Dining à Deux

I do love a well-set table. But do you know which tables really get my creative juices flowing? Those set for a chic meal for two.

Why are these small dining vignettes so charming? Perhaps it's the intimacy of the setting. What a perfect way to dine with a paramour, a good friend, or a dear relative. It's suitable for a ladies lunch for two, a light supper with a neighbor, or a post-theater snack. (Many cookbooks and entertaining books include recipes and menus for a post-theater supper. What I want to know is how many people actually do this? It sounds quite civilized, but Atlantans don't really go to the theater. Do you think this is a New York thing?)

These small table settings just beg for the good stuff. When you've only got cleanup for two, why not put out the good flatware, the crystal, and the salt cellars? I also think these intimate meals call for something rich to eat.

So, with that in mind, here are some inspiring little tables and a good souffle recipe to boot:

Bill Blass' Sour Cream Souffle (perfect for a supper for two- or more!)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 cups sour cream
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
5 large egg yolks
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons chopped chives
7 large egg whites

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and set the oven rack at the lower middle level. Butter a 2-quart souffle dish and coat it with the Parmesan cheese, knocking out the excess and reserving it.

In a large mixing bowl, whip the sour cream and flour together with a whisk or electric mixer. Add the egg yolks one at a time while continuously beating. Stir in the salt, cayenne, chives and remaining Parmesan.

In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until they reach firm, shiny peaks. Fold the whites into the batter with a rubber spatula until no streaks remain. Pour gently into souffle dish and bake for about 35 minutes. Serves 6.


A fantasy table set for Mme. de Pompadour and Louix XV (from Tiffany Taste)


An elegant table set for two in the home of Marilyn Evins (c. 1971; House & Garden magazine) (Evins is a relative by marriage of a fellow blogger. Guess who? You'll find out on her blog soon enough.)


Tea for Two, set outdoors in Bermuda (photo from Tiffany Taste)


Would you have guessed that John Saladino set this table? The table is set for an imaginary breakfast between Saladino and the Doge of Venice. (Tiffany Taste)


Rhapsody in Pink. A little retro dining for your pleasure... (image from House & Garden)


Breakfast set for two in San Antonio (Tiffany Taste)

Image at top: Would you expect anything less from the uber-stylish Babe Paley? Note the copy of Breakfast at Tiffany's .... this was obviously before the falling out with Capote.

Artaissance: A New Source for Prints

I get emails quite often from readers who are looking for affordable prints and paintings. Original and one of a kind artwork is certainly nice and desirable, but sometimes you need to fill in the gaps on walls with art that is budget friendly and pleasing to the eyes. (I think this is why so many of us have framed notecards and book pages from Chinoiseries by Dams and Zega.)

I recently learned about Artaissance, a company that has launched an art publishing website called "Art My Style". Original works are available in any number of genres, and each work can be printed on either canvas or paper.

The works that caught my eye were those in the New York Botanical Garden collection. How pretty would these look grouped en masse in a sunroom, a kitchen, or a conservatory? In fact, some of the prints are a bit reminiscent of those antique German botanical prints that were all the rage a few years back. (You remember those prints- the ones that looked like they came right out of a Botany class?)

There are a lot of works on the site, but today I'm featuring those from the NYBG collection.


"Peony #1"


"Flore d'Amerique #3"


"Merian Annanas #2"


"Merian Still-Life #2"


"Lima Romana", Blue


"Martagon #3"


"Aronzo de fior doppio"

Image at top: "Pompelmus", Copper

Billy Baldwin and Ventry Ltd.

It looks like Ventry Ltd. has updated their website with new photos of Billy Baldwin designed furniture (some of the pieces may not have actually been designed by Baldwin; instead, he may have lent his name to the pieces). If you've always dreamed of owning Billy B's classic slipper chair, Turkish ottoman, or metal bookcases, then take a look at the Ventry website. And if the unadorned pieces of furniture look a little vanilla on the website, not to worry. Just look at how Billy used these designs in his projects.


The classic Billy Baldwin slipper chair. According to Mitchell Owen's article in the New York Times (Nov. 5, 2000), Baldwin's slipper chair was supposedly designed with Pauline de Rothschild's tall, lean frame in mind (thus making it easier for her to strike a pose and extend her long legs).


