10.31.2011

Keep your mouth full! { spaghetti and baby shrimps}

Let's start the week with another great recipe! This is one is extra easy-breezy and it combines two of my favorite ingredients seafood and pasta. I use spaghetti No. 6 which I cook according to cooking instuctions and then rinse under running cold water. I always do that because it halts the cooking process right there on the spot, plus it removes most of the surface starch which I personally don't like to taste at all! Now, to the sauce, which is what gives life to the dish. In a heated pan slightly covered with olive oil I add a clove of garlic and wait until it turns a bit brown, then I remove the garlic and add a yellow pepper sliced into squares. When the pepper is softened I add a few cherry tomatoes crushed and a few minutes later my baby shrimps. The shrimps are already bathed in fresh water which has a few lemon wedges. The shrimps cook very fast (about ten minutes max) and I want my tomatoes to be slightly cooked in order to keep their freshness. In that time, a thin layer of tomato sauce is built which is enough for the rest of the ingredients. I add fresh ground pepper and sea salt along with oregano and a handful of chopped parsley and give it a last stir. I remove the pan from heat and toss the pasta in. A lot of grated cheese on top and I can hardly resist for another minute!


ALL IMAGES SOPHIA DIAMANTOPOULOU

10.25.2011

Guest Post: Tiny decorative details

Hi, I'm Susi, a writer for Design Shuffle, an online community of interior designers, design professionals and design lovers from around the world. I'm so happy to be visiting Finely Inc. today to guest blog about one of my favorite topics: decorative details in interior design.  The saying “the devil is in the details” definitely applies to a well styled room. The details, even tiny ones, are what make a room beautiful, chic and stylish.  I've pulled together some of my favorite tiny decorative details to share with you and your readers.  Enjoy!
Table Accents

Like jewelry and accessories in fashion, tiny decorative details can make a room, a vignette or even a piece of furniture.  Beautiful bowls and trays make lovely table accessories and places to hold beautiful baubles.
Grosgrain Ribbon Design

Love the grosgrain ribbon and nailheads that trim the door frames in this mudroom. Such a chic (and simple) detail that adds tons of style.
Bathroom Decor Design

Accents are great bathroom design ideas. A silver tray in the bathroom to organize perfume bottles and other objects is a lovely design detail—one of those versatile and easy decorating ideas. The silver adds shine and an extra bit of elegance.
Nailhead Trim Detail

Nailhead trim is a classic decorative detail that is small but creates a big impact. It can be applied to all kinds of furniture and even walls.
Brass Knob Accent

You can greatly enhance your bedroom design with some small details. Pulls and knobs can completely change the look of a piece of furniture. These tiny decorative details can make the difference between fine and sublime. Love the shiny brass against the navy on this chest.
Door Knob Accent

We use them every day but how often do we really pay attention to door handles? Swapping out standard knobs for antique or vintage knobs can turn a tiny detail into a design statement.
Footstool Design

Even the smallest piece of furniture in the room can make a big statement in a bedroom design.  Adding an interesting patterned fabric to this footstool makes it stand out in the room. Small is beautiful.
Furniture Trim Detail

Trim is the tiny detail that can transform a piece of upholstered furniture. Piping on cushions, trim and ribbon are beautiful details for furniture. [ Images 1/ 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 ]

Details make all the difference! If you'd like to see more details for any room in your home, head on over to Design Shuffle where you'll find inspiration from many talented designers including Los Angeles interior designers and New York interior designers.

10.24.2011

Guest Post for tomorrow!

Ok! I'm really excited! Stay all tuned because tomorrow I have the honor to present you a great guest post in Finely Inc! Susi from Design Shuffle is gonna be here with us to talk about details, details and some more details when it comes to stylish interiors! Yay!

Keep your mouth full! {rigatoni with anchovies}

I can't say that I like to compromise when it comes to taste. I love food so much and if my meal is bland usually it ruins my day. That said, I have to admit that I can be lazy too so I need to prepare meals quickly and easily. I enjoy pasta quite a lot and I try to bring a new flavor almost each time I make it. For the above dish I used rigatoni. I always drain my pasta under cool water and then I use a bit of warm olive oil to coat them for extra flavor. Yummy! For the sauce I used 2-3 fillets of anchovies and a tablespoon of capers along with a clove of garlic, finely sliced, in a warm skillet. I made sure the skillet was coated with olive oil (again!), just a few drops is enough. When half way cooked, I added a few cherry tomatoes and when those were ready I removed the skillet from the heat. I combined the pasta with the sause, springled fresh parsley over it and served in a large plate with lots of cheece and black pepper! Food for the soul! 

10.21.2011

Find & Refined { animal planet }

Today, on Find & Refind we showcase the fauna kingdom and its take on design and everyday items. The theme is not new. In human history, animals played an important role which consisted more than merely a source of  nutrition. The contemporary items based on animal figurine are playful and sometimes ironic. There's certainly a plethora out there but what you see above are some of my favorites!
obj#1 / obj#2 / obj#3 / obj#4 / obj#5 / obj#6

10.20.2011

Cheap & Chic! {ruffled grey dress}

When I run errands I want to look well dressed but I need to feel comfortable. Actually, every time I chose pretty instead of practical I ended up doing less than half of what I anticipated and not looking that pretty anymore. So, I decided to wear clothes that give me that much needed sense of fancy while retaining all the casual feeling. Enter the above dress. It cost me less than 15$ at Zara's super sales and it serves its purpose perfectly. Its plain grey cotton fabric makes it so easy to wear but the ruffles and belt give a tone of grace! I love it with black leggings underneath for extra comfort. It feels right, airy and allover beautiful!

