Bohemian Cottage | Sharing the Artistic Lifestyle...Take a Peek Inside

Breakfast Tacos with Kale, Pancetta and Avocado

Savory breakfasts are my favorite. Add a little spice, even better. Occasionally I do enjoy something a little sweet, but most often with a savory addition to the sweet like in the Bacon and Gruyere Stuffed French Toast. This taco creation was made with items that we already had in the fridge, and it resulted in one of the tastiest impromptu recipes I have created in a long time. The creamy avocado, health boosting kale and just enough pancetta to give it that extra burst of flavor, it is a recipe I felt I needed to share. I always think, what would make this recipe even better? Adding some chipotle chili powder or a fresh salsa verde. Or how about pico de gallo or if you don’t have pancetta, good ol’ regular bacon or smoked ham bits. In the bohemian way, experiment. Add your own personal and creative flair. I would love to hear how you made this even better with your unique twist. (read more)

Friday Happy Hour Cocktail: Kiwi Passion Fruit Sangria

For this Friday evening’s cocktail hour, (ok, so it was more like 3 hours) some friends and I enjoyed some fresh fruity Sangria. I wanted to try something a little different from the traditional, you know, go bohemian with it, and decided on this passion fruit kiwi recipe. I was not able to find plain passion fruit juice, so I opted for apple, passion mango and pineapple juices. The oranges I found at the grocery store looked like little ruby grapefruits when I cut into them. They were sweet and delicious oranges though. I plan to get some more of them and make something, not sure what yet. Got any suggestions? (read more)

Cosmopolitan Hotel Lobby Las Vegas. BohemianCottage

Travel Diary, Las Vegas

The stunning lobby in the Cosmopolitan Hotel in Las Vegas

When you first walk into the Cosmopolitan Hotel in Las Vegas, your senses are at once bombarded in that oh so stimulating way that only Las Vegas can deliver. The sights with the video pillars constantly changing to the music and the smells of cigars and perfume and what is that smell? Sniff sniff…is that money?

The view was incredible from my room!

I recently returned from a trip to Las Vegas.. While there I stayed at the very glamorous Cosmopolitan Hotel. The room I stayed in had a balcony, which is unusual for a Las Vegas hotel room. Talk about chic and stylish! The decor was not your run of the mill boring hotel for sure. Details abounded with Fornasetti wallpaper adorning the closet, iridescent tiling on the bathroom shower, down pillows on the settee… There were books published by Phaidon Press for reading and the room even included 2 TV’s (which was overkill for me since I don’t really ever watch) and a kitchenette with stocked minibar and a microwave. (read more)

Raspberry Key Lime Margarita

I tried the Espolon Blanca Tequila for this Margarita

Friday and Saturday evenings I’m typically ready for a cocktail to help relax and to celebrate the week. I have recently been reaching for a glass of wine or a beer, but both of those lovely choices do not lend much room for creativity behind the metaphorical bar. I also thought it would be fun to start a regular section of the blog for cocktail recipes. Viola! Here is the first one, a colorful and fresh raspberry and key lime margarita!

With some trial and error (imagine the face you give when you suck on a lemon…opps) I think I have something that is not only delicious in its fully intoxicating version, but its mocktail version is a nice alternative for kids and non-drinkers too. (read more)

A Picnic in Winter

Mediterranean style picnic in the park on a warm winter day.

Weather in the high 60’s on a winters day in the Rocky Mountains makes us want to head straight outside. The girls and I decided to pack a Mediterranean style feast and head out to the park. Luckily for us nearly every last living soul was in front of their TV watching football (we are in Broncos territory after all). As the Broncos were making their way to the Superbowl, we were basking in the sun enjoying our impromptu lunch.

We packed a small baguette, some pre-made sun dried tomato relish, salami, Italian olives, mixed nuts, fresh veggies, hummus, pasta salad, smoked Gouda cheese, crackers, San Pelligrino water and Italian sodas. This was a spontaneous event, so we decided next time we will make our own pasta salad and share the recipe here with you. (read more)

Travel Diary, La Quinta California

The driveway into the La Quinta Resort and Club in La Quinta, CA,

I recently took a trip to the Waldorf Astoria, La Quinta Resort and Club. What a refuge from the recent cold to be where the flowers are blooming and the temperature is a mild 70 degrees. Outside my hotel room door was a pool, and the most beautiful roses…

These beautiful roses blooming right outside my hotel room door

The history of the La Quinta Resort goes way back. In the early 1920s, San Francisco businessman Walter H. Morgan was drawn to a place in the California desert that dwellers in these lands had long referred to as the Land of Eternal Sun. He envisioned a tranquil retreat that captured the essence of quiet hacienda-style living. Purchasing 1,400 acres from the native Cahuilla Indians, he enlisted the renowned architect Gordon Kaufman, along with scores of artisan craftsmen to make his dream a reality. From more than 100,000 hand-formed adobe bricks and 60,000 locally fired roof tiles, a small grouping of quaint casitas and a cozy dining room sprung up. Morgan called this place La Quinta. (read more)