What I've been wearing lately

My style these past few months has been all over the map. While we wait out this unseasonably warm and rainy autumn, I've been playing around with 70s elements - fedoras, furry vests, tassel necklaces - while also mixing in my tried-and-true classics like striped button-downs paired with loafers. I even experimented with some new trends, like head-to-toe monochrome and cropped knitwear (yes, you CAN make this work for the office).

With a thank you to my husband for patiently taking all these photos in one shot yesterday, here's what I've been wearing lately...

xx

 

Dress - Banana Republic 
Cardigan - Alison Sheri, consigned

Hat - Rag & Bone via Nordstrom

Necklace - Consigned

Boots - Aquatalia

Pants - DKNY outlet

Top - Forever 21, clothes swap

Earrings - Market in Thailand

Belt - Cole Haan, consigned

Shoes - Coach Outlet

Dress - Blumarine, consigned

Vest -  Brand unknown, purchased in Bratislava 

Earrings - Aldo
Bracelet - Hand-me-down
Shoes - Coach Outlet

 

 

 

Jeans - Guess via Winners

Top - Hudson Room, thrifted
Necklace - Hand-me-down

Earrings - Gift

Shoes - Cole Haan via DSW, dyed red

Dress - Calvin Klein via Winners

Cardigan - Neiman Marcus

Necklace - Banana Republic

Shoes - Coach Outlet

Jeans - Banana Republic

Blouse - Adrienne Vittadini via Saks Off Fifth

Necklace - Road Trip

Shoes - Via Spiga via Saks Off Fifth

Pants - Elie Tahari via Saks off Fifth

Tank - Winners

Jacket - Gap, consigned

Necklace - Gordana
Boots - Aquatalia

Jeans - Habitual 

T-shirt - Banana Republic

Vest - Brand unknown, purchased in Bratislava 

Hat - Rag & Bone
Earrings - Gift

Bracelets - Aldo Accessories & hand-me-down

Booties- Aldo

Top - Forever 21

Skirt - Femme de Carriere

Earrings - Le Chateau

Shoes - Via Spiga via Saks Off Fifth

Pulled pork sandwiches with tomatillo salsa and crunchy coleslaw

My last post was on September 25. Have I really been AWOL for the better part of three months?? What have I been up to? Working, a LOT. Travelling. Visited one of my besties in Manhattan where we ate and drank our way through some of the most incredible restaurants and bars the city has to offer. Nursing back-to-back colds. Which had better mean I'm off the hook this winter. Planning a winter getaway to the sunny shores of St Martin. And jotting down outfits I failed again and again to photograph the day I wore them ;) 

After such an extensive absence, it's only fair I come back with a bang. Trust me, this dish is EVERYTHING. 

You know the expression, 'necessity is the mother of invention'? In this case, I needed pulled pork with the most minimal of prep. I took a bunch of shortcuts on my usual recipe, and tried new ingredients by way of hoppy beer and coffee grinds. I wound up with the most wonderfully juicy, flavourful and fork-tender meat. We served the recipe below to dear friends in town from Australia and they RAVED about it. We all went back for seconds. And by seconds I mean thirds. The long and short of it: you need to make this NOW.

To make pulled pork:

This makes enough for about four people but any leftovers can be frozen. 
Place a 5-lb bone-in pork butt in the slow cooker. Add 1 can of IPA beer, one cinnamon stick, 1/4 cup BBQ sauce, 2T regular coffee grinds, 2T of any pork rub spice mixture, 1Tsp onion powder and 1 tsp garlic powder. Cook on low overnight. 

Scoop out most of liquid, leaving about 1/4 cup. The scooped-out liquid can be frozen and reserved for another use (e.g. chili, soup, the next batch of pulled pork). Remove the bone and separate the meat using a pair of forks until it's stringy. The smaller the strings, the more sauce it can absorb. Add additional BBQ sauce and maple syrup in a 2:1 ratio until meat is well-coated. Add 2T cayenne pepper. Mix well, then cook on high for another 30 mins. 

 

To make salsa:

This recipe is adapted from my Rebar cookbook. 

Remove the husks from 4 tomatillos, then brush lightly with oil and broil for 10 minutes. Place in a food processor fitted with the chopping blade and pulse until finely chopped. Add 1/4 red onion, 2 cloves garlic, juice of 1/2 lime, 1 tsp pureed chipotle in adobo sauce, 1 tsp sugar and 1/2 tsp salt.

 

 To make coleslaw:

This recipe is my own. Using a food processor, finely shred 1/3 to 1/2 head of green cabbage, 2 carrots and 1 stalk of celery. Set aside. 

In a small mixing bowl, combine 1 cup mayo, 3T apple cider vinegar, 2T relish, 2T sugar, 1T horseradish, 3 stalks fincely minced green onion, 3 or 4 finely chopped pickled green beans (I used the Matt and Steve Extreme Bean brand), about 1T of the bean brine, and 1/2 tsp celery salt. Whisk well, then pour over cabbage mixture and allow to sit for an hour before serving. 

To serve:

Layer a ciabatta bun with pulled pork, salsa, coleslaw, then top with crispy onions and fresh cilantro.