Guest posting over at Haus Design-"My last supper"

Hi and happy Monday  and Martin Luther King day to you. Hope you had a great weekend. Ours was quite relaxing, dinners with friends, had some friends over for drinks, a little retail therapy, a few movies. My kind of weekend! And to boot, my wish is finally coming true...we are getting snow, woo hoo! We are also getting frigid temps, that could be record setting (not part of my deal but nothing I can do) however I am sooo excited about getting snow, a bit tonight and possibly a lot on Friday......  I am delighted to be over at one of my blogging buddies blogs today, Haus Design. I know many of you know stylsih sweet Barbara and her beautiful blog that always has something beautiful to share, espeically her "al fresco" pictures, they are bar none and I have gotten oodles of inspiration from her blog!  I was so excited about her idea to have different bloggers post about what they would do for their " Last supper". It made for a really interesting post and I so enjoyed putting it together. So....please do stop over and visit us!  I promise its really fun and entertaining. Hope to see you over there! Click here to visit. A few hints of my post.......... 

  And reminder....one more day to enter the shoe ottoman giveaway from Safavieh. 

 Click here to go to Sundays post to leave a comment and be eligible. I will announce a lucky winner tomorrow. Have a wonderful Monday and a fabulous start to your week! 

Guest posting at The Buzz blog and dough bowls!

Happy Friday morning!  I am delighted to be over at the  chic blog, The Buzz . Surely many of you already follow them, so I do hope you will visit me there. Carolyn was so kind to ask me to guest post, I chose to talk about easy ways  to  add holiday cheer into your home. I have been busy, doing a little holiday decorating every day and for me, this is a first! I normally do not even begin until mid December, so to have done even what I have done so far is a big deal......another perk of blogging, the "pressure" to get things done! Here's a sneak peek..sure hope to see you there!

  

And for all of you who had inquired about the smaller sized dough bowls, I unexpectedly got a small shipment yesterday of another batch of beauties. My vendor had them set aside for someone else who could not go through with the purchase so I got them! Here they are, they are on average 23-24" and there is one really large round one about 20" round. These are as pretty as they get! Email me here if interested.

See you over there! Wishing you a wonderful day...thanks for stopping in. Be sure to check back tomorrow.....going to do an updates post tomorrow and am doing a really awesome giveaway! Happy Friday to you:)

Buzz on over.........Click here to visit me at The Buzz!

 

Guest posting today at TG Interiors!

Good evening!  I am back, and had such a GREAT time in gorgeous jewel like Palm Beach. Three full days just wasn't enough which means I must go back and soon! I  took as many pictures as I could without looking like an obsessed tourist (which I was). And will share with you later in the week. But in the meantime...I am so happy to be visiting one of my favorite blogs tonight, the always beautiful TG Interiors, yes that pretty place that belongs to Julie and Danni. It is  where they post all about gorgeous interiors, many of which are their own droolworthy design projects. If you are not already a fan, I suggest you get over there pronto!

They asked me to do a guest post to talk about how I got started blogging, what my thoughts and advice are on the matter and then how things evolved to me opening an online store and my thoughts and suggestions on that as well. I was only too happy to share when they asked so I sure hope you will stop on over and visit us there!! Here's a sampling of all the beauty that is de rigueur over at TG Interiors. See you over there...........click here to visit.

I am sure these pictures have you wanting to head there now...so click here to be transported over! Thanks for stopping in and be back tomorrow! Thanks Julie and Danni!

NEW SERIES- A perfect fall day with Leslie of Trouver le Soleil!

Good morning to you! As I had mentioned when I closed my summer series with my own take on a perfect summer day.......I am starting a new series but with the glorious season of fall as the inspiration. So today I am presenting my newest series,  " A perfect fall day with......".What season is prettier, more refreshing or inspirational than fall? To me its the ultimate season for all your senses to come alive!

I am thrilled to "christen" this series with Leslie, blogger extraordinaire and wonderful taste maker, you know her from Trouver le Soleil   and if you don't then you must! Click here to visit her fabulous blog where she gabs about everything from her trips around the world, to skincare tips, great girlfriend getaways,  fashion, fun "girls stuff"  and interior design. You can be sure you will learn something new and see something super stylish  when visiting Leslie and I so enjoy my weekly visits over there. I was happy to hear her take on a perfect fall day and I must say its total perfection! So here we go, take it away Leslie........

________________________________

Hi Tina!  Thanks so much for inviting me to participate in this fun series!

One word that comes to mind when I think of fall…… The smell of hot apple cider  

One of the most wonderful things about fall is....... the beginning of a season that celebrates family and friendship!  Having friends and family around is very important to me and having frequent house guest is part of our life style. I prepare meals family style, casual, no fuss.. and always bring out the silver, linens, and china.  That's why we have it, right? To us it! 

My favorite fall color is………….  That's a tough one.. I will have to say the color of the leaves as the seasons change.  It's stunning reflection of the tree leaves along the street or on the trail, a mix of red, brown, gold, and yellow.. stunning! 

