Breakfast and Lunch

It's the start of entertaining season and all I can think of is a bright, fun, indulgent breakfast with lots of coffee, mellow music, great morning sunlight and some homemade doughnuts stacked up like this picture from Martha.


Either that or an all-white buffet lunch with finger sandwiches, mugs of pumpkin soup, and a decadent chocolate cake (still warm) looking something like this from Amy Atlas:

Simple Dinner Party

I had a simple dinner party that went from 5 people to 7 and ended up being just perfect. I dressed the table in white and glass, with casual paper napkins from Ikea.

I bought some amazing heirloom tomatoes at the Farmer's Market and just dressed them with some olive oil and fleur de sel.

We had wine and mint-infused water.

The inspiration for the whole night were these peaches. I really wanted to do a salad and found my inspiration, making a mozzarela, peach, crispy prosciutto salad. I used the flower blossom mix from Maggie's Farm and added a bit of extra mint. I just made a simple vinaigrette and made sure to use plenty of balsamic vinegar.



I also made merguez sausage and cous cous but it was too dark to take pictures. Here's the whole Menu:

The Menu:
Fresh Olive Bread and Goat Cheese with basil, olive oil and sea salt
Heirloom tomatoes with Olive Oil and Fleur de Sel
Peach, Fresh mozzarella, Prosciutto, and Mint salad
Merguez Sausage and Cous Cous

To Drink:
Mint Infused Water
White Wine from TJ's: Novella Synergy Blanc

For Dessert:
Those Famous Chocolate Chip Cookies. And yes, they were every bit as good as everyone has been saying (and I only let them rest for 12 hours, so I can't even imagine how much better they could be.)


I consciously took it easy on the planning of the dinner party. Normally I think I overwhelm myself so once the evening is over it takes a while to motivate myself to do it again. This time it was totally manageable, i had time to talk with everyone and can't wait to do it again. And 7 is the limit, anymore and I start to feel like I'm running a cafeteria.

Do you guys have guidelines for dinner parties that help you to enjoy them more, and put them on more often?

Fishs Eddy

I had only ever seen Fishs Eddy products online (mainly jonathan always seems to find the good ones) so I was stoked to check out their store in person. I loved it. Full of pretty basics for the kitchen and the table, they had an exceptional collection of cake stands. I ended up buying a little mini cakestand to get it out of my system. (I'm trying to cut back on accumulation, so small seemed good).

Good Question about Dinner Parties in Small Spaces

This comes from GA:
Have you ever had bigger dinner parties at your apartment? If so, how do you work out the sitting down and eating situation? I have a small place but have always wanted to invite a bunch of people over at the same time. How would you go about making sure people don't have to eat standing up?

My answer: it's all about stools. I've never had a sit down dinner for more than 7 in this place and that involved some sitting on the floor and people being comfortable being close. But I have extra stools on hand for seating that doesn't take up too much room. They're nice enough (bought the at West Elm and spray painted them blue/green) that I use them as little side tables the rest of the time.

Also, find creative places to stash the wine and larger platters because with a lot of people, the table fills up quickly.

Anyone else have some good ideas?

Dinner Party for....Seven?

So I had another dinner party last night. Originally it was going to just be 3 of us. But then I got all excited and spur of the moment invited more and more and more people until I realized that there would be 7 of us. The I momentarily freaked out. Where will everyone sit? Will they fit in my apartment? Do I have enough dishes? That match?

Then I calmed down.

These are my tips for an impromptu 3 becomes 7 dinner party:

• Do not freak out, it just wastes energy
• Just double the recipe and it should all turn out fine
• In a small space like mine where we eat around the giant coffee table, I just pulled all of my furniture apart by an extra foot to create more space for people, that seemed to help.
• Serve Ice Cream for Dessert (no prep time!) and ask your aunt to bring home made cookies!
• Don't worry about the house being clean, just shove the litter box into the shower and clean the faucet on the sink so that the chrome is shiny, then light the bathroom by candlelight.
• This one is important: Set the table ahead of time. Do not leave this until the last minute.
• Put the wine out so that people aren't all up in your kitchen looking for glasses, the wine and the bottle opener. Have it in the other room and ask someone else to open and pour it for your guests!
• Relax because, as my bf's mom says, anything tastes good if you didn't have to cook it yourself.

Phew. I had a lovely time and everyone else seemed to too. I didn't wash the dishes last night and I'm enjoying the festive left overs this morning. Maybe I'll even leave them for tomorrow...

