Cape-Cod-LIFE

Toasting the Season

Cape Cod Life  /  November/December 2025 / ,

Writer: Julie Craven Wagner / Photographer: Peter Julian 

Toasting the Season

Cape-Cod-LIFE

Cape Cod Life  /  November/December 2025 / ,

Writer: Julie Craven Wagner / Photographer: Peter Julian 


Golden light from The Pheasant’s two fireplaces flickered across tables set with expectation of the dinner to come, as laughter spilled through the candlelit dining room. Outside, the weather has all the indication that the warmer moments of the year are fleeting and the time to snuggle in is nigh. Inside, silk and velvet shimmered under the soft hum of conversation. It was the kind of night that Cape Codders wait for all year—when the busy season gives way to gratitude, and community gathers to celebrate artistry, hard work, and friendship. This evening belonged to designer Andria Blackman Murphy, founder of the emerging fashion brand Lyla Grace Collection, who invited her extended network which includes, models, retailers, influencers, partners and close friends and family to a holiday appreciation dinner, where they were welcomed by The Pheasant’s owners, Adam and Erica Dunn.

For Andria, the dinner was more than a toast to the year’s accomplishments. It was a full-circle moment—combining fashion, friendship, and the Cape’s creative spirit in one cozy, elegant setting. The fall and holiday collection, worn by women around the table, mirrored the warmth of the room: soft silks in sunset tones, fabrics that caught the firelight like the sea at dusk. “I’ve always been drawn to nature here,” she says. “The colors of the ocean, the seagrass, the changing seasons, and the way light moves across the sky—those are my inspirations.”

The designer’s connection to Cape Cod runs deep. Having spent much of her life here with family, Andria carries the landscape’s calm beauty into her work. “I’m inspired by the women I know,” she adds, “by family, by friendship. I want people to...

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Julie Craven Wagner

Julie Craven Wagner began her experience with Cape Cod Life in 2010 when she joined the sales team after 10 years of working with local businesses on the Cape and Islands with WMVY. In addition to sales, she is the Associate Publisher/Editor of Cape Cod LIFE, Cape Cod HOME, and Cape Cod ART. Growing up on the Outer Cape has given her a unique perspective of life on Cape Cod, from tip to bridge, and that is reflected in her appreciation and presentation of stories found within the pages of our publications. Julie lives in North Falmouth with her husband, Eric, and their yellow lab, Enzo. When she finds free time, she enjoys her Cape Cod life sailing on Buzzards Bay, spending time on the beach in Wellfleet, or exploring Martha’s Vineyard.