Posts Labeled ‘book’

May 12th, 2010

Summertime Silverware Holders

What a great idea from L.A. event planner Lulu Powers for setting out silverware. Couldn’t you see this at a summertime BBQ? It’s so simple and easy to do — pick up some terra cotta pots, label them with chalk, and set them on a nice platter or tray. This setup will make it convenient for guests to grab their silverware as they pass through a buffet.

For more fabulous entertaining tips, check out Lulu’s new book, Food to Flowers. I know I’ve added it to my library wish list!

image via Country Living

image via Country Living

 

March 30th, 2010

An Entertaining Read: Matthew Mead’s Entertaining Simple

Cookbooks, entertaining, and etiquette books read like enthralling novels for me, and I pour over every photo and blurb. I could spend hours soaking up all of the practical advice and being inspired by the recipes and ideas.

The newest entertaining book in my library, thanks to a dear friend, is Entertaining Simple, by Matthew Mead, who hits the nail on the head when it comes to simple, easy ways to dress an impactful table. Mead reviews the elements of the basic table “wardrobe;” offers clever ways to reuse the same serving piece in multiple, stylish ways; provides clever decor ideas; and caps it all off with delicious recipes.

I particularly appreciated his focus on how to use the ordinary elements in one’s home — egg cups, glass votive holders, cake stands — and turn them into extraordinary focal points on table.

Looking for a gift for your favorite entertainer? Look no further!

Entertaining Simple, available from Amazon

Entertaining Simple, available from Amazon

September 23rd, 2009

DIY Bridal Boot Camp

Many of the brides I work with work very hard leading up to their wedding to get as fit and healthy as they can. Motivated by wanting to fit into their dress or look great in photos, some brides go to great lengths to shed pounds and tone up. Many work with personal trainers or spend thousands on exercise programs, and some try extreme diets as part of their pre-wedding regimen.

I am all for being healthy — exercising, eating right, and taking care of one’s body — but I do get worried about some brides taking it too far.  Extreme measures can be dangerous to one’s body and often times the short-term benefits are quickly lost after the wedding when brides (and grooms!) return to their original habits. I am not a fitness or health expert, but I do firmly believe that creating a healthy lifestyle and establishing good habits with respect to eating and exercising will yield the most significant benefits in the long run.

I’ll admit, exercise and I have a love/hate relationship. I have struggled over the years to be consistent in working out. Add to that the fact that I am head over heels for food and I run a real risk of ending up looking like a big blob! Recently, however, a friend gave me this little exercise and food diary from Green Chair Press as gift; it has rocked my world!

WIth its simple format, this food and fitness journal from Green Chair Press is so easy to maintain!

WIth its simple format, this food and fitness journal from Green Chair Press is so easy to maintain!

I love the colorful flatware theme.

I love the colorful flatware theme.

I take the journal with me everywhere. It is so small that it fits easily into my purse, and it is cute to boot! I track what I eat and what I did for exercise that day. There is even a space for general notes which I use to jot down things like “I felt tired today” or “Am I starting to get a cold?” I thought having to write down everything I eat would be a burden, but not only has it become a habit, it’s also been oddly fun. I enjoy tracking what I’ve done and the progress I’ve made, and the discipline of having to write down everything I eat has prevented me from having that extra dish of ice cream or reaching for that piece of chocolate. It’s been about three months now and I am half-way through the journal. I just ordered three more so that when this one fills up I have no excuse for not continuing with my food and fitness tracking!

The journal has been very helpful in tracking my progress in exercise. It works really well with the data from my Nike+ workouts. I am able to jot down exactly how many calories I burned and for how long I exercised. Similarly, my Wii Fit workouts have been easy to track as well.

Healthy habits are hard to start but once they are in place, they can become second nature. Chart a course tailored to your own personal goals with respect to diet and exercise and then track your progress. You don’t have to go to extreme lengths or spend lots of money.  Get ideas for workouts online from SELF or healthy recipes from Cooking Light. Before you know it, you’ll be doing your very own, customized Bridal Boot Camp!

