Carley Summers Interiors, a Girlfriends Gift Guide and a Holiday Outfit
The holidays are officially close enough to plan for, so this week’s Fab Five is a little bit of everything I’m thinking about right now. First up is designer Carley Summers, whose serene, collected rooms are pure inspiration if you’re freshening up the house before company arrives. Then a gift guide for the girlfriends in your life (the ones who have seen you through everything and deserve something better than a candle grabbed at the checkout). I’m also sharing what I’m wearing for the holidays, a soup recipe that’s been on repeat now that the evenings have turned chilly, and a few exercises that are helping me stay strong and steady. That last one isn’t glamorous, but it’s the one I’d most like you to read. Pour a cup of something warm, let’s join Annie and Mary Ann and let’s get started.
Carly Summers Design
Carly Summers came to design through photography. She has an uncanny eye for light, mood and the way a room actually feels. She believes that a home should be a place of healing and refuge, an idea she explores in her book Sacred Spaces. Her rooms are serene and collected, and you can tell real people acrually live in them.
Are you Doing These?
AARP the #1 Exercise to Do as you Get Older. Why? Squats strengthen the legs, lower back and core, supporting movements such as sitting, standing and getting into a car.
Artichoke Bisque with Roasted Tomatoes
This is a “madeup” family recipe that I started making when my kids were small. It is so simple and delicious, I sometimes forget about it. You can adjust the ingredients to suit your taste.
Artichoke Bisque with Roasted Tomatoes
Ingredients
- 4.5 lbs roma tomatoes
- 1/4 c olive oil
- 1 T sea salt
- freshly cracked pepper to taste
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 14 oz cans artichoke hearts
- 4 c chix stock
- 3/4 c parmesan cheese
- 1/4 c greek yogurt
- chopped fresh basil
- 1 small baguette
- 1 onion coarsley chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread tomatoes on a large baking sheet with 1/4 c olive oil, onions, garlic, and 1/2 t salt and pepper. Roast for 25 minutes.
- Add tomato mixture to large dutch oven along with artichoke hearts, and chicken stock. Bring to a boil over medium heat reduce and simmer for 40 minutes. Blend with an immersion blender or in the cuisinart, leaving some chunks. Add salt and pepper to taste, finish with 1/4 c greek yogurt, stir, Serve with warm baguette slice and chopped fresh basil. Add more chicken broth if it is too thick
Friend’s Gift Guide
My girlfriends are the women who have seen me through every chapter, so I like to give them something with a little thought behind it. This year I’m leaning into monograms. You know I’m a big believer in wearing your own monogram, and a pouch, or tote stitched with her initials says “this is yours and only yours” in a way nothing off the shelf can. For the friend who lives in her garden or is always rearranging the living room , a beautiful gardening or design book is a gift she’ll come back to for years. I also love a Sézane scarf, because it’s the easiest way to add a little French polish to anything she owns. And for pure comfort, my favorite candle, a faux fur scarf that won’t break the bank,Quince slippers are a luxury that doesn’t break the bank. Every woman deserves warm feet and an evening off. I’ve rounded up these and a few more favorites below, so you can check off the special women on your list and maybe treat yourself while you’re at it.
Outfits of the Week
Come fall, I live in blazers and jeans, so a great blazer is never wasted on me. This Veronica Beard blazer is one iI am willing to invest in. It’s classic enough to wear for years and versatile enough to go with nearly everything I own. Here I’ve swapped the jeans for my suede culottes, added the usual suspects, and pinned on a pheasant feather brooch I found on Etsy (a little unexpected, which is exactly why I love it).
This look is just as wonderful with the Chico’s sweater blazer you all love so much, paired with these Ann Taylor pants (Gifted last year and I still reach for them all the time), my everlane bag from last year that seems to be the bag I reach for most. The scarf is from Zara here, I need this one. And the earrings from Etsy are the cherry on top.
If you would like to catch up on any of my Five Faves you may have missed you can do so here.
That’s my Fab Five for this week. Head over to Mary Ann at Classic Casual Home and Annie at Most Lovely Things to see what they’re loving, because their picks never disappoint. The season is about to get busy, with lists, travel, cooking and wrapping, and I hope you’ll leave a little room in it for yourself. Make the soup on a quiet night. Wear the outfit even if nobody else sees it. Call the girlfriend you’ve been meaning to call. And keep moving, because staying strong is what lets us enjoy all the rest. This chapter is one we’ve earned, and let’s enjoy every bit of it. Have a wonderful Sunday!
That soup sounds amazing! Great gift guide. I’m wondering if the Quince slippers would work with bunions? Carley Summers look feels so layered and personal.