#featured

Asian Noodles & Other Main Dish Salads

May 11, 2022 By kimwheeler 23 Comments

Today I’m excited to join five others to bring you ‘Main Dish Salads’ just in time for Memorial Day, end of school year gatherings, and summer entertaining! The main dish salad is a great go-to that you can bring anywhere, and especially perfect for those alfresco nights when you want unfussy dishes to enjoy with friends and pretty sunsets!

My dish is a noodle salad and I have shared a version of this before on the blog. It’s reliable for potlucks, parties and especially warm weather gatherings. It’s a cold salad, but can be at room temp safely. To make this more of a main dish, I add shredded chicken from one whole roasted grocery store chicken. (When you do that, it does need to stay cold.)

This noodle salad has its origins from my Aunt Wendy, a great entertainer who lives on Discovery Bay. She knows how to throw a warm weather bash on her deck or out on a boat with friends. This is her recipe and it works so well and it makes a LOT! My aunt, just like my grandmother, does not believe anyone should ever go home hungry and is an effortless hostess. Her dish is a crowd pleaser. Who doesn’t like noodles? The nice thing is this can stay on a deck, patio or boat all day without spoiling ( sans the chicken obviously, if you go with that.)

Since I was experimenting, I made a few modifications to the recipe for current times by removing half the oil, removing the additional salt ( as it already has soy sauce), and using less honey and a gluten-free reduced sodium soy sauce. You could also use gluten-free angel hair pasta. I love the corn/rice mix versions of those pastas, which have the taste and texture that are nearly the same to me.

Max was my taste tester and he said he couldn’t tell any taste difference with the healthier recipe. Also we both noted that this salad is always better after a day in the refrigerator when the flavors really soak into the noodles more, so for best results, make it the day prior. That makes its a perfect make ahead dish.

Here’s my version of Aunt Wendy’s recipe…

Asian Noodle Salad

Kim Wheeler

An easy noodle recipe for a warm weather gatherings and big groups.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Course Main Course, Salad

Cuisine American, Asian

Servings 10

Ingredients

1 LB box angel hair pasta
1/4 C oil
1/4 C sesame oil
1/2 t crushed red pepper You can go up to 2T depending how spicy you like it.
1/4 C honey
1/4 C soy sauce Tamari low sodium, gluten-free brands like San-J work well too.
1/2 C chopped peanuts
1/4 C chopped fresh cilantro
2-3 T toasted sesame seeds

Instructions

Cook pasta, ( careful not to overcook with the usual 2 minute time), drain and rinse well with cold water, pulling the strands apart so they do not stick in lumps.
Using the same warm pot, stir together oils and crushed red pepper over medium heat briefly.
Remove from heat and stir in soy and honey while warm, add to pasta and distribute well.
Cover and refrigerate overnight.
When ready to serve, add in sesame seeds, peanuts and cilantro. Garnish with cilantro sprigs. Serve using tongs.
If making this a main course, add the shredded white meat from one roast chicken. You can also do this the night before.

Keyword salad, summer noodles, main salads, dishes for a large group,

My pictures show the meat free version as we were having this as a side with grilled salmon and a green salad the other night. Someone used the last of my crushed peppers without telling me, so those aren’t in here, but it does give it a kick of heat and is nice with the honey.

The best part about this recipe, is it comes together fast, cooks quick and you can feed a crowd. I would say you can feed 8-10 with this and if you double the recipe as my aunt often does, you can feed the masses! You need one of those huge industrial aluminum bowls if you double it, as my aunt has (linked below).

A few things you may need..

Bamboo Tongs/PB French Grain Sack Towels/WS White Pasta Serving Bowl/San-J Gluten-Free Low Sodium Soy Sauce/ Metal Tong Set/ Large 20 Inch Stainless Bowl/

Please visit these blogs for more delicious main dish salads!

I can’t wait to see what new ideas these ladies have…

Most Lovely Things

Classic Casual Home

Cindy Hattersley Design

Sheri Silver

Make Mine A Spritzer

Thank you for being here!

Kim

If you missed it, another fun post is last year’s Summer Picnic Ideas, with a pasta salad and pink lady apple and turkey baguettes, you can find here. You can also follow my Pinterest Board, Alfresco for more fun summer entertaining ideas and recipes.