Here’s to our health!

August 27th, 2009

Tapping into tradition for the first anniversary

I love traditions — creating new ones and following time honored ones. And while not every longstanding family or cultural tradition always make sense to follow, many are still very sweet and relevant.

Take for instance, the practice of giving a particular item according to each anniversary year: paper for the first year, cotton for the second, leather for the third, and so on. I love the idea of playing off of the particular year’s theme in a creative way that honors the tradition itself, but reflects the style of the recipient and the thoughtfulness of the giver, as well.

I came across this beautifully bound book of love poems from Smythson recently, which I think would be an absolutely stunning gift for a first anniversary (paper). It could be paired with another gift or just as easily be given just on its own.

Smythson Love Letters book

Smythson Love Letters book

August 7th, 2009

Day Five – Celebrating Julia Child: Counting Down to Julie & Julia

photo via www.ew.com

photo via www.ew.com

And we made it! Our countdown to the opening of Julie & Julia is complete. What a great week of all Julia Child all the time!

My husband and I just returned from the 7:10 p.m. showing of the film. As his Facebook status confirms, he was one of the only men in the theater under the age of 60. What a trooper!

The movie alternates between telling the story of Julia Child as she undertakes the writing of Mastering the Art of French Cooking and the blogger, Julie Powell, who spends a year trying to conquer it.

Meryl Streep’s interpretation of the jubilant, larger-than-life Julia Child was phenomenal. Streep captures Child’s quirky and sometimes awkward mannerisms and her all-too-famous squawky voice with perfect precision.

The stylists did an impressive job of transforming Streep into the tall, curly-haired brunette. And the costumes! Ah, the costumes! The period-wear in the Child sequences was gorgeous. I found myself drooling over the party-wear in one particular scene when Julia Child’s sister comes to visit. Amy Adams’ wardrobe of flirty vintage finds was also convincing.

As I watched Paul and Julia Child enjoying their years living in Europe it made me remember my own year-long European stint and my subsequent travels around the continent. As Julia walked through the food stalls and markets of Paris, I fondly recalled the faces of my favorite open-air market vendors in Madrid — the kind woman who sold pechuga de pollo and huevos who seemed to take pity on me and my broken Spanish; the older couple who sold vegetables who were always nicer than their rival purveyors one stall over; and the butcher who patiently explained how best to cook whatever cut of beef I had requested that day. Food in Europe — and the experience of buying and cooking it — is incomparable to anything else. Maybe that’s why Julia’s book was so groundbreaking: a cookbook daring to teach Americans to eat, cook, and savor food like the French.

My one disappointment in the film was the Julie Powell storyline. It fell flat for me and at times was little slow. Was I supposed to identify with her? Feel sorry for her? Cheer her on? It was unclear.

Overall, I found the film very enjoyable and a great capstone to this Julia Child Tribute Week! But, thankfully, the tribute doesn’t need to end. There are Child’s cookbooks we can always turn to, as well as her television segments, courtesy of PBS.

Next week we’re back to our regular focus on all things entertaining — weddings, parties, and gracious hosting. Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!

Reviews

August 5th, 2009

Day Three – Celebrating Julia Child: A Countdown to Julie & Julia

One of my dearest friends is in town this week from Kansas City with her seven-year-old daughter. When she mentioned they wanted to do some site-seeing downtown, I asked — OK, begged — her if she’d be willing to include the National Museum of American History on the list. The good sports that she and her daughter are, we all went today to the Museum. As soon as we walked in the doors it was all I could do to not run to the Julia Child kitchen.

Bon Appetit! Julia Child's Kitchen at the Smithsonian

Bon Appetit! Julia Child's Kitchen at the Smithsonian

If you have not seen the Bon Appetit exhibit, I highly commend it to you. To literally peer into Julia Child’s famed kitchen is a thrill. One of the things that always impresses me with the kitchen are the pots and pans. Paul Child, Julia’s husband, traced each of Julia’s pots onto a pegboard wall in their kitchen so that each pot could easily be returned to its rightful home.

