Celebrating, Entertaining and Living Well
Londoners, if your Saturday consists of hunting for a few last minute gifts for mum, look no further. Here’s a quick guide of things she’s sure to love {how cute those pineapple salad servers!}. If all else fails, bring her a beautiful bouquet of tulips from your local shop, gourmet macarons from Anges de Sucre, and tell her how lucky you are to have her as yours. {And friends back home, it’s a sneak peek on what to give mom in early May.} Happy Mother’s Day!
This weekend I’ll be channeling my best Lady Mary looks in the English countryside with my husband and in-laws, who are visiting from home {ps – how great was this yesterday}. We’ll be back in town just in time to celebrate Mum’s Day, which I’m looking forward to hosting at home with a spring awakening tablescape and traditional Sunday roast. Happy weekend!
1. How to start a conversation anywhere with anyone. {Domaine}
2. Looking into these for our upcoming travel plans. {Travel+Leisure}
3. Thrilled to see Robin Wright on the cover this month. {Vanity Fair}
4. The reason we love our favorite bosses? They motivate. {Forbes}
5. Loving Kate’s hair pulled back showing off her fresh face. {Harper’s Bazaar}
Photo from DowntonAbbeyOnline.com
Flowers, flowers, flowers! Nothing says spring quite like fresh blooms, and with Mothering Sunday this weekend and the itch to leave winter behind for good, I’ve pulled together a spring tablescape fit for any occasion. Starting with the table, I removed the pads to expose the table’s wood underneath for a more earthy, natural feel. Then I added a table runner {ours is from West Elm, though I’m also in love with this basket weave look from Chilewich} that’s actually peach-colored on one side and cream on the other. To give an airier look and stronger contrast against our wooden table, I opted for the cream look.
During my recent trip to New Covent Garden Market, I had picked up cherry blossoms, long-stemmed pink roses and green hypericum. My favorite part of the whole table is the height range from the cherry blossoms down to the tea lights, which keeps your eye moving. The tall cherry blossoms in the center added the drama while the roses anchored the table on either side. To do this, I cut the bottoms of the cherry blossoms on an angle and put them in a tall cylinder vase in the center of the table runner. Then, with these cute pastel pitchers {also picked up from the market — wholesale makes accessories a complete bargain}, I paired the roses with the green hypericum in a tighter bunch {which I held together with a rubber band to keep its shape}.
To round out the table, I added a few bud vases with one rose in each {bud vases from Whole Foods Floral for £1 each (!), similar here} and scattered tea lights around the vases along the runner. For the place settings, I used Caspari rattan chargers to keep with the natural theme and placed an elegant dinner plate on top to add a bit of sparkle and formality for a festive event {Vera Wang Wedgwood Lace}. For the napkins, I folded them in thirds, tied it together with raffia and tucked a bit of hypericum into the folded napkin, tying the place settings together with the arrangements. A champagne glass for festive drinking, a tumblers for water {on sale now at Selfridges!}, and silverware for your meal, and it’s set for a sweet spring soiree.
Keeping the arrangement together with a rubber band as mentioned above – simple trick I use all the time!
By the middle of the week, I’m usually looking for a quick, healthy dinner to keep us going but requires minimal effort. We often start the week off on Sunday with a roast chicken {my favorite dish to make by far}. I love this ritual we have — it is just the best, heartwarming meal to connect after a fun weekend and gear up for the week ahead.
We’ve never finished an entire chicken just the two of us, so we have more to use in salads in the following days. I also can usually make one more dinner out of it, which can range from tacos to soup to stir-fry. This broccoli and chicken stir-fry always makes my husband happy {and full! which is important}, so we usually enjoy it every few weeks. Happy cooking!
Chicken Stir-Fry
1 cup cooked chicken {this can vary with what you have — you be the judge}
2 cups broccoli
1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced
1 teaspoon Coconut oil
1 tablespoon Light soy sauce
Quinoa
1. Turn the burner for the frying pan on high, and add coconut oil to melt.
2. Cook the quinoa on a separate burner {one part quinoa to two parts water and a dash of sea salt, first to boil then down to a low heat for another 15 minutes}. By the time the quinoa is cooked, your stir-fry will be ready.
2. Cut up the broccoli {or buy pre-cut} into bite-sized pieces, and toss into the frying pan. Let it cook for 3-4 minutes while cutting up mushrooms. Add mushrooms and chicken into the pan and stir until you start to see the mushrooms turning a lighter brown color.
3. Turn the heat down to medium-high and add the light soy sauce {I really try not to use much soy sauce, but we really enjoy the flavor — use your judgment but I like to add just a bit}. Put the lid on the frying pan, and let it cook for another 5 minutes. Voile! Sample to taste, see if you need to add any more soy sauce or cook another minute or two. Once ready, serve the stir-fry on top of a bed of quinoa, light some candles and enjoy a glass of wine with your delicious dinner.
This past summer {thanks to the New York Times} was the first time I discovered galettes, a mouthwatering cross between a pastry, pie, tart and cake all in one. And by discovered, I mean I made one myself. I used some sweet peaches we had and found how simple it was to make a delicious dessert from start to enjoying in under an hour.
