Happy Weekend dear readers. I hope you all are off to some exciting adventures. My mom is heading into town as my hubby heads to Istanbul. He’s working on a ballet there so he’ll be gone for over a week, thankfully CiCi (aka my mom) is hightailing it east. What would we do without our moms!
We are closing on our house next week (fingers crossed) and then we’re going to … Release the Kraken. We’re tearing down walls, repainting, staining and refinishing the floors and completely gutting and creating an entirely new kitchen (yay!). There are a million things I want to do this house. Every room is just so wrong right now and desperately cries out to be fixed but budget dictates that I must exercise some serious patience with her (my house, that is). I am the type of person that likes to tackle everything all at once, I can’t stand to leave things undone, but I don’t much have a choice here and will have to channel my inner Zen-ness.
In the meantime, I can’t wait to start scouring flea markets, vintage stores and craigslist to round out my decor. Stay tuned next week as I’ll be posting BEFORE pictures of Miss Virginie (after our dear newfound home state of course) along with some mood boards with a slew of ideas for design. I’m trying really hard to curb my enthusiasm for a California late-mid century house and respect the fact that Miss Virginie is of course a Virginia native with an unfortunate Colonial-ish vibe. Now, I pretty much hate anything Colonial, so you can bet that those ridiculous faux columns embracing the front door will be first to go. Inside, she’s a blank slate so I can really do anything but feel like I need to keep reminding myself that I’m in Virginia and not Laurel Canyon.
I would love your thoughts! We haven’t done a big reno project since our New York apartment and I’ve never done a kitchen, I’m pretty psyched.
What are you all up to this weekend? I’m going to hang with the kiddos and CiCi and watch Tina and Amy light it up on the Globes- my favorite awards show of the year, no one really takes it that seriously and everyone’s just drunk and happy, really the best kind of awards- and those two ladies kill me, they can get away with anything.
What I’m Drinking This Weekend:
I’m sticking with Southern France. My post this week about the Languedoc made me nostalgic for that part of the world, so I think I’ll try this inexpensive bottle from the Cotes du Rhone. Tasting note to follow. I once heard a Somm say that you really could never go too wrong with a bottle of Cotes du Rhone, but I would have to disagree with that as I have gone very wrong indeed. Let’s hope this one is promising, especially since it’s $12.
The Northern Lights- I have got to get to Iceland to see this fantastical sight. Anna Watson Carl’s posts about her recent trip to see the galactic display, are so inspiring. And this hotel blows my mind.
This looks amazing. Big Thornbirds fan- totally looking forward to this.
CBK, “the Original Gwyneth?”, I don’t know what do you think? I know that I love me some CBK, looking through these photos is kind of fabulous and makes me so nostalgic for the late 90s.
My talented friend Alana Stone has done it again. She and her husband Stefan Horn have just published the three latest editions to their Analogue Guide travel series- Barcelona (where they currently reside with their young daughter), Berlin and Los Angeles, folks. If you’re headed east or west anytime soon, you must pick up one of these little lovelies to accompany you.
Alana is my go-to girl for all things la dolce vita and especially all things done with a crafted and detailed hand. The maps in their guidebooks are impeccable and the photos, beautiful. Little gems. The New York Times just named The Analogue Guides in their 2013 Holiday Gift Guide- “Can a guidebook be artisanal? The almost pocket-size Analogue Guides are about as close as they come”. True that, Times.
The guides are organized by neighborhood so you can take in the city’s spots like a local, not a crazed tourist trying to traverse the city at top speed while checking off the so-called must-sees. These guides really give you an insider’s look into how the locals live from a well-rounded perspective. Great for foodies, art lovers, design mavens, bon vivants and adventurers alike.
If you have a traveler in your life, the Analogue Guide is an awesome gift. Currently available for London, Paris, Copenhagen and New York as well, with more cities on the way.
Read it to believe it.
Alana’s 5 favorite spots in the City of Angels:
1. Intelligentsia Silver Lake
One of LA’s premier coffee spots, Chicago based hipster haven Intelligentsia offers cutting edge brew in the artisanally tiled Sunset Junction outdoor complex, which also houses Café Stella and The Cheese Store of Silver lake. Undoubtedly a place to see and to be seen, Intelligentsia’s tiled bar is an excellent spot to catch up on the latest news while losing yourself in the depths of a perfectly formed flat white.
