I posted many of these pictures last Summer and thought I would share them again with The Gang over at Tablescape Thursdays andFoodie Fridays. It was a gorgeous day at our farmhouse and I was missing all of my Grandparents and decided to throw a little get together in our orchard using many treasures that were passed down to me from my Great Grandparents. Of course there is always a delicious Cocktail at my parties and they can always be found on our ‘Cheers’ section on our website. ( There are videos and many cocktail recipes, its a fun part of the website to visit)
I love serving these Blueberry Lemonade Spritzer cocktails in my Grandmother’s old Ball Jars. The Mint is from ‘Bunny’s Garden.’
One of the many aprons handed down to me from my Great Grandmother’s collections. They are just so charming. Planning a day in the orchard
Ah sunshine …Finally we can eat out in the old orchard under the plum tree
A collection of milk and Ball jars
Setting the scene with some French antiques..These pieces are usually in our spring house and can easily be moved outside in nice weather for a luncheon, picnic or party.
Out by the old Spring House
After my Grandmother passed away my Mother gave me all her aprons , they were my Great Grandmothers. I don’t wear them, but I do love them very much. They are all handmade by Abby and I can still see my beloved Grandmother Margaret wearing them around her kitchen.
Aprons have been around for many many years. Obviously we wear them to protect our clothes but in the “olden days” they often didn’t wash their clothes for days if not for a week so they needed to keep them as clean as possible. There still is the association with June Cleaver and the apron which makes many people think of the “perfect” wife and mom from the 50’s. I just think they are so very lovely, homey and old fashioned. I will always cherish these so much that I planned an entire photo shoot, party and meal around them. I was never fortunate enough to meet my Great Grandmother Abby but I was hoping that if by any chance she or my grandmothers were looking down on me and my family on that sunny beautiful day that they would be proud of me and feel very flattered that I am carrying on their memories.
I just love this shot, just floating in a summer breeze with a blue sky in the background. Sometimes if we take a little time and care we CAN re-create the good old days…if only for an afternoon.
This simple gingham fabric was purchased for next to nothing at Joann’s fabrics in Clifton Park NY (upstate)
I have had these two cookbooks since I was in my 20’s even before I was married they are very special to me. My mother bought them for me at the old Jelly Mill in Vermont when we were there with my Grandmother. The little box on top holding my Grandmother’s Jelly jars was made by my sweetheart, Grandfather Sabatine, it use to hold all their pens, paper and sit by their telephone on the counter. Isn’t it just the perfect shade! Underneath was a drawer that had the built in bread drawer that always smelled like heaven on Earth. Don’t you just love the color of that box, he was a happy happy man and chose a happy color. Looks so cute with the red thermos.
Chilling drinks in the orchard.
All French antiques purchased in Paris and the French countryside
this is a Blueberry Lemonade spritzer
the little tricycle has been used for 15 years by all of my sons , the white chair is another great grandmother heirloom I was their only Grand daughter so I inherited a lot of their antiques, which I blend beautifully with modern chic pieces ( One of my first loves in design). I hope all of you have something to cherish that reminds you of special times.
Wow what a wonderful Fourth of July!! It was filled with Family, Friends, Food and Fun. We went to parties and hosted parties at our Home. From ‘Country Gatherings’ on our old wrap-around-porch to high heels, Retro cocktails and Vintage Designs out near our pool in the evening. There were lots of fireworks that were watched from high up above on our balcony as we do each year and our annual ‘firework run’ across the border supplied the ‘The Big Bang’ late into the dark night sky.
Here is our menu, which can be made and enjoyed all Summer long, I will link and list as many recipes as possible. Please email me if there is something not listed or linked to that you would like to make.
Summer Menu ( some of these items were enjoyed at night and some by the pool for lunch)
Grilled White-Clam Quesadillas, Steamed Clams in a Garlic Herb Butter, Chez Panisse Proscitutto Goat Cheese Calzones, Grilled Corn and Fresh from the Garden Basil Salad, The Most delicious Pork Baby Back Ribs, Smoked Turkey Muenster Conserve tea sandwiches, A melange of shish Kebabs perfect for meat eaters, vegetarians etc., Smoked Salmon herbed Cream Cheese on Veggie Chips, Country Potato Salad, The best fruit Mascarpone cheese Tart I have ever tasted, Fluff Marshmallow Chocolate Milkshakes, Former Mayor Kotch’s Favorite ‘Coconut Daiquiris’
The Ribs were one of Mr. Bunny’s favorites, he loves the homemade barbecue sauce I make BUT his favorite thing were the Clam Quesadallas , he rated them a perfect 10. They were super easy to make and the recipe was found in the New York Times this week. This tart is his favorite dessert it is filled with a whipped slightly sweetened mascarpone cheese TDF. The Cocktails are made from former NYC Mayor Kotch’s favorite cocktail recipe. They were interesting and different with about 8 shots of rum in the blender……..
My kids love to throw water balloons off of my balcony down to the pool. Oliver thinks this is just the coolest must fun thing in the world. Last week I went with the boys to PA on a firework run and we stopped by a local arcade while we were there. I am such a townie. I love arcades, carnivals and am really good at these games. My sons think I’m pretty cool, they can’t beat me in ski ball.
Friends stopped by morning noon and night for snacks, lunch, dinner, cocktails, swimming, fireworks and fun. We had the front porch set where we served the adults spiked chocolate milkshakes in the afternoon. The centerpiece on the quilt is filled with sparklers for everyone to take and enjoy.
Now For our Giveaway! We will ship the winner an adorable gift box set of four Strip Tease Cocktail Glasses anywhere in the World. All you have to do is leave me a comment, preferably something sweet that will make me smile and love you to bits. If your a follower I will put your name in the hat twice! Good Luck Sweetie Pies.
Oliver will pick the winner on August 1st and don’t worry if you don’t win, they are back in stock in our boutique!
Have a wonderful day and remember to do something fun.
Please stop by the wonderful ‘FOODIE FRIDAY’ for an amazing collection of the best recipes around!!
Thank goodness Magdalena’s older brother Sam came to her dads party, at least her mother would not be furious with her and cause a big scene. She was safe, for the moment anyway. Her mom was so delighted by her oldest brothers surprise visit to Manhattan that she couldn’t and wouldn’t let anything upset this moment. Of course there would be hell to pay on the ride back to her family’s farmhouse in New Jersey. That was her father’s problem not hers. Thank God she wasn’t going in the car with them, no way, she was headed downtown to meet her friends for cocktails late night. Now if only she could find Christopher, who somehow, after letting the big secret slip, managed to sneak away. Magdalena wasn’t about to let him off the hook so easily, what the hell was he thinking, blurting out her family’s personal business like that in front of everyone? She was going to tell her mother she was not working for her company ‘La Maison Parisienne’ but instead heading to Kirabati to start up a green boutique hotel with her father, she just never found the right time to tell her. Yes, she was afraid, her mom thought after having three sons her one and only daughter would handle all the business details of her company. But that was her mother’s dream not hers.
Magdalena’s mother didn’t show for one second that evening that anything was bothering her. Not a chance, the party must go on she was the consummate hostess and everyones happiness came before her own. Magdalena noticed some tears in her mom’s eyes when she was hugging her brother but her mom quickly wiped them away and was all smiles greeting her family and friends. Magdalena glanced over in the corner and saw her two other brothers Oliver and Teddy talking to Christopher and looking nervously in her direction, now was her chance to corner him. She would do anything to be near him he was her obsession. She couldn’t be mad at him she was too in love with him. Just as she hoped her brothers quickly walked away leaving her alone with Christopher. God he was gorgeous, she couldn’t be mad at him, she was staring at him not looking away from his piercing blue eyes for a second, thinking how she wasn’t going to stop until they were together. Christopher reminded her of Pierce Brosnin in his James Bond years. Just like Pierce he came from Ireland when he was a young boy. He had a fabulous accent, jet black hair, gorgeous blue eyes and was incredibly successful in the hotel business. She was also happy his girlfriend Harper was no where around, he was all hers.
