Today on Weekend Meanderings, an easy winter cocktail for your holiday celebrations, what to wear to a Christmas tea, and today is the Army Navy game.
Happy weekend, friends!
It’s Saturday and I’m joining Kim and Elizabeth for Weekend Meanderings.
Our weekly roundup of inspiration and goings on.
It’s been a busy week.
But I can’t think of a single thing I accomplished.
So why don’t we jump in.
Are you ready?
Let’s go!
HOLIDAY COCKTAIL
Earlier this week I shared a holiday cocktail idea, the Cara Cara Winter Spritz. Well, it didn’t turn out to be a true Cara Cara spritz because Cara Cara’s are behind schedule this year due to lack of frost. Not to worry, they’ll be available early next month. Anyhoo, I substituted navel oranges, and the spritz is still delicious and a fun idea for holiday brunches, lunches, cocktail hours, and midnight toasting.
Niece Shelby, my youngest niece who recently turned 21, came over to make my Cara Cara Winter Spritz. Watch our video here. We then retired to the library for take-out Chinese. Retired to the library… ha! You have no idea how long I’ve waited to say something like that.
Do you have a room you don’t use often? Decorate it for the holidays, like I did our library. It will motivate you to find ways to spend time in it. I promise.
TEA FOR THREE
On Thursday I attended the annual Walnut Creek Historical Society Holiday Tea accompanied by the Contessa and BFF Jane.
The tea is held at the 120-year-old Penniman mansion, home to the Shadeland’s Ranch Museum. In addition to tea, there is a lovely holiday faire in the upstairs rooms of the mansion. I bought a lovely table runner … and also picked up Walnut Creek: An Illustrated History. I love learning about the history of my hometown and surrounding areas.
During the pandemic, the Historical Society sold tea-in-a box with all the makings for a home tea party. Of course, I shared all my tea party here.
If you’re local the holiday faire runs through the weekend, and I highly recommend it. There are rooms full of wonderful holiday decor and gift items and they’re so well priced. I mean, seriously, I should have offered to pay more. They’ll be open today and tomorrow from 10:00am to 4:00pm.
HOLIDAY OUTFIT
Taking a page from Kim’s Signature Style post this week, I rummaged through my closet for something to wear to the tea. Something that could be holiday-ed up a bit. I decided on this Staud sweater dress that I bought last year. It comes in a short version as well. And in this gorgeous merlot color. I love sweater dresses; in my office dwelling years they were a winter staple.
Sweater dresses are generally form fitting, and with my no-longer-svelte midsection, a little harder to pull off. And quite honestly, I was in no mood to squeeze into a pair, or two, of Spanx. I rummaged a little further and pulled out a several-years-old Soia & Kyo long camel coat vest. Could it work as a top layer?! Would I look too Bea Arthur in her Golden Girl days? You be the judge.
On the morning of the tea, Kim and I did our second Instagram Live. If you missed it, you can see it here. We chatted about her Signature Style post and wearing holiday pins and sparkly things passed down from our mom’s or acquired ourselves. That inspired me to pull out my holiday snowflake pin and pop it on my lapel. Voila … my winter outfit became holiday festive.
I have no idea where I got this pin. I’ve had it forever, but it’s not an inherited piece. This one is similar and I found so many other holiday pin options. I ordered this one. Pins are fun pieces to search for in vintage and consignment stores.
During our Live, Kim came up with the idea to create a hashtag (#blingit) and encourage others to show off their blingy holiday pins, jewelry and clothing on Instagram. Here’s my not very blingy pin collection.
Not an extensive collection. The two on the right are from my grandmother. She died when my mother was 3 weeks old, so they’re special treasures. My grandmother on my dad’s side loved to wear sparkly, blingy pins and jewelry. Especially at Christmas. I wish I had inherited some of them … not that I would have fully appreciated their sentimental value when I was younger.
But back to my holiday tea outfit … I also wore my Aquatalia boots, current version here, and my prized Nina Ricci tote. I call it my ladies-who-lunch bag. My J.Crew multi-strand pearls are no longer available, but you may find them on resale sites. By the way the Staud sweater dress runs on the roomy side and I’m wearing an XS.
Sweater Dress | Camel Coat Vest | Snowflake Pin | Earrings | Tote Bag | Boots
The camel coat vest I’m showing in the collage is pricey. It was the closest I could find to mine. Here are some other options. I think the merlot dress would be pretty paired with a gray or ivory.
IT’S ARMY NAVY GAME DAY … GO NAVY!
It’s Army Navy game day and I’m excited. Navy’s had a rough few seasons but they came on strong in their last few games. They gave Notre Dame a good scare and they beat UCF. I have a good feeling about today. The team uniforms were revealed a couple weeks ago. The Midshipmen’s uniforms are a tribute to NASA. The Naval Academy has produced more astronauts than any other school. One of the many fun things about this rivalry is the spirit spots produced by both schools leading up to the game. Apparently Army’s feathers are ruffled by the Midshipman’s NASA nod … boo hoo.