2. Heath Ceramics
Founded in 1948 by potter Edith Heath, Heath Ceramics grew to become one of the most iconic names in California design. Heath’s wonderfully earthy single kiln fired tableware and tiles, still hand crafted in Sausalito, California, are available for purchase at the attractive LA flagship store. A testament to their lasting quality and artistic value, Heath’s designs are on display at LACMA and MoMA. In addition to phenomenal ceramics, the shop also sells books on craft and design.
3. AXE
Named after a Yoruban salutation, Axe is the brainchild of chef and owner Joanna Moore. Designed in a light and modern mix of congona and black acacia woods softened by handmade lamps, Axe is one of Venice’s most attractive haunts. Open windows and a lovely back patio allow for a constant whiff of Pacific breeze. Dishes are fresh, delicious and inspired, taking full advantage of the diversity of fruits and vegetables sprouting locally. Wines incorporate robust California and Old World selections.
4. Stahl House
In the aftermath of World War II, Arts & Architecture magazine commissioned America’s architectural avant-garde to create a series of efficient yet inexpensive model homes. Many of these Case Study Houses, designed by the likes of Richard Neutra and Eero Saarinen, were built in the Los Angeles area. Overlooking the city from the Hollywood Hills, Pierre Koenig’s Stahl House, or Case Study House #22, is perhaps the most iconic representation of Los Angeles modernism. The house is privately owned but open for visits upon arrangement.
5. Hollywood Bowl
A summer evening concert at the Hollywood Bowl is a quintessential LA experience. Dramatically nestled in the Hollywood Hills with prime views of the Hollywood sign, the Bowl hosts world renowned classical and contemporary musicians, in addition to the LA Philharmonic’s summer season. Bring a picnic and a bottle of wine along or simply book a table at one of the Bowl’s al fresco restaurants.
I’m a pretty smiley person by nature, but I’ve never known a true cheek hangover until now. Not that I haven’t had some seriously smile-worthy moments in life- my wedding, opening nights- but those were all infused with a myriad of emotions. This one was pretty much just all smiles all the time.
I don’t usually do posts like this, I like to share my opinions and ideas and mostly highlight the lives of others, but this one I just had to document. I had the tremendous good fortune to accompany my amazing father-in-law, Jacques d’Amboise, to the White House and Kennedy Center for the 2013 Kennedy Center Honors this past weekend. Cue self-inflicted pinch times ten.
Knowing that I would be Jacques’ guest to this event nearly a year in advance, I planned carefully, which is very out of character me (you know what they say about plans…). I carefully selected- with the help of my fabulous stylist-to-the-stars pal, Katy Robbins- my two Rent the Runway gowns literally months in advance. There would be two nights of events- the dinner at the State Department and the White House gathering/meeting the President and the First Lady followed by the Honors at Kennedy Center. I was all set with an Alice Temperley gown and a David Meister on the way for a grand total of $125- oh yeah, discount codes were in full effect.
Then came last Friday night. 8pm, tick tock tick tock, No UPS special delivery as expected. After a long wait on hold with the parcel service, I learned that the dresses would arrive promptly Monday morning. Hmmm. I’m royally screwed, I thought. My babysitter is out of town, Christopher is working and I’ll have to haul two toddlers to Tysons Corner and frenzily shop for not one but two expensive-looking but reasonably affordable black tie gowns. What the what?
I prepared to wake early Saturday and make the mad dash to Nordstroms. Enter the Norovirus. Around 1am on Saturday morning, my hubby came down with a severe dose of the stomach virus. If you’ve ever experienced this, you know how intense it is. It hits you like a ton of bricks and you are violently ill for a solid 24 hours. Saturday morning 10am and Christopher was starting to come out of his nausea-daze when I started to feel a bit wonky. By noon, it was clear that I would not be going to the State Department much less Nordstroms. At that point, I can honestly say however, that I didn’t much care. We had two toddlers to take care of as two very sick parents who were doing everything we could to keep them from getting sick. How that works with a crazily contagious virus, I have no idea. If you’ve ever tried taking care of small children while you feel ghastly ill, you can empathize. It was a rough day, maybe the toughest yet in my newbie parenthood. These are the days you really want your mommy.
Then that beacon of the week, Sunday morning dawned and all started to look a bit brighter. I didn’t feel great, but Lord knows I was going to that White House. I made the mad dash to Nordstoms, gave the saleslady my budget and after a heartfelt wince from her, she brought me dozens of dresses all of which only emphasized my post-baby bump that has no business being a bump at this point, it’s more like a lump- let’s call a spade a spade. She finally brought me one last dress- this one revelatory -to my dressing room. It was like the popcorn ceiling opened up and the Angels sang “AHHHHH”. I had to have it, it actually made my lump look kind of great. I dashed up to the register only to find out upon ringing up, that this was indeed well above my fantasy and idealized price range. Oh well, it’s the frigging White House, I mean come on. So, dress bought, baubles on, we are ready to roll.
