I’m a sucker for letters. I love the look of a singular letter and thought it would be a great way to personalize my Christmas presents this year. I really like the way these pretty presents turned out. This is a Kelly-proof DIY which means it’s easy, painless and fun- a must for me these days.
Here’s What You Need:
1. A cute roll of metallic wrapping paper (I picked up these faux bois and polka dot numbers at Target)
2. A colorful pop of ribbon and maybe a black and white striped one too (found at Paper Source)
3. Stencil set (Paper Source)
4. Oil pastel crayons (Paper Source)
5. Self-adhesive label paper, you can buy this pre-cut in pretty shapes or just plain sheets that you can cut. I went for the natural brown paper, looks great against the metallic wrapping paper. (Paper Source)
6. Scissors and tape.
Here’s What You Do:
1. Wrap your present
2. Stencil the first or last initial or the recipient’s name on a sheet of label paper.
3. Cut out the stenciled label if you don’t have pre-cut labels.
4. Stick the stenciled label on your gift.
5. Tie a pretty ribbon around it.
6. Ta-to-the-Da! You may have a hard time giving this one up and seeing it ripped to shreds, but they’ll love it.
I’m a pretty smiley person by nature, but I’ve never known a true cheek hangover until now. Not that I haven’t had some seriously smile-worthy moments in life- my wedding, opening nights- but those were all infused with a myriad of emotions. This one was pretty much just all smiles all the time.
I don’t usually do posts like this, I like to share my opinions and ideas and mostly highlight the lives of others, but this one I just had to document. I had the tremendous good fortune to accompany my amazing father-in-law, Jacques d’Amboise, to the White House and Kennedy Center for the 2013 Kennedy Center Honors this past weekend. Cue self-inflicted pinch times ten.
Knowing that I would be Jacques’ guest to this event nearly a year in advance, I planned carefully, which is very out of character me (you know what they say about plans…). I carefully selected- with the help of my fabulous stylist-to-the-stars pal, Katy Robbins- my two Rent the Runway gowns literally months in advance. There would be two nights of events- the dinner at the State Department and the White House gathering/meeting the President and the First Lady followed by the Honors at Kennedy Center. I was all set with an Alice Temperley gown and a David Meister on the way for a grand total of $125- oh yeah, discount codes were in full effect.
Then came last Friday night. 8pm, tick tock tick tock, No UPS special delivery as expected. After a long wait on hold with the parcel service, I learned that the dresses would arrive promptly Monday morning. Hmmm. I’m royally screwed, I thought. My babysitter is out of town, Christopher is working and I’ll have to haul two toddlers to Tysons Corner and frenzily shop for not one but two expensive-looking but reasonably affordable black tie gowns. What the what?
I prepared to wake early Saturday and make the mad dash to Nordstroms. Enter the Norovirus. Around 1am on Saturday morning, my hubby came down with a severe dose of the stomach virus. If you’ve ever experienced this, you know how intense it is. It hits you like a ton of bricks and you are violently ill for a solid 24 hours. Saturday morning 10am and Christopher was starting to come out of his nausea-daze when I started to feel a bit wonky. By noon, it was clear that I would not be going to the State Department much less Nordstroms. At that point, I can honestly say however, that I didn’t much care. We had two toddlers to take care of as two very sick parents who were doing everything we could to keep them from getting sick. How that works with a crazily contagious virus, I have no idea. If you’ve ever tried taking care of small children while you feel ghastly ill, you can empathize. It was a rough day, maybe the toughest yet in my newbie parenthood. These are the days you really want your mommy.
