Book of the Month: SOIREE: Entertaining with Style

As you know, I adore design books…. and since I love to entertain, I also really enjoy books on entertaining. The problem is, unlike books on Interior Design, in my opinion there are not many very good ones in this particular category.  

Last fall, I ordered this beautiful new book on entertaining (actually, it was published in the Fall of 2012 but it was new to me).  I did my usual flipping through the pages when it first arrived and thought the photography was so lovely… but I have just recently sat down to thoroughly enjoy the actual contents. 

This book is a delightful conglomeration of fantastically amazing party pictures mixed with stylish table settings, glorious floral arrangements, menu suggestions, and recipes you would actually want to make. (and of course, it is from my favorite publisher RIZZOLI!)

Danielle mentions in her book that there are no rules to throwing a party... Dishes do not have to match, napkins do not have to match, and you do not have to have a degree from a culinary school to be a great hostess… you just have to have a little passion.  I couldn't agree more.

The most poignant remark Danielle makes in her book is that entertaining is about people… Not money, not perfect decor, not finding the most important chef to cook for your guests, but PEOPLE. I absolutely agree with this too! In my own entertaining, it took me a while to actually realize this and appreciate that not everything has to be perfect. It should be PERSONAL, not perfect.  When you can get a grip on this, the hardest part of entertaining is over.

This book is beyond heavenly. I hope you will consider adding it to your collection.

About the Author per her Rizzoli Bio:

A contributing editor to Veranda and Southern Living and lifestyle editor for the online magazine LuxeCrush, Danielle Rollins is a tastemaker and trained chef. The co-founder and chair of several charities, she lives in Atlanta.

As an added bonus, the lovely Ms Rollins is a Texas girl…and while I do not know her, we seem to have several mutual friends and acquaintances.  I knew I liked her style!

Danielle also has a website and blog on gracious living and entertaining which you can find here.


All photos via Rizzoli and Danielle Rollins.


                                                     xx,   

All Around the World: Travel Notes on New York City

All photos taken by Tiffany Jones

As I mentioned last week, I never tire of visiting New York City.  My first trip to The Big Apple was when I was 15 years old…I was hooked.  As a young girl from a small town in west Texas, it  was the greatest place I had ever been.  The energy of the people, the museums, the plays, the amazing lights, the fabulous hotels and places to eat… I couldn't get enough.  From the moment I graduated from college… I was New York bound.  I loved the years I lived in the city….they were amazing… not always easy... but amazing.  (I like to fondly call those years  "Earning my MBA in Life").

While many of the restaurants and stores have changed over the years, many things have not…. Here are a few of my all-time stylish mid-town favorites.

HOTEL:

The New York Palace

This landmark architectural gem has just recently undergone a $140-million renovation.  At the corner of 50th and Madison… it just doesn't get any better in terms of location. Be sure to ask for a room overlooking St. Patrick's Cathedral…It is completely magical.

Photo courtesy of The New York Palace Hotel

RESTAURANT: 

21 club

21 club officially opened on January 1, 1930 and is one of America's most famous speakeasies from the Prohibition Era… (It still has the original disappearing bar and secret wine cellars that hid illegal liquor more than 80 years ago).  I have been dining here since I lived in the city…and it never disappoints!

21 West 52nd Street

SHOP: 

Rizzoli Bookstore

Established in 1964, this 6-story townhouse houses THE BEST collection of books.  In addition to offering general interest and best sellers, Rizzoli specializes in illustrated subjects…Fashion, Interior Design, Art, Architecture, Photography, Design and Literature (Italian, French, Spanish, and English). They also carry an amazing selection of European magazines and newspapers.  When I was in my 20's, I used to spend hours in this store just admiring all the beautiful pages and wishing I could afford just one of their Interior Design books.  Now, their books are some of the favorites in my collection.

Photo Courtesy of Rizzoli
31 West 57th Street

Museum:

The Frick Collection

There are so many wonderful museums in New York where I could spend hours but my hands-down favorite is The Frick Collection. It is internationally recognized for its outstanding examples of European sculptures and decorative arts…(right up my alley!)  Housed in one of New York City's few remaining Gilded Age mansions, this museum is just the right size to add a dose of culture to your weekend without feeling overwhelming… And if you happen to be there on a day where they are offering one of their lectures or educational seminars, you have really hit the jackpot!

Photo courtesy of The Frick Collection
1 East 70th Street

They say you are either an East Coast Girl or a West Coast Girl… I am definitely East Coast.  What about you?

xx,   

P.S.  Be sure to join us tomorrow for another exciting interview!

Book of the Month: September 2013

Source: Rizzoli

HOT OFF THE PRESSES!!!

For those of us who love design, it does not seem to take very long for the addiction to coffee table books to kick in.  When I first purchase a new design book, I grab a pad of sticky notes and just start going through the pictures.  When I get to the end, I can tell if it is a book worthy of taking time to read the "print" if I have marked a lot of pages.  This is absolutely one of those books!

The luxe homes designed by one of Bravo TV's Million Dollar Decorators Jeffrey Alan Marks demonstrate his breezy, tailored look.  Jeffrey Alan Marks Inc. (JAM) specialized in residential and commercial interior design and architecture.  Inspired by his Southern California outdoor lifestyle, Marks's trademark looks is a synthesis of a fresh informality infused with sophisticated English and European accents.  This book showcases a series of beautifully photographed residences revealing Marks's skill at capturing each client's personality, from a movie star's London townhouse full of eccentric furnishings to a charming Nantucket cottage with nautical embellishments.  Marks's favorite shopping addresses for fabrics, furniture, and antiques complete this inspiring book.

This is a definite add to your design library!  Now, if BRAVO would just bring back Million Dollar Decorators........

BOOK OF THE MONTH: AUGUST 2013

Back in the Spring, I had the honor of meeting the very lovely and talented (and fellow Texan!) RONDA RICE CARMEN at the launch of her new book, DESIGNERS AT HOME.  Ronda is the founder of the popular lifestyle blog, ALL THE BEST, and she takes us inside the personal homes of 50 distinctive leaders in the design world including Charlotte Moss, Celerie Kemble, India Hicks, Martyn Lawrence Bullard, Jan Showers, Bunny Williams, Rose Tarlow, and many many more.  

As a designer, I am always fascinated to see how other designers live and what they choose to represent their style in their own home space. It is a beautiful book with amazing photos, thoughts on gracious living and design philosophies, decorating tips and more. 

It is brought to us by my favorite publisher of design books, RIZZOLI, and it is not to be missed! I hope you will consider adding this lovely book to your collection.