On the Road

the gondola on the way down

Here it is the half-way point of the year and I’m not quite sure how we got here so fast. We’ve been on the road.

the athletes before team open water swim practice
the bike stage
the early morning sky from our bedroom deck

Sixteen of us gathered in Mont Tremblant to cheer on second son Maxwell while he competed in the 70.3 Ironman. It was an achievement on so many levels: he doing the triple athletic crown, us doing the summit get together.

the arrival of London girl and Boston girl. They met up at the Montreal airport. There were so many moving pieces to get us all in one place.
tank tops and denim were on full rotation
cross-body bags too for walking all over
Rory and BaPa in matching fits; unplanned
Gang’s all here
race day cheer squad

There were times husband and I couldn’t string together a full sentence or think a clear thought, we were organizing and hosting all of it. Every moment as they say priceless.

precious and handsome
all in for Peyton
we all love pasta 🙂
we all love beer too
Ethan grilling for the crew
Apricot and plumb
oysters are always a good idea
beautiful and handsome
denim rules
every day is a new day

Anyway, back in the USA now and trying to prep the country house for 4th of July activities. Went to two nurseries and almost all plant materials are gone, picked up what I could and decided I was just going to go for it. We have the full property to get ready for guests by the coming weekend, it’s full tilt go time. I know I do most of it for my own satisfaction, I also know that when family and friends arrive they expect the full experience, again, my total doing.

Back in the USA and came home to this fine display
yay hydrangeas, husband and I planted these seven seasons ago
gathered these annuals to fill our pots, it feels late in the season yet doing it anyway
the potting area
Flat lay of the neutral wardrobe with a very good book, thank you Diana 🙂


Here’s my thought: go with your gut and gather supplies in a color palette you know and love. When time is of the essence it’s hard to try new things. I chose red, blue, yellow, and chartreuse, all colors I wear on my body when not wearing neutrals. I chose the best plants they had on hand and leaned into making good things happen when I was deep down feeling anxious and stressed.

Anxiety and stress won’t get those plants in their pots. Head down, and dug in.

Home or away, it seems we’re always on the road.

root bound, but it’s okay. I teased them about before planting
while boating, she decided she was done so she simply got her binkey and put herself horizontal on the floor, love that

dress over pants

One of my go-to style tricks is to start the day with a black bodysuit and black skinny jeans and runaround everywhere and get stuff done. When it’s time to leave the house, office, or studio and face the world outside simply layer over top: a jacket, a knit, or even a dress, add some […]

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six reasons why I don’t diet

Family, and a few close friends, know I can throw down a four-letter word or two with the best of them, unfortunately. Profanity has been a recent addition to my lexicon, as has wine-drinking, if you count the last five or eight years as recent.  While raising kids using four letter words or having a […]

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new jeans in town

Yeah, every time I travel, I buy a new pair of jeans. Always searching for the next best pair thinking they will somehow make life better. This time it was Mother, a high rise and an extra wide leg because you know about those extra wide legs. These are a little tight, probably could have […]

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three new things

Last Mother’s Day weekend we were in NYC doing wedding shower things and four daughters gifted me with some beauty things from Bluemercury. One of the products was a divine lip balm from La Mer. I absolutely loved it as it gave just the slightest hint of soft pink color, moisturized and conditioned, and gave […]

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day 20+, checking in, checking out

Came for the weekend, staying for twelve plus or so. Husband says every day can be a Saturday, not quite there yet. We’ve been checked in at downtown Greenville SC Springhill Suites, and have yet to ride those cool retro bikes. Peloton yes, every morning in the hotel gym, and outdoor steps 12,000+. Bought a […]

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day 18, need new pants

white blouse, navy sweater, plaid pants

So, a few nights ago spent way too long in the closet packing for spontaneous weekend getaway. I decided very last minute to join husband for trip to see third daughter’s college theatre performance. That was Thursday for early morning Friday flight. Once in Charlotte connecting flight delayed, so we simply decided to rent a car to get there in time. Ended up packing the usual, two dresses, a black sweater, white jeans, black jeans, grey tee. Wore the usual, black silk blouse, blue denim, trench, it was raining. Packing drives me absolutely crazy. The ridiculous thing is that it always comes down to the exact same stuff. I’ve been asked repeatedly to do a packing post, and not sure why I hesitate. I guess it’s just that I dread the whole ordeal, and sharing the process seems so very personal. I get it done, and most always in a carryon, yet I sit on the floor and wonder why oh why. Once I get on the plane all is fine, it’s just throwing stuff in the bag that freaks me out.