Then that beacon of the week, Sunday morning dawned and all started to look a bit brighter. I didn’t feel great, but Lord knows I was going to that White House. I made the mad dash to Nordstoms, gave the saleslady my budget and after a heartfelt wince from her, she brought me dozens of dresses all of which only emphasized my post-baby bump that has no business being a bump at this point, it’s more like a lump- let’s call a spade a spade. She finally brought me one last dress- this one revelatory -to my dressing room. It was like the popcorn ceiling opened up and the Angels sang “AHHHHH”. I had to have it, it actually made my lump look kind of great. I dashed up to the register only to find out upon ringing up, that this was indeed well above my fantasy and idealized price range. Oh well, it’s the frigging White House, I mean come on. So, dress bought, baubles on, we are ready to roll.
Off we went. At 3:15 on the dot, Jacques’ appointed driver Carl rolled up into my modest little apartment complex’s parking lot to escort me down the slick ice rink that was masquerading as a sidewalk. I somehow managed not to take a dive, even in my 4 inch heels- and believe me, this momma does not wear 4 inch heels- not since around my 34th birthday anyway. I lost my tolerance for the self-inflicted pain caused by ridiculously high heels, so I had to kind of pat myself on the back for this one.
We arrived at the front gates of the White House and all I could think about was that scene in Dave when Kevin Kline drives up to that very same gate and convinces the guards to let him out. Here I was, at that very gates. What next? We were escorted after multiple security checks up to the White House. Now I’ve never been to the White House, never taken a tour and although I’ve always wanted to, I never got around to writing my Representative about that one. But this was much better, I had an actual invite, I was actually invited by the peeps at the White House- ok as a plus-one, but still.
Entering the White House for a party that it is throwing was a kind of dazzling, surreal moment for this American girl. Another “AHHHH” moment with the angels harking all over the place as I was handed a glass of champagne upon entering. I found myself sashaying down the perfectly decorated hallways in my lump-licious dress, bumping into the likes of Garth Brooks and Sam Waterston all the while with a ridiculously huge smile on my face. Mind you I was completely aware that I was striding down these said hallways with a giant smile on my face, but I couldn’t do anything about it. I don’t want to sound like a naive fresh-off-the-bus farm girl here, I’ve had my share of star-studded evenings and shared the stage with the likes of Hugh Jackman and Tony Bennett (dreamboats- both of them), but this was something entirely different.
Sitting in my little seat with my very own name imprinted on its little white card, I couldn’t believe I was surrounded by less than one hundred people waiting for the President and the First Lady to arrive. They fabulously strode into this little room and almost knocked me over, not literally but quite figuratively. There is a reason why people get elected to office beyond their politics, it’s that old charisma thing. It’s the same reason the Clooneys and the Pitts of the world are our mainstays- star wattage, people. Despite what you may think of them or their politics, the Obamas are stars.
Enter my very un-Presidential comment to the First Lady. Meeting Obama himself was fantastic, he is charming and genuine with a firm handshake and an authenticity that oozes from his sparkly white teeth. He thanked me for coming (uh- thanks for having me!). Meeting Mrs. Obama, I just blurted out, “You are too fabulous!”. She graciously replied, “Thank you” and also thanked me for coming. Seriously, I was kind of mortified and I still can’t believe I said that to her, not the most Presidentially-appropriate behavior to be sure, but honestly, she is- too fabulous. She dazzled in her jade green Marchesa off-the-should gown, she oozed grace and importance and honestly, she’s a modern day Goddess.
Embarrassing moment behind me (I had to have one), we continued to make the rounds and that’s when I found myself standing next the the D-O-double-G. Oh yeah, Snoop. He jokingly asked the Marine Corps band to play “Gin and Juice”- one of my favorite parts of the night. They didn’t comply, too bad- what a miss. I snapped a picture with the hip hop superstah and ta-dizzle-fo-shizzle, we were off to the Kennedy Center.
