Today I Like: The King's Speech

I'm certainly not the first blogger to wax poetic about the interiors in "The King's Speech," but forgive me, because I have to join their ranks. We went to see the movie this weekend, and I just loved it; I was audibly gasping over the sets! The set decoration is inspiring, not to mention impeccable for the time period, which sort of ambles between the late '20s and late '30s. 

I died over everything in the elocution instructor's studio; the glass, the dark greenish-blue trim, the stripped walls.

At at his home, the sunburst scales-patterned wallpaper...I could easily imagine that in a home today. In another room, which I couldn't find a picture of, the fictional Logue family had silver mylar wallpaper...I DIE.

And another shot of the stripped walls, which have such a derelict elegance to them. I think one could only pull this off in a very old house, like Katy's.

I've decided to do a sort of different spin on my "Today I like" entries from now on, and pull the inspiration into little guides on ways to get the look. In this case, it's interiors, but in other cases, I might be inspired by fashion, color schemes, party decor, food, etc.

Get the Look

1) Harlequin UK Arkona wallpaper, price by request.

2) Fenton pendant light, $299.

3) Salvaged 1910's leaded window, $1,250.

4) Battersea sofette, $2998 at Anthropologie.

5) Liberty of London Pelagia print, about 20 pounds a yard.

6) Joel Dewberry Basket fabric.

7) Bradbury and Bradbury Volute wallpaper. 

Golden Globes Fashion 2011

It's that time again! Golden Globes fashion critique time! I was pretty pleased with most of the winners last night, though I was lacking a good tear-jerker moment, which is my favorite part of most awards shows. I had some kind of surprising reactions to some of the fashions last night, and I'm sure many of you will disagree with my choices, but that's the fun, right? On to it!

The Best

Claire Danes, since she was a teenager, has always been able to rock the super minimalist silhouette. Almost no one would look good in this color and this cut from Calvin Klein, but I thought she looked really stunning. It did somewhat emphasize her very boyish body, but I thought it did so to a lovely effect. Everyone was wearing either really dull colors or emerald green, so it was nice to see a pop of color, too.

I thought Catherine Zeta-Jones looked so regal in this Monique Lhuillier emerald gown. I love the texture, and the draping is just enough...not overdone like so many of last night's dresses. She looks like a queen!

I'm not a crazy huge Eva Longoria fan usually, but I thought this Zac Posen dress was possibly the best cut for her body I've ever seen her wear. She looks like Sophia Loren meets Morticia, and I mean that in a good way!

This Pucci dress might have been my hands-down favorite. I love that Kyra Sedgwick is always playing with shapes and colors that others might shy away from, and holy DAMN, they are not aging as a couple. Also, her accessories were pitch-perfect. She looks ready for a really fabulous night out in Morocco.

At the last few awards shows, I've criticized Lea Michele for dressing a little over her age, but I thought this bubblegum pink Oscar de la Renta was hugely flattering, without being too princessy, like Gwyneth at the Oscars. She looks like a really delicate rose.

I'm sure some people hated Michelle Williams' daisy-print Valentino, but it just looked so her. I thought it went perfectly with the Mia Farrow look she's rocking right now, and it really popped out as soft and lovely and not trying too hard.

EDIT: I just looked at this from the head-on view, and it was awful. The fit was awful, the color was awful. You're confusing me, Michelle!

In the battle of the emerald dresses, I really liked Mila Kunis's Vera Wang, though I wish her hair had been styled a little less severe.

I'm not a ScarJo fan usually, but I thought this Elie Saab dress was perfect old Hollywood and worked the draped sleeve a lot better than J.Lo's crazy dress. I did, however, think the hair aged it a bit.

Natalie Portman, as always, looked like a modern-day Audrey, and her Viktor & Rolf dress was so perfectly draped to emphasize her little pregnancy bump. I was having a hard time with the rose, though...I couldn't decide if it felt like too much. Good accessories really perfected it, though.

So, when Hailee Stanfield (from True Grit) popped on the screen, I actually didn't recognize her at first. She was disguised as this gorgeous glamazon! I thought her Prabal Gurung dress and her hairsdo perfectly toed the line between age appropriate and knockout. No awkward pre-teen cleavage; no overdone Hollywood updo. Just perfect. I'd love to see girls rocking this sleek look at prom this year.

