It’s hard to believe that summer is almost over. Today’s event is a party for twelve and, as usual, my focus is on setting a beautiful table. Here are snapshots of today’s sunny summer set-up! I’ve also attached a link to one of my previous posts about daisies – the friendly flower. Daisies are one of … More Summer Entertaining
It seems everyone loves to photograph and post pictures of food. While I enjoy doing that too, I also love to photograph fruit, veggies and other items at the market. Many grocery stores have taken a cue from Whole Foods and display their food beautifully arranged in baskets or overflowing in containers. Sometimes the color … More Fabulous Food Photos
I do my own flower arrangements for my clients but I get my inspiration from a variety of florists across the Bay Area. One of my favorites is Anne Rizoulis. Anne and I are old friends from our corporate days in specialty retail. Anne branched out to do flowers several years ago and makes the … More Supporting Friends
My inspiration for table settings comes from a variety of places including art. This table scape was inspired by Japanese prints. The table cloth is heavy linen and makes a dramatic statement. It covers the entire table including the legs, draping down to the floor on all sides. I kept the rest of the table fairly simple, using red … More Dramatic Table Settings
For our most recent event, an outdoor party for 20, we focused on a “farm fresh” theme. The weather was a perfect 65 degrees with a pleasant breeze. The drink station on the front deck greeted guests as they arrived. And the hors d’oeuvres on the back deck created a nice flow through between the … More Farm Fresh Dining
Today was the annual Tour de MALT (Marin Agricultural Land Trust) bike ride. The 40 or 60 mile loops start in Nicasio and travel north through beautiful protected farmland. I took these pictures today during the ride which was spectacular. Rest stops included produce, cheeses and meats from local farms. And at the end, there is … More Bicycling through Farmland
Yesterday afternoon I experimented with some new watercolor techniques. I had a few scraps of unused watercolor paper that I didn’t want to throw away. The green grasses in the featured image happened when I added more and more water to my green as I applied it on the paper. I love how the darker grasses … More Watercolors
Dahlias are extravagant flowers. They make spectacular arrangements because they are BIG and come in an amazing array of colors. These are a pink peach and are all you need to make a lovely statement on your table.
One of my morning rituals is enjoying a delicious cup of coffee out on a warm and sunny deck. I took this picture at a neighbor’s house on a beautiful clear day. It reads “warmth” to me which is today’s Developing Your Eye photo challenge. The sunlight, reflecting through the glass table, creates an interesting graphic … More Sunny Deck
When I’m gathering ideas for an event or a party, I like to scope out the environment and check out what equipment or props are already in place. I was visiting a new business in my neighborhood this week and took this picture of their outdoor deck. The yellow chairs provide a cheerful pop of color in … More A Pop of Color
Entertaining Beautifully 