Monday, December 14, 2009
Holiday Entertaining
Holiday seasons have a way of showcasing the best and worst of decor and everything in between.I attended a dinner-dance this past weekend where the space was tastefully decorated with the usual greenery, candles, ribbons and a bit of bling. But when I sat down at my table all I could imagine was Victoria's Secret: the chairs had been draped with satin-polyester covers and the napkins spent more time on the floor than on our laps.A very slippery combination. All of which brings me to the point that when entertaining, we really do need to consider function before form!
This time of year seems to compel us to entertain as many people at once as possible; perhaps it is anticipating the consequential cammaraderie but it certainly does challenge our use of space. Whether we host a family buffet or an open house for 100, it is important to create a good traffic flow. Try to position your serving table so that guests can circulate around it, rather than just one side. On the other hand, if space is very limited, you might want to pass the food or place the trays around the room on various tables. Unless you are serving finger food only, you will need to provide plates and flatware. It is best to set this near the food. I like to roll the flatware in a napkin which helps when juggling food and drink. Drinks can be served in a totally different area. Whether you hire serving help or solicit it from your teenagers, it is nice to have someone moving about, picking up empty plates and glasses. If nothing else, it minimizes the kitchen crowd!
Now that the logistics are out of the way, what about the decor? Naturally, you will use your best linens and create a most festive centerpiece. Do you have a theme in mind? You don't need to go crazy, but there are so many options and if you're stuck, leaf through any magazine to start your creative juices. A table arrangement as basic as a bowl filled with evergreens, dotted with a few gold or silver Christmas tree balls can do the trick.
If you like the gold and silver look, try this: group glass blocks -available at a building supply store or places like Home Depot - tied like a package with 3" wide gold or silver ribbon and placed on end. Surround them with votives of crystal candle holders. To add even more glamour, you can position the blocks and candles on mirror tiles.
Mirror tiles work wonders for magnifying an effect. Glass or crystal trees grouped on a round mirror which has been lightly dusted with artificial snow can transport winter to Christmas in the South.
Everywhere I go -whether it's the dollar store or Macy's, there is no limit to the number of Christmas figurines snowmen, nutcrackers, santas, angels -gather a few and create a centerpiece with them...add greens, trail some ribbon, and you've set your theme. Always make sure the height is appropriate. If the table is for a buffet, you can make the center as high as you like; in fact the height should be such that it is set apart from all the serving pieces. Speaking of serving pieces, few of us have the luxury of matched pieces, so use what you have with the idea that the mix makes the table more interesting.
As much as we all want to create the most wonderful setting for family and friends, ehn all is said and done, we know that it is the family and friends that create the setting....so my advice is to do your creative best but most important, relax, smile, and enjoy your own party! Happy holidays!
This time of year seems to compel us to entertain as many people at once as possible; perhaps it is anticipating the consequential cammaraderie but it certainly does challenge our use of space. Whether we host a family buffet or an open house for 100, it is important to create a good traffic flow. Try to position your serving table so that guests can circulate around it, rather than just one side. On the other hand, if space is very limited, you might want to pass the food or place the trays around the room on various tables. Unless you are serving finger food only, you will need to provide plates and flatware. It is best to set this near the food. I like to roll the flatware in a napkin which helps when juggling food and drink. Drinks can be served in a totally different area. Whether you hire serving help or solicit it from your teenagers, it is nice to have someone moving about, picking up empty plates and glasses. If nothing else, it minimizes the kitchen crowd!
Now that the logistics are out of the way, what about the decor? Naturally, you will use your best linens and create a most festive centerpiece. Do you have a theme in mind? You don't need to go crazy, but there are so many options and if you're stuck, leaf through any magazine to start your creative juices. A table arrangement as basic as a bowl filled with evergreens, dotted with a few gold or silver Christmas tree balls can do the trick.
If you like the gold and silver look, try this: group glass blocks -available at a building supply store or places like Home Depot - tied like a package with 3" wide gold or silver ribbon and placed on end. Surround them with votives of crystal candle holders. To add even more glamour, you can position the blocks and candles on mirror tiles.
Mirror tiles work wonders for magnifying an effect. Glass or crystal trees grouped on a round mirror which has been lightly dusted with artificial snow can transport winter to Christmas in the South.
Everywhere I go -whether it's the dollar store or Macy's, there is no limit to the number of Christmas figurines snowmen, nutcrackers, santas, angels -gather a few and create a centerpiece with them...add greens, trail some ribbon, and you've set your theme. Always make sure the height is appropriate. If the table is for a buffet, you can make the center as high as you like; in fact the height should be such that it is set apart from all the serving pieces. Speaking of serving pieces, few of us have the luxury of matched pieces, so use what you have with the idea that the mix makes the table more interesting.
