We held a simple dinner party on New Year's Eve and I shot a video to share our table with you. This one is much less formal than our Thanksgiving table and that was by design. I wanted a fresh and casual (yet elegant) look to the table. There is no tablecloth or runner this time, only the rattan place mats. For napkins, I use blue and white French provincial linen. Our plates are the large cream plates from Pottery Barn that we have had for ages. For flowers, I clipped some of the beautiful pink camellia blooms from our backyard tree.
For Christmas, my husband gave me a beautiful silverware set from Williams Sonoma. The handles are heavy with an antique look and the prongs are quite modern-looking. I love them!
Because I set the table the day before, some of the camellia flowers had fallen, so I placed those fallen blooms in little dishes on the side of the vase.
I hope you enjoy watching this week's video, which is a quick glimpse at our table. I hope this inspires you to throw a dinner party this year. Don't let entertaining intimidate you! I always set my table the day before so I don't need to worry about it the day of.
If you are unable to see the video above, click here, look in the sidebar of this blog, or check out my channel (and subscribe!) www.youtube.com/TheDailyConnoisseur
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Comment of the Week
I knew that I would receive many congratulations for our baby news, but was overwhelmed in such a positive way with the large outpouring of comments and well-wishes. Thank you so much! You are all the comment of the week for me. I love my readers and feel so grateful for your love, support and interest. Thank you!
Letter of the Week
Gail R. writes:
Jennifer, thank you for sending out the message that while we should do the best we can in any endeavor and try to improve as we go along, we do not have to live in limbo until we achieve perfection. From your charming Thanksgiving table to your lovely musical performances, you demonstrate that we can delight others even without the air-brushed, edited and unrealistic depictions that are common in popular media today. So many of us struggle with the burden of feeling 'not good enough'; I am sure you have helped many of your readers and followers to overcome this.
Hi Gail, as I mentioned in my New Year message, I will never promote a "pinterest-perfect" message because that is not realistic and it's not everyday life. Also, it's not important to have everything be perfect. What is important is that you do what you do passionately and with love. So if the napkins don't match and there are some missed notes on the piano, that's OK, it's the spirit behind these endeavors. Thank you for picking up on this and for your articulate email.
Artistic Recommendation
Nancy L. writes:
Dear Jennifer,
Knowing of your fondness for Angela Lansbury, I wanted to ask if you've ever seen the made for television movie she starred in based on the novel, Mrs. 'Arris Goes to Paris? I saw it way back in 1992 when it was made, and fell in love with it.
Recently I was delighted to find the novel by Paul Gallico and am enjoying it so very much; but between the mental association with Angela Lansbury and the Paris connection, I think of you every time I open the book. Finally, just had to write and mention it.
Wishing you a very happy New Year!
Yours Truly,
Nancy L.
Hi Nancy, I have not heard of this movie or book before, but knowing how much I adore Angela Lansbury and how much I adore Paris, it seems right up my alley! Thank you for the recommendation.
Have a wonderful weekend, Daily Connoisseurs. As always, I love to read your comments so leave your thoughts below. See you on Monday for my freezer lasagna video.
Jennifer x
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14 comments:
Fabulous new silverware! Great looking table settings too...
Congratulations on your exciting news!
I hope that you are feeling well.
It will be fun to see how you dress and accessorize during your pregnancy...other young moms will be following your lead!
Wonderful video! Thanks! I have a question about how to serve the food when the table is small like this. Should the hostess put all the serving bowls/platters on the table and then the guests pass them? If so, is it improper to set the bowl/platter down between guests? Or should she bring one thing to the table at a time and be ready to take it back to the kitchen after it's gone around? Your table is beautiful and simple, but there isn't a lot of space to set down food items. What do you do? Thanks for all your videos and blog posts which help us live using and doing our best. And congratulations on #3!!!!!
Jennifer,
Thank you for your lovely blog. I appreciate your attitude toward life, being so positive and encouraging. Your comments about things not having to be perfect reminded me of something a friend used to say years ago. "If something is worth doing, it is worth doing poorly." He was referring to the old saying "If something is worth doing, it is worth doing well." What my friend meant was that you need to try new things, even if you are not good at them. You miss out on so many interesting life experiences if you limit yourself to only things you can do well. Get out of your comfort zone and try something new! :)
As a fan of wabi-sabi, I have to say that I love the mismatched chairs, that somehow go together beautifully despite the fact that they don't match. I love the patina that they have, and it's really cool that your new silverware has a faintly "old" look.
I'd like to answer SF, if I may, about where to put the serving dishes at a small table. I have a sideboard next to my table, and I always set the serving dishes on that so that people can serve themselves at will. It eliminates the whole passing-things-around dealie that can sometimes get bogged down. At my aunt's, she passes things around at the table, and I often don't take every item offered. So, I'm ready to pass it on immediately. However, I frequently have to wait for the person ahead of me to serve themselves from the previous dish... and then I get handed yet another serving dish while still waiting to hand on the one already in my hand. In the meantime, everything on everyone's plate gets cold while waiting to perform this sleight of hand. If everything is set up on a sideboard (even a folding table with a cloth on it will do if you don't have a sideboard), people can take only what they want with minimal waiting.
Your table setting is beautiful and I love its casual elegance! Applauding Mr. Daily Connoisseur on his Christmas gift which will be enjoyed for many years. So, what was your complete menu? Happy 2016 to you and your growing family!
Hi Jennifer, A beautiful setting for a meal. Regarding the book by Paul Gallico: Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris recommended to you by Nancy L., I LOVE that book. I've read I twice and seen the movie with Angela Landsbury. Very touching and fun.
How lovely for you to have such a gorgeous camellia tree, and - lucky tree to be well-loved!
CONGRATULATIONS ON BABY NUMBER THREE! I look forward to hearing more about your life during this exciting transition.
You're such a visual person! It's quite wonderful. I tend to be much more verbal, but I'm trying to fill my life with more art and beauty.
I've just started a blog of my own, and although it's quite different from yours, I'm going to follow your example of setting a positive tone.
All my best! Laura
Your table settings are very pretty, and I love the new silverware! Last year I unearthed my husband's grandmother's box of silverware, which had been given to us a few years before that, and suddenly wondered why I had "everyday" flatware and "special" flatware, when I like to use nice things all the time anyhow. Now we use the "special" stuff every day. Yes, I have to hand-wash it--but the patina and sheen are so beautiful that I just don't mind.
Your camellias are beautiful. They do not grow in my colder climate, alas, but I love seeing them blooming in the winter at my Dad's house in Charleston, SC. His garden has camellias my great-grandmother planted many years ago--white, pale pink, and deep pink. They hold a special place in my heart!
Dear thanks for sharing such a beautiful blog, and video you have shared is just amazing too. Your table decoration is simple yet chic. Your blog gives me idea of setting a table in simple way for a dinner party. Well, I will show your blog to my corporate event planners who work for me during planning events. I am sure they are gonna love it.
I couldnt't help but noticing your Union Jack-cushion. I'm married to a Brit as well (albeit living here in Norway), and somehow we've ended up with a very similar cushion in our house too.
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Hi Jennifer! Beautiful table setting! And beautiful silverware too! A nice table is like the frame of a painting: it's the finishing touch that can make a whole difference!
Claire
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