The uniform reveal. Navy’s are better. Obviously.
College football has changed a lot over the years, particularly in the last few and it’s hard to distinguish it from professional football … aside from the athletes not getting paid. The transfer portal and other changes have made it even more difficult for service academy football to compete. This article explains how the landscape has changed dramatically for the Army, Navy and Air Force teams. And, that’s why … I love service academy football all the more. Because the players aren’t likely to find their way to the NFL, although a few do. They juggle intense academics, military training AND playing division one sports. And when their college football careers are over they’ll go on to serve our country. And for that, I believe, they deserve our respect and our eyes on today’s game.
The President often attends the game and sits on one sideline for the first half and changes sides for the second half. This year the Commander-in-Chief trophy, awarded to the service Academy that beats both others, will stay at the Air Force Academy (they beat Army and Navy this year). The CIC winner also earns a team trip to the White House to meet with the President. Trophy and White House visit aside, this is the biggest game of the year for Army and Navy, and I can’t wait.
My bad photo of the CIC in Annapolis, where it usually resides.
What’s my interest in Navy football? My dad went to the Naval Academy. Class of 1955. I was born on a Navy base in the Philippines. He retired from the Navy when I entered kindergarten but served in the reserves for another decade. Navy football was a big deal in our household, and Jim has become an enthusiastic fan. And, yes, I cheer for his alma mater, USC.
My Dad (right) as a Mid
My dad passed away in January, and we’ve missed his amusing emails following USC games either congratulating or consoling Jim who he referred to as MBSWS (Mr. Big Shot Wine Salesman). My dad was a funny guy and we’ll be thinking about him a lot today.
MBSWS Tailgating with Navy
Attending the Army Navy game is a bucket list item for sports fans. It’s usually held in Philadelphia, but moves around occasionally. Jim and I went in 2012 when the game was held in Washington D.C. We’ve never been so cold in our lives, but we had a blast and attended all the events … pep rallies, tailgates and after parties. The Navy crowd is a fun one. I can’t find my photos from Army Navy, but these are few from other Navy tailgates we’ve attended over the years.
Looks like George W. Bush (cut out) was President, so this is a long time ago. I remember seeing Senator John McCain at this tailgate, he was class of 1958. My dad’s class tagline sign (that he carried around to all Navy tailgates, to Jim’s horror) is in our library.
A more recent tailgate with niece Shelby, friend & Bill the Goat. I believe this was a Navy vs Notre Dame game.
My dad remembered his Naval Academy years with a great degree of hilarity and he stayed very active in the alumni association. I love his comment on the photo below, when he marched in President Eisenhower’s Inaugural Parade.
In 2010 Jim and I, with niece Sophie, accompanied my dad to his 55th class reunion in Annapolis. What a cool and historic town. The Academy sits on the Severn River and couldn’t be more picturesque. It meant so much to my dad to show is granddaughter around the Yard (the campus, but never call it that) … he was so proud. And we are so proud of him.
Grandpa & Soph at Navy-Marine Corp Memorial Stadium Tailgate / 2010 Homecoming Weekend
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- The March On
Jim, Soph and I in front of a scaffolded Tamanend on the Yard.
HOLIDAY PROGRESS
Confession … my tree is STILL not decorated. I know. There’s no excuse. I’ll get to it this weekend. I hope. The good news is I’ve made progress in other areas …
We love this garland and used it in the Great Room and Library.
You can still order Hood Canal Candle Company’s holiday scents. I’ve been burning Gingerbread Cottage.
So there you have it, this weekend’s meanderings.
Let’s visit Kim and Elizabeth to see what’s they’re sharing.
Odds & Socks ~
This weekend we’re going to the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus Holiday Spectacular. It’s a tradition we love and we’re looking forward to its return after a two year absence.
I love spotting dogs in decor, especially on a holiday home tour; mine won’t pose like these good dogs do.
There’s nothing quite like Christmas in a beach town.
Remember when Martha Stewart used to do this for parties?
This was a popular holiday cocktail last year.
This bloggers holiday home tour is my inspiration for next year.
With any luck, my better-late-than-never holiday gift ideas will be out in the next couple of days. Try to contain your excitement.
Kim and I will be be doing another Instagram Live on Thursday at 9:00am PST, our last Live of the year. We’d love for you to join us.
Housekeeping item, one of my readers let me know that the expression Odds & Socks, is really Odds & Sods. It’s British. I picked it up from my dad who used it in his very entertaining emails. I’m certain he wrote Socks, not Sods. Whether I remember it incorrectly, he understood it incorrectly, or he understood it just fine but put his own twist on it, I don’t know. I put my money on the latter. I’m leaving it as is because it’s make me think of my dad and smile.
If you missed last weekend’s meanderings, you can catch up here.
And follow along for more fun on Instagram and Pinterest.
As always, I appreciate your visit and welcome your thoughts in the comments below.
Go Navy, Beat Army!
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