The Day After

Posted on 11/29/2013 by Slim Paley

slimpaley.thanksgiving

Happy The Day After!

I hope everyone here in America enjoyed a happy, meaningful Thanksgiving Day in whatever way you chose to celebrate.

I’m guessing there was probably some turkey and pumpkin pie involved.

I don’t have too much to report here. All went well, and we were very thankful for all our blessings, especially having both our lads home with us for the holiday.

As readers with older children will appreciate, this becomes increasingly harder to accomplish as the years fly by.

slimpaley.com I managed a one-armed table set at the barn.

The flowers and napkin folding were not quite up to snuff, but the overall effect was a success (even if I do say so myself! ;-))

I bought orchids, persimmons and longan berries at the Santa Barbara Farmer’s Market on Wednesday, and my sister picked some berries for me.

Heritage Turkey

My older son and his girlfriend cooked the entire dinner over a two day period. It was absolutely fantastic. They even made home-made stock earlier just for the gravy.

brussel sprouts with lardon Fresh brussels sprouts from the farmer’s market with lardon, simmered in butter & chicken stock.

890A9376 Delicious ham and fresh green bean casserole.

orchid & football Flowers & football. Story of my life

slimpaley.pumpkinpie Maple pumpkin pie with chocolate crust (adapted from Bon Appetit magazine) with freshly whipped cream

pecanpie and pecan perfection!

My son made these. From scratch. Home-made pastry.

MY SON .

Almost everything was perfect

sweet potatoes with marshmallow Keeping two eyes and one arm on the final broiling of the whipped sweet potatoes with fresh ginger, coconut cream & marshmallows was my job.

Honestly. The lengths some people will go to to try and catch a glimpse of a fireman.

whipped sweet potatoes But never let it be said that I’m not a master re-cycler.

The entire charred top popped right off and the slightly smoky flavour remaining just took the edge off the sweetness.

Good as new!

champagne.slimpaley.com

CHEERS TO GOOD FOOD, GREAT FRIENDS AND DEAR FAMILY NEAR & FAR.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Chartreuse linen napkins from “Linen Me”, candlesticks Georg Jensen, sandalwood runner from ‘Botanik’, Summerland, dinner plates “Target” (!) ‘vintage goblets.

haute halloween II

Posted on 10/30/2013 by Slim Paley

tumblr boo!

tumblr anna selezneva

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i‘ve been uncharacteristically quiet of late i know.

you might have been worried the black cat got my tongue…

well, nothing quite so macabre, but i did have shoulder surgery for a torn rotator cuff when i returned from ny.

ouch.

NatashaBeaute3 this is a pose i will not be striking for quite some time…

i’ll be having to type with only one hand ( hence the lack of capitals) for awhile so please bear with me

bear silhouette

i’ll be a woman of few words and let the images do the talking,

so please enjoy this potpurri of grown up halloween inspiration i’ve cobbled together for your devilish delight

Tom Ford SS2014 tom ford 2014

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the pumpkin do

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tom ford Isabel Marant SS/2014 isabel marant 2014

kendra_spears_771329621_north_545x kendra spears. she became a princess this summer when she married the aga khan’s son. a most handsome couple.

Marc Jacobs for Louis Vuitton S/S2014 marc jacob’s last collection for louis vuitton (spring 2014, believe it or not)

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christy turlington

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090613_Tommy_Ton_S2014RTW_slide_215 fashion week, via tommy ton

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two fierce ways to navigate the streets

90613_Tommy_Ton_S2014RTW_slide_251 via tommy ton

tumblr anna selezneva

sweet

trick or treating in bergdorf’s

Julien-DYs

xgivenchy-spring-summer-2014-45.jpg.pagespeed.ic.9W-hR6qpEV givenchy spring 2014

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20ce3bcf4c9338d56d169b60ce4fdb07 bacon wrapped roasted pumpkin-yum!

smores sundaes via savorysimple.com

if there’s any time to go over to the dark side, the perfect H2O for your halloween table

how does it taste? like black water.

i’ve always said i’d like to host a very grown up halloween dinner as i miss our children’s annual haunts at our home so much. i’m thinking plums and greys and pomegranites, but don’t get me started. this was decidedly not the right year, but remind me, lets say , next august so i can start planning.

anna selezneva

black and white bathroom a spidery chandelier in an oh-so-cool bathroom

tumblr_m8xi1xcrkL1qzy4blo1_1280 ditch the kinda creepy, dangerous lamp too close to the tub and replace with beautiful candles for a glorious goth soak.