After a million ‘I’m sorries’ from Christopher she told him it wasn’t his fault. It was hers, she was acting like a childish little girl not telling her mother the truth. Her father had demanded she let her mother know her plans had changed. She had a lot of time to think after Wharton Business school while she was traveling in Spain and she knew in her heart she wanted to work in the South Pacific. She did her homework before presenting her ideas to her father. She found investors, architects and those politically connected in one of the world’s most remote areas. They all listened to her stories, paid attention to her business plan and seemed impressed by her passion and enthusiasm. She was going to help bring more business and tourism to this country. She even was determined to get her brother Sam to come and help figure out a way to extend the average life expectancy there. Kiribati was in desperate need of medical assistance. Sam’s first passion is photography but he is a doctor and Magdalena knows how much he loves helping people. Her other brother Teddy would lend his expertise in road management, bridge development and all areas infrastructure and of course her younger brother Oliver would be finishing up his studies and spending time with her parents and his friends.
She was standing on top of Christopher as she usually does when she talks to him, doing her thing. Flirting, laughing a little to long at his jokes, flipping her long hair around and trying to let him know she was ‘his’ if he wanted her. Harper joined them and looked a little uncomfortable with Magdalena and Christopher’s closeness. She never thought anything was going on between the two of them. After all Christopher is Magdalena’s father’s best friend and about 30 years older than her. She just assumed she has a school girl crush on him. Never the less she felt very strange watching them together, Magdalena was young, rich and drop dead gorgeous. This girl got what she wanted and Harper was beginning to think she wanted Christopher.
The party came to an end. Many of Magdalena’s fathers business acquaintances were there as well as his entire family and close friends. He was very happy and thanked his wife for putting together such a memorable evening. He was madly in love with Magdalena’s mother. He was also dreading the hour long drive back to New Jersey with her. As he excepted she complained the entire ride home in the limo. She felt embarrassed to be left out of these decisions, humiliated that everyone knew but her, pissed that she had no one to help her with the business end of her company.
She also let him know she too would be coming to Kirabati to work with them. He smiled, he knew all along she would. It was exactly what he and Magdalena had been planning all along.
Paw Paw is our 12 year old cat who also likes tea parties.
I found this little wheel barrel down near the condo in Florida. The little edible sugar bowl is filled with more sugar. I always drink my tea black.
The Flowers had not come up yet but we filled pots with lovely pansies to give color while we waited patiently for the daffodils and spring flowers to bloom.
Sweet little mouse truffles sit on the saucer. What child wouldn’t find this delightful!
I love sitting under the Pergola and playing Board Games. We had just finished running through the sprinkler.
I ♥ eeBoo toys.
I adore playing these charming board games with Oliver
I bring back tea from Paris, especially in my favorite colors pink and green.
I collect fountains and this one is from France, she is my favorite.
Sweet Happy little Flowers
This lovely teapot is a gift from My brother and Mike. It is one of my favorites.
Strawberry Champagne Cocktails
For the adults apres tea
I had this Sweet little tea party was with my little doll Oliver.
It was a gorgeous day in early April before much was even was blooming in our garden. It was still so lovely out. The sun was shining and warm so Ollie and I grabbed a fun board game, we love the Picnic Card Game set, and headed out under our pergola for a nice afternoon together. Taking breaks to run through the sprinkler and laugh really hard.
I made a pot of tea, some yummy sandwiches and scrumptious treats. I prepared a strawberry champagne cocktail for Mr. Bunny and Moi.
I set a quick little table with some of my favorite teacups and accesories.
I love days when not one thing is planned yet the day remains unforgettable.
Make a memory today.
Please visit the wonderful Tablescape Thursdays at Between Naps on the Porch to see some of the most beautiful tables designs around. Stop by Gollum’s Foodie Friday one of the most gorgeous blogs you will come across. You will find many delicious recipes.
We are back in beautiful New Jersey, (yes believe it or not parts of NJ are absolutely drop~ dead ~gorgeous), and before we leave for the second part of our vacation I want to post again, I miss blogging and I miss all of you so much!!
We are so thrilled to have our sweet toile cake server featured in The April issue of Country Living Magazine. April is on the stands now, pick up a copy to find lovely ideas for entertaining and Easter celebrations. You can also visit on line here.
We are offering 10% off all our toile pieces now through April. Find them HERE enter Country Living when you check out to receive the discount.
And you know how we love to celebrate all of life’s good things so we are giving away one of our green toile petite cake stands to one of our lucky readers.
Simply leave a comment. The winner will be announced April 30th.
This giveaway is for both our Domestic and International Readers.
We are almost never home on St. Patrick’s Day as we travel that time of the year. However If we are at the condo in Florida we often cooked and celebrated down there, if we are someplace else in the World then we just make a fun meal as soon as we return home. The photos below are just horrid in their quality, so I apologize in advance, however if you can just use your wonderfully creative imaginations I am sure you will be able to imagine that the table was lovely in person. That party was 7 years ago and the photos were scanned and taken using very poor methods, meaning I didn’t know what the heck I was doing!!
I just adore the mix of greens and violets together. I am dreaming of the first Pansies that will be coming up in my English Garden soon!
Everyone went home with a lovely potted Violet and of course lots of Whiskey that we brought back from Ireland as gifts for all our guests. The Belleek statue is one of my favorite pieces. I purchased it after climbing the Cliffs of Moor in Ireland on a lovely day.
We used antique/vintage Limoge plates that are a gift from my parents.
A lucky guest got to take this spectacular gift basket home. I am the Queen of the Basket raffle, I absolutely love to give gifts.
We printed this up to let all know the contents in the basket.
They say Everyone is Irish on St. Patrick’s Day. My husband is Jewish and I am Italian and English but we always celebrate this fun day !
Homemade Bailey Irish Whiskey Espresso Coffee Ice Cream, topped with hot Espresso and whipped Cream.
This is a delicious after dinner drink, after dinner espresso and dessert all in one. It is perfect for St Patrick’s Day served fireside after dinner while enjoying one of the season’s last cozy fires before Spring arrives. It is very easy to prepare and looks elegant served in cut crystal Irish coffee mugs with a long spoon so you don’t miss one delicious drop. I found the beautiful Waterford crystal mugs at Blarney Castle in Ireland a few years ago and had them shipped home. They take this lovely drink to the next level by making it every bit as beautiful as it is delicious. When I drink this I can close my eyes and dream of the charming thatched cottages in the Irish countryside, smell the fresh green grass that goes on forever, hear the lovely accents and kindness in the voices of all the people I met in Ireland. This is truly a time of the year when everyone is a wee bit Irish.
BAILEYS IRISH ESPRESSO COFFEE ICE CREAM
1 1/2 cups of whole milk
1 1/2 cups of heavy cream
1 cup of brewed espresso coffee, chilled- I used Medaglia D’oro
2 Tablespoons of Baileys Irish Cream
2 Tablespoons of Irish Whiskey- I used Kilbeggan that I found in Ireland and still have sent to me. can find online www.kilbeggan.com
1 teaspoon of good quality vanilla
1/2 cup plus 1 Tablespoon of sugar
pinch of salt
mix the first 6 (wet) ingredients together in a bowl.
add the sugar and salt together in a separate bowl, mix and then add to bowl with milk and stir until sugar is dissolved.