I arrived at my seat to find my darling hubby all dressed up in his tux complete with bow tie, which I’ve never actually seen him in- he was effortlessly tieless at our wedding. The drumroll began and the the curtain went up. Attending the Kennedy Center Honors is like attending one of the greatest mulit-artist concerts ever. You get opera, you get drama, you get dance, you get music, music, music. In a word, it’s awesome. It’s a proud-to-be-an-American kind of evening. The show airs on December 29th, and is one to watch. The standout of the night for me is the tribute to Billy Joel with a rousing and tear-jerking number by Garth Brooks and a beautiful turn by Rufus Wainwright, not to mention a great performance by Panic at the Disco’s Brendon Urie. Snoop absolutely kills in the Herbie Hancock tribute- don’t miss it.
We capped the night off with a dinner under the giant mod chandeliers in the main hallway of the Kennedy Center surrounded by some of America’s most inspiring artists and Washington’s finest. I had a blast yucking it up with the legendary Eddie Villella all evening and was once again dumbstruck to find myself shooting the sh*t with Billy Joel, who is one of the most down to earth, coolest cats around. After commending him for his career (with lack of anything else to stay, being completely startstruck) he replied, “Hey, I’m just doing what I love”. And that’s what it’s all about, isn’t it.
Midnight struck and we were jolted back into our real lives remembering that we promised our sitter we would be home by 12:30. We dashed down the marble halls of the Kennedy Center like Cinderella running for her carriage, in this case our minivan, and raced home before the clock struck 12:30. We made it. No pumpkins here and the kiddos were all nestled snug in their beds. What a whirlwind, but how great to be back in our tiny home with our tiny bebes.
Happy Weekend dear readers. This powerful photo was captured outside the home of Nelson Mandela this morning. Isn’t it amazing. It kind of sums up his life’s work. What wonder one man can do, so humbling.
I hope you all are off to a fun-filled and festive holidayish weekend. Or something like that anyway. I’m attending the Kennedy Center Honors and all of the fancy dinners that accompany it with my father-in-law Jacques this weekend. I’m seriously pinching myself. He was an honoree himself and goes to the dinners and show every year, so it’s old hat for him. For me, I’ll be rubbing elbows with the President (say what?) in the White House (come again?) and with the likes of the Meryls and the Dustins of the world at the State Department and then again at the Kennedy Center. Hello. Not to mention the actual honorees this year including Billy Joel, Shirley MacLaine and Carlos Santana- so cool. I’ve rented 2 dresses from Rent the Runway, both of which were supposed to arrive at my doorstep tonight before 8pm and as of this post, are not yet here. What is a girl to do. It’s not like I can just reach into the back of my (tiny) closet and pull out a floor length black tie appropriate gown. Yikes. I’ll keep you posted.
What I’m Drinking This Weekend:
Lots of Presidential-approved vino. I’m hoping for a Virginia-made Thibault-Janisson sparkling- one of our great state’s best bottles of bubbly. It really is absolutely delicious, I know you might be dubious being that it’s Virginia-made, but trust me- it’s truly divine. They love the stuff up at the House that is White, as they supposedly regularly serve it up at State Dinners, but honestly I’d be thrilled with a cold can of PBR in the company of those peeps.
We had big plans to spend the holidays in NYC with family but at the last minute decided not to brave the early winter storm with toddlers in tow. Instead, we opted to stay home and host dinner for our family here in town. It’s been a while since I have hosted Thanksgiving dinner and was a real treat, even in our tiny 700 square-foot apartment. While dinner itself was imperfectly perfect, I learned a few things.
1. My bookshelf doubles as a fantastic little bar.
This may be a duh, but I had never thought of it before. I whipped out one of my favorite graphic tea towels, set up my vintage champagne bucket and we were in business.
2. Make sure the turkey thermometer is set to Fahrenheit. Again- duh, but we almost demolished our hopes of a super juicy turkey by reading the thermometer at Celsius (mine is an all too fancy digital model). We caught it in the nick of time- turkey save.
3. Homemade Poire William makes for a beautiful and impressive aperitif with a story to boot. The Poire Project was a huge success and the drink itself turned out pretty and pink. More later in the week.