Since then, fruit galettes have been one of my go-to desserts. They’re relatively forgiving, comforting and can be filled with just about anything you wish {traditionally galettes were a savory dish, but now are often served with a sweet filling}. Plus, I love a homemade dessert that is served warm and can be accompanied with ice cream. Sold.
This past weekend, champagne mangos were featured at our neighborhood Whole Foods, so I picked up a couple and matched it with blueberries we had at home. There are lots of recipes out there, but I’m fearless in the kitchen and pull together bits of recipes to make up my own. Instead of a pie crust {I usually use a pre-made one}, I went with a flaky puff pastry for a lighter feeling. I recommend it wholeheartedly for your next gathering, and for my UK friends hosting their mums for Mother’s Day this weekend, you’ll make her proud.
Blueberry Mango Galette
Lately I’ve been loving the build up of home goods from J.Crew, the latest of the fast fashion brands to join the home decor scene. Slowly but surely they have been adding stylish smalls to their site and in stores, mostly collabs with other brands. It seems to be a natural progression, and would make sense to start competing in this space to continue selling the J.Crew lifestyle. Hidden in the Women’s and Men’s left sidebar on the website, it’s called Home & Gifts {with different trendy goods for the ladies and the guys, if you haven’t scoped it out lately}.
J.Crew is dipping its toe in the water where other fast fashion brands have already started to make their mark with brick and mortars and websites. Zara Home is arguably the most popular and established, especially in Europe. They offer virtually everything for outfitting a contemporary home {I’ve bought multiple mirrors, vases and even furniture handles for our flat here}. In December the brand announced it’s really pushing to have a home goods store with every clothing store — they have over 2,050 stores in 88 countries {hoping a store opens stateside soon for friends back home, though online shopping is available}.
Another popular fast fashion retailer, H&M, started H&M Home to compete and are part of the clothing stores, versus a separate store entirely like Zara Home. It features more of the basics in stores: towels, shower curtains, pillows and the like. Online there’s a much broader offering from candlesticks to rugs. To date, I’ve only seen it inside the clothing store itself — specifically on Kensington High Street — but am sure it’s only a matter of time before it grows.
As of now, here are my favorites from the J.Crew Home & Gifts to add new flair to your home {thinking that Ferm Living hexagon vase would be a perfect addition to the almost final redecorated guest room (!) and the Acme Party Box mason jars are needed for summer}.
1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 / 11
I’m always looking for new places to go buy flowers. New Covent Garden Market is certainly not a new phenomenon — a majority of the hotels, restaurants and other major establishments throughout London have shopped this market for all their floral needs for over 40 years. However, it was new to me!
I went one Friday morning to gather flowers before the weekend, and had a wonderful time traipsing around this giant warehouse. It’s a wholesale market, meaning prices are much less than what we’re used to in grocery stores and florist shops. It’s extra energy, but for special weekends or events, it’s totally worth it. Based on my experience at the market, here are my top tips for successfully navigating your way through most any floral wholesale scenario:
1. Go early. The flower market is open from 4am-10am, but really it starts to sell out in just a few hours. Arriving by 8am means most vendors will still be stocked, and you’ll have missed the very early rush. Also be sure to have the right entrance {there are two}. I first went to the fruit and vegetable market, which was about a 10 minute walk from the flower market — oops!
2. Lists! I use lists for everything {to do list addict right here — it’s just so satisfying to cross something off}. Before going, it was super helpful for me to list out what I wanted to find. I got so caught up in the myriad of options that I would have been a little lost if I hadn’t had one.
3. Bring large reusable bags. From the long-stemmed roses to the table decor options, it’s easy to start accumulating goodies that’s too much for two arms. I recommend a heavy canvas bag like LL Bean’s, which protects against any holes that could come from stems poking through plastic.
4. Talk with the vendors. They’ll show the difference between varieties and can help pick the perfect green accompaniment to that pink ranunculus or add texture to that all-green arrangement. They’ll also help out with length, prices {of course} and wrapping the goods!
5. Have both cash and cards. Most of the vendors take credit cards, but for small items that come in under £3-4 total {I picked up 12 seashells to use as place cards this summer that were 30p each}, they ask you to just pay in cash. It makes it easier for everyone.
6. Plan a suitable exit strategy. There are multiple public transit lines that run close to the market, though it is a bit of a walk and with heavy bags of flowers and vases, it can be a daunting task (which I did, and had very sore arms from carrying several dozen roses!). In the future if I’m getting a lot of flowers, I might consider Uber for the pickup {since we don’t have a car here in London}. If you can drive there, all the better.
It was early but so worth it! Like a kid in a candy shop with all my bounty — so excited to get home to decorate.
There aren’t many things I buy from a package these days — except of course crackers to accompany cheese plates and chocolate to satisfy my sweet tooth (but that doesn’t count…). One of my favorite snacks that I used to buy packaged was popcorn. Three minutes on medium-high in the microwave, and I was in heaven.
