Autumnal Sojourn in D.C. with Eric

I had the most wonderful past weekend  visiting my son, Eric, in D.C. The weather was magnificent and although our time together was brief, it was a most memorable time shared.

He abides with my perpetual requests to tour one or more of D.C.'s museums each time I visit.  This time we toured Marjorie Merriweather Post's mansion museum, Hillwood.  I don't quite understand why she is called 'Mrs. Post' as that is her maiden name and she was married four times. I guess it's easier that way. No need to change the monograms, of which I am most certain she had many. Oops! 

Mrs. Post was the uber collector par none. Her decorative arts collections are beyond compare and I can only imagine how much more she would have accomplished had she experienced the Ebay marketplace. :) We walked the grand estate grounds all dressed in their fall  finery and took a docent-led tour of the mansion. After pondering whether or not to have a late lunch at the tea house on the estate grounds, we opted  for the famous
Ben's Chili Bowl on U Street.

I do not regret that decision one iota.
 Afterwards, Eric gave me a tour of D.C.'s wonderful Rock Creek Park in its autumnal splendor. Such a glorious day shared with my wonderful son.
 A real memory maker.



Here are the best ingredients for a D.C. Autumnal afternoon at Hillwood:

Start with a canopy of maples and peeking dappled sunlight

 Blend in a bright riot of mums that encircle the luscious lawn .

Sprinkle in several deer grazing along the garden's border.

Listen to the waterfall  gently cascading down the hillside.

Skip across the brook on the delicately balanced stepping stones.

Remember this spent happy day forever.

Simply Boo-ti-ful !

Autumn is upon us and with its arrival comes the preparation of seasonal celebrations.

Chez Laurice has dressed itself accordingly and is stocked with vintage Halloween goodies aplenty. Sorcerers in suspended animation would make Harry Potter proud and witches who appear to be blending up new brews are just a few of the new arrivals on hand. Vintage holiday linens, aprons and smalls round out the mix. A newly arrived Victorian English pub table by T. Green and Son has found its place within the shop. Be certain to come 'buy' and have a howling good time.

Exquisite Weddings Magazine Tablescape

Exquisite Weddings Magazine launched its September/October 2010 issue with a spectacular evening soiree at the Hyatt Aviara Resort in Carlsbad. Participating vendors such as Sharon Mintz of Organic Elements (organicelements.com ) enticed brides and grooms-to-be with a potpourri of tabletop presentations, floral elements, food tastings and more.

I had the good fortune to be invited by the fabulous event planners, Rebecca Gaffney and Mia Saling of Red Letter Days Events ( redletterdays.biz ) to participate in their photo shoot for this issue of the magazine. They partnered with Sharon of Organic Elements to create a spectacular rendering of "Romancing Through the Ages." (see below) My contribution to supply the vintage products for the tabletop fantasy was a wonderful experience. Both Rebecca and Mia, together with Sharon, led the team to design and create a dreamy  tablescape that still renders me speechless.

The results of this creative labor of love are found on pages 118-119 of Exquisite Weddings current issue (exquisiteweddingsmagazine.com)

Many thanks go out to Rebecca for inviting me to be part of a great day with a great group of such talented individuals. The collaboration was a true memory maker as evidenced by the magnificent photo spread.

Magazine article and pics follow:

Romancing Through the Ages

“Our table tells the story of love over time with an array of old-fashioned pieces like love letters in antique frames, apothecary jars filled with flowers, dangling ribbon-tied frames and ballet slippers. We wanted to create a Victorian shabby-chic feel with a romantic nostalgic theme,” explains Sharon Mintz and Rebecca Gaffney.
Classic Hot Chocolate: Warm 8 ounces milk in a saucepan. Put 2 tablespoons Joes on the Nose, Organic Hot Chocolate Mix in your favorite mug. Pour warmed (not boiled) milk over chocolate, mix with whisk, immersion blender, or spoon. Add vanilla whipped cream and dark chocolate shavings. Drink, and smile.
Table designers: Sharon Mintz, Organic Elements; Rebecca Gaffney, Red Letter Days Events. Flowers: Organic Elements. Paper elements: Brightly Designed. Vintage elements: Chez Laurice. Furniture and linens: Concepts Event Design. Picture frames: Found Vintage Rentals. Lemon poppyseed cake: Chef Devin Woodall, Dining Details. Hot chocolate drinks and flavored whipped creams: Joes on the Nose.