Thanksgiving with a trip to Channing Daughters

Thanksgiving Day was a huge success. We cooked, we ate, we drank great wine, we watched a few movies and we lounged by the fire. Overall, two very enthusiastic thumbs up. I would also like to note that I really enjoy cutting the turkey. I've gotten pretty good over the last few years.

I'd also ike to take a moment to give Mer a congratulatory "slow clap" for the best turkey yet. 

After a lovely sleep in and breakfast, we headed out into the sun-filled world. Full of turkey goodness, we needed to get our bodies moving a bit. Not even a half mile from the house we were bombarded by nature. First, a family of deer came prancing across the road. True city folk, we stopped in the middle of the road, took pictures and shouted out loud as more and more appeared.

What came next literally made me laugh out loud. A flock of about 8 wild turkeys were grazing in someones front yard. Somehow they escaped being served as dinner the night before. It was a sort of in your face victory lap one could say, out in daylight, no fear.

No longer needing to visit the zoo, we set out to the town of East Hampton for a more retail experience. We popped around from store to store but the Black Friday buzz was lost on us. After a quick nibble we drove over to my FAVORITE winery out in the Hamptons.

Only about two miles from where we were staying, Channing Daughters Winery is one not to miss if you are headed out east.  I have posted about them once before, I'm obsessed with their wines. During my last visit I joined their wine club. Let me tell you it was worth every penny. 

The sky was picture perfect, I could not help but take some shots. It was very cold out, so I opted to go for the furry winter snow bunny look. 

This warm and luxurious puffer jacket is from Victoria's Secret (similar here). My leopard clutch is Clare V. My new peasant white top is ASOS. By the way, ASOS just had a huge Cyber Monday sale and I resisted all temptations. I'm "pat yourself on the back" proud of myself about that!

I had the friends join in. They are much cooler than me and have such an effortless sense of style. 

We hurried inside to warm up and taste some delicious vino!

Sniff, slurp, sip...spit?

Since I can never walk away empty handed, I decided to take home two bottles. First, their Mosaic. It is a white wine made up of a "mosaic" of grapes. It has a smooth dry finish which opened nicely with a bite to eat. Second, I grabbed their Ramato.  One of the more unique wines, this orange tinted wine is made from Pinot Grigio grape. It smells like a white and drinks like a red. For more of what Channing Daughters has to offer visit their website or go visit in person! Tasting are only $10 a person and the staff is so incredibly friendly!

Cheers - Naturally Ginger

Hudson Clearwater & Fab Faux Fur

I love nothing more than eating food with the Frans. I was itching to do a food post for the blog, so my incredible Frans jumped at the opportunity to support. We were planning on checking out Via Carota, the new West Village spot opened by the folks at Buvette and I Sodi, but sadly it is dinner only right now. Disappointed, we did a quick survey of the area and landed at the popular Hudson Clearwater. I've heard so much about this place, I was excited to check it out.

Mentally prepped for a meal at Via Carota, we had to adjust back for brunch at Hudson Clearwater. They have a simple, yet unique brunch menu. Each dish sounded delicious. The restaurant has a rustic casual atmosphere with lots of wood and dark worn metal throughout. They have a lush back porch which is always packed during the warmer months.

I was starving. Still in lunch, not brunch mode, I started with a salad. This salad was packed with baby beets, burrata, watercress, toasted hazelnuts, and topped with a shallot vinaigrette. 

Han nibble on the Avocado Toast sprinkled with chili flakes over Pullman Toast. We were both hungry so I forgot to snap a shot before digging in.

Moving onto the main dishes. I went hardy with their Angus Burger. This beauty was smothered in a Jalapeno Cheddar. The side of fries were not a bad option either. 

The other brunch salad was packed with Arugula, Gala Apples, Fennel, Dates, Pine Nuts, Ricotta and a Balsamic dressing. 

I'm obsessed with fall fashion. It is my favorite season for clothing. The sunlight was perfect in the West Village and I had to snap a few pics. 

(Hat: Hat Attack / Sunglasses: Forever 21 / Shoes: Aldo) 

Two things to check out in this picture; 1) my awesome gel manicure from Paint Box, 2) my jewelry. My bow ring is from Kate Spade and my stackable rings are a steal from Forever 21. The watch is Michel Kors. My necklace was a given to me by my mother, she received it from my father years ago. My pearl ring used to be my Grandmother's. Nothing better than family heirlooms to add a classic touch to a modern look.

 

(Jeans: ASOS / Body Suit: ASOS / Floral Bomber Jacket: Zara / Faux Fur Coat: Forever 21)

Thanks for my wonderful Fran Meredith for snapping all the outfit pictures. She's the best.

Do you think you can pull off the faux fur look?
My tip is confidence, what's yours?