As much as we all want to create the most wonderful setting for family and friends, ehn all is said and done, we know that it is the family and friends that create the setting....so my advice is to do your creative best but most important, relax, smile, and enjoy your own party! Happy holidays!
Friday, December 4, 2009
Planting for the Holidays
Hello again! I had to return to the big white house yesterday to finish a few details and realized I had neglected to make 2 relatively important points in my blog.....first, when you are decorating the outside of your home, be sure you really do secure everything - none of this just tucking it in: one good gust of wind will carry it away for sure -case in point: I had placed sprigs of dried statice in the windowboxes only to discover them scattered about the lawn. They are now wired to the juniper in the boxes! Secondly, if you want those fresh branches to continue to look fresh, it is helpful to condition them.
Conditioning is a process that gets fresh water up into the plant after it has been cut. This should be done with any flowers or plant material , especially indoors. Gather your branches, give them a fresh cut , trying to do it on a 45 degree angle to give more surface to absorb the water. Place the branches (stems) in a pail of water and leave for at least an hour. Now you can proceed to arrange them wherever needed. Recutting will not affect the conditioning. You will see a diiference in their life time...I promise.
Speaking of plants and Christmas...have you started your paperwhites and amaryllis? If you want them to bloom this month, you had better do it now.
Amaryllis are those big bold plants that almost seem top-heavy and nearly always appear as red. In fact, they also come in white, pink, candy-striped. They are so easy to grow and you can keep them from year to year. Fill a pot no bigger than 2 inches in diameter than the bulb with potting soil. Place the bulb 1/3 of the way down, firm the soil and water sparingly. Place in a warm (60 degrees) spot out of direct sunlight. Once growth begins-anywhere between 2 weeks and a month -water as necessary to keep the soil slightly moist to the touch. Now if all that sounds too complicated, you can place the bulb in a tall cylinder of a vase - clear or otherwise - that has been filled witha few inches of pebbles or those colored stones you find in the dollar store. Add water to cover about 1/2 the bulb and place in a warm spot -as above- and wait for your blooms. The tall vase helps in support but when bulbs are grown in water they can not grow another season.
Paperwhites are everyone's answer to a green thumb. You can plant them in soil but why bother when success is yours with a bowl and some pebbles! Simply cover the bottom of a pretty bowl or a cylindrical vase with a layer of glass stones , or pebbles. position the bulbs on top with pointed end up! and add water to cover the stones. Exposure is the same as for the amaryllis but watch the water level since it tends to evaporate quickly. I like to plant several bowls a week a part to keep a succession of blooms throughout the season. Generally, they bloom within 2 to 3 weeks after planting. If you don't want them to grow to their usual 18", add a tsp. of gin or vodka to the water when you first set them out. It really does stunt their growth.
I know that pointsettias are synonomous with the season but I must confess that, having tried, these are left best to the professional growers. But do take advantage of living plants to accent your holiday decor...they make all those fake greens come alive. Afterall, they add to The Good LIfe!
Conditioning is a process that gets fresh water up into the plant after it has been cut. This should be done with any flowers or plant material , especially indoors. Gather your branches, give them a fresh cut , trying to do it on a 45 degree angle to give more surface to absorb the water. Place the branches (stems) in a pail of water and leave for at least an hour. Now you can proceed to arrange them wherever needed. Recutting will not affect the conditioning. You will see a diiference in their life time...I promise.
Speaking of plants and Christmas...have you started your paperwhites and amaryllis? If you want them to bloom this month, you had better do it now.
Amaryllis are those big bold plants that almost seem top-heavy and nearly always appear as red. In fact, they also come in white, pink, candy-striped. They are so easy to grow and you can keep them from year to year. Fill a pot no bigger than 2 inches in diameter than the bulb with potting soil. Place the bulb 1/3 of the way down, firm the soil and water sparingly. Place in a warm (60 degrees) spot out of direct sunlight. Once growth begins-anywhere between 2 weeks and a month -water as necessary to keep the soil slightly moist to the touch. Now if all that sounds too complicated, you can place the bulb in a tall cylinder of a vase - clear or otherwise - that has been filled witha few inches of pebbles or those colored stones you find in the dollar store. Add water to cover about 1/2 the bulb and place in a warm spot -as above- and wait for your blooms. The tall vase helps in support but when bulbs are grown in water they can not grow another season.
