Make a Statement!

Here's a little secret about me: I determine a fashion winner for almost every event I attend. (No, I don't pick a loser.) I sometimes tell the person that they've won, but I'm also shier than I like to let on, so the winners are rarely notified. Also, it's a little weird to go up to a complete stranger and tell them that they've won an imaginary contest in your head.
A few weeks ago, I went to a dear friend's wedding up in New Hampshire. They're both theater folks in Chicago, so you have to know that their assembly of guests was on point in their fashion. The clear winner in this case (though there were many contenders) was a woman in her late twenties/early thirties with a green and cream striped dress, funky yellow heels, and an unreal red hat with a little birdcage veil. The dress itself was pretty and simple, but the fact that she added unexpected accessories made the whole look pop. If you're looking for some unexpected accessories to take your outfit from "you look nice!" to "you won the imaginary contest in my head!" try these on for size.  As an added plus, most of these are super affordable.  

If you're not that into statement jewelry, what about a statement fascinator? 

Left: The Garden Gnome by I Love Factory (it's worth checking out their website--their work is uh-mazing.); Right: Frida Headband/Fascinator by Frosting Couture

If you're convinced that your outfit is not shiny enough (this is almost always the case with me): 

Left: Chunky Gem Cuff Bracelet at Ann Taylor Loft, Variegating Blue and Green Rhinestone Statement Necklace by Sparkle Beast Designs (does this not make you want to put on some ice skates and a mildly inappropriate outfit and skate in circles to some Enya?... in a good way?)

If you're looking to add just a bit of edge to your LBD:

Left: The Invisible Neve by Giia {via Design for Mankind}; Right: Tribal Bib Filament Necklace by Jack Jewelry

You Are Special

When I was growing up, we had a red plate with "you are special" painted in white around the rim. The plate appeared on the table for almost any significant occasion (yes, on birthdays of course, but also on Valentine's Day, the first day of school, or after a tap recital, ). I guess I kind of thought everyone had plates like this, but the only person in my life who has ever heard me describe the red plate and responded, "Oh, I had one too!" is Miya. Maybe it was a Northern California thing in the mid-80s (although I kind of doubt that since I don't recall anyone from my childhood having one) or maybe we just both had parents who liked to make magic out of the marginally momentous events that punctuate childhood. In any case, we both get a warm fuzzy feeling when we recall sitting down to a meal with the red plate.

Now that we each have a daughter, we've had many conversations about how to make sure their childhoods are filled with those enchanted moments you can really only fully experience when you still believe anything is possible. I won't speak for Miya, but I know I feel a tension between wanting to create perfect moments, recorded in great detail for Claire to look back on as an adult (look how fun your first birthday was!) and wanting to put down the camera and turn off the mental note-taking of our experiences so that we can be fully immersed in whatever moment we're having. It's funny, I can't think of a single photo of the red plate and yet it's one of my fondest memories of my childhood. So in the spirit of contributing to a family's magical memories, I propose giving a special plate with the hope that it makes it easy to perk up days that might otherwise feel ordinary.

Although the sentiment of the red plate is certainly lovely, I think a more modern equivalent may be in order.

If you're committed to the real thing, it can be purchased at Waechtersbach USA.

These fetching plates by Aedriel Originals can be personalized with whatever word or saying you'd like. 

I bought this adorable "you are special" cupcake stand from Vessels and Wares for our daughter's first birthday. Although Jeanette doesn't have a specific listing for it right now, she happily accepts custom orders.

I almost didn't include this plate since Nina in Vorm is currently taking a little break from her etsy shop. However, we've been assured that she'll have some new pretties up there "soon," so request to be notified when her shop is up and running and you can get something fresh in the near future.

If you're feeling crafty, you can also use these paint markers to create your own design or wording on almost any kind of plate. Some people, including Martha, indicate that they are food safe, but the company itself recommends that they not come in direct contact with food. I think I'm going to tackle this project soon and my plan is just to paint the rim--the better to see your design once the food is plated anyway.

Roasted Summer Squash with Goat Cheese & Fresh Herbs

We here at YOU + ME* are way into summer. We love the weather, we love the trees being in full leafy bloom, we love eating dinner when it's still light out, we love any excuse to go barefoot, and, as you might have gathered, we love the produce. As those of you who garden can attest to, nothing really says summer bounty like summer squash. Seriously, they're like the rabbits of the vegetable world. Fortunately, they are also super duper delicious.