Off we went. At 3:15 on the dot, Jacques’ appointed driver Carl rolled up into my modest little apartment complex’s parking lot to escort me down the slick ice rink that was masquerading as a sidewalk. I somehow managed not to take a dive, even in my 4 inch heels- and believe me, this momma does not wear 4 inch heels- not since around my 34th birthday anyway. I lost my tolerance for the self-inflicted pain caused by ridiculously high heels, so I had to kind of pat myself on the back for this one.
We arrived at the front gates of the White House and all I could think about was that scene in Dave when Kevin Kline drives up to that very same gate and convinces the guards to let him out. Here I was, at that very gates. What next? We were escorted after multiple security checks up to the White House. Now I’ve never been to the White House, never taken a tour and although I’ve always wanted to, I never got around to writing my Representative about that one. But this was much better, I had an actual invite, I was actually invited by the peeps at the White House- ok as a plus-one, but still.
Entering the White House for a party that it is throwing was a kind of dazzling, surreal moment for this American girl. Another “AHHHH” moment with the angels harking all over the place as I was handed a glass of champagne upon entering. I found myself sashaying down the perfectly decorated hallways in my lump-licious dress, bumping into the likes of Garth Brooks and Sam Waterston all the while with a ridiculously huge smile on my face. Mind you I was completely aware that I was striding down these said hallways with a giant smile on my face, but I couldn’t do anything about it. I don’t want to sound like a naive fresh-off-the-bus farm girl here, I’ve had my share of star-studded evenings and shared the stage with the likes of Hugh Jackman and Tony Bennett (dreamboats- both of them), but this was something entirely different.
Sitting in my little seat with my very own name imprinted on its little white card, I couldn’t believe I was surrounded by less than one hundred people waiting for the President and the First Lady to arrive. They fabulously strode into this little room and almost knocked me over, not literally but quite figuratively. There is a reason why people get elected to office beyond their politics, it’s that old charisma thing. It’s the same reason the Clooneys and the Pitts of the world are our mainstays- star wattage, people. Despite what you may think of them or their politics, the Obamas are stars.
Enter my very un-Presidential comment to the First Lady. Meeting Obama himself was fantastic, he is charming and genuine with a firm handshake and an authenticity that oozes from his sparkly white teeth. He thanked me for coming (uh- thanks for having me!). Meeting Mrs. Obama, I just blurted out, “You are too fabulous!”. She graciously replied, “Thank you” and also thanked me for coming. Seriously, I was kind of mortified and I still can’t believe I said that to her, not the most Presidentially-appropriate behavior to be sure, but honestly, she is- too fabulous. She dazzled in her jade green Marchesa off-the-should gown, she oozed grace and importance and honestly, she’s a modern day Goddess.
Embarrassing moment behind me (I had to have one), we continued to make the rounds and that’s when I found myself standing next the the D-O-double-G. Oh yeah, Snoop. He jokingly asked the Marine Corps band to play “Gin and Juice”- one of my favorite parts of the night. They didn’t comply, too bad- what a miss. I snapped a picture with the hip hop superstah and ta-dizzle-fo-shizzle, we were off to the Kennedy Center.
I arrived at my seat to find my darling hubby all dressed up in his tux complete with bow tie, which I’ve never actually seen him in- he was effortlessly tieless at our wedding. The drumroll began and the the curtain went up. Attending the Kennedy Center Honors is like attending one of the greatest mulit-artist concerts ever. You get opera, you get drama, you get dance, you get music, music, music. In a word, it’s awesome. It’s a proud-to-be-an-American kind of evening. The show airs on December 29th, and is one to watch. The standout of the night for me is the tribute to Billy Joel with a rousing and tear-jerking number by Garth Brooks and a beautiful turn by Rufus Wainwright, not to mention a great performance by Panic at the Disco’s Brendon Urie. Snoop absolutely kills in the Herbie Hancock tribute- don’t miss it.
We capped the night off with a dinner under the giant mod chandeliers in the main hallway of the Kennedy Center surrounded by some of America’s most inspiring artists and Washington’s finest. I had a blast yucking it up with the legendary Eddie Villella all evening and was once again dumbstruck to find myself shooting the sh*t with Billy Joel, who is one of the most down to earth, coolest cats around. After commending him for his career (with lack of anything else to stay, being completely startstruck) he replied, “Hey, I’m just doing what I love”. And that’s what it’s all about, isn’t it.