On the Fence

I have to admit that there's some part of me that might never like what Angelina Jolie wears simply because of who she is. Sleeves seemed like a HUGE trend this year, and I really love this color, and the very Old Hollywood feel of this Versace gown. But when she was sitting down on the telecast, she looked like she'd knocked out Joan Collins on Dynasty just to get her shoulder pads. It was a bit much.

January Jones, I get it. You're sexy. You're also cold as ice, it seems. And I'm not sure how you sit down. This Versace dress, in a lot of ways, is classic Elizabeth Hurley-style sexy, but while it looks great standing up, how did it look when she sat down? Also, I'd love to see her look not so glaring on the red carpet. I get it; you're a hot girl!

I was really torn about Leighton Meester's Burberry dress. On the top, it has an almost romantic, Wuthering Heights feel. The color and print are lovely and ethereal. But then on the bottom, the random slit is kind of strange, and it almost bordered on the verge of fancy nightgown. I'm trying to decide if it would have benefitted from an updo...thoughts?

I get what Sandy was going for here; it would have been too predictable to go the updo route, or maybe a bob. But the bangs are just SO heavy. The delicateness of the Jenny Packham dress is almost lost in the distraction of the Jane Birkin hairsdo, which is cute on some, but frankly looks a little young on her. 

The Worst

I get what Anne Hathaway's going for here, but Angelina Jolie did it better. This Armani Prive dress is the color of a mudpuppy, with the simulated scales to match. I also feel like it doesn't look like a modern take on an old silhouette; it looks straight-up '80s.

I worship Christina Hendricks. Seriously; I love this girl. I do not, however, ever like anything she wears on the runway. Maybe there are less options for a curvy girl, but there is no reason she shouldn't be a muse to designers. Come ON. I feel like she's always wearing the wrong color/silhouette/too much ruffle/too tight, etc. etc. I thought this Romona Keveza gown looked like a Christmas Tree skirt, especially with the red satin stripe at the bottom. The big shoulder is also TOO BIG, especially if she's going to wear her hair down.

Halle Berry certainly has the body to rock this vintage Nina Ricci, but it's so in-your-face. I looked at it and immediately thought it looked like a rejected costume from Catwoman.

This one's almost too easy. At least you can count on Helena Bonham Carter to be reliably kooky. I also think she really believes she's Bellatrix.

And, last but never least, Julianne Moore in Lanvin. Julianne in recent years has taken to wearing very complicated, high fashion, runway-style dresses that are challenging and different. And while I applaud that, I think it's done a huge disservice to her very glorious body, very glorious rack, and incredible beauty. This dress truly looks like a very fancy toga party experiment. And also, just don't wear fabric that wrinkles. Just don't do it.

So, do you agree? Disagree? Who did I miss? Let's talk it out!

Sunday Best v.45

Totally LOVING the new T-shirts from EmersonMade, most especially this heart doily that looks perfect for a V-day picnic or casual pizza dinner date. P.S. Emerson models her own clothes and I think she looks like a young, gorgeous Meryl Streep.

• Grapefruit mimosas? Yes, please!
• This bride's dress is like a Grecian toga, gone glamorous!
• I laughed out loud at this entry from Unhappy Hipsters.
• An incredible urban castle in Albuquerque.
• Amazing street photography from the '30s!
• Love chalkboard walls? Check out these amazing Chalkboard installations.
• A helpful guide to tell you if you should ever work for free.
• Celebrities riding bikes. The end.

House of Harlow Jewelry

Have you guys ever seen Nicole Richie's line of jewelry, called House of Harlow? Say what you will about Nicole, but I think this might be her true talent. I love how everything looks a little art deco-meets-rock 'n roll. I especially think the last set of earrings could be amazing for a wedding, especially on a girl with a pixie cut!

New(ish) Duvet

I realized this morning that I never did post any pictures after our duvet from West Elm arrived. It's super comfy and looks like a cloud, especially balled up after Sean first gets up in the morning. I spent ALL weekend cleaning our bedroom, so it finally looked decent enough for a quick snapshot by my phone (hence the horrible lighting).

Orecchiette with Sausage and Broccoli Rabe

On the same day I served the burnt sugar bundt cake, I also served Giada de Laurentis's orechiette with broccoli rabe and sausage.

It was...okay. Ashleigh said it was great, but I think I need more sauciness to my pasta. But that doesn't mean I won't walk you through some of the steps (of course I got distracted and forgot to take more pictures!).