And, oh, the gadgets! I love Julia’s kitchen gadgets. The self-proclaimed gadget freak, Julia had quite the collection. I was particularly impressed with the “boil over disk” — a tool that I had never heard of — that prevents pots from boiling over. Clever! Some of Julia’s favorites kitchen gadgets are discussed in a Food & Wine magazine article which is worth checking out.

The sheer feat of getting Child’s kitchen to the museum to establish an exhibit was incredible. The Smithsonian chronicled the painstakingly detailed process in a website.

What's Cooking? Julia Child's Kitchen at the Smithsonian

What's Cooking? Julia Child's Kitchen at the Smithsonian

For DC Area locals, we are so fortunate that the Museum is just around the corner. In honor of Julia Child and the release of Julie & Julia, I encourage you to plan a trip to the American History Museum and visit the exhibit. It would make for a great excuse to pack a picnic (check out this post for inspiration) to enjoy on the Mall.

If you are not able to make it to the museum this weekend, consider going on Saturday, August 29, when author Laura Shapiro will be there to sign her new book, Julia Child: A Life.
When: Saturday, August 29, 2009, 2 – 4 PM
Location: American History Museum, Outside Mall Museum Store, 2nd Floor
Cost: Books available for sale in Museum Store

For more Julia-inspired blog posts, check out Day One and Day Two of the series, and stay tuned for more posts this week!

August 4th, 2009

Day Two – Celebrating Julia Child: A Countdown to Julie & Julia

Julie and Julia Movie, photo from www.julieandjulia.com

photo from www.julieandjulia.com

I am a planner by nature. To plan my schedule daily, weekly, monthly — oh, let’s face it — to plan anything is just in my blood. So today’s post is all about sharing that neurosis and helping readers plan in advance for this weekend’s opening of Julie and Julia!

Here are a few simple steps for planning the perfect movie night:

1) Choose your companions.

Decide who you should take with you to the movie. Julie & Julia is, beyond a shadow of a doubt, a chic flick. That said, I think its culinary theme may give it broader appeal to foodies male and female alike. And dare I say, it could be a nice date movie.

Meryl Streep is said to masterfully capture Julia Child’s quirky demeanor;  Amy Adams, a bright rising star, is also getting good reviews.

So, you can make it a girls-night-out, a date night, or even a group outing. Just be sure to watch it with someone who has a modicum of interest in food lest you miss out on the pleasures of debriefing about deboning ducks and the proper way to poach eggs.

2) Find a theater.

The location of the theater should be convenient for you and your guests. Check out Fandango for theater times and showings.

3) Figure out where to eat.

Going to a movie about cooking without arranging to partake in some good eats is simply unacceptable! Consider…

  • having guests over for a Julia Child potluck before the movie, asking each person to bring a course for the meal made from a recipe in one of Child’s cookbooks.
  • making a full Julia Child menu yourself, should time and resources permit.
  • letting someone else do the cooking! One fabulous option is the special pre-fixe menu in celebration of Julia Child that Inox in Tysons Corner is offering now through August 31. If you are a city-dweller, yes, it would mean a trip to the suburbs, but trust me, based on my recent dining experiences at Inox, it will be worth it.

4) Celebrate!

After the movie, treat your guests to a special dessert to celebrate Julia Child. You might consider surprising them as you leave the theater with cupcakes or other individual-size treats or, if you want to go all out, go home to enjoy a cake or pastries from Baking with Julia.

For more on how to celebrate Julia Child and the upcoming release of Julie and Julia, check out the first post in the series and stay tuned for more posts throughout the week!

August 3rd, 2009

Celebrating Julia Child: A Countdown to Julie & Julia

photo by Getty Images via Harper's Bazaar

photo by Getty Images via Harper's Bazaar

I’ve only read a few biographies in my life. If there was ever an argument to start reading more of them it would have to be An Appetite for Life: The Biography of Julia Child. I read it years ago and it remains one of the most inspiring books in my library.  With each page I turned, it was as if  Julia was standing in front of me, her tall frame planted firmly and her fists in the air like a boxer after winning a fight, urging me to live life. To drink it up. To make the most of every minute. And above all, to eat and cook well.

