For a friend, in good times or bad, a batch of homemade muffins for the morning and then the freezer, is an easy kind of thing to bring. Cookies, yes, always welcome, these however can serve as breakfast in a pinch with a cup of coffee or tea.

Subscribed to Gourmet magazine ever since I was a kid, and have missed that monthly issue for years now. The Gourmet Cookbook, by Ruth Reichl, that big fat yellow one, has plenty of excellent recipes, and serves as a go-to.

One in particular that I can count on for giving is from the Morning Glory Café, on Nantucket. Recipe says it yields 30, I like to heavily butter the muffin tins and get only 24. Always love a good muffin top. haha. If you have the book it’s on page 642 and a little on 643. Here it is if you don’t, these little carrot cakes with apples, coconut, and pecans can help comfort and soothe, good times or bad.

Put a rack in middle of oven and preheat oven to 350°F. Generously butter 30, or 24 🙂 muffin cups.

4 cups all purpose flour, I use King Arthur. 2 1/4 cups sugar, 4 teaspoons baking soda, 4 teaspoons cinnamon, 2 teaspoons salt. Whisk together in a large bowl.

Stir in: 12 carrots, coarsely grated in food processor of with box grater, I never peel them, just grate. 1 cup raisins, 1 cup chopped pecans, 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut, 2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and coarsely grated with box grater.

Whisk together: 6 eggs, 2 cups vegetable oil, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract in another bowl, then add to flour mixture and stir until just combined.

Spoon batter into muffin cups, filling them to the top. I take a butter knife and smooth them off flat. Bake muffins, in batches if necessary, until springy to the touch, about 30 minutes per batch. Cool in pans for 5 or 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack and cool to warm or room temperature.

Morning glory, good or bad, getting through the day. Every day dress.

Your day adds up. Whether you do yoga poses when you can or walk into town to fetch The New York Times because you’re away for the weekend, if you’re on the move it all adds up.

Husband bought this fitbit thing when we were at the mall with our two Costa Rica exchange students. Not really being a mall girl but not wanting to feel left out, bought one too.

He keeps track of his activity, food, and sleep, I kind of just let it happen. A bit of fit is a very good thing. Walking the dogs, skiing with two youngest daughters, washing the windows, doing the laundry, fitbit keeps track. Love when the wrist band vibrates and tells you you’ve done 10,000 steps. Bonus when you’re the overachiever, haha, and the thing registers 20,000 steps.

Whatever, stay active. Movement of any kind is a very good thing.

Every day dress staying active in Ellicottville NY for the weekend. Love your body.

Fitbit| Measures Steps, Cals, Sleep

 

First thought was to name this post waiting for spring but that thought kind of puts you at a standstill. Let’s all look towards spring, and not wait.

It’s been a long one, hoping to inspire, so here goes:

• if you’re still sporting any kind of red and green on your door, change it up now. In this case, we’re waiting for you. Wreath shown bought at the grocery, $29.99. Wish it were more Martha, taking a break from that whole game for a while, the grocery will do and do just fine.

• cook up a leg of lamb. Rub it with some Dijon mustard and stuff it with garlic, rosemary, thyme, salt, pepper, and a little more mustard. Throw some 2 inch sliced organic carrots into the roasting pan, serve all the juices up with the carrots on top.
• mash-up some real potatoes. Boss called me while I was peeling them and asked if I was for real. Yes, real mashed potatoes on a weeknight, always.

• small detail in the living room but makes me happy every time I look at them: switched up the pillows on the matching set of chairs for this kind of modern cotton linen batik kind of fabric. Friend and client who runs her own interior design company helped me out with this and more. Always happy to support local business owned by women. Check out your neighborhood for that kind of thing.

• decided that work a day in blue jeans and a pullover will just have to do and be okay. It’s still raining and snowing and sleeting out there, have studied all kinds of spring and summer fashion via New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Harper’s Bazaar, Vogue, NET-A-PORTER et al. Haven’t pulled the spring summer 2014 fashion trigger yet and when I do it will probably be big, until then blue jeans black jeans boots sweaters whatever it will be. Phoebe Philo wears Stan Smiths, loose pants, white blouse and slouchy sweater, it’s all okay.
• pullover is navy, not black, and liking the shorter in front, ease away from the body, and cross-over open in back, this will go right to the end of summer.
• bright pink leather lining on the bag is great too. Gotta smile.

If you’re still reading, thank you. There is incredibly great stuff out there with respect to fashion and lifestyle, wanted this site to be a little different and doable. LOVE all that great stuff, thank you everyone. Here we are about the every day. Sometimes food, sometimes fashion, always family, mostly real.

Every day dress looking towards spring, not waiting.

 

Trendsetters are telling us this season there’s something happening about the crop top. While every day dress might not be putting any money towards that one, we will work it a little if it’s already in the closet.

