Category Archives: Dine

November 21, 2012 · 12:15 pm

Team Thanksgiving Dinner

Last week I posted about our chic Thanksgiving Table inspiration for my company’s HOPEgiving celebration. It’s the first time we’ve had a Thanksgiving dinner together so we really wanted it to be special in terms of food, wine pairings and decor. Our Online Marketing Manager has been making Thanksgiving dinner for her family since she turned 18 so she planned (and cooked!) an insanely delicious feast for us while I took control over the tablescape. The head of our Foundation has been wanting to write a new company manifesto, so we used the Holstee Manifesto cut up into bits to give everyone some inspiration with their place card. We all wrote a line that we live by and pieced the puzzle together over dinner which made for some wonderful team bonding. Lastly, our next big venture is ONEHOPE Coffee so I made sure to include some coffee beans mixed in with the florals as well as on everyone’s place setting as a reminder to be thankful for the incredible opportunities we have ahead. I have to say, it was an absolutely magical evening filled with amazing food (and wine of course!), ONEHOPE family cheer and excitement for 2013! What a great beginning to the holiday season!

PS: View Lauren’s to-die-for menu here and more on my tablescape and decor here :-) Happy Thanksgiving!!!

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Filed under Design, Dine, Floral, Wine

Tagged as candles, coffee, company, feast, florals, food, gold, hopegiving, team, thanksgiving, vases, wine

November 19, 2012 · 3:25 pm

Oh Monday!

The weekend was completely insane! I painted, prepped for our company’s Thanksgiving dinner, painted again, went to an event and then painted some more. I can not believe it’s Monday already… where was my weekend?! On a lighter note, here’s a sneak peek of our #HOPEgiving dinner (follow us on Instagram and Twitter) tablescape. I ran to the flower mart this morning and snatched up the last of the peonies along with some vibrant tulips, pin cushions and coffee beans. LOVE. The colors were just the warm yet modern punch of color we needed and I’m dying over the gold vessels, tapers, chargers and votives I was able to find over the weekend. My vision came to life :-) More details to follow! Hope you’re having a great Monday!

Thanksgiving Table Inspiration

When I came across this Thanksgiving table post on Camille Styles last week, I just about fell out of my chair. I was floored by the chic, sophisticated and modern approach to Thanksgiving decor that McKenzie Powell took instead of the traditional, heavy Thanksgiving tablescapes that come to mind when I envision the holiday. The gorgeous fall florals and orange tapers are just enough to keep the table warm and inviting, while the glass candlesticks, geometric napkins and hint of gold keep the look fresh and modern. Bravo! Our team is celebrating Thanksgiving together next Monday and here is my inspiration board for our own table modeled after McKenzie’s rendition (with my own little twist) of course :-)

Vibrant fall florals arranged by yours truly as seen here.
Glass candlesticks from CB2.
Obsessed with this gorgeous (and massive) wishbone. LOVE!
Gold rimmed glassware. Swoon!
Gold chargers beneath modern white china.
Greek key fabric for napkins.
Love these gold mercury glass votives from one of my favorite sources – Jayson Home.

What will your Thanksgiving table look like?

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Filed under Design, Dine, Floral, Interiors

Tagged as candlestick, chargers, design, event design, fabric, fall florals, flowers, interior design, mercury glass, table linens, tablescape, thanksgiving, votives, wine glasses, wishbone

April 2, 2012 · 10:02 am

San Francisco-ing

Last Wednesday, I flew up to San Francisco for a gorgeous few days of work and play. I’m so in love with that city, it’s hard to put it into words and pictures never do it justice so I always wind up yearning to go back from the moment I hit the ground at LAX. The architecture, the food, the history and the seemingly endless hills with panoramic views of the city from every street corner leaves me with the desire to pack my bags and find little a bay-windowed studio to call home. Check out a few of my favorite weekend moments below.

