There’s something so soul satisfying about pulling leaves off of a basil stem. We’ve been watering those things all summer long and now it’s time to pull in the harvest. Even from a small kitchen pot garden it’s a gratifying thing when you make time for pesto.
Pesto tolerates time in the freezer, yikes, the only thing in there now is ice cream and gelato.
Every day dress, make time for pesto.
When fashion week is going on in the big city and you claim you’re a fashion and lifestyle blog and you’re home working, you kind of have to default to the lifestyle stuff, how in the world else can the content be the least bit interesting? There are tons of blogs and social sites out there reporting on all that’s happening, and we’re home watching.
We’ve talked about this before, this is an every day site, accessible to all and existing to inspire to find the good and the style in the every day of every day.
So, here’s what’s been happening: husband and I have decided there’s been much too indulgence in the French trinity of bread, wine, cheese. Cutting back on all but heck no not eliminating. And back to the gym, this new trainer is all about push-ups. Politely asked the trainer that in addition to the body we could focus on the chin, arms, abs trinity, ha.
Lunch for two inspired by NET-A-PORTER video of some fabulous stylish London woman prepping a salad with one egg for the protein part. Oh, it was beautiful, and sometimes think that vegetables and one egg could do it for lunch but have now lived long enough and have kind of learned that maybe there’s more. There’s always so much to do after lunch: work, house, pick-up, laundry, garden, dinner, clean-up, dogs etc etc.
When it’s just two, greens and a piece of cod, quite nice.
When it’s six you need to mix in some rice, and some tortillas, and a pile of cheese. Vegetables still there, and green peppers are prime now, so sauté those separately from the onions and then stir them all together when both are at the right doneness.
Every day dress, lunch for two dinner for six. Fashion coming back soon, off to France again this coming weekend. Oh, trinity, bread, wine, cheese.
Simple post here: while the husband is off in Newport RI and Boston MA getting twenty-something daughters prepped for the new school and work year, we stayed upstate, (teenaged daughters and I), and spent just about every cent we had on their back to school stuff.
One thing we came home with that always brings pleasure and satisfaction, a new stack of dish towels. Tried and true and maybe a bit pedestrian but when you feel like so much is going on all around you there is a feeling of well-being when opening the kitchen drawer and finding freshly laundered and ironed dish towels. No fabric softener here, we want to the real deal. Like scented candles on the dining table, some things are left better undone.
Every day dress, tried and true and finding order in the kitchen by bringing home new towels.
Wishing everyone a safe Labor Day weekend filled with rest and relaxation.
Kitchen Towels | Williams Sonoma
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)
Totally on the edge right about now, wanting everyone to get back to where they need to be come September 1st. Have had this feeling every end of summer since having a couple of kids, simply wanting everyone to get through the swimming, boating, driving, flying, (drinking), safely, and to resume work, study, play.
Last weekend we tucked in about 34 adults for food and drink at the ski house for husband’s office weekend retreat. Dina’s Restaurant, thank you, food was out of the park and you took the edge off of being on the edge.
Every day dress, honestly, a little on the edge. Be safe everyone. xo
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.
Okay, the leather culottes are in the closet, gray cashmere pullover is on order, we’ve seen the brightest moon in six years, and all of a sudden we’re working full days. Even with all that and back to school schedules creeping in, let’s keep this summer time thing going just a bit longer…
Stopped at the market and picked up all that was fresh. Peaches, of course, and zucchini, eggplant, and plum tomatoes. Had the fish man fillet a full halibut, no photos, we started to have too much fun in the kitchen. Cooked up some pasta too, we had a three-year old and one year old, let’s keep this going.
While fall clothes and colors are all about us I’m still about white shorts, cotton voile shirts, and black cashmere sweaters borrowed from the husband after a full day in the office.
Every day dress, let’s keep this going, Summer 2014, not over yet.
Been a little slow with the post feed, sometimes you can feel a little all alone out here. 🙂 Travel schedule’s been crazy, and working a Trunk Show downtown to boot.
So, here goes: Saturday night stood in the closet and pulled on multiple outfits, nothing seemed right. Husband promised two teenaged daughters tickets to One Republic with a friend each and we were the escorts. Final pick? A crew neck sweater from last season and white skinnies. Honestly getting a bit tired of skinny jeans, but they really always seem to work and in a hurry.
Once you get dressed and out the door it all seems easier. The gorgeous beautiful teenagers even had outfit anxiety and they had really nothing to worry about. They chose short shorts of some kind and tank tops, how hard is that when you haven’t hit twenty?
Thinking the crew neck was okay. Every guy in the band, and there were six, had on a crew neck tee. Even THEY had outfit anxiety, or so it seems. Lead singer, Ryan Tedder, expressed at the end of the show before the Louis Armstrong encore that they had toured upstate for what has seemed like forever and next time they pass through they really want some new clothes. They’re pretty much in the big time now and were headed straight to Jersey. How funny, how true. We all like new clothes.
Next day, Sunday, did the country thing and let it all go. At the end of the day it’s really about family and coming together. Salad, sautéed zucchini, and grilled chicken with bottled BBQ sauce.
Every day dress, crew neck. Boys in the band? You all looked great, wishing you much continued success.
Seems the more you go, the less you need, especially off duty. For west coast on the go trip, essentials included:
Cashmere wrap and silk scarf, blue jeans and white jeans, denim skirt, black blazer and black workout jacket, black boatneck sweater, white shorts and black exercise pants, tanks and tees, mostly on the black side, one pair of sandals, two pairs of sneakers but really only needed one, one pair of black boots. One bright handbag, and most important, handsome husband and two teenaged daughters.
Started in LA and drove up the coast and flew out of San Francisco. Temperatures ranged from 102 to below 60. Really into this carry on thing and keeping it light. Such a drag to haul so much stuff all over.
For off duty travel, cashmere, denim,white, and black. Easy.
Now it’s all on duty for Fall 14 Trunk Show. Starts tomorrow, Wednesday, and goes through next week Wednesday, August 13th.
You can do it. With the right stuff off duty travel for seven or eight days with only a carry-on is so possible.
Every day dress, off duty travel.