On a perfect fall day, I would wake up at ………Around 7:00, I'll have a glass of lemon water, hot mug of coffee with a splash of half and half, check my email, and  head out for a walk with my dogs.  I'm not a morning person so I enjoy some quiet time and not having to head out the door to work.

To the sound of…………Bubbling soup on the stove, school buses (reminds me of when my kids were young), the wind whistling through the trees in my yard.

The view from my window looks something like this....…A beautiful view, the air is crisp and clean, and the leaves on the trees are displaying their vibrant fall colors.

 The ideal fall weather could be described this way......... A little chill in the air, breezy, cool nights 

My ideal morning activity would be……A walk with my two English Springers in the foothills near my home. Our yard is home to local deer, bear, bob cats, and an occasionally a cougar  .. so you never know what you might stumble across!

 

This is a fall outfit you might see me in……… Fall clothes are my favorite! Because of all the rain, ice, and snow we get in this neck of woods, I wear boots almost daily.  For a work day I'll be wearing a black bootie or knee high along with wool slacks or a pencil skirt.  Cashmere stockings add extra warmth and I will add  a white or camel colored blouse.  If I'm joining girlfriends for lunch, I'll be in my flat riding boots or my furry mou boots, along with leggings and a cashmere sweater.

A favorite product (beauty or otherwise) I like to use as the weather gets nippier…………I believe that beauty starts from the INSIDE, so that's where I start.  I try to eat all things in moderation, do some kind of daily exercise, get enough rest, and manage  stress. My "mature" skin is showing visible signs of aging, so I try to find cosmetics with ingredients that keep my skin clean and hydrated.  A few of my favorites are  Joelle Ciocco, Decleor Spa Balm, Dr. Hauschka Lavender Body Oil, and I really love the body butters for arms and legs.  

For a fall breakfast I would indulge in………. My blueberry pancakes with maple syrup.  The buttermilk and sour cream in the ingredients make these extra special!

My favorite daytime activity in the fall is………….. Who can resist pumpkins and corn fields?!  We live near a farm with a market full of fresh produce, pumpkins, and hay rides. Every year we gather friends and family up to head over to the pumpkin patch. I I choose all different types and sizes of pumpkins to decorate my home.

 

Here's whats on my plate for lunch... The fall season calls for comfort food.. so I'll say a grilled sandwich of some sort, maybe sliced turkey and havarti with a side salad and .. of course a glass of wine!

Around 3pm you might find me…………………Snuggled up in some thick socks, sweats, and a cozy sweater reading magazines or a good book with a cup of tea.

An afternoon "pick me up" snack might just be........ Chocolate Chip Cookies right out of the oven.. still kinda soft on the inside (love the dough!)

For dinner you might find this cooking on the stove.....A pot of Minestrone or Chicken Noodle Soup served with crusty bread.

The perfect way to end a perfect fall day would be……………Snuggled up on the couch with a big bowl of popcorn and watching a movie!

Wow Leslie, you have every one of my senses on fire! I cannot wait to dress up in cuddly warm knits and go walking in the brisk cold air, all the while enjoying the foliage that is soon to come. And all those comfy foods and drinks...you are so speaking my language!! And I am with you on the school buses rounding the corner as a sure sign that fall has arrived, kind of bittersweet, since I am no longer "putting anyone on" the bus anymore:(  Love your ideas for a perfect fall day, clearly you know full well how to make the most of this spectacular season. Now click on over to pay Leslie a visit at her super fabulous blog and tell her how much you enjoyed this! Click here. As always thanks for stopping in, wishing you a wonderful Tuesday!

Guest posting today at Party Resources and my mid week musings...

Hi, and happy Friday,  hard to believe it's Labor Day weekend!! We are getting away for a couple of days and hope to beat the traffic.  I was going to keep my current post running through the weekend but remembered I have a really neat guest post over at Party Resources, definitely one of my favorite blogs for all kinds of fabulous entertaining tips, awesome food and menu ideas and a chic inside take on all kinds of fabulous destinations. Here's a sneak peek of my post..........

Kate's new series is entitled "I do II" and I am honored to be helping her kick it off! Its all about how we would plan our wedding if we were to get married again! It was great fun to prepare (as I love anything to do with weddings and often fantasize about how I would really do it, given the chance) so this was the next best thing.  I do hope you will take a peek, click here to visit. For those of you who did not see my mid week musings post...here it is! Enjoy your Labor Day weekend, I will be back on Sunday and will try to pop in and say hello. Enjoy summers last hurrah:)Here's my mid week musings post in case you missed it.............

