is it time for a drink yet? | fridays with oscar
well gang, here we are at the end of what was a decidedly challenging week. is it time for a drink? yes. yes it is. we don’t know how long the “new normal” is going to last, and i totally get that not only staying but also working from home is challenging for many. i have shared some of my tips and tricks on how to be productive working from home. unfortunately many here and around the world are not able to, which creates a whole new set of worries, and difficult times ahead. let’s continue to keep those people on the front lines—doctors, nurses, medical workers, grocery store employees and more—in our thoughts and prayers.
and as we finish another work week, let’s also take a moment to step outside and breathe the fresh air for our own sanity. let’s cook a meal and raise a glass because we are in this together and we are here for you. a friend of mine sent me a poem: Gerard Manley Hopkins’ God’s Grandeur. here’s one stanza below, as it gave me real comfort.
And fo all this nature is never spent;
There lives the dearest freshness deep down things;
And though the last lights off the black West went
Oh, morning, at the brown bring eastward, springs
so…onward – chin up. it’s fridays with oscar!
outfit of the day
much like the recipes today, my outfit is simple and comfortable. casual at its best. i love graphic tee shirts and this one is fun with colorful typography. to play on the colors of my tee, i have a bright orange cardigan and my orange-y suede d’Orsay flats are back in action to add symmetry to my pop of color.
t-shirt | sweater | shoes | jeans
one-skillet chicken with creamy sundried tomato sauce
for this recipe, i mostly winged it. and it turned out great! you can’t really go wrong with chicken, garlic, sundried tomatoes, and cream! experiment and have fun! for the vegetable, i chose asparagus since it is in season now, but you could go with broccoli, cauliflower, green beans…whatever you like or have on hand.
don’t worry too much about the ingredients, make it to your liking. i promise it will be a hit!
serving platter | dinnerware collection | dinnerware collection 2 | striped placemat
is it time for a drink: classic negroni
while my one-skillet chicken recipe isn’t specifically Italian, it sure felt like a natural fit with a classic Negroni. and a Negroni couldn’t be simpler.
peeler | glass tumbler | glass tumbler 2 | large square ice cube tray
fridays with oscar
this wraps up another fridays with oscar. so if you’re wondering whether is it time for a drink? the answer is definitely, “yes”. i hope you are navigating these new waters well and reaching out to friends and family. here at the blog in the coming days and weeks we want to address the most relevant topics in your life, while bringing some lighter content to your day and a smile to your face. let me know in the comments below what tips, tricks and topics you’d be interested to read here on the blog. oscar, ollie and i wish each of you a peaceful weekend.
t-shirt | sweater | shoes | jeans
Hi Beth, I love a Negroni it’s one of my favourite cocktails.
Have a lovely weekend and stay safe also
Julie from England
I think your hair is darling.
I have made variations of this chicken dish, and it is always delicious. I have a recipe for Creamy Tuscan Chicken for the Instant Pot, which I make often. Very similar with spinach as well.
Teaching on-line from home is a challenge, but my dogs are loving my being home.
Thank you for your posts. Always fun and interesting to read.
Love the colorful T-shirt. My first language is French so it was fun to see all the days of the week in French. The last one “vendredi” is Friday.
In French the days of the week and the months of the year are never written with a capital letter.
Thanks for the uplifting thoughts in these difficult times.
Beth, thank you for yet another great recipe to try. I think this will be dinner tonight. Also your outfit is great such cheery colors. But love the t shirt. Take care and try to enjoy the weekend. Sometimes all these days are the same. But really enjoy your blog.
It’s five o’clock somewhere Beth .
Stay well.
Thank you for your upbeat blog. I really enjoy reading it each day. I did buy the gingham pants you wore the other day. Ann Taylor was having a sale, so even better. You always look so chic, love today’s t-shirt and cardigan.
Jan in Sammamish (Seattle area)
Hi Beth,
This chicken sounds so delicious. Is there enough sauce to add some pasta?
Thanks so much for your daily posts…something for us to look forward to every day.
Julie
Thank you for today’s post. You always brighten my day. Love your tee and orange sweater plus those happy striped place mats. I’m ordering them to pep up my table.
I love your hair! Love your dog as well. How old is the dog? I’ve enjoyed your pages, etc. for a long time. Thank you!
Love your outfit today! Recipe sounds great. Tonight or tomorrow evening we are hosting a faceTime cocktail party with 3 other couples. We were all headed to CA for a golf outing last weekend which obviously was cancelled. We thought we meet for a dinner party last Saturday, since we were all available, but ended up social distancing instead. So, this weekend I thought a get “together” is in order. Hope we can get everyone online this weekend with a cocktail and some fun.
Beth,
You have beautiful hair and I love most of your styles. I love when your hair was shorter better, softer around your face.
I will definitely be trying the skillet chicken recipe. I made your chicken noodle soup last weekend and we loved it! It’s fun to see your table settings. It adds a pop of color to the whole room. We are finally getting somewhat warmer temps here and I am going out for some fresh air. I noticed my hyacinth is peeking out and the tulips and rhubarb are popping up too.
