water, vinegar, salt, sugar, pickling cucumbers and an onion: refrigerate, and viola, you have pickles!
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Ethel’s 80th
Birthdays in our world are most often celebrated with a scratch baked cake and dinner at home with family and maybe a few close friends. Mom turns eighty late August, and we gathered for a barn dinner last week to celebrate as my dear sister and her family were visiting from San Francisco, CA.
It’s not often we’re all together, she’s got a full life with her huge west coast event design company, Radeff Design Studios, managing fetes for thousands. The two of us together pulled off a home cooked five course seated dinner, country-side, and it was brilliant.
Tracy ordered rentals, booked the string quartet, arranged flowers, designed graphics, and basically planned the menu. I came in at the eleventh hour and baked a cake and cooked off the entrée, a little well done.
Mom really started the two of us on this party-planning journey, even while holding down a full-time job back when that was really not the thing she would set the table, make fancy food, and have us put on our best clothes to come together and break bread. That’s a gift that continually gives, the desire to feed and care for others, making meals memorable and soul stirring, whether it be scrambled eggs with toast and homemade jam or a wedding celebration for 200+.
There were sixteen of us that night, my sister and I with our men, her eight grandchildren, and two life-long young friends. Most of us took turns raising a glass and offering a toast, telling stories with love and affection of fun and crazy times. An 80thbirthday is reason to celebrate. Mom, you are beautiful, independent, curious, elegant, and ever-evolving. Happy Birthday and wishing you many returns of the day.
day 10, a clean palate
In an effort to minimize, so far to go with that concept, for new house down south furnished in a flash I stuck with a color palate of white, grey, and dark brown, or one of my favorite words chocolate. Mostly white and grey, and we moved fast.
At Rooms to Go we picked up two white leather pieces, a sofa and a loveseat. The rest of the haul came from Restoration Hardware, and not embarrassed to say Restoration Hardware Outlet. Husband likes to move fast, no time to wait for special orders.
First night in the new house we slept on a mattress on the floor, and second daughter Booie slept on a yoga mat on the floor. In a land of plenty it was fun in a weird strange way. Booie and I also spent a night with no power, and that was fun too. Candlelight and early to bed.
Kind of like building a wardrobe based on a cohesive color story, furnishing this place with limited choice made it so much easier to make decisions. Of course, you always need to mix things up or throw in a curve ball, hence the Hermes orange cushions for outdoor seating area. Really like that little pop in what is otherwise Zen-like and serene.
Today’s work outfit was tone on tone too. Black cashmere V-neck, black leather skirt, soft white scarf, taupe suede boots, keeping it all in the same family made it so much easier to get out the door.
Every day dress, clothes: neutrals, interiors: mostly grey and white, food: Prosecco in the office and take-out for dinner.
Day 10, check.
day one
I have a bad habit of making things harder than they need be. Here we go with day one and I’m supposed to post twice a day and maybe to Instagram stories and I still haven’t totally figured that out yet and supposedly it’s super easy so I’m going all old school with photos from the camera.
It was Sunday, and the day before husband and I drove to buy pansies by the dozens as I just can’t wait for spring. Planted most of those pansies in pots on the terrace and cooked up this month’s Food & Wine Italian Spring inspired Stewed Chicken Legs and Thighs with Fresh Herbs and Olives, Sautéed Chicories with Chile Oil, and Pear Crostata.
Really didn’t know what Chicories were, and now I do: Chicories are closely related to lettuces, but heartier and with a bitter edge. Cool weather crops that come into season in late fall (and last in temperate climates through early spring), chicories provide a lot of flavor to seasonal fall and winter meals. Thank you to The Spruce Eats. I guess I sort of did because Food & Wine didn’t specify radicchio and I picked that up at market anyways.
Planting and cooking took most of the day, also got in a long walk and some yard clean-up. Outfit of the day was denim on denim and vintage Bogner ski jacket.
Day one, check.
déjà vu
Another snowy February day, another chicken dinner. Really didn’t know what I was thinking, set the table for eight yet we only had six, must really be missing those college co-eds.
We’ve been reading; a book about a couple living in France and trying to speak the language exclusively, Gwyneth’s new book The Clean Plate, and a book gifted by second daughter, Ann Hood’s Kitchen Yarns. Ann’s writing about The Silver Palate’s legendary Chicken Marbella made my mouth water so much that I had to go to market to gather chickens and prunes. It was delicious.
