Barbecued Shrimp
(Serves 2)

1 lb. large or extra-large shrimp (preferably with heads on, but at least with the shell on)

Seasoning Mix:

 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
1/8 teaspoon dried oregano

1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup clam juice
1/4 cup beer, room temperature
1/4 lb. + 5 Tablespoons unsalted butter (melted)

1. Rinse the shrimp and drain. Pinch off the heads, leaving as much of the orange shrimp fat from the heads as possible. Set aside.

2. In a small bowl, combine the seasoning mix.

3. Combine 1 stick (8 Tablespoons) butter, garlic, Worcestershire, and seasoning mix in a large skillet over high heat. When the butter is melted, add the shrimp.

4. Cook for 2 minutes, shaking the pan (versus stirring). Add the remaining 5 Tablespoons of melted butter and the clam juice; cook and shake pan for 2 more minutes. Add the beer and cook and shake pan 1 minute longer. Remove from the heat.

Serve immediately in bowls with lots of French bread on the side.

(Do not double the recipe - cook each batch separately. Also, shaking the pan keeps the sauce from separating.)

Pin It Forward: Coming Home

 
Today I have the pleasure of participating in Pin It Forward, a blog event created by Victoria Smith of sfgirlbybay and Pinterest. Pin It Forward brings together 300 blogs unified by a common theme - 'what home means to me.' We've each created inspirational pinboards through Pinterest and I've so enjoyed exploring this topic and have become positively addicted to Pinterest (Pinterest, by the way, is a free bookmarking service that allows you to create and share visual collections of things you love). It's incredibly easy to use, with a clean and beautiful design, and I'm LOVING it! So without further ado, here are the highlights of what home means to me (you can see my full board here, as well as all image credits):

It occurs to me, after a multitude of houses, apartments and cities, that I can create a home in a paper bag if only I have the right tools. For me, home is a feeling more than a place. The trappings of my home come and go (and the right furniture does help), but it's the feeling of home that I'm most attuned to. Some of the perfect ingredients for me...

 

Family 
I don't want to be anywhere that my husband and son are not. They are, quite simply, the foundation of my home.

   

Curiosities & Inspiration

My home is the hub of both my personal and my professional life. Because I spend so much time there, I need to be surrounded by inspiration - and in the best of times, it's filled to the brim with creativity and curiosities of all kinds.

 
   

 

Eating, Drinking, & Carrying On

I'm a Southerner and Southerners carry the South with them wherever they go. No house will ever be a home for me unless there's some eating, drinking and general carrying on. I simply accept it as my birthright.  

   

 

Something Old

There are lots of people who respect the shiny and new, but l like carrying around a few things that have soul. Give me your worn, your tarnished, your well-loved and I will give them a home. 

 

Whimsy

I try not to take myself too seriously, and a dose of whimsy helps with that. It's never too late to have a happy childhood!

 
  
 
Don't forget to check out Tiny Toes and Peonies tomorrow for another interpretation of home. I know you'll be inspired. Enjoy!

Happy Hour

 

It's a 2-for-1 special today with two cocktails for the weekend. The first, a version of a New Orleans Buck, was created by Richie Boccato of Dutch Kills and Milk & Honey in New York. I love it when you put yourself in the bartender's hands and they give you a cocktail that's perfect for you. This is one of those cocktails, and Richie was kind enough to give me the recipe. (And if you're entertaining this weekend, it's easy to batch this cocktail beforehand. Just add the club soda as each drink is served.)

The second cocktail comes from my kitchen - my cocktail garden, to be specific. It utilizes fresh lemon verbena, paired with vodka and a touch of Aperol, a bitter-sweet orange liqueur. It's a nice outdoor cocktail, perfect as an aperitif.  

Have a wonderful weekend! 

New Orleans Buck

1/2 ounce fresh lemon juice
1/2 ounce ginger syrup
1 ounce pineapple juice
2 oz. Brugal Anejo rum
2 dashes Angostura bitters
Club soda

Dry shake (shake in a cocktail shaker without ice) all the ingredients except the club soda and strain into an ice-filled Collins glass. Top with 1-2 ounces of club soda. Garnish with crystallized ginger and dried pineapple.

