Lights by the pool...

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First off I wanted to say Thank you for all of your lovely comments on entertaining!  I always want to but it is hard to get everyone on board.  Maybe I need to just invite you guys over instead!  

As I am sure you have heard we are in the process of working on a big project for ourselves here.  We are putting in a pool and I am so excited about the possibilities.  I love the idea of lighting outside the pool, candles on the deck, lights in the trees so moody and beautiful when reflected in the water.  

Even though it is not the center of attention here I love it! 

 Do you have a pool?  

Have you ever done this when entertaining outside? 

 I can hardly wait! 

 

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Dinner with friends...

 

I am always curious- do you entertain?  Do you often have dinner with friends?  I always see beautiful images of big dinners with wine and wonderful food, beautiful flowers and lovely menus.  Do you do this?  I always want to belong to a great group of people who gather together to share a wonderful long meal but I never seem to make the time to do so.  

If you do gather with friends I have some questions.. 

Do you do it often?

Do you enjoy it?

How do you get people to participate and return the favor?

amazing images via

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Christmas table...

 

Living in California at Christmastime can be such a gift.  We are often able to spend the day in the sunshine outside with family.  I don't know that I have ever had a white Christmas and who knows if I ever will, that's okay with me for now.  I saw this beautiful table setting and I fell in love with it and how simply beautiful it was.

Wishing you and yours a very wonderful holiday!

 

All images via Style me Pretty

 

peppermint bark..

 

I have been waiting all week to make some peppermint bark...  I saw this from Sweet Paul and needed to give it a whirl.  We are having friends over for a cookie decorating party so I somehow have to get the house decorated {then clean up}, make dinner for 8 and actually be dressed before they arrive.. should be interesting.  But in the morning first thing I think I will make a little sweet treat!

 

There are several variations on the theme but I am going to go simple and keep it straight forward.   Maybe next time we will try out the pretzel sticks...

all of the recipes are in the links..

 

 

Pimlico Magazine {thank you}

  I wanted to say a big thank you to Pimlico magazine for including me along with the other wonderful bloggers in their Winter 2012 issue.  They asked me to share some of my holiday table setting ideas and I think that setting the table can be one of the best parts of entertaining so I was happy to put together some of my favorites!  I offered a little sneak peek a few weeks back and here is the final result. Hopefully my schedule will allow for some entertaining this holiday season that I can share with you here on the blog too.  This issue is full of great ideas from wrapping to what to wear, check it out here.  

 

Here are a few other shots from that day.  It is always fun to have a little photo shoot!

 

Perfect in pink...

 

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Just a little something girly to inspire you on a Sunday morning to have some fun!

 

entertaining ideas

 

Last weekend's dinner got me thinking... there are a lot of great entertaining ideas out there that I think we should be sharing.  What do you think?  Do you have some tips that make your dinners and brunches with family and friends just that little bit more special or just down right perfect?  

Do you want to share them with us?

someone pointed out that those are the bodega glasses in persimmon on the table- some of my favorites!

 

 

Farm to table {a wonderful evening}

On Saturday I was lucky enough to attend a wonderful dinner hosted by Andrea @ French Basketeer.  It was a beautiful evening with perfect weather and an amazing meal.  We were welcomed by the candle lit stairway and walked into the heart of the space, a covered loggia.  Everything was just perfect from the rosemary in the ice buckets (I will be using that one thank you very much!) to the singer who entertained us for the evening.  

A beautiful table with vintage dishes, silverware and linens.

 It is all in the details...  the water bottles were to die for!  These are the Christian Lacroix glass bottles for Evian. 

Andrea made a wonderful meal that I am still telling my family about.  I must make that Burrata with peach and tomato.  

I will say that the desert table was my next favorite.  Each creation was a wonderful temptress, and the display was really perfection.

 

It was so perfect to get a chance to talk with Andrea after the meal and meet her sweet little babies.  Andrea, it was beautiful and the food was fantastic, thank you for including me!   

I love a good party and this one was filled with a great group, great food and in a beautiful setting.  I think that each time we visit with another we have the opportunity to learn so much and take a bit of that experience along with us to share with others. It is also an amazing thing to meet people through blogging and be invited into their lives and homes in such a special way, who would have guessed what a small world this has become.

 

Summer evenings.

 

Summer nights are made for entertaining don't think?  I love all of the candlelight and those sweet garden chairs, casual linens and the relaxed garden.

This is so perfect!

 

 

By Invitation Only: A June wedding...

 

I am sure every bride would say that there are things they would have changed about their wedding.  There are so many ways I would have done things differently!  

I was young and pretty simple at the time...

So here is my now wedding if I was to do it again...

 

gorgeous hand done invitations are a must and I would love to have a wedding in Paris of course... but maybe some where a little bit more quaint more sheltered out in the French countryside ...

 Amazing hand made maps to send the guests straight to us.

Always appetizers and cocktails.. Maybe even break tradition and start before the ceremony just to loosen up the crowd..

Beautiful places to sit make conversation and relax..

 

A simply beautiful dress..

 Relaxed gorgeous hair..

 

 A little color with peonies..

 

Out door seating with candle light.... a small party for close friends only.. not everyone we have ever met!

 An amazing cake..  cake is one of the best parts!

 

And more than anything I would remember to have fun..

 

Sweets for each guest along with beautiful delicious food. Maybe I could convince Eddy Rocq to come to France to cater for me?

click on the images to be taken to the sites or check them all out here..

Vintage rentals from found

macarons from Rocq Catering

See what the other ladies are up to here..