Small slipper chair and Porter etagere in the apartment of Baldwin.


Porter etagere from Ventry Ltd. According to Owens, the Porter etagere was originally fabricated by PE Guerin (and is still available through them as well).


Another view of Baldwin's apartment with the Porter etagere and what appears to be a Studio Loveseat


Studio Loveseat from Ventry


The Turkish Ottoman from Ventry...


and in this Baldwin designed living room (the home of Mollie Parniss)


The home of Woodson Taulbee with the larger (?) slipper chair and the Studio Sofa, both upholstered in that famous Tree of Life print.


Large Slipper Chair from Ventry


Studio Sofa from Ventry


These metal tables have been attributed to Billy Baldwin, but there is debate as to whether he actually designed these tables or not. It's possible that he simply lent his name to this design.

A Modern Regency Fantasy?

My oh my! Wouldn't you say this home is rather... exuberant? And it certainly does catch one's eye. The two rooms were decorated in the late 1950s by Raoul Guiraud, a Parisian decorator.

Let's start with the dining room. It has a lot of my favorite elements: a tented ceiling; striped walls; Greek key motif. If I were to mix all three together in one room, I'd err on the side of subtlety. But I don't think that's what M. Guiraud had in mind. Instead, he chose bold blue stripes and a large scale Greek key. It's like a Neoclassical/Regency fantasy. Had George IV been alive in the 1950s, I think this is what his dining room would have looked like!

The salon seems to be more evocative of 1950s design. Guiraud chose a gutsy blue for the walls, pale blue carpet for the floor, and a bold blue, black, and orange print rug. The large scale black and white toile used for the cushions is an interesting contrast against the black upholstered furniture.

So, what do you think? Chic? Over the top? Just plain tacky? Though the look is too flamboyant for me, I admire Guiraud's bold point of view. What about you?


The dining room (this image and that at top)


A view of the Salon

John Pawson and My New Dream Cookware

Dare I admit that I place more emphasis on the aesthetics of the cookware I buy? I know, I know. The way it conducts heat is important. And so is the construction of the pot or pan. Oh, oven proof handles are important too. But while I do cook, I'm no Julia Child, so I can justify choosing cookware based on the way it looks.

I still love my Le Creuset dutch oven and gratin dish- in Flame, my favorite color. Although, the new Slate color is awfully appealing too. I'd love some copper cookware, but it's a bit pricey and maintenance is rather labor intensive. I like my Calphalon for non-stick cooking, and I do have some stainless cookware that looks perfectly acceptable on the top of my range.

But the latest cookware that has stolen my heart is that designed by John Pawson for Demeyere. In fact, I might give my right arm for some of it, although cooking might prove to be difficult as a leftie. Just look at it! It's sleek, sexy, and supremely glamorous. It has a look that fits in with the 1930s aesthetic that I love so much. This is cookware that looks so darn good that you might not want to mar it with extensive use. And with a six piece set costing around $1000, the price is a little hard to swallow. So, in the meantime, I'll continue to use my Le Creuset and Calphalon, but I'll be dreaming about the Pawson cookware.

(The John Pawson line can be purchased at Moss and on various cookware websites.)







Image at top: Julia Child's Kitchen, now on display at the Smithsonian. Julia would have found this whole post ridiculous!

Ruthie Sommers on 1st Dibs

I'm sure you all already know about this, but make sure to read this week's Style Compass on 1st dibs. One of our favorite designers, Ruthie Sommers, is featured. It's a great read, and it looks like there are some new photos too!

(Image at top from 1st dibs, photo by Jim Wright)

Design in Film, Part 2

If my cable system ever drops Turner Classics, I don't know what I am going to do. I don't really do reality shows, and I don't like getting involved with a television series- too much commitment. But old movies? Love them! I can't get enough of them.

Nerve.com posted an interesting article yesterday about design in film. Blogger Phil Nugent listed five movies where "design nearly stole the show". I'll let you click over to see his choices, but one movie about which Nugent and I are in complete agreement is "My Man Godfrey". Early last year I posted a list of six of my favorite movies where design played a starring role, and "Godfrey" is right up there amongst the top. But why stop at six? Here are a few more movies whose sets and interiors have struck my fancy.


