Easter Table Scape Ideas

April 8th is Easter and the time has come to plan your Easter festivities. What color linen to use? Which china to serve? What type of glassware to set? So many questions, so little time! To lessen the chaos of those holiday dinners, here are some ideas to make your dinner preparations go a little more smoothly.

Linens: Spring is a wonderful time of year. The beautiful subtle colors of new beginnings are slowly emerging from the cold winter. The soft colors of Hyacinthia's, the vivid brightness of daffodils, and the crisp clean look of crocuses. All of these colors can be incorporated into your table scape for Easter. A subtle change in the color of your linens, changes the look of your place setting.

White Table Linen:















Lilac Table Linen:
















Name Holders: If you are entertaining a number of guests, it’s a good idea to use name holders to let your guests know where to sit. Stores have a wide variety of name holders or place holders for every season and occasion. Pier 1 has a great selection for those one of a kind trinkets to make your entertaining extra special. For Easter, you have an array of choices, such as the chick and egg place holders, used in the following pictures.

Centerpiece: A table is not complete without "dressing" it up a bit. Whether it is a traditional floral arrangement or an Easter wreath with plastic pastel eggs (pictured below, an elegant or fun centerpiece is always a nice touch. Also, adding the green grass and placing the candlesticks in or around the wreath lets your guests know that you care.



















Table Decor: Setting a table entails a great deal of preparation and detail. Choosing the right linens, centerpiece, flatware, and china are all very important in setting the mood for the party, but adding a little pizazz like themed statues or topiary (picture below) encourages table conversation and sets the ambiance for the night.



















Whatever the occasion, whatever the theme, choosing the right table presentation ensures for an elegant, successful party and it will definitely be stylish.

St. Patrick's Day Party Planning Ideas

Labeled as one of the biggest party events of the year, St. Patrick's Day is a holiday everyone seems to enjoy being a part of, Irish or not. Here's some helpful tips and ideas to make this year's celebration not only fun and festive, but stylish as well.

Decoration

There are many ways to celebrate this patron saint of Ireland, but one of the most popular ways is by throwing an Irish-themed party complete with all the green decorations you can find. Finding decorations that are St. Patrick's Day themed is not only easy, but you can purchase them cheaply or as expensive as you like. Online stores such as Oriental Trading offer a great selection from "Kiss Me I'm Irish" pins to a Leprechaun outfit.

Begin with green streamers and balloons to set the mood if you're on a budget. Decorate tables with green table cloths or green plastic covers that can be purchased at places such as Party City.

If you have more green to spend, go all out with green light bulbs in your lamps, shamrock-shaped party lights and green carnations for a more stylish feeling. Hanging shamrock spirals or garland also adds a festive feel to the party.

Find a black pot to represent "the pot of gold" and purchase some gold-foil-wrapped chocolate coins that can be used not only as a party decoration but as a sweet treat for the guests.

Don't forget the Blarney Stone! Find a big rock (or make one out of Styrofoam or papier-mâché) to be your Blarney Stone. Place it near the door so people can kiss it when they enter. It's legend is infamous and having it as a party prop it can also be a great conversation piece.

Plates and cups do not have to be St. Patrick's Day insignia, instead purchase ordinary green plates and cups.

Dress

Obviously, green is the color theme! Lads and lassies can go all out on dressing up for a St. Patrick's Day party. Others can get into the spirit of St. Patrick's by breaking out all the green clothing they can, pinning on a "Kiss Me, I’m Irish" button and topping it all off with a green leprechaun's hat.

Activities

Whether you are throwing a party for your the over-21 crowd or younger crowd, there are plenty of activities to cater to everyone. For the over-21 crowd, the popular way to pass this celebration is by drinking. Pub crawls to local Irish businesses give you a drinking break and some fresh air between drinks. Also, these pub crawls allow you to meet other festive celebrants and engage in the hoopla of the day.

For those of you having an at home party, put on a CD of traditional Irish songs. If you have a karaoke machine, hook up the big screen TV and let your friends have at it singing classics like "Danny Boy."

Since St. Patrick's Day is synonymous with the pot of gold, send your guests on a treasure hunt. Purchase some gold foiled wrapped chocolate coins and have your guests search for them around the house. The one with the most coins, wins a prize!