Midnight struck and we were jolted back into our real lives remembering that we promised our sitter we would be home by 12:30. We dashed down the marble halls of the Kennedy Center like Cinderella running for her carriage, in this case our minivan, and raced home before the clock struck 12:30. We made it. No pumpkins here and the kiddos were all nestled snug in their beds. What a whirlwind, but how great to be back in our tiny home with our tiny bebes.
Happy Weekend dear readers. Did you all celebrate Halloween? It was the bebes’ second Halloween and we ventured out with friends to a local event. Lee Street in Old Town Alexandria legendarily hosts a beautiful trick-or-treat extravaganza. I was completely blown away by it. Imagine Colonial-era row homes all decked out in their spookiest best, sporting haunting houses, interior tableaus of the dearly departed and pumpkins galore. It is a beautiful combination of Colonial meets Southern tradition and haunting voyeurism not for the faint of heart. Peer into a window and you may see a skeletal family residing on that parlor sofa. It’s sort of like a scary Parade of Homes, I loved it.
Each Halloween, Lee Street’s residents welcome thousand of trick-or-treaters. Literally thousands, as demonstrated above. Those folks ran out of candy around 8pm. Grown ups, babies, and yes- the dogs put on the dog, everyone is decked out. This little festivity is one to put on your list. If you find yourself in my neck of the woods on Hallow’s Eve, do not miss Lee St.- a darling Colonial street all tricked out for the treaters.
Now for this weekend, I’m so pooped from all of our Halloween festivities, we have zero plans. The weekend is supposed to be about rest after all right? What about you?
My Weekend Wine:
Etienne Dupont Cidre Bouché Brut de Normal, Organic ’11. Ok, this one’s not wine per se, it’s that elixir of fall- apple cider. A French hard apple cider to be precise. I busted out this bottle on Halloween for a small little gathering and our guests were delighted. Funky and unfiltered, it’s so fall-like and festive, affordable too at anywhere from $10-$15. This cider is a great compliment to food that’s a touch sweet as it’s naturally fruit-forward and extremely aromatic. I found it at Whole Foods and will be drinking it over the weekend. A classic French cider with a bit of the funk. Love it. Tasting note to come.
A Few Things:
1. Oh Grace and Audrey- where would you be without Edith? Probably not in icon territory, is my guess. My mom sent me this post highlighting some of the divine Ms. Head’s most iconic designs. Growing up, my mom and her best friend both wanted to be Edith Head. I love that they wanted to be her and not one of her muses.
3. This home reno by Sarah Sherman Samuel is so fun to follow. I love those floors and that giant flamingo print by Sharon Montrose. Here’s the one I want.
Though I can’t claim to be a home-brewing moonshiner, I’ve secretly always wanted to be. I’m starting an experiment in homemade liquor. Before I start dumping cornmeal and sugar in my bathtub, I thought I would start slowly and just stick a pear in a jar with some vodka. Wimpy? Maybe. But I think it will be good, and a lot less messy than bona fide moonshining.
I’m starting The Poire Project and making my own Poire William- the French classic eau de vie after-dinner drink distilled from Bartlett (or William, as they say in Frenchie parts) pears.
Sounds easy enough. It’s a pretty simple distilling process. Let’s see how this shakes out.
What You Need:
1. 10 oz. high quality vodka
2. 1 Bartlett Pear
3. 1 Mason Jar
What You Do:
1. Wash your pear.
2. Put it in the jar.
3. Fill the rest of the jar with your vodka.
4. Seal and store in a cool and dark place for a month.
5. Voilá! William Poire.
By Thanksgiving, I should have a great little after dinner drink with a home-brewed story to boot. We’ll either be drinking it after pumpkin pie or I’ll be donning it as a hostess gift. How cute would that mason jar be with a seasonal bow wrapped around it!
I’ll keep you posted to see if this is as easy as it looks.
Have you ever taken a crack at moonshining? Do tell.
My friend Lora’s daughter Lola is turning one this month and she is throwing her a super cute Pumpkin Patch Birthday Party. I love the idea, I only wished I lived closer so that I could see it in person. She asked me to put together some ideas for Lola’s big day, so here are a few things that caught my eye. There are some fun ideas here for an adult autumn-themed party as well.
DECORATE
Stack them, group them, write on them, fashion them into flowerpots, and make a pretty wreath out of the minis- there are so many fun ways to utilize your main party prop.
A pumpkin as a flowerpot- sweet. Grab some sunflowers or wild flowers from your local farmer’s market and trim the stems so that they just peep out.
