Asparagus & Eggs

For an easy meal, I love to cook asparagus and put sunny-side eggs on top.  For starters, grab a handful of asparagus (the thicker the better, and it should be very firm).  Bend the stalk to where it snaps easily. Rub with some EVOO and kosher salt, place on a Le Creuset Baking Dish and stick it in the oven for 15 minutes at 350 degrees.

Cook your eggs to desired doneness on stove, place on top gently so as not to break the yoke, and presto!

Plate: Gien Pont Aux Choux White

Bejeweled

Am digging this jewelry box from Reed & Barton that my adorable fiance gave to me recently.  Lining is in Christian Dior red velvet - so sumptuous!

The storage options are deceptively large.

Winter Warm

top: Haute Hippie, similar here; jacket: Vince, similar here; fur collar: Alice + Olivia, old; pants: Siwy; shoes: Alice + Olivia; pearl bracelet: vintage, purse: Balenciaga

Veuve Clicquot

There is a way to get champagne all over your sofa without actually spraying it all over the furniture...and that is to make pillows out of Veuve Clicquot fabric!  My mother Margaret and I love to scour antique markets in the hopes of finding a treasure or two.  In this case, mom found some fabulous Veuve Clicquot towels while out hunting one day.  We decided we wanted to showcase them so we had our favorite seamstress Marianne sew them into pillows with velvet beige backing.  As they say, the proof is in the pudding!  Gorgeous, no?

Other fabric shown here is Robert Allen "Bracelet" in Cobalt and a Laura Ashley yellow toile print, since discontinued

Mint & Pea Soup

I remember that as a child I despised pea soup.  It literally made me shudder.  Perhaps it was due to the fact that I despised vegetables, and pea soup is, in all reality, just a pureed blend of vegetables.  Regardless, I grew to love vegetables, and with the addition of some mint, grew to love pea soup as well!  Basing this recipe off a Barefoot Contessa recipe, I leave the creme fraich and scallions out that her recipe calls for and choose instead to round the flavor out with a swirl of EVOO and a sprig of mint on top.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts
1 cup chopped yellow onion
4 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
5 cups freshly shelled peas or 2 (10-ounce) packages frozen peas
2/3 cup chopped fresh mint leaves, loosely packed
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Extra-virgin olive oil, to taste

Extra mint leaves for garnishing

Begin by cleaning your leeks.  I personally have a love/hate relationship with leeks.  While I enjoy the taste of leeks, I despise cleaning them.  As I have learned, you can literally never clean a leek enough.  After you have cleaned them and chopped them, run them through the water again to dispose of any unwanted visitors (ie buggies and sand grit).  Melt the butter over medium-low heat, and then add your leeks and onions (chopped) to the mix.  Cook those over medium heat for 5-10 minutes or until the onions are translucent (do NOT caramelize these).  

 Add the chicken broth, and return to a boil.  Add your peas, and cook on boil for 3 minutes.

Take off heat and add your mint, salt, and pepper.  Start puree'ing on a food blender (hopefully your skill level with the Cuisinart is better than mine, note towel).

Once finished, pour a glass of Whole Foods 365 brand sparkling mint water, and enjoy together!

Eggcellent Breakfast

One of my favorite breakfasts of all time is scrambled eggs with a little bit of pepperjack cheese and tabasco, and a 'jazzed-up' grapefruit.

Ingredients:
2 omega-3 fortified eggs
Tabasco (green or red)
1/2 slice pepperjack cheese
Grapefruit
Honey
Nutmeg
Cinnamon
Vanilla Extract

Preheat oven to broil.  While waiting for the oven to heat, dress your grapefruit! I like to cut my grapefruit in half, drizzle honey, then give it a splash of vanilla extract, and throw some cinnamon and a dash of nutmeg on top.  Once you are ready to put it in the oven, do so and set timer for 5 minutes.