Cover and refrigerate for a few hours and then pour the mixture into an ice-cream maker and freeze according to the maker’s instructions. This took me about one hour in the machine. Then transfer to a freezer safe container and freeze over night or until firm, at least 3 hours.
serve a few scoops of ice cream in a glass coffee mug, top with hot espresso and some whipped cream and serve with a spoon.
Fashion
Fashion Fun
It has been gorgeous here and it was amazing on our Spring Skiing vacation. We are home briefly and then we are off for another week of travel. It was so gorgeous today that I put on a pair of sky high red sandals and met friends for a business lunch while I am back in NJ.
dress~Missoni ( I got it for a steal)
Shoes~ are part of the new Jimmy Choo 24/7 collection, Saks Fifth Avenue
Handbag~ Marc Jacobs, I have had it for several years
How are all my sweet friends doing today? We are busy here as usual but I wanted to participate in Tablescape Thursdays so I got my act together and decided to set a table fast but still elegantly. Sometimes I give myself ‘the 5 minute challenge’ where the idea must come to me quickly, everything I need must be already in my home and it needs to have a simple delicious meal accompany it.
My inspiration here is the antique table you see in the pictures. We were in the city on Monday and stopped by the Apartment to visit our Aunt and Uncle. They surprised us with this table and another gorgeous European Marble Topped side table that you will see below. We filled the SUV with the two gorgeous antique tables and two modern chairs that I just love. And you know how much I love mixing my modern and antiques…I was in designer heaven!
Josh’s Aunt and Uncle are two of the kindest people you can ever meet. They may not know it but they are our role models, Seriously they are dream parents and grandparents. These lovely antiques are even more special because they are from them.
I set the table close by the fireplace and polished the mahogany wood until it sparkled in the candlelight. Can you tell how much I love this table. In the Spring I plan to put old painted white chairs around, for now I just used some of our extra gold chairs.
All the dishes are antique fish plates that I have collected. I must be dreaming of Spring and trout fishing season in Vermont. I served a delicious fish dish that took about 5 minutes to prepare.
If you haven’t figured this out yet, I love to make it easy but make it look like it took hours! Then Mr. Bunny worships me and thinks I must be exhausted…shhhh please don’t tell him.
White Chocolate Cheesecake with a Passion Fruit Sauce
I found this in the Lilly Pulitzer Seasons Cookbook. My husband and Oliver loved it. I loved the Basil Grande Cocktails AKA lenorenevermore as I now call it. Thanks to the fabulous Lenore, who sent me this link, I now have a new favorite cocktail….trust me it is delicious.
This was the easiest Sole Meuniere recipe I have ever made and it is delicious.
This is the other antique table that I mentioned above. It is so gorgeous. It is in my still unfinished studio/craftroom/business meeting-all purpose room. We need to take walls out to remove a huge antique copper tub, until that takes place I really can’t do anything else. Oh well I have no time anyway.
My cute bunny is from Amy’s shoppe at Bunnyrosecottage. I have a thing for Bunnies.
Now onto some casual fashion. This is my Townie t shirt that the wonderful southern belle Shellbelle at Shellbelle’s Tiki Hut made for me in my signature hot pink.
I was on a mission to have a townie t shirt, aren’t we all???
The fuchsia scarf thingy around my neck is from Calypso.
I also want to thank Susu of Susu Paris Chic for the award. Thank you it means a lot to me. I also want to thank Red lipstick style for the great skincare book I won in the giveaway!!
Stop by and visit these ladies when you have time. They are so stylish and sweet.
We are happy to be a part of the clintonbushhaitifund.org by donating 20% of all profits from our ‘Earth Mother’ birthstone rings.
Both faux version and high-end version now through the month of May. Our rings are stunning, chic jewels that will dazzle the love of your life while doing something to help the people of Haiti. The rings are custom designed with any of the birthstones you may chose. Perfect for Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Birthdays, Gifts for a new Mom, Grandmother’s, etc.
Any combination of birthstones is available in our custom designs.
Here are a few of our designs being worn in Hollywood.
We would love to get a ring to SJP, Matthew if you are reading this, it is the perfect gift for Ms. Parker.
Feel free to email us with any questions.
Visit here to select your stones and you get to be the designer.
Sunday Supper at The Paris House
I love the way natural light floods into my Garden Room in the afternoon. The light makes the crystal sparkle and the antique wood table glow. Our Lemon Trees are doing very well.
We use a lot of antique, vintage and re-purposed woods and furnishings in our home and design work.
I just added several new cookbooks to my home library. I am really enjoying The Lee Bros. “Simple Fresh Southern”, Knockout Dishes with Down- Home Flavors. The recipes are not difficult and are packed with flavor. A little something you may not know about me is that I am obsessed with the South. I LOVE Southern cooking, Love Love Love the accents and wish I had a Southern accent, subscribe to all Southern style magazines, when it comes to hair, I’m not about the ‘Jersey Girl’ style, no way, I love the sexy bombshell hair styles of Some Texas Gals and Southern Belles. Each week when I get my blowouts I tell my hair stylist to ‘ Give me big gorgeous Texas Girl Bombshell Hair!!’ and she does
menu:
Pimento- Cheese Potato Gratin
Pork Tenderloins With Madeira and Fig Gravy
Ginger Lemonade
I am also enjoying Martha Stewart’s” Dinner at Home”, The recipes are very well organized according to season, the photography is clean and modern and so far the recipes are super easy and delicious.
MENU:
Goat Cheese Stuffed Dates
Chocolate Molten Espresso Cakes
I made all the above for our Sunday get together and it wasn’t too difficult and I am still not feeling great from my Dentist Escapades. The most time consuming of the above recipe was the Gratin but even it was easy and delicious.
I have since made the Ginger Lemonade two ways, one according to the recipe and another where I made and chilled three cups of green tea in place of just plain water. I love the combination of green tea, ginger , honey and lemons. MAJOR super food.
I will also use this recipe without the green tea and add vodka or tequila at a cocktail party that I ‘ll be hosting soon.
Recipe:
2 ounces fresh ginger, peeled cut into thin disks about 1/3 cup
1/4 honey or more to taste
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup fresh lemon juice ( from about 4 large lemons )
1. Put the ginger in a medium heatproof bowl. Bring 2 cups cold water to a boil, then pour it into the bowl and stir to agitate the ginger. Slowly pour in the honey, stirring until dissolved in the concentrate. Add the salt, cover and let steep for 10 minutes.
2. Strain the concentrate into a large pitcher ( it will keep 5 days ,covered, in the refrigerator), you can reserve the ginger slices to use as a garnish if you like. Add 3 cups of cold water ( can also substitute 3 cups of cold green tea/water ) and the lemon juice to the pitcher, and sweeten to taste with honey. Set the pitcher in the refregerator to cool further: store the ginger slices in the refrigerator as well. ( The lemonade and ginger slices will keep in the refrigerator for 5 days.)
3. Fill each highball or pint glass two-thirds of the way to the rim with ice, and pour the ginger lemonade over it. Garnish with a slice of the steeped lemon if you wish. I like to use a candied ginger slice!! and I think old fashioned Ball Jars would be so lovely filled with this lemony beverage during the summer months!
~ this is rather tart, which I and my sons prefer, however I did put out a little glass dish of Super Fine Sugar for those who wished to sweeten their beverage up a bit more. ~
**Please stop over at Shellbelle’s Tiki Hut for an amazing Giveaway. You don’t want to miss this!!
Final Note: Thank You all for your kind words regarding my Dentist and Doctor’s issues and fears, even though it has been 16 years since my Cancer I am still terrified and traumatized of any and all Doctor visits. Thankfully I have a group of Wonderful and Caring physicians these days and that over all my health seems pretty darn good . you can’t see me but I am knocking on wood like a crazy I had to discontinue the antibiotic because it was making me very nauseous, I have a very difficult time on antibiotics and have ended up in the hospital a couple times on IV because of them…see why I’m such a giant baby!!! but hopefully I will get through the next week or so of Dentist and possible root canal appointments without too much drama or any further need for antibiotics…fingers crossed!!