If you’d like to get an email when I post, please subscribe to the blog here for a post in your inbox a few times a month! Thank you so much, as Bloglovin seems to have stopped working and I no longer post as much on Facebook and plan to do less there.

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Last Minute Books and Other Good Things

December 21, 2021 By kimwheeler 3 Comments

I know I am still sending a few last minute things that fell off my radar … I was surprised how many books can still be delivered before December 25 if you order today. I thought I’d do a roundup of my faves and a few new good ones that I want too!

Also, if you’ve got your head down and missed it, today is the last day for the additional 15% off the Sale items at Serena & Lily and two things I love are on it, this Tivoli Pillow Cover, just $79 plus the additional, and the Norfolk Bath Towels, which are beautiful quality and now $14-$29 and additional discount..Other good things to grab are the Cobble Hill Pillow and my Blake Console is too. Use the code CELEBRATE If you order by today you can get this FEDEX’ by the 24th, but I suspect most people would be buying for themselves.

Now onto the books.. I’m trying this boutique widget to make it easier for you to just click on the item. Let me know how this goes. And please below add any good book recommendations you have loved this year. I’ve added a lot of cookbooks as they are my favorites..

I hope things are going well this week. I’m running out to grab a few last things before rain begins here for a while.

I’ll be back soon with a Christmas or New Year’s dinner post idea for you!

Have a great day,

Kim

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Signature Style- Holiday Outfit Ideas

December 7, 2021 By kimwheeler 15 Comments

This month we are doing Signature Style early as it is all about festive outfits for the holiday season. I’ve had more than a few people ask for ideas for Christmas parties. I have some pretty things I wanted to share and Sarah and Cindy do too.

I have always loved any opportunity to don a sequin or two and sparkly jewels. As a child, I was fascinated with what my mother would pull together for my father’s big company Christmas party each year. In the 1960’s, my grandmother made her a sleeveless dark pink velvet swing dress with a large bow above a cut out in the back. She had a big crystal flexible bracelet, chandelier earrings and brooch that matched. Each year my mother meticulously planned her look from the shoes, to the jewels, shoes and even lipstick. Another year we went to the very hip Joseph Magnin and she bought black velvet hot pants with a matching long sleeve top with white lace cuffs and collar- ala the Partridge Family! I thought all of it was TDF and I couldn’t wait to grow up and dress up for fancy parties

Fast forward to the life I live now, and fancy parties are rare. Companies don’t have those Mad Men era holiday shebangs much anymore- and when they do, they are less dressy, well at least here on the West Coast. In this pandemic age, many of us are choosing smaller gatherings, and many are entertaining at home. We need options for it all, so here’s a few fun things I have found and what works for me..

My Go-To Looks for the Holidays

Sparkly top + cute jeans and pretty sandals
Silky bias type skirt (or dress) topped with a fluffy soft sweater
Black blazer with a camisole and a fitted pant with big sparkle earrings to make it holiday.
Black dress that you can dress up with heels or make hip with boots or booties.

Always start with shopping your closet, and see what you own before you buy! Sometimes the coolest things are already in your closet. I also think consignment stores are a treasure of unique pieces.

Istart by laying all my potential outfits on the bed and then try looks with different shoes and accessories in front of a big mirror. Anything with a sequin or velvet should be a candidate, as well as shoes, bags, and costume jewelry with sparkle. Vintage pieces are especially cool. I have things from my mom and grandma that I use every year – beaded clutches and brocade bags and those Christmas pins as well.

The Bias Cut Skirt or Dress with a Sweater

How lovely is this look on Meghan Markle?

For an occasion that takes places daytime or an evening that is an early cocktail party or dinner with friends, a soft sweater over a silky bottom paired with a dramatic earring strikes a comfy, but still chic feeling.

I love that look and comfortable feel and tried it with a bias cut skirt I have and a new super soft cashmere sweater (on sale now and amazing quality), some kitten heeled booties and long pearl earrings that are vintage and a gold and patent clutch bag. I’d probably add some chunky crystal bracelet instead of the watch here..

Try the same look with a slip dress or satiny skirt and a soft sweater that has that fluffy holiday look.

If you don’t have that, the brilliant AllSaints has created a 2 in 1 dress, the Darla Tiana – a 90’s look slip dress with a wool/yak sweater to top it off when you want. It comes in three colors- a black, red/rust and a soft grey. Brilliant!

