Lately

The weather has finally shifted in DC and it feels like fall is here.  I can't believe that I was in sunny Hawaii just a couple of weeks ago!  I'll be doing a post soon on a recap of the trip and also a more in depth one on my stay at Ritz Carlton in Kapalua (it was amazing!).  Last weekend I had a great dinner with friends at Bobby Vans.  The highlight was when the waiter carted out a 4 pound prime rib and carved it tableside.  We ended the evening at the bar at the St. Regis which is a cozy place for a nightcap.  We tried for Off the Record at the Hay Adams but it was packed after a wedding reception.  I've never seen it that busy before!

Friday night I made Ina's chicken pot pie.  I like to have some meals stowed away in the freezer for when I just don't have the energy to cook and after our long trip home from Hawaii it was great to be able to just defrost the filling which I had made a month prior.  This recipe makes a huge amount and you can alter the vegetables to whatever you prefer.  You can do a pie crust or puff pastry to top it.  I used Trader Joe's pie crust this time, but have also made the recipe that goes along with it and done puff pastry in the past.  If you're doing puffed pastry make sure to purchase the Pepperidge Farm brand and don't cook the crust on top of the pot pie filling.  Flip the dishes that you plan on using over the puff pastry and trace the dough out.  Bake on a separate sheet and top the bowls containing the filling when they come out of the oven.  

Ina Garten's Chicken Pot Pie

The past couple of years I've had my eye on some cute plaid shirts, but they sell out so quickly as the holidays approach.  I snagged three this week and can't wait to wear them this winter!

L.L. Bean/J. Crew Factory/L.L. Bean

I've been looking for some fun costume jewelry to pair with my outfits for upcoming Christmas parties and have narrowed my search down to some beautiful earrings and a statement pearl necklace.

Nordstrom/Accessory Concierge/Nordstrom

Tonight I'm planning on having a relaxing night in making cauliflower soup and drinking rose while catching up on the season finale of Below Deck.  Tomorrow we have a couple friends' birthdays so we will be out on the town for the evening.  Sunday I have a monthly brunch book club that I attend with friends.  The book is The Lowland and I'm bringing Ina's caesar salad.

Have a great weekend!

Thanksgiving Essentials

Wearing

With only two weeks remaining until Thanksgiving it's time to start planning what I'm wearing and most importantly what I'm going to eat and drink!  I'm headed up to Northern PA to my in-laws' lake house and can't wait to sit by the fireplace, take walks around the lake, and wear my pajamas til afternoon.

Since this is a casual Thanksgiving there won't be a need to dress up.  I'm ordering a couple of fitted Scotch plaid flannel shirts and will pair one of them with navy ponte travel pants and matching Ferragamo Varinas.  A fun chunky pearl necklace will make the look a little more special.

Eating

Last year Jason and I hosted both our families and some friends for Thanksgiving.  It was our first time having both sets of parents at the new condo we purchased.  I had a great time cooking and having a long galley kitchen is perfect for prep.  This year my mother in-law will do most of the cooking, but I wanted to include some recipes that are my staples and would make a lovely addition to a Thanksgiving menu.

Butternut Squash Soup with Fontina Cheese Crostini

Recipe by Giada De Laurentiis

Such a delicious soup!  Make sure to include the crostini with it.  To make the squash easier to handle, halve it first and roast in the oven until tender than scoop the flesh out and add it when the recipe directs.

Pomegranate, Arugula Salad

Recipe by Tyler Florence

You can find pomegranate molasses in the Middle Eastern aisle of the grocery store, but if your store doesn't have it you can just reduce pomegranate juice down until it is a syrup.  

Homemade Gravy

Recipe by Ina Garten

The addition of two onions makes this gravy something special.

Classic Mashed Potatoes

Recipe by Ina Garten

The best mashed potatoes.  Sometimes I add half and half or heavy whipping cream instead of the whole milk.

Classic Green Bean Casserole

Recipe by Cooks Illustrated

Not your traditional canned green bean casserole.  You make a homemade cream of mushroom soup for this recipe.  It's worth the effort.

Scalloped Potatoes

Recipe by Food Network Kitchen

This is probably my favorite potato recipe.  Make sure to have a mandolin if you're making this

Herb-Roasted Turkey Breast

By Ina Garten

So much easier than dealing with a whole turkey and it's only the white meat!

Drinking

I like to have a variety wines at the ready for Thanksgiving and a great cocktail to start things off.  This year I'm going to pick up a nice gin and some fancy tonic water so I can mix up aperitifs.  I like the Fever Tree tonic waters, but if I can find it I prefer the Q tonic water in the small cans.

As far a wine selection is concerned I like to leave it to the experts at my local wine stores.  DC has numerous wine shops with fantastic selections, but my favorites are Schneider's, Calvert Woodley, and Weygandt Wines.  We'll be bringing a crisp, almost effervescent white, a dry rose, and a lush French red.

Bringing

Williams and Sonoma has the most beautiful copper wine coaster.  I gave one to my mother last Christmas, and she went back to purchase an additional one.  It would make the perfect hostess gift.

Have a fabulous weekend!

