Kind of at a blogging standstill so decided to just jump right back in with the things I seem to do best: dress and cook. Simple they may be but they both move us all through the day.

Yesterday for an off-site client meeting wore the few new things that have been added to the rotation: sweater, scarf, bag. Pretty standard, especially when paired with black jeans, a bit of the difference being doing the sweater in cashmere and making certain that the jeans are hemmed to a good length. So many of us run around in jeans all day and really by paying attention to the length of your pant your style standard can be instantly upgraded.

Dinner was simple oven baked wild cod, pan roasted organic sweet grape tomatoes, blanched and then sautéed green beans. Salad and bread on the side and dinner done. No cookbook, no google search, no recipes needed.

Not going for any fashion or food empire here, intent is to inspire the women (and men) that matter to me to do small things every day that make their days better.

Every day dress, dress and cook. xoxo

There’s something magical about the shift from day to night: a new chapter, a new beginning, another coming together.

To mark the transition, it’s always nice to dress for dinner.

You might change everything you wore before or simply light the candles, reapply your lip and (finally) brush your hair, the key being the mind-set to move beyond.

We love to dress for dinner, whatever that may be on any given day.

Photos taken at rented château in I’lsle-sur-la-Sorgue France | Hermès scarf, worn as dress

Every day dress, dress for dinner, wherever you may be. Yeah, photos a little blurry, we were really liking the wine. xoxo

This time of year, all you really need to do is gather up what’s good and fresh and put it together. First in, Coho salmon, local corn, homegrown tomatoes, done. Next night, revisited the CA pizza thing, homemade dough with 1 1/4 cups hot water, (perceived temperature even though we do have the thermometer), 2 packages active dry yeast, 1 tablespoon honey (we like it when the hive is still in there), 3 tablespoons olive oil, salt, and 4 cups King Arthur flour. Mix it up in the Kitchen Aid for about 10 minutes, roll it out on the counter, add whatever you like with some more olive oil on top, bake it up in a hot oven, add a green salad, and dinner is easy.

After a day with work, dinner is the treat, and dinner is easy.

Jeans | Slouched Slim | Joe’s Jeans

Shirt | Vince | (from second son’s closet)

Husband confided to oldest daughter last night while having a post-work glass of wine that if it was chicken for dinner he wasn’t in. ha

Felt challenged at first, what’s wrong with what works? After a day full of stuff that needs to get done we all need/like to eat. Did chicken tonight, and yes he was in. 🙂

Buy the best that you can, and keep it seasonal too. Note the difference in two pots of basil: one on the left, ordinary store-bought, one on the right, organic specialty nursery stock.

Makes me think of my clients that tell me (no) more black, or, (not) one more black dress.

When given the choice of dinner or not I’ll take more chicken please, and yes, another black dress.

Post dinner activities included hand trimming flag-stone pathway. Totally understand how the face, body, and entire cities can sink after a while.

Every day dress, more chicken, and yes, another great black dress. Why not?

Every August, without fail, the current go-to wardrobe seems tired, bright colors so not it, and sandals feel almost too exposed.

White denim, blue denim, a black jacket, a Zara floral silk shirt and an apron seems to be about right.

The runaround has begun, soccer and field hockey so that’s two drop-offs and two pick-ups, oldest sons have moved out and into a modern two bedroom, oldest daughter home for a week and second daughter not yet ready for back-to-school and to hit the books again.

Full house. The wardrobe, work, and the blog have been second string. It’s okay, it’s a start to transition.

Have learned that good things almost always take longer than ever expected. It’s the start that’s the hardest. Once things get going they always seem to have a way of working out if you keep at it and hang in there.

Every day dress, start to transition. We’ll all be in full swing before we know it. Here’s to new beginnings, almost September. Love that fresh start every Fall, always.

Here’s to your start to transition, whatever that may be. xoxo

Did the peach cobbler again, this time around forgot to stir in the cup of milk. haha. Multitasking and here there and everywhere is not the best way to get things done, even though it was still delicious.

Every day dress Peach Cobbler:

1/2 cup salted butter, 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup brown sugar, 1 tablespoon baking powder, pinch or two of kosher salt, 1 cup milk, 8 or so fresh peaches, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, ground cinnamon.

Melt butter and pour in baking pan. Combine flour, 1 cup white sugar, baking powder, salt and milk, still until just combined. Pour over batter in baking dish.

Meanwhile bring 1 cup brown sugar, sliced peaches with skin on, and lemon juice to a boil over high heat, stirring, and then pour over batter. Sprinkle with cinnamon.

Bake at 375 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes or until perceived doneness. Serve with softened ice cream and while still warm.