J Crew and Talbots New Arrivals

I must say I am underwhelmed by the "slouchy" look that J Crew seems to be promoting since the pandemic hit. Maybe it's meant to hide the "pandemic pounds" put on by many but it's not flattering.  I much prefer the tailored preppy with a twist look that made the brand famous but why stick with what made you popular?   Since I've only bought three pieces from J Crew in the past two years, I am not the fan that I once was and this new rollout does not seem to be changing my mind.  

The colors at Talbots are vibrant and almost too preppy but there are some bright spots here and there.  This coat is very cute and I love the back.

This is a cute top for lounge wear - the kind of stuff I will be wearing.  Hoping it is warm though and it may not be. Like it in both colors.

I like these Sorel boots and have an older version that I wear a lot. 

I'm on the fence about this sweater in green but it is likely not warm and may look horrible in real life. I would wear something underneath it.

This is one of only a few items at J Crew that I would consider buying.  Wish they came in other colors like a brown but the lighter color ones will get dirty very fast. See them here.

There are some nice Liberty prints in the new rollout - always classic and popular but was hoping for more tailored pieces.  Maybe in the holiday rollout?

Monday Musings

My friend Molly and I ventured out yesterday afternoon, starting to trek to Charlottesville and then decided not to go that far.  We stopped by Ann Taylor Loft as there is one relatively close by and looked a little bit.  The pickings were very slim in terms of sizes but there were some cute items worth noting here.  Today everything is also 60 percent off.  This coat was quite nice and the color is much more vibrant in person. It comes in several colors but I liked the green the best by far. My coat fetish continues.

 

This sweater was not in the store but looks cute and I love a front zip. 

I'd pair it with these leggings.  I like this look but I don't think the colors are great other than the black ones.

 I did not see this outfit in the store but would be great for my surgery. Pull-ons and wide legs....

My picker found new glass for my collection and it arrived over the weekend. I added two stems in a new pattern - Tiffin is the manufacturer and the pattern is Flanders.  Two pink goblets and this photo does not do it justice.

Tiffin Flanders is very similar to another pattern by Cambridge called Gloria.  This pattern was only made between 1927 and 1935 and it is found in yellow, pink and clear. Some very rare green pieces surface from time to time.  You'll pay more for the pink than the yellow and clear.  The green pieces will be quite expensive if you can find them.  I love collecting the glass as I learn about the history behind it every time.

I love these adorable dinner plates from Anthro.  The rabbit and the eiffel tower are my favorites.

And I cannot wait for my a trek to the Caspari store and stock up for the holidays.  A preview from their website:

Love these wipe and go placemats:

 Have a great Monday!

 

Heavy on Rotation

The pandemic has made us all "creatures of habit" but that was built into my DNA long ago.  Wash.rinse.repeat.  Yep. That's me.  But what's wrong with going to the same brands, the same foods, the same vendors over and over again?  Nothing at all. If it ain't broke then don't fix it - as my mother used to say. So what's heavy on rotation?

Birkenstocks - I just replaced a pair of these if you can believe that they actually do wear out.  I traded in my dark brown ones for navy blue.  They are almost so ugly that they are "in" and so comfy with the fur lining.

Arc teryx Vest - I wear this one piece of clothing more than anything I own and I did manage to wear one out, the only piece of Arc teryx I have been able to wear out. This is just the very best brand for cold weather wear. Yes, it is a bit pricey but so worth it.  They make two versions - I prefer the one that is little bit heavier but they are both so lightweight you'll never know you have it on but you won't be cold.  Perfect to layer too because it's so lightweight.

Kerrits Warm Leggings -I've managed to wear out a pair or two of these tights that I wear all winter long. I am not certain that these are the exact version I own but this is the current offering.  I don't like to ride in tights but these are not tight on my legs and are ever so slightly lined in fleece.  Comfortable!  You really don't even need to ride horses to own these.  Mine are black - the lighter colors get too dirty around the barn.  I also sized up a size in these.

Topo Recovery Shoes - I've brought these up before but I have managed to almost wear out my first pair of these.  I have the black ones and I'll order gray ones soon.  I wear these almost every day. You don't need to wear socks with them.  Just pure comfort.  They are made to wear after you run, for "recovery" but why wear only to recover?  Want a nice supremely comfortable shoe to wear all day long? This is it.

All Clad Cookware - Years ago my neighbor took to an All Clad Warehouse Sale in Pennsylvania (near Pittsburgh where it is made) and that's when I started my All Clad collection of pots and never looked back.  This stuff is expensive but if you love to cook then treat yourself.  And I see this stuff at TJ Maxx routinely. 