{Quick lunch break at The Melt at Stanford. This place was amazing! They only serve different types of grilled cheese sandwiches and soups for dipping. YUM. Side note: They’re expanding from 4 to 22 locations in 2012… Proof that a simple (but great) concept and design are a winning combination}

{Platters of finger food for our Hope at Home tasting in Santa Cruz}

{View of the Golden Gate from my friend’s rooftop as it started to light up at dusk}

{Views from the top of Nob Hill}

{So very envious of this rooftop (yes, I was doing some stalking). Great little grilling/entertaining space with a patch of grass for a very lucky city pup}

{Taking in the architecture and hills}

{My friend Megan’s adorable gallery wall in her room}

{Some wine and kitty cat snuggle time while finishing up our work day}

{On my walk from Nob Hill to Union Square}

{Gorgeous}

{San Francisco buildings are never short of character and detail}

{On our walk to Sunday brunch}

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Filed under Design, Dine, Interiors, Travel, Wine

Tagged as Architecture, Bay, Dining, food, san francisco, travel, wine tasting

March 21, 2012 · 12:02 am

Wine Wednesday – Cookies & Corks

Alright… two loves of my life? Cookies and wine. Put them together and magic happens. Enter Cookies & Corks – an amazing company based out of Virginia that recognized there is nothing better in life than the above two paired together. YES. Gimme, gimme, gimme! As part of this project that I’m working on, Cookies & Corks sent us some of their amazingness to try and I’ve got to say, they’ve hit the nail on the head. Anyone who loves wine needs to give this a try immediately. Seriously. Now. Lucky for me, I recently had the chance to try both the red and white wine pairing boxes, but today, I’ll chat about the white because the pairings were so delightful that I couldn’t wait another moment to share.

First and foremost, there are three types of cookies in a box. The White Wine box consists of Apricot Sage, Peanut Butter Chocolate and Ginger Molasses which pair well with Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Grigio and Sauvignon Blanc. Since I didn’t have the middle two, I gave these a try with ONEHOPE Chard and Sauv Blanc and was blown away.

Sauvignon Blanc + Apricot Sage = I was a little skeptical about this one. The ONEHOPE Sauvignon Blanc is one of my favorite wines ever with its crisp, citrus finish and I was worried that the combination with the Apricot would make the pairing overwhelmingly citrusy. Thankfully, I was wrong. The lightness of the Sauvignon Blanc was just enough to create a more full-bodied citrus flavor with the Apricot (without being overpowering) while enhancing the savory sage to a level I never thought possible. I like sage?! I guess so. Delicious.
Chardonnay + Apricot Sage = What a great combination. While there was no over-the-top, spectacular or surprising finish, the two together were still extremely well balanced and enjoyable. I tasted much more Apricot in this pairing than the Sauvignon Blanc + Apricot and a little less sage. Scrumptious.
Chardonnay + Peanut Butter Chocolate = AAAMAZING. Wow. Tasting this together was like putting a piece of chocolate covered fruit in my mouth, enjoying every last second of it and then, BAM! Peanut butter with a tiny hint of salt. There is so much perfection going on in this 5-10 seconds of flavor that I ate another.
Chardonnay + Ginger Molasses = This pairing actually wasn’t recommended on the box, but I’m so glad I decided to give it a shot. The Ginger Molasses wine pairing suggestions were Gewürztraminer and Pinot Grigio, neither of which I had, but I did have some leftover Chardonnay in my glass. Since Ginger Snaps are one of my favorite cookies, I gave it a whirl and fell in love. The ONEHOPE Chardonnay is really well balanced (not too sweet, not too buttery, not too oaky) so it allowed the flavor of the ginger to magnify tenfold without any other obtrusive favors. Being that I LOVE ginger, I loved this combination.

Bravo, Cookies & Corks! Can’t wait to try some more for next Wine Wednesday :-)

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Filed under Dine, Wine

Tagged as cookies, pairings, sugar, wine, wine tasting

February 24, 2012 · 8:35 am

The Art of the Bar Cart

I’ve got a huge crush on bar carts at the moment. When stocked full of colorful spirits, a stylish ice bucket and some gorgeous cocktail glasses, they simply add so much character to a space and a sense of effortless entertaining to a home (something I’ve vowed to get better at in 2012). Additionally, they’re also a tremendous conversation piece: a place to display a set of heirloom glasses, that gifted bottle of Scotch from a special occasion, a jar of olives or bitters from a mom and pop shop during your latest travels, a gorgeous piece of art hanging above… the list goes on. While we opted for more of a substantial wine bar/buffet when we moved into our place and have since run out of space for one of these beauties I’m completely re-inspired to spruce up our “bar tray” this weekend.

