apple picking

Minnesota is not exactly known as the land of fruit and honey, but two things it does have - corn and apples.  This particular orchard in Afton has both - a corn maze, apple orchards, even strawberry and raspberries and pumpkins! As a child I used to dream of having a backyard full of fruit trees - oranges and lemons and pears and the occasional palm. These things my grandmother had in tropics a plenty - but back home - not so much. So when autumn comes around, I'm jumping with for harvest season. Even better this year that we get to introduce my baby girl to her first apple picking - she got first dibs to fresh apple tasting. 

We wanted to get to everything this time around, but with two feisty doggies and fussy 13 month old, we'll have to go back for the pumpkins.

Cheers!

Pearls and pleather

I had to share this gorgeous Chloe top I scored a while ago on Ebay. Worn here with a Zara pleather  moto jacket and Emerson Fry vheels in oxblood, from last year. A little bit Carrie with a dash of Grease lightning for your Monday. Cheers!

Patisserie 46 - Croissants

Ever since we came back from our honeymoon in Provence, hubz and I have been on a quest to find a suitable replacement for authentic French croissants, the best that we ever had being in a modest boulangerie in Gordes, in the Luberon. Over the past two years, we've tried several places in the twin cities, none of them worth mentioning, until we discovered Patisserie 46 in south Minneapolis. To the best of my abilities, it is the most verifiably authentic French croissant that I have had outside of France. I am not the only one who believes this, seeing as the chef has won numerous awards, but let me describe just how perfect these croissants are.

The sign of a good croissant is quite simple - flaky buttery crust, with a slightly chewy, soft, multi-layered center. You would think it would be easy for most places to achieve this - but perhaps the simplest of things is the hardest to achieve. Patisserie 46 croissants are excellent - no matter what time of day you get them. I would prefer a warm croissant but it would be impossible to be up and ready at 6am, much less 8am. This particular day, we made it to the Patisserie at 9:30am - a little late, but croissants were perfect as always.

Eloise loves them too!

Buttery flaky perfection!

Some blueberries to go with the croissant.

Mommy, daddy, and bebe kicks for the day.

Changed into more comfortable shoes for a walk around the lake afterwards.

My fall wardrobe wishlist

My fall wardrobe by champagnesunday featuring long sleeve sweaters

Vivienne Westwood Anglomania print cotton dress / MM6 Maison Martin Margiela gray turtleneck sweater / ASOS long sleeve sweater / Vivienne Westwood Red Label black jacket / ASOS coat / Trussardi 1911 skirt / J Brand light weight pants / Maison Scotch cotton pants / Balmain high heel ankle booties / COSTUME NATIONAL polish leather shoes / KORS Michael Kors red leather pumps / Hat / Glove / Leather glove / ASOS | ASOS Cami With Skinny Straps And Mesh Panel at ASOS / ASOS | ASOS Cami With Plunge Mesh Panel And Skinny Straps at ASOS

Here's my wardrobe wishlist for the fall. Since I've literally nothing in my closet when I started this style transformation, I have to rebuild first with the basics. Some pieces I already have, others, like the Vivienne Westwood blazer and dress, are but only a dream. Cheers!

A walk in the rose garden

We've been suffering from a heat wave most of August - making impossible to go outside comfortably - especially not for long walks in the park. So finally the sun calmed down just enough this particular morning for us to take a stroll through the rose garden around Lake Harriet and have a family picnic outside on the lawn. It was still quite warm and balmy, but the clouds were quickly dissipating into a searing hot August day. Minnesota doesn't boast much of a summer, but when it when the roses bloom - it can be quite glorious.

Dress: Pique trim dress, ASOS

Shoes: Orange white wedge, Emerson Fry

Bag: straw bag from Provence shop

Stroller: 4 Rider Light stroller, Mutsy

Baby's romper: Floral romper, Janie and Jack

Labor day whites

I picked up this lovely Shelli Segal dress last fall and it sat in my closet for months until I unearthed it for my first mother's day brunch. Unfortunately, mother's day was so hectic (Eloise decided to take a nap right before we left) that it was impossible for us to take pictures aside from a few blurry Instagram pictures in between wrestling with a then squirmy baby. The weather is already starting to get dodgy here - some days it's in the 90s but days like today, I had to wear a sweater to run out of the house this morning. A dress like this is perfect for an unpredictably cool-warm-hot-breezy September day.

Now that it's labor day, I figure what better time to take it out again for the season. Fashion rules are silly - like not wearing white after labor day and no short skirts after 35. So here's an about face to rules schmules. Have a wonderful holiday!