With two chefs in the house, we don't often go out to restaurants. When we do getting our attention can be a challenge. I do have a few favorite restaurant finds that I wanted to share with you but I will warn you that I am not as verbose as Rose. Also, there are several others that could have made the list but I will save that for an old stand-bys post. Cheers! Patrice Patissier - MontrealPatrice Demers is one of the treasures of Montreal and we wanted to see if the legends were true. They were absolutely well deserved, from entrees to the two dessert courses we were in heaven for the night. Lupa - New YorkOn a recent trip to New York, I discovered the octopus at Lupa, incredible is an understatement. The sommelier was wonderfully helpful, the food divine, and the company was a pleasure. The perfect evening. Food Dance - Kalamazoo, MichiganA little treasure in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Food dance is locally sourced and always delicious. With an attached food shop and cooking courses it is developing a strong food culture in Southwest Michigan. Le Pichet - SeattleLe Pichet is worth the cross country flight. It is classically French with a hint of Seattle. Don't get me wrong there was little that I ate in Seattle that I didn't love but I would plan my next trip around the breakfast at Le Pichet. If you have any recommendations for me to try I'm not shy and I am will to expand my list.
This year, I wanted to welcome summer with an ice cream social. The idea was to get together with friends one time before the crazy schedules of summer took over. What I envisioned was something like this... But there are several steps between idea and event and along the way there is plenty of room for distraction. The first thing for me is always the guest list and the invitation. With young families on the list the numbers increase very quickly. Keeping it under 50 people seemed daunting at first but once the replies came back that a couple families were vacationing we ended at just under 30 people. Invitations were simple with a retro twist. I made a template in case you are inspired to host your own. Click on the image below to download the template. All plans require a back up plan. The original plan was to make ice cream sundaes for an hour and then head to a local water park to occupy the kids and give the adults time to socialize. However, I have not been able to bend the weather to my will on every occasion so a back up plan was in order. The secondary plan was to have a range of activities set up inside for the kids after they finished their ice cream. Which plan did we go with? Sometimes the best thing to do at an event is go with the flow. All of the guests enjoyed the party. The adults were able to talk with old and new friends. The kids had a great time inside and outside with lots of running around in the rain. And I was very happy with the way everything turned out.
If you are curious about how the Ice Cream Bar turned out, come back next week for the next post - Building An Ice Cream Bar! If you know me, then you know that I have an obsession for paper. I collect cards in a way that makes pistache a little crazy. I thought that I would share some of my favorite card and stationary finds with you. These are strictly Pinterest finds but maybe they will find their way into my office one of these days. {Click on the photos for links to purchase or click on the company for more products} The first shop happens to be from France - Papier Tigre, and I love the way they've combined the letter and envelope. Each page is a different pattern and the instructions to fold them are included. Whether you need bridal stationary or something for your favorite Fashion fiend, eighty seventh ST. delivers fabulous cards and paper. Their cards are generally black and white with a splash of color and I would be happy to give or receive one on any occasion. {hint hint} The Rifle Paper Co. is one of my absolute favorites. Their cards have gorgeous graphics that aren't too cluttered. I like that the set are in the same color themes. The social stationary makes me long to send a little note to a friend. They also have quite the range of paper products, in addition to stationary, they have wallpaper, wrapping paper, journals, and the list goes on! The Wedding Paper Divas, obviously they will do your wedding stationary and Thank Yous but you can always customize one of their fun designs to fit your event; plus there are polka dots on the back of this one. I would totally use them for a Fabulous BBQ. I found these lovelies on a site called Red Bubble, which hosts a variety of artists similar to Esty. Rishann is selling these cards as well as similar images on phone cases, posters, throw pillows, and t-shirts. The site is worth a look. I could go on with more finds but I am at the point of wanting to buy it all, which means I should stop. Whether you are trying to build your own collection or looking to give boxed sets, there is stationary for everyone.
Of course, I have more stationary ideas on my "Write Me a Letter" Board and I would love for you to send me any pins that you think I might like. I hope you enjoyed my favorites this week, I will be back with more soon! To celebrate summer, there is nothing better than a little care package. You could give these to a teacher or a recent graduate as a sort of "great work, now take some time to relax and enjoy." I really like that the recipient gets to open several little items that go along with the relaxing summer. The pieces can be changed depending on the season and the recipient. Here is an example of what I put together for the teachers and daycare workers as an enjoy summer present. People really appreciate the inclusion of something homemade and granola is simple to make in large batches. I used pistache's version. But there are lots of great recipes available and if you are really rushed for time you can buy a gourmet batch and fill simple containers. I like making tags for each item so that it doesn't just look like a bag full of stuff. (If you click on the image below, you can print these ones for yourself!) Along with a handwritten note, this is one of those gifts that is sure to please. We would love to see what you put in your relaxation gift!
Granola is so easy to make in bulk that it is the perfect little homemade gift. It is perfect for housewarming presents, a hostess gift, a new mom, or even a welcome gift for houseguests. Not only is it eay to make but you can customize it to your tastes or for the reciepient. Not a fan of cinnoman? Leave it out or add a different spice. Want to add some rolled rye or barley, go crazy! Once you've made this recipe, you will start to play with it more and more. We'd love to hear about your combinations so don't be shy, be adventurous! The granola is lightly crunchy on its own but you could add a variety of nuts, dried coconut flakes, or even chocolate (after it has cooled). And depending on the additions it can be eaten with just milk, on yogurt or even on ice cream. Bottom line? We love it this recipe for it's versatility and its simplicity. Enjoy!
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November 2019
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