SUMMERTIME COOKING

It was 100F outside, and no, our house does NOT have central air.  So, why NOT "take to the kitchen" and start cooking for a dinner party? 

We were having one couple for dinner. But, you have to understand here, I don't really cook any more. Oh, I make the standard fare: salads, lots of fish, corn on the cob, various pastas with a variety of sauces...that kind of thing. But I find, these days, I have too much to do to spend quality time in the kitchen.

So, this was going to be fun. Choosing what to make is always a treat. And this time, I knew exactly where to go for ideas: Lindaraxa's Garden! This is a blog  (not your average blog!) written by a very old and dear friend of mine, Julieta Cadenas. Julieta has an unusual background: she and her family emigrated from Cuba in 1960 and no, she has not returned since.  We met in high school, then we didn't see or talk to each other for many, many years(wouldn't you just love to know how many...) and about two years ago we became friends again. What initially drew us together were our Westies! Westie lovers are a tight knit bunch.  My Westie, Sunday, still lives on in spirit, and Julieta's Westie, Lucy, is very much alive and well and just so adorable. For more on her, go to My Kitchen By The Lake and see some wonderful pictures, along with more great recipes!

So, it was decided. We would have 

Spinach & Cucumber Soup (cold)

The Four Season's Chicken & Shrimp Curry

Savannah Sponge Cake with Madeira Sauce

First I played around with the table. Here's the basic place setting:

 

I put some small remekins, filled with water and a nasturtium flower and leaf, at each place. These could also double as finger bowls! My nice glass bowls are packed (already) so this is what I had available....

 

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Served the cold soup during cocktails, in my Royal Worcester demi-tasse cups:

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Our guests, enjoying it all!

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Flowers for the table: I used three small terra cotta containers. These are actually French yogurt cups! and are just perfect for flowers. Next time you are in France, be sure to collect some!

  


  

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All the flowers are from my garden (she says, proudly...)

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The cake was out of this world! Fresh peaches were a great addition...

These dessert plates, and the green ones at the top, are from Dieulefit, France, one of the many ceramic "meccas" of southern France. 

  

Thank you, Julieta, for all your help!

IF ONLY

If only I could be here right now...

I mean, in North Hero, Vermont

We went, for the first time, last summer. Same time, same week. And we were going to go again this summer...but plans change, and now we're getting ready to move, and it just isn't possible to go.

Hopefully, next summer.

Here are some pictures from a year ago: some of you may remember one or two of them from this blog, when it was brand new, about that same time!

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If you want to find out more, go to the North Hero House Inn

or the North Hero town site. You'll be glad you did!

TRENDY MONDAY: POUFS

So, what exactly IS a pouf?

Here are some definitions I found on line:

a thick cushion used as a seat
a women's hair style
a part of a garment gathered into a puff

Let's go with the first one... and you will see that they are VERY much a trend and are seen all over design-land.

I'm still on the fence with poufs...not too sure about them. In one sense they seem to be just another unnecessary, extraneous accessory to add to general clutter. Do we really need this piece of fluff?

Ok, on the other hand, they DO make sense! It's always nice to put your feet up; in fact, I am always sitting on our sofa just because it has a nice, sturdy, feet-up-on-me table in front of it. And, of course, they make a great extra seat or casual stool. Some of them can even accomodate a tray for food.

Here are some room settings showing poufs:

from the formal to the sublime!

{house beautiful}

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the white/neutral interior we are seeing so much of lately, with that great splash of orange (it's all in the details, right?)

{my home ideas}

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serene, peaceful, calming, formal: and then, the pink pouf!

{decorpad}

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gray and yellows; hmmm, haven't we been seeing these around?

{decorpad}

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love it, love it: in your face color!

{niken}

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and from West Elm: the classic look

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{reihldesigns}

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just like the fireworks, we will end with the biggest, brightest of them all:

{Interior }

I was going to go on and show you the blogs that have either mentioned or featured poufs, but maybe I'll save that for another time. Tell me(us) what you think of them, whether you use them, and if you think they have a future!

RHINEBECK, NEW YORK

It's the buzz around here:

      Is Chelsea Clinton getting married in Rhinebeck?

When I started working on this post, a few weeks ago, "the buzz" hadn't really started. I was going to start off with "What is Rhinebeck best known for?" and give you the answer:  The Beekman Arms hotel. But now that a few weeks have passed , that's not quite right, or true!

