Emmy's 2012: Best & Worst

The ladies of television got all dressed up last night so we could judge them. Some of were there to actually win awards, some were there to promote their new not-so-great dramedy, and others were there to show their taste level has been taking to a new low. 

Let's get down the best, shall we...

Zooey was pretty and femme in a gorgeous lilac Reem Acra (a little too big of a skirt) and dropped the quirky vibe she usually goes for. 

Julie Bowen looked amazing in citrine and beachy hair. 

Emily VanCamp sported a frothy J. Mendel. Her bracelet, a gorgeous diamond bow, was beyond. 

January Jones was fierce, yet pretty in Zac Posen. Her hair was a weird color, but the dress is making a statement that works. 

New mama Guiliana was flawless in Romona Kreveza (the shoes are not my have). 

Allison Williams is my current girl crush, so I was happy to see her in a beautiful dress in an unconventional color. 

Leslie Mann was effortless in tangerine and a gorgeous beaded halter gown. 

Expecting a baby and draped in Lanvin, more citrine from Claire Danes and I love it. 

There was a lot to choose from, but the worst dressed ladies are all over the place....

Juliana's hair was horrible. Who dresses this girl?? She always pics something too old, somewhat costume and she could easily be best dressed with the right stylist. 

You got to give the lady credit for rocking this dress, but Glen Close just has WAY too much going on with it. 

It looks like Sophia (who let's face it has the most redic body and is gorgeous) borrowed this dress from Dancing with the Stars. That half halter thing is terrible. 

Adding Julianne Moore kills me, but even though I love the color, the fit and heaviness of this did not work. 

I had to do a double take on Ashley Judd's picture. That hair is insane and this dress looks as Heidi likes to say "Home Sewn."

Speaking of Heidi... We get it, you are going through a break up. Two slits, see through, major chest action (needs a bra), and the matching shoes send it over the edge. 

I have no words for Connie Britton, I think it speaks for itself. 

Blossom aged about 40 years. Oh wait, no she just borrowed her grandmother's dress. 

What were your picks this year?? 

xo

Erin 

Football Pride: On & Off the Field

Ultimately, what always comes back as my favorite part of Fall is football season. Be it college or NFL, it just feels right when the leaves start to change and Saturdays and/or Sundays can be spent watching every game. 

And though it is kind of cheesy, I am into showing your pride. Looks like Pink has given us a few options besides over sized jerseys. They have these for every NFL team, clearly you know my favorite....

Yep, those are Bears undies (#4). That way you can show some pride under any of your chic weekend pieces. No one will know, except...

1. Drapey tee $39

2. Hoodie $58

3. Boyfriend tee $34

4. Lace boy shorts $10

5. Shorts $34

But let's get serious, you are not wearing those things (well, maybe the boy shorts) unless you are actually in front of the TV or next to the field. Lucky for us Bears fans, blue and orange is perfect for Fall. I LOVE all of these and they would be perfect for a pre-game Saturday night out...

Splendid $110, J. Crew $198, Juicy $230, Kimchi Blue $79

Go Bears! 

xo

Erin 

Skirting the Issue

We have the an enormous TV. Like an obnoxious one that is every man's dream. It was purchased before I was around and used to live in our master bedroom, where it's size (kind of) made sense. Now it is in our great room until we can figure out where to put it. It hovers above a side table I actually love, and below it is all the junk that it takes to work it and the network through out the house. I love how it takes this many wires to actually be wireless....

That sweet little table hiding underneath is actually an antique from my grandmother that I have been dying to repaint. 

Anyway, I needed to figure out a solution to hide all this junk, because honestly it was driving me crazy. Because we watch this TV the most, I have been forced to watch those wires as much as every show on Bravo. 

Lucky for me I found a solution. A table skirt. But before you judge, because the only person you know with a table skirt is your grandmother, take a look....

 A lovely lady from the Etsy shop HomeLush made this for me. I sent her the measurements, a picture of what needed to be covered, and what fabric I wanted from her collection. No less than a week later it was on my doorstep. 

This may be a temporary fix for a bigger problem, like where is this monstrosity going and what will be put in it's place? But it is a fix I am loving and I have something so much nicer to look at while I hang out with Andy Cohen. 

xo

Erin 

Nicole Ritchie + Macy's

Always a fan of Nicole Ritchie's personal style and her Winter Kate and House of Harlow lines, I was interested to see her lower priced line at Macy's. She has been sporting some of the looks for recent appearances....

And I have to say I am into it. Great prints, forgiving and flattering silhouettes, and new takes on some old classic pieces. 

Macy's is not exactly a place that is on the top of my shopping list. But this is not the first time it has surprised me. I ended up finding my wedding dress there by chance and not in one of the fab boutiques I thought I would. 

One of these pieces would be on the top of my Fall list and the price point makes shopping for it even more fun. 

