Hand holding a coffee cup from Sant Ambroeus with a blue striped popover sleeve and trench coat sleeve showing.
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Coffee Talk

It’s been a little while since we’ve had a Coffee Talk post! For those of you who are new readers, this is one of my favorite posts to do. I have loved the opportunity to meet some of you in person and some of you virtually. I love checking in and sitting down for a virtual cup of coffee as we get to know each other a little better! You can read past coffee talk posts here. Here’s what I’m thinking about as we head towards the middle of April.


What’s your favorite flower to welcome in spring?

It’s tough to choose a favorite flower–and it should be tulips, based on my job!–but I’d have to say forsythia. I worked at a beautiful garden in Georgetown when I lived in D.C. and seeing the forsythia bloom every year made me so happy. I always read this poem in the spring when the forsythia starts to bloom.


What are you reading?

I recently finished Pineapple Street* (loved it like everyone else I’ve spoken to), and I’m halfway through the new J. Crew book*. I love the anthropological look at how J. Crew developed as a brand, especially as it compared to other popular brands at the time. I’m also re-reading some favorite Ngaio Marsh books, notably Death in a White Tie*.

Article-wise, I’ve been reading a lot about uniform dressing lately–this piece and this one have been really inspirational.


What are you wearing?

I’ve been living in these new popovers from By Merryn (pictured above, gifted)! I really love them and they have been on constant rotation. You can read my full review on Ivy Style here.


What are you shopping for?

I made updates to my spring wardrobe staples list here, and I also included a few wardrobe gaps in that post. However, when swapping over my closet, I realize that all of my shorts and most of my non-denim pants have kicked the dust, so I’m eyeing these shorts from Alex Mill* (recommended by my good friend Amy) and a great pair of linen trousers. Unfortunately, I’m still looking for the linen trousers, so please send your favorites my way if you have them!


What’s your warm-weather coffee order?

I’ve finally started drinking coffee seriously for the first time in my life–I blame it on the fantastic coffee shop in our town–and I need to experiment beyond the peppermint mocha and the iced coffee with whole milk! Please share your favorites so I can try them out!

14 thoughts on “Coffee Talk

  1. Black rifle coffee is my new fav! I love what the company is about. Hyacinths are my favorite spring flower. I just purchased a new Orvis coat with red check plaid inserts that Iโ€™m totally loving with cropped jeans and loafers! Happy Easter and Spring!!!

    1. Love hyacinths! I saw some at our local florist the other day and they looked so beautiful. I’ve been wearing my husband’s old Orvis quilted jacket on repeat this spring; it’s a great staple and they have wonderful pieces. Happy Easter and spring to you too ๐Ÿ™‚

  2. Hi! So excited to see Coffee Talk return ๐Ÿ™‚ I hope you had a great weekend!
    1. Ooo picking a favorite flower is tough. I love seeing daffodils and the rest of the earliest spring flowers at the moment when I can’t take another second of winter.
    2. I’m currently between books and have been looking for something new to read. Definitely going to take a look at your suggestions. I just finished reading The Bandit Queens for my book club and enjoyed it.
    3. and 4. We’ve had a lot of cold mornings and warm afternoons, so my current go-to is a spring dress with a cardigan over it. Spring clothes are the biggest gap in my wardrobe, plus my summer clothes are in dire need of a refresh. So, I’m looking for several spring/summer pieces – dresses, button-downs, trousers, belts.
    5. Iced oat milk latte! I don’t usually enjoy non-dairy milk, but took a chance on full-fat oat milk and really love the way it tastes with coffee.

    1. I love daffodils as well! One of our neighbors has a huge front yard and it’s filled with daffodils int he spring.

      I will have to look up The Bandit Queens!

      Lots of cold mornings here too! I definitely need a good cotton cardigan. I’ve been wearing my husband’s quilted jacket on repeat.

      I will have to try oat milk–I’ve been reluctant to say the least lol. Happy spring!

  3. Love this post!
    I’ll have to look up forsythia. In spring, I’m always happy to walk under the blooms of flowering trees. Our neighbor has a gorgeous magnolia tree that blooms spectacularly over our back yard. It’s one of my favorite things to see out the window of our house.
    Re: books, I really must pick up another novel; I’m mired in nonfiction and self-help at the moment, but so it goes. And yah, I just read a pretty stellar article on uniform dressing, myself…
    I just bought a new pair of loafers for the warm seasons, but I’m most excited to pick up a pile of sport coats and trousers that have long languished unworn in my closet for want of tailoring. I’m (still) clearing out the old and distilling my once chaotic wardrobe down to what I actually wear and genuinely enjoy.
    Coffee? Always. Iced Americanos with cream on the hottest days for me.

    1. Thank you as always, Nevada, for your kind words!

      I love magnolias–such a beautiful tree and we are lucky to have so many in our town. When I worked at a research institution in DC, we were lucky to have so many magnolia trees in the institution’s garden. Always a happy way to welcome spring!

      When I get into a nonfiction rut, I do enjoy picking up a mystery novel–it resets my fiction-reading habits. I love Ngaio Marsh’s books and can’t believe she’s not more widely read.

      Thank you for the coffee rec, I will try it on our next warm day!

      1. Thanks for the novel recommendation. I agree — mysteries and whodunits are very engaging ways to get back into reading fiction. I’ll check out Ngaio Marsh next time I’m at the bookshop.

  4. Oh, it is lovely to read all the comments. I have not been able to contribute for so long due to a myriad of reasons, but these questions make me happy.

    Spring Flowers: I love seeing the blossoms on the trees – any blossoms. Spring is coming very late to the Rockies and with our cooler temperatures and late snowstorms, I have hardly seen any daffodils. I do love the smell of hyacinths and am planning to force some bulbs next year.

    I am listening to Audible at the moment during my commute and I love the Slough House series. However, I have loved Ngaio Marsh for some time, and again – why is she not more widely ready? I think she is wonderful, and I always love a good country house murder. I love the idea of languid evening dress and cigarettes in holders and then remember that they didn’t have central heating.

    I seem to be wearing the same things I wore in winter to be honest, albeit with fewer layers. My light Patagonia down jacket has replaced my wool tweed coat for as long as the temperatures remain above freezing. I’ve broken out my trusty Barbour Bedale in navy blue a few times when the moisture has been rain/sleet rather than snow. I’ve worn my Frye loafers penny loafers in cordovan that I bought years ago and have just had them re-soled with a nice rubber, thicker, non-slip sole which has added another few years to these oldies but goodies. I’ve broken out my Hermes scarf as I don’t need to wear cashmere ones. I took out all of my summer clothes and I was able to see the gaps, so I am self-correcting with a new white linen shirt, some Lands End tees, and some Prana pants that can be worn out and about as well as when camping.

    My husband and I have decided that this will be the summer of camping. We will both be off work and will pile ourselves and the two dogs into the Subaru, pull the teardrop camper, and head for the mountains during the week to avoid crowds.

    Eventually, I will have the odd nitro brew for my coffee order. We are short on local coffee shops here in Utah! But honestly, I love hot coffee all year long in the morning and hot tea from lunch onwards. It’s probably an Irish thing.

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