Coco Before Chanel

Georgia O'Keefe had it; Frank Lloyd Wright had it; Earnest Hemingway had it. A vision, a way of distilling an idea down to its most sublime reality. And Coco Chanel had it too, which is why she is an icon, often copied but never with her unerring eye and panache. Born in the days of corsets and crinolines, she revolutionized the way women dressed. Then and forever. I can’t wait to see this movie.

Dressing to Please

"Yes, Miss Kilman stood on the landing, and wore a mackintosh; but she had her reasons. First, it was cheap; second, she was over forty; and did not, after all, dress to please."

I was reading these lines from Mrs. Dalloway the other night and this sort of chill went up my spine. I had difficulty with it for a few reasons; are we to dress cheap and dowdy after the age of forty? And, while I don't follow the latest trends slavishly, and I'm not interested in 'dressing to please' in the way Virginia Woolf implies, I do try to dress to please myself. But above all, I should like to avoid becoming Miss Kilman.

I'll admit, I've been a little lazy lately, putting on whatever comes to hand, being a little too 'matchy', with the result of spending the entire day vaguely dissatisfied and uninspired. But those words haunted me, so I turned a blind eye to my spending hiatus, scanned the pages of the latest j. crew catalog, grabbed my bag and went to the store. Armed with fancy ideas about colors, and layers, and textures, I found a few things that give me a fresher outlook on the day. Luckily for me, the current fashions aren't particularly 'matchy' these days. And now, to go back to the closet to send away those things that bore me to distraction ...

Tomato Bisque

I've been cooking a lot lately. Perhaps it's the change of seasons; I've been craving warm comfort foods. I also had a bit too much wine at last night's event, so a tomato-based soup really hit the spot.

1 large onion, chopped finely
3 cloves garlic, chopped finely
6 large ripe tomatoes, chopped finely
1 handful fresh basil, chopped finely
1/2 pint cream or half & half
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat a few tablespoons of olive oil in the pan. Add the garlic and onions and cook until they wilt. Add the tomatoes and basil and let them cook on medium heat until the excess liquid boils out, about 45 minutes. At this point I use an electric hand mixer to refine the texture; you can use a food processor too. Add the cream.

You should end up with a thickly textured bisque that can chase away gray clouds in your head. I freeze the left-overs to save for the week.



Do you have a favorite comfort food? What is it?

Summer Peppers

We had a bumper crop of peppers this year - far more than we could actually eat as they ripened. To enjoy the flavor of fresh home grown peppers in the cooler months, we grill them. Once grilled you just peel off the skin, put them in a jar with olive oil and take a few pieces here and there as you would pickles.

*Warning: If you are grilling hot peppers such as scotch bonnet or habeneros, please, please, please use surgical gloves to handle them. Otherwise, you will stay awake all night having vivid fantasies of going to the emergency room to beg a surgeon to amputate your hands for relief. Seriously.

A New Romance

Dear Autumn,

Perhaps you remember me from last year? We flirted with each other from across the room, but didn’t spend much time getting to know each other. Undoubtedly, you’ve heard stories about me and summer; I won’t lie to you. It was a deep and meaningful relationship. But now he’s gone and you can help me forget him.

Take me for a few strolls surrounded by red and orange leaves. Have a cup of tea with me at an outdoor café as we watch the sky turn cobalt together. Show me children dressed as pirates and bumble bees. Bring me a bowl of my sister’s butternut squash soup, and perhaps some hot cider. Remind me of my richly hued sweaters and shawls. Stay up late and talk with me about poetry and literature. And let me sleep in late just a little. Bring me a little gift, if you feel so inclined.

You see, I’m not so complicated. Welcome, Autumn. I think we will have a memorable romance.

Love,
Rita

A Little Monday Music

Have you ever had one of those days where you're frustrated and nothing seems to go right? Here's my advise to you ...

Imogen's voice has the sweet, tangy quality of fresh lemonade, don't you think?

Art Ball

I count myself among ‘most people’ when I say that most people don’t have the occasion, outside of their wedding day perhaps, to go to a formal event. But my husband and I have been invited as guests to attend a ball at our art museum, which requires all the trimmings. And frankly, it’s all the more delicious that someone else is planning it.

I’ve found the dress, and the perfect clutch. I also found a sweet aquamarine cocktail ring (simpler than the one pictured, but similar) at a local antiques shop for a song.


I have a black velvet swing jacket that will do, but the shoes have me a bit stumped. Never mind for a moment that I’m not particularly good at waltzing barefoot, but can I waltz in these?






































What would you wear?

Busy Days ...

Be back in a few days, friends, but meanwhile enjoy this bottle of French liqueur that my husband bought for me when I was away...

Lake Forest

I travelled to Lake Forest, Illinois on business last week and, if you’ve never been there, it’s a stunning place. I stayed at a place I’ve been to many times which only seems to get more charming with every visit. The original Deer Path Inn was built in 1860 as the residence of a wealthy Chicago family, and later became a weekend retreat and hunting lodge to Chicago's elite. In 1929, the existing structure was built, modeled after The Manor House (c. 1453) located in Chiddingstone - Kent, England; a half-timbered and stucco Tudor home.





Instead of joining in on the ‘group fun’ event, I went for a walk to the beach and enjoyed all the spectacular architecture along the way. Some of the houses were shrouded in verdant mystery, while others openly boasted their pedigree with proud mature trees, manicured lawns and long, winding driveways. My dear friend Jane sent me a link that details the history of the house at 965 East Deerpath (above). I love old homes with stories, and it was palpable that these houses had many.






I also discovered why the road was named Deerpath.