Stay well ladies!
Thank you for the Gerard Manley Hopkins! Love his poetry!
Beth,
Thank you for your posts. They mean so much to us and it is so wonderful to see something familiar, beautiful and inspiring every day during these very unsettling times. Wishing you and your family much gratitude.
Pam
I thought it so funny you start out by mentioning a drink. Though I am not a drinker I live across the street from a tobacco, beer and wine store it has been the busiest place in town during this C-19 virus so I guess it is considered an ESSENTIAL! LOL!
Another lovely post to keep us all inspired and love receiving such positivity each day to make me smile.
Here in the UK we are in lockdown as the pandemic tightens it grip which makes my Friday cocktail even more precious.
Take good care of yourself and all those in this lovely community. Stay safe and sane
Angie xxx
I am so proud of you being patient during a hair grow-out. Your hair is gorgeous and you could wear it in any style and look stunning.
But, as I have realized a couple of times after a prolonged grow-out, the most compliments I ever get on my hair (and most say I look younger) are AFTER I cut it short and sassy again.
Change is always good. Your blog is one of the highlights of my reading day and I appreciate all the effort you put into it.
Beth, your posts help to calm my soul. My one son is a Doctor in a Covid19 designated hospital, so you can imagine the thoughts that bombard my mind each night.
The best way to protect my son, his family, and all frontlines, is to stay at home. His wise words – ‘if going out is more dangerous than staying inside, why would you go out?’ We have to pretend we are in a war zone, and the virus is land mines. Those of us that are fortunate enough to be able to stay indoors, need to see it as a blessing, cherish it and be thankful.
Every morning, I give thanks for my social isolation. I give thanks for one more sun rise. Keep the poetry coming💝
I love starting my day with your blog. Always inspiring and a reminder that I can shop my closet after viewing your daily outfit. I am especially following your hair, as to how mine might look after weeks of no cut and process. I will find out what color it really is, too. Like for you, having pets is a joy in these times.
You had me at “heavy cream”! 😀 We will definitely be trying this recipe/drink combo although I don’t have dried tomatoes, so will go with fresh chopped. Love Fridays w/Oscar, and we can always count on Miss Ollie to give us a “look”!
I just love photos of Ollie -beautiful kitty! Of course I adore Oscar too! Be well and safe Beth “
I always love Fridays with Oscar! I’m a sucker for a German Shepherd or a Husky! Also – I just love how chic your outfits are. I’m in my early 30s, and absolutely believe that style is ageless and timeless. Now I want an orange cardigan!
I’ve been finding it so helpful to check in with family and friends as we practice social distancing. Maybe you could post something about keeping in touch with loved ones while you also keep distance? I know my daily video calls with my dad to have him see my baby daughter mean a lot as we have to postpone in-person visits!
Beth, it is definitely time for a drink! Had mine at 3pm instead of my usual 4pm!! And thank you for the delish recipe!
I have sat down with a large glass of mu favourite white wine, thought of the world and texted family and friends to check in and just say how much I value and love each one.
I so look forward to your Fridays with Oscar!
Hello Beth…You are so good to us, posting every day when you are still on your own journey of change and adjustment. Love to you. When are you going to talk about your sexy new hair…Hubba Hubba!
I LOVE graphic t-shirts so I am doubly glad to see you wear one and give me ideas of how to wear mine! LOVE your hair! Take care of you and your fur babies!
I have those shoes and love them. I admit I haven’t worn them lately as I’m mostly in walking shoes to keep me from anxiety! Haaaa. Wonderful color here–and the chicken dish sounds yummy. I posted a Mary Oliver poem the other day–it resonated with me:
“It is a serious thing
Just to be alive
On this fresh morning
In this broken world.”
Indeed…
Happy weekend, and I hope you and your gang get to relax some.
You are beautiful no matter what you do….and Im sure thats inside as well as out……Ive also been a widow and can so often relate to your posts……in life, when handled kindly, Ive found I have appreciated when people spoke honestly to me in love…….sometimes it guides me in a new direction but sometimes it solidifies where I am at in spite of their difference of opinion!….having said that, take this with a grain of salt but I loved and envied your short hair! It made you look so fresh and young and victorious in spite of your heartbreak…..I cannot pull off such a chic style as I do not have your beautiful features or proportionate figure. Just my 2 cents, in case youd appreciate another opinion. Bless you……
Just wanted to thank you and your team for all your great work at this particularly difficult time for the world. You are certainly an amazing lady. Thanks ever so much
I love everything about this post. Love the tee. I always have sun dried tomatoes, cream, capers and lemons in my home – you cam make so many wonderful dishes with these. We took a family trip to Italy last August and everyday we had Campari spritzers. They always serve them with a bit of a a treat either potato chips or peanuts. Such a lovely thing. I have a tee with all the little towns on Lake Como on it. Such wonderful memories. I am so glad we were able to take the trip when we did. Beth, your hair is looking great.
This is a delayed reaction….I made your chicken dish tonight. It was a huge hit! Thanks for sharing.