Monthly Archives for April 2012

Ensemble du Jour: 1970′s

This past weekend, I headed to the downtown Museum of Contemporary Art, for a members’ preview of ReFocus: The Art of the 1970′s. The exhibit itself is fantastic – the two William Eggleston pieces are awesome (I’m a huge fan of his photography), and there’s even a Diane Arbus. The members of the museum were encouraged to dress the part, so I took the opportunity to wear this printed, polyester, floor-length bed jacket that I got in a vintage store several years ago, but have yet to actually wear. I also wore a vintage YSL hat that doesn’t get the attention from me that it deserves.

I’m wearing a vintage dress, vintage belt (worn as necklace), vintage jacket, vintage YSL hat, Miu Miu heels, and Bottega Veneta clutch.

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Daily Happy: Prada SS12 illustrations

Okay, this might be the cutest thing ever….graphic designer and artist Vahram Muratyan has created a virtual road trip that highlights pieces from Prada’s 2012 Spring/Summer Mens and Womens accessories collection. These illustrations are so much fun and perfectly highlight the 1950′s vibe of Prada’s auto-influenced collection.

Visit Prada’s official website to see all of the amazing moving illustrations.

Outfit Collage: Work Wear

 1. Silk dress, Jenni Kayne, $595
2. Vintage Chanel earrings(similar), $770
3. Rock Stud Bag, Valentino, $2,595
4. Liya heel, Alexander Wang, $615
5. Nail Polish, RGB, $16

Now that I no longer work from home, the only thing on my mind lately is work clothes. I am fortunate to work in a creative industry, so I certainly don’t need to wear a power suit every day – but I still think it’s important to wear something sharp and tailored. Besides, that whole “unkempt, boho-chic” look has been on its way out for a while now, and well-tailored, basic pieces can be worn for years. For my daily ensemble, I generally pick something easy in a luxe fabric – a button-down, silk blouse is a go-to, as is a nicely-cut blazer (I have a new one from Elizabeth & James to which I am partial.) But I also love a dress, like this one from Jenni Kayne. I would literally wear anything from Jenni Kayne’s collections, they are so chic and timeless. Last year, my favorite local boutique Emly Benham held a Jenni Kayne trunk show (I walked away with an amazing jacket that I will wear for years to come) and this year, they are doing it again. I’m so excited, and I sincerely hope I come away with something equally as excellent this year. This dress is the perfect canvas for a pair of pointy-toe pumps, Valentino Rock Stud bag and glam jewelry.

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Dinner: Tortellini Soup with Swiss Chard, White Beans and Pancetta

I made this soup a couple of weeks ago, when my boyfriend was feeling under the weather. It’s a fantastic dish for a number of reasons. It’s very simple, it’s healthy and the beans and pasta make it more substantial than a typical broth-based soup. It’s an easy meal to fix on a weeknight but the added pancetta means it’s fit for company.

Tortellini Soup with Swiss Chard, White Beans and Pancetta
adapted from Everyday Pasta

3 T. olive oil
4 oz. pancetta, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
3 carrots, peeled and chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1  15-ounce can of cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
4 c. arugula, washed
6 c. low-sodium chicken broth
1  9-ounce package cheese tortellini, fresh or frozen
1/8 t. freshly ground black pepper

1. In a large, heavy soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.  Add the pancetta, onion, carrot and garlic.  Cook until the pancetta is crisp, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add the beans, arugula, and broth.

2. Bring the soup to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to the heat to a simmer.  Add the tortellini and cook 5 minutes for fresh, 8 minutes for frozen, or until just tender.  Season with pepper and serve.

Dinner: Linguine with tuna & marinara sauce

Some things are just a hundred times better when made from scratch – including whipped cream, ice cream and marinara sauce. Last week, I made a big batch of homemade marinara, full of carrots, celery and tomatoes with some bay leaf for flavor. A couple days later, I added it to a pot of shallots, rosemary, tuna (I used yellowfin tuna packed in olive oil – it is a million times better than the albacore, water-packed variety, trust me), parsley, lemon zest and capers. Served piping hot over a pile of linguine, it was one of the the more delicious weeknight meals I’ve made in a while.

Basic Marinara Sauce

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 small onions, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 celery ribs, finely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 tsp salt, plus more to taste
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
2 (32-oz.) cans crushed tomatoes
2 dried bay leaves

1. In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and garlic and sauté until the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the celery, carrots, and 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper. Cook until all the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes.

2. Add the tomatoes and bay leaves, and simmer uncovered over low heat until the sauce thickens, about 1 hour. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Taste, and adjust seasonings.

Tuna and marinara sauce with linguine

3 cups Marinara sauce
2 (6-oz) cans tuna packed in oil, drained (get the good stuff if you can find it)
1 Tbsp. drained capers
1 tsp. grated lemon zest (about half a lemon)
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 tsp. each salt and pepper, plus more to taste
1 lb. pasta of choice (rigatoni or large shells work well)
Freshly grated parmesan cheese (optional)
1 tsp shallots, rosemary (optional)

1. Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to the bite.
Meanwhile, combine the tomato sauce, tuna, capers, and lemon zest in a heavy large skillet. (If you opt to add shallots and rosemary, as I did, add those to the skillet first thing, so they can infuse the sauce with some additional flavor.) Using a fork, break the tuna into chunks. Simmer to blend the flavors, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

2. Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Add the pasta to the sauce and toss to coat. Toss the pasta with enough reserved cooking liquid to moisten. Stir in the parsley and serve. If you’re in the mood, dust with some parmesan.

