Inauguration Fashion Files

If you missed (or boycotted) the inauguration and somehow haven't seen any media coverage of the event, here's what everyone's all abuzz about...

Design Crush: Studio McGee

It's been awhile since I wrote a design post, but boy is this one worth it!!! I've long been a fan of Gen and Ben Shor of Pencil and Paper, Julie Richards of Shelter and have been tearing through Emily Henderson's Style, which I received for Christmas. But Studio McGee (McGee & Company, the shop) is a new addition to my list of favorites. Some of their rooms make my heart go pitter-patter!

Seriously Special Eats

For ages, my mom hosted both Thanksgiving and Christmas Day at my parents house-- and served exactly the same meal, right down to the appetizers and sides, for both. While other people were having ham or roast beef or even lasagna on Christmas Day, our family has TURKEY.

One year, I saw a Christmas Carol and the scene where Bob Crachit receives a turkey (which I mistakenly thought was a goose!) from the newly magnanimous Scrooge really stuck with me. So for Christmas Eve this year, the Sailor prepared a Christmas goose with all the trimmings and some!

He always puts his heart and soul into cooking a special Christmas Eve dinner, and it was even more of an effort for him this year since he was sick with a terrible cold the weeks leading up to the day.

Note that he actually used the ugly sweater coozie that I put in the Advent calendar! 

He didn't deviate from his normal planning routine and pored over cookbooks for hours, visited all of the local grocers for the best ingredients, and spent ALL of Christmas Eve Day scurrying around the kitchen like an elf in Santa's workshop.

Many cultures recognize preparing and sharing food as an act of love, and cooking for others is the Sailor's way of showing love. I so admire his patience, dedication and skill. It's especially inspiring since, although I am a better cook than I used to be, I'm still a total disaster in the kitchen! I have a few simple recipes for dinners and a bunch of baking recipes that I make regularly, but I really have no talent for it!

Here's what was on the menu Christmas Eve:

Apps: 
Oysters with Mignonette Sauce
Warm Blue Cheese and Bacon Dip
Cheese and Charcuterie Tray

Salad:
Clementine, Burrata & Prosciutto Winter Salad

Entree:
Christmas Goose and Gravy
Prune and Apple Stuffing with Sausage and Chestnuts
Cranberry clementine sauce
Kale Gratin
Rosemary Popovers

Dessert:
Bread Pudding with Amaretto Butter Cream Sauce
Gingerbread Ice Cream