Hi, friends! I’m Brittany, Sales Director here at Emily Ley. When I’m not crunching numbers, creating reports and taking calls from our lovely retailers, you can find me proofreading most any and everything for team EL. Like Emily, I have an English degree and (fun fact) worked for 4 years as a professional proofreader in the banking industry. I met my now husband in 2007, we were engaged in 2011 and married in 2012. I said “I do” to a wonderful man and a transient life—we’ve lived in three states in 3 years, and we now call New York home. I love the energy, the culture, and of course the amazing food. I’m so excited to share a few of my favorite things with you!
What’s your favorite beauty secret?
I’ve recently become obsessed with good skincare products. I swear by Philosophy’s Help Me retinol cream. It’s part of my pre-bedtime routine every night—cleanser, toner, retinol around the eyes and moisturizer everywhere else. Obviously, Kiehl’s is my favorite. Great products and wonderful customer service—plus lots of great, free samples so you can try before you buy!
What’s your favorite go-to outfit for a quick polished look?
Classic white button down, my favorite pair of jeans, a cute-but-polished ballet flat (my two favorites are here and here) and my favorite trench coat (friends and family sales for the win on ALL of these items). After years of replacing well-loved pieces from Target, I’m finally investing more in a few quality, classic staples that will last much longer.
What’s your favorite quick-prep dinner for your family?
My go-to dinner is chili and homemade cornbread. Mostly, I just throw everything together and adjust here and there, but my “recipe” looks like this: I dice and saute a yellow onion in a small drizzle of olive oil in a dutch oven, then add 1lb lean ground beef and brown/drain. Return to pot and add 1 can chili beans, 1 can red kidney beans, 1 can black beans, 1 can crushed tomatoes, 1 can diced tomatoes, a few tablespoons tomato paste, and water to desired consistency (—usually 1 to 1 1/2 cups of water; chili will thicken as it cooks). Add chili powder (1 Tbsp), onion powder (1 tsp), cumin (start with 1/2 tsp), salt and pepper to taste; adjust seasonings as desired. Simmer over low heat 30ish mins, stirring occasionally.
I put out toppings so we each can customize our own bowls—our favorites are sour cream, shredded sharp cheddar, and freshly chopped chives. And we can’t have chili without a good cornbread, so I also always make this cornbread recipe from allrecipes.com, and I add 1/2 cup freshly grated sharp cheddar and about 1/4 cup chopped, pickled jalapeños. Mix, pour in muffin cups & bake. Easy peasy and so good.
Tell us your favorite at-home date night
A Friday night favorite in the Werth house—Meiomi pinot noir, Modern Family marathon, and either sushi takeout or pizza from our very favorite NY pizzeria (NY food delivery for the win!)
Tell us your favorite Instagram account to follow and why?
So much love for Waiting on Martha. Mandy covers it all—fashion, home decor, cooking, travel. All the things I love…plus, their images make my heart sing!
What tradition or routine is important to you?
Our faith is the foundation of our lives and our marriage, and we are so thankful to have found a great church pretty quickly after getting settled in NY. We make a quick stop at Starbucks on our stroll from the subway to church. My husband is quite the songbird, and I love hearing him sing praise and worship. Then we have lunch and run any errands we need to while we’re out and about in the city. Such sweet Sundays!
What’s in your purse?
Besides the usual suspects (wallet, phone, keys)…my MetroCard, Neutrogena hand cream, no-crease hair ties, Sharpie pens, EOS lip balm and sunglasses.
What’s your favorite on-the-go lunch during a busy day?
I’ve recently become a light lunch eater, so my go-to lunches are kale salad (quick run down to the grocery across the street), oatmeal, a Kind bar + a banana, SmartPop white cheddar popcorn or leftovers from last night’s dinner!
What can you not leave home without?
My mini credit card wallet, phone, lip balm and sunglasses.