Decided to do some Parker House rolls as well, because, well, it’s snowy and it’s February. Anything with melted butter and flaky sea salt is a win win. The broccoli was because of Gwyneth.
If you’re wondering what to do for an at home Valentine’s dinner, Chicken Marbella could be a consideration. We added couscous simmered in homemade vegetable stock, and caramelized crème brûlée. Chocolates would be welcome, of course.
Paperwhites are from dear friend, thank you, and give hope for spring.
Déjà vu everyone, xoxo.
just couldn’t wait
Weekend activities included several trips to grocery and nursery as even though the landscape guy said he could/would fill the pots, I simply just couldn’t wait.
Large purple plants were on display at grocery for what seemed like weeks and no-one was buying, snow flurries and all. Scooped up 8 of them in two separate trips, and than 5 flats of violas, two separate trips also, at the nursery down the street. Had some potting soil on hand and away we went, dressed up all 8 pots, all monochromatic, because that’s just easy. Never mind we had to cover them all with clear kitchen trash bags while the temperature dipped at nightfall.
Need some spring, and just couldn’t wait.
Happy Monday dear readers, and almost, can you believe it, May?
xoxo
back in the mix
The post below we wrote days ago and never hit submit, it was one of those things. Longest winter I ever recall, except perhaps for blizzard of ’77, and then I was eleven, and ate frozen donuts for days on end. This time around we stayed in, and moped, and cooked.
Finally feeling like we’re getting back in the mix, it hit 72 degrees here today, and we put on a skirt. A navy tweed skirt and a brighter blue v-neck sweater, and some silver shoes. We like things easy, and this was easy.
Yesterday we went for a country drive, wedding planning and site visit, and did some chick pea quesadillas for dinner, that was easy too.
chick pea quesadilla with greens
scratch red pepper pappardelle with spinach and tomatoes on warmed plates
laminated scratch pasta, why not?
denim shirt, denim apron, un-ironed linen napkin, honest food
one lone pizza with pepperoni, women in the family moving towards plant-based meals
Even though we have sunshine the dogs don’t even really want to go out, it’s been so wickedly unspring like. We’re simply tucking in, and doing things like scratch red pepper pasta, and scratch pizza dough; come on fair weather we’ve got a wedding to shape up for, carb loading be over.
youngest of six at Providence College
While on the road the weekend before we toured Providence College, it was cold and windy there too. We spontaneously caught up with Steve Martin and Martin Short, they were spectacularly funny, and we’re still laughing.
hydrangea and eucalyptus, one on the left kind of checked out
Sorry for rambling unorganized post, simply working on getting back in the mix.
xoxo
engagement story
Two years ago Christmas dinner our first of four daughters shed tears at the table believing she would never have her one to love. Hearts on hold, all around.
Ensuing days brought more shared meals, both celebratory and with deep conversation. Keep the faith, you are absolutely beautiful, and maybe try Tinder? She was like, ‘mom, really, a dating app?’, and I was like yes, absolutely. When you dress beautiful women you also listen to intimate details, and Tinder was one.
She hit pause, and then in the quiet of one night or an afternoon or not really sure, logged on, and in.
Direct match, and they had even met before, a year or two ago, and now had mutual friends and cousins and colleagues all intertwined, Two martinis and dinner at Nobu she shared with me they made out in the ATM bank lobby that first meeting, and I couldn’t have been happier hearing about lips locking, on the first night out. That rush and lust feeling at first sight, priceless.
Fast forward to summer weekends at the country house, a casual long ski weekend in upstate New York, a beach weekend or two in NH with his crowd, and then ten of us in Portugal this summer and it’s all feeling family familiar,
Late summer forces apartment and lease and roommate renewals, and naturally they draw together and make things work. An apartment for two, and they talk futures, and diamonds.
He calls the husband, as he’s traditional that way, and they arrange a Monday night NYC dinner for two, and cap it off with ‘let’s toast and drink some champagne’, my heart beats at the thought. He tells him he believes deeply she will want to celebrate with family, and wants to propose to her in her hometown, Buffalo. WOW.
Husband call me excitedly and say’s ‘babe, figure out a way to get her home, with him, this weekend, and it’s got be down low, and vague’. Cool, I’ve got this…sure. Lightbulb moment, mandatory family Saturday attic cleaning! Call her Wednesday morning telling her she’s the only one that gets my madness and I need her and the attic is disaster and fire hazard and I’m headed for a breakdown and she needs to be home and if she wants she can bring him with her LOL and dad will pay for flights. Bingo, she’s in, and flying home to BUF, with her man, for the weekend, and cleaning the attic.