They also make this Rosetta dress with a bit more sparkle and a shorter sweater in gold and silver..

And Nordstrom has it’s own version of the AllSaints dress and it’s on sale now too..SO pretty. I love the versatility of these 2 in 1 dresses.

AllSaints has over twenty versions of the 2 in 1 Dress , another below, The Maren, and all are great for this kind of occasion! Just use accessories to make it elegant or casual wear for everyday. The options with these make them a good investment for your wardrobe.

If you already own a soft pretty sweater, Anthro has a few good bias slip dresses here in a pretty copper, and a leopard print.

More inspiration from the cute account Street Style Global on Instagram…

Other sources for satin skirts are Shopbop, which has a pretty bias cut skirt. and J.Crew has one also here.

The Sparkly Top + Jeans and Pretty Sandals or Heels

Do you have a Christmas exchange party with friends, or a holiday lunch out or maybe you’re inviting few friends over? Right now we are all trying to keep gathering small and when hosting at home, the easiest holiday look is a sequin top. Everyone should have one in their closet! This year I grabbed this one shoulder number that caught my eye. I paired it with jeans and my sparkly slides. This is a very California Christmas look as you all know we are so casual here. I paired it with my Valentino slides that have some sparkle.

I can’t find the exact same top anymore, but this below middle is similar same brand.. You can get these shirts for a song at Marshalls and similar places. The $300 ones aren’t that different and for the amount of wears, it makes sense to get a more affordable one. Buy one and you’ll always have something fun to wear when the occasion happens. At the very least you can feel cute at home while you watch the ball drop on TV on NYE. (That’s usually what happens here !) Below left they also have a pretty version in plus size and this one right from Marshalls is adorbs too.

The denim I am wearing is by AYR and made in LA, a very small company. You can choose your inseam and finishes and I LOVE how they feel and fit. They hold you in a bit, but aren’t too tight. They have to be the most flattering pair of jeans I have ever had. Being short, I like that I could choose the length and I chose the 25 at 5’4. They are called The Pop and have a raggedy edge in the Bomba wash I bought. Other options and finished hems are available. I want a white pair next!

The Black Suit or Jacket with a Bare Look Underneath + Fab Earrings

Another look I wore all through the 1990’s was a black jacket with a camisole or just buttoned up with no top under and skinny pants. It’s almost a suit look, but you add great earrings, or a cool pin and voila you are up for drinks, dinner (or dancing-as if that was happening anymore.) I think this look is uber chic.

I wore some dark plaid trousers, my hair up, chandelier earrings and matte black booties here..

Do you have some chandelier or dangly earrings? I have many pairs I have bought over the years and honestly some are 30 plus years old like the pearl drops that I bought in college and wear on the to pic. They were YSL and $20 on sale. Still my favorites! I love these Waterfall Sparklers, left , the Sparkle Drops middle that come in three colors, and both the baguette drops – all J.Crew.

If you don’t have a black blazer J.Crew has this wonderful stretch velvet option..And the classic, Regent Blazer.

Some slim fit trousers here.

I couldn’t find dark plaid pants, but I did find a source for a plaid circle wool skirt, which reminds me of my mom 1974 Christmas..I was so inspired by this look from Instagrammer Benedetta Magri? This is fun and chic…

The Black Dress + Your Own Cool Spin

Lastly when you have a more formal event, something for work that’s pretty upscale or party where you just aren’t sure what to do, the black dress is ALWAYS a good idea! I have three that I adore and have worn over. One is a silk shirt dress from L’Agence, another is an Elizabeth & James black A line in crepe, and a black silk sheath from Ramy Brook. All three dresses were an initial investment of around $300+ but they still look new and stylish and are the stalwarts of my closet. If you don’t have at least one flattering and well made black dress, and you have an event, this is the time to get one!

Below I’m in my favorite crepe dress left (so forgiving) and my Ramy Brook silk which can go all seasons.

I love black crepe as it is usually lined and skims the body. Ralph Lauren makes this classic left, and this one from Caroline Rose is a modern take on the classic.

Other classics sure to last are this Emporio Armani Drape Waist Knit Dress and this Theory Crepe Sheath.

