Inspiration Statement
Ready or not, here it comes!
And just like that, we are staring down the Holiday blitz! The winter spirit kicks into high gear as we anticipate the coming snowfall and Santa's grand return. Sun Valley turns into her best self and transforms into the stuff of postcards and 'wish you were here'messages to friends and loved ones. However, nature threatens to be a buzzkill if she doesn't deliver up a bunch of the white stuff. Come on, Mama N, we could really use a big, outrageous snowstorm about now – could you work on that for us?
We just wrapped up our Winter Pop-Up in Seattle, and we are indeed ready to get home. It really is a pleasure to come back to the city that made us and catch up (and dress) with our many favorites.
We grieved, cried, laughed, and celebrated with both friends and family this trip – it is the reason we will always be anchored to our Seattle roots. It is the reason we always look forward to coming back each season and the reason we will never stop being humbled by the love and
support that carries us through the good times and the bad.
support that carries us through the good times and the bad.
There will always be a reason to come back again and again.
Well Read
We are happy to showcase 2 books written by some of my favorite Baby & Company faithful I can honestly speak to the authenticity and outright talent of both these amazing and accomplished women. Being their 'dresser' over the course of their careers gave me a front-row seat to witness their ferocious talent and exquisite taste level, making their new books a must-see for anyone interested in authentic creativity.
They have both put out new books this season, and we think they are worth your time to discover.
First up!
The London Plane - Stories and Recipes by Katherine Anderson and Friends
This book has a lovely balance of beauty, instruction, and seasonal stories of food, entertaining, and flower arrangements. For those of us lucky enough to have spent time at The London Plane, we have experienced many of the stories in the book. For me, the book felt like the beautiful spaces that Katherine created in Seattle's Pioneer Square – It was a gathering place for makers, creators of all types. You could always look forward to bumping into someone you knew while enjoying coffee and biscuits- Now, doesn't that sound lovely? It was!
Here's the scoop ...
Here's the scoop ...
For 10 years, Katherine Anderson owned and operated The London Plane, a restaurant and flower shop in Seattle (2014-2023). Her book chronicling that decade of food and flowers in Pioneer Square came out in May 2025. Organized around the calendar year, the book contains seasonal recipes as well as reflections on the community, the place built, and the flowers used in the shop throughout the seasons.
Katherine also owns and operates a small organic flower farm, called Marigold and Mint, in the Snoqualmie Valley, which she started in 2008. Before The London Plane, Katherine ran a flower shop called Marigold and Mint on Capitol Hill. Before this chapter in her working life, Katherine received a master's in landscape architecture from Harvard's Graduate School of Design, and before that, worked in journalism in New York City. Since closing The London Plane, Katherine has been writing, farming, making pottery, and painting. She also collaborates on various floral and sculptural projects.
The London Plane restaurant and flower shop was a special place. For ten years (2013-2022), it anchored a corner in Seattle's historic Pioneer Square, welcoming both locals and visitors from afar. This book remembers its heart and soul, celebrating the community of cooks, bakers, florists, servers, and beloved customers.
Katherine Anderson, in collaboration with chefs and creatives who were a part of The London Plane, organizes The London Plane Flower & Cook Book around the calendar year. Each chapter contains a reflection on life at The LP during that month, an essay about the season's flowers, and several recipes from our kitchen and bakery, including some of the most popular, such as the Buttermilk Biscuit, Michael's Plane Bread, Chicken Pot Pie, and our Granola. Over 150 remarkable photographs and illustrations of the place, its recipes, and flowers accompany the text.
Proudly produced and designed in collaboration with Seattle-based Marquand Books, this limited-edition book is perfect for anyone who loves flowers, cooking, photography, memoirs, or cherishes the beauty of the London Plane.
Contributors include Danny Conkling, Dorothée Brand, Emily Dann, Honnah Weber, Isvald Klingels, Kyle Johnson, Mehdi Boujrada, Melissa Smithers, Michael Sanders, Sako Gordon, Sophie Handler, Way Thị Sum, Yasuaki Saito, Zach Lucido, and Zarah Kahn.
Second up!
Run for Your Life, Callie Kingman by Alli Frank and Asha Youmans
We introduced you to Alli Franks last year with her 4th book, Boss Lady, co-written with Asha Youmans.
Alli has been a longtime customer at Baby & Company in Seattle. As it would turn out, we both moved to Sun Valley around the same time. She's a badass on skies, with a whip-smart intellect and wit. I love to hear her voice when I read her new novels. It makes me love her books even more.
Once again, Asha & Alli have created the kind of character we can all see a bit of ourselves in.
Prepare to be inspired.
Prepare to be inspired.
A few reviews.
"Run for Your Life, Callie Kingman is a witty, heartwarming love story wrapped in the resilient spirit of starting over. Set against a vibrant backdrop of '90s nostalgia, the story follows Callie Kingman, a freshly dumped protagonist navigating the mess and beauty of middle age. With sharp humor and tender insight, Alli Frank and Asha Youmans deftly explore the unexpected ways a woman's life and identity evolve when children fledge the nest, her marriage falls apart, and she must re-create herself for the next act. I loved every page!" — Danielle Girard, USA Today bestselling and award-winning author of Pinky Swear.
"Run for Your Life, Callie Kingman is a soul-affirming love song to Gen X women. I laughed and nodded my way through every page, relating to and rooting for Callie until the satisfying end, and wondering along the way: How did Frank and Youmans crawl into my brain? Run, don't walk, to read this gem. It's a winner!" — Samantha Greene Woodruff, bestselling author of The Lobotomist's Wife and The Trade Off.
Holiday Cocktails
Wayne and I like to drink and serve a few boozy cocktails that complement the chill of winter. One is served chilled and is a perfect party pleaser. The other is served warm and is meant to "warm the cockles of your heart".
Give them a try – we hope you will love them as much as we do!
PAPER PLANE
We love this cocktail anytime of year, but brown liquor drinks better for me in cold weather. There is a fascinating blend of ingredients that make this cocktail a winner.
HOT GINGER TODDY
You have to love ginger to appreciate this spicy, intriguing, and soothing cocktail. It is wonderful to bring in a thermos to enjoy après-ski or to sit around an outdoor fire pit. To make the ginger base, you will need to make it a few times to find the balance of spicy ginger, tart fresh lemon, and the soothing effect of honey. As a side note to the recipe – I simmer my ginger for 2 hours to make a firm base, and then add the right amount of lemon and honey to calm. Experiment with either a nice bourbon or a fine dark rum – both are delicious!