summer
There are 14 entries for the tag
summer
Get inspired for casual summer entertaining with three different table linen looks.
I selected tablecloths from Simons, a retailer with stores in Quebec and Montreal. Simons sells women’s wear, men’s wear and home fashion at affordable prices. I often bought table and bed linens from their own brand.
Playing with Patterns
I cannot wait to throw a brunch with this setting. Everything starts with a china pattern. I am so glad that I selected the Chirp Dinnerware set because I can experiment with new tabletop styles.
I discovered that lots of accessories harmonize with the Asian feel of these teal and watercolor bird drawings. I did not expect that when I selected this pattern from the Simple Fine collection by Lenox. I chose this pattern because the drawings were cute and different from my own tableware. I wish to disclose that Lenox sent me a complimentary set last spring to get familiar with their line.
Categories:
LINENS
DINING
posted @ Monday, August 04, 2008 11:19 PM | Feedback (2)
I love all green salads except for the watery Iceberg lettuce. Watercress is at the top of my list.
Very Nutritious
I make a watercress salad at least once a week. I will keep doing it now that I know that watercress is deemed to be a super-food by dietary experts.
Watercress is a top source of vitamins C, B1, B6, K and E, iron, calcium, magnesium, manganese and zinc. Click here for a comparative nutritional analysis.
If you wish to add watercress to your diet, you can start with these super easy recipes.
Tea Sandwiches Recipes
I always want to host a tea party but never find the right time. In the meantime, I collect recipes and delightful tea leaves.
Nikki of Canarygirl proposes her Homemade Aioli and Baby Watercress Tea Sandwiches, a simpler version of the classic. Nikki elevates the sandwich by using an arabesque pattern breakfast china set.
Categories:
FOOD + drinks
DINING
posted @ Thursday, July 24, 2008 5:17 PM | Feedback (3)
This French dessert is apparently the first fresh fruit cake. Fraisier is delicious and is a favorite during the first summer months.
A fraisier is basically a genoise sliced in two halves, filled with creme mousseline (creme patissiere combined with butter) and fresh strawberries. The top is made of a pink or green almond paste layer. This is the original version that Elle à Table qualifies avant-garde in 1960.
I am taking this opportunity to talk about how you can take any old recipe, make same adjustment to the recipe to reflect current trend and develop a new food presentation. The idea is to reinvent a classic dish.
The Fraisier, 2008 edition
Last year, La Tartine Gourmande reinvented the Fraisier by topping the genoise and freshly sliced strawberries with a snow-light rhubarb mousse made with mascarpone, rhubarb purée , egg whites and whipped cream. Strawberry goes well with rhubarb. Bea was inspired by the classic layout but her version looks more modern.
Categories:
FOOD + drinks
DISHING tips
TRENDS
DINING
posted @ Friday, July 18, 2008 12:31 AM | Feedback (0)
Food covers are a necessity in certain regions. Unfortunately, they often lack style. This is not the case of these gorgeous bamboo food covers.
Available in three colors from the UK retailer Graham and Green, you can harmonize the bamboo food covers with a set of 3 baskets.
Like you can see on the left picture, the look feels more sophisticated if you mix colors. Repeat some key elements and have fun creating your tabletop.
>>> Sourcing:
Buy online: Summer Bamboo Food Cover at Graham and Green – price: £10.95
Buy online: Summer Bamboo Baskets at Graham and Green – price: £12.95 for the set of 3
Categories:
TABLEWARE
DINING
posted @ Thursday, July 17, 2008 2:15 AM | Feedback (0)
The first picture shows that you do not need a lot of money to design a cool pool décor.
How To Reproduce That Look
The key to the top row pool décor is to create a cool mood through a clever use of lighting, cool flower pots and funky beach towels.
The summer night party pool features the Mesh Lounger from UK based retailer Next. In fact, the accessories used for this ad are all affordable. They all come from Next.
