Thanks to Jessica and Joe...

... this post is not about entertaining like every other Tom, Dick, and Harry. I'm sure most of you have read Joe Nye's terrific new book Flair: Exquisite Invitations, Lush Flowers, and Gorgeous Table Settings. It's been by my bed for months now, and I realized that reading it before bedtime ensures sweet dreams of beautiful china, bamboo flatware (in black, no less), pink carnations- basically, my kind of dreams. The book's gorgeous table settings positively beg for good food as well. I think that Joe would agree that the right menu goes hand in hand with all of the hard work that you put into your tables.

So, that leads me to another book that I've been perusing lately- Jessica Daves' The Vogue Book of Menus and Recipes. (That's Daves, above, in that black and white photo.) The 1964 cookbook and menu planning guide is, well, a bit dated, but food dates about the same way that curtains and lamp shades do- not well. That said, I do think it's a shame that Chicken in Tarragon Aspic is no longer a favorite on today's party menus. It sounds delicious to me.

I decided to plan a few pretend parties using photos from Joe's book and matching them to a menu from the Vogue book. I could have gone really retro with the menus but rather chose the ones that seem appropriate for today's palates. I realize that many of you will never make aspic, but cucumber boats with crab and mayonnaise doesn't sound too terribly difficult to make. What do you think?

Cocktails

Menu
Eggs Stuffed with Red Caviar

Roquefort Pecans

Finger Sandwiches of Smoked Turkey on White Bread

Cucumber Boats filled with Crabmeat and Mayonnaise

Tiny Hot Finger Rolls filled with Bacon Crumbles

A Ladies Luncheon

Menu

Cold Cucumber Soup

Vitello Tonnato

Cold Rice

Sliced Tomatoes and Herb Dressing

Peach Ice Cream

Hot Macaroons

The Wine: Either white or red with the veal-claret or California Zinfandel for the red; Pouilly-Fume for the white.

A Buffet Dinner

Menu

Low-Country Oysters with Mushrooms

Hot Baked Ham

Ring of Red Rice Filled with Green Peas

Escarole Salad with Roquefort Dressing

Hot Rolls

Pears in Orange Juice with Orange Liqueur

The Wine: Chablis has been called the "oyster wine", and it is good with the rest of this menu too.

A Seated Dinner

Menu

Curried Crab Soup

Savoury Roast Veal

Green Peas, French Style

Gratin of Potatoes

Meringues Glacees

The Wine: A vin rose, or a white Burgundy

(Images from Flair: Exquisite Invitations, Lush Flowers, and Gorgeous Table Settings by Joe Nye, Edmund Barr photographer)

Way to Go Joe!

No photos in this post, other than the cute picture above, because I don't want to spoil the surprise, but check out Joe Nye's Beverly Hills apartment in the August issue of House Beautiful. It's a great example of how to fit a lot of beautiful "stuff" into a small space.

My sister and I were lucky enough to visit Joe's apartment a few years ago, and it's just as charming in person as it is in the magazine. I couldn't hold a conversation with Joe because all I wanted to do was look around his place, study it, and take it all in. He has a great book collection. (When you see the photos, note how he has numerous copies of the same book; Joe likes multiples so that he can take one to the office or a job site. Very clever.) He's got furniture by Frances Elkins, Syrie Maugham, and Billy Haines. And accessories like you can't believe. That man could set ten different types of table settings- and that would only cover half of what he has!

Anyway, enough babbling, but I do think it's a home that you'll pore over, just as I did!

Design Equivalent of Lipstick

Haven't you always heard that when the economy gets shaky, lipstick sales go on the upswing? Women may cut back on buying Manolos, but they are not going to stop purchasing makeup. It's also a matter of treating oneself to something nice. It might be hard to justify at $600 pair of shoes, but a $20 tube of lipstick? That's easy.

I think that many times it's the little details that can make one's home seem well-appointed and even quite luxurious- perhaps even more so than expensive fabric or elaborate curtains, for example. And the good thing is that it doesn't have to cost very much to make you and your house feel special.

Here are some of my recent lipstick purchases. What about yours?


I recently bought a box of monogrammed matchbooks. No, I don't smoke, but I seem to burn a lot of candles, and it's great to place a matchbook with each candle in the house.


Who doesn't love fresh flowers around the house? At times, I like to splurge, but when I'm in a hurry, I just buy a bunch of carnations from Publix. They're cheap and they last forever. The key is to buy only one color and group them en masse. Bright pink, white, or deep burgundy are my favorite colors. (The carnation's best friend is Joe Nye. I can't think of another designer who uses carnations more often than Joe. And they always look fabulous.)


It used to drive me crazy- everytime I was on the phone and needed to write something down, I was always running around my house like a madman looking for a pen. A while back I purchased a bunch of colorful pencils that I display in julep cups or old candle votives, and I color coordinated them to each room. I know, I know, some of you might be rolling your eyes right now, but I swear, it doesn't look too contrived.


If you're sick of ikat, then just skip this photo. These West Elm pillows look great on the chairs of my terrace. And, they're only $19 per pillow. A lot of look for a little money.

(Image at top: Photograph by Leombruno-Bodi, Vogue, April 1960; courtesy of Conde Nast Store. Image of tablesetting by Joe Nye courtesy of joenye.com and House Beautiful)