I never think to write on a pumpkin, but I love the way this looks. You could welcome your party guests this way, paint your little one’s name, Happy Birthday, or their age on a pretty pumpkin. I love cursive on a pumpkin.
Stock up on lost of pretty pumpkins (I am partial to these Cinderella pumpkins they always have at Trader Joe’s). Grouped together and stacked on top of each other, they make for instant decor- very bibbidi-bobbidi-boo.
Get yourself some hay bales, arrange them in a semi-circle, throw in some pumpkins and call it a pumpkin patch complete with comfy straw seating.
Bust out the paint and bump up the glam.
Chalk Painted Pumpkins: For a matte and sophisticated look, these pumpkins are gourd-geous. (sorry, couldn’t resist.)
Metallic Painted Pumpkins: I like the neutral tone of these metallic beauties, they would look great on a mantle.
Graphic Painted Pumpkins: chevrons are fun but I love plain old stripes, thin stripes, bold stripes any stripe is fun.
Lighting really is everything, isn’t it.
Martha Stewart shows us how to DIY an ordinary paper lantern into a pumpkin lanterns or you could just buy these pre-made Pumpkin Paper Lanterns and save yourself the effort. Affordable and cute, these lanterns would be so pretty strung indoors or outdoors.
Fairy lights: a must if you’re outdoors and your party goes through the early evening. These are available everywhere, I love their round, globe shape. You can get them at ebay, Pottery Barn, Amazon- anywhere.
Autumn Luminarias: I love a luminaria (I have a thing for Santa Fe so of course I do). What a great idea for fall.
Celestial Pumpkins: Just a few dots and zigzags will really give your pumpkins a sophisticated luminescence.
Squash Jack-O-Lanterns: these oblong gourds are just asking to be carved into these cute ghostly jack-o-lanterns. I love the way they look.
Ok, I know it’s a children’s birthday party, but this is my blog afterall. I know many parents who choose not to cater to the adults at their children’s parties and really want it to be about the kids. I think that’s awesome and wish I were that noble. In the meantime, pour me a drink.
A few ideas for a quick bar/food table: it’s all about tin, reclaimed wood and hay. One or all of those elements is pretty great.
Tin is a great look for a rustic pumpkin patch party. I love the tin garbage can table. Using the trash cans for the base is genius. A festive tablecloth could mask an unsightly piece of plywood that would do the job just fine. Cute. And that tin trough with the reclaimed wood piece on top is beautiful if you could find a cool piece of wood or an old door. The hay bales and wood top are great and easy too.
The thermoses adorned with nifty tags are a great reminder that this IS a kid’s party and that is what matters most.
You could go a little overboard with all the hay, but if you’re not using it elsewhere and want a seated table, this is pretty cute. The simple white tablecloth kind of makes it. If there kiddos are tiny, I probably wouldn’t do a table but for older kids, I like this idea.
S’mores Pops: let’s face it, s’mores are awesome and cake pops are awesome, this combination is pretty fun.
Candy Corn Coconut Orange Jello Bites: you can also add some alcohol to these and put a few on the bar but that may be asking for trouble. The recipe here calls for alcohol, you can easily omit it.
Salted Caramel Apples: because come on- what’s a pumpkin patch party without some candy apples?
We’re keeping it simple because this is a kid’s party not a 5 course meal. Easy to eat soup, stew, cheese and crackers, crudite and cheese sandwiches sound like a winning combo to me.
A Shot of Carrot Soup: I like the cinnamon stick and flag detail.
Jack-o-lantern Cheese Sandwiches: I want one. Use some nice thickly sliced cheddar to make your life a little easier.
Turkey Chili Bar: everyone loves a chili bar.
Arrange your crudite in the shape of a pumpkin, it will get messed up pretty quickly but it was cute while it lasted.
Look at that cheeseball. I dig it. Stick a stalk of celery on top and call it a pumpkin.
Sugar Free Carrot Cake: Call me what you will (no fun, a killjoy) but I just couldn’t stomach feeding my bebes a super sugary cake on their first birthday. Sure they’ve tried a spoonful of ice cream here and there, but they’re still not on the sugar train- I’m hoping to keep them off of it for as long as I can. I baked the bebes this carrot cake (with finely chopped raisins) with this cream cheese frosting. All sugar free, no Stevia- only honey which is a great substitute provided they are not allergic.
Apple Cider Donut Cake: For the adults, not that you don’t have enough sweets on the table, but again what good is a pumpkin patch party without an apple cider donut? I would stack your donuts in a tower-shaped cake so that guests can pick their donut of choice. It’s cakey, it’s fall-like, it’s kind of the perfect cake.