Paperwhites are everyone's answer to a green thumb. You can plant them in soil but why bother when success is yours with a bowl and some pebbles! Simply cover the bottom of a pretty bowl or a cylindrical vase with a layer of glass stones , or pebbles. position the bulbs on top with pointed end up! and add water to cover the stones. Exposure is the same as for the amaryllis but watch the water level since it tends to evaporate quickly. I like to plant several bowls a week a part to keep a succession of blooms throughout the season. Generally, they bloom within 2 to 3 weeks after planting. If you don't want them to grow to their usual 18", add a tsp. of gin or vodka to the water when you first set them out. It really does stunt their growth.
I know that pointsettias are synonomous with the season but I must confess that, having tried, these are left best to the professional growers. But do take advantage of living plants to accent your holiday decor...they make all those fake greens come alive. Afterall, they add to The Good LIfe!
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Chritmas on the Outside
Good days after Thanksgiving! My plans to write an entry entitled Leftovers and Other Remains of the Day were scuttled when, after the 2nd meal, there were no leftovers and while I could regale you with stories about my 9 delicious grandchildren who visited, I know that is not what this is about. Afterall, there must be thousands of witty, intelligent blogs about children that you would rather read.
So, let us get on to the next holiday season...lest we fall behind those folk who, at the stroke of midnight on Thanksgiving night, threw the switch for their outdoor Christmas lights. And now they are finished with that phase and can rush out with the throngs in the malls! I also need to apologize to Katie, who submitted a question last week regarding her porch decor, and that went unanswered-until today.
I spent the last 2 days decorating a 3 story, pre-Civil War home with a wrap-around porch. The house is white with gun-metal gray door and black shutters. When deciding on your trim and placement,there are 2 main things to consider: lighting and color. We hung wreaths on every window and wanted to use burgundy bows. Standing away from the house, however, the burgundy faded right into the green wreath. Red became the color of choice. Any dark color such as hunter green or plaids just doesn't stand out from a distance. So depending on the colors of your home, you really should go for red, gold, white, or silver. Keep the darker colors for inside.
Usually the doorway is the focal point of your home and while you want to decorate it, you don't want to make it an obstacle course. If you hang a wreath, be sure it is tightly secured so that it doesn"t swing everytime the door opens and closes. And it doesn't have to be a wreath....how about a swag or a half-basket of greens. Add sleigh bells. Battery operated lights do the trick for anything on the door.
Framing the door can be done with garlands, whether artificial or real. I like to combine the 2 in the name of econmy. Invest in a nice full artificial garland and then tuck in snipits of fresh greens every year- holly, white pine, juniper ( with their berries), and whatever else you have on your property.Be sure to add things that will lighten up the garland during the day- whether it is Christmas balls, white birch branches, dried statice, or ribbon wound around. If you add lights, be sure you have enough! For the average single doorway, you will need at least 300 lights to make a statement. I think most of us err on the side of too few when it comes to lighting - which is the same as color; step back and you realize that it quickly fades away.
Everything that I just wrote regarding a doorway can easily translate to large windows as well; if you have sidelights on you door, be sure to include them as part of the entrance!
If you have planters near your entrance, why not add greens to them as well. Include some branches to give it height; tuck in some artificial fruit or red cardinals, perhaps a Santa or snowman. You could place topiaries in the planters for a more formal look. Again, add lighting if possible. Hanging baskets can also be "greened up"; just be sure to let some of the greens hang down -white pine should work well for that. Coordinating bows will complete the picture
There are so many holidays figures - snowmen, santas, nutcrackers -available in every price range, that if you have the perfect spot, one of them could be your finishing touch.
Hopefully these basics will stir some creative juices. I'd love to hear how you decorate your home for the holidays....let's enjoy The good life.
So, let us get on to the next holiday season...lest we fall behind those folk who, at the stroke of midnight on Thanksgiving night, threw the switch for their outdoor Christmas lights. And now they are finished with that phase and can rush out with the throngs in the malls! I also need to apologize to Katie, who submitted a question last week regarding her porch decor, and that went unanswered-until today.
I spent the last 2 days decorating a 3 story, pre-Civil War home with a wrap-around porch. The house is white with gun-metal gray door and black shutters. When deciding on your trim and placement,there are 2 main things to consider: lighting and color. We hung wreaths on every window and wanted to use burgundy bows. Standing away from the house, however, the burgundy faded right into the green wreath. Red became the color of choice. Any dark color such as hunter green or plaids just doesn't stand out from a distance. So depending on the colors of your home, you really should go for red, gold, white, or silver. Keep the darker colors for inside.