Now I am going to get my mind onto happier things, like playing Candy Land Deluxe and eating lots of Chocolate with Oliver
*Kisses, Hugs and a Whole lot of Love*
visit here for some lovely Valentine’s Day inspiration
If you are looking for the perfect gift for your Valentine visit here to view are newest collection of MOR beauty products. They are perfect for your girlfriend, wife, mother, mother-in-law, teachers, babysitters,’ mistress’ ( ha ha, I’m just kidding if this is for your mistress than why not splurge for one of our fabulous diamond rings below!!) Better yet treat your wife to this gorgeous design, We think our Earth Mother Rings in either the high-end diamond gemstone or the faux version are fabulous and will take her breath away.
When I had my third son my husband’s gift to me was a piece of jewelry and he suggested that I design it and have it made to my exact specifications and that is how ‘THE EARTH MOTHER” RING came about. They are stunning!!
They have been commissioned for several Hollywood actresses, fund raisers, new moms, and much more!!
**We also donate a portion of all profits to the CHARITY OF YOUR CHOICE.
The Paris House is a Design Business and we have been throwing, hosting and planning events for over 20 years and We are in L*O*V*E with the ‘Strip tea’ glasses. How much fun are these fabulous sexy cocktail glasses!! I know I plan to get My Mr. Bunny tipsy drinking cocktails out of these fun glasses!! wink wink
We have a couple hand painted necklaces available and at a fabulous price!!
And there is one black and grey ‘Missonish’ scarf left.
How gorgeous is the packaging on our MOR products!! The lip gloss is shiny and soft with just a hint of color. Perfect for Valentine Kisses all night long.
If your Valentine likes bold statement pieces then our gold cuff bracelet is perfect!
We have a line of lovely toile pieces that also make fantastic little Valentine gifts. Our top sellers are hands down our toile pieces. We can’t keep them in stock.
** The Green petite cake stand and server will be featured in COUNTRY LIVING magazine in a few months**
We also have the sweetest ‘Love at First Sight’ tin gift sets filled with MOR beauty products.
**We only have one of the blue toile pitchers left in our boutique**
I promised my four year old son Oliver I would add these pictures of him playing hide and go seek and peek a boo with the photo booth.
Don’t miss our fab giveaway on bonbon rose girls!!
I can’t leave you without a cocktail
visit our Cheer’s section for many delicious Valentines’ Day Cocktails.
Oh and check out our bubbling cocktail.
***IF YOU HAVEN’T SEEN THE POST BELOW, CHECK IT OUT THERE IS A FUN FROZEN CHERRY MOJITO VIDEO WE FILMED AND THE RECIPE FOR BLACKBERRY CHAMPAGNE COCKTAILS!
We are off on an adventure and buying trip see you soon
Stop on over Chez Moi for an afternoon of Football, friends, Fun and Cocktails. But beware you may just be asked to star in a video with MOI..as did my friend Dorkalicious. As soon as he walked into our home he was staring straight at a tripod and video camera with complete bar and photo shoot set up. And to think he thought he was just coming over to eat, drink and watch the game!! Now as some of you may know ‘D’ is not a big fan of being on camera and especially not a big fan of being FILMED and having his voice and face plastered on the web. He was awesome and so much fun…a real natural star in the making!!
I teach classes and give presentations on a regular basis and have been for over 20 years so I’m use to it. But I still mess up and laugh a lot when being filmed.
TAKE ONE:- I had a case of the giggles so we had to stop filming until my ‘tee hee heeing’ stopped. ( my 13 gets so annoyed when I say ‘tee hee hee’, that I do it all the more…)
TAKE TWO: ~ We were on a roll until shaved ice went flying all over our kitchen. We forgot to put the blender in the machine before we turned it on and we had not idea how to turn the machine off!!
TAKE THREE: We decided no matter how many mistakes we made we would not stop, we would keep ‘Rolling’ , lets face it we wanted those darn Cherry Mojitos. Check us out. OF COURSE it didn’t go off without something going wrong!!!
Besides ‘Bunny’ ( Mr. Bunny never calls me Michele) he does occasionally call me Lucy because I am always involved in some hijinx. We learned through our local Historical Society that Lucille Ball and her ‘gang’ use to hang out at our home and local farmhouses near us. They would drive in from Manhattan for a quick getaway. We were also told one of the characters, Glinda The Good Witch from “The Wizard of Oz” lived around the corner from us. Who knows but I have heard this from so many people and it feels magical to be in a home where these icons may have enjoyed a Martini or Ten!! I’m doing my best to continue the partying tradition in this old house of mine!!
A Little Bit Football A little Bit Valentine’s Day
~*** A Bunny Tip~
I would DEFINITELY cut way back on the simple syrup, we followed the recipe but they were WAY too sweet. Next batch we added half the simple syrup and a little over 1 cup of Rum and they were great. Remember you can always add more but you can’t take it out. Make them and pour a little in a glass and test. Adjust as needed.
As you can see we have put up a few little Valentine’s Day Decorations. Our Fairy Lights are always on and our Bars are always set. If I had to describe my style it would be Quirky meets Traditional Chic. I just love to entertain. I can’t wait to do something fun for the Superbowl.
Our Sunday Menu:
Skirt Steak in a Thai Sauce sliced thin in lettuce ‘cups’
Chicken with Mushrooms, Riesling and a topped with Buttery Parmesan Fillo Dough.
Homemade French Onion Dip ~ from The Gingercreek Cooking School
Whole Wheat Pizza’s topped with Roquefort Cheese, red Grapes, Rosemary and drizzled with Honey
Ina Garten’s Coconut Cupcakes
Daniel Bouloud’s Pistachio Chantilly Cream Desserts with Berries, Ice cream and creme fraiche
Cherry Mojitos
Wine, Beer and Beverages
~ My outfit in the video for you Fashionista’s out there is TSE cashmere top, J Crew cords, C. L shoes, Miu Miu Belt ~
Jewelry by The Paris House Designs
~White serving pieces are Pillivuyt and the little white bowl was my Grandmother’s, glass hurricane’s Simon Pierce, Peach Roses from My Mr. Bunny ~
If you have a delicious cocktail or recipe for Super Bowl Sunday We would Love to read all about. What are some of your favorite ‘Football’ Foods and/or Valentine’s Day Cocktails/Recipes??!!
{ The Blackberry Champagne Cocktail featured in one of the collages above can be found here, the pizza’s can be found here. If there is something else you would like just send me a quick email and I will get it to you asap }
~Window Dressing our Mannequin for NYE at The Paris House Designs~
dress~ Bunny’s Junior Prom
necklace ~anthropologie
flower and New Year’s Eve crown ~ The Paris House Designs
~We are getting ready for a fun night, join us for some great travel, fashion and party recipes and ideas~
{ These are a few pieces in our New Year’s Eve Box}
What are all of you up to this New Year’s Eve?! Does anyone have any fabulously exciting plans you would like to share, because You KNOW I would love to hear them!! We are entertaining and then traveling this Holiday Season. Santa surprised me with a Mac-book. I have been so busy converting from my PC and learning all the amazing new things I can do on my Mac. I think it will take me a few more weeks to get use to it, but I am loving it. We have 7 computers in our family of 5 and I do believe they are constantly ‘ON’!