The other day when we were working on some top secret plans (we promise you will be let in on the secret soon!), we stopped off at Bklyn Larder for some lunch. They had the most delicious-looking salads available in addition to sandwiches and the regular provisions, and we ultimately decided to split a little bit of their roasted summer squash. It was perfection, summer at its finest, a chance for the produce to shine. Here is our interpretation of that salad.

Ingredients:
6 medium summer squash (I used 4 yellow and 3 green zucchini)
olive oil
salt & pepper to taste
3.5 oz mild raw goat cheese (look for one that is on the creamy, rather than dry, side)
1/3c loosely packed mint
1/3c loosely packed parsley

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut your squash into roughly 1"-1.5" pieces, and put in a baking pan. Drizzle with olive oil and generous amounts of salt and pepper, and roast, uncovered, for 40 minutes, stirring once after 15 minutes, and once after 30. Roast until the squash is tender.
Remove from oven, and let cool. When the squash is completely cool, crumble the goat cheese over the pan. Coarsely chop the herbs and add them to the mix. Serve room temperature.

Bon Appétit!

Show me some stripes, and I'll follow you anywhere

The other day I caught myself buying a striped sweater and a striped beach blanket (darn you Steve Alan and your outlet a mere block from my apartment) while wearing a striped tank top and holding my daughter who was wearing a striped dress. I want to say that I addressed this stripe overload by putting everything back and building a relationship with some rustic plaids or stalwart solids, but alas, I don't have that kind of self control.

So you can only imagine my glee when I stumbled upon this:

Chance, created by Julia Leach, former creative director of Kate Spade, is as much a concept as a clothing company. Even if you're not in the market for classic, chic, and effortless pieces that will blend seamlessly into your wardrobe, the web site is worth a gander. 

The timeline of stripes alone is inspired.

[via Wit + Delight]

Max & Margaux

Yesterday, we promised you some Max Wenger-related goodness, and here it is, and we are telling you (TELLING YOU!) that it will not disappoint. If you need confirmation that true love exists in this world, just look at Max and his new wife, Margaux. Holy schmoly. Congrats, you crazy kids!

{via our labor of love}

And there's this one too:

{via 100 layer cake}

We are super duper into the events that The Flashdance puts together--they are absolutely worth checking out!

3rd Anniversary Present

Dear YOU + ME*,
Our daughter and son-in-law are celebrating their 3rd anniversary soon. What are some gift ideas that would say "you are special and we wish you many more years of happiness together" and still be something they could use often?
Thanks,
J.

Dear J.,
Ah, the ever-present "what's a special but useful gift" conundrum. The traditional present for the third anniversary is leather, but we think that there are better (and perhaps more appropriate) gifts for you to consider. Here are some ideas for gifts that your daughter and her husband might like:
The couple's wedding vows rendered in super-pretty calligraphy would be a great gift--by three years of marriage, perhaps the wedding is not in the forefront of their minds. Having this to hang in the entryway or some other conspicuous place would be a pretty way to remind them of the vows that they made to each other three years ago.

Calligraphy Wedding Vows by Dancing Pen

If they've started a family, what about giving them this super-sweet family tree? It comes in tons of colors, and is totally customizable.

Custom Family Tree-Blue by cozyblue

If they're into entertaining, you might consider a piece from Jessica Rust. She's our favorite go-to gal for wedding presents. Elisabeth gave us a set of hers for our wedding, after I had been ordering them left and right for other friends but not for myself. The fact that we had individually found them and fallen in love with them made it seem even more like we were destined to be friends.

Large Heart Bowl by Jessica Rust Designs

One last thought is that it may have been a while since your daughter and her husband had their picture taken together by someone who knows their way around a camera. What about treating them to a portrait session? (This one was taken by Max Wanger, who I am in serious awe of today. See the rest of this session here, and stay tuned, because tomorrow you are going to get a little extra Wednesday love with something Wanger-related that will knock your proverbial socks off).

As a reminder, YOU + ME* styles photo shoots, too, so if you really want to go the distance, let us help your daughter and son-in-law show their true style in the shoot! You can visit our website for details.

