amanda mcclements

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...

  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

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.

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...

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!

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!

The cold shows no sign of surrender here in DC, and my kitchen pipes just burst. While we wait for water to return and snow to melt, I'm taking a cue from the folks celebrating Mardi Gras today and mixing an updated version of a New Orleans classic — the Hurricane. Drawing from Salt & Sundry 's bar section, I've subbed P&H Soda Co. 's delicious hibiscus syrup for the traditional passion fruit. Match that with Jack Rudy 's grenadine and fresh citrus, and you have a little tropical escape in a glass. For another accessible tropical escape, head to the wonderfully humid US Botanic Garden jungle (pictured below). It may be the best place to ride out the cold snap in DC. If only they had a tiki bar ... Snow Day Hurricane 2 oz dark rum 1/2 oz fresh orange juice 3/4 oz fresh lime juice 1/2 oz P&H Soda Co. Hibiscus Syrup 1/4 oz Jack Rudy Cocktail Co. Grenadine Shake and strain into a glass with ice. Garnish with fruit and a paper umbrella. Ada...

You've probably heard me say it before, but you can never go wrong gifting really good food. With that in mind, we've created three Valentine's gift boxes — the LOVE, LOCAL and LUSH — filled with fabulous cocktail/food items, available for preorder and pick up at Salt & Sundry . Pictured above, the LOCAL box rounds up some of my favorite DC-made goodies, including Langdon Wood Barrel-Aged Maple Syrup, Gordy's Cherry Pepper Spread, Mango 'Chups and Capital Honey Co.'s raw urban honey. For details on the LOVE and LUSH box, and how to place an order, head to Salt & Sundry's Instagram .

After stocking their excellent cocktail mixers at Salt & Sundry for some time, I finally had the chance to meet the delightful creators of Bittermilk when they made the trip from SC to DC for Emporiyum . They're one of those impressive pairs who make you wonder if they have more than 24 hours in the day. Between running a popular Charleston bar , raising kids and selling their growing Bittermilk line, husband-and-wife team Joe and MariElena Raya are still cooking up new flavors. The latest is the Bittermilk No. 6 Oaxacan Old Fashioned. In the dead of winter, it delivers a welcome dose of spicy warmth. Inspired by the flavors of Mexico and mezcal, this craft mixer blends dried Mexican chilies, cocoa nibs and spices. It's sweetened with raisins and — you know I love an NC connection — aged with cocoa husks from French Broad Chocolates in Asheville. Mixing one up couldn't be easier, as Joe demonstrates below: Stir 1 part mixer with 4 parts mezcal and ice. G...

After the riotous bold colors of the holidays, I'm feeling drawn to a palette of pinks and purples — which sounds like a 6-year-old girl's favorite colors, but in dusty muted tones, the pair can be quite sophisticated. Here's a little winter eye candy to cut through the cold. Silk tie dyed tablecloth from Shabd , available at Salt & Sundry. Sibella Court's fabulous new book Gypsy, full of warm bohemian interiors. A recent harvest from the gorgeous bed of greens Love & Carrots planted in my backyard this fall.

Back when I opened Salt & Sundry two years ago, I was extremely fortunate to find an incredible and talented team of women (and the occasional man!) to work with. One of those women is Mallory Shelter . While holding down a full-time job in PR, she works at the shop on weekends and last year, she launched her own jewelry company. She likes to stay busy. On Nov. 29, we're throwing a trunk show and soirée featuring Mallory's gorgeous handmade pieces as part of American Express and Etsy's nationwide Small Business Saturday campaign. Working with local makers and designers is one of my favorite parts about owning a shop, and I'm excited to showcase Mallory's one-of-a-kind work. The trunk show runs from 1-7 p.m. at Salt & Sundry Union Market, and from 4-7 p.m., we'll serve up snacks from Bayou Bakery , seasonal sips and tunes by DJ Shanti Shree . Hope to see you there! Photos by Jeff Martin

Stop reading if you're a friend or family member because you'll ruin your holiday gift surprise. ... For the rest of you, this spiced vodka infusion is a perfect DIY gift. I fell for this during  Salt & Sundry 's most recent  Drink Lab  class, hosted with our Union Market neighbors Cordial Fine Wine & Spirits . Barman Dan Searing, who's graciously hosting the series, provided the recipe. Make a few batches and divide into small bottles. Or create a spice kit for your friends and give it with instructions and a bottle of good vodka. The infusion is delicious in cocktails or to spike hot cider.   Warm Spiced Cocktail Infusion makes 1 750 ml bottle adapted from Boyd & Blair Vodka 375 ml high-proof vodka, such as Boyd & Blair 151 from PA 1 whole nutmeg, crushed into several pieces 1 cinnamon stick 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise 2 whole cloves 2 whole cardamom pods 4 black peppercorns 1 star anise 3 allspice berries peel of 1 ora...

October has to be my favorite month, and this year, it's shaping up to be an exciting one. I'm looking forward to ... • Opening the second  Salt & Sundry  (fingers crossed)! • Making pumpkin pancakes  • Finding time for apple picking • Warming up with hot buttered apple cider spiked with rum

My favorite beans are now on the shelves at Salt & Sundry ! What's the big deal about Rancho Gordo beans? Founder Steve Sando cultivates New World heirloom varieties that pack greater depth of flavor and much better texture than the aged dried beans you often find. For Salt & Sundry's pantry, we opted for Vaquero, Red Nightfall, Yellow Eye and good ol' garbanzos to start. I'm dreaming up earthy fall dishes to put them to good use. A little DC connection from a 2009 New York Times article on the Rancho Gordo craze: At the Yountville market, shoppers were lured by Sando’s boldly patterned beans, only to recoil when they realized they weren’t candied nuts, noted Sando. The French Laundry chef de cuisine Eric Ziebold (now at CityZen in Washington) brought Thomas Keller , who flipped for the Vallarta, which Sando jokingly described as “a stupid little yellow bean on the verge of extinction.” Soon everyone wanted “the Keller Bean.”

I love a good utilitarian apron. Two current favorites we're stocking at Salt & Sundry :  above: This half apron sports a cool vintage cutlery print and crisp stripes at the waist.  below:   Hedley & Bennett 's impeccably crafted chefs aprons, handmade in Los Angeles. (Instagram friends: @ hedleyandbennett has such a fun photo stream.)  Here's to looking sharp in the kitchen ...

The fine folks over at Mutiny  recently whipped up a few summer-perfect spins on the Rickey ( the official cocktail of DC ), styled up with some pretty pieces from Salt & Sundry . Here are the gorgeous photos by Justin Gellerson to inspire your weekend drinking. Check out Mutiny's full post for drink recipes and a little Rickey lore . Bourbon Rickey with Mint Gin Rickey with Royal Rose Strawberry Fennel Syrup