Sunday Edition - This & That
The beginning of 2023 has been a busy time! I’ve been organizing, making a vision board, cooking (a lot), reading and sitting by our outdoor fireplace watching the flames dance! I decided to take a little time to get my bearings this last couple of weeks after being sick over the holidays! It’s been good to journal and really let go of the past year so that I can fully focus on being Fearless in 2023!
Here is a quote to begin…
“Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.” ~ Harriet Tubman
You know I love a This & That post and I have so much to share today, from the outfit below, to my Amazon purchases (so many), books and much, much more! I hope you enjoy!
First up is this cute look that I’ve kind of resisted wearing for some reason. It’s a little out of my box, but now that I’ve worn it, it will be on rotation! I’ve had these pants for over a month and, as you know…I wear jeans all of the time so wide leg cropped trousers aren’t the norm for me! It’s good to try new things! The sweater is from last season, but I found several others (below) that are similar and…for those who love vintage…one of them is vintage!
I’ve been on a little Amazon shopping spree lately….nothing too expensive, but sometimes, once you get started, you end up with a full cart!
The last thing I ordered should show up today and I’m so excited about it! It’s a book that was recommended by Juliet of Make Mine a Spritzer so I know it’ll be a good one! The book is A Place at the Table - A Recipe for a Delicious Life in Paris by Alexander Lobrand.
Another book that I’ve been pouring over is An American in Provence, Art, Life & Photography by Jamie Beck! This book is so gorgeously done and you’ll want to pack up and move to Provence after reading! It’s the story of Jamie’s move to Provence but it’s also filled with beautiful photography, recipes and advice…just in case you decide to move to Provence!
In my last post, I mentioned Maman the Cookbook - All Day Recipes to Warm Your Heart by Elisa Marshall and my obsession continues…it’s such a well done cookbook with mouthwatering recipes! And…to help me read all of these books I’ve ordered, I needed some new reading glasses and these are so cute and supposedly, Oprah’s favorites!
As you can see, I have a minor addiction to books…mostly decor books and self help books! Speaking of self help books, I also ordered The Mountain is You - Transforming Self Sabotage Into Self Mastery by Brianna Wiest. I’ve read several of her other books and they are filled with golden nuggets for living a more fulfilled, happier life!
I’ve also been cooking up a storm recently and I’ve had to organize my cabinets so I could see what was in there! The holidays left them very unorganized and depleted! My daughter Rebecca is an excellent organizer and helped me to get everything together! I ordered a few Amazon items that really helped coral everything into neat categories! These cute little spice jars are great for holding spices that come in bags (why do they do that). I had so many bags of various things from Zaatar to curry powder and they are all neatly put into jars and labeled so I can find them! I also ordered these one gallon glass jars with lids to hold chocolate chips, brown and confectioners sugar and I’ve filled one with homemade snack mix (perfect for Super Bowl and recipe coming). These smaller stackable plastic containers are perfect for holding dried beans, lentils etc! It feels so good to have everything in place!
There are a few items I order in bulk from Amazon, such as organic black peppercorns, Maldon sea salt, and my favorite Honey Aleppo Pepper that I use on everything from chicken to fish to roasted veggies! It is the yummiest thing you can imagine!
Make it stand out
Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Did I mention that I also collect cookbooks? Ina Garten’s new cookbook, Go-to Dinners, is one of her best…I gave several copies as holiday gifts and they were very much appreciated! I haven’t tried any of the recipes yet, but because I have every cookbook she’s ever written, I can guarantee that the recipes in this book are amazing! I’ll keep you posted!
I’m planning to make creme brûlée for Valentine’s Day, so of course, I ordered a small culinary blow torch to caramelize the sugar on top! It’s also great for making the most delicious grapefruit half! Lastly, I ordered an avocado keeper that has been very handy!
After taking a little break from working out because I’ve had such a terrible cough, I’m happy to say I’m back at the gym and very sore! It’s always nice to refresh your workout clothes for the new year because they seem to get worn out so quickly!
To be perfectly honest, after binging Emily in Paris, we haven’t really watched anything to speak of! I keep hearing that 1923 with Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren is worth watching, so that’s on the list! I love anything with Helen Mirren! The trailer is below if you’re thinking of putting it on your list. Have you watched and what did you think?
There is not much better than a warming soup or stew when the weather is cold outside! With the Super Bowl right around the corner, I’ve been looking for some new recipes and this White Chicken Chili from Half Baked Harvest sounds so amazing! I also have so many soup recipes in the food section of Crazy Blonde Life, so if you’re looking for a new recipe, be sure to check these out!
Image from Half Baked Harvest
I’ve been working with Boston Proper for some time now and recently, they sent me a few items from their resort catalogue…three swimsuits to be exact! I panicked because I’m pasty white and it’s freezing cold here! So…I did what anyone would do…I booked a flight to Miami with my assistant Hannah! It’s going to be a short trip, obviously with work involved, but you can be sure that Hannah and I will make some time to enjoy the warm sunshine! And…to remedy my pasty white skin, I ordered a can of St. Tropez Self Tanning Mouse and it did the trick! Btw…the swimsuits are fabulous!
Since Hannah and I are only going to be in Miami for two nights, we won’t have much time to see the sights, but I’ll definitely give you a review of The Ritz Carlton Bal Harbor and we have a dinner reservation at Mandoline Aegean Bistro which has been highly recommended!
And lastly to wrap things up, I thought I would give you a sneak peak of what’s to come on the blog! Part of my day yesterday was spent planning content for the year…it’s the first time I’ve ever done that and I’m very excited to be organized and have a plan!
I’m almost finished with my New York City Guide and it’s going to be epic! You’ll be able to go by neighborhood and pick from restaurants, shopping, cultural activities and hotels!
With the Super Bowl and Valentine’s Day coming up, I’ll be sharing recipes (think Pimiento Queso Fundido and Bacon & Tomato Potato Skins) and ideas for celebrating those two holidays as well as suggestions for what to wear! I’ll be talking about winter essentials, and I have a post coming called Random Acts of Kindness that I think you’ll love!
I know many of you don’t do Instagram, but I’ve found so many truly inspiring accounts lately and they are worth taking a look at. All of the accounts feature women in midlife who are taking their world by storm and that’s on the list for next week!
Baldy & I are planning a trip to Paris in April, so you’ll see lots of Paris related content because I’m obsessed and so excited! I’m also still working on my post from when I visited Paris with my daughter Sarah back in the fall. It focuses on our walking tour of Monmartre that was so enjoyable! In addition, planning to fit in a trip to Hillwood Estate in Washington D.C.! Hillwood is the former residence of Marjorie Merriweather Post! So much to look forward to!
I hope you’ve enjoyed this post! These are always so much fun to put together and I look forward to hearing what you think! Below, find a boutique of everything I’ve mentioned in this post! Happy Sunday and thank you so much for reading today!