Klorane Shampoo - Years ago I used the Klorane Chamomile Shampoo and about two years ago I started using the brand again.  I tried several different types but settled on the Detox Shampoo with Aquatic Mint.  I don't like the conditioner but simply love the shampoo.  The French do get it right.

Kneipp Bath Salts - This is a true luxury (and one that I will be forced to give up when I have foot surgery) but there is nothing more soothing than a nice hot bath with these bath salts after a long day.  They make different versions but this is my favorite (and I have tried them all).

Home Chef - We discovered this service during the Pandemic and have not stopped using it.  We never go out to dinner anymore.  We always dine at home, on the patio this time of year. I order two meals a week and can get three or sometimes four meals (we are not big eaters) but it is so easy and so reasonable. For $50 a week I feel like am dining out and the food is very good and the delivery very reliable. 

 

Thursday Tidbits

Busy week as usual here at the farm. It's been very warm and will be summer-like this weekend before real fall weather finally hits next week.  

The paparazzi will be out this weekend in Westchester trying to get a glimpse of the equestrian wedding of the year when equestrians Jennifer Gates and Nayel Nasser finally tie the knot.  The nuptuals will take place at Jennifer's farm in New York.  This farm goes along with her $5M Upper East Side apartment that her parents also bought for her after she graduated from Stanford in 2018.  Lucky lady.

The holidays are indeed coming and due to supply chain issues, shopping now is critically important.  And then there is the USPS, but don't get me started there.  Just avoid whenever possible.  But I love these plates and am considering gifting a few sets of these. 

 

Is this not the cutest rug ever?  It comes in various sizes and is washable.  

More plates.  How cute are these?

Love these napkins from Hearth and Hand at Target, perfect for the holidays and beyond.  Buy them now! 

Enjoy your Thursday and stay safe!  Get your shopping done early this year for sure. 

Friday Musings

It's been warm and damp here in Virginia and I think climate change deleted Fall from our calendar. No Fall weather yet and not in the cards for next week either. I don't want to go from blazing hot to frigid cold but it is looking that way here.  But nevertheless, the grass is green and no drought.  

The Breeders' Cup is coming in a month and I cannot wait. The Keeneland Fall Meet starts today and sadly, again, Covid is keeping us home.  There is a top two-year-old "win and you're in" race on Saturday for the colts and offers a previews of the Derby crowd.  But the BC Classic race is going to be awesome.  The talent in that race is unreal this year and there is no clear front runner.  Knicks Go kicked butt last week galloping to a romping win but can he go the distance? We'll see soon. 

I ordered a ton of books this week and am finishing up the new book on Roger Federer that I mentioned previously. It is very good but definitely for the tennis aficianado. Very deep in tennis lore, history, the players and its quite detailed.  If you don't follow tennis I'd say pass. But very much looking forward to this new book that will ship later this month:

Watched this movie recently on Netflix (I have not watched Netflix in months):

Very good and entertaining. Not a true story but worth watching.  Great cast.  Great scenario.  Fun Friday movie.

We are starting to order our holiday gifts as I think there will be many shortages with the supply chain issues.  Shop early!  I love the Arcteryx brand and have mentioned it many times.  I have never had anything from this brand wear out.  Not sure why as I wear this stuff all winter.  But love it.  This is on my wish list:

They have an outlet where you can find items reduced.  I've never been able to buy their stuff for more than forty percent off.  Worth the investment for sure. And their sizes are not huge.  An XS fits my tiny frame - they cater to an international not an American market.  Love this too.

Also love these boots for winter:

Lastly, doing a little sprucing up in the house and instead of having two of my Chippendale chairs in my library recovered I am going to make slipcovers with my large unused stash of Brunswig fabric.  Here is what is inspiring me.  The sewing machine is coming out soon!

Stay tuned.  Horse racing again this weekend televised from Keeneland. A local show on Sunday to prep the mare for the Zone Finals in two weeks. Planting my Aliums.  Handwalking Apollo.  House cleaning that never ends.  Enjoy!

Lots of Lemons and Little Lemonade

 Looking back, 2020 was a pretty good year at my house. We learned to embrace being at home.  We attended online cocktail hours and dined at home every single day.  We watched every horse race on television.  It wasn't a bad year for our house.  No one we knew got Covid and died or was really sick.  2021 started off badly losing Alfie and since then it's been all ups and downs, almost to the extreme.  Work is 24/7 with no end in sight, high stress levels, endless meetings and not enough staff to do the work.  I was really looking forward to turning a new page in 2021.  This is after I had to cancel a trip to Kentucky with the "girls" for a fun almost week long horse show last month.  And after I had to pick up a lame Apollo, from a training accident that was totally avoidable.  I've been too angry to talk about it. He is in a stall until December and this happened in August.  Madison has also been out with injury but she is on the mend and will show this weekend locally.  We'll try to finish the year with two shows in October and two in November. We are so "off our game" but I will enjoy it nonetheless.