Stealth text messaging with future son-in-law to be took place, ‘how about your parents?’, and he likes that idea. They book flights, we book the room, and a celebratory Saturday evening dinner is planned, unbeknownst to her, and everyone else. Family dinners are normal, yet engagement dinners, this is a first.
Lizzie was face-timed in
Entire family is put on mandatory attic cleaning, even the away college freshman. NO ONE knows anything. Lizzie can’t make it, she’s got weekend theatre rehearsals for a school play with two characters, and she’s one of them, haha.
They fly in late Friday, and there’s pizza, and wine, and a beer or two for him. Saturday morning 11 am sharp we start cleaning the attic. Ethan and Maxwell and Lexi arrive afterwards, tuck into the leftovers, and play video games and go virtual golfing. He cracks a beer before noon, as that was his day. Told the family I was too overworked to cook, and we were eating out, and the only last-minute place we could get on a Saturday night was dinner at the club and jacket and tie were required.
Husband and he are scheming, for proposal spots, and when. I run to the airport under pretense of heading to the studio, and shuttle his parents to downtown club, where festivities were planned.
Husband is like a cat on a hot tin roof, and future son-in-law is deciding a kitchen table, late afternoon, family wide proposal is key. WOW. Okay, we’ve got this, and chill: open a little wine, play a little music, call a family meeting to discuss holiday and Christmas calendars.
We gather, and there’s printed calendars and activities on table to consider, and he starts to talk, out loud, to all of us, thanking us for including him, and that he’s looking forward to Christmas, and every Christmas after that with our daughter, and it starts getting a little surreal, and then he’s down on his knee with the most brilliant diamond ever asking her to marry him. WOW.
Tears and shaking and champagne popping and it’s incredible.
Engaged.
We’re all overjoyed, and celebrate where most of our life takes place, in the heart of the home, the kitchen, and the garden.
Cocktails at seven, and dinner at eight, with his parents, and she still doesn’t know they are in town. I had a new dress for her, kind of like when we surprised her for her sweet sixteen, yet this time there was an added gift of fine lingerie, to match her dress, of course.
Met at the club bar, and his parents were there. She was ecstatic.
Set menu, candlelight, flowers, piano; enchanting.
Club pool, and cigars. Husband and I head home, and they all head out into the excitement of the night, and life.
Every day dress, engagement story, love all around. xoxo
all took place a week ago Saturday
all photos by her twin brother
maxwellmichaels.shootproof.com
weekend things
farmer’s market, by bike, in the rain
setting up for the week ahead
they did brunch, with bloody’s and mimosas
ham and cheese, with bacon, double decadent
Twenty-three photos in this one, so hang on, thinking we need to explore video, yet not yet. Monday through Friday, and very choice weekends, we’re working our styling thing, dressing beautiful women in beautiful clothing. Those two end-days hit and it’s all about kitchen, and garden, and time spent outdoors. As the days get shorter we’re moving a little indoors, and shown here are a few intimate weekend thing highlights. Intimate, as we’re not all dressed, kind of how it is in our downtime. 🙂
happy at home
look close, there’s really two dogs there
Winston!
when making bolognese, we simple triple, in two pots
stacks plates, asparagus in water, messy counter, working on that
gifted wine, and pastry dough, waiting…
taller than him, even barefoot :), might even weigh more, not looking, yikes
you know, butter is love….
Saturday night, at home
We like to cook, and feed those we love, always.
wilted herbs, and candles at brunch, all okay
why not put the fresh squeezed OJ in the fancy decanter
simple greens with beets and cucumbers, for breakfast
the real deal maple in a small flower vase, on the griddle, keeping it warm
Every day dress, and weekend things, that feed our soul into the days ahead. xoxo
Sunday night minestrone, works for Monday too
Booie polished some of the silver, getting ready, and dried hydrangea in wooden bowl
keeping it simple, weekend things
last first day
Sixth child of six handled her first day of senior high exactly as she slipped into this world; low-key, super easy, and just like that.
She was out the door and gone before I even put the coffee on. Looked for her car upon my rise, and no, not there.
Her birth date was exact: almost born in the elevator, and husband delivered her before doc could get there. We knew the drill, head down, fluid clear, let’s go. Nurse was as nervous as hell.
In the room that night woke up and missed her, why oh why does she need to be in the newborn nursery, she belongs right here, right now.
This child knows things beyond her years, and we love her beyond infinity.
Last first day, and every day dress. xoxo