The nice thing about the black dress is you can put your own spin on it with large earrings, elegant chains or a cocktail ring. Try a rhinestone pin in your hair and add a bag in a bright color or with stones. The possibilities are endless and you will always look smart. Don’t discount black booties which can make a simple black dress feel a bit more punk and cool. If you need black clothes inspiration, watch the Cruella movie. It’s amazing and fun.

Whatever you do, enjoy dressing up. After the past years, any chance to seems like a treat to me! Add some flair and think of this..which my grandmother would agree..

I kind of love that..Please go see what the style genius’s Cindy and Sarah have on their blogs..

Cindy Hattersley Design

Sarah London Style

Are you going to any work parties? Here in California, I know those things are largely not happening during this pandemic. I have a few plans with small groups of vaccinated pals and some meet ups with close friends for coffee and catch up outside. What about you?

Kim

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Less Stress- More Holiday..A Few Tips

November 6, 2021 By kimwheeler 9 Comments

Happy weekend! I wanted to get a post out with some thoughts I had to help you get ahead on the holiday season. I’m always feeling like I don’t have enough time between Thanksgiving and Christmas and I think the key to lowering some of the stress is to start planning now, and making some decisions as soon as you can about what you are doing for both Thanksgiving and Christmas or Hanukkah and New Year’s Eve. The earlier you decide things, it takes a lot of pressure off and lets you truly enjoy the season, not fret through it.

A few things to do now

Order your holiday cards. Don’t have the perfect photo? Go through what you do have and try them out in cards just to see. That’s how I picked the last two year’s cards. You’d be surprised how good you can make things look with a pretty design and printing. Remember perfect is the enemy of good enough, and done feels pretty great! Update your addresses while you’re at it as well. Minted has been my go to for the past years because I love their modern styles. Paper Culture is another new card company to check out, and Artifact Uprising has these cool cards below, and many others..

Choose a house wrap and a few good ribbons to use on everything. This is such a great idea. Find a pretty wrap that is versatile and a bit luxe (think nice department store), a few spools of nice ribbon and you are set. I did this two years running now- one year with a faux bois paper, and another with a pretty gold. Sure you might need some cheaper wrap for kid’s toys and things, but having one wrap -or one color theme, makes things simple and it looks nice under the tree too. I love this California Holly, and on Amazon there are large rolls in a reversible plaid/dot and also a woodgrain gold and a reversible leopard/gold. Using plain brown kraft paper is another idea and you can just change up the ribbons and add natural bits foraged from the yard like below on Half Baked Harvest...

Some of the loveliest wraps here ..

You can save paper by using sharpies to creatively write names on family gifts. For others we use plain brown tags each year to make tags with rubber stamps. We have also repurposed old calendars and cards to make tags with vintage ribbon. Buy one set of brown tags and use them all year. I’m telling you this now, so you don’t go and buy a ton as soon as it all hits the stores. It can be fun to choose simple and improvise!

Buy one great gift to give all your friends. Maybe it’s a uber soft throw, or a book, hand creme or candle. Make it something you’d love to have that is a little luxury. I love the idea of finding a beautiful throw, maybe on sale early, and buying it in multiples. Same with a great candle. Keep them in a gift drawer and you are set for hostess gifts or friends. This cozy throw is one on my radar with the pom poms. Who wouldn’t want this on the couch for shows at night or on the bed this winter?

If you want to spend less this year, plan a gift to make and share. Some ideas are pretty vinegars, nuts, any fantastic family recipe (my dad always makes our secret family nuts). One year my neighbor made us the best vanilla extract ever and another made body scrub. Get creative, plan a weekend or a few nights and enjoy doing it maybe with friends even? I love this idea for a clutch for girlfriends from Martha Stewart.

Cookies are easier if you specialize in one. I used to go nuts trying to make all the Christmas cookies my family has made in the past. Then one year, I decided to just choose one and give that to everyone. Some years I have made biscotti, and others we have made sugar cookies. Even with the sugar cookies, we try and do multiples of one style- like a tree -and have fun with variations on that shape alone. They look cute packaged when they are all the same shape too. One year we did shortbread with walnuts (top pic) and they were very popular.