Ensemble du Jour: Sunday Brunch

It seems that my time as a political journalist is coming to an end (the publication for which I write will be closing its doors at the end of the month) but I am excited for new beginnings. I start a new job, in the PR industry, on Monday morning. Because of this exciting news, our weekend ended up being quite full (had to shop for work clothes, of course) yet we managed to have a leisurely brunch on Sunday.

One of my favorite restaurants in Jacksonville, ‘town, will be closing its doors at the end of the month (that seems to be a common theme lately, doesn’t it?) so we decided to have one last delicious meal there before it’s too late. We went all out and probably ate too much (appetizer, entree and dessert) but we knew we might not get the chance again. Sugar-encrusted doughnuts with caramel and bananas were the perfect accompaniment to my french-press coffee and our entrees were out of this world. I had the lobster eggs benedict, while my boyfriend opted for the grilled hanger steak and eggs. For dessert, we split some fresh-from-the-oven chocolate chip cookies, and a white chocolate malt. Heaven.

After our enormous brunch, we headed to Memorial Park to walk off the excess and take in the beautiful views of the St. Johns River. I have written a lot about the health of the river in recent years, and will greatly miss writing about environmental issues.

I wore a striped Equipment button-down, J Brand jeans, Versace sunglasses and Prada heels. The bag is Doo. Ri for Be & D and the necklace is Chanel. 

Interior Obsession: Body parts

I have a major thing for body parts in home decor. Weird enough, right? I collect heads of all shapes and sizes (I’m not a serial killer, I swear) and also have a gorgeous foot (my boyfriend mistakenly broke it a few months ago, but I can’t bear to part with it) and a mannequin torso in the bedroom.

My amazing mother bought me this head last weekend…I can’t believe how amazing it is. Definitely my most amazing piece yet.

I think I got into collecting heads from my grandmother. She is incredibly adept at styling interiors (if you’ve visited her store, Cottage by the Sea, than you are well aware how talented she is) and passed that gene on to me.

Here is a head from her home, it’s pretty great:

Dinner: Pork chops with fennel and capers

After making a visit to the Gourmet Grouper last week, I came away with two beautiful pork chops (they were labeled “the Kobe beef of pork chops,” so I figured they must be pretty darn good.) I had never made pork chops prior to making this recipe, but I could probably eat this dish every day of my life. It was insanely good. The best part? It only uses one pan and takes under thirty minutes but, because of “fancy” ingredients like fennel and capers, it seems like it took hours to prepare.

Pork Chops with Fennel and Capers
recipe adapted from Giada’s Kitchen

1/4 cup olive oil
4 boneless (2-inch-thick) pork chops (about 2 pounds total)
3/4 teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning meat
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning meat
2 fennel bulbs with fronds, thinly sliced (about 8 ounces or 2 cups)
2 large shallots, thinly sliced
1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus 1/3 cup
1/2 cup white wine
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, with their juices
1/2 lemon, zested
2 tablespoons capers

1. In a large, heavy skillet heat the olive oil over high heat. Season the pork chops with salt and pepper. Add the pork to the pan and brown on both sides, about 4 minutes each side. Remove the pork from the pan, cover loosely with foil, and set aside.

2. Add the fennel, shallots, and 1/3 cup parsley to the pan and cook over medium heat until beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the wine. Using a wooden spoon, scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Add the tomatoes and stir. Add the pork back into the pan, nestling the chops between the fennel and tomatoes so they are mostly submerged in the pan juices. Cook until the fennel is tender and the pork is done, about 12 to 15 minutes.

3. Place the pork on a serving dish. To finish the sauce, add the lemon zest, remaining 1/3 cup parsley, capers, and 3/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Spoon over the pork chops and serve immediately.

Ensemble du Jour: Silk Floral

This Easter weekend was pretty much perfect…one of my best friends in the world, Logan, came into town and he, my boyfriend and I spent the better half of Saturday soaking up the sun on the beach. Later that night, my boyfriend treated me to a delicious dinner at Ruth’s Chris (their stuffed chicken breast is so addicting, it’s kind of scary) and after, we met up with Logan and some friends for cocktails at Pusser’s. Sunday capped the weekend off perfectly – I cooked up a big Easter supper of roast turkey breast, scalloped tomatoes and pine nut cous-cous (more on that meal to come.)

I thought florals were in order to celebrate the spring weekend. This new Elizabeth & James blouse is so gorgeous, I couldn’t be happier with it. I paired it with some beige silk vintage trousers, Givenchy high-heeled bondage sandals, a Bottega Veneta bag and my vintage Chanel pearl earrings. The bracelet is vintage Lagerfeld.