Happy Halloween!

Isn't this bit of Halloween ephemera darling? I still remember each and every house that handed out full sized candy bars in my hometown-never mind that there were only 100 houses!

This weekend was a whirlwind; we skipped to Tulsa Friday afternoon and joined up with John's family for late night room service. On Saturday we headed to Tulsa University to watch them trounce SMU-not a bad first football game! But even better than their win as far as we were concerned, Mike, John's younger brother, got more time on the field than ever before and managed to complete a first down (on the very first pass he's been thrown in a game)! To call Saturday "terrific" does it no justice, and it was the perfect start to his early birthday celebration-happy birthday, Mike!

But we were up with the birds on Sunday morning to get to the airport in time for our early morning flight; John had a concert on Sunday afternoon that we had to plan our Tulsa tour around. I was thanking my lucky stars for our on-time flights when I deposited John at school with an hour to spare. After the quickie concert, we both agreed a late afternoon paella and a glass of rosé was the perfect way to polish off a wonderful weekend.

Tell me, what were you up to this weekend? Trick or treating, or shoveling snow?

Pimm's Cup

I like to consult John on any and all cocktails I feature, but I almost wish I'd kept my mouth shut about this week's Pimm's Cup. Apparently card carrying members of San Francisco's bartending elite have decided that DIY Pimm's are their pom poms, so what follows is a medium-sized batch of a homemade liquor you can buy at the store. It surprises me to admit it, but it's actually well worth the effort.


Pimm's Cup

3 oz Pimm's
Fresh mint
Cucumber
3/4 oz freshly squeezed lemon juice
Ginger beer

Place 6 mint leaves and 2-3 cucumber slices in a shaker or bar glass, add lemon juice and gently muddle. Add Pimm's and ice, shake for 5 to 10 seconds. Strain into a Collins glass over ice, fill with ginger beer and garnish.


Homemade Pimm's

3 oz London Dry Gin
3 oz Sweet Vermouth
3 oz Lillet
3 oz Dubonnet
3 oz Campari

Add all ingredients to a pitcher, stir until combined.

Notes: While John picks Beefeater Gin for the London Dry and Carpano Antica for the sweet vermouth, the plain truth is that all these ingredients are mixed, then combined with fruit and ginger beer-no need to run out and buy a new bottle of gin. That said, the Lillet, Dubonnet and Campari are pretty important flavors and hard to substitute.

You'll have Pimm's enough for at least four cocktails, but it will stay good in your refrigerator for some time should you only be requiring one. While I always thought my recent interest in the Pimm's Cup was a maturing of my palate, it turns out it was just better booze-who would have guessed?


We're off to Tulsa for football, family and an early birthday celebration-what are you up to this weekend? Hope it's wonderful, whatever it may be!

Image from the Style Notebook.

Sparkling

I absolutely despise creepy crawlers, but I'd happily make an exception for a delicate gold barrette topped with this crystal bumble bee!

Tell me, what's your favorite metal? Do you pick classic yellow gold or super shiny platinum when you're eying a new bauble?

Image by Esther Louise Photography.

Andrew and Whitney

I can't resist Swiss dot any more than I can resist blue blazers with brass buttons or gingham, and when you throw all those gems into a single wedding, you've got one wonderful Wednesday!

Whitney and Andrew were married at Point O' Woods, Fire Island where the bride spent summers as a kid. Since this particular portion of the island doesn't allow cars, guests walked along the beach or cruised over on their bicycles to toast the newlyweds-isn't that darling?

Modern invitations designed by Whitney Hays and printed by Boxcar Press introduced the fresh white and chartreuse color palette, echoed in arrangements of dendrobium orchids, roses, hydrangeas and sweet peas by Robert Clark and the striped linens. The bride wore a Christos gown and Kate Spade peep toes, while her maids dazzled in matching green dresses; Andrew and his groomsmen chose classic navy blazers paired with khaki slacks and green gingham bow ties.

But arguably my favorite part of this wedding? The tent, from Stamford Tent-I just can't resist a big white tent on a vivid green lawn! The whole affair was coordinated by Dixie Todd of Party Resources, and beautifully captured by Sarah Rhoads, who generously shared these photos first spotted on Style Me Pretty!

Swinging

There was something about the rippling hem of this dress I couldn't resist, and these darling satin peep toes were a perfect pairing with that ever so delicately dirtied skirt. I love a blinding white as much as the next girl, but sometimes the loveliest things are just the littlest bit imperfect, don't you think?

Photo by Caroline Tran.


PS-thank you, thank you one hundred times for all your well wishes yesterday; you made my heart nearly burst with happiness!

Will You...

You've all had those weeks that thoroughly trounce you, right? Well I've found that unholy quantities of Indian food on Friday night will really speed up recovery, as does a handsome new fiancé and the rose gold bauble he picked! I'm so delighted that I finally get to spill!

So besides staring idly at my ring finger, which John says is ridiculous but I'm fairly certain he finds endearing, this weekend was just like any other. It was, of course, 20 degrees too warm for October activites here in San Francisco, so I drank apple cider and we carved pumpkins (with our initials, naturally). We indulged in an outrageous cheese filled with truffles and paired with a rosé cremant, and celebrated another Golden Hurricane win while I fretted about what one wears to Tulsa, Oaklahoma (any feedback would be appreciated-we leave Friday). But best of all, we laughed, we held hands, and we smiled.

