The Armitano Sushi Bowls!
If you didn't already know this: my husband and I really love sushi. We love it all- fried, raw, crazy... if it's sushi, it isn't safe. We also love poke, the newest trend sweeping the continental US. (It's a Hawaiian original, from what I've heard.) Regardless, it's also delish.
Recently, we decided to start trying to make our own poke bowls. But I said to myself, wait. What if this poke bowl had sushi rice? And the Armitano Sushi Bowl was born.
The pic I sent to my mom and willaheart as I was enjoying my kitchen success. Obviously this is some great camera work.
(Disclaimer: I know that there is already such a thing as a chirashi sushi bowl in this beautiful world, because I love chirashi bowls- see paragraph 1. This is a little different though. Even if it's not, just let me shine. You're going to love this. Especially if your access to gorgeous sushi-grade fish is limited.)
Living in Columbia, our access to gorgeous and varied sashimi grade fish (fish you can eat raw, safely) is limited. We can get tuna some days, and then shrimp and krab (artificial crab meat) all the time. I've often considered trying some scallops or salmon that look really good, but the people at the seafood counter and Andrew always say "No, Megan, don't do that. Bad idea." So I don't. If you can get all of the things, get them! Whatever is priced best is what I would go for. (The reason I say it's nice when we are limited is that the fish is marinated, so there is some nice flavor where the tuna flavor may not be as perfect.)
you will need:
1 seedless cucumber, 1 carrot
2 sashimi-grade tuna steaks
1 package of krab (I get mine from Whole Foods) or 1/2 pound of shrimp (or both if you're having a party)
1 cup frozen edamame
1 avocado
1 mango or can of pineapple rings
rice wine vinegar
soy sauce
1 clove of garlic
1 small knob of ginger
sugar, salt
sesame seeds, sesame oil
chili oil, chili flakes*
wasabi*
siracha aioli* (Stonewall Kitchen's is very good, but you can also make your own if you're feeling sassy.)
seaweed salad, squid salad (I picked mine up from the grocery store!)
*Please note: some like it hot. I definitely like it hot. This recipe is for a happy medium. If you don't love the heat, adjust accordingly. Also, you'll need about 100 small bowls. Just kidding, but this is definitely not a one-bowl gig.
**Also note: this is super flexible. Add or take away anything you don't like!
1. So to start the recipe: Make your sushi rice. We get whatever kind is available, and we follow the package directions. Do that. The best part of sushi rice is the rice vinegar/sugar/salt mixture that goes on at the end, so be sure not to forget it.. If your package doesn't tell you, look up the best ratio for the amount you've cooked. Also, you'll need a wooden or glass bowl to mix and cool the rice in. I'm told it's important. (Alternate option: go to your local sushi place and ask for a few to-go containers of sushi rice! They definitely know what they are doing.)
2. Marinate the tuna and krab/cooked shrimp: In a bowl, mix 2 tbsp. soy sauce, 1 tsp rice wine vinegar, 1 tsp sesame oil, 1 tsp sesame seeds, 1 tsp chili flakes, 1 clove of garlic, roughly chopped, 1 knob of ginger, roughly chopped, 1 tsp chili oil, and 1 tsp of sugar. Cube tuna and krab or shrimp, mix, and chill. ***Be sure to tell your guests that chunks of ginger and raw garlic were in the marinade if you don't feel like picking it out later!
3. Pickled cucumber and carrot: This is one of my favorite parts. Julienne the carrot and chop seedless cucumber into half slices. In a small bowl, mix 2 tbsp rice vinegar, 2 tsp sugar, 1 tsp salt, and 1 tsp chili flakes. Microwave to dissolve sugar, and let cool. Taste, adjust to what you like, and add carrots and cucumbers. Chill.
4. Edamame: heat according to directions. Done.
5. Chop mango or pineapple into bite-sized pieces. Chop avocado into cubes. Done.
6. Put everything together on the counter for easy access. Get your bowls ready.
Optional: If your tuna had some strange scraggly pieces, chop those finely and mix with aioli. Spicy tuna!
A little better than the first picture. Ready for assembly!
ASSEMBLY:
Sushi rice goes first. On top, add whatever toppings you like. Mine usually has pineapple, seaweed and squid salad, marinated tuna and krab, pickled veggies, and siracha aioli, and wasabi. (I hate avocado) Andrews is mine plus avocado and mango, minus wasabi. Have fun with it!
Art Crush: WillaHeart
It has been SUCH a long time since I've posted an Art Crush on this blog. Don't get me wrong, I've had a few in the last year and a half! But, I've never really committed to sitting down and making the post. Today, I'm back on the #artcrush wagon, and for good reason: Aly Harris, artist and owner of Willa Heart!
Last fall? winter? (it was sometime last year), I taught a class in Columbia, and I met a few people-- some from way out of town, some who ended up reselling their paintings from the class and copying and selling others of mine (yikes), and the star of this show, Alyssa Jill Harris. Aly lived about an hour away and told me she was thinking of putting her art "out there", and was the sweetest thing. I liked her even without her art! I commissioned her to make an amazing piece for a good friend of mine that Christmas, and it was fate from there.