4. Store-bought food on the table is a-ok.
I didn’t have the time or the energy to bake a homemade pie. My sister-in-law brought a pecan pie over from the local bakery and holy smokes was it good. Seriously the very best pecan pie I have ever tasted and I’m a tough crowd, being Texan by blood. All nuts and hardly any goo- way better than any pie I would have made.
5. Handwritten tasting notes are always a good idea. I was running short on time but really wanted to include my tasting notes on the table. In a last minute dash, I wrote up the cards, stamped them with some snazzy metallic ink and voilá- success. I think tasting notes are a fun way to engage guests about your wine picks and are a nice little keepsake from the day.
How was your Thanksgiving dinner? I’d love to hear your tips or lessons learned.
Just in time for the holidays, not to mention the live broadcast of The Sound of Music (yikes)- sorry Carrie, I love ya but this one sounds a little scary, I’m all for a live spectacular but this rings a bit blasphemous, I hope you surprise me- but I digress, this my dear readers, is your go-to fizzy-lifting drink of the season.
Tis’ that said season and for a mere $15, Weingut Huber makes a totally acceptable and rather juicy, refined and delicious sparkling rosé boasting a finessed bite of zingy acidity that begs to be imbibed with food. Huber’s Hugo pink bubbles makes a Fräulein proud.
A blend of Pinot Noir and Zweigelt from Austria’s Traisental region, these grapes are picked from small single vineyards, hence the wine’s delicacy and finesse. It’s like cheap grower champagne.
Serve this blushing beauty up in some white wine glasses (boot the flute and do as the Somms do- sparkling is better served in plain old white wine glasses). Hand them to your lovely guests as they arrive, and they’ll love you forever. Who doesn’t love a drink when they walk through a door? Anyone? Bueller? And this one’s pink, it’s bubbly, it’s deliciously floral and feminine and it’s festive- seriously, it’s kind of perfect and goes with everything. Take your Pinterest pick of the current overflow of holiday canapés and hors d’oeurves to whip up with this one kids, it’s not finicky.
Stop the Press! If your Thanksgiving turkey recipe is not set in stone and you still have time to hoof it to the gourmet grocer- THIS is your recipe, dear readers.
Let’s not kid ourselves, do you really look forward to the turkey at Thanksgiving? I don’t. It’s usually bland, tasteless and a dry disappoint. (cue the wah-wah sound effect) Its only benefit- that late afternoon visit from the tryptophan man that puts me in a hazy fog for the rest of the day, which I quite like after all the morning mayhem. My hubby and I took a class at our local Sur La Table last weekend to try out their cooking classes and got a little more than we bargained for- in a good way. We had a delightful class thanks to the talented Chef Ciji Wagner and her team, and tasted the single most delicious turkey on the planet.
Seriously. I’m not even exaggerating in the slightest, this choice piece of poultry was DI-dare I say-VINE. I will not roast a turkey any other way after learning the ways of this moist and juicy delicacy. It was so juicy, I almost questioned whether it was done or not but before I could voice that doubt, Chef Ciji noted that because we don’t normally have turkey this moist, we may indeed think that it is not done but the thermometer read a hot 165 degrees- just right. We also learned that basting is for suckers- it actually just dries out your bird even more due to the amount of times you have to open and close the oven during cook time. Stuffing inside the bird another no-no. Chefs laugh their cackle-y open-mouthed villain laughs at amateurs who still practice this method from ye olden days. Oh yeah and butter is a cook’s best friend- duh.
I usually like to take a recipe and mess with it, ultimately making it my own but this one is the grand madame Ina Garten’s and is such perfection, I wouldn’t dare change a thing. We also made her turkey gravy (where the Cognac is the thing) and butternut squash salad with warm apple cider vinaigrette (a revelation in gourds)- both of which will appear tomorrow on my Thanksgiving table intact as The Contessa intends.