Usually the doorway is the focal point of your home and while you want to decorate it, you don't want to make it an obstacle course. If you hang a wreath, be sure it is tightly secured so that it doesn"t swing everytime the door opens and closes. And it doesn't have to be a wreath....how about a swag or a half-basket of greens. Add sleigh bells. Battery operated lights do the trick for anything on the door.
Framing the door can be done with garlands, whether artificial or real. I like to combine the 2 in the name of econmy. Invest in a nice full artificial garland and then tuck in snipits of fresh greens every year- holly, white pine, juniper ( with their berries), and whatever else you have on your property.Be sure to add things that will lighten up the garland during the day- whether it is Christmas balls, white birch branches, dried statice, or ribbon wound around. If you add lights, be sure you have enough! For the average single doorway, you will need at least 300 lights to make a statement. I think most of us err on the side of too few when it comes to lighting - which is the same as color; step back and you realize that it quickly fades away.
Everything that I just wrote regarding a doorway can easily translate to large windows as well; if you have sidelights on you door, be sure to include them as part of the entrance!
If you have planters near your entrance, why not add greens to them as well. Include some branches to give it height; tuck in some artificial fruit or red cardinals, perhaps a Santa or snowman. You could place topiaries in the planters for a more formal look. Again, add lighting if possible. Hanging baskets can also be "greened up"; just be sure to let some of the greens hang down -white pine should work well for that. Coordinating bows will complete the picture
There are so many holidays figures - snowmen, santas, nutcrackers -available in every price range, that if you have the perfect spot, one of them could be your finishing touch.
Hopefully these basics will stir some creative juices. I'd love to hear how you decorate your home for the holidays....let's enjoy The good life.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Turkey Gravy and other Tricks
My ninety-nine year old aunt called the other day and became positively giddy when I recognized her voice. I didn't have the heart to tell her I have caller ID! Anyway, with that advantage I've been playing a little game with myself: when one of my children calls, how long will it be before the question: what shall I bring for Thanksgiving? And then I say, how about brussel sprouts? BRUSSEL SPROUTS!! NO WAY!The problem is-it's not part of the tradition.And you know you don't mess with tradition on holidays. Have you ever tried to make a different stuffing for the turkey? You might as well serve pasta instead. I remebember one year when I totally forgot the corn, which in our house, would be like not making the gravy, and the turkey was out of the oven and I am driving to every area convenient store in search of 3 cans of corn. Speaking of gravy,-is there ever enough? My mother, whose culinary skills reflect her English and Norwegian heritage,does make the best gravy and her secret is simple: potato water. After you drain the fat from the pan, place the pan over moderately high heat and add a few tablespoons of flour. Mix the flour into the pan juices and cook until it thickens. Add a ladle of water from the boiling potatoes ( you are making mashed potatoes, I presume!) and stir. Add more water as needed; simmer until ready to serve. (Use the same method for any other basic gravies-you can't fail!)
Years ago I bought a cute little 2-piece turkey with a ladle the size of a teaspoon and filled it with what amounted to a half cup of gravy and served it with great aplomb to my family of 7. Well, you can imagine how many refills that required. Lesson learned. Gravy boats are rarely big enough. Instead of a bowl, howvever, hollow out a sugar pumpkin or a large acorn squash ( level off the bottom of the squash first!). Add a large ladle and pass the gravy! Vegetables make attractive serving pieces. Fill a hollowed pepper with salsa; halve a pineapple and add turkey salad; serve dip in an artichoke. It's all about appearances! And that's what makes THE GOOD LIFE.
Years ago I bought a cute little 2-piece turkey with a ladle the size of a teaspoon and filled it with what amounted to a half cup of gravy and served it with great aplomb to my family of 7. Well, you can imagine how many refills that required. Lesson learned. Gravy boats are rarely big enough. Instead of a bowl, howvever, hollow out a sugar pumpkin or a large acorn squash ( level off the bottom of the squash first!). Add a large ladle and pass the gravy! Vegetables make attractive serving pieces. Fill a hollowed pepper with salsa; halve a pineapple and add turkey salad; serve dip in an artichoke. It's all about appearances! And that's what makes THE GOOD LIFE.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Thanksgiving Preview
I woke this morning with the startling realization that Thanksgiving is 4 days away! Unlike Martha, I did not order my turkey 3 weeks ago, but I will do so today. Hopefully there is a 24 pounder just dying to be brined and stuffed and carved and devoured by the whole family which now numbers twenty-one. I am extremely grateful that everyone, including 3 of the "delicious grandchildren", loves to cook, so most of the meal arrives with the guests. My challenge is seating everyone; last year I had the children create the placecards and then they decided where all should sit...what a delight!