We exchanged numbers, and over the course of the last almost year, we have become close friends. I commissioned her to make an amazing piece for a good friend of mine that Christmas, and it was fate from there! She's originally from Boston and has a LIT eye for style and design, a great business sense, and has really helped me in a ton of ways over the last few months! Don't be jealous, but we definitely text. And also go to sushi, so.
Not only does Aly paint fabulous chinoiserie creatures and plant-life, she also prints fabric and is an excellent seamstress. She has a full range of prints and pillows on her site, and recently, she painted a full set of original fancy dogs for her first original release! (they've gone really quickly, but there are still a few left: find them here!) I love her sense of color, I love that multiple pieces can be hung together, I love that they are well-priced... I love everything about it! The prints at Willa Heart are awesome too- Aly has done a great job of creating multiple pieces that can go together or separately, and they come in multiple sizes. I love the two below very much and I also love "Tao and Fang"! (It's one of Andrew's faves too.)
Aly and I are planning some cool things and will be announcing those at some point-- if not this year, next! If you're on Instagram, follow her @willaheart and drop a comment saying hi! I'm sure she would love that. Enjoy your weekend, everyone! (And if you're in SC, good luck not melting.)
xx
The Carn-Armitano Wedding: Part 2
Here we are! Part 2!
For our wedding, Andrew and I (with the help of our wedding planner and photographer) decided to do photos before our 6 pm ceremony. We love the way they turned out and I'm glad we did them in the daytime instead of after our ceremony- we got to the reception faster and the lighting is gorgeous.
All of the bridesmaids + Andrew's groomslady before photos! Still obsessed with the beautiful home we got ready in and stayed in for the weekend.
Our makeup artist was great and her partner for the day did a great job, too. I can honestly say they did a great job of getting 15 people ready in a couple of hours! (If you are in SC and you'd like Jessica's contact info, please reach out! She doesn't currently have a website, but she is awesome and her pricing is too.)
My dad and me! He matched the groomsmen and bridesmen, but wore a tie like Andrew. It has feathers!
Dad matched the groomsmen and bridesmen, but wore a tie like Andrew. It has feathers! I loved it.
My mom and my brother! We did deep wine ties for the groomsmen. And I loved my mom's outfit!
Okay, so-- this is our first look!
We decided to do start the pictures at the house and have the bus pick us up from there. Andrew's face is so sweet! And per usual, I am laughing.
We did a vintage VW bus! It was so fun!
Our whole happy little group! (Well, not so little, but still a great size.)
The legend herself-- Leigh! You may have seen her in my stories from time to time... not only is she a best friend of mine, but she also helps me with shipping, blocking canvases, and emails from time to time!
Group- bridesmaids, bridesmen, groomspeople... the whole crowd!
I've always known I would have a few boys in my wedding, and it was lucky that I met Andrew-- he had two special ladies he wanted in his! I loved that all of the girls wore different colors (which was a logistical nightmare when it came to ordering, but was so worth it!), and we had two military uniforms and our bagpiper in the mix! The bagpiper was also a close friend of Andrew's. Another thing you may notice- we passed on boutonnieres for most of the groom's party and my three bridesmen. It was a small way to save quite a bit of money for something I've seen get destroyed at every other wedding I've been to! We did bridesmaid bouquets, but reused them at the reception. I'm into it!
My team-
Andrew's team!
Last, we did a few couple portraits, and then we went to get married! We couldn't have been luckier with the weather or the sunshine. It was perfect! (And who knew it would be in February!?)
Last post to come soon! xx
photos: Rachael McIntosh Photography
The Carn-Armitano Wedding: Post 1
This week, I wanted to start talking a little about our wedding! I'm writing a three-part series over the next three weeks to post photos and the ideas I had/found/executed, and to show off all of the cool details my planner and I were able to pull off! This one will be all about the rehearsal dinner and the days leading up to our wedding. It was such a wild week!
Andrew and I got married on his birthday- February 11! I painted the save-the-date postcards, with some digital help from ByFarr in Columbia! The cards featured all of my favorite colors, our custom monogram, and gold calligraphy, of course.
For our invites, we chose to do letterpress on seed paper. (I'm planting a few of them now to see what they grow!) We included a details card with our blocked hotels and all of our other details, as well as a response card and envelope. Then, I found a great emerald thread, vellum wraps, and a customizable wax seal to pull it all together!
If I could own all of the Mrs. Boxes, I definitely would!
The week of the wedding, we had friends and family arriving starting Tuesday; it was great fun to spend so much time with everyone from out of town.
Effie got to meet her favorite auntie, Sophia, for the first time before we left for Charleston! They were fast friends.
On Wednesday, we left for Charleston. One thing we really wanted to do since we had so many people coming into town was rent houses for our bridal and groom's party. It was great to have a place to get ready together and we used the bridesmaid house for the rehearsal dinner- two birds, am I right?