Pumpkin Pie in a Jar- this is genius. If this is your child’s 1st birthday party, let’s face it, his or her friends don’t need a favor, but their parents do. I love the detail of the wooden spoon as well.
DRINK:
In addition to the juice, milk and water for the kids, serve a little mulled apple cider, beer and wine.
The Beer:
Pumpkin Ale, of course. If you read this blog, you know I am on a pumpkin ale kick. Offer some of the usual suspects too. I would definitely serve up the Cinnamon Pumpkinhead that I featured yesterday. Simple, easy and festive. This is a no-bartender-required drink. Just rim the glasses with sugar, fill a few with pumpkin ale and leave the rest in your ice bucket. The guests will know what to do and you won’t have to fret making drinks.
The Vino:
Keep it simple. There are probably lots of sweet treats on the table so you don’t want anything too tannic or super dry. Your best choice is a sparkling- I always say, the bubbly is your best friend, it will go with everything. I would serve up a good and inexpensive Cava or Cremant. Have a few bottles of white and red on hand too, just in case your guest don’t like bubbles (who in the world that might be, I’m not sure but you never know). I would go with a For vino, I would stock my bar with a pretty floral white like a Southern French blend, a Vinho Verde from Portugal would be perfect too. For reds, I would keep it light and not too dry. A Beaujolais Cru or Red Burgundy would be nice. Head to your favorite wine shop and ask for good representations of the following wines:
Spanish Cava
Vinho Verde
Languedoc White Blend
Beaujolais Cru
PLAY:
Paint Your Pumpkins: more fun and less hazardous than carving, let the kiddos get creative (and messy), I love the fluorescent paint.
Candy Corn Toss: so cute and fun. Just pick up a piece of plywood, paint and cutout. Small beanbags for the toss can be found here.
Red Wagon Hay Rides: this is a must. If you don’t have a radio flyer wagon, pick one up for “hay rides” around your backyard (if you have one, if not you could try pulling the little ones through your living room- I’m sure it’s been done). Throw a couple of small pumpkins and some hay in there and call it a day. Instant entertainment.
Bobbing for Apples: it just never gets old, does it and it’s always funny.
Pin the Patch on the Scarecrow: this one comes straight from my brain. Stuff a scarecrow and hitch him to your fence (again, if you have a yard- if not, your fireplace? your bolted-into-the-wall bookshelf?). Fashion a little fabric patch for his pocket and play.
And that’s all she wrote (and found). Let me know what you think? I’d love to hear of any other ideas you might have for this party. Happy Birthday Lola!
{Images and Credits: Pumpkin Butter Quick Bread Bars: Garnish with Lemon, Pumpkin Cake Pops: The Squeaky Grocery Cart, Pumpkin Pull Apart Cake: Kate Sears, Peanut Butter Pumpkins: Paper Jewels, Candy Corn toss and Pumpkin Place Setting: Frog Prince Paperie, Bar Setup: bjdhausdesign, Pumpkin and Roses Party: hostess with the mostess blog, DIY lanterns, Pumpkin Party Cooler, Glitter Pumpkins, Celestial Pumpkins, Autumn Luminarias, Squash Jack-O-Lanterns: MarthaStewart.com, Wagon: SouthernHospitality blog, tin bar and bucket: Better Homes and Gardens, Pumpkin Ice Bucket: Southern Living, Tin trash can table: Better Homes and Gardens, Thermoses- Better Homes and Gardens, Pumpkin Cheese Sandwich: Better Homes and Gardens, Pumpkin Cheeseball and Flowerpot Pumpkin: Kara’s Party Ideas & Michelle Levesque, Pumpkin Pie in a Jar and Shot Glass Soup: Melody Appel at Innove Events, Haystack Table: Frost Me Blog, S’Mores Pops: Ali Ebright, Chalk Painted Pumpkins: perfectly imperfect blog, Pumpkin Veggie: homemadecrap, Haystack Seating: babybalice, Apple Cider Float: Rachel Ray magazine, Metallic Pumpkins: The Handmade Home, Candy Corn Jello Shots: That’s So Michelle, Apple Cider Donuts: Smitten Kitchen}
This one comes from my sister in law, mixologist extraordinaire, Lauren Crandall. She served this up last weekend at a family gathering to much fanfare. Simple and easy, I thought it was delicious too- so seasonal and share-worthy.
