Holiday Entertaining

I love to entertain and especially love setting a beautiful table. Now that we've moved out of San Francisco and have a little more space in the suburbs, it's a little easier and much more fun to have friends over for dinners.

Below is a table I set just before the holidays got under way.  We had 2 other couples over for drinks and dinner.  It was such a fun evening!  This night I chose to use our "everyday" dishes which are some of my favorite.  When we were married 5 years ago we registered for blue and white Spode dishes.  I love that I chose to have each plate a different pattern.  Over the years I have continued to collect pieces as I come across them.  One of my favorite places to look is eBay! 

I picked up the orange napkins at my favorite kitchen store, Tyler Florence Mill Valley, last Thanksgiving.  I have so much fun using them because they add such a splash of color to the table!

One year I had to have the FIJI water canisters so I asked for them for Christmas.  I loved seeing them at hotels and restaurants and thought they'd be so much fun on our table.  I always get compliments on them and you can order them here if you want them too! (Scroll down to the bottom where it says: Where can I find the FIJI Water Signature Sleeves I have seen in restaurants?)

Below is our table for Thanksgiving.  This is when I break out our wedding china which I really LOVE.  In fact I love it so much that the first time I used it I didn't want anyone to use their knives because I was afraid they'd scratch the plates! (Neurotic, I know.)

The bay leaf and berry garland was only $25 and made custom for our table by Pacific Coast Evergreen, one of my favorite vendors at the SF Flower Mart.  It was very festive and smelled amazing too.  Big bang for your buck!

I hope you have the opportunity to gather around the table with your family and friends this holiday season.  Happy entertaining!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas from Perfect Town!

It's That Time of Year!

It's that time of year when the pile of presents to wrap never seems to get smaller, right?

I saw Colin Cowie do a segment on the Today Show the other morning where he was trying to teach the hosts how to wrap gifts.  I realized...Colin Cowie's got nothing on me!  (I'm kidding of course - he's FABULOUS!)  I thought to myself, I can give better tips on how to wrap a gift!

Let me introduce you to the tool that will save your life (and sanity) when it comes to wrapping presents: the Scotch ATG 700.

I use this tape gun for everything from wrapping gifts to assembling my Christmas Cards.  No more fumbling with the tape dispenser or visible tape along your edges!  It is really so easy!  Check it out...

First, I gather my supplies:

Then I choose which gift I'm going to wrap and cut the paper accordingly (let's hope my husband reads this AFTER Christmas otherwise one of his gifts will no longer be a surprise!):

First apply tape to one of the inside edges and stick it to the box.  Then fold over the second edge so you will have a clean edge showing.  Apply tape to the inside of the folded edge and bring it over so it sticks to the other half of the paper like this:

Look! No tape showing!

Fold in the edges along the ends of the gift like this:

 

And apply some tape with your gun:

 Look closely and you'll see the clear tape there!

Then fold over the bottom of your gift like this:

 Again, you can't see the tape! How great is that?

When both sides have bee folded it will look like this:

All that's left is to tie the bow and your present is finished! 

My favorite wrapping is simple kraft paper and Offray red double faced satin ribbon in varying widths depending on the size of the package.  It's just so simple and clean.  What's not to like?

I hope this inspired you to make a dent in that never ending pile of gifts!  Get the tape gun - I PROMISE it will make your life easier when it comes to wrapping!

Christmas Cards

Now I can celebrate!  Our Christmas cards went out in the mail last week.  We sent out 225 this year!  Apparently that's a lot.  The man behind me in line at the post office said, "please tell me those are for work and not all your friends."  I had to tell him that they indeed were all personal friends and joked, "aren't you offended you didn't make the cut?"  It probably looked like I was sending them to everyone in California!

Much to my (and my husband's) chagrin, I typically make our Christmas cards by hand.  Yes, call me insane.  And if I had my way, they would be 100% completed before Halloween.  It seems like time flies each year once the holidays arrive and every year I tell myself that next year I will get them done early!  And each year that never happens.  

Below is our dining room table when I made our cards in 2008.  It was one of my favorite cards and definitely worth all the time and effort.  Yes, we (I'll give my husband some credit) tied all those bows, cut the hang tags, stuck the photo to white backing and then applied it to the red card.  Since the cards were bulky, I had to hand cancel all 220 of them at the post office!

This year as Thanksgiving quickly approached, I realized that I hadn't even begun to think about our Christmas card.  I knew I was in trouble.  So I took the easy route this year and headed to my favorite stationery store, Soiree San Francisco.  I flipped through a couple of books and ended up making a custom card ordered through Crane's.  

I loved this year's card because of how much it saved my sanity (and my marriage - my husband hates tying bows & stuffing envelopes at the last minute!)  From the moment they arrived I knew that this year my job would be much easier...

All I had to do was attach the photo...

Done!  That was easy and took no time at all!

I was happy with how the finished product turned out.  Since I wasn't making them by hand this year, I wanted the whole process to be SIMPLE.

Here they are all stuffed and stamped.

The return address labels went on...

I used labels on the front as well instead of hand addressing them this year (again...SIMPLE was the theme).  The labels were printed with red ink and green design on the borders....

