Planning a party at home is worth every single minute of effort and expense you put into it.
Continue readingHow to Host an Outdoor Bridal Shower
Coq au Vin at the Country House
Even though it can often take days of prep, cooking good food at home helps to keep the family close.
Continue readingL.L. Bean Boat Tote
The L.L Bean Boat Tote is a long-time classic, as are Deviled Eggs.
Continue readingDouble Pesto
I cut back three pots of basil to make a double batch of pesto for the freezer.
Continue readingPeanut in Portugal
taking some time to read for pleasure
Continue readingday 8, or is it 9
Started the day in the pool at 5:30 am for lap swim, something I’m uncomfortable with yet I know is good for me and feels incredibly good when done. Followed that wet half mile with an hour of spin (including very hard push-ups) and try to get that double session in once a week. Other days its Tracy Anderson or maybe walking lunges and sit-ups or maybe even just walking. It’s a good day when that MyMotiv ring circles in at 16,000+.
Went for the annual physical and passed, with pretty good marks. Had some problems with the close-up eye screen hahaha and the nurse practitioner told me I could use my readers and then we were just fine. I honestly think that good health is closely related with making your bed, wearing good clothes, and eating good food.
Tomorrow I’m meeting again with Williams Media for another go-round of blog overhaul and marketing talk. They too are making me uncomfortable, yet like those laps in the pool it’s a very good thing. Have I used the word ‘good’ too many times? Posting to Instagram Stories twice a day is where I’m not passing. 🙂
Anyways, today I was all about black leather jeans with a little kick at the hem, a striped cashmere ‘jumper’ like by blog crush Alyson Walsh of That’s Not My Age would call my sweater, and a good pair of sneakers. If you don’t know of her jump on over to her here by clicking on this link: That’s Not My Age. Her post today about what to keep and what to chuck so timely with the city house cleaning overhaul going on. She also wrote a few books, her most recent ‘Know Your Style‘.
In these photos here I most definitely know my style: jeans and knits and sneakers forever, whatever the textile may be. We should all get and be and feel comfortable with what we wear.
Every day dress, clothes: leather and cashmere, food: leftovers, ha!. 🙂
Day 8, or is it 9? check. xoxo
day 7
Last summer husband and I basically Marie Kondo’d the country house, nothing like having an on-site wedding to get you going, and now I’m feeling the urge to purge city-side too.
We were a family of eight living hard and large with kids doing all kinds of sports and activities. Most of them are launched, two come home this summer from college.
We built our house from the ground up and it was brand spanking new when we moved in. Like most things after fifteen years I’m feeling its age, and well-loved wear. I can’t do a complete overhaul, completely out of the question, so I’m taking whole days and some whole weekends and doing a clean-sweep.
used to do tons of canning, all those jars sitting empty
It’s me doing the work, and it’s okay, and therapeutic. Started with the fridge and pantry because of course that gives immediate results. Clean fridge lends a cleaner mind. Actually, those are the first two things I organize when home from a trip. Kept on cleaning and last night I even washed down walls.
As for style when working at home I’m all about a favorite pair of blue jeans, these are boyfriend style, can’t really get on the high-rise kick, a tank for when it gets hot, and simple, easy cashmere pieces.
Every day dress, clothes: denim and knits, food: took my mom out to dinner.
Day 7, 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.
twenty-one-day challenge
Eres swimwear, absolute favorite
I’ve been here, there, and everywhere, not really sure where to really land. Is it food, or clothes, or style, or simply life?
I used to be pretty fearless and fairly consistent with what we would throw up on social media, particularly the blog here, and now fearless the word is one of our zillion passwords yet not how I’m currently operating.
Anyways, I’ve been keeping on, kind of walking the walk, for sure making the bed, showing up, getting dressed, making dinner. No real blog record, we kind of got lost in the weeds, and that happens.
For sure I have goals, and I’ve been asked to write a mission statement, as I’ve called in some professionals for a bit of an overhaul. So here goes wear good clothes, eat great food, love those around you. Pretty simple, yet it took years to get here, with roundabouts all over. If pressed, and honest, my ultimate goal would be to write a book.
Williams Media, the professionals on board, have also challenged me to get back to the basic premise here at every day dress with a three-week posting schedule, Monday through Friday, of what I’m wearing and what I’m eating. Writing and photos all about clothes and food! If I had one last day on this very sweet earth, I would so want to be wearing a really good outfit while enjoying a really fine meal, heaven on earth, I love you all.
You see, when you’re running on empty the probably best way to refuel is to be solidly consistent. I’ve been challenged, and I just might fail, so be it. In the meantime, I’m going with daily outfit looks as I’m all about clothes, and daily food pics as I’m really at the heart of it all about clothes and food, and not necessarily in that order.
Williams Media, challenge accepted.
Every day dress, twenty-one-day challenge. If you too love clothes and food, come on along for the ride, should be fun. xoxo
ps. does this count? hyper-linked clothes and accessories and food.
a pinstriped dress
If I could I might spend forever living in the Italian countryside wearing only clothes by Brunello Cucinelli, cooking and eating pasta with family and dear friends all the while drinking Brunello di Montalcino.
For now (or the month of March) I’ll live and be in Saint Petersburg FL, work and plan for upcoming trunk show, cook and eat pasta, maybe drink a beer, and perhaps gift my husband with a cashmere sweater or two, because I always borrow. Husband’s cashmere sweaters from Cucinelli are always the best.
Every day dress and a great pinstriped dress. xoxo