The Cinnamon Pumpkinhead- pumpkin ale with a cinnamon sugar rim. That’s it, easy peasy. Made with Shipyard Pumpkinhead Ale, the beer itself is the perfect balance of spice and sweet and rimmed with cinnamon sugar, it’s a festive, fun and a hit with a crowd. This would be fun to serve to the parents at your Halloween party, not hard-hitting enough to impair your parental judgement but stiff enough to take the edge off the kiddos’ decibel level. This one’s also great for a Saturday college game day- bumps up your beer drinking to a whole new level.
Easy enough to put together, the tough part is locating the Shipyard Ale. I found it here at Total Wine. If you can’t find it, any Pumpkin Ale will do. I am partial to Brooklyn Brewery’s Post Road Pumpkin Ale.
What You Need:
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/3 Cup White Granulated Sugar
Shipyard Pumpkinhead Ale or another tasty Pumpkin Ale
A Wide-Mouthed Stemmed Glass- it’s always all about the glassware isn’t it. A good glass makes everything taste delicious.
What You Do:
1. Combine the cinnamon and sugar in a bowl and whisk together.
2. Wet the rim of the glass with a bit of the ale.
3. Dip your glass into the bowl and turn as the cinnamon sugar adheres to it.
4. Pour the Pumpkin Ale into the sugar rimmed glass and voilá.
We headed out to Arcadia Farm in Alexandria this weekend to partake in the feast and wonder that is, Outstanding in the Field. I’ve been swooning over images of this touring outdoor dinner party for years and this year we decided to treat ourselves. We met some fantastic new friends and dined in perfect weather among the greens, beehives, chickens and ripe produce of the farm. The Arcadia leg of the Outstanding tour has showcased the culinary talents of Kyle Bailey and Tiffany MacIsaac of DC’s Birch and Barley for the past three years, this year being their three-peat. We feasted on goat wrapped in goat, chicken thigh confit pasta with cockscomb, corn, and fresh herbs (my favorite dish of the evening), sunchoke soup with pickled red apples and marjoram, tons of freshly picked and roasted veggies- grilled cucumber a standout, and the piéce de resistance, S’Mores toasted at the table. Here’s the menu- read it and weep:
For me the most unique part of the dinner- aside from dining IN the very farm that most of the meal came from- was the craft beer pairing courtesy of Greg Engert and Bluejacket DC, Birch and Barley’s latest offering. We tasted through suds that had yet to be poured even for the Bluejacket staff. Big stuff and seriously good. I overhead a couple bemoaning the beer pairing at the beginning of the dinner. “We’re just not beer drinkers”, they worried aloud. By the end of the night, not a drop of their drink was left in their high stemmed wine glasses, I rather enjoyed watching that happen. I also enjoyed drinking those crafty brews from said wine glasses, a nice touch. I highly recommend an outing to Bluejacket once they are open for business. My favorite brew of the night- the Belgian Blond, Bluejacket & De Struise Batch. They are still in the process of naming their new beers, a process that Mr. Engert admits is highly stressful, so if you go- just ask for the Belgian Blond. I found it to be beautifully aromatic with notes of white flowers, wild herbs and a hint of clove- very smooth with light hops. They were actually all fantastic, but my new friends and I agreed that a permanently planted bottomless keg of the Belgian Blond in our kitchens (or garage if you’re ‘burby) would be a very good idea.
Outstanding in the Field was founded by Chef Jim Denevan, a guy who loves food, loves to cook and even more, just wanted to find a way to do what he loved and spend as much time as possible surfing the Santa Cruz break. He came up with the idea of hosting outdoor dinner parties at the site of the local farms his restaurant did business with. The outdoor dinners instantly took off, Jim bought a ’53 Flexible bus and went on the road. The rest is history. Outstanding now plays 48 farms, beaches and plains across America from late spring through early fall. They partner with local farms, organizations and communities that are helping to support the food crisis that our nation faces.
Arcadia Farm has proven to be a perfect partner in this mission. After walking the farm and hearing Arcadia’s own story, I came home and immediately became a donor. I love their mission. Their Mobile Market manages to feed and supply fresh produce to a huge population of DC’s inner city while hosting a slew of free cooking classes. Just as Outstanding’s mission is to reconnect diners with the land and the original source of their food, Arcadia’s is to furnish that food in a sustainable manner to those that may not have access to it. Cool.
As the sun set on our very long table, the candles came out and the scene turned romantic and twinkly- just the way I like it. Giddy from the deliciousness of everything, the arrival of the cherry lambic marshmallows, toasting sticks, and chocolate dipped graham crackers were set on the table, immediately set us all into the 8 year-old version of ourselves. Passing and sharing the flame across the table, it was fun sharing such a childlike and intimate moment with newfound friends. What a great way to end an evening.