While the grapefruit is cooking, whisk both eggs together with some tabasco.  Make sure the pan is heated up appropriately, put a dash of olive oil into the bottom, and scramble your eggs making sure they stay 'soft' and not overcooked.  The trick is to cook them on a lower heat and continue to push them around.

Once the eggs are done deposit them onto a plate and drape 1/2 slice pepperjack cheese over them.  Add grapefruit and voila!

Servingware Patterns: Myott/Staffordshire Melody Blue and Pfaltzgraff Yorktowne

Sunday night feast

There are some weekends, specifically on a Sunday, when all you want to do is relax, catch up on reading, movies, etc.  In anticipation of having a low-key Sunday afternoon at home with my fiance, I decided to make him a warm, comfortable meal of penne alla vodka.  The recipe is courtesy of Nick & Toni's in East Hampton, by way of Ina Garten.  

Ingredients:
1/4 cup good olive oil
1 medium Spanish onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, diced
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 cup vodka
2 (28-ounce) cans peeled plum tomatoes
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3/4 pound penne pasta
4 tablespoons fresh oregano
3/4 to 1 cup heavy cream
Grated Parmesan cheese

Heat the olive oil in a large oven proof saute pan over medium heat, add the onions and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes until translucent. Add the red pepper flakes and dried oregano and cook for 1 minute more. Add the vodka and continue cooking until the mixture is reduced by half.

Meanwhile, drain the tomatoes through a sieve and crush them into the pan with your hands. Add 2 teaspoons salt and a pinch of black pepper.

Cover the pan with a tight fitting lid and place it in the oven for 1 1/2 hours. Remove the pan from the oven and let cool for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta al dente. Drain and set aside.

Place the tomato mixture in a blender and puree in batches until the sauce is a smooth consistency. Return to the pan.

Reheat the sauce, add 2 tablespoons fresh oregano and enough heavy cream to make the sauce a creamy consistency. Add salt and pepper, to taste, and simmer for 10 minutes. Toss the pasta into the sauce and cook for 2 minutes more. Stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan. Serve with an additional sprinkle of Parmesan and a sprinkle of fresh oregano on each plate.

There you have it! The most delicious recipe in the entire world.

A Night Out

top: Tibi; jeans: J Brand; shoes: Michael Michael Kors (old); belt: Hermes; fur collar: Alice + Olivia (old); pearl bracelet: vintage; pink enamel bracelet: Hermes; elephant bracelet: Kenneth Jay Lane; coat: J. Crew, old but similar here; nail polish: Essie Mint Candy Apple; clutch: Gucci, old

Drab to Fab

Sometimes there can be nothing more frustrating than an ugly, tired piece of furniture.  I know particularly as a 20-something year old that before you've "made it" you may think you have to compromise on furniture choices until you accumulate enough money to actually buy the pieces you like.  But with a little flexibility and creativity, you can get the furniture you've always wanted.

I have a very old bar tray in my apartment.  My puppy has chewed on the legs, things have been spilled on it.  It looks its age, to put it gently.  I was this close to throwing it out in a fit of spring cleaning when I actually stumbled on an epiphany.  Instead of focusing on what the cart lacked (expensive finishes, a sophisticated wood grain), I thought of what it embodied as an object.  The purpose of the bar tray is to facilitate good times!  That is what spurred me to paint it a cheerful, bright red.  I bought a quart of Sherwin-Williams "Real Red" in Semi-Gloss and got to work.  A couple coats of paint later, check out the complete transformation:

Albert Hadley, famed American Interior Design, loved symmetry.  However it's ok to not do things perfectly.  While the above set-up is linear, and focuses on the central part of the space, the items of varying shape, size, and category (flowers, bottles, framed crest) create a casual, relaxed vibe.  Add some fabulous PPD Silver Embossed Lace cocktail napkins and your bottle opener and you're ready for your party!

