a bit of a gap

one shouldered cashmere, Worth New York | burn marks on right arm, classic culinary perks

Last May, one of our mentors (we’re talking to you, Wendy), talked a bit about her ‘gap’ year at a high-profile event here in BUF, and we were listening. Our heights and accomplishments not equal to hers by the usual measure, yet her message was clear: it’s okay to work hard, do some good stuff, check a few things off the ambition checklist and then re-evaluate, take stock, and begin again. We here at every day dress love women that are constantly designing, whatever that may be or have meaning to them, uniquely.

We’ve had a bit of a gap, perhaps not a true gap year, never say never, yet definitely a gap.

While we love beautiful clothing and dressing women (hey, I’ve done that since I’ve been about 12, starting sewing my own clothes and little accessories for others), we also truly love cooking and feeding others.

we love white flowers and white votives

and not arranged too precious, and wine on the counter

rustic beef stew had two bottles of beer and red wine and yes, we did take the eyes out of those potatoes

flowers by Lexi, elegant and simple

weeknight family dinner

So, now we’re working on adding a little credibility to our culinary hobby: we’ve made stock and uploading photos and being graded on our work, all for a certificate if we pass 538 tasks and a final exam come July. Two youngest daughters say it’s the best thing that’s ever happened and bonus I’m always on time for lacrosse drop-off and pick-up now having taken a breather from corporate life.

all this for stock and they say it’s easy lol

you need to have warmed clear stock and cold gelatin omg

chopped stems and crowns we can handle, and that onion is easy to dice, slice, whatever

they hide yet like the results, building a culinary notebook, even have the hole puncher out!

it’s really better tasting than it looks, #truth

Yes, Lace & Day, this is what goes on underneath the apron 🙂

we’re okay with the eyelid droop as long as we are serving some good wine 

Yeah, the blog has had a bit of a gap, 9 days since last post!, professional life definitely has a gap although we’re still loving quarterly trunk shows, and LOVE keeping in touch with our women.

mise en place for vegetable stock

in the copper pot

minestrone is now one of our weekly things, pic from the iPhone 

beet, pumpkin seed & feta salad, good thing I roasted and saved those October things, iPhone photo, yet really delicious

Even though we’re a bit off we’re really not that off, food and good clothing, definitely a life-long passion. xoxo

May we all have opportunity to pursue what brings us meaning, and joy.

Okay, off to walk the dogs now for about an hour, that definitely gives our day meaning, and joy.

 

 

mellow yellow

 

 

Snow day in the BUF, so we’re staying put and doing fun things in the kitchen like making omelets, and vegetable stock.

Never knew a proper omelet was all about the proper heat, and stirring, and stirring and shaking, and that the eggs should be barely done. And that to be an omelet you don’t even need to put anything in it, it’s all technique. We’re all about learning new things.

Baking we’ve done for decades, and funny thing is no one really eats the stuff anymore, it just kind of sits.

Thinking we’ll have more success with some good soup from some scratch stock.

Every day dress, we’re pretty mellow, loving the March snow day. xoxo

 

 

learning new stuff

 mise en place for first step of minestrone

Life-long learning, we’re all for it. Enrolled in some online stuff and while we love clothes, shoes, and bags, decided to upgrade the culinary skills.

Here’s a little of what we’ve been up to, the past three days at least:

setting up for poached eggs

barely yet greatly set

lunch for one, new nail color, Essie bikini so teeny, and a jam jar with a smash of Walt Chardonnay

homegrown kitchen counter basil

resulting basil walnut pesto, skipped those pine nuts this time

veggies prepped for dinner

couldn’t resist, pussy willow for the front hall from the grocery, $15

if it works, do it again, this time black suede Birkenstocks, OPI boyfriend jeans nail color

Every day dress, learning new stuff. xoxo

a little funk

balsamic, olive oil, kosher salt, fresh ground pepper

8 minute soft-boiled eggs, prosciutto

chicken with 40 cloves of garlic, tastes way better than it looks

Sunday afternoon late lunch

She’s recovering, although it might take a little. We’re in a little funk, so doing what we do: making the bed, putting on a little makeup, walking the dogs (or spending time out in the garden with them), making some dinner, spending time with those we love, enjoying a glass of wine. A little curve ball, so we’ve battened down for a little, it will get better.

Scary stuff when your kid is in the OR, and we like to share, the good and the scary. We don’t push the site, if you’re here we suppose it’s because you might like to cook, and feed and care for others, or enjoy good clothes, or maybe even a little of each.

Linnie fishing, Booie wining

miss you peanut, xoxo

cozy dinner for 3

We’ve ducked out of the office for a little, her sister’s are all in FL, soaking up some vitamin D, and don’t want to leave her home alone. We’re at the table, enjoying meals for three.

Two weekends ago it was ski town, these last days we’ve seen a lot of the couch. 🙂

indoor garden from sister in CA

outdoor garden where we find peace, 2/21/17

Every day dress, a little funk, tomorrow is a new day. xoxo

 

the subtle power of good clothing

hand cut vegetables and bouquet garni

going with carnations instead of the expected roses, on Valentine’s Day

So, Tuesday night we were cooking up some short ribs, parsnip puree, green beans and creme brûlée. Wednesday night I was standing gurney side as they were about to wheel our eighteen year old daughter, fifth child, into emergency surgery at 10:56 pm.