Bridesmaid's House! Love it so much!
We decided to have a really relaxed, casual rehearsal dinner- we did an oyster roast and barbecue!
Us! I wore green jeans, an oversized white sweater, and booties, and went for jeans and a button-down. (Untucked, of course!)
We had music from a playlist on speakers, and the party flowed from the front, into the house, and into the back courtyard. Cornhole boards and a big jenga game were there too!
As for my favorite part- other than the whole atmosphere of a house party with our friends and family the night before our wedding: I loved our favors! I ran across Oysters All Around by luck about two months before the wedding- I reached out to them and they were so accommodating! To go with the oyster theme, we had some navy tassel and gold oyster keychains and oyster shell bottle openers. They were a hit! I was so excited to have something different and interesting and it was a real topic of conversation, too. To sum: you should definitely have an oyster roast or casual gathering the night before your wedding, and you should definitely have beautiful favors from Oysters All Around! (or anything creative that fits into your theme!)
Invite + keychains + bottle openers!
One of the bottle openers came with one of my wedding gifts from Andrew on the day of the wedding- flowers and a case of limited edition blueberry weiss from Westbrook Brewing Co.!
We ended the night with cigars and more drinks. (Well, cigars for some of the people!) I said goodnight a little early because I needed my beauty rest! Lucky for me, the house came with a little carriage house in the back- I stayed there!
Come back for post 2 next week! Questions? Feel free to comment!
xx
Location: Charleston, SC
Rehearsal Invites: Minted.com
Favors: Oysters All Around
Photography: Rachael McIntosh Photography
I hosted a baby shower: 4.23.17!
Yesterday, along with my best friend Whitney Blue, I threw a baby shower in our new house! It was a wild week of #diy's and getting all sorts of things finally unpacked and set up around the house. I'll go into this more in another post, but our living/dining rooms were kind of the rooms we've been storing and staging things in, and they looked a mess!
Back to baby shower: I'm so glad we were able to host it for our sweet friend and coworker, Emily Rose, and that everything turned out so well! (No joke, she got some of the CUTEST little outfits and sheets for her baby girl!) As most people know, I work every now and then at a precious Lilly Pulitzer signature store, Pink Sorbet, and this shower was for all of Emily Rose's store friends to give her all of the sweetest things and celebrate our newest soon to be mama. I wish I would have gotten photos of all of the gifts- they were perfect. Whitney Blue and I gave her a grouping of sheets, a bright onesie pack, stationary, and some great diapers and wipes: all of the essentials!
Our focal wall: I don't have a great piece for the wall (yet!), so we made it all about the decor! This little setup also made a great photo backdrop.
"The Hungry Caterpillar" mini book was our guest book and a part of our gift for Baby Layne. I've always loved this book, and it describes our group of ladies perfectly: always very hungry!
Coffee table or gift table, it's still a fun table!
Mimosas and Kate Spade all day.
I finally got to use one of our favorite wedding gifts- these green glasses!
How sweet are those cookies? They were perfect and delicious!
Those ranunculus are RIDICULOUS! So pretty!
Below you can see where our decor came from and my favorite two recipes from the snack spread we had. We didn't make most of it, but it was all still so delicious!
I'll be posting more photos of my home in a house tour soon, AND the diy for the navy dresser I had on my Instagram story earlier this week!
xx
Details:
"oh baby" balloon banner: Target $1 section (online, you can find them on Etsy!)
metallic tassel banner, bottom: Aerie.com clearance (3 months or so ago!)
pink/navy tassel banner: diy! Coming soon!
tissue floral garland, sides: the dollar store
pillows: Willa Heart // Cotton & Quill
table runner: Kate Spade via TJ Maxc
Delicious Spinach Dip:
INGREDIENTS
1 box (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, cooked, cooled and squeezed dry*
1 container (16 oz.) sour cream
1 cup Hellmann's® or Best Foods® Real Mayonnaise **
1 package Knorr® Vegetable recipe mix
1 can (8 oz.) water chestnuts, drained and chopped (optional)
*you do not need to cook the spinach, simply thaw and strain ALSO, we chose to add an extra cup of spinach.
**use Helmann's even if you're a strictly duke's mayo person, it will taste exponentially better with Helmann's. Just trust me.
DIRECTIONS
Combine all ingredients and chill about 2 hours. Serve with your favorite dippers to your favorite people.
*TIP: To lighten up dip, substitute 1 container (16 oz.) nonfat plain Greek yogurt.
Honeyed Fruit Crostini:
INGREDIENTS
french baguette
soft goat cheese
1 pint strawberries
1 pint blackberries
honey
1 tbsp water
DIRECTIONS
cut the baguette into 1/2" slices. spread goat cheese in a thin layer onto the baguette slices.
slice strawberries thinly and cut blackberries in half. in a small bowl combine 2 parts honey to one part water.
place strawberry slices and blackberry halves on goat cheese covered slices. drizzle honey mixture on top. Serve!
