While it’s probably pretty obvious that I love furniture, my love of boots might be a little less obvious. It all started about 15 years ago when I worked at a winery in California. Though I was in the tasting room, the setting was rural and at least a couple times a day, I woundRead more
Last year when I first started thrifting in earnest (as opposed to just stopping by a store occasionally when I was in the neighborhood) it came to my attention that there really wasn’t a great resource online for local Northern Virginia thrifters so I thought I’d write one. My readers have really seemed to getRead more
I’m a thrift store lover. When it comes to vintage and antique goodies, estate sales, auctions and antique stores are fine, but most of the time, the wares are pretty clearly labeled and they know what they have. But thrift stores are an adventure. You never know what you’re going to find. My local SalvationRead more
Right before trash day, I generally take a quick look through the refrigerator and see if anything needs tossing. Not only does it get rid of expired condiments, last little bits of leftovers and bunches of herbs that have lost their luster, it also reminds me of things I bought for specific recipes and haven’tRead more
Back in December, Doug and I took a trip to Staunton, Virginia, a town of 25,000 people in the heart of the Shenandoah Valley. It was probably our sixth or seventh visit there in the past three years. We really love it. At the prodding of a friend, I decided to go ahead and write aRead more
As I mentioned a couple weeks ago, my Etsy shop took a beating in December. I had 103 items going into the holiday season and just 56 at the end of it. Good problem! But it means I’ve had to put some time and effort into building up my inventory. So I’ve been hitting theRead more
Have you ever felt homesick for a place you’ve never lived? I know there are people who feel this way about London, New York, Paris. Doug and I feel this way about Staunton, Virginia. (HINT: It’s pronounced STAN-ton not STAWN-ton.) It all started on our honeymoon. Our work schedules were both very demanding at theRead more
A few weeks ago, I made the observation on Twitter that fashion nostalgia seems to have taken a turn from the color-blocked, Mad Men inspired designs of the 1960s to more highly ornamented styles. Lace has crept back onto blouses and dresses and some of the ubiquitous statement necklaces have taken a decided turn forRead more
Winter is just terrible, isn’t it? And by terrible what I mean is there are no fresh tomatoes. As a result, my salads tend to get pretty boring: a sliced up carrot here, some slivers of red onion there. Yes, I know it’s possible to get tomatoes year-round, but they just don’t taste the sameRead more
I’m a total fanatic for celebrity diets. I never met an Oprah fad I didn’t like. Slap an endorsement on your program and I am, like, in. Three statements I have never before uttered in my entire life. So color me surprised that I actually like Gwyneth Paltrow’s latest cookbook. Look, despite the fact thatRead more