While on said plane, I did a complete virtual wardrobe overhaul. Kind of fun as it’s just virtual and you can delete items at will. In the cart were wide leg white linen pants, and black cotton straight leg trousers, thinking and knowing I will totally hit send on those two.

Transitioning between seasons can leave gaps in the wardrobe for sure, and that closet sit-down when trying to get out of town was no fun at all. Pants are the hardest thing to get right. They require try-ons and most often some alterations. I think if you find some you love, buy in multiples.

Every time I travel, I buy a new pair of jeans, always trying to get them right. I have stacks of jeans.

In the meantime, here are some photos of my current other favorite pair, shot by my son, and of course paired with white stretch cotton blouse.

For the show wore black jeans and black silk blouse with white scarf, so very original. The Furman Theatre production of John Proctor is the Villain, a new play by Kimberly Belflower, was outstanding, and so relevant to the world around us. I laughed, cried, and was emphatically moved, in all three two hours runs. Here’s a screen grab of some of the cast, our Elizabeth second from left. She too likes to wear black. 🙂

entire cast did amazing job, Elizabeth, second from left

Every day dress, clothes: plaid pants, white blouse, navy tweed cardigan, and need/want new pants.

Day eighteen, maybe. It’s now Monday, was supposed to fly out yesterday, that flight cancelled, and today’s flight cancelled too so who knows. One day runs into another, check.

twenty-one-day challenge

black Eres swimwear, photo by @maxyny
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. 

starched white shirt, really a city thing, yet wore it boating, sleeves rolled up

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.

lunch at Cabbage Key, Dolce & Gabbana phone case (last year’s version, similar here), Oliver Peoples sunglasses, Stella beer 🙂
started with the raw bar, and maybe there was a second Stella
I always go with house special, here you see Famous Black Beans & Rice with Blackened Mahi-Mahi
frozen key lime pie did not stand a chance
‘the bar with the money on the walls’
bes$t friends, with a black sharpie
dollar bills on the ceiling
if you too love clothes and food, come on along for the ride, should be fun

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.

out for a while

To cap off summer shenanigans, thank goodness as it’s been a long one, husband and I did a two-day getaway at The Red Horse Inn before hitting Greenville SC for Furman University family weekend.

we stopped at a small Amish store and bought ham off the bone, hot pepper cheese, a jar of mustard and mayonnaise and a loaf of bread

Hiking the foothills of the Blue Ride Mountains and making grilled ham and cheese sandwiches in the petite cabin kitchen were the activities, perfect. The new terrace of the main house was a great spot for a glass of wine or two.

denim shirt with wide legged navy pant

new season square toe lace up boot, a season or so ago bag

Yeah, we’ve been out for a while, and looking to get back in. Two life changes, a marriage and somewhat of an empty nest after sending youngest of six off to Providence College this fall and just gotta say the tank feels low. Things that got us going like writing, and cooking, and even dressing haven’t had the same pull. That’s a problem, as we named this site every day dress, not only to talk about clothes, but more about the idea of getting up, showing up, taking risks and putting yourself out there, and to perhaps help inspire a few women to do maybe a little of the same.

Simply putting this post up on this first day of October feels awkward, as we’ve fallen off the habit, kind of like the first day of school or the first day back at the gym after a too long hiatus. We know we like it, and that it’s good for us, it’s just that we’re out of the routine.

In talking with a client today she reminded me that research suggests it takes thirty days of regularly doing ‘a thing’ to make ‘a habit’. So here we are, with an awkward feeling post, hoping to get back to regularly writing, cooking, dressing.

All I can say is every day dress. xoxo