A Modern Day Grace

If you’re new here — hi. I’m Ashley! And I’ve been meaning to properly introduce myself. This account started with a simple belief my grandmother instilled in me — that the classics never go out of style, that ordinary moments deserve a little extra effort, and that you should always be slightly overdressed because you never know whose hand you’re going to shake. Grace Kelly lived that way. My grandmother lived that way. And every day—between work, life with twin toddlers, and everything else in between—I’ve been trying to bring those ideals into real, modern, everyday life — in my home, in the way I get dressed, in the way I set my table and cook my food and move through my days. Swipe through to meet me properly. And if any of this feels like your kind of place — you’re very welcome here. 🤍 Save this to come back to. And I’d love to hear from you in the comments—what’s something you learned from your mom or grandma?

I wish I knew this 10 years ago because not a single piece of cheese off of the many charcuterie boards I’ve made would have ever gone to waste. It’s called fromage fort—the very chic, very French way of turning all those leftover bits from a charcuterie board into something that feels entirely intentional. The best part? No two are ever the same. Whatever cheeses you have, whatever herbs you love, whatever white wine is open… it all works. It’s the kind of thing that sounds impressive, but comes together in under 10 minutes (which, at this stage of life, is really the only kind of entertaining I’m interested in). How I made mine: – leftover cheeses (I used about 2–3 cups total) – 1 small garlic clove – a handful of fresh herbs (chives + parsley) – a splash of white wine (add slowly until it blends smooth) – salt & pepper to taste Blend until creamy, and eat with a baguette. Effortless. Chic. French. Save this for after your next cheese board… you’ll thank yourself.

This Fromage Fort from @amoderndaygrace is an easy recipe to make using odds & ends from your cheese drawer 🧀 Get the details below and keep tagging #feedfeed for a chance to be featured. INGREDIENTS: 2-3 cups assorted cheeses 1 garlic clove Fresh herbs White wine, for blending Salt & pepper, to taste RECIPE: 1. Blend until creamy, adding more wine as needed to achieve a smooth consistency. Serve with a baguette. #france #cheese

Did you know Grace Kelly’s favorite food was cheeseburgers? The most elegant woman who ever lived. Icon. Princess. Oscar winner. Cheeseburger lover. Honestly? Same, Grace. Same. I made her favorite — but elevated it just a little because I think she would have appreciated that. Blue cheese, caramelized onions, bacon, a Dijon aioli and a balsamic arugula situation on a toasted brioche bun. With champagne. Obviously. Saving the recipe for you below: Elevated Bleu Cheeseburger For the burger: Ground beef patties seasoned with salt and pepper Point Reyes blue cheese melted on top Crispy bacon Caramelized onions Brioche buns toasted in butter For the Dijon aioli: 1 tbsp mayonnaise 1 tbsp whole grain old style mustard 1 tbsp Dijon mustard 1 tsp honey Mix together and spread generously on both buns For the balsamic arugula: Fresh arugula Drizzle of olive oil Drizzle of balsamic glaze Pinch of sea salt Toss together lightly To assemble: Bottom bun with Dijon aioli → arugula mixture → burger patty with melted blue cheese → bacon → caramelized onions → top bun with another generous layer of Dijon aioli Serve with french fries, ketchup and a glass of champagne. Grace Kelly would insist.

Here’s the one mistake you don’t want to make with your herb garden 🌿 Keep the mint out of the pot. Always. I know it seems harmless sitting there at the garden center next to everything else but mint is one of the most invasive plants you can grow. Its creeping root system spreads aggressively and will choke out every other herb sharing its space. Rosemary, oregano, thyme — mint wins every time. Give it its own terracotta pot and everyone is happy. This year I planted oregano, rosemary, English thyme, sage and cilantro together in one pot and mint gets its own. Both in terracotta, both living in the kitchen window right next to the sink — which is the best possible spot because out of sight means out of mind and out of mind means dead herbs. Special shoutout to my husband who actually remembers to water them. The real MVP of the herb garden.

Our Mother’s Day morning was perfect. I was able to spend the morning doing what I love — working with my hands, making flower arrangements from garden clippings, leftover flowers from the week and bits from the woods around us. The most delicious brunch was made by my brother and future brother-in-law while my mom and I enjoyed a glass of champagne. We dined outdoors underneath the pine trees at our lake cabin, and truly enjoyed a lovely morning with our family. We could not have had this at any restaurant and I’m so glad we decided to stay in. A slow morning doing what I love with the people I love. To every mother reading this — I hope your morning felt like this. You deserve every bit of it.