Three cheers for Ina and Ciji, you have made our holiday truly a juicy one. Of course, I’ll make my grandmother’s old school Texan Cornbread dressing as well- because it’s only the best thing ever and the second best thing to not being in Texas with my family- and my voilá- my meal (along with a few other sides and some seasonal holiday pie courtesy of my bro and sis-in-law) will be complete.
On to the turkey- make this and you will not be disappointed.
Chef’s Tip: Pay close attention to the thermometer and make sure you place it directly in the armpit of the bird so that it reads from the center-most point of your bird.
ROAST TURKEY WITH TRUFFLE BUTTER recipe by: Ina Garten
My Thoughts: I’ll never cook a turkey any other way. Enough said. Tip: I also just added some truffle oil to regular unsalted butter to make the truffle butter. Mix in 1/2 teaspoon of truffle per stick of room temperature butter.
Total Time: 3 hr. 45 min.
Prep: 10 min.
Cool: 20 min.
Cook: 3 hours 15 min.
Serves: 8
Level: E-to the-Z
What You Need:
1 (12 to 14-pound) fresh turkey, with giblets removed
3 ounces white truffle butter, at room temperature
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Large bunch fresh thyme
1 large onion, unpeeled and cut in eighths
1 whole head garlic, unpeeled and cut in half crosswise
Good olive oil
What You Do:
1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Drain any juices from the turkey and place it on a flat rack in a large, shallow roasting pan. Pat the turkey dry with paper towels.
3. Working from the large cavity end, gently run your fingers between the skin and the meat to loosen the skin, taking care not to tear the skin. (Be careful not to do this with rings on your fingers!) Place the softened butter under the skin and gently massage the skin to spread the butter evenly over the whole breast.
4. Sprinkle the cavity generously with salt and pepper. Place half of the thyme sprigs in the cavity along with the onion and garlic. Tie the legs together with kitchen string and tie 1 length of string around the bird and the wings to keep the wings close to the body.
5. Brush the turkey with olive oil, sprinkle with 2 teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Remove 1 tablespoon of thyme leaves from the stems, chop them, and sprinkle on the turkey. Roast the turkey for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, until an instant-read thermometer placed in the center of the breast registers 160 degrees F. If you want the skin to be crisp, don’t baste the turkey at all! About halfway through, when the breast is golden brown, cover the breast loosely with aluminum foil to prevent the skin from burning.
6. Remove from the oven, cover tightly with aluminum foil and allow to rest for 15 to 20 minutes. Carve and serve with the pan juices.
COGNAC-INFUSED TURKEY GRAVY- da bomb.
recipe by Ina Garten
My Thoughts: We could not get enough of this. Make more than you think you’ll need, it’s great over everything. The Cognac is really the thing here. Be gone giblet gravy of yore (sorry mom, I know you love that stuff but blech!)
Total Time: 30 min.
Prep: 5 min.
Cook: 25 min.
Yields: 3 cups
Level: E-to the-Z
What You Need:
1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion (2 onions)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade, heated
1 tablespoon Cognac or brandy
1 tablespoon heavy cream (optional)
What You Do:
1. In a large (10- to 12-inch) sauté pan, cook the butter and onions on medium-low heat for 12 to 15 minutes, until the onions are lightly browned. Don’t rush this step; it makes all the difference when the onions are well cooked.
2. Sprinkle the flour into the pan, whisk in, then add the salt and pepper. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the hot chicken stock and Cognac, and cook uncovered for 4 to 5 minutes, until thickened. Add the cream, if desired, and serve.
ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH WITH WARM CIDER VINAIGRETTE
recipe by Ina Garten
My thoughts: you may not think of serving salad at Thanksgiving but Holy Smokes is this good. Be careful to add the arugula at the very end directly before serving to avoid soggy greens. Best served warm and freshly made with squash cooked just al dente- be careful not to overcook, al dente is the key here. This recipe ruly a revelation and a game changer when it comes to the way you (or at least I) feel about squash. Tip: I caved and bought pre-cut squash to save myself the hassle of breaking down those tough butternuts. If you are loaded down with recipes to make, I highly suggest springing for the pre-cut veggies.
