Happy Holiday Week!

Fourth of July at Mnemsha, Martha's Vineyard.

Things at home base got busy at the end of last week, causing a bit of a delay in posts. Sorry about that! Hope you had a great weekend and managed to beat the heat. Here's some link love to get your Monday going.

Another simple, lovely hair tutorial, courtesy of Joanna. 

A cotton, geometric panel dress that would be fun to wear for the Fourth.
Dinner, or your Independence Day meal, on the grill.

Cocktails for those of the beer persuasion. (While I am not normally a beer fan, I had a michelada last night at Bandolero. Delish! Lighter than a bloody Mary, but with similar pizazz.)

For summer coolers sans alcohol, here's a slew of creative lemonade recipes.

Metallic cut-out sandals to kick your holiday wear up a few notches.

Affordable nail salons in D.C. I'd add Dupont Circle's Mimosa to the list.

Wild Poppies 2.0: DIY Dried Poppies.

Baby in a play tunnel. Doesn't get much cuter than that.

In case your Fourth of July dessert table calls for lemon meringue pie.

Fourth of July: Drinks and Sweets

Our plans for the Fourth of July are coming together slowly and organically. Naturally, when we began making plans, among the first handful of questions I began to ask myself were two concerning drinks and sweets. Let's call those Questions 3 and 4.

Our front-runners to solve the aforementioned Questions 3 and 4: Pimm's Cup and lemon bars.

The Busty Baker

Most of us know lemon bars from school picnics and parties. When I was little, they were always one of my favorite selections at a party dessert table. If you haven't made lemon bars from scratch, believe me, they are fantastically simple and satisfying. Shortbread crust, plus a lemon-egg concoction and scant oven time equals sheer, lemony bliss. This is a good recipe. Based on my experience with it, I suggest increasing the lemon-egg portion by about one-third, as I found it a bit too cakey the last go-round.

Pimm's Cup Pitchers at Borough Market, London, via Chris Goldberg.

Unlike lemon bars, the Pimm's Cup is a delight that may or may not yet be familiar to you. (Please forgive me in advance if it's sacrilegious to serve a British tipple on Independence Day.) I first tried it a few years ago, when I was living in Cairo and my dear friend's British roommate contributed a huge punch bowl of the stuff to a brunch gathering. It was fresh and fruity and clean, almost like a subdued sangría. Here's a nice recipe that you can tweak as you like. Pimm's liqueur, the (surprise!) main ingredient, is available at most liquor stores. There are several different types of Pimm's liqueur, each of which has a different liquor as the primary ingredient. You'll want Pimm's No. 1, the gin-based variant, for the traditional Pimm's Cup.

I love that both of these options are refreshing and include bright, quintessential summer flavors. Not to mention that they're easy as (apple) pie to make and allow for any number of variations to satisfy your and your guests' whims. What about a stone fruit Pimm's Cup using complementary herbs? Or grapefruit bars?

What are your plans for the Fourth? Have you settled on your answers to Questions 3 and 4?

Fishtail Hems

The Sartorialist

Dresses and skirts with fishtail hems (also known as "high-low" hems) seem to be on every D.C. street right now. From a practical perspective, they're sort of like an apparel version of a mullet (party in the front; business in the back), combining the grace of a train with a sexy flash of leg. Based on what I'm seeing, this style could take over the spot that boho maxi dresses have enjoyed for the last several summer seasons. Here are a few fishtail-hemmed pieces that I like:

From left: BCBGeneration, Mango, Zara, Zara.

And these versions in black offer a subtler approach to the trend:

From left: BCBGeneration, Anthropologie, Zara, Anthropologie.

What do you think? Would you venture into fishtail territory, or do you prefer a hemline that's a little more conventional?

Authors' Letters to Their Young Fans

Beatrix Potter, 1913.

Here's a bit of Monday inspiration for you. It's a collection of letters, both thoughtful and humorous, written by notable authors to their young fans. My favorite is Beatrix Potter's response to a little girl's request that Ms. Potter include her bunny, Fluffy, in an upcoming children's book. Have you ever written a letter to a famous person who you admired? Did you receive a response?

Happy Weekend!

The lovely Esther Williams, through the lens of Slim Aarons.

I'm not sure why this week has felt so long, but I am looking forward to a few days off! Over the weekend, I'll go with some friends to a concert at D.C.'s historic Howard Theatre. Beyond that, who knows! Don't you just love the freedom of weekend possibilities? Hope you have lots of fun this weekend and enjoy these bits and pieces from around the web.

More neon! This time in the shape of a beach-proof carry-all.

Phenomenal French countryside poppies.

Strawberry rosé spritzer. A great, seasonal twist on the classic mimosa.

These dove salt and pepper shakers from Jonathan Adler are simple, yet design-y, with just a dash of kitsch.

What adorable hair and makeup (not to mention the outfit).

Gauzy cardigan = summer perfection.

Awesome DIY crystal bottle stoppers.

Um, wow. This is like a blueberry version of chocolate lava cake. 

An NYC-based resource for house plants, via Sous Style.

Pixelated t-shirt. I'd pair this with white jeans.

Neon

I'm a little obsessed with neutrals. I joke (well, half-joke, because it's true) that I could pick any two items from my closet, and they'd match, since my closet is full of black, white, beige, navy, olive, and gray. This palette makes for a convenient backdrop for my jewelry, which tends to be colorful and bold. It also works well as a counter-point to neon accessories, which have made a triumphant return from the eighties stylebook.

Here's a smattering of some poppy flourescent accessories to mix with your neutrals, or your not-so-neutrals.

Clockwise from top left: Melie Bianco clutch, Pop nail polish, ASOS watch, Cole Haan slippers, Mystique sandals, Rebecca Minkoff clutch.

Summer Drinks: Peach Rosemary Fizz

In warm weather, I tend to enjoy a chilled white or rosé wine or a clear mixed drink (usually some combo of vodka/gin and soda/tonic) with plenty of lime. On a day like today, when the temp feels like it’s 102, something to cool me down is especially welcome. But, why not celebrate the season by getting a little more fancy? Doesn’t this peach rosemary fizz look divine?

Jennifer Young for A Merry Mishap.

You might also try the same approach with different fruit and herb combinations. What about strawberry and basil, lemon and mint, or plum and sage? Do you have a favorite summer drink?