Most often they are shown really cropped and worn with a skirt. You know those tops you have that fall maybe a little short? Now is the time to wear them and wear them with confidence.

This one is good as the lace overlay is longer than the lining so it offers a little more coverage.

Bought this piece for holiday parties and here you see it with the same essential white jean, packed only one pair for five days, same bag, same suede shoe, same enamel bracelets.

Every day dress kind of works the crop top trend. Let’s always take the stairs.

Peacock Macrame Lace Cutaway | Worth New York

Classic Straight Leg in Clean White | 7 For All Man Kind

Bag | Vintage Hermès | Heritage Auctions

Mayfair Suede Open-Toe Ankle Boot | Aquazurra | Saks Fifth Avenue

Enamel Printed Bracelets | Hermès

 

 

Bought this long strapless dress five or six years ago and wore it so many times couldn’t look at it anymore. Oldest daughter wore it too. Really thought it had run its course so tucked it away in the attic good will box. We have this thing in our house called ‘attic shopping’, and that’s exactly what I did. As I get behind on some of the small stuff, like cleaning out the attic, it was still there and I was able to bring it back.

Paired it with a new wool Missoni wrap and the only bag and pair of sandals that were brought on this getaway. The Missoni wrap worn and carried through on the plane, dress packs well, literally took it from good will box to body, and happy to be able to bring it back.

It’s still February friends, plenty of time to do a little attic shopping and bring something of yours back too.

Every day dress. Have a wonderful Sunday.

 

When packing for a quick weekend getaway, it’s a good idea to go either warm or cool with what you’re taking. This trip, since we’ve been cool in Buffalo since I don’t know when, decided to keep it warm. Left all the silver safe at home.

Blouse shown could go either way, warmed it up with gold sweater and paired it with the always necessary white denim. Nude suede shoes, and the bag that started the packing, let’s all keep it warm for a while.

Chose the bag first and everything else fell into place. Warm tones all the way.

When you have the chance to get out of dodge, it helps to always pack a scarf. Cool temperatures are going down everywhere, here it serves as one more layer of warmth. 60 degrees in Florida, no complaints.

Scarf | Hérmes

Sweater | Worth New York

Pants | Nike

Sandals | Christian Loubouton

Newest piece is the sweater, purchased last fall. All others collected over many years and tossed in the carry-on super early this morning. No make-up, no manicure, life happens fast, packing a scarf is a good thing.

Happy Valentine’s Day loves.

While this isn’t a new idea it is when we’re all weather challenged and therefore fashion challenged: for heading out to neighborhood restaurant, gotta get out of the house sometimes, ditched the all black and went for the blouse and skirt.

Every woman out there probably has a silk blouse and a pencil skirt in their wardrobe. Here’s my challenge: next opportunity, opt for the blouse and skirt. I know, have spent way too many days dressed down this winter. While walking the dogs before getting dressed late last night actually felt the first hint of spring in the air, no kidding.

Fashion retail colleagues take heart, husband just called and reported that while due to extreme winter weather retail sales are way down yet wine sales are up 50%. haha

Yes, we drank a little wine in that blouse and skirt.

Wore the blouse buttoned all the way up to the top and the sleeves buttoned all the way down to the wrists. Felt fresh.

Every day dress, blouse and skirt.

Wishing everyone safe havens and smooth flights. xoxo

Most days busy lives call for beautifully simple clothes. Here’s a piece from the Trunk Show: Black V Neck Tunic. 100% Wool, Slim Fit, sized XP-XL. On first pass through you would probably do just that, pass through. Not eye-catching or one of a kind, it’s simply fantastic to put on your body day after day when you don’t need to be that, eye-catching or one of a kind, only beautifully and simply dressed.

The V Neck, flattering. Small sleeve covers that part of the upper arm that many women like to keep covered. Slim fitting so it skims the body and hits an inch or two below the hip bone, perfect in length. The best merino wool out there. If you have sworn off wearing wool, this will convert you. Luxurious.

Women, if you’ve got a lot going on, this sweater will be your friend. An every day dress piece for sure, cost per wear, unparalleled.

Every day dress.

Black or Stone V Neck Tunic | Worth New York Spring 2014

 

 

 

 

 

 

When you get close to living five decades you have pretty much done all kinds of jobs. Right now the best job yet would have to be working from home as a recruiter and an entrepreneur with the training, support, and product line of a multi-million dollar luxury fashion company that’s based in NYC.

I am able to help all kinds of women with clothing that enhances their shape and lifestyle. Today I finished a Spring Trunk Show, photos shown were taken late in the day just before break-down. Tomorrow I’ll be on the phone looking to connect with women that are looking to connect.

Let’s talk business:  we’re now growing our team of high energy women that are looking to grow a business of their own. If you, or someone you know, is up for something fun, engaging, and rewarding, let’s talk up-close.

Every day dress, working at home and on the road, best job yet.

best job yet | Worth New York