Window Shopping Wednesday: Ballet Flats

One of the reasons I love DC so much is that it is an extremely walkable city.  Being able to go to the bakery, grocery store, and wine shop on a Saturday morning almost feels like a little luxury when it just requires heading out my door.  I take the metro to work but have a nice walk to and from it.  Since I'm not driving to the office that means heels are packed in my handbag, and ballet flats are on my feet.  One of the first pairs I purchased when I moved to DC were Tory Burch, but I found that the elastic backs didn't wear well and at the time it seemed like everyone had a pair.  Since then I've transitioned to Ferragamo's Varina flats, and love collecting the different colors.  I prefer the patent leather version as it wears better and has a dressy feel.  I've also purchased the classic Chanel ballet flat with the patent toe, but the delicate leather doesn't make them suitable for day to day wear.  I have my eye on some new ballet flats and am including some of these on my Christmas list.

Ferragamo Varina

Perfect for the upcoming holiday season and would look darling with a fitted plaid flannel shirt and navy ponte leggings.

Cole Haan Tartine

When I saw these in the store I did a double take.  The metallic is identical to my Jimmy Choo wedding heels.  In fact, Jimmy Choo also makes a pair of ballet flats that are similar but for $550.

Ferragamo Varina

This is a pre-order that won't ship until April, but color is just too pretty not to share!  These would pair perfectly with Lilly.

Talbots Jilly

An affordable option that still have the shape of a designer shoe.  I find that inexpensive ballet flats tend to be boxy in shape.  This pair has a slim toe box and the bow reminds me of Chanel. 

Cole Haan Tali

These would be great for days that entail lots of errands.  I tried these on and the cushioning is something you usually don't see in ballet flats.  I also liked the feel of the high back.

Burberry Shipley

I've always had a love for Burberry but haven't purchased a pair of their shoes yet.  I would pair these with leggings and an oversize sweater.

Packing for Hawaii

In two short days I'm off to Hawaii for close to two weeks.  The weather in DC is starting to cool down so it will be nice to forgo sweaters and coats in favor of sundresses and bikinis!  On Sunday I pulled the clothes that I'm bringing and wanted to share some of my Lilly that's going in my suitcase as well as some accessories.  This is my third trip to Hawaii in the past couple of years, and I think I've figured out what works the best for packing for the islands.

Breezy dress for a sunset happy hour

 

Chic shift for dinner at the Ritz

Fun dress for a casual dinner

Jubilee dress that I've only managed to wear twice 

(this was in Hawaii two visits ago)

Flirty date night dress

Easy dresses for shopping

Colorful maxi for cocktails on the lanai

Comfy popovers for chilly early mornings

Statement earrings from Amrita Singh

Classic Jacks

Glitzy Laura Merkin clutch to pair with a variety of dresses

Perfect nude peep toe Louboutins

Weekend Recap

I started off the weekend at the University Club with some friends. Once a month the club hosts a classic cinema cafe which shows old movies. It's held in one of the ballrooms with an open bar, and you order dinner to be served during the movie. It's such a relaxing evening and one of my favorite events that they host.

Saturday Jason and I celebrated something we have coined "fakeaversary." Even though we've been married two years we still celebrate the date that we started dating with a nice dinner and some great wine. Jason has taken it upon himself to cook for it, but I get to choose the recipes and offer some supervision. He made a delicious roasted chicken and potatoes from Bon Appetit that cooks for three hours which makes the meat very tender. As a side we made The Palm's recipe for creamed spinach. It's a fabulous recipe and quite easy to make.

Herbed Faux-tisserie Chicken and Potatoes 

Creamed Spinach

While the chicken was cooking we enjoyed a cheese and charcuterie board. There's an Italian deli in DC called Vace's which is a great place to go to buy cured meats. I especially like their spicy soppressata.

Jason picked up this wine to go with dinner. Apparently, this vineyard borders a famous vineyard so you're getting basically the same wine for a fraction of the price.

I was surprised with some cookbooks that I had been eyeing. Zahav is written my two restaurateurs that own several popular places in Philadelphia. I'm looking forward to exploring this as I don't have any experience with Israeli cooking. My Kitchen Year was written by the editor of the now shuttered Gourmet magazine as a way of coping with the loss of the publication.

Sunday I headed to Eastern Market to celebrate a friend's birthday with brunch and football watching at a local bar called Tunnicliffs. They make a delicious bloody mary! I ended my weekend sampling cookies Jason brought from a dinner he had at David Chang's newly opened Momofuku and Milk Bar. Everything lived up to the hype, and I can't wait to go back and try the stuffed buns.

Blog Introduction

After years of enjoying others' blogs it seemed like time to start my own. Let me introduce myself. I've been a DC resident for the past 8 years. I moved here for an internship at a lobbying firm and never left. I love cooking, reading about food, shopping for beautiful shoes and dresses, entertaining, and traveling. Dining out is one of my favorite things and, I'm always looking for an opportunity to scratch a new restaurant off of the Washingtonian 100 list. I collect Lilly dresses and Ferragamo shoes. I'm a member of the University Club and one of my favorite things is relaxing there with a gin and tonic. My husband and I purchased a condo in Northwest DC last year which I've been enjoying decorating. I grew up an hour outside the beltway and my husband is a native Pittsburgher who has family in Greece, Belgium, France, and Hawaii so we have the opportunity to travel to beautiful places to visit them. I wanted to start a blog to document great meals, clothes, and my travels. Please follow along for a peek into my life! Oh, and next week I'm headed to Maui for two weeks so it's time to pack some bags!