A dinner for old friends.

So another post about a dinner…sorry. NOT much going on here.

Every summer there are about ten families that travel to Cape Cod for a week in Provincetown. We stay right on the beach in the harbor. Every family makes one dinner so the burden isn’t on just a few.

We’ve missed a few summers and for the past two summers I haven’t made a main meal. So I had a dinner at my house to say thank you to all my Cape Cod friends for their delicious dinners.

This past Sunday was the evening and there were fourteen of us. At first I was going to have a large table for ten then a smaller table for four. Well, that didn’t feel right so I went for three tables. It looked like a little restaurant. We have a large dining room with an alcove with windows where we keep a daybed…for the dogs to lay on all day so they can view the world go by and bark, bark, bark!

I brought two tables inside that are usually under the pergola. One I trash picked, an iron table that still had the glass top and four chairs. (what a find) I had to scrape off all the flaking paint and clean it up.

Then I brought in seating I bought in France last April that is soooo way cool and I LOVE! They are all cane, backs and seats. I had to vacuum the pieces, spray with alcohol and clean with Murphy’s oil. Much work. So now we’re into day two, 5:30pm. Sigh…I still had to make the food.

You can see the cane settee, arm and side chairs…Fab aren’t they? I bought them to sell but I’m not sure I am or can!!

All the tables are covered with French linen sheets and I use French monogrammed napkins I found at flea markets in France. Some have white embroidery and others have red. They all have a beautiful red border.

After dinner a few of us were in the kitchen when the smoke detector went off. I thought it was from all the candles…it was a napkin on FIRE!! Karen had put it down on the table right over a tea light. Yikes!!

Luckily someone noticed! When I got in there my friend Joan had covered it with another napkin and then I grabbed them and threw them in the sink… This is what was left of that napkin. I only had five of this style, so now I have an even four!

I have more up close pictures I’ll post later.

Enjoy your weekend.

Read Full Post »

Paul’s birthday dinner.

Recently we celebrated my husband Paul’s birthday and had a great dinner. I love to set the table with some of my favorite things.

   

The past 10 yrs or so I have been collecting blue and white transfer ware, I collect the 10″ plates with many different patterns. I don’t usually cover the whole table with a table cloth. This time I used two French linen sheets that I found in Brimfield. I laid two crosswise with a smaller colorful one on top. As you can see by the napkins I don’t iron unless I absolutely have to! This was Paul’s seat at the head of the table of course.

    

Years ago I found this April Cornell tablecloth from a store at the beach. There were two of them left and I stupidly bought just ONE! It’s a square and has a fab fish pattern. (Paul’s a big time fisherman)

I am fortunate that I have many things from my mother, grandmother, and great grandmother. The candlesticks (which I LOVE!) and stemware were my grandmothers. The silverware was my mothers. She had twelve place settings but gave three to one of my sisters to complete HER set of twelve (she had the same pattern obviously). So I have nine. Which I am very lucky to have!

My newest obsession is these white confit pots from France. I LOVE them. So when I’m flea marketing over there I snatch them up.

     TULIPS!

   

I found this glass and pewter carafe at the Porte de Vanves flea market this past August. It looks beautiful filled with red wine. I didn’t take any pictures of the food.  I served short beef ribs with mashed potatoes, roasted broccoli and salad. Very simple.

I wanted to include this photo of the nook we have at one end of the dining room. We have a daybed in front of the windows where two of the dogs (German Shepards)  spend most of the day. You can see them laying there. They love looking out the windows.

We ended the evening with a few cigars……That’s a Cupid and Venus pitcher.

Read Full Post »

Family dinner with some of my favorite things…

I LOVE setting tables…the dishes, linens, stemware…I used to use table clothes that covered the whole table, but now I like a little of the table to show. This night for a family dinner,  I really didn’t feel like ironing the rustic, nubby French linen piece I was going to use. It lays over most of the middle of the table, with the ends showing. I left it in the dryer too long…so lots of wrinkles, merde!!

The table runner I used was made by my sister Amy. The fabric side showing has angels and there is a beautiful blue velvet on the back with dots of sequins and beads, and tassels on the ends. I just love it.

We have a really nice size dining room. I have a daybed in front of windows in a nook, which put together from two foot boards taken from twin beds. (The headboards are in my bedroom for our headboard and kingsize bed) You can see our German Sheppard laying on it in the background. (in the picture above)

I ran out of time to get flowers for the table, so I moved these two Christmas favorites of mine to the table. I LOVE them! The green glass candlesticks we received for a wedding gift 20 years ago…WOW! 

Another view of the dining room. You can sort of see the double buffet over to the left, it’s a French Louis XVI period piece, c1780 that we found in Paris. It’s the only large furniture piece I’ve brought home from the shop. It’s almost 9′ tall, and it holds lots of things!

I love all different kinds of dishes. I decided to use my blue and white transferware, along with very large French napkins that have a beautiful red monogram. I found the linens at my favorite flea market in the South of France. The silver flatware was my mothers.

We enjoyed one of the best meals I’ve ever made. Paula Deen’s recipe for Brisket…with mashed red potatos and roasted asparagus. I did change the timing up a bit on the brisket. I turned the temp to 285 and cooked for about another 6-1/2 hrs after the first hour at 300.

Paula Deen’s Brisket Recipe

Read Full Post »

Italian…Yes…Italian Table Linens found at the Paris Maison et Objet

 

We found these yummy linens at the Paris Maison et Objet and couldnt resist. We are but a few shops that carry them. Arte Pura linens are 100% linen and have that time worn feel we love.

Read Full Post »