Congrats to your daughter and son-in-law, and congrats to you for being such a thoughtful mom/mother-in-law!

xo,
YOU + ME*

It's Raining, It's Pouring

I never equated summer with rain until I moved to the East Coast, but Brooklyn has seen its fair share of thunderstorms in the past few days. If you're like me, you always forget your umbrella when it's going to rain. Maybe if my boring black umbrella hadn't been purchased from a man outside the subway in a torrential downpour, I would be more likely to remember to bring it with me. Here are a few umbrellas that you'll be excited to use.

Marimekko Unikko Red Umbrella at FinnStyle

Senz Storm-Proof Umbrella at Unicahome

Clear Dots Bubble Umbrella by Totes at amazon.com

Pantone Umbrella at Moma

In the fall and spring, our front hallway often looks like an umbrella graveyard. Prevent this by making good use of an umbrella stand:

monsoon umbrella stand at umbra

Tween Bridesmaids!

So say you're getting married and you've asked your tween niece/cousin/etc. to be in your wedding. You're giving the rest of your bridesmaids flasks or other monogrammed whatnot that's not likely to be enticing to someone who is currently wishing she could be romanced by a vampire, and you're dreading the look in your youngest attendant's eyes when she sees the pastel canvas tote you've picked out for her. Not that her 25-year-old self or even 18-year-old self wouldn't love it, but let's just call it as we see it--tweens and teens can be fickle. Here are three ideas for a special bridesmaid gift that will bring a smile to any tween's lips (no small feat!).

If she's a girly girl, get her a little sequin heart headband by ban.do. She may not wear that mauve taffeta disaster you picked out for her again (sorry, but it's true), but she will for sure wear this all the time.

If she's understated, get her this Tiniest Initial Necklace by verabel. On second thought, you better order up ones for all of your other bridesmaids, too, since they might be tempted to see if taking a necklace from a teenager is like taking candy from a baby.

If she's artsy or emo (or just super cool), give her this Diana F+ Kit from Fred Flare (you might also consider a Holga). Giving a teenage girl a great camera is akin to teaching her the secret handshake of the Top Secret Society of Kick-ass Creative Women (yes, there is one, and yes, I'll teach it to you). When she's the next Annie Leibovitz, she'll thank you. As an added bonus, she might even snap a few great pictures of your wedding!

Grilled Pizza Goodness

Poor pizza is misunderstood. Yes, even bad pizza is almost undeniably delicious, but it's always lumped into the junk food category with greasy french fries and poultry rendered unrecognizable as nuggets. The most delicious pizza need not be an indulgence. In fact, it can practically be a health food. Give this pizza a try and you can make pizza night a weekly event (we do!), while patting yourself on the back for being such a healthy eater.

Friday night is pizza night at our home. Seeing as how our New York apartment lacks a stone hearth and our pint size oven mocks us with erratic temperatures and unpredictable results when we crank it up high, we had to take our pizza making outside. Every time we consider moving from our apartment, we quickly come to our senses when we think about our cozy backyard and it's most frequently used feature: our grill. Maybe it's because I will always be a California girl at heart, but we grill everything all year round. Sometimes this is out of laziness on my part (grilled vegetables mean one less cookie sheet to wash than roasted veggies), but in the case of pizza, it's a matter of necessity. Only the grill gives our crust the crunch it needs to withstand the mountain of vegetables I pile upon it.

One goal of our pizza night is to make room in the fridge for our weekend farmer's market trip, which means our toppings are purely a function of what we have on hand. Below are last week's creations, but don't feel limited by our leftover produce. Your pizza deserves your favorite toppings.

Ratatouille Pizza: spicy tomato sauce, with grilled eggplant, zucchini, peppers, and onions, topped with fresh mozzarella

Grilled Pizza

Ingredients:
- Whole grain pizza dough (You can buy this from your favorite pizza place for about $3/lb or pick it up at a grocery store like Whole Foods or Trader Joe's. If you would rather make it yourself, try this recipe)
- Some sort of sauce (we've been known to use tomato sauce, pesto, white bean puree, ricotta, or just plain olive oil)
- Toppings (we're veggie people, but you can go crazy with meat if that's your preference)
- Cheese (mozzarella, goat cheese, blobs of ricotta, or even homemade cashew cheese can all be delicious)

Supplies:
Can you grill pizza without a pizza stone or peel? Yes, but we have found that those two supplies both simplify the experience and improve the result. You can find the pizza peel we use on Amazon and our pizza stone at Sur La Table. If you think grilled pizza may become a regular feature in your life, these two products are well worth the initial investment.