Ginger Syrup: 

1 cup peeled, fresh ginger, cut into thin slices (about 1/8-inch)
1 cup sugar
1 cup water

Combine the ginger, sugar, and water in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Continue simmering for 30 to 40 minutes, or until syrup has reduced by about half. Remove from the heat and cool completely. Strain the syrup through a sieve, transfer to a bottle, and store in the refrigerator (can be kept for up to 2 weeks). 

Limonata

2-3 sprigs lemon verbena
1/2 ounce fresh lemon juice
1/4 ounce simple syrup
1 1/2 ounces vodka
3/4 ounce Aperol

Muddle the lemon verbena, lemon juice, and simple syrup together in a cocktail shaker. Add vodka, Aperol, and ice to the shaker and shake well. Strain into a sugar-rimmed martini glass and garnish with a small sprig of lemon verbena or a lemon twist.

Simple Syrup: 

 1 cup sugar
1 cup water

Combine in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring just to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat and cool before using. Store in the refrigerator for up to a month.

Sugar-Rimmed Glass: Put a layer of fine sugar on a saucer, then rub a wedge of lemon around the rim of a glass and dip it gently into the sugar.
 
 

Moving On

 
This past weekend family members converged on my grandmother's home in the country to pick blueberries for the last time and to help my grandmother begin to fully clear out her house. I admit, it was a bit of a shock to see the realtor's sign planted by the front gate. My 87 year-old grandmother had already moved out over the winter into an assisted living facility, and I'm happy because she's back in New Orleans instead of living alone, out in the country an hour-and-a-half away. But still, the realtor's sign seems so final.

My earliest memories of my grandparents are in their New Orleans home - in a city life. But I can still remember when they purchased the property in the country and they'd spend the weekends there in an RV while my grandfather slowly began to clear the land. Then there was a barn, a barn that my grandfather built by himself with a work shed down below. Then there was a functioning apartment above the barn, again, everything completed by my grandfather. And finally, years later, there was the house, which became the last home that my grandparents ever lived in together. The house in New Orleans stood empty, a relic from the first decades of their shared life.

In this house in the country my grandmother now looked weary, and my aunt equally so as they sorted through all of the details that my grandmother had left behind when she'd first moved out. Perhaps she'd left so many things because it was less frightening that way, less final, a way of holding out hope that she'd return. I looked at all of the boxes and baskets and items scattered around and I felt emotionally tired before we'd even begun.  How do you go about dismantling a life?

I helped to cart away some possessions for the thrift store, and I found myself caught in the details. The things I wanted weren't valuable, they wouldn't be important to anyone else, but they triggered memories for me nonetheless. I took the old ice cream scoop, and a banged up ladle and the nut cracker that I can still so clearly see my grandfather using. I kept the mink stole that my grandmother seemed reluctant to part with, not because she would ever wear it again, but because it had been a gift from my grandfather. I will never wear it for ethical reasons, but I like that I will have it for her in case she needs to see it one more time. I took the embroidery hoops, the aluminum gelatin molds, the champagne coupes that were an anniversary gift, a bowl that so often contained my grandmother's memorable potato salad and the vegetable peeler I'd seen her use a thousand times. 

How do you dismantle a life? It turns out that you do it piece by piece, taking out the tiny stitches that hold it all together. You let some of it travel far beyond the boundaries of your life, without asking where it's going, and you hold some of it close, as if it were life itself.

Off the Shelf

From the time I learned to read, books have been a constant companion. I like them skinny or fat, in a rainbow of color, or the basic black and white. I admire those that seamlessly converse on a variety of subjects, but I really appreciate the deep thinkers that keep me riveted on one small corner of the universe at a time. I used to want only the hardcovers, but have grown to accept the soft, and I'll take them used or new. The only thing I ask is for something of substance between the covers. It's so disappointing to meet a book, with great anticipation, and discover there's not much there.

