• Smoky bean salad

    Going to a barbecue/cookout (or whatever you call grilling outside where you live) this weekend? I have a perfect side dish recipe that doesn’t require any cooking and takes only a few minutes to put together. But first, if you live in the U.S., I hope you’ll take a moment — or several — to […]

  • Mint juleps

    Being married to a man from Kentucky means there is a lot of bourbon in my life. He ordered me a mint julep on one of our first dates, we have bottles of bourbon on display in our house, and mint juleps were the signature drink at our wedding. Yum. They do go straight to […]

  • Suit up

    Somehow, the weather in D.C. has gone straight from chilly and icky to humid and icky. These photos were obviously taken before it got really warm. A long-sleeved dress, tights, boots and a jacket aren’t really working right now. But I was originally supposed to be on TV that day, for work, so I wanted […]

  • Strawberry shortcake trifle

    Guys. You have to make this. Like, now. It’s super easy, great for a big group and incredibly delicious.   You can get a trifle dish for less than $20, or just use a large bowl. Now, you could obviously just make regular strawberry shortcakes, if you only need dessert for a few people. But […]

  • Red and black

    As a Georgia Bulldog (and red lipstick fanatic), I am always on the lookout for cute red and black outfits. This dress was a no-brainer — the fit is totally flattering and I think it actually looks better with black tights and a black sweater than on its own. The weather has been all kinds […]

  • Toasting the Preakness with black-eyed Susans

    Since we were out of town for the Kentucky Derby, we decided to have a Preakness party (even though we are within driving distance of Baltimore, where the actual Preakness is run). I made some items that were derby-themed, and we didn’t have any crab cakes (since they’ll kill me), but I figured a pitcher […]

  • Tough mudder

    It’s been pretty girly around here, with the pink cakes and dresses and jewelry. But I’m married to a rugby-playing Marine. So my life isn’t exactly glitter and rainbow sprinkles 24/7. Sometimes, it gets a little dirty. Or really, really muddy. Toby and some of his friends decided to do a Tough Mudder a few […]

  • Colorblock

    Some days, I just don’t have enough time to think about what to wear. That usually means throwing on a dress and cardigan and running out the door. This cardigan is particularly good for those days, though, because it does the colorblocking for you. No need to stand in front of the closet, plotting color […]

  • Ombre cake (almost)

    You may have noticed that I like pink. So it stands to reason I would want to make a super pink cake for my party. I used a Sweetapolita recipe, but I split it into six equal layers and dyed each a bit pinker than the last.     Since the cake and frosting were […]

  • Mother’s Day

    When I was a baby, my mom would take me to the mall in my stroller every day. All of the salesgirls knew us. I’m sure that contributed to my love of shopping, but it was probably more the fact that everything my mom wears (and buys for me) is fabulous. That and all the […]