Family Calendars for 2021 are a great idea to make now. They take some time, so begin now. A thoughtful gift for all generations, with photos of all the family, you could add recipes, and even art by family members. It’s especially appreciated by grandparents with everyone’s anniversaries and birthdays on it. I love Minted’s calendars and when you order cards on many sites, you get a break on calendars. The same sites where you can make calendars you can usually make a bound book with family recipes ( I want to do this), special vacations or milestones that can make a precious gift for someone.

Plan a few meaningful holiday gatherings to look forward to. A holiday lunch out with girlfriends, or a small gathering of a book group, school or work friends is nice. You need reservations now. Not sure about large gatherings inside yet, but small get-togethers with vaccinated people are back this year and seem like the best idea. If you can pick a date and a place it gives you something to look forward to. If you need to keep it simple, plan to meet for a winter walk and a to-go coffee to tea with a dear friend. Or maybe get a group to meet up for a holiday movie at the theatre. If there’s a gift exchange, refer back to your go-to gift.

Don’t forget little things. Seeing the lights, caroling, and baking or crafts and special holiday movie nights are good things to add to the calendar so they happen. My family would rather do those things than have all the presents. If you can remember, it’s the rituals of the holidays that make it special, rather than gifts, you can have a lot more joy and take the focus off of buying stuff.

Can you buy less stuff? Do not just buy things to have more to open. Some families forgo presents and do holiday getaways as kids get older. Other draw names with adults and just gift the kids as families grow larger. I think anything that includes less buying makes for a better holiday. As our boys got older we did- something to read, something creative (a project gift), something to go to (tickets or a special meal/day), something to wear, and a gift card or cash. That took a lot of stress off having a formula. Tell them ahead you’re doing less. Also with family and friend exchanges can you do a meal out or a day together and skip presents? You might find a lot of others would appreciate the stress and cost taken off as well..

Keep your holiday meal plan, recipes, and shopping lists in a binder and update it with each year’s meals and details. Do you already have a recipe binder? We save the recipes we use and the shopping lists from each year. I have pages full of notes- and the post mortem thoughts too. You’d be surprised how much you can get done by just sitting down and opening up such a binder each year. We thought we’d remember what size turkey we bought- and how many pounds we needed for the amount of people, but each year we are glad to have it written down to refer back to.

In that same binder is torn pages for Thanksgiving themes appetizers, fun cocktails, and variations on stuffing and pies. The years of freenWilliams-Sonoma’s meal guides are fantastic. Some recipes have stayed in there ten years before we attempted them, but it’s wonderful to have it all culled there for the season! I highly recommend if you don’t already do this. All we have to do is open the binder, and we’ve got our guide and some inspiration. We also love Thanksgiving: How to Cook it Well , by Sam Sifton, with stories, recipes, tips and room for notes for each year.

Choose a charitable thing for the season now. A great thing to do is ‘adopt’ a family for Christmas and buy them gifts. Another is taking your kids or yourself to the mall giving tree and pick some people and make an evening out of shopping and wrapping for them. We would do this when the boys were small and they’d get dinner out for doing it too. My family has also enjoyed helping at a children’s holiday fair and another time served meals. November is the time to check with your favorite local charity and see what is going to be needed. Doing something for others gives this season a lot more meaning. The Mercury is another good place that will publish how to help many kids and families that need help by November 25. Our family held coat drive one year at the local school for One Warm Coat. You can also do it by having a drop box on your front porch. It was great having my guys help collect the coats and deliver them at the end to one of the participating groups that can so use coats during winter.

I hope some of these ideas will get you thinking a bit about how to tackle the holiday a bit early and help you enjoy the season more.

I would love if you’d share any ideas and traditions that you have make the holidays easier below!

Have a great weekend,

Kim

P.S. I will be sharing some of my Thanksgiving table ideas from this year and past ones coming up soon!

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The Coolest Kitchens

August 28, 2017 By kimwheeler 13 Comments

I know I haven’t been blogging as much as I used to and one reason is some time I’ve been trying to devote to a home remodel we have been planning. The kitchen part is especially stressing and I tend to overthink everything.

I could make it easy and choose all the traditional things -white cabinets, counters…pedant lights, farm house sink, subway backsplash, etc. I love all of those elements! However, after traveling to Europe and also pouring over of kitchen ideas, I have begun to say why not think out of the box? I don’t want trendy, but I want something uniquely mine and kinda cool and something that won’t look dated.