Lets Get Planning some Fashionable and Fun ideas for the rest of the Holiday Season and New Years Eve
Easy and Delicious Crab Empanadas:
Because we are entertaining and travelling I need some quick easy recipes and cocktails to put together FAST for New Year’s Eve and I plan to make a delicious sit down meal fireside for New Years Day most likely out of state, then we are off for some skiing and fun in the snow . I really am a true Snow Bunny, I love the snow and the Winter, I get a bit tired of it in March and then we head someplace warm to get a little break before we start back to work in the gardens. This year I have to prepare easy cocktail foods and pack. I need a variety of outfits, from a sexy New Year’s Eve dress to some cute ‘Snow Bunny’ outfits to wear in the cold New England Countryside.
~ Snow Bunny and Ski Lodge outfits~
Boots- Sorrel
Dress- Anthropologie
Necklace- Anthropologie
Handbag- Fendi
Tights- Wolford
I like to pack very warm clothes for daytime whether skiing, snowboarding or just hanging out with Hot Toddies fireside. At night I can easily put on this dress with the chocolate brown tights and trade in my boots for sky high heels.
I really do not like to go to the mall. First of all I much prefer finding unique items when we travel or I shop on line because I just do not have the time to go to the mall. Of course it can’t be avoided completely as was the case over the holidays. I convinced all three of my sons to join me on an outing to the amazing and fabulous Short Hills Mall. The only reason they came was because I needed to go to the Apple store for some help moving data from my pc to my new Mac and my sons are obsessed with all things Mac! The Mall was packed so we started off with a yummy lunch at Legal Seafood , I enjoyed a delicious glass of Vouvray, which is one of my favorite wines. If you have not tried Vouvray I highly recommend it!! Then it was off for some Mac Lessons and upstairs to William Sonoma and Anthropologie. I can’t go to the mall without seeing whats new at William Sonoma. I had also ordered the gigantic red heirloom scrapbook from Anthropologie in November and never went to pick it up, you see I really don’t like the mall. The line in the store was about 3 miles long and it was a mad house which made me behave like a lion in a cage. The boys were over at Mrs. Fields enjoying Milkshakes while I collected dresses that I just had to have and waited in a long line….the good thing about this was that by the time I made it to the register I realized I only wanted one of the dresses and decided against too many unnecessary impulse items! I did get a lovely and very affordable necklace to wear with the dress that will be great for fireside cocktails on our ski trip. THEN out comes the photo album, it was almost as big as me and weighed more…it was hysterical watching us take turns dragging it across the mall to our car at Neiman’s luckily we parked in valet, which I never do, the only reason I splurged for it was because I could not find a parking spot!! I don’t think I would have made it to the parking lot. My sons questioned me the entire way on why in the world did I buy a photo album that big…Because it is so beautiful I said!!
Daytime outfit, perfect for school concerts and afternoon appointments.
Look for classic pieces during the after Christmas sales, items you can wear for years and years.
Sweater~ J Crew
Shoes~Banana Republic
Tights~ Wolford
Gloves~ Coach
Skirt~ Escada
Bag~ Marc Jacobs
Necklace~ my Grandmother Margarets
Falalalalalaaaaa Holiday Fashions.
A Black Dress is perfect for a dinner out on the town. Paired with a gold heels.
This outfit or one similar to it is perfect all winter long not just during the Holidays. I can even pack it for a nice dinner out with my husband apres ski!!
Dress~ Moschino
Shoes~ 7 year old Gucci’s that I still love and wear a lot
Jacket~ Vera Wang
Necklace ~ I found while on the wonderful Bonbon Rose Blog!!
( photo taken in my home office)
The Dress I am wearing can be found in our Boutique.
They are super comfortable.
I may throw this in my suitcase too, it won’t really work on a ski vacation but it will be great for dinner and drinks on our way and it is great to travel in…I just add a little pin to ‘Hide’ my cleavage!! You know there is a time and place for everything!!
~Sweet Little Oliver all decked out in NYE decorations~ his older brother’s were mortified when they saw this picture..”MOM OMG you CAN”T put a picture of him wearing a pink tiara on your blog!!!”
Lets Entertain-
My Studio lit up at night…I go here to ‘getaway from it all with a glass of champagne’
Making a little progress…the shelves are getting filled!!
Be prepared for friends and family who stop by to say Hi
Now back to food and cocktails for a few minutes. Are you prepared in the event that someone should stop by your home at any given time. When I say ‘prepared’ I don’t mean is your home spotlessly clean, but that you can put out a few yummy items for them to enjoy and throw together a quick cocktail and glass of wine.
EXAMPLE:
Two days after Christmas Oliver and I decided to hit a lot of stores for Wrapping paper, I may not like to shop but I’m no dummy, If I can get huge rolls of wrapping paper at Walmart for about $1 I’m a happy girl. We went to Hallmark, then headed to Target’s, Lowes and finished up at Walmart. I do believe I bought enough crap I mean beautiful gift wrap that I will be able to wrap for the next decade. Anyway, Mr. Bunny called to tell me to try and be home by 1pm that a friend of ours was stopping by to drop of a Christmas gift. Did I worry that I wasn’t prepared for a spur of the moment guest, not a chance. My home wasn’t spotless but it was picked up. My hair was blown out so that saves me tons of time getting ready and I had containers filled with Holiday cookies, bottles of wine ready to go, a quick Chambord Champagne Cocktail that only takes seconds to make and most importantly a freezer filled with some quick pre-made items. I had pepperoni gruyere cheese wheels that I made and froze, delicious sausage cheddar balls that I made ahead and froze in zip lock bags and a bag of fresh Calamari that was breaded at our local fish monger that I put in a zip lock and toss in the freezer. I didn’t rush shopping, I finished up came home, put on a spritz of perfume, fluffed my hair all while my ovens pre-heated. I put the pepperoni pinwheels and the sausage balls in the oven, cut up a little artisan cheese and quickly fried the calamari in my favorite ‘Fry Daddy’ deep fryer. I had some organic Aioli that I purchased at a Farmer’s Market in The Finger Lakes and I served that along with some lemon slices with the perfectly cooked (thanks to my fry daddy) Calamari.
My husband brought up a variety of beer and wine and I threw together a quick Champagne Cocktail. This was all done in 30 minutes or less. We were then able to relax and enjoy time with our friend.
This was so easy that I plan to make these items ahead and serve them at my New Year’s Eve Soiree. I will get a blow out in the morning come home make a couple things. I always set up the night before and pack our suitcases in advance so the day of my parties I don’t stress out.
Stock your fridge, freezer and pantry with quick party items and you too will be able to dazzle your friends and family spur of the moment!!
A great selection of cocktails and sparkling waters
Cookie Tray, either homemade of store bought…Do what is easiest for YOU!!
Recipes:
for more recipes go to our ‘La Cuisine’ section for great ideas and to ‘Cheers’ for more cocktail suggestions
Recipe for Sausage Cheddar Balls:
1 pound sausage (hot or mild)
2 Cups biscuit mix
2 heaping cups shredded sharp
Cheddar Cheese
1/4 cup water
* In a skillet, cook sausage until slightly brown. Drain grease and crumble the sausage.
* In a medium bowl, combine crumbled sausage, biscuit mix, and cheese. Add just enough water to blend. Form into 1-inch balls. ( Note: at this time sausage ball can be froze, which is great for those spur of the moment guests that stop by)
* To bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place sausage balls on ungreased cookie sheet and bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until slightly brown. ( If frozen, baking time should be increased to 30 -35 minutes ) Yield: 35 to 40 pieces.
