mabery midbury

Steep Ravine, California (and a New Design!)

Well, I did it. I gave this little blog a facelift. Perhaps most importantly, I redesigned it to accommodate photos that are 40% bigger. And to kick off the new view: a showcase of the very photogenic Steep Ravine.

Most of you know that Sebastian spent the winter volunteering as the campground host at this oceanfront state park, which is comprised of ten cabins and campsites in a ravine a few miles south of Stinson Beach. In exchange for free rent in a solar-powered, waterfront house, he answered visitors' questions and

worked as a groundskeeper.

In February, I flew out to visit for a long weekend. I had been to the ravine with Sebastian before, but had never seen it so spectacularly in bloom. Lillies, sourgrass, and gorgeous unidentified purple flowers painted the hills and cliffs in a million colors. At sunset, the sky would transform into a bright orange or pink ombre. It was quiet and peaceful; I read a book in a couple of days.

At this point, Sebastian has returned to Brooklyn. We are very happy to have him back, but I hope he gets to return to that little house soon. Only this time, with me and Poppy in tow.

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outlive | the | bastards

It's here! It's here!

My dear friend Devin has officially launched her beautiful online store, outlive the bastards. Devin is one of the most adventurous, creative, and talented people I know, and it delights me to no end that she is able to channel that creativity in a way that is so deliberate and inspiring. Her store is and will be comprised of an ever-changing and evolving line of products that she hand makes from re-purposed materials. Each item is unique and sustainable, with an absolute attention to each and every detail
(notice her hand-penned tags).

Congratulations, Devin! You can count on me being your number one customer.

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It's Tax Day! How We Made an Extra $7000 With Airbnb

This year, when Sebastian and I did our taxes, we filed $7,000 in additional income. That income was generated by hosting strangers in our apartment when we went away, using the travel website Airbnb.   

Airbnb is a community marketplace aimed at connecting people who need a place to stay with those who have unique and desirable space to rent. The service offers travelers an alternative to hotels and traditional bed and breakfasts, while giving hosts the opportunity to make money off of available property. Using the site, one can list a couch to sleep on, spare bedroom, full home, even a tree house or boat, as a bookable rental. The company will send a professional to photograph a space for free, and the photographer’s visit earns the listing "Airbnb Verified" status (a stamp of legitimacy), so it that can be trusted by wary renters.  

Since listing our three-bedroom Brooklyn apartment on Airbnb (as a two-bedroom rental– we keep one room private) a year ago, we have rented our home to 12 different groups of guests for a total of 31 nights. We have an "Overall Guest Satisfaction Score" of 5/5 stars, and have collected a nice set of positive reviews to support our listing. Each positive review improves our apartment’s ranking in Airbnb search results, which prompts more reservation requests and bookings.  

Because we use the service so regularly (we host almost every time we go away, which is often), we are regularly asked for advice. The following is a list of some of the extra things we do for our guests, as well as a few tips for streamlining the hosting process.

This Blog Turns 2 Today!

Two years ago today I launched this little site!

While my updates have been sporadic, I have quite enjoyed having a place

to post and share our fun times and adventures.

My goal for year three is to post more often, and hopefully evolve the layout a bit.

So happy birthday, little blog.

May you grow up big and strong!

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World's Best Lasagna Bolognese

last night we made an insanely delicious lasagna. the recipe came from tastespotting, a "community driven visual potluck" that, after smitten kitchen, is my recipe go-to. tastespotting is a collection of gorgeously photographed food/ recipes, brought together from blogs all over the world. the result is a searchable database of wonderful dishes, which are presented in a neat grid of photography. last night, i decided to try out this skillet lasagna recipe, which uses bechamel instead of ricotta, and calls for a homemade (but quick) bolognese. the recipe also happened to be in romanian. and because google's translation included phrases like "pulp complicated pork," and was measured in metric, i decided to reproduce the recipe here. my recipe includes the handful of edits (like not actually cooking it in a skillet) and substitutions (like the ground turkey, and swapping thyme for oregano).
recipe after the jump.

Happy Birthday Michelle!

my sister michelle has the most amazing group of college girlfriends.

for her 24th birthday, they came to visit and celebrate her special day.

because large groups can be a challenge in brooklyn restaurants,

michelle asked if i would host a birthday brunch at our apartment.

we had monkey bread, quiche, and of course mom sent her amazing

birthday cake (which she mails to us every year, no matter where we are).

happy birthday, sissy! i love you!

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Home for Christmas

this year it was pretty delightful to leave behind a snowy new york

in favor of a very sunny california christmas.

my mom's new little house in belmont shore long beach is coming right along,

and is just as charming as can be.
i had a blast hanging out with my old pal kiva,
and took her to the beach most mornings (and picked up a donut on the way).

sebastian also visited us in southern california for the first time,

and he and i spent a lovely day driving down the coast on route 1.

we ate hamburgers and milkshakes at ruby's on the pier

and explored the colorful bungalows of crystal cove.

we even got a visit from a pelican.

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