1. Satin Lapel Blazer $89

2. Feather Print Maxi Dress $89

3. Zig Zag Chiffon Blouse $59

4. Studded Legging $69

5. Cropped Color Block Sweater $49

6. Long Sleeve Feather Print Dress $69

7. Faux-Leather Studded Mini $79

Now just need to decide which to order....

xo

Erin 

Prosciutto, Melon & Burrata Salad

Prosciutto wrapped melon is a classic Italian antipasti that has the perfect salty and sweet combination. This salad is a variation of those delicious flavors. With the addition of peppery arugula, aromatic red onion, and creamy burrata, the classic melon salad gets even better. I also like to crisp up the prosciutto and crumble it on top. The crunchy, salty bite is a nice little treat in every bite. 

Prosciutto, Melon & Burrata Salad
serves 4

5 slices of prosciutto

1/4 cup white wine vinegar or white balsamic
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/3 cup olive oil

8 cups of arugula or baby arugula
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
8 oz burrata cheese, ripped in pieces
1/2 cantaloupe, cubed

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place prosciutto slices on a baking sheet and roast until crisp, about 20 minutes. Set aside to cool.

In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, salt, pepper and Dijon. Continue to whisk and add the oil to combine well. Taste and adjust for seasoning. 

Assemble the salad in a large bowl. Layer the arugula, sprinkle the onion on top, then the cheese and melon. Crumble the prosciutto on top and dress with the vinaigrette. Toss and enjoy. 

xo
Erin 

Before & After: Great Room

This house is probably going to be a work in progress for many, many years to come. Which is kind of what we love about it. The basement remodel is at the tail end and I cannot wait to show you the finished product. Until then, I can share with you at least one room that although not "done" feels like home. 

The main living space is the kitchen and family room. Before we moved in, it looked like this....

Although the built in bench and storage was good looking, it was not functional with how we use this space. Lucky for us the floors ran through and it was an easy demo. Now the room is open, airy and where we spend most of our time. 

The floors are one of things that sold us on the house. They are restored barn planks stained dark brown. They run throughout the entire main floor. Keeping them clean has turned into a bit more work than I had anticipated, but it is worth it. 

I cannot wait to actually cook something in that fireplace. The bar area next to it has turned into a make shift office. Need to relocate that mess pronto. 

Looking for new pillows, maybe a gray and white strip? 

Light fixtures for between the beams still need to be decided on. I am leaning towards an industrial or nautical style (like this). The house has a very country look (we literally live in horse country), so I would like to bring a bit more modern style to each room while keeping with the traditional feel of the house. 

One of those couches is most likely going down to the basement family room and I think two comfy, yet chic chairs will replace it. I am also dying for a new ottoman, so the one above may be heading South as well. So sick of all the beige. 

I hope to keep sharing more rooms over the next couple of weeks. Next up, the not-yet-used dining room. 

xo

Erin   

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread

I could not wait any longer to make one of Fall's favorite treats, pumpkin bread. This recipe is sacred in my family and made in bulk. Calling it bread does not do it justice, as it is more like cake and why it was easily turned into cupcakes.  I decided to switch it up a bit to the original recipe and add chocolate. You can always omit them or add nuts instead. I only added chocolate chips to half so I could have a taste of the original and chocolate version. Doubling or tripling the recipe is easy, just use a very large bowl. This makes for the perfect Fall gift. I brought some to a new mom, a friend, my new neighbor, and as a sweet treat for someone recovering from surgery. And with minimal work, it is easy to spread the love. 

Pumpkin Bread
Makes 2 Large loaves or 4 small loaves or 2 dozen muffins

2 cups sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 1/2 cups of flour

1 1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp each nutmeg, cinnamon, ground clove

4 eggs, beaten

1 cup vegetable oil

2/3 cup cold water

1- 15oz can of pumpkin 
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Sift dry ingredients together in a very large bowl. Beat eggs, oil, water, and pumpkin using a mixer (hand or stand up). Pour wet ingredients into dry and fold until completely mixed together and smooth. Fold in chocolate chips. 

Split the batter between greased loaf pans or muffin tins (use wrappers for easy clean up, fill 3/4 p cups) . Bake at 350 degrees for 1 1/4 hours for large loaves, 45-60 minutes for small loaves and muffins. Ovens vary with times, they are done when a toothpick stuck in the middle comes out clean.

Enjoy!

xo
Erin 

Girl Crush: Miroslava Duma

It has been a busy week and getting through all the images of all of the shows during fashion week is not happening. It is even a little hard seeing all the light pretty clothes when I am really looking forward to sweaters and boots. So far Alexander Wang, Victoria Victoria Beckham and Rebecca Minkoff are highlights and I hope to get through some more of the shows over the next week. 