Total TIme: 1 hour
Serves: 4
Level: E-to the-Z
What You Need:
1 (1 ½-pound) butternut squash, peeled and 3/4-inch diced
Good olive oil
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons dried cranberries
¾ cup apple cider or apple juice
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons minced shallots
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
4 ounces baby arugula, washed and spun dry
½ cup walnut halves, toasted
¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
What You Do:
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Place the squash on a sheet pan. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, the maple syrup, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper and toss. Roast the squash for 15 to 20 minutes, turning once, until tender. Add the cranberries to the pan for the last 5 minutes.
3. While the squash is roasting, combine the apple cider, vinegar, and shallots in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until the cider is reduced to about ¼ cup. Off the heat, whisk in the mustard, ½ cup olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper.
4. Place the arugula in a large salad bowl and add the roasted squash mixture, the walnuts, and the grated Parmesan. Spoon just enough vinaigrette over the salad to moisten, and toss well. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve immediately.
What will you all be making tomorrow? Do share. I would love to hear about your family traditions and recipes. Have a wonderful and happy holiday. I am truly grateful this year for so many blessings, what a wonderful time of year to reflect on the love and joy in our lives.
Happy Holidays and Cin Cin!
P.S.: My in-laws are performing with Pippin tomorrow morning in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Look out for Charlotte and Terry as they strut their stuff and don their jazz hands, hopefully they will not be rained out. ‘Tis the season for jazz hands and Santa’s big entrance- two of the best things in the world.
This is the real deal, folks. Gen-u-wine old school Texas cornbread dressing. Notice I say dressing and not stuffing. This is meant to compliment your bird not get stuck inside it only to dry it out. Don’t be a victim of ye olde stuffing, make it a side dish- it doesn’t do anybody any good inside that bird. Trust me.
We have been making this recipe in my family for decades. It officially started with my great grandmother, at least that’s when it was documented. We do NOT add meat to this as for me, the turkey’s the thing. More meat in the dressing just confuses me. But if you must have that additional dose of meat, add as you like.
This dressing is simple, fragrant and delish. If you want a little bit of the Lone Star state on your plate- this is it kids. Yippee-kay-yay.
OLD SCHOOL TEXAS CORNBREAD DRESSING
Serves: 8
What You Need:
3 packages of cornbread mix. (If you’re on the East Coast, you’ll have to deal with what you can find but Martha White’s is the best.)
6 slices of old school white bread left out overnight and dried
2 cups chopped celery (I cheat and buy this already chopped)
2 cups chopped onion (this too)
1 stick unsalted butter
3 eggs slightly beaten
3 boxes organic chicken broth
fresh or dried sage, poultry seasoning and salt and pepper to taste (I add thyme to this mix too)
What You Do:
1. Preheat oven 450 degrees.
2. Make cornbread and set aside to cool. You can also do this a day ahead.
3. Crumble cornbread and dried sliced bread together in a large mixing bowl and set aside.
4. Sauté onions and celery in butter on medium heat until al dente. Add to the bread mix.
5. Mix together well with clean hands- NO SPOONS allowed, adding in chicken stock and eggs as you mix. Make sure it is nice and juicy as it will dry in the oven and who wants dry dressing?
*Make sure not to over mix. The beauty of this dish is its rustic and fluffy texture. You want big chunks of bread in your stuffing not a soupy mess. Just slightly mix to maintain the rustic chunkiness.