Now that I'm a mom, I'm not able to read as voraciously as I used to, but I know that the luxury will return in time. In the meantime, I take my pleasure in short stretches, and immerse myself in home and craft books, cocktail books and cookbooks, along with a select few pieces of fiction and non-fiction. Here are some that I'm just getting to know and think are worth the investment -

Simply Scandinavian by Sara Norrman

 

The book covers a range of styles - Elegant Simplicity, Vintage-inspired, Pared-down Modern, and Contemporary Rustic. It's eye candy of the best kind, though I'm partial to the Elegant Simplicity and Vintage-inspired style the most. I see myself returning to this book over and over. 

American Modern by Thomas O'Brien    

 

I went back and forth over whether to include this book, but finally decided there were some real gems, despite the sections that were simply too formal for my taste. Thomas O'Brien is one of my absolute favorite designers, and I was in love with Aero, his design studio and store, in New York City. For my money, the Urban Modern and American Modern styles are Thomas O'Brien at his finest, with Elegant Modern and Vintage Modern following close behind.   

Table Style by Liz Belton & Rebecca Tanqueray 

 
I resisted this book for awhile.  After all, who really needs a book about table settings, especially with all the wonderful ideas available through magazines and blogs? But after flipping through the pages, I was sold. There are lots of delightful details, seasonal settings, everyday and special-occasion ideas, and in the end, I decided that I really did need a book about table settings. 

Simple Fresh Southern by Matt Lee and Ted Lee

 
I've got plenty of local and regional cookbooks, but I love the Charleston spin on Southern cooking. It's familiar to me, but just different enough to be new and exciting. I appreciate the focus on fresh ingredients and simple preparation, and I think this cookbook will be getting a lot of use, especially over the summer. It's accessible in the way that Ina Garten's cookbooks are. 

 

The Modern Mixologist by Tony Abou-Ganim 

 
It's no secret that I love a well-made cocktail, and this book presents solid information for the novice, along with original recipes. I particularly love the section that focuses on seasonal pairings, telling you what fruits and vegetables are in season, the best way to prepare each ingredient, and the spirits that are the best match. It's a welcome addition to an already extensive bar library.     

I'm always looking for new (and worthwhile) book suggestions.  What are some of your best book investments?

Simply Delicious Yellow Cake

 
I'm still in a celebratory mood this week, and it just so happens to be my friend Whitney's birthday today (the awesome talent behind Whisker Graphics), so head on over to her blog and wish her a happy birthday. She's the best!

It also seemed like a good time to share the recipe for my absolute favorite birthday cake of all time! It's only been a favorite within the last decade, ever since I discovered the Simply Delicious Yellow Cake with Sweet Pink Buttercream Frosting at Amy's Bread in New York. It's to die for! Seriously. I've never had a better yellow cake.

I was left high and dry for a few years after leaving New York, and I faithfully wrote to all of the food publications, trying to get the recipe. Then the fabulous cookbook, The Sweeter Side of Amy's Bread was published, with the recipe in it, and all was right with the world again. If you love yellow cake with classic buttercream frosting, this is the cake for you. It's good with chocolate buttercream as well, but I'm partial to the pink. Also, if you want true perfection, this is one of those recipes that benefits from the precision of weighing your ingredients.  Enjoy!  

 

Simply Delicious Yellow Cake

 

Equipment: two 9x2-inch round cake pans

 
Ingredients

3 cups (14.81 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour, sifted
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/4 cups + 3 tablespoons (12 ounces) whole milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups + 2 tablespoons (11.29 ounces) unsalted butter, slightly softened 
2 3/4 cups + 2 teaspoons (19.75 ounces) sugar
5 large eggs (9.17 ounces)

Sweet Pink Buttercream Frosting

1. Preheat the oven to 350℉. Grease the cake pans. Line the bottoms with rounds of baking parchment then dust them lightly with flour. Shake out the excess. 

2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt and whisk them gently for even distribution. In a separate bowl combine the milk and vanilla.

3. Using an electric mixer with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until it is light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the eggs gradually, mixing well after each addition, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl often.