One thing I have been avoiding is Pinterest and a few other sites. The same images or look alike images are shared so many zillions of times and things start to look all the same. The homogenization of Pinterest and somewhat of Instagram, has been a pet peeve of mine. They all look the same…Or variations of the same. It gets really monotonous and I think will look very dated in a short time. Houzz has more variations and ideas, but most adhere to a traditional look or a modern one.

The only solution is to forge your own style and look, so where to get ideas? The MLS is one good spot as real estate listings have such a diversity. I also find European kitchens more inspiring as they seem to appreciate quirkiness, take more chances and don’t care for the model home look as we Americans fawn over.

In that spirit I am sharing some of the more unique kitchens I’ve been loving and I say you only live once…Take chances and dare to be different.

This is one of my favorite kitchens – Sara Ruffin Costello’s home in Saint Louis. Photo is from her website which feature her Garden District home is one of my very favorites.

I love the painted brick backsplash, the mix of modern and traditional and the bright feeling.

Another awesome and unique kitchen I love is this Swedish one…

The home of former model and now designer Malin Persson is a great combination of furniture pieces and modern counters, lighting and tiled walls. How gorgeous is her china cabinet?

The whole post originally appeared here on Habitually Chic.

I also love the idea of painting a kitchen a color like this one by English designer Ben Pentreath. Ben and his blog are ground zero for that quirky English vibe. If only California wasn’t so hot, I could have an AGA stove. I just love their old world look.

If you like this, Ben’s blog has more of the parsonage he shares with his husband Charlie in Dorset. I love the way he mixes it all and makes it beautiful.

Some other antidotes to the usual… Yes I love white shaker cabinets and white counters, but it’s good to see other options right?

Cote Maison

Decorpad

This kitchen is the work of the Luigi Fragola design firm in Florence, Italy.

So is this…

I’m crazy about the color of the cabinets and the floor and what wonderful cabinetry.

More of their designs on this post by Desire to Inspire which highlighted their beautiful work.

One thing my designer Debbie says to me is that I would live in glass house if I could and she’s right. I crave light and can never get enough. I especially love a garden outside. This kitchen surrounded by a garden is dreamy.

So is this..

Houzz

I thought I might be able to model the layout of my kitchen after this one. The bank of windows, lamp on the counter (makes it so cozy) and the glass doors to the pantry or office are all things I would hope to do. However, I may now be moving my kitchen to an entirely different space, so the layout would not be like this.

Elements of Style

I also love this, lots of wood, white and steel and windows.

How about rock for the backsplash? Sorry no original link to this so if someone knows please tell me. Originally found on Pinterest.

I also love a mix of modern design and a fancy chandelier…

Remodelista

Jasper Conran’s kitchen has always been a favorite with it’s steel counters combined with the traditional.

Another mix of rustic, modern and classic elements by Rose Uniacke.

The beams look traditional and the dark windows are modern. I’d like a black, natural wood or even a blue hued island. Via Elements of Style.

I’m also partial to the grey blue tones.

If you have to do white, then this mix of tile, painted chandelier and lots of chrome is fun. Both photos above designed by Ilse Crawford.

Another mix here by Kristin Buckingham.

This kitchen by Windsor Smith has been seen everywhere, but I still love it! I believe this is actually a very dark navy paint that is almost black, but with the light of the kitchen, the marble and all her silver it still feels light.

Another color that is just starting to be seen more in kitchens is pink and this tone is almost a neutral.

Apartment Therapy

Veronica Swanson Beard in her New York kitchen in Bazaar. Not everyone could live with this blue, but why not and the lantern is beautiful. The color is very retro and reminds me of our kitchen growing up, until my mom got into cornflower yellow.

Remember those days? My mom had our frig painted yellow. it matched all our appliances and then we had some wonderful orange accents via mushroom hot pads and macrame owls. Around 1973 that was the height of hip. My mom dreamed of getting rust shag carpeting to go with it all!

Searching for these pics I found a nice one of Gloria Vanderbilt in her kitchen around the same era. She was also embracing those tones and the quilted/Holly Hobby look that was getting popular then.

I’m digging her apron too. Oh kitchen trends!

Here I am complaining about trends and choices when I found this gem of Julia Child in her Paris kitchen. I forgot how tall she was! I will not complain about my back hurting when I see what she had to deal with. Apparently it didn’t hinder her cooking abilities.