{Lamp – ORANGE, Cart – Arteriors Home, Champagne Coupes – Kate Spade, Book – Cocktails by Amy Saaco, Wine – ONEHOPE Spakling, Coasters – Jonathan Adler}

Inspiration Images
-Original sources and more here-

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Filed under Design, Dine, Interiors, Wine

Tagged as bar, bar cart, interior design

February 23, 2012 · 12:15 am

Winter Wedding Weekend in Telluride

I often have a hard time readjusting after taking a weekend break from this crazy city and our return from Telluride, CO where we witnessed our friends Phillip and Claire marry last weekend was no different. The couple currently lives in London where Claire is an accomplished interior designer and Phillip is an attorney at a world-renowned firm. Telluride is a very special place for both of them and I’m so happy to have experienced it for the first time. Growing up enduring frigid Midwest winters, I could hardly imagine why anyone would ever vacation in a cold place. After living in Southern California for a few years, however, I can completely understand and traveling to this tiny, snow-covered mountain town of 2,000 was nothing short of enchanting. Here are a few of my favorite moments from last weekend that make me smile :-)

{Stunning morning view from our condo}

{Downtown Telluride}

{Taking the gondola up for the first time}

{Gorgeous mountain views in every direction}

{ Rare blog picture of the boyfriend and I… thinking of this day makes me so happy :-) }

{The long descent back to Telluride}

{Exploring in the powdery snow}

{LOVED the cozy lodge feel and architecture}

{Refueling at 9545 in Mountain Village thanks to the suggestion of some friendly locals}

{Gorgeous flowers in the reception bar area}

{“Mr. & Mrs.”}

{White and green florals and mercury glass… stunning!}

{Beautiful tablescapes}

{Burlap tablecloths, white china, white florals, silver mercury glass accents… a gorgeous winter wonderland}

{Is there anything in the world better than lobster pastry puffs?! I mean… come on!}

{Love}

{View from Allred’s at the top of the mountain}

{I’m a sucker for antler chandeliers}

{Delicious post wedding breakfast ~~hangover cure~~ at The Butcher & The Baker}

{Southwest scramble}

{Gearing up for the looong drive home}

{Perfect AZ desert sunset to end our weekend}

5 Comments

Filed under Design, Dine, Floral, Interiors, Life, Travel

Tagged as colorado, design, fashion, flowers, food, snow, Telluride, travel, wedding

February 13, 2012 · 1:51 am

Valentine’s Day Cookies

For the last two or three years, I’ve had full intentions of sending out Valentines and each year, regrettably, the holiday creeps up too quickly and I simply run out of time. This year I was determined to get it done and pretty pink frosted sugar cookies seemed too enticing to pass up. My mom and I made sugar cookies for Christmas and Valentine’s Day or Easter almost every year growing up and since I’ve been feeling a little homesick lately, I decided that using her recipe would be just the tasty pick-me-up I’ve needed. They turned out just as good as I remembered so I thought I’d share the love <3

Ingredients

4 cups flour
1 ¼ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon salt
¾ teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup butter
1 ½ cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 eggs
¾ cup sour cream

Directions

Mix flour with the next four ingredients
In a separate mixing bowl, cream butter until smooth
Add sugar to butter, creaming well
Stir in vanilla
Beat in eggs until fluffy
Add flour mixture, alternating with sour cream in 2-3 parts
Mix until dough is consistent
Cover and chill for at least an hour (but I chilled overnight)
Preheat oven to 450, roll dough ¼” thick and cut with desired cookie cutters
Bake on cookie sheet for 5-8 minutes
Wait for cookies to cool before frosting. I used the Royal Icing recipe on this Meringue Powder package.

Let your frosting set before placing them into your Valentine bags. I used these bags with this baker’s twine and these ADORABLE Kraft Martha Stewart for Staples labels.

Pack and ship… I threw in a bottle of my favorite wine ;-) And of course, save a few for yourself! Enjoy!

