Plum (Great) Entertaining Tips, Ideas & Unique Party Planning.
Hostess Envy Backyard Lunch
This past weekend, we went to check out our friend Tom and Allie's new house and were treated to a barbeque lunch in their garden. Not only had they just moved in, but Allie is also nine months pregnant--and yet they still pulled off a casually elegant spread... and made it look easy.
Ideas I'm stealing: Allie served two side dishes--a veggie couscous and an edamame salad--on a single platter with a serving spoon on each side. And she wasn't just conserving space on the table--her plates and serving pieces were environmentally-friendly Bambu Veneerware.
Everything about their backyard was charming--down to their gardening tools. I'll buy these cute gardening gloves as a housewarming present the next time friends move to a place with a yard.
In the center of the table was an unfussy cutting board topped with an impressive selection of BBQ fixings, some standard--ketchup and mustard--and some a cut above, like this locally-farmed black pepper goat cheese.
Allie had placed clear glass bud vases filled simply with baby's breath throughout the house, creating a clean and airy flow from room to room.
Fresh Florals
The Spring and Fall 2008 runways were abloom with floral prints. No shrinking violets here-the modern way to do florals is to go for the bold and unexpected.
Take Stella McCartney's fabulous platform sandals, for instance. This vibrant watercolor pattern is surprisingly wearable. I plan to live in them this summer!
The Oasis Flower collection translates the floral trend for paper goods. Oversize pink blooms bring style and energy to the table.
Could anything be cuter than this diaper cover with Carrie Bradshaw-scale roses on the bum? I'm counting on it to win the baby-shower-gift-ooh-and-aah contest.
These pillows bring flowers indoors, without a hint of bed-and-breakfast chintz.
I'm stocking up on a H2 Glo flower lights-I'll simply float them in glass containers for casual summer gatherings.