A year or so ago, I realized I could buy just the kernels {for less!} and control what I wanted going into my popcorn. So much more appealing, and satisfying knowing I had “made” it myself. Thus, a new love affair was born. It’s so easy – and once you do it this way you’ll never go back. It’s one of my favorite ways to elevate an at-home movie or catching up on a few episodes on Netflix.
Ingredients:
Place your pot on the stove, and crank the heat up to high. Scoop out just enough coconut oil to coat the bottom of the pan once melted {this happens pretty much instantly}. Pour in your popcorn kernels so you have a layer of them across the pot. You don’t need too much here, it makes a lot!
Put the lid onto your pot, and watch it cook. It will be about 3 minutes when you start hearing the kernels going crazy. Another minute or so, and you’ll have a fully popped pot of popcorn. {Say that three times fast!}
Once you don’t hear much popping anymore, just take the pan off the heat source and pour gently into a large bowl. Lightly add on your seasoning, and serve warm.
Now you’re set with the perfect munch mix to accompany your TV binge watching {plus you’ll be a marvel to your friends or significant other that you made it “from scratch,” I swear}. We still have House of Cards on our watch list, so hoping to fit an episode in today between the gym and heading to the Country 2 Country concert at the O2. Happy weekending!
1. This is beautiful. {Good}
2. I haven’t put her book down all week. {Amelia Freer}
3. What’s your MED? {Inc}
4. LaCroix is amazing, though I think Lime, not Orange, is the best. {New York Times}
5. A few new items to put a spring in your step — and your home. {Domaine}
image via blowdryblowdry.com
When it comes to wedding planning, there’s so much that goes into every little detail. A special part of that planning is looking at your registry, as most guests these days still want to give a gift to the happy couple. It’s important to decide on home goods that reflects your collective style — my vote is to err on the more traditional side so beautiful gifts don’t go out of style for you in 10 years. {Of course for registries there are a multitude of unique ideas like fulfilling honeymoon activities via Honeyfund and charitable donations like the I Do Foundation, so today’s couples don’t have to go the traditional route.}
With wedding season around the corner, I’ll be taking a look at ideas for building your registry with what you need for entertaining today. Ever the fan of champagne, wine, cocktails, you name it… I’m starting off the series with a roundup of glassware to have in your home. I recommend having 12 of everything so you’re not hunting down additional glassware when you have a dinner party {Mom, I’ve been listening to you all these years!}, and sticking with a global brand that’s widely available like Waterford and Riedel. {You never know, you may find yourself in another country just like me!} That way if one breaks, you won’t have to be hunting a particular style down in a store that stopped carrying the line three years ago.
From left to right:
1. Fancy Wine Glasses – It’s really quite exciting to have special glasses you bring out for celebratory events. Whatever fancy looks like to you, invest in them. I grew up with these exact glasses in my parents’ home and have so many fond memories using them around the table. When we got married it was a great way to honor my family’s traditions and build new ones of our own. {Waterford Lismore Clarets}
2. Fancy Champagne Flutes – You’ll have many, many wonderful celebrations in the years to come. A great idea is using two of the flutes at your wedding for toasts. {Waterford Lismore Champagne Flutes}
3. Fancy Water Glasses – I recommend having a set of complementary water, wine and champagne glasses. Most likely you’ll have at least water and wine glasses out when hosting, so it makes sense to have stemware that looks nice together. It doesn’t have to be all the same brand, but I like the easy uniformity of the pattern. {Waterford Lismore Goblets}
4. Everyday Red Wine Glasses – I must admit, I love holding a big wine glass with a long stem in my hands. It feels glamorous and so adult. We really like wine, so wanted to have two different sized wine glasses {see #6 below}. If you’re not as into wine and short on space, you can definitely choose just one size wine glass. {Crate & Barrel Oregon Red Wine Glasses}
5. Tumblers – My husband adores whisky, so this was definitely happening. I must admit, he uses them often, and they’re also the perfect size for pouring juice to accompany brunch or cocktails in the evening. Stock up! {LSA International Tumblers}
6. Everyday White Wine Glasses – These go with everything. You can also use them as fancy water glasses instead, or another punch drink when hosting a cocktail party. {Riedel White Wine Glasses}
7. Everyday Champagne Flutes – Okay, I know there really isn’t such a thing, and if you’re toasting with champs every day then you are a lucky girl! Crystal can be a little overwhelming though, so I wanted us to have flutes that we could have out at any type of event. {Crate & Barrel Camille Champagne Glass}
8. Everyday Water / High Ball Glasses – A no brainer. We need water glasses that are pretty, effective and dishwasher safe. Plus, they double for mojitos (!) and beer for my husband. {Schott Zwiesel Long Drink Glasses}
As wedding guests, my husband and I love giving glassware. You know the couple will use it and it reflects an “activity” we both love {#socialbutterflies}. It’s also perfect to give the amount that fits your budget. Just remember to fulfill the registry early! The bride and groom will be appreciative as it may alleviate some thank you note duties following the wedding, and you won’t have to stress about what gift to give the newlyweds.