The Divorcée, starring Norma Shearer. When this film was released back in 1930, it caused a great scandal. A married woman having an affair... on screen? Horrors! The movie has those quintessential 1930s glamorous movie sets- Cedric Gibbons was the Art Director of this film, after all. But what you should really see is the so-called "country house" of the lead characters. It's a vision in white, black, Serge Roche-esque furniture, and satin. If Miles Redd had a country house (and maybe he does), this would be it!




Trouble in Paradise. Ernst Lubitsch's 1932 film is a sparkling, witty movie with Art Deco interiors and exteriors galore. The stylized Colet & Co. perfume factory is absolutely fabulous.




Who wasn't struck by the interiors in Gosford Park? I don't know which part of the house I preferred- the upstairs or the downstairs. Things were awfully glamorous up with the wealthy people, but I did love that kitchen too!




You can't have a list about movie interiors without mentioning Auntie Mame. Mame was a bit like Dorothy Draper on speed- she was all about having FUN, especially in her decorating. Mame's apartment went through so many different phases, and I can't decide which version I like best. Was it the over the top Chinese restaurant look? Or the crazy, modern Yul Ullu version?


The Paradine Case (1946), starring Gregory Peck. Set in London, this lesser known Hitchcock movie is actually rather good. Peck plays a dashing attorney who has an attractive, kind wife and lives in a very elegant home. What I never understood was why he would fall for his client, a woman of questionnable virtue- especially when said client has a gaudy, Baroque bed with a painting of herself on the headboard. Would you choose a tacky bed over a gorgeously appointed home? I thought not.

This:


Over this? What was Peck thinking??



Image at top: My favorite person on TV- Robert Osborne.

Entertaining Tips from the Pros

Entertaining and food seem to be areas of great interest to many interior and fashion designers. Perhaps it's only natural as most of these individuals have a keen sense of aesthetics. If a designer's home is his calling card, why would he or she sully the image with sloppy entertaining?

Ideas, tips, and recipes from designers abound- most of them have very definite opinions. So let's see what a few design legends have had to say on the subject. Some of the advice might seem outdated or rigid, while others might induce an "A ha!" moment.



* Elsie de Wolfe had a lot to say about entertaining. So much so that she wrote Elsie de Wolfe's Recipes for Successful Dining. de Wolfe believed that "the perfect meal is the short meal". Remember, de Wolfe wrote the book at a time when dining was a bit more elaborate than today. A few other tidbits: Never have high flower vases on your table. Keep your table decorations "low, low, low". And "Curried Veal Kidneys" is a recipe for successful dining.



* Dorothy Draper, the merriest of decorators, once wrote that a "delighted hostess is a delightful hostess" (this from Entertaining is Fun!). Dorothy had a point- who wants to be around a harried hostess? She also wrote that she never held up a dinner party for more than half an hour waiting for a tardy guest. And canned turtle soup with sherry is something that one should always have in his pantry. (Do they still make canned turtle soup?)



* Dorothy Rodgers thought (and wrote) a great deal about entertaining. The woman certainly was attuned to the details and planning of dinner parties, weekend house parties, and casual affairs. Rodgers' advice included using cloths on small tables as opposed to place mats, using matching crystal stemware, and passing crackers with the first course. Oh, "The Game", "Improbable Conversations", and "Botticelli" are all FUN parlor games, at least according to Rodgers.



* Genevieve Antoine Dariaux, the late directrice of Nina Ricci couture house, wrote all about Entertaining with Elegance. Did you know that yellow asters and orange chrysanthemums in a copper container make a chic floral arrangement? Or that Asparagus tips with a bit of mayonnaise rolled up in thinly sliced white bread makes a tasty tea sandwich? And that wine glasses should be filled one half to two-thirds full? You do now, thanks to Ms. Dariaux.



*Mark Hampton was not a fan of table linens made of polyester. He also thought one should avoid using colored candles (unless it was a Christmas celebration) as well as narcissus and lilies- too odoriferous for the dinner table.



*Bunny Williams likes to have a drinks tray set up on a table so that guests can help themselves to libations. She also uses Pepperidge Farm thin sliced bread for tea sandwiches and Duncan Hines brownies for dessert.