After that I was off to the post office!  The whole process this year was so easy.  I might be INSANE if I go back to making them all on my own in 2010 (and my husband might threaten to divorce me)!  But if I do, I'll have them completed before Halloween....yeah right!


Merry Christmas!

A Cup of Christmas!

There's nothing that says Christmas like a fire in the fireplace, cold weather outside, music playing and a warm beverage in your hand.  

I always love finding new products at my local Trader Joe's.  The other week I discovered Trader Joe's Sipping Chocolate and I'm hooked.  

It's the perfect warm beverage to keep you cozy on those cold winter nights.  You can make it very rich or just add more milk to make it creamier.  

So go ahead and make yourself a glass.  Top it with some whipped cream or marshmallows or toss in a mini candy cane for a peppermint twist (or some peppermint schnapps if you want to be really toasty!) and curl up with a good book by the fire.  Sounds like a great evening to me!  

It's like Christmas in a cup!

Hello Gorgeous

I have seen some of Scott Wood's work before, but this video of his San Francisco flat just got me very excited about decorating for the holidays.  I love these images of his home decorated so beautifully for Christmas.  It's homes and decorators like this that make me miss living in San Francisco.   

 

I think it would be so much fun to decorate a man's living space to look like it just stepped out of a Ralph Lauren ad.  The fact that he spent years working for Ralph Lauren is evident in his work.  I wonder if Scott worked at Ralph Lauren at the same time I was there?  The guys who created all the window displays and vignettes within the store were always doing amazing work.  I was always trying to get some tips from them!

Enjoy the video and music.  I hope it inspires you to decorate and entertain during the holidays as well!  Merry Christmas!

My Favorite Pen

I know...again with the office supplies???  I warned you...I HAVE AN ADDICTION!  

Well, I have found a new favorite pen that I absolutely cannot live without.  It's the Sharpie Pen.  The Sharpie is a classic that has made a name for itself.  The Sharpie Pen is something you can use for everyday tasks - list making, thank you notes, etc.  

 

I carry several in my purse because I no longer want to write with anything else.  It lives up to it's claims - I have yet to see it bleed through paper and the tip doesn't get dull so you get a consistent line each time you write.  It's amazing.

Who knew I could get so excited about a pen?  Embarrassing I know.  If you are excited too, you can find them at your local office supply store or here.

Canvas

Lately I've noticed that the Lands' End catalog has been looking a little more current and updated. Have you noticed too? Usually I only buy their famous tote bags, but I've actually been looking at the clothes thinking, "hey, I'd wear that" instead of what I used to think: "look at those clothes my mom would wear!"  I knew they were launching a new line, but honestly I had forgotten all about it until now when I stumbled across it.  Meet Lands' End Canvas:

 

You can find it here.  I doubt the first guess in anyone's mind would be that you were wearing Lands' End if you dressed like this!

Great Stationery

I have an addiction to all things that have to do with organizing...especially office supplies and paper goods. I don't know what it is about stationery and paper that get me so excited! Maybe because it reminds me of "back to school" time when you got to stock up on school supplies and get organized for the year ahead. The smell of paper and freshly sharpened pencils....yum!

The West Side Letter by Pressed, Ink is one of my favorite go-to cards for when I don't feel like using my traditional monogrammed stationery. For a pack of 10 cards and envelopes it's only $12.50.


It's fun because unlike your traditional stationery it's more horizontal and the black background makes your initial pop! Right now Pressed, Ink is running a special where everything on their site is 30% off! That means it's less than $1 per card to send a personalized note! What a great deal! I may have to stock up & hope you do too!

Enjoy!

My Uniform

Growing up I went to a private school from kindergarten through 8th grade. Each day we had to wear a uniform to school. I actually liked wearing a uniform because it meant that I didn't have to wake up every day and pick out an outfit to wear. In the end, that meant I could sleep in longer and I DO like my sleep.

Well, apparently the concept of a uniform has stuck with me although it has evolved over the decades. Most days I tend to wear the same thing: black sweatpants, a white long sleeved t-shirt and a down vest and if I rolled out of bed without showering then add a black hat.

For the past several years my go-to comfy black pants have been my Lululemon Groove Pant in all black. I like them because they have a higher waist so they cover that part of my stomach that won't get flat no matter how many crunches I do. When it's cold outside (like now - 20s in the morning!?!? Brrrrr.) I thrown on my brushed Groove Pants because they are fuzzy on the instide which means they are a little more toasty!

On top I typically wear a white long sleeve t-shirt. Sometimes I'll get CRAZY and wear a black one instead. Very adventurous of me, I know. Then on top of the shirt I wear a down puffy vest. Currently my favorite vest is the Lululemon Huff N Puff Vest in....black (surprise). I own other down vests from Patagonia, North Face and JCrew, but the Lululemon one is by far my favorite because it is flattering and cut longer in the back so it covers more of your rear.
If you don't have a Lululemon near you, they now have a website and shipping is FREE! I highly recommend their workout pants whether you are working out or not. Like I said, they have been my favorite pants for years. They are flattering and somehow smooth everything out and lift your rear end at the same time. Amazing. Now run out and get a pair!