An Appetite for Life, available at Amazon.com

An Appetite for Life, available at Amazon.com

Julia Child was a remarkable woman (even if an easy target for shows like Saturday Night Live). Independent. Sharp. Bold. I remember being floored to learn that she once worked for the OSS, the precursor to the CIA.

Perhaps it was Child’s dynamism that led Julie Powell to choose one of her cookbooks for her yearlong cooking-challenge-turned-into-life-lesson adventure, the Julie Julie/Julia Project.

Powell, a young, married, government worker decided one day to cook through Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking in one year.  As Powell notes in her very first blog entry where she lays down the gauntlet, “365 days. 536 recipes. One girl and a crappy outer borough kitchen.”

Powell later turned the blog into a book.  After sharing with him that I might want to read it, my husband included a copy of Julie and Julia in an Amazon order he placed earlier this summer. From the time it came in the mail, I could not put it down. Powell’s writing is good, but the concept behind  it all is even better. What would happen if you set out to accomplish a culinary goal of working your way through an entire cookbook? What would you learn along the way (besides how to poach an egg or make aspic)?

The book became a movie which is due out this weekend  (August 7). In honor of the movie and Julia Child, whose birthday, August 15, is just around the corner  (more on that in future posts….), I am starting a countdown to the movie starting…. now.

There’s a lot we can learn from Julia Child — and a lot, I think, that we can learn from Powell through her culinary adventure. Stay tuned! It’s going to be a great week!

And in the words of Julia Child, Bon Appétit!

Related Links

July 31st, 2009

A Toast to Our Health!

Washington is all abuzz about health care reform right now. Even the most apolitical person living within an earshot of media these days can’t help but know something is brewing with respect to our nation’s health care system.

All this talk about health care is certainly a reminder of how fragile our health can be and how important it is to care for it. Maybe that is one of the reasons the traditional toast, “Let’s drink to our health” emerged? My curiosity about this expression led me to a few references, including one of my all-time favorites, The Art of the Table: A Complete Guide to Table Setting, Table Manners, and Tableware by Suzanne Von Drachenfels, to learn more about where the phrase came from.

Here’s what Ms Von Drachenfels has to say:

“The custom of raising the first glass of wine to one’s health is attributed to ancient Greece, when a sip was taken to demonstrate that the drink was not poisoned. In Homer’s Iliad, Ulysses drank to the health of Achilles.”

 

Both The Encyclopaedia Britannica by Hugh Chisholm and An Etymological Dictionary of the English Language by Walter William Skeat suggests the origin of the expression came from the custom of putting toasted bread in liquor to make it taste better. The former also discusses how the expression most assuredly refers to women, in particular soldiers or warriors who would toast to “their ladies.”

The expression evolved over time and is now common in countries around the world and is suitable when raising one’s glass almost anywhere.

For those called upon to make toasts in social settings, the following online resources may be helpful as you prepare:

Above all, I think the most important thing about a good toast is that it is heartfelt. I coordinated a wedding recently where the Best Man’s toast was in-term-in-a-bly  long (something I NEVER recommend!). While some of the guests did fade, most were willing to sit through it and listen because his message was so truthful and sincere.

Cheers! To Your Health!

April 21st, 2009

Another new book to read… amazon.com will love me.

Not Becoming My Mother (image courtesy of amazon.com)

Not Becoming My Mother (image courtesy of amazon.com)

Ruth Reichl, editor of Gourmet magazine, will be in DC on May 7 to promote her new book, “Not Becoming My Mother” that hit bookstores today. I loved her previous books, particularly, “Tender at the Bone” and am sure to run out and buy this one. Her wit and culinary references are charming, but that notwithstanding — why wouldn’t I buy a book written by a woman with quite possibly the coolest job in the world: traveling, tracking down, tasting, and writing about all things culinary!