IMAGE SOPHIA DIAMANTOPOULOU

10.17.2011

Keep your mouth full! {broccoli & turkey salad}

This salad recipe is so easy and quick to be considered as an excellent choice when things are in a hurry. The great thing about it though is its taste! Velvety as can be because of the broccoli but rich in taste when you grab a bite of the turkey schnitzel. I get mine from a local meat market to make sure I get the best quality. So, back to our recipe; you only need to steam your broccoli florets until they're soft but not muchy and fry your ready made schnitzels for three to four minutes each side in very hot oil. Since we are using turkey, there are no worries about extra calories. To spice up the dish, I use a homemade dressing that I prepare in seconds by whisking together 3 tablespoons olive oil, 2 teaspoons mustard, 1 teaspoon honey and 2 tablespoons of wine vinegar. I pour the dressing over my salad and I serve immediately. Bon appetit!

ALL IMAGES SOPHIA DIAMANTOPOULOU

10.12.2011

Cheap & Chic! {animal print}

In the spirit of yesterday's post I continue with the black and white theme...Today, through "Cheap & Chic" series I want to showcase everyone's fave of the season, the animal print. A trend which many also consider too risky to pull it off. Make no mistake, animal print can lead you easily in the land of cheap and tacky. The secret is to accessorize with it rather than go for the full costume. An all black outfit paired with flats like the ones above gets nice attention and shows graceful style. I got mine at Zara's and since they were on super sale they cost me next to nothing.


ALL IMAGES SOPHIA DIAMANTOPOULOU

10.11.2011

The amazing world of photographer Charlotte Moulard!

I'm always excited to find out about new and talented photographers like the uber cool french lady Charlotte Moulard. She has already contributed to the ever beautiful Stella Magazine. Those images above depict chic and elegance in a delicate and enchanting manner. La femme fatale in a new version.

ALL IMAGES FROM CHARLOTTE MOULARD

10.10.2011

Keep your mouth full! {green beans & eggs}

For me this is comfort food. I enjoy the richeness of the egg and the freshness of the green beans. Sometimes, if eggs feel like a lot and I know for sure that I'm not going anywhere else later on, I will have a crushed garlic clove and chunks of bread to dip in the flavored oil of the beans. Always though, I 'll add lots of black pepper. To make this plate you'll need fresh green beans from the farmers market. A good quantity is one kilo of greens. Wash them thoroughly and cut off both ends. Half cup of olive oil (extra virgin) or more is needed. When the oil has warmed up, you add one red onion, finelly chopped. About three minutes later you add two crushed cloves of garlic and your green beans. You give them two good turns in the pot so they are covered with oil thoroughly and you add canned tomatoes, preferably the ones which are already in chunks because when cooked they don't disappear but rather give an extra dimension to the plate. You will need 3/4 of the can. You will also need some water to help your greens cook more evenly. A good rule is to make sure that while cooking you have enough liquids to simmer properly. Salt and pepper to taste. When the boiling starts, lower the temperature and let it simmer. The food is ready in 20 minutes more or less. Not a long time for such a satisfying meal. Fry the eggs and you're good to go!

IMAGES SOPHIA DIAMANTOPOULOU

10.07.2011

Find & Refined {neon}

For all the fluo lovers. Dedicated.
1.stool / 2.pot / 3.lamp / 4.case / 5.vase

10.05.2011

Cheap & Chic! {earings}

Ethnic trend is always big. On clothes, accessories, furnishings, rugs, everything! What is small here is the price! These adorable earings cost me about a dollar and thirty cents at H&M. Yes, Hello! The pair!

ALL IMAGES SOPHIA DIAMANTOPOULOU

10.04.2011

The amazing world of photographer Lukasz Wierzbowski

His name I can't tell without breaking my tongue, but what I can tell is that his work is simply amazing. His imaginery is magical and dreamy, the sort I like. You can find him here and here.

ALL IMAGES FROM LUKASZ W.

10.03.2011

Keep your mouth full! {the oven beans}

I always try to find new ways to use beans in my meals because a)they are healthy and b)not everybody's favorite ingredient(you know what I mean!). I assure you though that this recipe proves to be a delightfully unexpected dish for eveyone! It combines gracefully white beans and shrimp which gives these humble pulses some status. Plus the cherry tomatoes and capers make it a little savory which is good because it takes away some of the earthness of beans. The original recipe was found at the Martha Stewart Living issue of September '11 but I always stray away and do what suits me better. For this recipe I only had a pack(500 gr) of frozen shrimps(80/120 size) and I used those. I also boiled the beans in advance. I used 3 gloves of garlic and about two tablespoons of capers which I made sure they were rinced well. Most of my ingredients like beans and cherry tomatoes where eyeballed to match the quantity of my shrimps. I also use coarse salt and olive oil all the time. I combined tomatoes, beans, capers, garlic, oil and salt in a bowl while my bakeware was warming up in the oven. When ready, I tossed in the bowl mixture and let it in the oven until tomatoes started to look charred. While those were broiling I made another bowl with the shrimps, 1 tablespoon of oil and salt. I added them to the bakeware with some water for extra liquid and let them bake until shrimp looked ready and golden. I served with some rustic bread and enjoyed the meal.

ALL IMAGES SOPHIA DIAMANTOPOULOU