stylish favorites – Stylish Heath

Stylish Update

{This is one of my dream coves that no one knows about, where I relax in privacy working through all of my creative ideas. I love the salt air of the beach, the brusque wind blowing hard and having the catch of the day for dinner}

I know that making time for oneself is easier said than done. But, what if instead you scheduled a few time saving techniques into a daily routine to ensure you were taking care of just yourself. As new year resolutions abound I really do not want to promise to eat healthy, lose 25 pounds or to reorganize closets, but taking time to do what makes me happy…. well that’s something to look forward to each and every day!

There is nothing like wrapping myself in this elegant scarf in the evenings that was crocheted by our dear family friend Veronica from Valencia, Spain, and as the weather gets colder snuggling into this cover while watching movies at night is extremely comforting.

Crispy apple strudel with vanilla ice cream sprinkled with cinnamon is such a novel treat from the Brazilian restaurant Chima at Tyson’s Corner. It is a delicious taste combination of spicy sweet and a savory way to end a tasty meal.

Here are the beginnings of a scrumptious beef stew that is easy to throw together for a comforting mid-week meal. It is chilly outside and this is the perfect way to warm the kitchen. The herbs are still coming in on our deck as I placed them close to the brick for warmth and the bay leaves are in pots in our breakfast room out of the frosty air.

Stay warm stylishly,
K

January 13, 2016

Kathleen8 Comments

A Few Favorites

{My front row seat to the best fashion at DKNY; jacquard knit top and skirt is form fitting and perfect in holiday green and white}

It’s November and the clock is ticking off the hours towards Thanksgiving, and before you know it a lavish dinner will have been served and you will be frantically searching for leftovers, not to mention trying build in time to visit a few galleries or museums, instead of shopping during “black Friday”. Time where does it go? It is also imperative to find the right outfits to wear when invited to those holiday soirées. Last weekend I was invited to a DKNY fashion show at the Tyson’s Bloomindales and the fabrics of the clothing that came down the runway were absolutely luxurious.

Listed are a few favorites I would like to experience or do a bit of research on before the start of the New Year!

Amedeo Modigliani’s “Nu Couché” {1917-18}

I enjoyed studying art from the early 20^th century while in college and Modigliani was always a favorite. His painting “Nu Couché “sold this week at Christie’s for $170.4 million to a former taxi driver turned billionaire Liu Yiqian and his art collector wife Wang Wei. They have two private galleries in Shanghai that I must research so, the next time I am their bustling city, I hope to gain an invitation to see this magnificent expressionistic painting.

{Frank Stella, Harran II, 1967. Polymer and fluorescent polymer paint on canvas. 120 × 240 in. (304.8 × 609.6 cm). Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York; gift, Mr. Irving Blum, 1982. © 2015 Frank Stella/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York}

I may take the “red eye” or train to New York to check out this exhibition Frank Stella: A Retrospective {Oct30, 2015- Feb, 7 2016} at the Whitney Museum of American Art.

November 15, 2015

Kathleen4 Comments

Favorites from Charleston

Whenever I travel I draft a list of sites that were not seen on the current visit so, that if we ever get back to the area, there are notes ready to refer to for sightseeing, shopping or dining. There is something about compiling information for a destination if time has become a constraint while on holiday. This practice serves as a great reminder for the next trip, and it is a great way of compiling a favorites list when we have frequented an establishment several times for a tasty treat or finding those cultural pieces tucked in and around town!

Magnolia Plantation & Gardens
3550 Ashley River Rd, Charleston, SC 29414
As much as I love gardening, nature and being outdoors there is something about being in the swamps of the Carolina Low Country with alligators. We were walking along side a pond and there was an alligator sunning himself in the mid-day heat. As we walked by his tail whipped around and the head turned to look at our approach, needless to say I ran back to the gardens!!!

Low-country Bistro’s Recipe for She-Crab Soup
Most chefs and cooks from the south will share a recipe when you enjoy one of their tasty dishes. But, I was ecstatic when we went to dinner one night at Low-country Bistro on S. Market Street and across from our table was a blackboard with the recipe for She-crab soup.

¼ lb. butter                                   ¼ lb. crab roe
¼ lb. flour                                      ¼ cup chopped carrots
3 cups milk                                    ¼ cup chopped onion
1-cup heavy cream                     1 cup chopped celery
2 cups fish stock or water & fish base             1 tablespoon Tabasco
1 lb. white crab-meat                                   1 tablespoon Worcestershire

In a saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Add flour and whisk until it makes a pasty roux. Add milk & cream; bring to a boil. Add lightly sautéed carrots, celery & onion, and remaining ingredients. Simmer for 20 minutes! Enjoy
Makes 12 servings.

Dried Okra Chips
Whenever there was additional time between seeing the historic sites, we found ourselves perusing the Charleston City Market to see gorgeous Gullah sweetgrass baskets or listen to live music permeating the vendor’s stalls. And no one can leave the market without tasting the dried okra, which is absolutely delicious. It is a unique and crispy veggie chip that is the perfect snack when walking around the city.

Travel stylishly,
K