Food

Get the green dye out! Mashed potatoes, beer, cupcakes, cookies, anything edible make it green! Keep your menu simple and traditional.

What is a St. Patrick's Day party without corned beef and cabbage and green beer? Try serving the following recipe of individual mini Reuben sandwiches from Allrecipe. They are sure to be a hit!

• 1 (1 pound) loaf cocktail rye bread
• 1 cup thousand island dressing
• 1 1/2 pounds deli sliced corned beef
• 1 (16 ounce) jar sauerkraut, rinsed and well drained
• 1 pound sliced Swiss cheese
• 
  
• Preheat the oven's broiler.
• 
  
• Arrange cocktail rye slices on a baking sheet. Top each one with about 2 teaspoons of thousand island salad dressing, then fold about 1/2 slice of corned beef to fit the bread, and lay over the dressing. Place a small amount of sauerkraut over the meat, then top with 1/4 slice of the Swiss cheese, or a slice about as big as the bread.
• 
  
• Broil for 3 to 5 minutes, until cheese is melted. Serve warm.

Desserts

Your sweet table can be a plethora of green and shamrock shaped cookies. You can make it as simple as a bowl of green M & Ms or jelly beans or it can be as extravagant as shamrock shaped cookies or green cupcakes decorated to the nines.

Beverages

Green beer, Guinness and Irish Coffee are your St. Patrick's Day staples, but why not serve something different. Try the following recipe at your party, not only is it unique but it will give you that stylish flare.

• 2 Ounces Ketel One Citroen
• Dash of lemon juice
• 6 Ounces Prosecco
• 1.5 teaspoon Edible Gold Dust
• Martini glass rimmed with edible gold

1. To make gold glass rim, mix one glass edible gold dust with few drops of vodka to form a thick liquid. you can find edible gold dust at Joann Fabrics.
2. Dredge the rim of the martini glass in the liquid to coat edge making sure the gold liquid is thick enough so that it doesn't drip.
3. To thicken add more gold dust and to dilute add more vodka.
4. Pour the Ketle one Citroen and lemon juice and 1/2 teaspoon of edible gold dust in to a cocktail shaker with ice glass and shake until well chilled.

Enjoy the party and Erin go Braugh!

Unique Valentine's Day Ideas

Every year for Valentine's Day it seems like Ground Hog Day-the same thing over and over: A beautiful bouquet of red roses, a box of choolates, jewelry, and romantic dinner at a fancy restaurant, so cliche. Why not try something different this year? Here are four simple ideas to make the holiday memorable and special and possibly a start to a new yearly tradition!

1. Valentine Memory Book- Gather all your photos of special places, events, trips or candid snapshots that you made throughout the previous year. Upload your pictures to Snapfish or Kodak Gallery and create a memory book. You can make this personalized by adding captions such as song lyrics or poems that have special meaning underneath the photos, telling a story of your love for each other. Can't buy that at Hallmark!

2. Create a CD Of Favorite Music- Songs conjure up special memories of important events in your life. Why not make a mix of those hit songs reminding you of your relationship and songs you both enjoy on a CD? Make that CD extra special by creating a label with a picture of you two and listen to it not only on Valentine's Day but any day of the year!

3. Bring the Drive-in Home- Grab the latest movie release or your favorite movie, your DVD/VCR player, hook it up in the garage, bring your favorite snacks, snuggle up and enjoy your homemade drive-in theatre!

4. Cook Your Favorite Meal- Sure you can go to the fancy restaurant in town and enjoy a romantic dinner, but you can do that anytime. Instead, take over the kitchen and cook your favorite meal together. You can set the table to be formal or informal, but spontaneity as you add a little spice of this and a little bit of that can be the judge for the night. Can't order that at the local restaurant.

There's no need to do the same thing as everyone else. Try one of these ideas and you are sure to make it a unique evening with that special someone. Happy Valentine's Day!

Warm Wine for Chilly Nights

A girl's weekend trip to the wineries in Leelenau Peninsula in Michigan brought us to Black Star Farms Winery where we sampled various wines from reds, whites and roses. However, one taste testing stood out from the rest...warm wine!

I have never tried warm wine, although I have heard of it, I thought it would be a great time to try some. Feeling unsure of what to expect, my first sip turned into another sip and another. It was delicious!

