How can it possibly almost be the Fourth of July? Wasn't I just writing about what to bring and what to wear to a Memorial Day picnic? The Fourth to me is the essence of summer - abundant sunshine, strappy sundresses and sandals, cold drinks, simple barbecue fare, sparklers, bonfires, family, and friends. And nothing … Continue reading Fourth Favorites
Entertaining
Cast Iron Cooking
I love cooking in cast iron and have used my Le Creuset dutch oven to make everything from slow-braised osso buco to thick, rich bolognese. The problem is that my trusty little pot, while still in great shape, is too small to hold dinner for a crowd. So I was thrilled to find this beauty … Continue reading Cast Iron Cooking
What to Bring: Mini Carrot Cakes
Memorial Day is almost here, so I've been working on what I will bake and take to a barbecue this weekend. My mother makes the best carrot cake on the planet. A cake so mouthwateringly perfect that you cannot resist cutting a thin slice and popping it into your mouth sans plate each time you … Continue reading What to Bring: Mini Carrot Cakes
Memorial Day Picnic
cashmere sweater, $188 Melissa Odabash striped bathing suit, $190 7 For All Mankind low rise short shorts, $180 Aubin Wills canvas tote bag, $110 Wicker Picnic Basket, $350 click on image for links to recipes and photos
dining al fresco
This spectacular weather has me ready to move it outside. Who's in? click on each image for photo credits and recipes
What to Give
Last weekend we had the pleasure of entertaining good friends from out of town, and they arrived with a beautiful basket overflowing with goodies for the whole family. Their gift reminded me of something cookbook author and consummate hostess Ina Garten once said - that the best gifts are those that can be used and … Continue reading What to Give
Flower Lust
The flowers for this weekend's dinner party were insanely gorgeous and I cannot take credit. Molly Flavin, the amazing florist and owner of Molly Flavin Floral Designs, filled our house with the lush and fragrant blooms of spring. Peonies, ranunculus, hydrangea, grape hyacinth, and cherry blossom branches - all favorites - provided the perfect backdrop … Continue reading Flower Lust
Anatomy of a Dinner Party
I am sitting at the dining room table with my favorite cookbooks strewn about and Martha's Entertaining open wide, taunting with gorgeous tablescape imagery. As I plan the menu for a dinner we are hosting next weekend, I am thinking not only of the ingredients for my dishes, but also of the ones that comprise … Continue reading Anatomy of a Dinner Party
the aesthete and the dilettante 