6. Season to taste with salt, pepper, poultry seasoning, sage and any other herbs you want to add to the mix.
7. Spoon into a roasting pan and bake until slightly browned on top and piping hot- about 45 minutes.
What to drink with that delectable bird? And yes, it can actually be juicy and delicious, not just a dry and bland holiday tradition, but more on that tomorrow. Back to the task at hand- picking that perfect wine to serve with your bird. If you’re anything like me- procrastinator extraordinaire- you haven’t done your wine shopping yet, so here are your best bets. If you can’t locate these producers, ask your trusty wine shop merchant for some suggestions in these regions.
1. Cru Beaujolais. Yes, I said it. Beaujolais. I know it gets a bad rap, but it’s mostly due to the hyped up marketing blitz around the (usually) mediocre Beaujolais Nouveau. If you go for a Cru, you’re going for the good stuff. My suggestion is the Chateau du Chatelard Moulin a Vent. Made with the Gamay grape, this wine is chock full of ripe berries and red fruit, grounded by its earthiness and set off with a bit of that bubble gum flavor. It’s light to medium-bodied, a great match for your meal. Château du Chatelard Moulin-a-Vent, $19
2. Pinot Noir loves a bird. I’m reaching for my Central California Sea Smoke Southing again this year. We served it with last year’s feast and was a huge hit with everyone at the table, even those that aren’t big winos. This beautiful wine is velvety with a pinch of black pepper and smoke, smacks of black cherry and feels like a fall day. Perfect right? Expensive, but if you want to splurge you won’t be sorry. Sea Smoke Southing ’09, $79
3. Call me boring, call me predictable- anyone who reads this blog knows I have to Go Gigondas or Go Home. It’s really my all-time fave. The less expensive cousin to Chateaneuf du Pape, a good Gigondas is truly sunshine in a glass- thank you Mr. Hemingway. If I had my druthers, I would have a bottomless barrel of Celine Chauvet’s Domaine du Grapillon d’Or in my basement (if I had one). She makes a pretty and feminine yet earthy and rounded bottle of wine. Violets and roses temper the rustic earthiness of this blend of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre. Love this wine, can never get enough. Great with your bird, guaranteed. Domaine du Grapillon d’Or ’10 Gigondas, $28
4. Prosecco. I confess, I’m not usually a huge Prosecco fan. I’ll reach for a Cremant any day over the Italian sparkler, but this one is special. Aged on its lees, the Ca’ dei Zago has that biscuity, briochey richness matched with an unexpected saltiness that gives it a creamy and savory finish. So yummy and a great choice with your holiday meal. Ca’ dei Zago Non-Vintage Prosecco, $20
5. Rosso di Montalcino. Another personal fave, I’m pretty much always a fan of the Sangiovese grape from its mother land. I love Montalcino and its wines so much that we went there on our honeymoon. The Rosso is a cheaper version of its big brother, Brunello and who doesn’t always want a Brunello? Anyone? Bueller? With a good producer, you can get some great bang for your buck here. I recommend the Campogiovanni ’10- a classic dirt and cherries profile that pairs nicely with a big holiday meal especially since this one sings with food-friendly acidity. Campogiovanni ’10 Rosso di Montalcino, $18
It is a heartfelt day in our nation. It’s truly hard to believe that 50 years ago, we lost our President Kennedy. I love this photo of the glamorous First Couple- so filled with hope, youth, and that fabulous toothy grin. To think how our world changed with the loss of this President is truly mind-blowing- if you haven’t seen the excellent documentary, The Fog of War, treat yourself and imagine how things may have been very different.
On to sunshinier things- I’m off on a solo road trip to visit my dear pal Lisa Shriver- Broadway choreographer extraordinaire- down at Busch Gardens Williamsburg. She zshushed up a few of their Christmas shows with her mad New Yorker skills and I’m going down to both take a look and revel in the thousands of Christmas lights. I can’t shake it- I’m a sucker for the holidays. Bring on the cheer.