Hi there, how are you? Hope you are having a great week...any exciting Labor day plans coming up? We are supposed to be heading to my sisters beach house, and I cannot wait. I am looking forward to a few days of total relaxation and some summer fun. No time like the last weekend of summer to start enjoying it:)  Today is as always a random post about a few different things, so lets get started!!OK I am seriously in love, in love I tell you with my new window seat! Makes me do  my happy dance every time I walk by it......I had done the cushion but just got some of my pillows made, I had them cut out scenes from the Brunschig and Fils window seat fabric and added trim to the velvet and had bolster made and am waiting on the other blue and white vase pillow. Now that these are in place, I can figure out what I am doing for the window...I am inclined to go simple as to not take away from the beauty of the window seat and pillows....so here it is! (still experimenting with different sized pictures....hence the different sizes here) Most seem to like the enlarged pictures.

I think the pillows and what I did with them have a very "Charles Faudree" vibe going on!

Got the pretty faucet installed on my vanity in the powder room....slowly one thing at at time, its coming together. Waiting on the Chinoiserie mirror we ordered and chandelier, then we are done!

Dough bowls......got in my first order, seriously gorgeous. Worth naming each and every one and calling them my own, and don't you know I wanted to keep them ALL! I did keep one for myself and there are so many wonderful ways to use them, I put some flowers in and it looked so pretty. For those of who waiting for me to get more,  I promise working on and hope to have more fingers crossed, next week!

Finally finished my little DIY project, with my mirror rosettes. OK, OK I know this is not a huge DIY like some who tackle entire pieces of furniture or other big projects..but this was a victory for me because I had such a hard time finding this darn rosette and lo and behold found it in such an unsuspecting place. Armed with a glue gun, I got to work and love the result! Decided on the originals, after trying several different ones. Funny how we often go back to the first, isn't it? So here it is all done.....only waiting on my sconces and chandelier and its a wrap! 

A  few taken later that afternoon...love the late day light.

Barstools.....finally decided on this one from Vanguard. I am wavering between a few fabrics, I know I want something simple Becca's remember the blue and white Brunschwig fabric going up on my kitchen window has a lot of pattern. I see something simple and fell in love with this grain sack French fabric from Kravet. I don't at all want it to feel gimmicky but at the same time KNOW it will look fabulous, it will understated and beautiful on this chair....and i love the way the natural color goes with my floors and the mix of cools and warms. Here it is and the chair...

Draped it over the current chair so you could get an idea, its absolutely understated but think it works...thoughts?

Remember how I was thinking of switching the hardware on my island? Well I think I made up on my mind. Here's one of the cup bins in the ant. brass to give you an idea. It definitely pops against the black whereas the oil rubbed bronze gets lost. The big handle is on top of the countertop that I would use for towels to be hung off the island...thoughts?

Taken with the iPhone, so the quality is so so.

Store biz......the kitchen/bar towels have arrived! Many of you inquired about them...they will be up for sale next week. Here's a sampling......

When we were in the city over the weekend, we were near our old stomping grounds and I was shocked to see the most beautiful Food Emporium (my old regular supermarket when I lived in NY) transformed under the 59th st bridge. I mean seriously it would make supermarket shopping a royal treat, the architecture alone is worth the trip. Took these two pics with my iPhone.

Also visiting a friend yesterday, look at her view from her living room patio. How gorgeous is it! I told her I feel like I am in Lake Como every time I visit her...only thing missing is George Clooney:)

Tonight I am trying this recipe (from Bon Appeit), sounded too good to not make. Heard the lemon gives it that refreshing zing to make this a winner. I used to have the recipe for something very similar that was out of this world...so here it is just in case you want to try it too!

Fettucine with peas, asparagus and pancetta

yield: Makes 4 servings

active time: 40 minutes

total time: 40 minutes

Pancetta (Italian bacon) is available in the deli section of many markets.

subscribe to Bon Appetit

ingredients

• 12 ounces fettuccine or penne
• 3 ounces pancetta or bacon, chopped
• 1 1/4 pounds asparagus, trimmed, cut on diagonal into 1-inch pieces
• 2 cups shelled fresh green peas, blanched 1 minute in boiling water, drained, or frozen peas (do not thaw)
• 1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced, white and pale green parts separated from dark green parts
• 2 garlic cloves, pressed
• 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese plus additional for serving
• 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon peel
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley, divided
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil, divided

print a shopping list for this recipeview wine pairings

preparation

Cook pasta in pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta cooking liquid. Return pasta to pot.

Meanwhile, cook pancetta in large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp. Using slotted spoon, transfer pancetta to paper towels to drain. Pour off all but 1 teaspoon drippings from skillet. Add asparagus to drippings in skillet; sauté 3 minutes. Add peas, white and pale green parts of green onions, and garlic; sauté until vegetables are just tender, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

Add vegetable mixture, 1/4 cup pasta cooking liquid, dark green parts of green onions, 1/2 cup Parmesan, cream, olive oil, lemon juice, lemon peel, half of parsley, and half of basil to pasta. Toss, adding more cooking liquid by tablespoonfuls if needed. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Transfer to large bowl. Sprinkle pancetta, remaining parsley, and basil over. Serve, passing additional Parmesan cheese