Recipe for Chambord Champagne cocktail:
Proseco, A splash of Cointreau. Serve in a Lovely Glass and add a few Blackberries or Raspberries
Crab Empanadas:
6 oz. canned crab meat, drained
2 tbsp. sour cream
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 cup diced green onions
Salt and pepper to taste Flour
1 box puff pastry
Cooking Spray
(Notes: I doubled the crab recipe and I added cream cheese, adobo seasoning and a dash of cayenne pepper and adjusted seasoning above to taste. They were super easy to make and delicious. You can also add different fillings such as smoked pulled pork, cheese and black beans or anything else you desire)
Wishing you a the best year yet
Peace Love and Happiness
The Paris House Happy Hour Video:
My son Sam filmed this little at home video LAST October while I was getting ready for a few friends to stop by for Happy Hour. The premise is always the same…do as much as you can in advance AND enjoy your friends.
The video has a yummy ginger apple cider martini recipe in it
{French Franc over-sized shot glasses can be found here]
I am a LOVER of Tequila, not nearly as much as I adore my wine and champagne, but besides the occassional Corona with a twist of lime in the Summer, or a perfectly prepared Martini, Tequila is one of the few things I drink. I must admit as much as I like the smooth taste of Patron Silver I still really like my Jose Cuervo. I guess I just like the fact that it is what it is. Strong, fun and the finish lets you know who’s in charge and its Jose NOT Bunny. Also It wakes me up unlike other cocktails that can make me very ‘loopy’ and tired tequila gets me and the party going! I have been, thanks to ‘Dorkalicious’, turned onto the other Patron’s out there such as Coffee Patron which is wonderful after dinner or at the end of the evening. Last Friday we started our happy hour at my house with Citronge Cocktails.
I was in an OrangeISH mood, you know thinking about the new Lilly Pulitzer resort/vintage pieces, I just love their orange catalog. Checking out some of the orange pieces and notes cards from Tory Burch, and some of my Hermes boxes seemed to inspire me as well as the pile of oranges, tangerines and clementines scattered about our home. I was wrapping presents and hot-gluing little decorative oranges on the boxes, if that wasn’t enough, I headed to cooking class where the wonderful Nancy prepared chocolate dipped oranges. They were made to perfection in the European style, specifically Spanish. Okay, enough is enough I had a theme going in my head and when I saw the simple elegant orange label and ribbon on the Patron Citronge bottle over at ‘D’s’ house a couple weeks ago I knew something had to be done. I am so in head over heels smitten with the chic elegant labels on the Patron bottles that I must always have the Patron XO CAFE on my bar, I adore the chocolate brown liqueur in the smoky bottle, but the fabulous purple lable just looks great on my bar tray. Then if that wasn’t enough I became enamored with the simple chic orange lable on the Patron Citronge bottle. What is even better is that these liqueurs including Patron Silver are much more than a pretty face they are delicious.
I texted ’D; and asked if he could help me set up a photo shoot and tasting so I could confirm how the cocktails tasted. Mr. Bunny was kind enough to get me the Citronge and even surprised me with a bouquet of pink peonies. I adore pink and orange together with little accents of blue. We tested several different methods and came up with our favorite. Believe it or not we headed out that evening to a wine tasting cocktail party, next time I may want to plan these events a little more carefully. Remember my post ‘Party Like a Rock Star’ well I can’t LOL. It was a late night
{ Find our lovely French Franc bistro snack plates here }
So here we go…The following are the three ways in which we prepared the cocktails. And when I say WE I mean my friend, I did nothing at all besides drink them. Mr. Bunny came home to a very Happy Wife. Oh how I love Fridays.
{the garnishes were made during cooking class at Nancy’s home. You can find recipes on line or to save time you can find them in gourmet candy shops}
~Cheers my Dears~
~Method 1, We made the recipe with Patron Silver, fresh squeezed Lime, fresh squeezed Lemon, Patron Citronge Orange Liqueur
~Method 2, We made the cocktail with Jose Cuervo Gold tequila, with mix in place of fresh lemon and fresh lime and Patron Orange Liqueur
~Method 3, We made this cocktail with Jose Cuervo tequila, we used Fresh Squeezed Lemons, Fresh Squeezed Limes, and Patron Citronge Orange Liqueur.
*** The Winner Is…drum roll…
Method 3..I love fresh squeezed Lemon and fresh squeezed lime ONLY, all three cocktails had Patron Citronge Orange Liqueur in them and I preferred the kick of the gold Cuervo to that of the Silver Patron. At least in this cocktail. You can always add a splash of simple syrup if you like but we garnished the glasses with very sweet oranges dipped in dark chocolate so I didn’t feel the need for any additional sweetness. Plus as I am a wine/champagne drinker I really don’t care for over-the-top sweet cocktails, I like elegant and refined ,simple and delicious.
Recipe:
Patron Ultimate Margarita
1 1/2 oz. Patron Silver Tequila ( I prefer Jose Cuervo Gold in this)
1 oz Patron Citronge Liqueur
Juice of 1/2 Fresh Limje
Juice of 1/2 Fresh Lemon
shake over ice in cocktail shaker
Serve on the rocks
I hope you are having a great Holiday Season. We are headed to a fun party this evening I can’t wait to wear my hot pink party dress!
Last night I was at a wonderful fund raiser basket auction. The cause amazing, the food delicious, the home TDF, the company as nice and interesting as you can imagine. I plan to do a post on this after the holidays.
We have a snow storm headed our way ‘Fingers Crossed’ oh how I love the snow Then hopefully we will get to Manhattan in the next couple days to shop and visit the tree, eat deliciuos food and take lots of pictures of all the fabulous window. NYC is so amazing at Christmastime.
{ Moi and Linda at Tracy’s Home for the Basket Auction Party I went to last evening, Linda thank you so much for emailing me the photos}
~ the following are a few pictures of our Holiday Decorations~
Hanging out with the Family
Our Country Kitchen
Party Time at The Paris House Designs
Filling our cake stands with Holiday Sweetness
We are entertaining this weekend in the Billiard Room and are all set-up and ready to go.
Santa is dressed in his ‘Party Attire’
My soon to be 13 year old son, Teddy wanted a woodland theme table, so I gave him one.
Hello my Friends, I hope your Holiday was lovely and you ate, drank and were very very Merry. We certainly had one Marvelous time here at La Maison Parisienne. Everything was lovely. Now we are full speed ahead plotting, planning and designing a most glorious Holiday Season. We finished our annual Gingerbread House a couple weeks ago and our home is filled with the aroma of cinnamon and spices. When we light the house up in the evening, the stain glass windows glow and we truly believe a little Christmas Family lives happily inside. The warmth from the light makes the aroma even more delicious.
I have been making this since I was in my late 20’s and no matter how many times I insist I am no longer going to make it, I end up making it again and I must say I agree with my family…it just wouldn’t be the same around here without our homemade Gingerbread House.
My tips for making a gingerbread house are as follows:
1) Make it on a dry cool day so the gingerbread gets firm and your house doesn’t crumble.
2) Keep the top pieces a little bit lighter and the bottom and side pieces thicker so they support your house.
3) I always double the gingerbread recipe
a. My sons love eating the leftovers
b. I love eating the leftovers
c. I always need more dough than I think I’ll need
4) Make the house when you have time and can concentrate so you are not stressed.
5) Make sure you have a candy thermometer if you are pouring stain glass windows. Do not let children near the hot candy syrup!!
6) Have your ‘Mis en Place’ , make sure everything you need is in its place, organized and ready to go.
7) Remember, you can always buy one already assembled or a kit and have your children do it. Oliver loves holding onto my hand and learning how to pipe the icing on the house. This is much more fun and important to me than having a perfectly decorated house!!
A few pictures from our Thanksgiving dinner. A very warm and glowing evening by the fireside.