In other news, we FINALLY found a house that we really love. It’s super cute and will be even cuter once I get my hands on it. Not the mid-century modern I was hoping for, but a great little house. It is truly deep in the burbs but still only about 25 minutes from DC and 20 minutes from Old Town Alexandria where I currently live- and if you read this blog, you know how I love me some Old Town. It’s very exciting but it does have one little quirk- it backs up to the community center and pool. I would love some readerly advice on this- what would you do? The house is great, the only one we’ve found after months and months of house hunting that meets all of our needs and passes the dinner party test- I try to imagine an intimate dinner party in the backyard of each house we look at complete with strung lights, etc. Not many pass that test, it’s a tough one. This one does and gives us plenty of room to spread our wings a bit and grow, not to mention the schools are aces. Advice needed!
What I’m Drinking This Weekend:
I’m going to pop open a bottle of ’05 Domaine du Grapillon d’Or Gigondas if we decide to go for (and get) this house. I’ve been saving this one up since my days as a French import rep. ’05 as you all probably know, was an absolutely stellar year pretty much across the board. Tip: if you’re looking for a great vintage, go for ’05, you really cannot go wrong. Well, maybe you can but it’s not likely. This wine is feminine and girly with hints of violets and flowers but packs a dirty punch and tastes like the earth- just the way I like ‘em. I’m crazy about it. A female winemaker is at the helm here which explains its finesse. I love the newer vintages as well. Find it a ’10 bottle here $27- a deal for a very well made Gigondas. This one is an excellent Turkey Day wine too.
Happy Weekend dear readers. Did you all celebrate Halloween? It was the bebes’ second Halloween and we ventured out with friends to a local event. Lee Street in Old Town Alexandria legendarily hosts a beautiful trick-or-treat extravaganza. I was completely blown away by it. Imagine Colonial-era row homes all decked out in their spookiest best, sporting haunting houses, interior tableaus of the dearly departed and pumpkins galore. It is a beautiful combination of Colonial meets Southern tradition and haunting voyeurism not for the faint of heart. Peer into a window and you may see a skeletal family residing on that parlor sofa. It’s sort of like a scary Parade of Homes, I loved it.
Each Halloween, Lee Street’s residents welcome thousand of trick-or-treaters. Literally thousands, as demonstrated above. Those folks ran out of candy around 8pm. Grown ups, babies, and yes- the dogs put on the dog, everyone is decked out. This little festivity is one to put on your list. If you find yourself in my neck of the woods on Hallow’s Eve, do not miss Lee St.- a darling Colonial street all tricked out for the treaters.
Now for this weekend, I’m so pooped from all of our Halloween festivities, we have zero plans. The weekend is supposed to be about rest after all right? What about you?
My Weekend Wine:
Etienne Dupont Cidre Bouché Brut de Normal, Organic ’11. Ok, this one’s not wine per se, it’s that elixir of fall- apple cider. A French hard apple cider to be precise. I busted out this bottle on Halloween for a small little gathering and our guests were delighted. Funky and unfiltered, it’s so fall-like and festive, affordable too at anywhere from $10-$15. This cider is a great compliment to food that’s a touch sweet as it’s naturally fruit-forward and extremely aromatic. I found it at Whole Foods and will be drinking it over the weekend. A classic French cider with a bit of the funk. Love it. Tasting note to come.
A Few Things:
1. Oh Grace and Audrey- where would you be without Edith? Probably not in icon territory, is my guess. My mom sent me this post highlighting some of the divine Ms. Head’s most iconic designs. Growing up, my mom and her best friend both wanted to be Edith Head. I love that they wanted to be her and not one of her muses.
3. This home reno by Sarah Sherman Samuel is so fun to follow. I love those floors and that giant flamingo print by Sharon Montrose. Here’s the one I want.
Former showgirl, forever travel junkie, sometime sommelier, and mom to twin bebes. This little blog is a mixed bag of tasting notes, travels, tales of motherhood, and current musings. Thank you for stopping by. Cin Cin! (photo by Amy Dickerson for Anthology Magazine)
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