So what's life been giving?  Lemons.  And I am trying to make lemonade or even better an Old Fashioned. But it's not working so well.  I found out last week that I need to have foot surgery which will take me totally out of commission for at minimum four months.  This is something I have managed for many years, from running and likely genetics but in the past six months a secondary issue has entered the picture.  A trip to the surgeon confirmed my fears. So looking now into a not so great 2022 and trying to find the courage to make the Old Fashioned. My February 2022 trip to Ocala with the horse is now cancelled.

Planning now for how I will need to live in early 2022 totally off my feet.  How to work so I can keep my leg propped up 24/7.   What clothes can I easily wear?  How will I manage taking a bath?  What do I do with the horses for months?  No riding, running, walking.  Just a lot of sitting.  Did I mention that I am a Type A with tons of energy who can't sit very long?

So I am buying a ton of books - five from Thriftbooks.com are on their way - mostly sports-related.  Three pre-ordered from Amazon this week - all new titles being released this month.  Maybe a Coursera course that I never had time for before?  My needlepoint stash is massive.  So there's lots to pick from there.  My car will miss me.  Madison will hopefully miss me and Apollo will go back to school, but to a different school. Enough said.  This is what I feel like....

 I know it could be much worse. No one is really sick.  We will all get through this.  But somewhere there is a silver lining - I just know it.  OK - I will be able to wear my Manalo Blahniks again after surgery.  Carrie Bradshaw would be proud.

Buying Vintage China

My well-documented china fetish started a long time ago when I was in high school.  As someone who has always had a job, my first job other than mucking stalls and delivering flowers was in a department store working in the china and linen departments.  That's where I first encountered Wedgewood, Aynsley, Lenox, Minton, Noritake, Mottahedeh, Coalport, Johnson Brothers and others.  My friends have never left.  To this day I used some of the knowledge garnered way back when to guide me.  So when I look at vintage china the first thing I look for - who made it?  I am a china snob.  Some brands I just won't ever touch - Rosenthal for one.  I have to like the "feel" of the china.  Quality is king.  

Look on the back of the plate.  The maker's logo should be there and in some cases you can date the china by the marking on back.  If there is no marking, pass. If you want to hang the plate or if you are buying for odds and ends, go for it.  But if you are splurging on an entire set, go for quality.

Some brands I look for other than the ones mentioned above - Haviland, Limoges, Royal Doulton, Ginori, Royal Worchester, and Herend, 

These Spode plates are fabulous.  Looks like they are a Williamsburg collaboration and according to Replacements, Ltd. these are discontinued and were made from 2001 to 2004.  See the Spode logo on the back.

See the logo and the name of the pattern. Not all will have the name of the pattern on the back.

I used to sell this pattern and rarely ever see it, Chinese Tigers by Wedgewood. This is so chic and "in" today.  This was produced from 1984 to 1993. Pair this with white dinner plates and tartan for the holidays:

Lenox is not one of my favorite brands but they make Kate Spade china and most of my Lenox (if not all) is Kate Spade. But I remember this pattern and it was one of my favorites.  Lenox is often more of a beige color than a true white.  Rutledge is lovely:

Another tip - buy only salad plates or dinner plates. I almost always try to find salads and if I can find enough dinner plates I buy those too.  But I don't set a formal table that often anymore so you don't need bread and butter plates or cups and saucers. Bowls are typically expensive. I have some glass bowls that I can use if I need them.  Then you can add to your patterns as you find pieces.  The fun is in creating a new set from scratch too.

Bianca by Wedgewood is another pattern that I love and once sold:

Make sure you get the right sized plates. Years ago they made luncheon plates which are like small dinner plates.  And sometimes the sizes will vary even for salad plates.  The older dinner plates are also smaller than our dinner plates today. I much prefer the smaller ones and they set a prettier table. Clunky and large?  No thanks.

This is another pattern that you may not be aware of - Les Oiseux from Ceralene.  It looks a lot like Herend's Rothchild Birds and it is less expensive.  You can find this pattern out there from time to time. I knew someone who picked this china when she was married in the 80's.  The plates are numbered much like Herend as they are different and you'd want to try and collect all the numbers.

Happy hunting!