Dishes all are a part of The Paris House’s Collection. We used one type of flower for impact, orange/peach roses clustered in crystal glasses we purchased in San Francisco. All linens are from a local wool shop in Pennsylvania. ( We live an hour outside of Manhattan and an hour from historic areas in PA so we have great sources surrounding us)
Now onto the real fun part…FASHION!! I may be a very busy lady but I still have time to put on heels and some lipstick. A trick that I do when I am very busy and can’t get to my salon for my blow-outs is to wash my hair the night before, put in the styling products that work well on my naturally curly hair and then I braid it. The next day I take out the braid and I have long waves. It saves me a lot of time, however my favorite is when my hairdresser Megan does my blow outs, no one can do it like her. I’ll be lost is she ever moves. The dress is a chocolate brown little number by Michael Kors and the shoes are Jimmy Choo, you may have seen them in the episode on Sex and the City with SJP.
Today the party is over, no more Jimmy Choos, I’m still in my workout clothes and sneakers. It sure is fun to dress up every now and then.
I can’t let you go without something delicious to kick off the Christmas and Holiday season with.
The Paris House Candy Cane Dreamtini.
3 ounces vanilla vodka
2 ounces Godiva white chocolate liqueur
1 ounce peppermint schnapps
1 candy cane stick
crushed candy cane
Mix vanilla vodka, white chocolate liqueur and peppermint schnapps in a cocktail shaker. and stir for 15 seconds. Pour contents into chilled martini glass. Garnish with candy cane stick on the side and sprinkle of crushed candy cane on rim.
Have a lovely day sweetie-pies.
and speaking of sweetie pies, We only have one life to live, do something beautiful today, eat something delicious, tell someone you love them and if possible kiss a very sexy someone today
Yummy Pumpkin Pie
{ I am also so thankful that my sweet father was released from the hospital on Thanksgiving morning and able to celebrate the day with family}
We have put together a free pdf tutorial on planning an unforgettable Thanksgiving Dinner please click here to download.
You will find menu suggestions, a delicious Brandy Alexander recipe, crafts for the entire family to enjoy, cooking tips for making a delicious turkey, lovely pictures and a sweet Thanksgiving story and traditions to share with your family and friends.
Enjoy
~there is still time to enter our Paris House Boutique Giveaway~
~ We also received gorgeous wool and silk scarfs with faux fur pom poms from Saint Tropez, and a variety of gorgeous knit dresses. There is a very limited selection and they are unbelievably affordable, We will be posting pictures soon and we have updated all of our shipping costs to make it much much more affordable for both our domestic and international customers~
I have a Business Luncheon with my good friend Marie who also happens to be French. That means I need to be chic. This is the outfit I decided on. Classic is my style and typically the way I dress most of the time, especially during the day. In the evening for cocktail parties I like sexy and mini, for running errands and going to my sons schools I typically try and dress like I’m on the set in Cookie Magazine style shoot, or at least I try to. I love fashion and love to get dressed up, just not all the time. I work from my house so sometimes I can work in sweats and sometimes I go all out. My Fashion style is as eclectic as my interior design style. I do lean towards chic, tailored, classic and a bit preppy.
{Dress Vera Wang, Shoes Louboutin, gold cuff The Paris House Boutique, sunglasses Lilly Pulitzer, Handbag Chanel (photographed below). My dress is blue and black, on the back it is all black and very fitted from behind, both professional for business and a bit sexy especially when paired with my very nerdy eyeglasses. What is about guys and glasses, when I was younger I felt embarrassed wearing glasses until every guy I knew thought it was the sexiest thing on a woman!!}
I snuck him in for a little more Halloween magic. So while I’m at it let me share my French friend’s Marie et Pol’s fabulous cocktail recipe…for after work of course!! If you happen to be in my neighborhood stop on by for a delicious chic Halloween cocktail as we are always prepared with beaucoup des ‘Tricks AND Treats’…I just can’t promise they will be Tiffany Treats.
{I hope you can follow this recipe, as I just copied and pasted it as was emailed to me from Marie} :
Cheers Bonjour Michele ( Marie do you ever call me Bunny??? maybe after tequila, but its usually Meeechelle!!)
La Mauresque Cocktail
Yesterday was very nice, let’s do it more often. Hope you were on time at school..
Here is the recipe and some links to read for more info for you.. I’m not sure that the tsp are the most convenient but I didn’t know another way to convert centiliters (cl) !??
Prepare directly in the glass. Pour the pastis and syrup. Fill with plenty of cold water and some icecubes.
Serve in a glass type “tumbler”.
“A la votre !” means Cheers!
I know I posted these skull swizzle sticks a couple weeks ago but I really love them so they are back…
Chic reading to keep me fashionable and Champagne to keep me happy
Getting ready, I need to be at the cafe for lunch soon. I’m Meeting Marie to discuss new products to put in our boutique. They will be coming from France soon. I wore none of these fragrances today, instead I chose Van Cleef & Arpels ‘First’ which was a gift from Marie. I have very very nice friends!!!!
You like my little pink poodle swizzle sticks, I think I have a swizzle stick addiction, that and apparently I set up bars in every room in my home. This is my ’still under construction’ craft room. I’m just waiting for my hot handyman to get his sweet little A** over here and get to work. Sorry but sweet little Bunny is in a silly mood.
OMG what a mess….Need to organize. Mr Bunny bought me this sexy little number. Where oh where are my heels and bracelet…I’m going to be late!! I need to get organized one of these days..I mean really I’m a Virgo we are suppose to be very organized?? I do have different closets one for Fall and winter clothes and one that is only spring summer/resort…so I guess thats a start. I’m just so busy living life there is no time!!!
Another fun necklace from my Grandmother Margaret. The scarf was hers too, a little Missoni, Etro, Pucci vibe going on there perhaps??? My Kate Spade cards have travelled around the world and back with me.
These are so NOT the shoes I’m looking for. Its time for me to get serious and stop playing, I have a 30 minute drive and can’t be late…
{My friend Marie is a fashion and personal stylist , her company is Simplement Chic}
Thanks for all your help Marie call me when you return from Saint Tropez!!!! I think it may be time for tequila, non????
The Paris House (which is the name of my business) hosted a lovely picnic in The Italian Gardens in Saratoga Springs New York. We had friends and family join us for the day in these enchanted surroundings. The weather was perfect, the food delicious, the surroundings magical and the guests delightful. I am busy setting the scene and getting everything ready before the guests arrive. Remember when I mentioned “The Party In a Box” well sometimes it is several cars filled with party boxes, tables, chairs and food. I have a very loving and patient husband who knows that being married to a “Party Girl” means that once the party is over she is already planning the next event whether it be for business, pleasure or both…..
I hope you enjoy a little tour through the magical surroundings we created…
This is a wonderful dessert and cocktail that is just perfect for an afternoon Garden Party. See the recipe at the end of the post.
My Honey Bunny running around with our youngest son Oliver. I know I probably repeat myself more than a senile old lady…but I have loved this man for 23 years!! I could not breathe without him in my world.
I traipsed around in these 4″ Dior’s for hours….I will go through a lot of pain to wear my heels, although I am a ballet flat girl at heart. My three boys and Poppy are enjoying some afternoon fun in the sun. I don’t see where JoJo is, Oh God I hope she didn’t fall into the fountain. ( but if she did and didn’t get hurt it would be really funny, I told you I still have a sense of humor like a 12 year old, I still literally have to run to the bathroom when I am laughing which is usually difficult to do while bent over in hysterics!!) My friends and I believe that “The Older We Get the Younger We Live” …..We truly Glow from happiness that or from Global Warming….
We really enjoyed the Bogle wine, it was nice and cold and very fruity. Perfect for a hot summer day. Best of all it was under $10.00
We didn’t overlook the trees and hung crystal votive chandeliers from the branches. At night they were magical.