As for the menu, I tried a new recipe from sunset magazine:




Here are the table before and after pics:

Dinners: Part One

I've been attempting to host more dinners, since it's something I love to do. And because they're at night I don't really have any good pictures yet. Also, having people over for dinner is quickly turning into an excuse to bake. So until I have some pictures, here is the menu for the last 2 dinners I had:

Dinner One:
-Gratin Dauphinoise out of the Joy of Cooking (though I don't boil it on the stove, I just bake it for longer and I add a ton of garlic)
-Salmon with Dill (I cheated and bought pre-marinated stuff at Trader Joes)
-Salad with Tomatoes and my secret vinagrette (the secret is the rice vinegar)
-Home-made Chocolate chip cookies made with rock salt and hand hammered chocolate chips

Dinner Two:
-Ratatouille from the Joy of cooking
-Roasted Chicken with Rosemary Potatoes (I like to stuff the chicken with herbs, a halved lemon, and cover the skin with olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic.)
-Mini Madeira Cakes our of Nigella's: How to be a Domestic Goddess with home-made rasberry jam (I make this by boiling some frozen rasberries on the stove and adding sugar to taste). Next time I'd also make some whipped cream or add vanilla ice cream because it was a little plain...

So there you have it.

A note: I don't have a dishwasher and the only way to not resent that you cooked all day is by cleaning everything after everyone leaves so that you wake up with a clean kitchen.

More soon. I'm planning a dinner a week!

Anchor Vases

Yes, I want these, they're on sale.

Tableware Decals

Most of my plates and cups are plain white. I like to keep it simple. I also like the idea of using these Farm Animal Decals on them to spice things up every once in a while. They'll stay on through the washing but you can still peel them off when you've tired of them. These could also make a great stocking stuffer. ALSO I just realized that I love the idea of using these instead of those 'charms' for keeping track of your glass at a party. How awesome would it be to have a rabbit on your wine glass?
From Curiosity Shoppe.

Christmas Wishlist Continued (2)

Here are a couple more things that I can definitely live without but that would make life prettier.



Leah Nobilette ceramics from Relish


The ability to eat this winter salad


I'd like a broom, just a regular ol' broom for sweeping. I haven't found one that isn't multicolored with special flip up whatevers. I just want a broom.


Nilsson Blue Pitcher


Oh and Bauer anything really, but this Monterey Pitcher in Parrot Green (Or gosh, the french blue, or butter cream, or bauer orange...) sure is nice.

Maison Midi

I braved leaving the west side and checked out La Brea. Among my stops was Maison Midi brought to you by American Rag. Yes it can seem overpriced and full of people that to the naive might look like a bunch of trendy autobots, but it is full of beautiful dinnerware and real french things. their online store is getting a little more filled out:


Classic Carafe

Bistro Chair

'40's style Bistro Chair

Moroccan Ash Tray



Assorted Dinnerware

Christmas Wish List

I have been accused recently of being hard to buy for. Apparently I am 'picky' and 'hard to please'. I had no idea because I always get such perfect gifts from my friends. I guess they've been stressing out all these years. So I'm starting a wish list (because that's what this blog is most of the time anyway and I think you guys like the same things I do).

To start:

Amy Sedaris "I like you"


Lorena Barrezueta Ceramics:




Meg Werner Photos. I actually couldn't wait and just bought these for myself. She has so many wonderful photos in her etsy shop. These are my favorites (oh also VERY affordable)



Tiny Beakers to use as bud vases or maybe a little flask

Anthropologie

I always seem to forget about Anthropologie eventhough when I make it into a store, I love most of the things I see. Right now they are doing yellow right:


(I especially love the Jill Rosenwald Peacock Pitcher in the middle)

And it's not like they're really getting the other things wrong either:



Clockwise from top left:
Anjou Sign, Class Photo Tray (On sale!), (Wierdest thing, I cannot find the woodland plates that I was *just* looking at, Stockholm Flora PotHolder, Stencil Flower Hook Rack.

Entertaining on the Cheap

So we're entering Fall, a time to eat. A time to invite people over to eat. A time to have platters to put food on for people to eat. Here are some table top options from West Elm that are ON SALE!


artisan serveware 8.99-14.99


light acacia entertaining 3.99-19.99)



Bamboo serving tray 9.99

Lorena Barrezueta

I'm sure you've all scoped out Grace's digs over on design sponge. Obviously her place is lovely and I love that it isn't overly styled or sterile. She really lives there. The kitchen vignette with the Lorena Barrezueta tray nailed it for me. I love how vintage it looks and how the eggplant color compliments the green in the plants. Sigh.

Belated Labor Day

Labor day was perfect. All day bbq with my oldest friends. Could not have been warmer. Could not have been nicer.



We made this punch to try to cool down. It was so good we had to water it down so as not to pass out. It is Rum, 7up, Ice, Mint, Basil, Cucumber Slices, Strawberry Slices, Lime Juice.

Pink is Always a Good Choice

To go with the watermelon. What is it?