4. Lower the mixing speed to medium-low and add the flour mixture to the butter in 3 parts, alternating with 2 parts of the milk mixture, beginning and ending with the flour. Mix just until it is evenly incorporated. This is a thick, fluffy batter, resembling whipped cream. There should not be any lumps or dry pockets of flour remaining. If the batter has a curdled appearance it has not been mixed enough. Increase the speed to medium and mix for another minute or until it is thick and fluffy.

5. Divide the batter equally between the 2 prepared cake pans. Weighing the batter into the pans is the most accurate way to do this. This ensures that both layers are uniform in size, and finish baking at the same time. You'll have approximately 32.8 ounces of batter per pan. The pans should be about 2/3 full. Smooth the batter so it fills the pans evenly. Place the pans on the center rack in the preheated oven. Bake them for about 35 to 40 minutes, or until the cake is almost ready to pull away from the side of the pan and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out with a few moist crumbs. Rotate the layers carefully from front to back after 20 minutes, for even baking.

6. Cool the pans on a rack for 10 minutes, then invert them onto a wire rack that has been sprayed with cooking spray and lift off the pans. To prevent cracking, carefully right each layer so the top side is up and the parchment-lined bottom is down. Cool them on the rack completely. Before frosting, be sure to remove the parchment from the bottom of each layer. While the layers are cooling, prepare the frosting.

To assemble the cake:

7. Place one layer, top side down, on a flat serving plate. Cut several 4-inch-wide strips of parchment or waxed paper to slide under the edge of the layer, to keep the plate clean. Using a thin metal spatula, spread the top of this cake round with a 1/2-inch thick layer of frosting, leaving a 1/4-inch unfrosted border around the edge. Place the second layer top side up on the first, aligning the layers evenly. Spread a generous layer of frosting around the sides of the cake, rotating the plate as you work so you're not reaching around the cake to frost the other side. Try not to let any loose crumbs get caught in the frosting. Let the frosting extend about 1/4 inch above the top of the cake.

8. Starting in the center of the cake, cover the top with a generous layer of frosting, taking it all the way to the edge and merging it with the frosting on the sides. Try to use a forward-moving, circular motion, not a back-and-forth motion to avoid lifting the top skin of the cake. Rotate the plate as necessary. Use the spatula or a spoon to make decorative swirls. Slides the pieces of paper out from under the edge of the cake and discard them. Store the cake at room temperature, preferably under a cake dome, for up to 3 days. 

 

{Main image by Aimee Herring, from The Sweeter Side of Amy's Bread}

 

Birthday Love

 

I wasn't planning to post until Monday, but I wanted to share something sweet for a Friday morning.  I had a birthday yesterday, and lots of friends wondered who would be baking my cake, since I'm always the one in the kitchen. 

Well, I did get my favorite cake (and I'll share the recipe with you next week), baked by a special friend - and it was absolutely PERFECT, so I'm turning over the birthday cake baking to her from now on. But she also had the ingenious idea of giving my son his own ingredients to play with while she baked (instead of having him "help" her). Without measuring any of it out, she gave him some flour, sugar, milk, beaten egg, and 2 cherries - as he requested. He decided to add a little flour at the end, to make it just right, and then put the batter in the oven. When it came out, he made a "frosting" from confectioners' sugar and milk. It didn't rise, but it was entirely edible, and my son could not have been happier or prouder. I felt exactly the same.

Have a great weekend!

xo

The Violet Hour

 
For as long as I can remember, I have had a fantasy of an outdoor dinner party under huge sweeping trees, with chandeliers hanging from the branches (my fantasy does not concern itself with the logistics of wiring). There's rumpled white linen, well worn silver, and old, scratchy records playing in the background. Fireflies replace the mosquitos and the air is balmy instead of humid. It's a pretty fantasy, and one day, I just might have to bring it to fruition.

In my real life, I love outdoor dining at twilight and I'll slather myself with the (best smelling) mosquito repellent I can find, just to chase the magic. Whether it's dining on a screened-in porch with fireflies darting among the trees, or a table by the water, or just in someone's backyard or patio, I'm up for the experience. 

But to make it truly magical, I think it helps to have atmosphere. Not formal or uptight, but well thought out, a setting that reflects the environment you're dining in. So, without further ado, I offer up some visual inspiration. I hope it encourages you to chase your own magic this summer.