Coffee with a World Changer - Kait from Madly Mignon

I'm hanging my head with shame (picture me doing that), because it has been months since I put out a "Coffee with a World Changer" post. My main hope of this blog is to encourage, inspire and uplift others to live full and joyful lives. That's why I LOVE this series of blog posts. Their purpose is to highlight individuals who are running their race in an inspiring way.

Here is a little reminder of my definition of a World Changer: Someone who lives their life to the full each and every day with purpose.

Qualities of a World Changer:

Has vision for their future.

Thinks of others.

Knows what they do is bigger than themselves.

Does not seek recognition.

Desires to influence some sphere of life in a positive way.

Today, I am highlighting my friend Kait from Madly Mignon. I met Kait at church a few years back and have always admired her personal style. I am so proud of her and the blog she has created. It is beautiful to see someone doing what they are supposed to in life. Kait and I sat down for a glass of Prosecco, instead of coffee, at the beautiful Mondrian Soho for a chat about fashion, blogging, NYC and all things Madly Mignon.

Three words to describe you.

Creative. Gatherer. Jesus.

Tell me more.

Creative - I'm the type of person who always wants to be doing something different. I think that is why I'm into fashion and the creative part of that. I get to live this out through my day to day job and also through the blog. The blog is my own personal way of being creative. I've been crafty and creative since I was a little girl and don't think I fully tapped into that side of me until I started the blog.

Gatherer. I love to bring people together. I enjoy hosting hangouts for people to meet, connect and create bonds. 

Jesus. My faith is the most important thing in my life. It has been interesting incorporating that into the fashion industry, the balance of staying true to yourself, what you believe in, and not conforming to others. I try to be open with my faith and talk about Jesus when the opportunity presents itself.

Tell me about your blog. 

I've always wanted to start a blog. But I kept thinking, so many people have blogs, I don't have the time and I don't know the first things about starting one. I decided to begin with photography, so I took a class here in New York to learn the basics. Through this, I was able to use the skill of photography to start a blog. You can't start a blog without quality photos. Once I did that, I decided to do a fashion blog, not just fashion but lifestyle too. A blog about me as a person and what I represent in life. I'm also really lucky because my job requires me to travel a lot. It has been something fun to add to the blog and hopefully inspire people.

Madly Mignon. What does it mean?

Madly Mignon means "Madly Cute" in French. It is a part of me. I love everything French and French culture is part of my soul and spirit. Every time I visit it feels like my home. I was just there a month ago and I'm so inspired by its beauty - the culture, art, romance, fashion. It is beautiful. 

Talk about your style.

I don't have the most everyday style. I feel like it is unique and different, something interesting for people to see. Maybe everyone won't wear my full skirts and sparkly tops everyday but it is fun and I like to put it out there. 

Where do you see yourself in a year?

In a year I'll hopefully still be doing what I am currently. I want to grow the blog more and I would love to use it as a means to brand myself in the future. Work is crazy and amazing so I hope to continue with that because I'm so thankful for the experiences it has allotted me. I'd love to do more collaborations with people, working with more bloggers and smaller brands. My goal is to grab smaller brands and highlight them. I'd love to help others reach their dreams.

There are a million bloggers out there. How have you made a voice for yourself? 

Just staying with it. The encouragement from people helped me to keep going when I was not sure. I think my unique style and ability to travel has helped set me apart a bit. I always try to make each post visually pleasing and interesting. At the beginning I met a friend over twitter, Lauren Cecchi, she's a handbag designer. She invited me to this blogger brunch, and I met a ton of other bloggers. One blogger in particular, Marissa from Stylecusp, has really supported me. We hit it off, did some work together, and she helped me get into Reward Style. That has been a game changer. I prayed to get into Reward Style from the start of the blog, it has helped elevate my blog and brand in so many ways.

Advice for new bloggers.

The ability to have high quality photos and edit them well. Brand yourself in all aspects of social media. Figure out your voice, what you want to show people. Also, learn how to create a website.

Favorite places to shop in NYC.

I love vintage shopping in New York. In Soho there is INA. I just discovered Vintage Thrift West in the West Village. Top Shop and Zara are my other favorites. 

Favorite on-line shops.

BaubleBar for jewelry. ASOS. Goodnight Macaroon is a new one I discovered. One Kings Lane for home goods.

Hottest style trend currently.

Fringe. Fringe is on everything. My personal favorite trends are a high waisted skirt and metallics.

Favorite places to eat.

Buvette. Maison Kayser. Tartine. Palma.

Last words.

Be yourself, embrace who you are. Start each day positive no matter what you face. Try to remember your blessings.

Thanks Kait for letting us into your world, it truly is Madly Mignon.

Photos are courtesy of Madly Mignon. Check out Kait's blog here.

- naturally ginger