January 31, 2013

a (wo)man's world


We were asked to shoot some pieces by the eponymous brand that is AndyGhionda; the collaboration between Andy Viales & Gaӛtan Ghionda. AndyGhionda is an original brand for men, which captures the idea of Parisian elegance and "savoir-faire", and the edge of New York's artistic scene. A mix of culture with an adventurous will towards creativity evolved into this fashion-forward brand. 


What makes the brand unique is the duality of designers' influences & worldly backgrounds...Andy Viales has experience as an image consultant in NYC working for artists and celebrities such as Prince and brings an unconventional edge to the designs, while Gaӛtan Ghionda has worked with major French fashion houses including Yves St Laurent, bringing elegance and class. The result is The AndyGhionda Project.


The brand adheres to a strict attention to detail, textiles, and design, with timeless quality driving the designer duo. Items are handmade and each piece is thought-out with the creators' hearts and souls poured into each collection. 


In the words of AndyGhionda  'every man should own a peacoat' and this peacoat is one of Ghionda's favorite pieces. I can personally vouch for the quality of the cashmere/silk/wool blend...I didn't want to take it off. 


Unique details can be found in their choice of buttons, materials, patterns, and patchwork, which is a theme throughout their collection. 

Photos © Brian Sorg

To see more of their ever evolving collaboration, find them here, shop it here, and keep up with their daily updates here!

Shirts & Peacoat by Andy Ghionda, Vera Skinnies by J Brand, Pumps by Jimmy Choo

January 28, 2013

diptych

Photos © Brian Sorg

a vine & a cactus. a leather skirt & a leather stiletto. a locker and a lamp. a green(s) and a gray(s). a stare and a stare. an outfit. 

skirt by t by alexander wang, pumps by jimmy choo, tee by haute hippie

January 24, 2013

jungle fever

Photos © Brian Sorg

It may be sub-zero outside, but inside it's a whole other story (that story is 80 degrees). While technically not what I'd wear were I to brave the amazon, it's a good mix of hi-low...target vs rag & bone. 

When one has an affinity for certain high end items, it's good to try to balance..and I do try. Other hi-lows currently happening: free pantene from a shoot vs definitely not close to free hair (love you duc)... diptyque candles vs re-used candles w/tea-lights...french press at home vs venti americano a la starbucks...labradoodle vs my future adopted pup...whole foods vs whole foods (technically a hi-hi but I'm powerless against that place)...eggs for dinner vs next for dinner (I will experience next vegan this summer beg, borrow, or steal)...cheap sheets vs luxurious king bed. You get the idea. 

flannel x target, cut-offs x rag & bone

January 23, 2013

january.

Photos © Brian Sorg

Stalking down the street having succumbed to the winter (black) & blues. 

Sweater x alexander wang, 'vera' skinnies x jbrand, boots x theysken's theory

January 21, 2013

in your pantry

Seeing as how braving whole foods on a sunday can be seriously traumatic (yesterday I overheard a woman telling her friend she has never seen it like that and I fully agreed), I'm always thrilled to find a delicious recipe that consists of staples that are usually on hand already. Enter Food 52's Farro Salad w/Roasted Mushrooms.


I tweaked it a bit because I prefer a higher 'goods' to grain ratio and added toasted chopped walnuts/almonds; the only thing I'd do differently is make more...The roasted mushrooms have such a rich, intense flavor, the farro brings that nutty texture, & the parmesan, parsley & acid pull it all together. 

Here's my version:

3/4 cup uncooked farro
1 lb mushrooms (I used a mix of shiitake & cremini), wipe & trim, cut into bite-sized pieces
Sea salt & freshly ground black pepper
1 lemon
Olive Oil
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
1/4 cup parmigiano reggiano, finely chopped (creates little bites of flavor)
1/4 cup chopped nuts, toasted in saute pan (they burn easily, keep an eye and stir frequently, once fragrant pull off heat)

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. In med pot, combine farro and enough cold water to cover it by an inch. Soak for 20 minutes. Drain and return to pan, again covering with cold water. Add a few pinches of salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat, cover and simmer for 20 - 23 minutes, until the farro is tender but still has some bite.

2. Arrange mushrooms on a rimmed baking sheet & drizzle generously with olive oil, sea salt and pepper, toss gently. Spread eventy and put in oven for ~20 minutes, stirring halfway until crisp around edges and cooked through.