Let's face it though, seeing the street style rivals the shows themselves. While the Courtin-Clarins sisters are still my fave girls to see, Miroslava Duma has seriously won me over with her eclectic, pulled together, yet I-just-threw-this-on style. 

I love her easiness and choices that appear to come straight from her own closet, not a stylist's. Miroslava also does not pick choices to make too bold of a statement, just to make a statement. She has fantastic style and I wish I could sit front row with this girl. 

At the very least we can get inspired by some of her looks this week and channel a bit of what this girl has showed us on the streets of NYC. 

1. Coach $198

2. ASOS $112

3. Baublebar $300

4. Marc Jacobs $298

5. Baublebar $49

6. J. Crew $175

7. Madewell $118

8. J. Crew $95

9. Becksondergaard $149

10. Baublebar $36

11. TopShop $58

Happy NYFW. 

xo

Erin 

Easy Update

Slowly, but surely, I am starting to settle in and even hang some pieces on the walls. There was a big gaping hole over the stove that was screaming for something to fill it. I have never hung anything above a stove and thought it might be a little funny to have framed art hovering over pots and pans sizzling and bubbling on the range. I bought these vintage French serving piece prints at an antique fair a few years ago. They are pages out of an old catalogue and I love them. I had them mounted on charcoal grosgrain and framed in metallic silver. And I think above the stove is the perfect spot...

Given my current indecisiveness, I used 3M hooks so I can easily rearrange. Although, I think these two prints have found their home. 

After some searching on Pinterest , I realized there are a lot of ways to fill that empty space. Similar to what I did, these botanical frames are fantastic. 

This built in nook and faucet is genius. 

Charming dishware can be displayed.

A simple pot rack makes for a pretty space and functionality. 

More contemporary than my kitchen allows, bit this shelf is perfect for prep and tools. 

A Little Fall Feline

I used to be completely averse to leopard print. It always looked a little cheap and was never really incorporated well into a look. I have been warming up over the last couple of years. I have yet to really dive in with a ton of pieces, but I think shoes are the perfect way to add a little wildlife into Fall. The print looks great with jeans, a little black dress, with leggings and your favorite sweater. Flats, wedges, sandals, and pumps, there are so many choices...

1. Jimmy Choo $795

2. Madewell $135 (love)

3. Dune $146

4. Madewell $398 (obsessed)

5. Me Too $70

6. J. Crew $188 (on sale! Perfect for work)

7. TopShop $90

8. J. Crew $298

9. Charlotte Olympia $975

Meeeooooowwww

xo

Erin 

LA Girl's Weekend

Since returning from LA after Labor Day weekend, I have needed some recovery time. I spent four glorious days with some sassy ladies in Venice Beach and let's just say we got after it. We celebrated one gorgeous bride-to-be who will be the reason for a return trip to CA in a few short weeks. 

While in LA, we stayed at a beach rental a block from the beach in Venice. A few of us met for lunch to start off the weekend at Gjelina, one of the area's best and most celeb frequented spots. We had a perfect corner table on the patio and enjoyed delicious small plates like grilled peaches with burrata and sesame kale salad. 

patio at Gjelina

Later that night we enjoyed the sunset on our rooftop deck (see picture above) and ordered pizza from Abbott's. My first and hopefully not last experience with bagel crusts. The giant slices made for the perfect late night snack. 

After many a few bottles of wine, we headed out to local bars and ended up at The Brig to dance to some high school hip hop favorites. 

Wildcat favorite: So Co and Lime 

Coffees and a walk on the boardwalk were much needed after our late night antics. We stumbled on Schulzie's. It is just a little stand tucked in a corner in Venice, but they had crafted coffee and teas along with bread pudding you ordered by the scoop. Rich and unexpected. 

That night we had the most lovely dinner at Eveleigh in West Hollywood. The space is gorgeous and the family style dinner they prepared for us was perfection. Fresh pappardelle with rich ragu, creamy baby kale salad with manchego, ridiculously crispy patatas bravas, and warm cookies for dessert were highlights. 

Eveleigh

After dinner we went to the Sunset Marquis for drinks. Bar 1200 was dark, sexy, and a reminder of how much I love hotel bars. No celeb spotting that night, but you can only imagine what has happened inside those walls.  We were able to see the rest of the hotel and this oasis so close to the Sunset strip would be the perfect place to stay on a future trip. 

Bar 1200

After another full night in LA, our last day at the beach was spent lounging, eating and enjoying our rooftop deck. We had the bride's favorite sandwich from Bay Cities Italian Deli. You better believe I polished that guy off. The bread was amazing. 

I cannot wait for my next trip back to the West Coast in a few weeks. On the schedule is a mini-road trip up the PCH, Malibu pit stop, wine tasting, a stay in Montecito, and topped off with a wedding I am very much looking forward to. I am sure I will have much more to share. 

xo

Erin