Oh, how life can change on a dime. Picked this child up after a phone call from the school nurse, drive sixth child out to her drivers ed class and husband comes home to find fifth child on the floor, in pain. Quick trip to the ER, three or so morphine shots later and the late night surgery crew is saying ‘you look way too dressed up to be here’. We were wearing our regular stuff, yet they noticed, and took us seriously. When your kid is being wheeled in for your not quite sure what and you put your faith in the powers above, it’s a good thing to feel good in your clothes.

Wednesday office outfit that went until Thursday late afternoon

Laid down in those clothes, in the surgery waiting room. Slept in those clothes, in two chairs pushed together at the end of her bed. Woke up in those clothes and was thankful for another day, and Tim Horton’s hospital coffee, a breakfast sandwich, and a sour cream donut, we we’re running on empty.

Really, what you wear can speak volumes, oftentimes without you even saying a word. We write here about good clothes, good food, and sometimes about drinking good wine, and if it came down to the end I’d want to be wearing a good outfit, having enjoyed a good meal, and definitely a good glass of wine, all with the people I love, that’s really the gist of us here at every day dress.

That outfit gave me strength. She’s on the mend. xoxo

what we wore on Friday, for four hours at the office, when what we really felt like doing was never leaving the couch

Every day dress, the subtle power of good clothing.

settled in | a new habit

Still winter, so we’re settled in, working for spring 17, and baking off some cranberries, walnuts, and orange zest.

We’ve got a new habit too as we’re hanging in the kitchen and looking to upgrade our skill set: in addition to all of our ongoing every day dress habits, we now hone our chef’s knife, every single use.

We used to simply throw those berries or whatever in the food processor, now we mind fully rough slice them, and everything is better.

Garlic is early prepped for tomorrow’s night dinner.

Every day dress, all settled in with a new habit.

on rotation

we love this easy day look 

Seriously need to get the stylist shoes on, trunk opens next week Tuesday and we’ve been doing other things, like solitary slicing carrots into all different little cuts.

two bunches organic carrots

a few hours and just about a bottle of wine later

And the thing is, I’m really good at styling women, yet honestly would rather weed the garden, even in winter, than doing what would make me really successful. 

Had two conversations today; one with a potential client, and she was talking about how she needed some solid investment pieces in her wardrobe, for her to put on rotation.

The other conversation was with my momma, and we were talking about the necessity of doing things, getting out of your comfort zone, being engaged, or you just kind of wither and die. (not really, but sort of). 

So, for the balance of this month of February, I’ll be on rotation as stylist, and try to curtail my home culinary activities, or at least a more balanced combination.

Every day dress, on rotation, being a life long learner, always. xoxo

a few simple style notes:

  • when it’s not snowing or raining, we like to wear white open toe shoe boots with a block heel in winter.
  • black leather jeans and a black cashmere turtleneck can take you just about anywhere. Thinking the only thing that might be better than a black cashmere turtleneck would be a black cashmere v-neck. The one shown here is two years old, and yay, it has a few pills on it, but that’s okay, the face and body do too. 🙂 We like it that way. Investment dressing. 🙂

the pre-party

Sometimes it’s the lead up that can be the most fun: prepping for the party is so part of the joy.

Love too that the second daughter and the second son’s girlfriend are getting in on the game, they spent the better part of their Saturday making up some amazing dips and things.

Writing this during second half of super bowl, kind of hoping the Pats win as oldest daughter’s man is extremely attached and I want her to have a good week, lol.

Anyways, we did some New England lobster rolls, good old tenderloin sandwiches with arugula and horseradish cream sauce, a couple of Georgia peach tarts and a double batch of Katharine Hepburn brownies. We took it all on the road, two son’s hosted the party, so happy.

Every day dress, always. xoxo

 

over time and distance

So, the closer to fifty-two than fifty-one year old face/body looks (and feels) a bit different from that forty something year old face/body that we started with that April day about five years ago when we put up our first every day dress post, and that’s okay.

We’re doing many of the same things, making the bed, eating protein at breakfast, getting out of the yoga/workout clothes, putting on some makeup, walking the dogs, making dinner, spending time with those we love, and enjoying a glass of wine (or two).

We’re also cooking more, and reading more. We’ve become protective of our time in the kitchen, and choosing our food more carefully, and with consideration.

Our feelings towards clothing for ourselves and our clients is kind of the same: careful, and considerate, especially over time and distance.

We love a base of black and denim, totally gets us around. The scarf was collected in France, the bag in northern CA years ago, and the jacket from a client. With days getting longer we can do more outdoor outfit stuff, still not used to shooting style indoors.

Every day dress, over time and distance. xoxo

 

some new denim

      

While in San Francisco with the momma and the sister they advised to ditch the rips. Bought a new pair of higher waisted, split hem, dark wash, denim. Colleague was in the design studio today and we were each talking about our mutual love of denim, and she was saying how she loves pretty much everything about it, although her love stops at rips. 🙂 Won’t give up the rips, love them in the kitchen and the garden, yet this was the office look yesterday: super well-designed winter white wool pullover blouse, dark denim, suede boot, long earrings, red lip. Felt good and easy.

happy 🙂

In the kitchen we cooked up some minestrone, a big pot of soup can be as comforting as your favorite denim, especially when paired with some good grilled cheese sandwiches. 🙂

Every day dress and cook, and some new denim.