3. When farro is done, drain well. Once farro and mushrooms have cooled, combine them in a serving bowl. Add the juice of a lemon, drizzle at least 3 tbsp olive oil (more if seems dry), tossing gently to combine. Add Parmesan  pepper, parsley, nuts & a generous grinding of pepper. Toss gently to combine. Taste and add more salt & pepper if necessary. Enjoy!

Photos © Rex Waters

Added bonus...the next morning I warmed this up in a pan and scrambled it w/an egg and some arugula...adios hangover!


January 17, 2013

cabin in the woods

 

Photos © Brian Sorg

This new years we cozied up in a log cabin...a far cry from ringing in 2012 which resulted in hangovers and cleanup from a party that didn't shut down till dawn. Ellis Lake Resort is 10 minutes from Traverse City and our cabin was everything I wanted. As a cold-blooded reptile I am in constant pursuit of fire, heat and warmth and our cabin not only had a floor-to-ceiling furnace but also featured an authentic Franklin wood burning stove that kicked out insane heat. We had the place blazing hot & I was literally in a t-shirt (see above). Yahtzee, champagne, fire nachos, a hot tub in the woods & my favorite 2 & four legged critters didn't hurt either. It's the little things...if you're into resolutions, take this and run with it for 2013. If not, it's still the little things. Always.


January 15, 2013

party girl(s)


Doe eyes...costume jewels...fluffed locks...sequins...gold lobes...it must be time for a cocktail.

Photos © Brian Sorg

I turn into a pumpkin at midnight and am more commonly found in oversized sweaters (brian's favorite) but it's fun to get dolled up every once in a while. Ever present, my soph is never one to miss a party either. 

skirt x haute hippie, top x dvf

January 10, 2013

[pieces] of a puzzle

[nosing for snacks]

[soul-searching]

[surface to air]

a [complete] picture. 

Photos © Brian Sorg

layering l/s tee x splendid, vest x elizabeth & james 

January 9, 2013

with a name like that it couldn't fail...

We are in the kitchen often, but most recipes don't make it onto the blog because Brian has an aversion to food photography, which I can understand. I put in the same category as my aversion to pants...it's just not the right fit. But, thanks to my recent foray into the 21st century (iphone), I am able to at least take a photo (baby steps). In this case, the end result was just too tasty not to share. Plus, most ingredients you probably have at home and eggs for dinner is a no-brainer.


Here is my tweaked version based off of this recipe (thanks to karen for the head's up!):

Mario Batali's Spicy Eggs in Hell
2 -3 tbsp olive oil
2 jalapenos + 2 serranos diced (seed if you don't like heat, keep some seeds if you do)
1/2 yellow onion, diced
2 clove garlic, diced
4 eggs
1 1/2 cup tomato sauce (we used Rao's Spicy Arrabbiata)
1 tsp red chili flakes
salt, pepper
parm or pecorino, shredded
basil, chopped (the more, the better)
Baguette (we used a garlic rosemary baguette).

Step 1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees, cut baguette into 1 in. thick slices, drizzle both sides w/olive oil & sprinkle w/salt and pepper. Put in sheet of aluminum foil and loosely seal sides. Bake until fragrant and toasty.

Step 2. In a cast iron pan bring oil to almost smoking, over med-heat. Saute onions, peppers, garlic & chili flakes and season w/salt & pepper, 6-7 min until softened.

Step 2. Add tomato sauce and bring to a simmer, a few minutes. Crack in 4 eggs, season w/salt and pepper and lightly scramble it all together (take care not to overcook eggs). Toss in lots of shredded cheese of choice and basil.

Step 3. Use bread in place of spoon and devour! Seriously...we ranked this in the top three dishes we've made.

January 8, 2013

work wisdom x life



Photos © Brian Sorg

Leather and fringe and chunky knits and skin. They do the work for me. 

(just delegate)

boots x theysken's theory, skirt x chan luu, sweater x helmut lang

January 7, 2013

that glow

Photo © Brian Sorg

Posting..soon. 

January 4, 2013

new beginnings




Photos © Nat Waters

I was fortunate enough to have two weeks off over the holidays and I made the most of it. Sundance Resort in Provo, UT is so stunningly beautiful; it was the perfect place to reflect on the year and get inspired as I look forward to 2013! Happy New Year!