I couldn’t resist capturing this little fellow..they were just drifting merrily down the stream behind our table throughout the party….
Oh my how I love these boys. Sam is 15 1/2 and towers over me, even in my heels and My Sweet Sweet Teddy is 12. I love that they were with us to celebrate a day with our friends….
Here we have Mayor Jim Sullivan of Victor in Saratoga County, Mayor Sullivan is 26 years and the youngest Mayor ever in Saratoga County. He is an environmentalist and filled with a lot of interesting tips on being more Eco-friendly. He is surrounded by some of my best friends. (Nancy and Robin…Loris is nearby) I think they look like a couple of Cougars, ready to pounce on the Honorable Mayor (I never use that word “Cougar”, but it seems so fitting here!!!)
I usually buy drip less candles, but here it just added to the “Theatrics” . Congress Park in Saratoga is where they host the Shakespeare in the Park festival each Summer, so I was channeling a little of that feel……
We have two fountains here that face each other in the formal Italian Garden. At the opposite end of the park is a beautiful gazebo where the Shakespeare festival is held each Summer.
The Sun is setting and people keep stopping by to enjoy a nice ice cold glass of crisp white wine….We can update with press photos from the local papers.
I was determined to sneak over 20 bottles of wine in, I didn’t ask if it was allowed, BUT, I don’t think it was. No one seemed to care and people kept coming over to comment on our lovely event….There are security cameras everywhere to help protect the lovely fountains and gardens from any wrong doing,,,,so I guess We were doing everything Right…..The police patrols seemed very flattered to have a party planner come up from the Manhattan/NJ area to do a party and photo shoot…
My husband is just chilling with The New York Times for a few minutes
There are days when all of us wish we could make time stand still. How can life get any better than to have your spouse, husband, children, family and best friends all together AND be pursuing your “Passion” and for me that is creating beautiful settings. Of course we can’t make time stand still that is why We all need to really celebrate life and take the time to make memories. We never know what tomorrow may bring that is why we must savor today and gather our loved ones together whenever we can…
Now I certainly can’t let you go without giving you a delicious recipe and cocktail to enjoy at your next Soiree
Tiepolo Cocktail
Serves 5
2 cups strawberries
1 bottle ice-cold prosecco or very dry champagne
1. Save 5 or 6 perfect strawberries for a garnish. Remove the hulls from the remainder and puree in a food processor. Place 1 tablespoon of the strawberry puree in each glass. A champagne flute works well. Gently stir the puree as you pour the prosecco into the glass
NOTE: The puree can also be frozen for later use ( I also do this with my belini purees)
Pucinni’s Favorite Chocolate Tart:
For the Pastry
2 1/4 cups all -purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
pinch of salt
1/2 cup plus 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
For the filling
4 cups Dutch-process cocoa powder
2 cups confectioner’s sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup strong coffee
1 cup milk
1/2 cup plus 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 egg yolks
1. Make the pastry:
Combine the flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor. Pulse several times. Cut and add the butter. Pulse until fully combined. Add the egg, vanilla and orange zest. Pulse until the dough forms a ball on the blade. Divide the dough into two balls, one containing two-thirds of the dough and one containing on-third. Form into 2 balls, wrap in plastic wrap or waxed paper, and chill for 30 minutes.
2. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out two-thirds of the dough into a circle large enough to cover the bottom and sides of a 10-inch fluted tart pan with removable sides. Press the pastry into the pan and trim any excess. Prick the bottom and blind-bake until the pastry is slightly golden, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool on a rack.
3. Roll out the remaining dough to about 1/8 inch, thick. Cut into strips of varying lengths and widths. Place the strips, without touching, on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and bake until golden, about 10 minutes. Let cool on a rack.
4. Make the filling:
Sift together the cocoa, sugars, and salt. Combine the coffee, milk and butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. When the butter has melted, start stirring in the cocoa mixture, beating until smooth. Cook, stirring constantly, for 4 minutes, being careful not to let the mixture scorch on the pan bottom. Whisk in the egg yolks. Spoon the chocolate filling into the pastry strips over the top in a random pattern to make a “broken lattice.” Chill for at least 2 hours.
5. Remove the tart from the refrigerator at least 1 hour before serving. Remove the pan sides and serve.
Note: This is an intensely rich tart, so you’ll want to serve small pieces.
Remember Darlings, We only have one life to life it is important we life it beautifully
xoxo
Bunny
Tomorrow we are heading into my Kitchen Bar area….Can’t wait to see you!!
A little more with Poppy and JoJo, they love to dance with Oliver. Before Poppy’s massive stroke nearly a decade ago he played in a band. Now he can’t talk, walk or use any of the right side of his body. He is still as happy as can be. We are in my parents laundry room, where my father keeps his computer and dances with Oliver. You can hear me asking my oldest son Sam if he is recording and he is getting snippy with me and I’m saying keep me off camera that I look terrible and have no makeup on….. and then in runs JoJo to dance and it is to POLKA MUSIC no less!!!
** This is a post and party I hosted last year for friends, family and clients in Saratoga Springs. I thought it was so pretty I wanted to share it for all over at the lovely Tablescape Thursday. Stop over and visit and be sure to come back and see more of our Summer party Season here at The Paris House Designs
Planning a day in the orchard
Ah sunshine …Finally we can eat out in the old orchard under the plum tree
Setting the scene with some French antiques..These pieces are usually in our spring house and can easily be moved outside in nice weather for a luncheon, picnic or party.
Out by the old Spring House
After my Grandmother passed away my Mother gave me all her aprons , they were my Great Grandmothers. I don’t wear them, but I do love them very much. They are all handmade by Abby and I can still see my beloved Grandmother Margaret wearing them around her kitchen.
I just love this shot, just floating in a summer breeze with a blue sky in the background. Sometimes if we take a little time and care we CAN re-create the good old days…if only for an afternoon.
This simple gingham fabric was purchased for next to nothing at Joann’s fabrics in Clifton Park NY (upstate)
I have had these two cookbooks since I was in my 20’s even before I was married they are very special to me. My mother bought them for me at the old Jelly Mill in Vermont when we were there with my Grandmother. The little box on top holding my Grandmother’s Jelly jars was made by my sweetheart, Grandfather Sabatine, it use to hold all their pens, paper and sit by their telephone on the counter. Isn’t it just the perfect shade! Underneath was a drawer that had the built in bread drawer that always smelled like heaven on Earth. Don’t you just love the color of that box, he was a happy happy man and chose a happy color. Looks so cute with the red thermos.
Chilling drinks in the orchard.
All French antiques purchased in Paris and the French countryside
the little tricycle has been used for 15 years by all of my sons , the white chair is another great grandmother heirloom I was their only Grand daughter so I inherited a lot of their antiques, which I blend beautifully with modern chic pieces ( One of my first loves in design). I hope all of you have something to cherish that reminds you of special times.
Here is our menu, which can be made and enjoyed all Summer long, I will link and list as many recipes as possible. Please email me if there is something not listed or linked to that you would like to make.
Now For our Giveaway! We will ship the winner an adorable gift box set of four Strip Tease Cocktail Glasses anywhere in the World. All you have to do is leave me a comment, preferably something sweet that will make me smile and love you to bits. If your a follower I will put your name in the hat twice! Good Luck Sweetie Pies.
Our rings are stunning, chic jewels that will dazzle the love of your life while doing something to help the people of Haiti. The rings are custom designed with any of the birthstones you may chose. Perfect for Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Birthdays, Gifts for a new Mom, Grandmother’s, etc.
Here are a few of our designs being worn in Hollywood. 
I can’t let you go without something delicious to kick off the Christmas and Holiday season with.
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