FFT, No.10

Five Fine Things including do-it-all pants, desk manicures, and green pasta.

This week I wrote a lot about the things I’m loving so I’ll jump right into them after two quick Fewer Finer things: 1.) We relaunched out beloved Katy Charm for a limited time (just until April 8th). It would make a great gift for Mother’s Day (for yourself or your mom) or to represent love of any kind! 2.) We shared on FF’s Instagram, but it’s worth noting here too; we will now always have exclusive vintage in the showroom at The Townhouse. If you want to see vintage pieces before they drop on IG or online, book an appointment to browse the full vintage collection in-person!

With that, Five Fine Things:

1. La Ligne Colby Pants

   

   These pants are amazing. My sister and my mom both had a pair when they visited me in the fall and I liked the way they looked on both of them but when I went to try them on in the store, something about the crepe material felt cheap to me. I find satin, the other material they offer, to be really tricky to wear - both functionally and in its form so I didn’t go for those either. Then, my mom visited again and I really loved the pants, again, so I went back to the store, tried them on, and realized that I actually loved them (in black specifically). They are kind of thicker, the opposite of a silk or satin pant, and I think that makes them more flattering and easier to wear, less fussing required. I like that the rise on them is shorter, which works well for shorter people like me (I’m 5’4) or for short torso people, also me. I had to get them hemmed quite a bit. They are just a really easy pant that I think works as well for a day at work full of client appointments as it does for time at the park or hanging at home with my toddler. A lot of pants want to claim this versatility, and these ones actually can. I will say that in writing this I learned you are supposed to hand wash or dry clean them :( I have not had to do either yet but if, in fact, I do need to, these will rank much lower on that “do it all” scale. I’ll still love them though, mostly because they just feel good.

2. Huey Light Shop

   

   

   I started a lighting overhaul of our house a few months ago and in my research discovered this brand on Pinterest. I had invested in some nice lights when we did our renovation a few years ago but others were cheaper filler-ins. Plus, my taste in good quality lighting has really matured in the past few years and the cheaper lights were driving me nuts! I wanted to replace about 50% of our lighting which is a big investment so I was really happy to discover this brand. Their stuff is unique, all made by hand, and at a good price for nice lighting, which I’m learning is rare. I first bought two of these sconces for our narrow hallway, then added this pendant to hang in our walk-through closet, then loved this as a piece of art (I’ll find a place for it once it arrives), and lastly could not resist this lamp, likely for our kitchen window sill. Once they arrive (it’s a 8-10 week lead-time and I’m about a month in), I’ll update this post with photos of them in-context!

3. Favorite New Way to Eat Greens

   

   Something I didn’t realize was that when I became a parent I would start eating much differently. It sounds obvious, but I didn’t realize how much more “kid food” I would eat. Enter: a lot more pasta! Then more recently mom taught me this pasta-water-cooking-greens trick that I could not believe I hadn’t been doing my whole life. Here’s how: Chop up your greens, rinse them in the colander, then pour your boiling pasta water and the pasta right over them. It quick blanches spinach and baby kale immediately, no need to cook it! Then, you can mix the freshly “cooked” greens into whatever pasta you’re having. A simple green goes with literally anything - bolognese, vegetable ragù, peas and ricotta, pesto, etc. I love doing this when I’m making a really simple pasta but want to eat greens too!

4. Desk- Side Manicures with Celisse

   

   I used to be a dedicated gel polish gal. I would go about every three weeks and though I loved how my nails looked, I hated sitting through the 2+ hour appointment and didn’t love the UV light and Acetone situations. Right around when I decided to quit gel, I discovered Celisse Nail Polish, and it’s been a welcomed change! I love the brand so much that we hosted them at The Fewer Finer Townhouse for an event and collaborated with them on a giveaway (a complementary Full Set with every order back in November). My new weekly routine is that I do my manicure at my desk on Wednesdays. I pick Wednesdays because it’s the day we get back a lot of our pieces from our production in the Diamond District and I want my nails to look nice when I photograph them.

   What I like about the kit I linked is that it includes the buffer which works so well and the cuticle oil which I keep in my desk drawer and use whenever I think of it. I use the color “Vanity” which is the perfect barely-there color. I only sometimes do the top coat - I skip it if I am pressed for time and I don’t notice much of a difference. It lasts until about Saturday at which point I take it off and give my nails a break for a few days. The fact that the polish dries so quick and the brush is wider and so easy to apply makes me actually use it. It takes literally 5 minutes and I usually do it while listening to a voice note or while on a call. I like that it dries while I click away at my computer after and I don’t have to make a whole thing of the process. Highly recommend!

5. Buck Mason Men’s Sunglasses

   

   I found this pair of sunglasses while shopping at the Buck Mason Men’s store with my husband before Christmas. I am really picky about glasses and liked them immediately. Then, their great sales team told me all about their eyewear and how it’s made and how great the materials are and I was sold. Four months later, they’re still my current favorite in an extensive sunglasses collection.

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Talk soon, Madison