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Welcome to The Sun Room

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About a year ago, my shop crew and I moved all of our inventory into a great big warehouse in DC's Eckington neighborhood. After six years of running a business with no office or space to collaborate with my team, the new project couldn't have come sooner. We revamped all 5,500 square feet from a dark and dreary cavern — complete with a dust-encased toy bat hanging from the covered skylight — to a light and airy headquarters and dubbed it The Sun Room . (Before pic down below!) With plenty of space, it only made sense to share The Sun Room for private events. This week, we finally kicked things off with Sun Down at The Sun Room, a gathering of friends and event industry folks. Take a peek and contact us here if you're interested in booking the space! A huge thank you to our local partners for helping us create such a magical night: Buffalo & Bergen Buttercream Bakeshop Early Mountain Vineyards Little Sesame Occasions Caterers ...
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STYLE } Plan A Pretty Picnic

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There was a T magazine article last spring that really stuck with me examining why we're drawn to eating outside. Of the Victorian's penchant for picnicking, Tamar Adler wrote about "the pleasurable collision between human refinements and the places and energies in the natural world ..." "Those overly decent people instinctively knew the frisson of performing petty formalities amid beetle and toad, and so they happily trudged in waistcoat and bustle through field and stream for lunch," Adler writes. While happily trudging in a forgiving flowy dress rather than a waistcoat, I had a fun opportunity to pull together a picnic look for The Washington Post' s Local Living section last week. For me it's all about bringing some elements of interior style out into the grass. Here's a little behind-the-scenes peek, and be sure to check out the full story here , along with all of the local sources for the pieces I used. Also check out the trans...
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STYLE } Bar Styling Tips with Framebridge

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  I've always been noncommittal when it come to putting anything on my walls. Art? Photos? Prints? But what if I change my mind? Add the hassle of framing something and voila, a growing pile of unframed prints and photos gathers dust on a shelf. So I much appreciated a recent gentle nudge from friends at  Framebridge , a DC-based company that's making it easier and less expensive to get those pretty-if-neglected pieces framed and on display. We hung out at my place, whipped up some Green Hat gin and tonics, and I shared tips for stocking and styling your bar at home. (Any old table will do!) And yes, I actually put a nail in the wall and hung a print. Head this way for my full interview with Framebridge . Cheers! all photos by  Laura Metzler Photography  for Framebridge
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DRINK } Holiday Cocktail Recipes at Rent the Runway

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I had a blast hosting a Holiday Cocktail Lab recently at Rent the Runway 's beautiful Georgetown shop. Getting to wear a fabulous Missoni for the evening was icing on the cake. Scroll on for a few photos, and of course, the recipes, including the classic Adonis, my spin on a Jack Rose, and a punch from my friend Dan Searing.
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COOK } Favorite Fall Recipes

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District Doughnut 's brown butter doughnut at Union Market,  with a little urban astroturf pumpkin patch in the background. Where did October go? I was just beginning to embrace these crisp, cool days dotted with pumpkin sightings and now the calendar rolls over into November. But I'll be keeping the pumpkins around post jack o' lantern with favorite fall recipes from the archives (plus a few other goodies you should be making now): • Cream of Pumpkin Soup : From master chef Alain Ducasse but super simple. • Pumpkin Spice Pancakes : An October favorite. • Rustic Fig Crostata : An elegant and not too sweet finish to a meal. • Pumpkin Pecan Crunch Muffins • Hot Buttered Apple Cider with Rum : A delightful mash-up of hot buttered rum and cider. • Aperol Bourbon Sour : The perfect cocktail to bridge summer and fall.
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ENTERTAIN } For The Love Of Salt

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I'm bidding a reluctant adieu to summer on this first day of fall and looking back with fond memories on one of the season's highlights — our Summer Salt Fest at the Gordy's Pickle Jar headquarters. Ever since opening Salt & Sundry three years ago, I've been dreaming of a down-home party that celebrates all things salty. With the perfect partners in crime, Sarah and Sheila of Gordy's, and my phenomenal team at Salt & Sundry, we hosted a gathering of good friends and toasted our shared love of salt. The feast included fried chicken, boiled peanuts ( made by my husband !), Rappahannock' s Olde Salt oysters, deviled eggs topped with Gordy's Sweet Pepper Relish, and probably the best fried pickles I've ever eaten (yes, I've eaten a lot) ... Gordy's Sweet Chips and Cajun Okra dipped in roasted garlic aioli. There was crisp Virginia rosé from Early Mountain Vineyards , local brews from 3 Stars and DC Brau , and a watermelon cooler tha...
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STYLE } Mint Chocolate Chip + Brass

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Right about 4 p.m. most afternoons at Union Market , the ice cream procession starts. Shoppers casually stroll into Salt & Sundry toting tempting cones and thick milkshakes filled with flavors from our market neighbors  Trickling Springs Creamery . Resistance is futile. I'm partial to mint chocolate chip. And I'm crazy about the gorgeous new brass jewelry that just arrived at S&S from Portland-based designers Betsy & Iya . Come see me soon and check out both!
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DRINK } Sherry Temple

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I know I'm not the only one who often makes it to a point in the (late) afternoon only to realize that I've been chugging coffee without so much as a thought to hydration. On the hottest summer days, when I'm over-caffeinated and plenty parched, I crave this pleasantly tart thirst quencher from  Rappahannock Oyster Bar . It's a grown-up — but still booze-free — take on a childhood favorite. Sherry Temple makes 1 drink 1 oz lemon juice 3/4 oz grenadine* 1/4 oz simple syrup 1 bar spoon sherry vinegar Shake with ice, strain over fresh ice and finish with sparkling water and a lemon wedge. Enjoy! * For the grenadine, I love DC-made True Syrup' s version or the slightly earthier Jack Rudy Cocktail Co. version, both available at Salt & Sundry .
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STYLE } Happy July 4th!

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Faribault Woolen Mill , t he maker of this beautiful blanket, celebrates its 150th birthday this year. A wonderful American goods revival story, Faribault is one of the lines I love stocking at Salt & Sundry . The Minnesota-born mill was founded in 1856, at the close of the Civil War, and provided military blankets for two World Wars. We have a few of the wool flag blankets at the shops, along with several other styles. From favorite blankets to favorite cocktails ... Toast the July 4th holiday with one of my favorite summer sips: El Presidente makes 1 drink 1.5 oz white rum 1.5 oz Dolin Blanc 1 barspoon Grand Marnier 1 barspoon Jack Rudy Grenadine Stir well over ice and strain into a chilled coupe. Garnish with a Luxardo maraschino cherry and orange twist. Enjoy!
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COOK } Simple Seafood Stew

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This simple stew, inspired by cioppino, is one of my favorite summer seafood recipes. It's a go-to on family beach trips, when I feel the need to pack in as much seafood as possible, as if I'll never have access to it again. To the contrary, I eat seafood wherever I am, but there's something about the salty humid air of the coast that I swear makes it taste even better. And when you're city-bound, a bowl nearly conjures that same seaside vibe. Many recipes for fish stew call for a long ingredient list of pricey seafood and homemade fish stock. But you can coax a lot of flavor out of a few ingredients in little time. And what seafood you toss in is really up to you. Crab legs, scallops and mussels are all great additions not included here. (We tossed in mussels last time, pictured above!) Serve as a light supper with a salad and French bread, or as a first course for a dinner party. Simple Seafood Stew serves 6 1/4 cup olive oil 2 large onions, sliced 6 g...
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