Screen Shot 2013-10-29 at 7.52.08 PM Kate & Jamie step out for a night on the town

Anthony Vaccarello Fall 2013 anthony vaccarello 2013

peanuts, mr. bond??

mona6 mona johannesson

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tumblr_ltsnoaxlpy1r49h24o1_1280 smoky

audrey hepburn

Erdem

black lace lacy

McQueen

mysterious

spiky

closeencounters40 thorny

img-stephenjonesjpg_211414754405.jpg_article_gallery_slideshow_v2 game

grace coddington, stephen jones hat black cat

Screen Shot 2013-10-29 at 9.39.22 PM charlotte olympia clutch

arthur-elgort-vogue-2004-nov-220_b_426x639 arthur elgort

happy halloween to all!!

i’ll be back soon with post shoulder surgery fashion tips, trials and what i’m reading & watching (though my concentration is a joke right now)

ps; here’s one

EmptyMansions_cover_2013.07.10

pps. i’ve recorded “the returned” which premieres halloween night on the sundance channel-it’s supposed to be really good and creepy (french with english subtitles)

xxsp

a ghost from the past; haute halloween I

all uncredited photos via tumblr

The Turning

Posted on 09/24/2013 by Slim Paley

flowers from my garden, Slimpaley.com

It’s here.

Autumn has officially arrived.

I will acknowledge its presence and no longer be cranky with those who wished the warm weather away.

I’ve perused the gross weight of all the September issues, witnessed Halloween & Thanksgiving decor in stores for myself and weakly bleet “UNCLE”

Ya got me.

As you may have noticed, I even changed my header photo. Now if I could only figure out how to nix the turquoise banner for a more autumnal shade I’d be good.

WordPress, please heed my cry for help!

Light on the dining room wall, Slim Paley Truly, I knew It was almost here with the subtle shift of late afternoon light in my dining room. After living in this home for over 20 years we’re like old friends that finish each other’s sentences.

“Slim” (said the house) “Stop trying to act all ‘India Hicks’ with the giant palm fronds still on the table. It’s the end of September. Get over yourself”

Like I said, Very old friends.

white roses. slimpaley.com

And while I for one will still lament the all too soon passing of our summer, I’ll readily concede there are no other seasonal contenders when it comes to the beauty of Autumn light. I could basically just run around my house with a camera from 4pm to 6pm from now through November and be a very happy glamper.

via Lost in Arles blog

Then there’s the whole “leaf changing thing”

Which I guess is okay if you go in for that sort of stuff…

Another big check in the plus column?

dolce-gabbana-rtw-fw2013-runway-60_112954382617 Dolce & Gabbana Fall 2013

Hellooo Fall Fashion!

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Louis Vuitton Fall 2013

Not to mention (always followed by a mention)

A bed & a book

that my flannel sheets will soon be making their eagerly awaited comeback.

Oh Happy Happy Joy Joy!

Truth be told, I could blissfully sleep in flannel all year round.

Of course I wouldn’t still be married, so there’s that…

49032504 Photos via here

I totally adore the colours of Fall

24401145 How divine is this copper & rust mixed with palest cream & blush?

I’m So copying. With flowers and a make-up palette. Stay tuned.

Screen Shot 2013-09-24 at 7.41.40 AM photo Sarah Maingot

Shorter days and cooler nights invite us back to long heavenly soaks in the bath.

Never a bad thing.

