Doughnuts and Bourbon

So Abby, Grace and I went out for a fancy meal of doughnuts paired with bourbon at a place called Grace (conveniently enough). We each had different expectations for this evening of debauchery but they all seemed to center on: doughy donuts, enthusiasm, booze and fun. What we got was, well, on the sterile side. The doughnuts were so so and the bourbon was in champagne flutes instead of chunky shot glasses or glasses you could really palm, and the restaurant was bright and empty (instead of raucous and full and loud like I pictured when I thought doughnuts and bourbon). We were more ladies who lunch than like indulgent foodies.

So we've decided that our version is better and we ought to host a night of homemade doughnuts (piles of doughnuts!), chunky glasses teeming with bourbon, good lighting, good friends and some loudish music.

What do you think, sound fun?

Up in the air somewhere

Impossibly delicate dishware and ceramics. I love that pop of yellow (it's rubber!) and anything that's paper thin and then gold leafed. See all this and more up in the air somewhere.

Cupcake Liner as Present Topper

From Martha of course. This falls into the category of "why didn't I think of that". Seriously, what a good idea.

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!

Antique White Ceramic Platters

My Family gave me a set of these platters for my birthday and they make me feel like I'm back in france.



(The online store only sells the big platter, but if you go in, they have at least 3 different sizes)

Perch!

Isn't this always how it goes. I try to take a vacation and something pulls me back in.

I had to share Perch with you. They create smooth, shiny, classic ceramic pieces for tabletop (and other stuff). This is what I am lusting after. Again I am a sucker for things that are simple and a little playful. Something that makes people stop and say, Where'd you get that?

And then I know. I have won.

The mason is a jar, vase or container:

Kitchen Pendant Light:

Basket

A container for one thing

I love the playfulness of the company. Here is their description of the basket above:
"what to put in this little gem? well, it's up to you. you don't have to put anything in it. but here are some ideas from other container owners... a fake flower, paper clips (more than one thing), a buddah statue, a diamond (really?), a tiny chair made out of an eraser, sand (also technically more than one thing), a matchbook, guilt, a small bar of soap, a wallet sized photo and lost love. What will you put in yours?"

Pier One Sale!

To go with your outdoor soiree, try these melamine trays and plates from pier 1:

melamine plate $3.25(steal!)


Medallion Embossed Serving Tray $9.75


Umbrella Picks, pack of 24 for $1.95

This Summer

Listen to this. It was meant for lazy sunday drives, cleaning out the fridge, or maybe even a road trip. Let it be your soundtrack.

Picnic Time

This Neo Baroque Plastic Deluxe Cutlery from Pandora Design would make the perfect addition to an outdoor BBQ or Picnic. Charles and Marie say on their website:

"Designed by Donata Paruccini and Fabio Bortolani and inspired by traditional Italian cutlery from the end of the 1800's this fabulous set of four is made out of high tech plastic, making it much stronger than your usual plastic cutlery and most importantly: you can put it through the nasty dishwasher – which you really shouldn't do with the real thing..."

Set of 4: $20.

I like the colors altogether so don't know how I'd settle on one set, but for that price you could accrue a collection over a couple of summers.

Made in LA

"Inspired by the weather and lifestyles of Southern California, Bauer Pottery created many different lines for the home and garden."

'California Colored Pottery' kind of says it all. I want everything in every color. But if I had to choose right now I would want these:

Monterey Pitcher in Parrot Green $50:


Sugar Bowl in Chartreuse $29:


Coffee Pot in French Blue $79:

Entertaining: Crepes

I decided it was time to officially have people over to my apartment. The occasion: crepes.

I love having people over for crepes because 1) it's fun 2) It's french 3) People are forced to cook and therefore let their guards down enough to mingle. I've made it a tradition to host crepe parties on Bastille Day and over the holidays but hadn't had the gusto to host at my new place. I thought it would be too small. As it turns out, it's just more intimate (well, I also can't invite as many people over). This time I was really able to sit and enjoy myself with friends. I so enjoyed myself that I didn't photograph any of the crepes! (This was right before people arrived.)