Lots of speculation; lots of gossip; lots of stories and Clinton sightings. Word has it that the wedding will take place in Rhinebeck,N.Y. at Astor Courts on July 31. But then again, Martha's Vineyard could just be the place, and Rhinebeck the red herring!

Thursday morning:

Update: It's been confirmed: the wedding is definitely in Rhinebeck at Astor Courts..

 

Have you ever been to Rhinebeck? To the Hudson Valley? 

Rhinebeck Village is located about 100 miles north of New York City, about a mile East of the Hudson River. It's where we always head for a really good dinner out; nothing where we are compares. I think my favorite restaurant, and one that is consistenly good, is Gigi.

Their arugula salad with shaved parmesan and lemon juice is simply the best!

 

One of, if not the only, best independent movie theatres for miles around is Upstate Films.

 The sign above is for "I Am Love" which we just saw last week: rave reviews from all the critics we trust...well, we weren't so crazy about it. Have you seen it? 

Here are some random views of the village:

 
 

 
  

 

 

This is one of the great places in Rhinebeck! A.L. Stickle's Five & Dime Store. Truly one of a kind. Nothing has been redone since it opened in this location in 1951... I think it's the creaky wooden floors that make the place; that and the sort of old, musty smell that reminds some of us of childhood days in the old Woolworth's of our hometowns. When my daughter was small we bought her so many wonderful presents here: the miniature food boxes and packets, wrapped in a net, that went into her mini-grocery cart and were "sold" in her mini store front at home. She absolutely delighted in coming here, just as I still do! 

  

Then there is The Rug Garden, owned and operated by my friend Deb. Take a look her site for some really gorgeous rugs.

 
 

Every Sunday, from May through November, is the Farmers Market. Now this is a farmer's market! 

   

So, in the grand scheme of things, it really doesn't matter if Chelsea gets married here....the village has so much to offer. I haven't even mentioned Hammertown Barn, Oblong Books, Le Petit Bistro, Bread Alone, Blue Cashew Kitchen: the list goes on. Come and see for yourself! 

P.S.  Well, apparently presents have started to arrive at Astor Courts, so.....maybe it really IS Rhinebeck. Do you care?

ATLANTA ATTITUDE PART II

Today I'll introduce you to some of the exhibitors (new to me) that I saw at the Mart. With an added treat at the very end! 

For those of you not familiar with the Mart, there are three buildings and now, one of them has a "West Wing"...they are all six to eighteen stories high with showrooms for the permanent exhibitors or booths for the temporaries. Oh yes, there are elevators, but woe to you if you are in a hurry! The endless waits for the crowded elevators; easier, by far, to go up or down by escalator. 

So let's get started: 

We'll begin with John Lane Designs. Saturday morning, bright and early, I headed over to Building 1, home of rugs, textiles, antiques and all the temporary booths. First floor I stepped out on was filled with wonderful, unique, recycled antiques. 

John Lane's Vintage Studios "specializes in reinterpreting ornamental antique wrought iron" and in "recrafting" these pieces. Nice description. Here are just a few of his wonderful pieces. The best part was that he is based in Durham, North Carolina, very very near where I will be moving in the next few months! I'll be seeing you, John, for a new(old) garden gate....

great table made from a bank rail!

 

lamp made from a railroad spring

table base from a truck spring:

 

 
 
 Then across the aisle to Industrial-Chic:

 

Chris works in San Francisco, where he "specializes in unique industrial furniture for the Home/Loft/Office."

Next on the schedule, a(nother)walk through the many floors in Building 2. I had seen Peacock Park Design the day before, went to their website that night and went back to visit and talk to Gina, founder and partner. 

Peacock Park is a distributor "of European chic home decor; decorative accessories for the home and garden with an antique inspired edge."

 

printed bamboo mats:

melamine dinnerware:

all kinds of letter and words:

  

And last, but certainly NOT least, was the "Entertaining in Style" talk from the one and only Eddie Ross.

 

What is it about Eddie? He is endearing. He speaks well. He explains carefully. He's clever, of course. But it's more than all that: he's a nice person. I know, it sounds corny. Eddie has so many friends and fans: he must be doing something right! Rebecca and I had front row seats, and I picked up some great tips for entertaining (effortlessly, he says...I wonder...) We are entertaining this Friday evening, so maybe I'll try some new, very clever, Eddie-like, table accessories!