Decorative balls are popular in modern gardens. Next sells a set of 3 black polyterrazo balls. A 80cm high Black Garden Polyterrazzo Plinth/Planter complete this collection. Both must be stored indoors during the winter months.
Categories:
OUTDOOR living
HOME + GARDEN
MODERN architecture
posted @ Sunday, July 13, 2008 1:56 AM | Feedback (0)
G. from my network got a fabulous idea. He organizes weekly friendly pétanque games in the park. Everyone brings their own boules and food. He brings a portable BBQ.
Make Your Own Club
Sometimes entertaining can be as simple as planning and hosting an event around an hobby. Everyone can bring their own stuff. Still, the investigator receives the merits of organizing the event.
G. uses Facebook to inform us of the event and gather attendances. It is quick and easy to set up. We have an informal meeting but you can easily make a league and keep leader boards.
Obviously, you can devise a Provincial party theme for an annual picnic event. Most cities require a permit if you wish to host a picnic of 25 persons or more in a city park. Often the fees will guarantee you a spot with tables and a few BBQ. Ask if you are allowed to serve alcoholic beverages.
You can find across America Pétanque clubs with actual pétanque courts. But it is not a must to play; you can play on grass if you have to. It is better to play on a hard dirk surface. Remember that the boules must be able to roll. If you like the game, here are so clues on how to build your own pétanque court.
Categories:
FOOD + drinks
DINING
OUTDOOR parties
posted @ Wednesday, July 09, 2008 11:30 AM | Feedback (0)
They are plenty of small items that can make your stay at beach or at the park more enjoyable. It is better to shop for them before your vacation starts. These summer essentials display style and function.
Recreational Recliner
The Metro Seat by Picnic Time is a portable, recreational recliner with shoulder strap. The Metro Seat is available in 4 colors. It is color coordinated with the Metro Basket that I introduced last year. Looking similar, the Metro Melrose Bag is an insulated tote with a picnic service for four.
Colorful Dinnerware and Serving Ware
Stock bowls in punch colors to serve ice cream, cereals and cold soups. The Medium Orange, Large Green and Small Blue Birthday Party Cake Stands are currently on sale at Pottery Barn. At $29 for the set, it does not cost an arm to add a festive touch to any table.
Categories:
OUTDOOR living
HOME + GARDEN
PICNIC
posted @ Monday, July 07, 2008 11:17 AM | Feedback (0)
More and more men cook at home and organize parties. Obviously, they are looking for a different aesthetics. If your dad is one of those men, read this.
After the fact, the housewares list I gathered would also make perfect wedding gifts. Tell me what your think?
Flower Vases for Centerpieces
The first product is the Lichen’s new eweTUBE Felt vase made from 100% merino wool felt. This kit comes flat-packed, with two glass tubes. The eweTUBE vase looks great with easy to get flowers like spider mums and gerberas.
Grab a few vases. Be creative on how you display them on your table. Spread the bases sitting upright with one vase on each felt base; stack a few to create a long line. When the base rests on the side, the two tubes fit into a base.
Categories:
TABLESCAPE
FOOD + drinks
TABLEWARE
ENTERTAINING
DINING
posted @ Thursday, June 12, 2008 2:42 PM | Feedback (3)
You can read my third guest post on Style Sheet, the blog produced by HGTV.ca.
This time, I share decorative tips to freshen up your bedroom this summer.
I feel it is important to get two looks for our bedroom: a winter look and a summer look. To accomplish that, a few decorative changes are often enough. Read my post on Style Sheet to discover my tricks.
Via: Bedding and Accessories for Bedrooms [Style Sheet]
Categories:
HOME decor
TRENDS
HOME + GARDEN
posted @ Monday, June 09, 2008 11:50 AM | Feedback (0)
I am talking about summer 2008 color trends on Style Sheet, the blog of HGTV.ca.
Go ahead and learn about my color ideas for a fashionable home this summer.
English from Canada
You can spot the British heritage of Canadians in the way we write colour. And the Canadian spelling is grey instead of gray. We also follow some American rules. For example, we prefer organize to the British spelling (organise).