There are recipes that feel like a hug. This is one of them. The secret is in the pan — coat your Bundt pan with turbinado sugar before the batter ever touches it and you will get the most delicate caramelized crust on the outside while the inside stays buttery and tender and perfectly dense. It is a small detail that changes everything. Made this for Mother’s Day weekend because some recipes are simply worth keeping forever. CLASSIC POUND CAKE For the pan: 2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened 3-4 tbsp turbinado sugar — coat generously and tap out excess For the cake: 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature 2 cups granulated sugar 4 large eggs, room temperature 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract 3 cups all-purpose flour 1 tsp kosher salt ½ tsp baking powder 1 cup whole milk, room temperature Instructions: 1. Preheat oven to 325°F. 2. Butter your Bundt pan generously and coat with turbinado sugar — rotate until every surface is covered and tap out the excess. This is your secret weapon. 3. Beat butter and sugar for 4-5 minutes until very pale and fluffy. Do not rush this step — it is the foundation of the classic pound cake texture. 4. Add eggs one at a time mixing well after each. Mix in vanilla and almond extract and lemon zest if using. 5. Whisk together flour, salt and baking powder separately. Add to the batter in three additions alternating with the milk — dry, milk, dry, milk, dry. Mix only until combined. 6. Pour into your prepared pan and smooth the top. Run a butter knife lightly down the center lengthwise for that beautiful bakery style split. 7. Bake 65-80 minutes until deeply golden, cracked on top and a tester comes out clean. Let cool in the pan before turning out.

The one thing that changed my mornings as a mom is matching pajamas. That’s it. I am not a morning person. I never have been. But somewhere along the way I discovered that the smallest details can turn an ordinary morning into something worth waking up for. Every night my girls and I put on our @petiteplume nightgowns and somehow that one tiny ritual makes me actually look forward to mornings. There is something about matching your babies in the softest nightgowns that makes the chaos feel romantic instead of overwhelming. The smallest details romanticize our lives if we let them. A matching nightgown. A lit candle. A set table. A good mug. None of it is expensive or complicated — it’s just intentional. Comment SHOP below to receive a DM with the link to this post on my LTK ⬇ https://liketk.it/6bV06 ltkvideo

Al fresco season has officially begun. What started as a casual get together for the kids to swim somehow turned into this. And I have zero apologies. This is what I believe summer entertaining should look like — not perfect, not fussy, not expensive. Just intentional. You can order pizza, pour a cold glass of wine, scatter some citrus and store-bought flowers on the table and let the kids run barefoot in the yard. The table doesn’t have to be elaborate to be beautiful. It just has to be set. This is the energy I’m bringing to every gathering this summer — casual but elevated. Easy but thoughtful. Because the people around your table deserve to feel like they’re somewhere special, even if somewhere special is just your own backyard on a Thursday night (we live for “Friday Jr.” around here) Are you an al fresco entertainer? Tell me your go-to summer dinner party dish below 👇 Save this for your summer entertaining inspo! Comment SHOP below to receive a DM with the link to this post on my LTK ⬇ https://liketk.it/6bzVO

I’m never buying granola again. Once you make it yourself you’ll understand. It takes 30 minutes, your whole house smells incredible, and it’s better than anything you’ll find at the store. Recipe below. Save this one 🤍 Homemade Granola Ingredients 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats 1 cup raw almonds, roughly chopped or sliced ½ cup honey ¼ cup coconut oil, melted 1 tsp vanilla extract ½ tsp salt 1 tsp cinnamon ½ cup dried fruit of choice (I prefer raisins or cherries) Directions 1. Preheat oven to 325°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper 2. Combine oats, almonds, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl 3. Gently warm honey and coconut oil until easy to stir, then mix in vanilla 4. Pour over oats and stir until evenly coated 5. Spread onto baking sheet and bake 20-25 minutes, stirring once halfway through 6. Let it cool completely — this is how you get those perfect clusters 🤍 What do you put your granola on?

Setting the table simply because it’s Tuesday. Because even buttered noodles deserve a beautiful setting. Traditional fettuccine al burro — just pasta, butter, Parmesan, pasta water that’s been salted like the sea. The simplest thing I make and somehow always the most requested at our table. There’s something about taking the ordinary and making it feel special that never gets old. A set table, a lit candle, and a simple meal can turn a Tuesday into something worth remembering. Comment “SHOP” for all my favorite casual table settings, including the ones I used here

Flowers everywhere, tea in my favorite cup, little hands watering the garden, roses from the garden that stopped me in my tracks, a glass of ice cold Sauvignon blanc in a glass with a stem so thin it could break if the wind gently blew, and a grazing platter that made an ordinary pizza night feel special. These are the quiet moments I never want to forget. Saving every slow, beautiful bit of April before May arrives. What’s been your favorite part of this month? #slowliving #aprilliving #intentionalliving #springathome #romanticizetheeveryday