This tastefully good wine is called mulled wine. A warm concoction of sugar, spices and citrus fruits it soon became a must have drink on cold, winter months. Not only does this drink taste great, but it is easy to make. The winery provided the following easy recipe:

• 1 bottle Black Star Farms Cherry Wine (or any cherry wine of your choice)
• 12 oz. water
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground clove
• A couple of sprinkles of ground nutmeg

Combine all the ingredients into a sauce pan and give it a good stir. Heat gently, but do not boil and do not stir again. Skim off the spices on top, serve and enjoy!

When serving this wine, chose a cup with a handle for easy handling. Garnish the drink with an orange peel or cinnamon stick. Perfect for an after dinner drink with dessert or just by yourself. Mulled wine is sure to warm you up on a cold, winter evening. Sit back, sip and enjoy!

Red, White & Champagne: Which Glass Do I Use?

All too often we are faced with the dilemma of which type of wine glass to use for red, white or champagne. Wine glasses come in various shapes, sizes, colors and styles and making sure you use the proper glass for your special occasion is much simpler than you think.

Appropriately called stemware (glasses with stems), the etiquette for pouring a good wine into the proper glass makes all the difference. It seems to be that wine is tastier in a glass that is elegant and stylish. A good wine should always be poured in a clear glass. Although those pretty colored wine glasses that are in your china cabinet may look great, they interfere in the true color of the wine and your subliminal palette.

Wine Glass Size and Shape

The taste of wine seems to change depending on the type of wine glass you are drinking from. Therefore, it is important to get the most out of the flavor of your wine and by choosing the correct wine glass to serve the wine in makes the difference. Three aspects of proper wine glass selection are taken into consideration: the glass size, the shape and the thickness of the the glass.

When choosing wine glasses,the glass should be plain and clear. Part of the enjoyment of a good wine is appreciation of it's color. The color of the wine portrays a lot of information about the wine, giving clues to the grapes used, the age of the wine, and so on. Hence, wine glasses that are colored or frosted, or worse still solid materials such as pewter or silver, are useless and can effect the drinkers true enjoyment of the wine.

For red and white wine, a larger glass (such as the stemware pictured to the right) is required to swirl the wine around releasing its aroma and enhancing the drinking experience. Small wine glasses are used for sherry or dessert wines, which have stronger aromas and do not have the need for aroma release.

Stemware made of very thin, fine crystal costs a lot more than normal glasses, but for some reason the wine tastes so much better! Many people do not use their expensive stemware and stores like TJMaxx and HomeGoods offer a wonderful selection of glasses that are both whimsical and affordable.

The shape of the bowl also matters. Some wine glasses have very round bowls, while others have more elongated, somewhat narrower bowls. The bowl should be large enough to allow for easy pouring and enough room to swirl the wine. Bowls that are oval-shaped and are much more narrow at the mouth are ideal for red wines such as Bordeaux, Cabernet Sauvignons, Merlots, Chiantis and Zinfandels. Other red wines such as Burgundies, Pinot Noirs and Barolos are best suited in wider bowl glasses. Whichever size or shape that you choose correlates to the glass's shape and flow control of the wine onto your tongue.

Sparking Wine: tulips, flutes and trumpets

Lastly, we discuss that fine, sparking bubbly Champagne. Sparkling wine can also be included in this category and deciding which type of glass to use for this unique wine is also an issue. Fortunately, the same type of stemware is used for Champagne and Sparkling wine. The stemware that is utilized for this beverage is known as tulip, flute and/or trumpet (pictured below).

The tulip is the ideally shaped glass for Champagne and other sparkling wines. It is tall, elongated and narrower at the rim than in the middle of the bowl. This shape helps hold the bubbles in the wine longer, not allowing them to escape.

The flute is another good sparkling wine glass; but it is less ideal than the tulip because it does not narrow at the mouth.

The trumpet actually widens at the mouth, making it less desirable for sparkling wine but very elegant looking. Another drawback of the trumpet glass is that, depending on the design, the wine can actually fill the whole stem, which means the wine warms up from the heat of your hand.

A good wine is as good as the glass it is served in. Choose a glass that will fit your style and comfort and enjoy its flavor to the fullest. Salut!