If the topic interests you, the Cornerstone's Canadian English Page summarizes the specifics of Canadian English.
Why I write in US English instead of the Canadian English? The answer rests in the fact that the majority of my readers are from the United States.
Via: Summer 2008 Colour Trends [Style Sheet]
Categories:
IN the press
TRENDS
posted @ Tuesday, June 03, 2008 8:05 PM | Feedback (0)
This is the coolest hammock I ever seen. At a price tag of $19,500 this is not for everyone. Still, we can all appreciate the stunning design of this 113 inch diameter hammock.
You can drape it for privacy or more protection against the sun. It is supposed to be more stable than the regular hammocks.
The standard size day bed and the huge hammock are perfect to party under the sun. It looks so hip. The San Francisco based company Henry Hall Designs proposes fine outdoor furniture in an array of modern and traditional styles.
Vintage Fusion
The Fusion range mixes teak and stainless steel. The best part for me is the falling pool. I always dreamed of a pool like that.
Vintage is made of stainless steel and synthetic resin. Inspired by the curved plywood chairs of the 1950’s, Vintage line proposes a chaise lounge and a stackable dining chair. As you can read on Henry Hall Designs Web site, the Vintage revives an era of visionary design for the outdoors.
Categories:
OUTDOOR living
HOME + GARDEN
posted @ Wednesday, May 14, 2008 12:58 AM | Feedback (1)
The romantic feeling that you get when you visit an Anthropologie shop appeals even to a modernist like me. Once again, I felt under the charms of their lively dinnerware.
Fresh Floral Dinnerware
This Far Afield dinnerware pattern screams summer on the good way. It is perfect for hosting a brunch and for casual family events.
The plates, bowls and mugs are sold individually to suit your taste and budget. You can easily mix this bold floral pattern with solid color dinnerware than you already own.
Categories:
TABLEWARE
DINING
posted @ Wednesday, April 16, 2008 11:39 AM | Feedback (0)
I intensify my coverage of eco-friendly solutions until Earth Day. I will write an eco-friendly story every weekday until April 22nd.
I am starting the week with cool ultra compact shopping bags. The key is to carry your reusable shopping bags with you all the time. Since I live in the city, I do most of my shopping by foot. Therefore, I need bags that will fit into my purse.
I also prefer shoulder bags because they leave your hands free if you carry a small load. These are my favorites lately.
Flip & Tumble | First place
Flip & Tumble seduced me with their new summer colors and this catchy phrase:
A bag that’s designed for those of us who only seem to remember our reusable bags the moment we need them.
The 24-7 bag fits my lifestyle. The vibrant summer colors look amazing. Flip & Tumble will start shipping tomorrow, April 15th, 2008. Their Web site has a cool visual Add to my Shopping Card applet too. I just ordered three bags like in the picture: a raspberry, an aqua and a lime. I will tell more after a few shopping trips.
Categories:
TRENDS
HOSTESS gifts
GIFT IDEAS
posted @ Monday, April 14, 2008 11:31 AM | Feedback (8)
Things can be bold, cheerful and playful and still convey a mature look. Fun tableware goes hand in hand with spring and summer entertaining. I went on a lookout for festive glasses to decorate in a flash your table settings.
I started my search with the Scandinavian designers since designing lively and fun patterns is one of their strength. I found what I was looking for at BodaNova. Founded in 1971 in Boda, Sweden, BodaNova is now part of Iittala Group.
One Tube - Four Glasses
The tube package is really neat. With pattern names like Joy Smile, Joy Fun, Joy Happy, Joy Play, One Tube - Four Glasses conveys Glad to Be Here when you give it to the hostess. Handy to carry around, you can buy a set or two for when you go to picnic.
Categories:
EVERYDAY
OUTDOOR living
TABLEWARE
ENTERTAINING
DINING
HOME + GARDEN
posted @ Tuesday, April 08, 2008 12:40 PM | Feedback (0)