[Faux] Chicken Caesar

One of my favorite recipes of all time - the (faux) chicken caesar salad.  I call it 'faux' because there is no cream involved, and I use a French Mache mix instead of nutrient-devoid romaine lettuce.  The dressing is a Barefoot Contessa Mustard Vinaigrette.  The directions are as follows!

Arrange a fair amount of washed and spun-dried lettuce onto a plate.  I roast a chicken breast in an Oli + Ve French Walnut Olive Oil.  Bake one breast at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.  Slice thinly while still hot, arrange artfully over your lettuce, and drizzle your mustard vinaigrette over the top.  If you're feeling adventurous, grate some fresh parmesan over the top.  Bon appetit!

Back in Black (and brown, gray, and navy...)

Black is one of the easiest colors to use as an anchor to an outfit.  In times of wardrobe confusion, a no-fail outfit is always a black top, black pants, and black flats.  Throw some weighty, classic jewelry in the mix (think triple strand pearls, stacked and thick David Yurman bracelets, etc.) and you've got a guaranteed sharp and ladylike look.

While a pop of color can be a successful part of a look, one has to be very careful to do it correctly.  That is why I advocate for the use of other neutrals, like gray, navy, brown, and even some soft creams.

In writing this post I am reminded of an old friend of mine.  She used to dress in shades of black, navy, and brown every day regardless of temperature.  Occasionally she would wear gray, in the form of a cashmere scarf or tights.  I recall talking with her about how difficult pastels were to pull off for certain people.  It was then that she announced that gray IS her pastel and left me to absorb the sentiment.  At first I disagreed.  Pastels were supposed to be something that reminded you of cotton candy, or Lisa Frank stickers from the early 90s.

But then I thought, why CAN'T gray be a pastel?  Or any of these other colors, as a matter of fact?

Try a pair of slim black pants with a navy cashmere top.  Pair with a chunky, gold  J. Crew necklace, patent cream Salvatore Ferragamo bow heels, and a pair of retro Karen Walker tortoise sunglasses.  

Some of you reading are likely wrinkling your noses.  "Brown and black?  Hideous!" You may be saying to yourself.  But let's take a step back.  Think of when you wear a leopard accent with a black dress.  What is the other color besides black in the print?  Brown!  Why should it be any different for other parts of your outfit?  Consider how gorgeous an impeccable pair of Tory Burch brown equestrian inspired boots paired with the J. Crew Pixie Pant and a flowy caviar-colored silk Joie top.

It is great to incorporate brights and other trends - that is, if you want someone to notice your outfit.  If you want someone to notice you first and your outfit second, then stick with a more muted, classic look.

Grace Kelly

Pictures exist to capture a special moment in time.  They tell stories, and remind us of special moments in our lives.  However, what happens when we inadvertently date ourselves by a trend?  How awful is it to find a picture of ourselves during a happy time in our life, and have to cringe when we look at it because it belies our age?

It should be our goal to dress as cleanly as possible, every single day.  A slim pant, a silk shirt, and a pair of well-kept driving loafers or low heels topped with a handbag in a neutral color is an ideal everyday outfit.  By the way, red is now a neutral.

Consider Grace Kelly, below:



If I didn't know better, I would say that this might be a picture of a friend at a recent black tie ball (black and white photography notwithstanding).  Grace Kelly is considered an icon not only because of her beauty, but also because of her timeless fashion style.  As this picture reveals, she could be anyone, anywhere, in any decade.  The dress is cut cleanly, and she has accented with some feminine pearls and a broach.  She is nearly impossible to date.

Every day you should think after you get dressed, "will I look good in a photograph today?"  And no excuses!  If you don't have time to dry your hair, put it into a sleek bun.  No time for makeup?  One swipe of lip gloss and a great smile will get you anywhere.  Take care of your shoes, they are the part of you people focus on first after your face. You get the picture.  Excuses are the bars that keep us in prison.  Let go of them, and do your best every day.  Life (and an inadvertent photograph!) happens when you least expect it.