I usually have a strict “after Thanksgiving” rule for Christmas decor, but since Thanksgiving was so late this year my rule went out the window. I may or may not have decorated the first weekend of November (whoops). I just love when my house is decorated for Christmas, the tree and lights just add so much joy to our space. Some of my favorite decor pieces are these beautiful stockings from Horchow, this prelight garland and these modern ornaments. When shopping for seasonal decor, I try to buy things that I will still like in 10 or 20 years. Somethings will have to be changed out as time goes on, but I love the idea of our decor being a part of our Christmas traditions. Shop my Christmas decor and Christmas decor for all styles below! xoxo
This past weekend Alex and I had a little staycation here in Dallas at The Statler Hotel. We decided to take the time to explore our own city before all the hustle and bustle of the holidays hit. While we had been to the Statler for events and dining, we had not stayed in a room. The Statler opened in 1956 and played a large role in establishing downtown Dallas as a business hub. In 2015 the hotel reopened after renovations but kept much of the 1956 charm. We loved every little detail of our mid-century room and the fantastic view of downtown Dallas! We stayed in the King Bed Premium Larger Room and found the room, closet, and bathroom to be very spacious. The bathroom was hard to photograph, but there was a ton of counter space (win!) and a rain shower. The Statler also has 5 dining options including Overeasy, Fine China, Scout, Buron & Banter (a speakeasy), and Waterproof (rooftop pool).
The hotel is placed perfectly in downtown Dallas and is within walking distance of so many things. We were able to walk to the Neiman Marcus flagship to see all the Christmas decor and enjoy a cup of coffee at Royal Blue Grocery. Since we have dined at the Statler before, we walked across the street to Partenope for dinner. The rigatoni, prosciutto, and almond flour cake at Parenope were all to die for! If you are visiting Dallas or planning a staycation like us, the Statler Hotel is such a great option! The Statler Hotel is owned by Hilton and is a part of the Curio Collection. xoxo
Need more Dallas recommendations? Check out my posts here:
Last week I shared my Pumpkin Pie recipe for Thanksgiving and decided to share Monna’s Pecan Pie recipe as well! I shared this recipe a few years ago in one of my Mondays with Monna posts with her crust recipe. I love pecan pie of any kind, but this version is one of my favorites, especially topped with vanilla ice cream. I have also used this filling in smaller cups with puff pastry for a lighter dessert. Enjoy! xoxo
8 tablespoons cold unsalted butter (cut into smaller pieces)
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons ice water
In a food processor combine flour, sugar, and salt. Add the butter pieces and pulse until the mixture forms large, coarse crumbs. Add the ice water a little at a time and pulse until the dough begins to form. Transfer the dough to a work surface and shape it into a 9-inch pie plate. Pre-bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes when the recipe calls for it.
Pecan Pie Filling
3/4 cup sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup dark Karo
2 eggs
1/2 cup Pet evaporated milk (another brand is fine too)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup pecan pieces (or halves)
Mix sugar, flour, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Stir in Karo syrup, and beat in eggs one at a time. Add evaporated milk, vanilla, and pecans, mixing well before pouring into pie crust. Bake at 375 degrees for 50 minutes. Tip from Monna: top off the pie with warm maple syrup and Blue Bell vanilla ice cream.
My table is set a whole two weeks early! The Christmas tree might also be up, but I am not officially skipping Thanksgiving all together. We are having my immediate family over, unlike Easter when we had to add a leaf in our table to fit everyone. I set our Thanksgiving table with a simple white and gold color pallet. Since we still do not have artwork (or a buffet) in our dining room, the light grey walls can be difficult to work with. I used the same white linen place mats, chippendale sliver and French provincial china I used at Easter. To add a touch of Thanksgiving, I used pumpkins for place cards and these gold edge napkins. I found the white pumpkins at Trader Joe’s and added craft paper and string to create place cards. I also found the white hydrangeas and filler at Trader Joe’s to create my own floral arrangement, they have the best prices on flower and pumpkins. Shop everything on my Thanksgiving table below! xoxo
Thanksgiving is only two weeks away, and I am still wondering what happened to the month of October! My grandmother (Monna) bakes the best pies for Thanksgiving, as proven in my Monday with Monna post. I realize not everyone is lucky enough to have Monna bake their pies, which is why I am sharing a simple and favorite pumpkin pie recipe. I recommend making the pie crust a day or two in advance (keep the dough in the fridge) or a store-bought crust works well with this filling too (excuse my messy crust edge in photos). I love the blend of spices in this pumpkin pie filling and that most ingredients, minus the pumpkin, can already be found in the pantry. This pie is best served with chantilly cream (recipe here) and a sprinkle of cinnamon. I hope everyone enjoys time with loved ones and this pumpkin pie over the holiday! xoxo
8 tablespoons cold unsalted butter (cut into smaller pieces)
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons ice water
In a food processor combine flour, sugar, and salt. Add the butter pieces and pulse until the mixture forms large, coarse crumbs. Add the ice water a little at a time and pulse until the dough begins to form. Transfer the dough to a work surface and shape it into a 9-inch pie plate. Pre-bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes when the recipe calls for it.
Pumpkin Pie Filling
15 oz can pumpkin puree
3 large eggs
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup evaporated milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
Pre-bake pie crust (400 degrees for 20 mins, covered in foil). In a large bowl combine pumpkin puree, eggs, brown sugar, and evaporated milk. Slowly mix in melted butter, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt until the mixture is smooth. Pour filling into pie crust and bake at 350 degrees for 50-55 minutes. The center should slightly jiggle when the pan is given a gentle shake. Let cool and garnish with whipped cream.
A few weeks ago I shared this black crew sweater from the Everlane collection at Nordstrom. Well, I ended up buying just about everything that came in black from the Everlane collection! I mentioned that we cleaned out our closet and for fall/winter were focusing more on staple pieces. This black silk button down blouse is such a great staple and was the perfect addition to my simplified closet. It fits true to size, but I ordered a size up (wearing a 2) so it would be a bit oversized. It comes in 5 colors and I already have the white version sitting in my cart for checkout. I paired it with my favorite raw edge jeans, but this black silk button down pairs well with skirts too. You will see this button down a lot during the holidays tucked into a plaid skirt! Shop this entire look below! xoxo