Plate Chargers: What's Their Purpose?

The day of your dinner party has arrived and final details as coming together. As you begin to make the final touches to the table you are contemplating whether to use a plate charger has become the most trivial finishing touch to a perfect table setting.There is no right or wrong way in charger plate etiquette. Usually larger in size than most dinner plates, their function is for the sole purpose of being a decorative touch to a place setting, since no food is actually served on them. Many restaurants opt to keep the charger plate until the patron has finished the entire meal, while others take the charger plate after the soup and salad course. Choosing to leave this decorative plate until the end of the meal is your option.

If your decision is to use a plate charger, here are some pointers:

• Place the charger plate on to the table exactly 1 inch from the edge at each place setting.
• Silverware should be placed on both sides of the place setting.
• Set first course dishes, such as individual soup bowls, on to the center of the charger plate.
• Remove the first-course serving dish from the charger plate. If there is any food residue on the charger, remove it from the table. Take the charger plate to the kitchen. You can quickly wipe the food residue from the charger or hand wash it, if necessary. Replace the charger plate.
• Serve the next first-course dish. For example, a salad plate would be set in the center of the charger plate.
• Decide if you wish to keep the charger plates on the table during the entree serving. You can place the entree dinner plate directly onto the charger plate.
• Remove the charger plates from the table before serving dessert.

Whatever the decision, your selection of plate chargers to chose from are limitless. Stores like Macy's and Potterybarn offer a great selection of modern and unique styles. Plate chargers are available in a variety of material such as acrylic, porcelain and metallic and in many colors and shapes. The most common charger plate is round, but square and octagon shaped chargers are also an option. Whichever style you choose, your tablescape will surely be stylish!

To R.S.V.P. or Not to R.S.V.P.

More than ever I hear friends and colleagues complaining about people not responding to their personal invitations sent for an event they are having . All too often whether the invitation is to a small baby shower or a big charitable fundraiser, the consensus seems to be that people in general have forgotten common courtesy and the inclination to respond in a timely manner.

Perhaps it is time that we lay down a few ground rules for proper RSVPing to avoid people getting hurt, offended or feel disrespected because the invitee did not respond.

1. Keep track of your invitations. Once you receive an invitation, you should RSVP within 24-48 hours of its receipt. This helps to avoid any problems that may arise if another invitation for the same date and time arrives in the mail days later. Even if you take a little more time with your decision, proper etiquette dictates that you are supposed to RSVP to the first invitation that arrives and decline the subsequent. Once you have accepted the invitation, enter the date on a master calendar and then post a hard copy somewhere prominent to remind you of your upcoming engagement.
2. Split your time wisely. Although you are only obligated to attend the first invitation you receive, you may feel obliged to RSVP to more than one engagement for the same date and time. If that is the situation, you should be respectful and split your time wisely to ensure you do not offend the invitees who probably wish they had you committed for their event. If you are planning on splitting your time, let the invitee know and that you will make an effort to attend the party and be present to enjoy the entertainment.
3. Electronic invites. As we become a society driven by technology, electronic invites through websites such as Evite.com have become more and more popular. With electronic invites a host is able to see who has opened your invitation, but did not respond. Think twice before publishing your invite list for all to see if you are concerned that some may base their decision on who else is coming. These same recipients may wait until the last minute to see if anyone changed their mind before making a decision to attend. An advantage to Evites is they send out automatic reminders to those who may have forgotten to RSVP making it easy for them to accept the invitation or change their mind last minute and usually without confrontation. Although they are not a physical form of an invitation, they are just as real and demand the courtesy of a proper response.
4. Make sure you have a good excuse! If you are unable to RSVP positively to an event, that is perfectly fine, as long as you have a decent and thoughtful excuse. How you deliver your excuse and the words you choose to express yourself can make all the difference. This point comes particularly into play with electronic invitations where recipients can view everyone's responses and may make certain judgments based on their tone.
5. Closest friends may be the worst offenders. We all tend to assume that the first people to respond would be those closest to you. However, this is not usually the case and these people tend to take your relationship for granted never thinking that there may be a social price to pay for not RSVPing. If you are one of these friends, take note and curtail this behavior in the future because if you can't count on your friends, who can you count on?