Begin with a batch of broccoli rabe, and trim down to the little broccoli heads. I am consistently amazed at the tremendous amount of leaves that accompany a rather paltry amount of broccoli whenever I buy this; anyone know if the greens are meant to be cooked as well? Once trimmed, add the broccoli rabe to boiling water for about a minute, then pull it out with a slotted spoon and set it aside, using the same water for your pasta.

In a skillet, pour olive oil and add sausage removed from the casing. I think this dish might have actually worked better with ground sausage, instead of the awkward little sausage nuggets we ended up with. Add minced garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until the sausage is well-browned.

Meanwhile, cook your orechiette. I think I undercooked mine a bit, as it was too al dente for my taste, but it should still be firm.

I tried to set a pretty table, complete with bread and dipping olive oil.

Finally, add the broccoli rabe and a little bit of the cooking water to your sausage mix to create a sauce. Also add grated parmesan (I used freshly grated) to taste. 

I think, for me, the broccoli flavor was a little overpowering, and I could have used smaller bites of sausage. The orecchiette was a bit undercooked, which reminds me of my vow that I already broke: Do not try new recipes on guests. That said, Ashleigh is always a gracious guest and said it was great! Thanks, Ashleigh!

Burnt Sugar Bundt Cake

As you may or may not have noticed, I've barely used any of the fabulous cooking tools I received for the wedding. Since we FINALLY had a weekend at home, I invited my friend Ashleigh over to eat so I could actually earn these gifts! 

For dessert, I decided to make this showstopper: Burnt Sugar Bundt Cake, from the fabulous "Baked Explorations" cookbook that I received from my friends Pat and Carmel.

This cake is a rich one, full of everything you shouldn't eat. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. The first step is to make the eponymous burnt sugar, which requires 1/2 cup of sugar, 1/2 cup of heavy cream, a tablespoon and a half of lemon juice and 3/4 cup of coconut milk.

Place the sugar in a saucepan and heat it on medium heat, continuously stirring. When it's turned a caramel color, move it off the heat and pour in a steady stream of cream, stirring the whole time. This is harder than it looks.

The sugar clumps and hardens pretty fast, so when the cream is added, move it back to the heat and stir until most of the clumps have melted down and you've got the cream fully mixed in. Pour the burnt sugar into a heatproof measuring cup.

Add the coconut milk and lemon juice, then whisk it until fully mixed. Divide the liquid into half, pouring the other half into another container. Reserve that.

Cut 2 1/2 sticks of butter into 1-inch cubes and add 2 cups of sugar, then beat in the bowl of a standing mixer until fluffy. Add four eggs, one at a time, then scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat for 10 more seconds.

 Add vanilla, and then create a mixture of 3 cups of flour, 1 teaspoon of baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda and 1 teaspoon salt, all whisked together. Add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with half of the burnt sugar liquid, but finishing with the flour mixture. Beat until mixed.

Pour the batter in a bundt pan spritzed liberally with cooking spray. Pop it in the oven for 45 to 50 minutes (it was 50 minutes for me). It'll be done when you can put a knife in the center of the cake and it comes out clean.

While your cake is baking, it's time to make the icing. You'll need 1/2 cup of butter (I cut mine into cubes), 2 tablespoons of dark rum, 2 1/3 cups of confectioners sugar and the remaining burnt sugar liquid.

The recipe said to put all of those ingredients in a food processor and pulse, but I don't have one, so I used my blender.

It worked okay, it seemed, but I ended up with a glaze, rather than an icing.

I was pretty disappointed, but it still tasted good. I'm not sure where it went wrong...perhaps too much burnt sugar liquid?

The last step is optional, but I think it kind of makes the cake. To create a burnt sugar glass, place a 1/2 cup of granulated sugar in a saucepan and add enough water to make it look like wet sand.

Place the saucepan on an eye on high heat and watch it bubble until it turns to the color of amber (ha!) and take it off the heat.

 Pour the liquid on a silpat lining a baking sheet (very exciting Christmas gift!) and let it cool.

When completely cool, break the solid liquid into glass shards (I used a kitchen meat mallet).

And use the shards to decorate your cake!

This cake is rich and buttery, with hints of everything sinful: rum and burnt sugar and BUTTER. The shards give it a slight creme brulee flavor, too. In short, it's delicious, and like no other cake you've had before. Sean has been devouring it, and Ashleigh had seconds, so I think it's a hit.