There is something that compels me to provide a centerpiece for every dinner table. It's worn off on my husband after all these years. He went on a golf vacation with 7 of his buddies and when they "ate in" he bought an African Violet at the market and put it in the center of the table. He took a lot of ribbing but they appreciated it afterall. Anyway, on a crowded Thanksgiving table, the centerpiece needs to be controlled! No higher than 12 inches so you can see the person across from you and not so wide that the leaves are spilling into the mashed potatoes!I know many of you are not into flower arranging so try this easy, seasonal trick: Select a small rectangular dish; cover it with a layer of fresh or dried leaves -even Italian parsley will do. Arrange 3 pears of similar size in a row. Surround the tray with votives. Martha has nothing on you! Of course, you could embellish the tray with berries, lady apples or sickle pears. Just let your creative juices flow.
A note about the blog...I do hope you will contribute but I now know that to do so one needs an account so just sign up with Google-if you like-it's as easy as typing in your e-mail and adding a password-that's all there is to it and with that, to paraphrase my eccentric friend, Hyacinth, remember,you can make everyday a day in THE GOOD LIFE!
There is something that compels me to provide a centerpiece for every dinner table. It's worn off on my husband after all these years. He went on a golf vacation with 7 of his buddies and when they "ate in" he bought an African Violet at the market and put it in the center of the table. He took a lot of ribbing but they appreciated it afterall. Anyway, on a crowded Thanksgiving table, the centerpiece needs to be controlled! No higher than 12 inches so you can see the person across from you and not so wide that the leaves are spilling into the mashed potatoes!I know many of you are not into flower arranging so try this easy, seasonal trick: Select a small rectangular dish; cover it with a layer of fresh or dried leaves -even Italian parsley will do. Arrange 3 pears of similar size in a row. Surround the tray with votives. Martha has nothing on you! Of course, you could embellish the tray with berries, lady apples or sickle pears. Just let your creative juices flow.
A note about the blog...I do hope you will contribute but I now know that to do so one needs an account so just sign up with Google-if you like-it's as easy as typing in your e-mail and adding a password-that's all there is to it and with that, to paraphrase my eccentric friend, Hyacinth, remember,you can make everyday a day in THE GOOD LIFE!
Friday, November 20, 2009
Welcome to The Good Life!
Welcome to The Good Life! Back in the 20th century, I wrote a weekly newspaper column , "Easy Entertaining". I still meet people today who tell me they miss reading the column. Why? because it dealt with an everyday event: making a meal ....but, making it special. And by making it special, it added to their good life.
We're all busy -working, shuttling kids to afterschool programs, volunteering, whatever- and life can get us down. The trick is to find little ways to bring us up. "Easy Entertaining" always presented a menu based on a theme-whether it be a Mother's Day Breakfast in Bed or Supper to Celebrate 100 on a Math Test. In the article was a suggestion for the table centerpiece. And now you say, "Who has time for that!" But you do...how long does it take to put your child's picture in the center of the table, write 100 on a post-it and stick it on the frame? Point is, The Good Life comes about not with time-intensive projects but with forethought and simple solutions (more on that in the future!)
I truly hope this blog will become a forum for your comments and suggestions for making life fun, easy, and rewarding. Feel free to send your ideas on anything from cooking to gardening to crafts. Talk about family life, your work place-whatever can create a better life. And thank you for all your enthusiasm!
We're all busy -working, shuttling kids to afterschool programs, volunteering, whatever- and life can get us down. The trick is to find little ways to bring us up. "Easy Entertaining" always presented a menu based on a theme-whether it be a Mother's Day Breakfast in Bed or Supper to Celebrate 100 on a Math Test. In the article was a suggestion for the table centerpiece. And now you say, "Who has time for that!" But you do...how long does it take to put your child's picture in the center of the table, write 100 on a post-it and stick it on the frame? Point is, The Good Life comes about not with time-intensive projects but with forethought and simple solutions (more on that in the future!)
I truly hope this blog will become a forum for your comments and suggestions for making life fun, easy, and rewarding. Feel free to send your ideas on anything from cooking to gardening to crafts. Talk about family life, your work place-whatever can create a better life. And thank you for all your enthusiasm!
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