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Filed under Design, Dine

Tagged as baking, cookies, cooking, pink, valentine, valentine's day

January 17, 2012 · 9:38 am

The “Holy Crap I’m Fat” Moment

You people KNOW what I’m taking about… and if you don’t than you’re either 1) Miranda Kerr (a freak of nature) 2) a personal trainer and work out for a living so you can never, ever really feel fat or 3) lying to yourself. Life is going along its merry way, Halloween passes, the temperatures start to cool (so you’re embracing your fantastic layered fall fashions) and then BAM! Out of nowhere Thanksgiving rolls around and you WAY over indulge. But seriously, how many times a year do you get turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, candied yams or sweet potatoes, green bean casserole and PUMPKIN PIE ALL TOGETHER?!? So you justify and let it slide, tell yourself next week you’ll be better and then suddenly you’re in the midst of 700 work parties, company retreats, holiday gatherings, Hanukkah celebrations, shopping excursions, picking up a few last minute gifts instead of making it to yoga (or if you’re like me, having an absolute meltdown over finals and not enjoying a single moment of the holiday season AGAIN because for some reason you just HAD to go back to school to pursue your dreams). And then BAM! Christmas. Same story as Thanksgiving, but maybe worse because there are way more desserts at Christmas and by then your stomach is twice the size it was in June so you can naturally eat more. I know. Gross. Amongst all of the travel to see loved ones, you grab a snack in the airport, consume way more Starbucks than usual because the Peppermint Mochas only happen once a year and share your favorite restaurant hot spots “back home” with your significant other. And then you decide to throw a New Year’s party when you get back from the traveling, cook up a storm, drink way too much champagne and way over indulge AGAIN. Football bowl games (aka more food/booze) for the next few days (GO GREEN!), and then you hop on the next flight to Vegas because hey, who doesn’t need a little family birthday party/reunion in the CITY OF INDULGENCE after having just indulged your face off for the past MONTH?!? Of course you make lengthy (yet completely realistic and attainable) New Year’s resolutions (PUHlease), work out ten times harder than you have since October and then reward yourself with two brownies and a cake pop. I mean FOR REAL. It HAS to stop.

That being said, I spent last evening Pinning away healthy food inspiration to try to regain some sort of excitement for cooking, healthy, fulfilling food in my own kitchen and here are some of the images/recipes I can’t wait to try out. Don’t believe me because I’m always snapping shots of cheese, burgers and waffles? Here is the proof.

{Refreshing. Image via}

{Hearty looking smoothie. Image via}

{Fresh and simple. Image via}

{Avocados make me happy. Must try this one soon. Image via}

{Protein bowl. Image via}

{This looks so tasty, my stomach is literally growling now. Image via}

{Love salmon. Image via}

{Colorful and refreshing. Image via}

{Lovely salad. Image via}

Cheers to making 2012 the year of health and success!

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Filed under Dine

Tagged as dine, food, healthy, healthy living, work out

November 21, 2011 · 10:46 am

The Clarkston Union

{The Clarkston Union – located at 54 South Main St. Clarkston, MI}

On a recent trip back to Michigan, I visited my favorite restaurant on earth called The Clarkston Union in the small town of Clarkston where I grew up. To say I’m obsessed with this place would be an understatement. I literally crave food from the Clarkston Union at least two or three times a week ALL the way in California – almost three years after moving here (which I’m aware makes me sound like a complete heffer, but I simply don’t care). If you are ever in Michigan and have the opportunity to visit this one-of-a-kind place, you needn’t know more than these two and a half words: Mac & Cheese. Canadian sharp cheddar, mild pinconning layered with penne rigate and a crunchy crust make for an absolutely unbeatable combination. Having visited the famous Beecher’s in Seattle, I can honestly say that I enjoy the originality of the Clarkston Union’s Mac & Cheese more. This isn’t said to bash Beecher’s by any means – they make a mean Mac & Cheese, it’s simply the crunchy crust that puts The Union’s in first place (something you miss out on at Beecher’s in their small cup, ice-cream-scoop serving method as a result of their endless line down Pike Street). If you’re feeling particularly exploratory, try The Union’s Mac & Cheese with ham or better yet, lobster – my favorite… my mouth is watering as I type. Two other dishes worth noting are the Caesar Salad (which I know sounds boring, but I’ve spent years trying to replicate the dressing – it’s heavenly) and the Press (an iron-pressed panini that changes daily and I’ve never had one I didn’t finish). I won’t even get started on the Sunday breakfast. Holy Eggs Benedict and Biscuits & Gravy! Dear Clarkston Union, please come cater my ~~future wedding~~ life.

As if my food rant wasn’t enough, the interior of The Clarkston Union is nothing short of inspirational as a designer. An old church turned bar/restaurant, the structure retains its beauty in its original stained glass windows as well as pews for a creative (and setting appropriate) twist on banquette seating. Funky accents such as vintage art, photography and wall objects, a disco ball and 40+ beer taps top this place off. Enjoy The Clarkston Union with a Bell’s Oberon or Hopslam (my two favorite beers) from Kalamazoo, Michigan and thank me later.

If you can’t make it to Michigan anytime in the near future, check out The Clarkston Union on Guy Fieri’s Diners, Drive-ins and Dives on The Food Network December 12th at 10:00pm.

{Beer menu on the outside patio}