Fall. Slimpaley.com And Fall food is as comforting as all get out. Soup’s on? I’m there.

be81dd751d0fec8be52948e3190ed470 Grilled onions with thyme & cream. Recipe here

Angels on Horseback

A version of “Angels on Horseback” with Medjool dates, water chestnuts & pineapple wrapped in bacon, marinated in soy sauce & pineapple juice then baked. Yum.

Howard Slatkin bar

Libationally (I say it’s a word) it’s fun to adapt your bar, like this one in Howard Slatnik’s home, to the cooler season’s more comforting requirements.

vintage books. Slimpaley.com And I must admit, Fall certainly does invite one to hunker down and enjoy more cozy reading time…

peter-lindbergh-edie-campbell2

So;

pretty light, gorgeous colours, long baths & flannel sheets. A good meal, a great read, cashmere & a comely cocktail…

I do believe I’ve just talked myself into being very happy that Autumn has arrived!

Check it! I could be on “Super Soul Sunday”

I have a motivational speaker lurking inside of me!

omg. That explains my inexplicable weight gain over the summer…

Phew. Just found the silver lining!

Slimpaley.com

Happy Falling Leaves To All

xxSP

It was my birthday

Posted on 09/08/2013 by Slim Paley

I tip-toed away and had a quiet little birthday this week. Not a momentous one, nothing ending in a “0″ or marking another decade. Just one of those that glide by with the swiftness of a bird’s wing, a gentle whoosh,silent … Continue reading →

Happy Labour Day Weekend!

Posted on 09/01/2013 by Slim Paley

kate-moss-patrick-demarchelier-vogue-june2013

Happy Labour Day Weekend!

Oh YAY.

The weekend that officially licks the stamp, seals the deal, clicks the “send” button on Summer.

Super.

And me, with all these lovely, summery images & ideas still left to share…

And possibly one of the greatest summery songs by one of the greatest summery bands;

So you have to promise to listen, nice & loud as always, while you stroll leisurely through this post…

(there’ll be a test to make sure you were listening afterwards!)

bouganvilla covered terrace

Well. We’ll soon be kissing these scenarios good-bye, won’t we? terrace with lanterns

( 2 images from Tumblr )

890A8404 and no longer running out to my garden to gather roses for the table

(OK, laying it on a bit thick here-hopefully we still have a couple of months left of roses in Santa Barbara)

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I never got to finish the ultra impressive “SUMMER ICE” post I was working on.

(Martha, you can breathe a sigh of relief my friend-the above was my very best effort- they were supposed to be ice balls but the two halves wouldn’t stick together. It looked so easy in the Japanese video)

ice-cube-tray_300

I wanted to say what a nifty idea this was-freezing aloe vera juice into ice cubes to soothe nasty sunburns.

Particularly great for using on your kid’s friends so they go home and say “Timmy’s mom makes aloe ice-cubes for sunburns!! “

and you just sound like the best frickin’ mom ever.

PS. I never made them.

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I also never told you about my trip to the city of Orange recently where the temperature reached a 100 degrees and as I stepped out my car I spotted this super cool old fashioned ice-dispensing machine. Instagram American Graffiti moment. IF I were old enough to even remember that movie, which, no way, I’m not. My husband told me about it.

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Oh, I had so many summery images collected

canoe as table

the-libertine-magazine-y-entonces-llego-ella-daria-werbowy-by-patrick-demarchelier-for-vogue-espana-july-2013

Some, like maybe this one of Daria Werbowy, you could have lived without. But if I’m in testy mood, I’m dragging you with me.

We’re a team here-you’re in or you’re out, you know that.

beachy bracelets

Skinceuticals Sunscreen, Slim Paley photo

I had a whole summer skin products thing I was working on…

but I’ll just say; for me, this was the best face sunscreen I found. Broad spectrum, very lightly tinted, thin consistency (though slightly oily, not a bad thing for me) and a whopping SPF 50 without feeling like you have a mask on. Also comes un-tinted.

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