Troop Misty Moss: The importance of a little fun...

Last year, I invited a bunch of girlfriends up to our Vermont hideaway for a weekend in the wilderness. The November air was crisp and we spent the weekend hiking a misty trail, cooking Autumn-inspired meals and conversing around a campfire. It was that type of good-for-the-soul quality time with friends that, turns out, all needed a little getaway of their own, too. In a silly state as we summited Pico Mountain, we decided to name ourselves "Troop Misty Moss". In part, this was a play off of the iconic 1989 film Troop Beverly Hills, which still remains one of my favorite movies. It could also have been the cold, raw, rainy weather that had us in a slight delirious daze.... From that moment, I embraced the establishment of our troop name and ran with it.... 

This year, we turned things up a notch. Our second annual weekend was another one for the books. We took turns cooking up fabulous cabin concoctions, hiked up to The Long Trail, carved mushrooms, built fires and enjoyed Cheese By Carol. It was a weekend that served as a reminder of how important it is to sometimes take pause from "real life" whilst enjoying the natural landscape with people you cherish. Being silly is also "OK" in adult life... Here's to the the 3rd Annual Weekend next year!

Troops were greeted Friday evening with bandanas for the weekend's hike, local Vermont jam and branded matchboxes. 

My sister meanders through the forest with my vintage Adirondack pack - perfect for holding all the mushrooms and ferns we foraged... 

Our kooky A-frame, ready to greet the troops! 

Cheese By Carol makes a debut by the firepit.... this cheese board didn't last long. 

At Home with Jane Scott Hodges

I've always enjoyed watching the home tours Quintessence conducts with designers and tastemakers. Just yesterday, Quintessence published a video tour with Jane Scott Hodges, the founder & owner of Leontine Linens. The home is a 19th century greek revival Jane Scott and her husband have outfitted in delicious hues, modern art - all with Jane's signature entertaining panache. Have a look at the video piece here. 

Jane's lacquered living room, a space Jane and her husband made larger by removing a wall after they purchased the home. 

An Ode to Fall

One of my favorite editorials....and one that I had forgotten about until I unearthed my Pinterest page looking for some fall inspiration. I wish I could recall the the exact publication - it's killing me that I have no recollection or documentation. The luscious old hollywood locks, fall knits and feminine seduction make for the perfect invitation to a season full of temptations. 

Table for 1

The art of eating alone. Or shall I say, the importance of eating alone. I once went to my favorite restaurant in Mill Valley routinely after my trail runs on Mt. Tam to perch at the bar, have a glass of vino and the special of the day. It was an opportunity to seduce myself with good food and a clear mind. A friend expressed how she thought that was plain odd - indicating that she could never do such a thing. I must say, I think it's incredibly necessary for every male and female to be able to dine alone in public. I was reminded of this the other evening when I went for dinner by myself. Just as yoga feeds the soul, a proper glass of cabernet, white tablecloth and a little solo romance can go a long way. Ponder your life away, or simply stop to smell the (table) rose(s). It's certainly an independent, rather bold act, but one I consider nourishing and necessary... Bon Appétit ! 

Waning Wicker

For anyone that adores wicker furniture pieces, you likely know that the "good stuff" is typically made by hand, lasts for decades and takes a great deal of time to construct. You might also know that there are very few rattan ateliers left in the world. A recent piece in the New York Times T Magazine highlights the romance behind the craft and the three prevailing shops that stand the test of time. Read the piece, here. 

The Ripple console (featured left) is one of my favorite wicker pieces of Soane’s. Here, three of their products sit in their Leicestershire workshop.

My Best Friend's Wedding

We've just returned from my best friend's magical wedding weekend in Napa. I keep referring to the weekend with the movie "My Best Friend's Wedding" with Julia Roberts in mind, really for no particular reason, other than the fact that she is literally my best friend and the phrase seems to fly off my tongue. There is also a bit of pride in that phrase as Lauren is one of my dearest friends. Witnessing Lauren's marriage was so incredibly special and I am most certainly still on a high of joyful emotion. Not only is Lauren one of the most loyal, witty, and elegant people I know and cherish, she has impeccable taste. From the provencal garden landscape to New Orleans band and chic tablescapes, it was an evening to remember...I just had to share a few captures! 

Gold clutches accompany a glass of rosé during cocktail hour in the garden. 

The most elegant bride! Her "something borrowed" were a pair of diamond pearl-drop earrings my friend Betsy wore at her wedding, and Betsy's Mother wore at her own! 

The New Orleans band welcomed guests to the garden for cocktails. 

The string quartet played a marvelous mix of elegant sounds before & after the ceremony. 

A tablescape to remember. Varying sizes of green and white flowers grace the tables of the bride & groom's friends and families. 

// SLASH CAMPAIGN: VERONICA BEARD & CAROLYN MURPHY //

Veronica Beard's Slash Campaign features Carolyn Murphy, a woman I've long admired for her beauty and spirit. I truly think she is the most beautiful female specimen in the world - inside and out. She possess that je ne sais quoi some people just exude - the woman that can master a wet-suit or ballgown and look unapologetically phenomenal. The campaign Veronica Beard launched is designed to "celebrat[e] the confident, versatile, humorous and passionate women that inspire us by highlighting the sides of their personalities that make them unique." Photographed by Claiborne Swanson Frank in Montauk, I think this is a brilliant collaboration that will not only champion women but burnish the Veronica Beard brand. I can't wait to see more!  

See here to view the video & shop Carolyn's look.

Brimfield Acquisition

My acquisitions at Brimfield Antique Market were on the conservative side. I did scoop up this darling rattan table for a song, only to realize that she wouldn't fit in my wagon and thus, will be delivered in a few weeks. I do plan to paint her and though her function isn't quite defined, she will make for a great topiary table, or play host to stacks of my coffee table books. She reminded me of a piece you'd find in an elegant but rustic home by the sea - perhaps in a sun-drenched library - topped with treasures or a commanding lamp. The hunt is half of the fun - the other half is scheming and styling. Here's to the weekend!  

Tory's Topiaries & The Magic Making of Westerly

I was admittedly between meetings when I first got wind of the feature on Tory Burch's Westerly Home featured in the October issue of Architectural Digest. My mind lustfully danced with these images for hours after (and still is). Why? Perhaps because we are moving and re-decorating is inevitably on the horizon. Perhaps because I've been examining fabrics, curtain swatches, Etsy shops and plotting my impending procurement of a new batch of myrtles...and I'm mad about topiaries. Perhaps because I'm so in the weeds of business & packing that I needed a little piece of visual candy to calm my mind. Despite these facts, there is something quite effervescent and intoxicating about this Hamptons home she spent nine years decorating. The imagery below speaks for itself. Part of the interior magic is the result of Daniel Romualdez .... the house just oozes with relaxed sophistication. View for yourself below and do watch the punchy-chic video of "Tennis, Taffy, and Topiaries at Tory Burch's Hampton's Home". 

Where the Country Road Leads

A quick country drive reaffirmed one of my favorite summer luxuries - visiting farm stands. Walker's Roadside Stand in Little Compton, Rhode Island always brings me a particular sense of nostalgia. I have memories of visiting Walker's as a young child with my Mother and Sister Caroline after a beach day. I can still hear our beach chairs clinking in the back of our station wagon as we pulled into the gravel drive, and our small sandy hands devouring juicy peaches. We'd select dinner provisions for the evening and snack on snap peas on our way home. We were of course too young to appreciate these moments like I do now...