 
{Image from Gourmet}
 

    
{Image from Country Living} 

 
{Image source unknown}

Though the following two settings are for daytime, I think they'd easily make the transition to night:

 
{Image from Weekend}
 

 
{Image from Martha Stewart Living}       

{Title image from Gourmet}

Have a happy weekend!

Tool Talk: Choosing Color Palettes

 
Ever had a great idea that you didn't quite pull off because your color scheme wasn't right?  Some people seem to have a gift for choosing exactly the right color palette for any given project, and others have to work a little harder. For those in the latter category, there are tools that can take the guesswork out of creating color palettes and inspire you to look at color in a new way.  

One of my favorites is the blog Color Collective. Color Collective showcases color palettes that are pulled from the works of various designers, artists, and photographers. It's a great idea and it inspires me to look at photos I love in completely new ways. If you like color (or feel confused by it), this a great blog to bookmark. I've included a few images below to give you an idea of how it works: 

{Jose Villa via Style Me Pretty}

{Anna Kern via Please Don't Shake Me}

{James Merrell via Lanalou Style}

In addition to Color Collective, there are two online tools I like.  Color Scheme Designer is a free interactive tool that allows you to play with color relationships, creating harmonious palettes with the click of a mouse. It's user friendly and color schemes can be saved or emailed. Another tool, similar to Color Collective, is Color Hunter. You can find color palettes that have already been created from images or you can make your own. In addition, you can keep a list of your favorites.

Then there's my favorite color app for the iPhone, myPANTONE.  It gives you access to PANTONE color libraries, allows you to share colors with friends and colleagues, automatically generates harmonious color combos, and matches colors from images that you upload.     

Whether you use these tools to inspire or to educate you, you don't ever have to get it wrong again.

{Main image via}

 

The Evacuation List

 

Today is the first day of hurricane season and forecasters are predicting a grim season, comparable to the year Katrina struck. In my household, we're already discussing where we'll be taking our 'hurrication' should the need arise. This is a conversation that has become routine for us, despite the fact that I grew up without evacuating once. In fact, I can only remember one hurricane in my youth that did a moderate amount of damage, and that was at least 30 years ago.

But it's a new time, with new rules. During Katrina, members of my family evacuated for the first time in their long lives. They waited until the last moment, took very little with them, and fully anticipated that it would be like any other time - somewhat of a false alarm. Most of my family came back to minimal damage, but other extended family members lost their homes and everything in them. Their houses were insured, they started over, but they lost all the mementos that meant so much to them.

My first evacuation was for Hurricane Gustav a couple of years back, and I remembered the lessons from Katrina survivors - pack up the important stuff, don't forget your recipes and photos, and definitely clean out the refrigerator before you go. It was the first time that I had to really take stock of my possessions and decide what was meaningful on a soul level. (It wasn't the same as deciding what possessions to sell before a cross-country move.) The only rule - everything had to fit in the car. 

It took a very long day-and-a-half to secure the house and pack our belongings, and I sifted through everything with a careful eye, as if I would return to nothing. It was a life changing experience, taking stock of each and every thing we had accumulated over our lifetime together. In the end, we were able to distill the essence of our life into a load that fit in the car. Granted, it was packed to the rooftop, but we were able to leave without fretting over what had been left behind. I came back to grit and dirt and the loss of a garden, but it was insignificant. Still, I am ever so grateful for the process. On a self-awareness level, the experience was priceless.

I'm more organized this year. I already have two suitcases packed with important items and an inventory of what we'll take. It's basically the same as it was two years ago, and somehow this brings me comfort, knowing that it's still manageable.  There have been some things I've streamlined over the last two years - it motivated me to scan all of my favorite family photos (a smart move for anyone), go digital with my creative resources, and archive as much as possible, including my family recipes. 

Hurricane or not, I think that creating an evacuation list is something everyone can benefit from. What's on it - and what's not - just might surprise you. At the very least, you'll know where you stand in relation to what you own, and that can open up an entirely new dialogue with yourself and your family. Here's my evacuation list.  What's on yours? 

Download Hurricane Evacuation List

{Image via}