Spring Dresses From EmersonMade.

Posted on | March 25, 2011 | 16 Comments

I never write about fashion because it’s the thing I care least about. If I ever become famous I’m getting a stylist to put lovely things in my wardrobe that fit me beautifully. So I guess I don’t dislike fashion, fashion seems to not like me.

I have a different body type. Since I was a kid, shopping has been a struggle and I’m not a fan of wasting a whole Saturday shopping for a freakin’ pair of pants. I’m tall have a small waist and I’m curvy on the top and the bottom. Most of the things I find at mass market stores make me look about 20lbs heavier because of the cut. I’ve basically given up and when I do find things I like—which is rare—I buy it up. I praise the gods who invented stretch skinny jeans and belting.

So a few weeks ago, I came across EmersonMade‘s new spring dresses. Based in New Hampshire, a husband and wife team started out making these really cute flowers. With the success of their accessory business they launched a clothing line. Some friends on twitter said it reminded them of J.crew before Jenna Lyons. I like the line because its age appropriate—I’m in my 30′s—not too dressy but pulled together.

I ordered three dresses; Dragonfly Market Dress, Seersucker and Brass Dress, and the Red Robin Dress. Greg came up the stairs while I was trying them on said, “Wow a dress that actually fits you! Love it. You look beautiful.” I had the Dragonfly Market Dress on. My least favorite of the bunch was the Red Robin, I like the styling but the other two were just more flattering on me. I might exchange it for the The Trench Dress to wear to some work events this spring.

The dresses are really well made. Most of them have hidden zippers, which I love. You could make a blooper show of me trying on dresses, getting stuck between my boobs and neck in the dressing room, and screaming for help! So thank you Emerson for the zippers. The dresses are a nice weight which I also appreciate because it reduces panty line. I’ll admit the prices are a little high but you are paying for quality, really. I took the dresses out of the box, which were beautifully wrapped and felt like I ordered handmade dresses for me. And the clothes that I have bought in the last few years that were a tad more expensive; I’m wearing year after year and they still look brand new. I don’t have the patience to shop for a whole new wardrobe every season. I’m happy to add these dresses to my closet, be done with shopping, and welcome spring.

Happy weekend everyone! Greg and I will be painting the den and cleaning up the garden!

p.s. on a more home design topic check out their house in New Hampshire, beautiful! High Street Market put together a great post full of photos, click here. And also in the recent Boston Magazine’s Home issue, on newsstands now.

Category: fashion

Small Scale Sofas

Posted on | March 24, 2011 | 25 Comments

I have this really small room off my den that serves no purpose. We don’t have hallways in the house but large throughways that round the center chimney and lead into larger rooms. So my plan is to make this room a library. I’ve toyed with different bookcase configurations but have now decided to gut this ugly beadboard cabinet (also below and not original) and use the cavity as a bookcase instead. I’m hoping to squeeze in a sofa on the wall. I don’t have much room to play with so it needs to be small. I thought about a wing chair but having it on a angle would disrupt the main traffic lane through the room.

Above Lauren McGrath’s apartment featured in Traditional Home. The Odette Sofette from Mitchell Gold is classic, tiny and pretty darn cute in stripes. I found the sofa in linen on sale at Hammertown in the Hudson Valley (new york) for around $1,000. The two photos below are from their website.

I’m a little nervous about this sofa because it barely fits. It won’t fit exactly between the wall and the window but overlap into the window frame. Maybe this is a good thing? I want to hang some beautiful floral drapes on the window. But then the drapes will have to be tucked behind the sofa. Am I getting way too specific? This is serious people! Ok I’m joking…

I love the way large pieces look in tiny rooms but their is a point when a piece can be too big and just look ridiculous. The Odette has great arms that look like terrific snuggling spots for reading books but maybe it’s the arms that make it look too heavy? So what about this loveseat from Lee Industries? It’s an inch wider but the lines are a little gentler. But then again I don’t know about that cushion?

Below a photo of the cabinet mid-gut. We started stripping it and then realized it was stupid and decided to just get rid of it. I have to pack up all the stuff in the closet before Greg goes crazy on it.

It seems a lot of us our looking for small sofas. Here are a few I’ve spotted recently that could work in my home or yours:
Wisteria’s French Settee with Slipcover Options
John Derian’s Dromedary Sofa
West Elm’s Elton Settee
Crate & Barrel’s Suffolk Settee
Ballard Design’s Parker Settee

Category: furniture

Chocolate Guinness Cake & Dingle Pies

Posted on | March 23, 2011 | 5 Comments

Last week, I had a craving for Agnes’s Dingles pies from The Village Tearoom in New Paltz, New York. Ok let’s all laugh about the word, Dingle before we move on. I read all your jokes last week on twitter while I was making them, so childish! Ok, I’ll admit…I chuckled too.

Agnes’s Dingle pies are a lamb variation of a traditional rustic Mutton pie from the Dingle Peninsula in Ireland. The pies typically look like a large round ravioli, Agnes’s pies have taken on the shape of an English Cornish pastry. The Valley Table did a great interview with her back in 2007 explaining her inspiration.

I tweaked her recipe a little adding my staple soup spices: marjoram and this herb/salt mix I put in anything with carrots and celery. The crust is made with butter and cream cheese which makes it a really tangy, flaky delight. You could use the crust for a hundred different fillings. Maybe chicken pot pies or a mushroom/spring greens/ground turkey variation?

The process is pretty simple but I would recommend making them the night before or making the entire recipe over the weekend and freezing the rest for future quick weeknight dinners. I’m not the greatest with pastry and get really intimated by folding the crust and being gently. I really can’t remember if Agnes folds her pies in half or has the crust meet at the center like mine—my crust style was inspired by an englishmen—Paul from Foodie’s Feast in Marblehead. I tried to be take my time and by the 6th or 7th pie I got the hang of it.

I also whipped up a Chocolate Guinness Cake; recipe also courtesy of Agnes. I’m not a huge fan of chocolate cake but this version is a bit more grown-up, moist with cocoa that doesn’t go overboard. I paired it with a simple whip cream.

The recipes can be found below but you can also pick up both treats at The Village Tearoom in New Paltz. If you pop in, tell Agnes I said hello!

Recipe: Dingle Pies
Recipe: Chocolate Guinness Cake

The Village Tearoom
10 Plattekill Avenue
New Paltz, NY
(845) 255-3434

Category: recipes

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