Planning for the 4th of July

With the holiday weekend upon us, it will be a very different July 4th celebration this year, without a big family gathering, friends, trips to the shore.  It's all becoming a bit tiresome but we are likely in pandemic mode for much longer than we all anticipate.  So let's try to make the best of the situation Mother Nature has put us in.......

Cooking is a hobby and I love to make extravagant dinners from time-to-time, using new recipes (mostly from restaurant cookbooks or Junior League cookbooks) but wanted to share this recipe that I go to over and over again. It is so easy!  Hubby loves it, it's perfect for a small gathering or to use as an appetizer.  I serve it in a an old lucite bowl, with toothpicks.  The only ingredient you may want to stock are capers and celery seeds, both needed for this  

Southern Pickled Shrimp
Ingredients:
1/4 c lemon juice
1 1/2 t salt
Hot pepper sauce to taste
1 t sugar
3/4 c olive oil
3/4 c red vinegar
3/4 c water
2 Bay leaves
2 1/2 t celery seed

For the shrimp:
2 lbs cooked shrimp
2 c sliced onions
1 2-oz bottle capers

Combine the ingredients above for the sauce.  Put the shrimp in a bowl, cover with the sauce and put in the fridge for a few hours. Drain it before serving.  Serve it with toothpicks! 

If I were going to decorate my patio from scratch for the 4th, I'd start with these melamine plates (in Tobacco Leaf, a classic favorite). 

These are simply the best summer placemats and every dish and napkin in your stash will work with these. If you don't have something like this in your kitchen, add them today!

Add these batik napkins:

This Bunny Williams' flatware has always been on my wish list. 

Add these cocktail napkins for pre-dinner drinks:

Decorate the table with these lovely hurricanes.  You'll think you're in the islands.  See them here.

Enjoy!

Finding Your Pandemic Style

No trips to the salon, the spa, the doctor, and or my favorite clothing stores.  But you can develop your own pandemic style.  The reality is that we are going to be staying home a lot more in the next few years than we ever imagined. No big parties, no European vacations, not even a trip to the races is in the cards this year.  But that does not mean you can't keep your own style...... This may become the new normal.

I have learned to love hats this summer. Three news ones already!  If you are outside a lot, a hat is key to protect your skin but it can also be a fashion statement.  Love this one!

(Summer Hat)

(Vineyard Vines Hat)

(CK Bradley Hat)

When I am not riding I am in shorts or a dress.  These are my favorite!

(Bermuda Shorts)

Love these for pull-on style:

 (Athleta)

 I love these dresses from Lilly and Vineyard Vines. Comfortable?  Check.  Protective?  Check.  Reasonably priced?  Check.

(Vineyard Vines)

(Vineyard Vines)

 (Lilly)

My pandemic style:

Understated, preppy, classic, simplistic, comfortable, environmentally conscious.

My primary brands:

J Crew (jeans, shorts)

Birkenstock (sandals)
Teva (sandals)

Lilly Pulitzer (SPF dresses)
Vineyard Vines (SPF dresses and hats)

Have a stylish day!

Saturday Musings

These Sue Sartor dresses are all the rage and I have not pulled the trigger on one yet but love them nonetheless.  Love this one!

Great deal on this needlepoint canvas on Etsy:

In addition to my bulging needlepoint stash, I have also added to my collection of needlepoint books and horse books these past few months. Etsy is a great source for these:

(Needlepoint Books)

(Needlepoint Books)

 (Needlepoint Book)

 (Horse Book)

 (Big Red)

(CW Anderson)

Love this canvas from The Plum Stitchery:

If you are a lover of Cambridge Glass' Imperial Hunt Scene you might consider adding this lovely decanter to your collection.  These are hard to find.  See it here.

Love these small shot or cordial glasses.  See them here.

And there is a very good horse race today at Churchill Downs.  Midnight Bisou, arguably one of the best horses in America right now and certainly the best older filly, will run today for the first time since her impressive second place finish with the boys in the $20 Saudi Cup in February.  She has run 20 races to date with 12 wins, 5 second place finishes and 3 thirds.  Incredible by anyone's standards. 

She'll run in the Fleur de Lis, a Breeder's Cup "win and you're in" for the Distaff where we hope to see her face off with Monomoy Girl who will race next weekend for the second time in 18 months.  She'll have some competition today but she is in a class all by herself.  You go girl!

Enjoy your Saturday!

Wicker is My Weakness - Mainly Baskets

Love.Love.Love this line of wicker furniture and accessories. Now I just need a new porch to decorate or a sun room.  You can pick from a multitude of colors for the wicker.  So much fun!  So summer!  So classic!  So fabulous.  See the site here.

Thursday Tidbits

Last June I blogged about things I miss (read it here) and all of the things on this list still ring true.  I don't miss any of those things less now than a year ago.......and with the pandemic keeping us all home I miss some even more......

I've been adding to my vintage Lilly collection of skirts all summer long.  Love these too but the closet is full!  Poshmark is the perfect source for vintage Lilly at reasonable prices. I typically pay around $20 for my skirts.  Check it out!

Love this needlepoint sign:

Am in love with this hat, from Lola Hats:

I needed this for my morning ride this morning (use ATREAD20 for 20 percent off at checkout):

(Fly Whisk)

These are the perfect garden pruners.  See them here.

My cocktail napkin fetish gets fed regularly now by online shopping at Caspari.  This is my favorite new pattern and they make all kinds of products in the same pattern (paper plates, notecards, etc.).  It is called Tuscan Toile.

Love these vintage wicker casserole covers/serving baskets from Etsy. Perfect for summer entertaining.