Technique:
Place your pizza stone on the grill and begin to preheat about 45 minutes before you expect to grill your pizza. Make sure all your toppings are ready for assembly. In most cases, this will mean grilling veggies, caramelizing onions, or slicing/shredding cheese.

Give your pizza peel a liberal dusting of flour and cornmeal. Toss or roll your dough to the desired thickness (we've experimented with both paper thin and slightly thicker crusts and both consistently turn out great) and place on the pizza peel. Start moving quickly at this point, so your pizza doesn't stick. Spread your sauce and arrange toppings and cheese to your satisfaction.

Make sure the temperature on your grill is hovering around 500 degrees (your pizza stone retains a massive amount of heat, so this temperature is sufficient). Open your grill cover and slide your pizza from the peel onto the stone with a quick backward motion. This may take a couple tries to perfect, but your pizza will still taste good even if you have to pile on some mangled toppings during your early attempts. Close the grill cover immediately and resist all urges to "check" your crust. After about 4 and a half minutes, open your grill cover and remove the pizza with your peel. The crust should be golden and your cheese should be melted.

If you're grilling multiple pizzas (and I highly recommend that you do since you palate deserves a little variety), close the grill cover immediately after removing your pizza. Ideally, you will wait a couple minutes before preparing your next pizza to give the grill time to reheat. Your first pizza can be kept warm on a cookie sheet in the oven while your next pizza cooks without compromising texture or flavor.

The other product of last week's pizza night: grilled plums, walnuts, and caramelized onions

Topped with arugula and shaved manchego cheese after the pizza was removed from the grill

Enjoy!

Thoughtful (but inexpensive) Wedding Gifts

 

Dear YOU + ME*,

I'm a bridesmaid in my friend's late summer wedding, but have been struggling to come up with a gift idea. After buying presents for multiple bridal showers, chipping in for her bachelorette party, and purchasing my bridesmaid dress + accessories, I find myself with a very limited budget. Although my friend told all of us that gifts aren't necessary, I would really like to mark this momentous occasion with a gift that says, "Yay, you're getting married! I'm so happy you found each other." Any ideas?

Thanks,
L.

Dear L.,

We appreciate you wanting to get your friend a gift to show her and her new husband how happy you are about their marriage. Though sometimes it's tempting to turn to the registry when shopping for a wedding gift, somehow a colander doesn't really have that sentimental spark that you were going for. Fear not! With just a little imagination, you can give your friend a meaningful and thoughtful gift that doesn't have to break your budget.

Here are a few ideas:
If your friend and her new husband have a restaurant that is special to them, you can consider buying them a cookbook from that restaurant.

clockwise from top left: The French Laundry Cookbook, Chez Panisse Cafe Cookbook, and The New Brooklyn Cookbook: Recipes and Stories From 31 Restauraunts That Put Brooklyn On The Culinary Map, All at amazon.com (but if you can support your local bookseller, that would be awesome, too!)

Vintage linens are pretty, and can be really inexpensive. Check out these tea towels that I found in New Hampshire last summer--they were $8 for 12. Make sure when you are looking that you find sets that are in excellent shape. You want them to read "vintage" and not "thrift store." You can also try searching for monogrammed pieces. A set of 12 mis-matched napkins with the same monogram would be super fun.

clockwise from top: Cocktail Napkins at thevintagethread; Linen Vintage Napkins at LinenWallflowers; a flea market find

Going with the vintage vibe, if your friend and her betrothed are cake lovers (and if they aren't you should seriously reconsider your friendship with them), consider a super cool vintage cake plate or a simple and modern cupcake stand with a playful set of cake forks.

clockwise from top left: Bird Ceramic Cupcake Stand by whitneysmith; Vintage Silverware Mr. and Mrs. forks by BeachHouseLiving; Vintage Milk Glass Platter by highstreetmarket

Last but not least, if you have a talent that you can offer, that can be a great present. Elisabeth had an architect friend sketch the barn where she got married, and the sketch ended up on their wedding stationary and website, and on a platter that another friend ordered for them for their wedding. I recently designed a friend's wedding stationary as a gift. It cost me nothing but time, and he and his fiance were able to have custom stationary without the custom price tag.

Have an amazing time at your friend's wedding, and rock on with your bridesmaid's dress!
Love,
You + ME*