I hope you all did plenty of smiling this weekend, too!


Image by Jodi Miller Photography.

Peach-Thyme Bellini

Since moving to San Francisco three years ago, I've come to realize that I am a seasons person. I love the crisp, crunchy leaves in autumn, the way it smells just before it snows, the first hint of green as spring unfolds and the hours by the pool only permissible (or enjoyable) in summer.

San Francisco's got none of that.

So I've found I have to fake it, and the best way to do that is with food. In the summer, we eat spicy foods to mimic real heat, and we turn to roasted vegetables and savory spices in the fall even if the temperatures remain the same. One of my favorite fall flavors is thyme, and when I saw a cocktail that combined lush peaches, bubbly and this aromatic little herb, I was sold!

Peach-Thyme Bellini

1/4 pound of peaches, approximately 1 1/2 cups chopped
1/4 cup of sugar
1/2 tablespoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice
5 sprigs of fresh thyme
1 bottle of Prosecco or sparkling wine

In a heavy saucepan, heat the peaches, sugar, lemon juice, and thyme sprigs over medium heat until the mixture is thick and syrupy, approximately 8 - 10 minutes. Remove the peach mixture from heat and allow the mixture cool. Remove the thyme sprigs and discard. Purée the peach mixture in a blender until smooth.

Spoon three tablespoons of the peach purée into a champagne flute. Pour in Prosecco or sparking wine and stir until combined. Garnish with peach slice or sprig of thyme.

Notes: I halved the original recipe, because how often are you making brunch cocktails for 10? If you're planning on going on an elegant bender, just double your quantities! The peach purée can be made up to 2 days in advance, so feel free to make the celebration last the whole weekend long.

Image and Recipe by Nealey Dozier via the Kitchn.

the Write Stuff

I got the best email the other day; Nikki of Perpetually Engaged spotted a birthday card I sent to Punctuation Mark's Elie and told me I simply had to start marketing my handwriting-I could practically hear a cadre of my elementary school teachers howling in their classrooms! The truth is that I love to practice loops and scrolls inspired by all the lovely invitations and envelopes I've admired.

This peachy suite by Cheree Berry caught my attention right away-how can you resist the date calligraphed into the corner of the envelope liner, for heaven's sake? That's what I call attention to detail!


Do you practice your handwriting, or is that a terribly embarrassing admission?

Image by Abby Jiu Photography, Invitation by Cheree Berry Paper.

Julie and Kyle

Growing up, I was always a bit fearful of my mom's best friend; Merlinda performed smudging ceremonies, encouraged us to smoke from her peace pipe, built a "goddess pool" in her yard that was clearly a giant mud pit full of murky water, and bought a valley in New Mexico where I was sure she planned to dance naked around a yurt and kidnap my mother. My 8 year old self was sure Merlinda was out of her mind and that New Mexico was a bad place to vacation.

Luckily this wedding has warmed me to the Land of Enchantment. No really, that's New Mexico's official nickname. Maybe not enough to visit Merlinda any time soon, but certainly enough to appreciate the jaw-dropping beauty of Jesse Leake's photos.

This celebration brought together the couple's Native American and Irish traditions in the city that stole their hearts-Santa Fe, and reflected their love and sense of family. The couple chose Encantado, a stunning Auberge resort, for the ceremony and reception location; invitations, menu cards and programs designed by the couple with the help of Suann Song of Simple Song Designs, were decorated with miniature four leaf clover charms, clothespins printed with the words "love" and feathers.

Julie wore a simple Priscilla of Boston gown complete with pockets, a simple pair of J.Crew flats and the most darling braided belt, while Kyle chose a classic Brooks Brothers suit. The bouquet Julie carried and those gorgeous arrangements were inspired by her favorite shop, Anthropologie, and featured shades of peach, cream, purple, yellow and pink designed by Andrea Soorikian.

The pair was married on an American Indian rug, and guests sat on rustic wooden benches around the couple. Buckeye seeds, a good luck charm in native American folklore, were placed on ceremony programs in groups of 15 to represent the day Kyle and Julie met. After exchanging "five promises" instead of traditional vows, the couple shared their first dance, a change in program order I just adore!

The reception featured a single long table covered in a natural linen tablecloth and burlap runner. Vintage amber jars, driftwood, turquoise votives and herringbone towels the bride and groom scouted on Etsy and in vintage shops gave the table an organic beauty, and coordinator Alicia Troxell of Barnwood & Birch (and this gem of a wedding!) made sure each detail the couple had worked so hard on looked perfect on the big day. After a home style meal with a New Mexican twist-steak or halibut, mashed potatoes, green beans, calabacitas and green chile cornbread-pecan pie was the perfectly sweet ending to a day full of love, heritage and joy.


Many thanks to Jesse Leake for sharing these images of this beautiful couple and the Land of Enchantment-maybe a New Mexico holiday doesn't sound like such a bad idea after all!