When one of my best girls sent me photos of her recent birthday dinner, I knew I had to share. This is not your ordinary birthday dinner folks. Nope. But it can be- and that’s why I wanted to post.
My girl Kristen’s friends asked her what she wanted for her birthday and she told them: “An outdoor dinner- friends, husbands, babysitters, candles, potluck style”. So these girls joined forces to create a spectacular evening for Kristen on their neighborhood beach in Rowayton, Connecticut.
Now let’s talk about Rowayton aka Pleasantville, as I like to call it. This place is crazy. I went to visit Kristen about a year after she’d moved to said Lovely Town, U.S.A. and could not believe its charm. In one afternoon, not one, not two, but three neighbors casually stopped by her front porch to say hi and it doesn’t stop there- they were actually hand delivering freshly baked goods. Yes, it’s true. Places like this do exist. A sleepy little waterfront town in Connecticut, most have never heard of NYC commuter-friendly Rowayton, it is pleasant indeed. I love the local seafood shack, pizzeria and ice cream shops- they’re right out of a Rockwell painting. The town is dotted with lovely homes and shorelines, one of the loveliest of those lines pictured here at their beachy-chic gathering.
So, let’s talk about this dinner party. With the babies in bed, these five couples pulled together a memorable and beautiful night. I wanted to share how easy it is to throw together a gorgeous outdoor evening. Take advantage of the few warm evenings we have left this year and plan a picnic-chic dinner party with a little help from your friends. You don’t need a beach- although it doesn’t hurt- just a picnic table will do.
These guys collaborated to create a delicious menu. Each couple brought either a cocktail, side or dessert while Kristen and her hubby Kurt brought their infamous perfectly grilled salmon as the main course.
The table was effortlessly styled with lovely blue linens, silverware, fresh flowers, and hurricane vases for lots of ambient light (lighting is everything as we all know). They left the fragile glassware at home and kept it simple opting for the trusty plastic cup. I absolutely love the way it looks. Bravo ladies and gents.
It’s always the little things that make a big difference in an ordinary day. I recently wrote about the pretty flowers my neighbor left me for my birthday on my doorstep- simple, pretty wild flowers in a tiny mason jar- totally made my day.
Seven Simple Things you can do to brighten up your routine:
1. Put your makeup brushes in a pretty used candle votive.
It just looks nice and doesn’t cost you anything- even better.
2. Hang a pretty print or inspiring photo next to your dressing area or at your workspace.
I spied this suggestion via Cupcakes and Cashmere. I love these baby animal prints by Sharon Montrose. They have been all over Pinterest forever and still bring a smile to my face.
3. Find a bench and take a seat. Make a point to take a walk and sit down for at least 10 minutes without your IPhone in hand. No instagramming, no texting, no pinning, no facebooking and tweeting allowed- it’s a tall order, right. Just sit and look at your pretty neighborhood or town for a few minutes, take the time to people watch and take in a few minutes of fresh air. This one is hard for me to do but I’m so happy when I do- it’s my mini version of meditation and especially good when the kiddos have fallen asleep in the stroller.
4. Pour yourself a glass of bubbly before dinner.
I opt for Cremant because it’s delicious and inexpensive for bubbly. I am partial to Trader Joe’s Blason de Bourgogne Cremant Rosé because it’s good and about $8. I little bubbly always gives you a little lift especially at the end of the day, no?
5. Send an old school handwritten note.
It doesn’t have to be a long one. It can just say hi, I miss you. Your pal will so appreciate it, I love these. I almost never do this but it’s so easy.
6. Bake cookies for a friend.
Just because. Who doesn’t like a plate of freshly baked cookies? I am digging these salted dark chocolate chip walnut cookies that I recently baked and posted in a chipwich version. The cookies alone are ridiculous- seriously the best damn cookies I have ever made (or eaten for that matter- commence pat on the back). Your friend will LOVE them. I know you may be sighing like “who has time to bake cookies”- but these only take about 30 minutes max.
7. Pick up some sunflowers at your local farmer’s market.
I almost never do this as I consider it kind of an extravagance, I’m not sure why as they’re pretty cheap, but it really makes me happy when I have them on my dining table.
Former showgirl, forever travel junkie, sometime sommelier, and mom to twin bebes. This little blog is a mixed bag of tasting notes, travels, tales of motherhood, and current musings. Thank you for stopping by. Cin Cin! (photo by Amy Dickerson for Anthology Magazine)
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