It's All About the Presentation

A simple menu was prepared for Jessica's bridal shower- so simple that Lynda and I were able to prepare most of it the day before the shower. A chutney chicken salad was the main ingredient, which we saved time by having our local grocery store roast the chicken breasts for us. A fun project was creating the beautiful ice bucket of fresh flowers and ferns. We used it to serve the champagne for the signature Strawberry Lemonade Champagne Cocktail. Our 3 ingredient mousse was garnished with edible gold leaf, sugared roses, and sugar pearls. The beautiful little cakes were purchased from a french bakery in the city, Vanille Patisserie. This menu was easy to do and allowed us the time to do one of our favorite things- setting a pretty table.

The Color Purple

I am not sure what happened that caused the color purple to be so obviously present at the Bridal shower on Sunday. Guests were inspired to bring many beautifully wrapped gifts, and it seemed purple was a popular color. In a very romantic combination, tulle, rhinestones, feathers and purple flowers all created a purple feast for the eyes. Purple roses crowned the cherub statue on the buffet, while a rhinestone crown peaked out of the top. Beet Tartines on a silver tray added a bold purple color to the array of appetizers. The mother of the bride, the maid of honor and the bride looked simply purplelicious in a purple haze of color. And as I looked out to my garden, it seemed that I had planted mostly purple flowers this year. Maybe purple is the color of the season!

Jessica gets Crowned!

Bridal showers are girls time to connect, to get to talk, the time to appreciate just being female. Crowns can be worn with abandonment, flowers can be abundant, and female conversation is the way of the day. The day was beautiful, conversation flowed and the day meandered on to be a restful day.. People sat on the porch, ate lunch, drank wine and relaxed and enjoyed the soft breeze. The Plack girls did wear their crowns, but details to come on that detail and this shower tomorrow. Don't they look great?

Bridal Shower Pieces of the Puzzle

Spending the day cleaning silver and setting the table is very therapeutic, especially when all the doors are open and the fresh air is coming in. I'm getting the elements together for the bridal shower we will have on Sunday. It's for Jessica, the daughter of one of the Romancing the Home girls, Katha. I'm trying to keep some of it a surprise for the mother of the bride, so I'll just show some of the elements of the table. How they go together will be revealed on Sunday! Wine's in the fridge chilling, champagne is on it's side for the signature cocktail, and we are just waiting for the flowers. There's cooking to do on Saturday, but otherwise we are pretty organized! Sunday is going to be beautiful.I can't wait for the day- close friends getting together to shower a new bride with love, gifts, and lot's of free advice!

Paris comes to Chicago

On Friday, Julie A. and I went to the new Chicago French Marketplace. We wanted to explore ideas for an upcoming bridal shower that we are having this weekend. In general, the market was lively, in particular, Pastoral Artisan Cheeses. They were making delectable sandwiches, in unusual combinations- figs, blue cheese and prosciutto on french baguettes - over 20 different sandwich combinations to choose from. We purchased fresh goat cheese from them - from a farm in southern Illinois. We will use it in a lemon infused goat cheese appetizer for the shower. Bread artisans were abundant, and the bread was truly works of art. A cinnamon apple focaccia went home with Julie. Supposedly she was giving it to her mother in law - but I wonder if that happened?????? Pastries from the Vanille Patisserie went home with me, and I can tell you that I did not give them to anyone. The beautiful confections were devoured by my family that night and they were divine. However, I did purchase exquisite handmade truffles from Canady Le Chocolatier for the shower. Metallic coatings, lavender and white chocolate, and beautiful rose shapes- I just hope that they make it to Sunday - I've seen my son peaking in those boxes several times!

Kentucky Derby Luncheon on the Terrace

Lunch on the terrace was the theme of our last table on our recent home tour. Outside on the terrace, we used the home owner's hats to create a whimsical table. Using towers, we filled the layers with rose petals and chocolate ganache cupcakes embellished with red roses. Rhinestone pins held the angel vine and lamb's ear to the white napkins. The new pattern of dinnerware from Arte Italica was mixed with our red bubble glass stemware and antique tin salad bowls from France. . The vintage flatware works great with the Arte Italica dinnerware. White linen tablecloths with a black linen band on the bottom added a crisp note to the overall table. This setting looked exquisite against the home owner's beautifully landscaped backyard.

Little Red Touches for the Derby Dinner

- A Post Race Dinner Party - that was the theme of the formal table at our recent fundraiser home tour. A fresh moss base held a grapevine root, which we layered with red roses, white hydrangea, and ferns. Antique Rosenthal china on silver chargers, were embellished with red silk organdy napkins, tied with velvet bands and rhinestone horseshoes. Menu cards, using a Spencerian horse graphic from the graphics fairy, described the southern style Derby meal. Antique gold etched compotes held white oriental lilies filled with red raspberries. Brilliant cut crystal decanters were placed on the table to serve your choice of fine Kentucky bourbons. The buffet held a Flemish inspired floral bouquet and was enhanced by the fresh fruit display in the silver compotes. A Chocolate cake topped with red raspberries and a lily was added to the buffet!