Fantastic Finds for your Table!

For more details on my Thanksgiving plans see my previous post. I have been on the hunt for several pieces for hosting in our home. I think there are certain elements that are worth splurging on, and some where scoring a good deal is exactly what you need!

We were fortunate enough to receive some amazing shower gifts which really set us up for everyday dining and some special occasion hosting. We did not register for fine china because at the time we knew we'd be moving around for a few years and decided to hold off. I have since found so many patterns I love and would love to have, however I have decided to wait until we purchase a home and have more storage.

Until then I think it is totally acceptable to use our "everyday" plates with some upgrades to jazz it up! Starting with charger plates, I have been on the hunt for a simple gold charger plate. Sounds easy right? Not so much- I ordered several online none of which I loved! Then I went to Target and stumbled upon these babies. They are a subtle gold with some detail to add texture and visual interest to the plate. They came in gold and silver, I bought both but have decided to go with all gold. Don't mind the wrinkled table runner- it was fresh out of the package & will be ironed before the big day :)

I added in this last photo because I couldn't get over how cute my little guy was in the background keeping an eye on the neighborhood! :)

Target also had a series of holiday glassware out, white and red wine glasses, water glasses, and champagne flutes, all for $1.00! I know right? I was ecstatic! We do not have a set of twelve flutes so I thought this was the perfect solution for my signature cocktail- gold sugar rimmed champagne cocktails!
















I was feeling pretty lucky after my Target finds so I stopped into Homegoods where I found this Kate Spade Holiday table runner! Kate Spade is easily one of my favorite designers, so when I came across this runner (they also had it in a tablecloth) I was over the moon! I love the simple color & cute sayings!

I am planning to add some burlap to the table as well, but I don't want to completely cover the table as I love the grey wood style!As for the table scape I have decided to go with a more "nature centric" style- layered wood, lots of greens, burlap & candles! I also ordered a set of monogrammed napkins so as soon as those come in I will make sure to do a review!

Girls Weekend Plus Husbands- Round Two!

After our big move I vowed to maintain friendships I had made in DC, I made some of the best friends I could have asked for and I feel incredibly grateful for that! In August we had a "girls weekend plus husbands"- it was pretty amazing! The boys hung out, talked sports & exchanged stories about their "kids"- all of which are four legged; it was super cute!

Us three girls took too long to get ready, drank several bottles of Veuve and laughed non-stop! Before the weekend had even ended we planned our Girls Weekend Plus Husbands round two. I have been looking forward to this weekend since before our August weekend ended!

Our friends came up on Friday, we had a ladies lunch & manicure date what a perfect way to unwind and get the weekend started! After that we lounged and had some cocktails at home we had Moscow Mules in my favorite copper mugs! After that we got dolled up and braved the weather for a great dinner at Hillstone right near Faneuil Hall. Dinner was delicious, very chic ambiance and of course the company was amazing!

Saturday was the day we had planned this trip around for our Southern friends- they have never experienced a true New England Fall & we were hoping to grab some photos!

Last year I had taken photos for both couples with their pups which they used for Christmas cards and home decorations, so this year we decided a repeat was needed!

We drank champagne, got blowouts by my favorite girl Marina! The pups had been groomed & husbands fed, dressed and then Mother Nature spoke Her peace...it was not pretty! We are talking horizontal rain, huge gusts of wind leading to- frizzy hair, uncooperative dogs & soaking wet subjects.




However I think we managed to snap at least a few quality shots- all you really need is one right? One of these may be making its way onto our Christmas card! :)

After the photos we poured back into our cars, drove straight back to the house and warmed up with food, bevies & a dance party or two! 

We feel so blessed to have such wonderful friends in our lives! :)

Thanksgiving Themes & Family Heirlooms

Sorry for being off the grid for so long! I came off a long stretch of night shifts and haven't been feeling well since. Nothing that some sleep & soup couldn't fix!

As I have mentioned (most certainly more than once) we are hosting Thanksgiving celebrations this year and I am super excited about it! In the two years we have been married we have entertained a fair amount, however this will be the first time in our new place as well as hosting this many people. The easiest part to the planning was the menu, Oliver makes slow roasted game hens with a homemade brine which is pretty much perfection! We are really stepping up our game here, we usually roast two to four hens at any given time but when you're hosting twelve you can easily triple that number, fingers crossed for no top chef like disasters! For sides we are sticking to family staples- maple glazed carrots, roasted potatoes, bacon sauteed brussel sprouts, Yorkshire puddings, and cinnamon butternut squash. It is no secret Oliver is the chef in our house, I however have become quite the sous chef and have been gaining some serious independence taking the lead on cooking a few meals thanks to a great (and super cute) teacher! For a signature cocktail I am sure you can guess, we are doing a champagne cocktail for a little something extra I am adding a gold sugar rim- the taste testing has been amazing :)

When it comes to the sweet endings to a dinner party I'm your gal! I am pretty positive I have a refined palette for desserts merely due to exposure! I look forward to the finale of every meal, and never skimp when we entertain. If you saw my previous post regarding the most amazing Pecan Pie ever, you should definitely consider adding this to your Thanksgiving menu- I promise your guests will be talking about it for a lifetime! Of course the Pecan Pie was an easy choice and no Thanksgiving is complete without the fruit of the season baked into gooey goodness also known as Apple Pie! I am also toying with the idea of some bite sized desserts- caramel apples, pumpkin whoopie pies, or salted caramels. I plan to trial some recipes and share with you all over the next few weeks so keep an eye out for those posts :)





Something I love even more than menu planning is decorating & a good theme! When planning a theme I usually plan it around one piece or idea. For example, our wedding color scheme & style was built on a pair of shoes- royal blue Manolo Blahniks with a vintage style crystal statement piece on the toe. It embodied a classic, vintage style with a flair- precisely what we had envisioned for the day.







So it will come as no surprise when my Thanksgiving vision was based upon a set of silver my Mom had recently given to me. It was a gift to my Grandparents at their 25th wedding anniversary, which they never used and chose to save for their Daughters. My Mother however never used it and gave it to me just recently. This silver is making its debut on our table on November 27th after forty years of being in my family & we could not be more excited! I am planning to use the silver as the accent metal to my gold & creme theme! How gorgeous is this place setting, no doubt the person who gifted it to them had impeccable taste!

In my search for the perfectly balanced tablescape I have been collecting a few pieces over time. I am super excited to share those with you this week so make sure to keep an eye out for that post as well!  I am still deciding between edible & nature themed place cards.

What is your perfect Thanksgiving theme?