101 Party Do's and Don'ts

This month's House Beautiful is the "Ultimate Entertaining Guide"...and I can't get enough of the articles...perfect for getting everyone revved up for the holidays...but most of these ideas can be used all year long.

"For House Beautiful's ultimate entertaining guide, we asked our favorite designers, event planners, and bloggers for advice about how to host a successful soiree. The experts share their easy tips for setting a stunning dinner table, creating an inviting space for guests, making the perfect playlist, and more. These dinner party ideas will make holiday entertaining a joy"

Here are my favorites:

• Loosen Up:  "Have a stiff drink before anyone arrives. If you are having fun, everyone will have fun." (Miles Redd, designer)
• Make More Than Enough Ice: "Never, never, never run out of ice." (Bryan Batt, actor/shop owner)
• Introduce Other Guests: "Always, always make introductions. If you're going to make a guest feel alienated, why invite them?" (Jessica Nell Graves, thelovelist.net)
• Keep Champagne on Hand: "You should always have a cold bottle of bubbly stashed in your refrigerator in case friends drop by, and a bottle of something sparkly for nondrinkers." (Christopher Hirsheimer, Co-founder, Canal House Cooking)
• Make Clean-Up Simpler: "Always start with an empty dishwasher." (Chesie Breen, founder, clovermag.com)
• Linger at the Table "Don't tidy up the table too soon. Once the plates are cleared away, often so is the mood." (Lisa Borgnes Giramonti,abloomsburylife.blogspot.com)
• Seat Guests Wisely: "People with big personalities are best in the center of the table. They can help carry the conversation from that place." (Michael S. Smith, designer)
• Seat People Closely: "Crowd the table a little: With more people at the table, no one can ignore their neighbor." (Andrew Fisher, designer)
• Write Thank-You Notes: "Handwritten thank-you notes after being entertained are a must." (Grant K. Gibson, designer)
• Stock the Bar: "Don't run low on the hooch!" (David Jimenez, Designer)
• Make Dessert: "Serve an amazing dessert. Even the worst main course will be forgotten if it's followed by a spectacular dessert. Extra points for making it yourself." (Michael Devine, shop owner/textile designer)...or order some Sweet Jennies cookies!!

Olive-Route Letterpress

I recently discovered Olive-Route and simply can't get enough of Olivia's work...incredibly talented and her letterpress work is out of this world. Located in Berkeley- Olivia focuses on wedding invitations, announcements, stationery and art prints...fabulous custom work. Take a look at Olive-Route's Etsy shop.


My favorite invitations are those done for a Yosemite wedding...perfection

thinking Sweet Jennies may need some new business cards from Olivia?!

Bobby's Pumpkin Bread Pudding

I am sure that the last thing you all can think of right now is eating more!! Now that the holidays are in full swing- I am so excited to fire up the oven and get baking. Of course I am going to be making lots of Sweet Jennies Ginger cookies...but I need to change things up this year and throw some new recipes in the mix.


My new obsession (don't worry Ina- you aren't going anywhere) is Ree Drummond from The Pioneer Woman blog. Ree is hilarious and I absolutely love her recipes and how she provides step by step instructions...pictures too! Ree was recently on Throwdown with Bobby Flay cooking up Thanksgiving treats (i know- thanksgiving is now over).


I wanted to share with you this recipe by Bobby Flay that the Pioneer Woman posted on her blog...I am going to try it out this week and will let you know how it goes! Bread Pudding and Pumpkin...what's better than that??

still hungry after Thursday?? chow down on this!

Custom Silhouettes

I can't get enough of this gift idea- unique and so personal. My adorable friend, Erin, passed on the Nella Designs etsy shop to me and I already have a long list of gifts that I want to purchase.

I just made my first order with Nella Designs for sweet Charlie's first birthday. Here's the photo and here's the print...love it:

Gobble Gobble!!

I hope everyone is having a wonderful Thanksgiving! 

Here's to a day of being surrounded by family, friends, and lots of food!!

Gobble Gobble!

thanks to birthday girl and craftily ever after for sharing

NYC vs Paris

New York versus Paris...two of the most fabulous cities. I am definitely NYC and my mom and 101 year old great aunt Dixie are all about Paris. I discovered these home prints from Erin on Elements of Style and can't wait to have a home to put these on the wall. Simple, but oh so creative. The prints are from the blog Paris vs New York, a tally of two cities and you can buy some of the prints here. 

this one is my favorite.

How Easy Is That?

I am embarrassed to report that I JUST ordered Ina's new cookbook, "How Easy Is That?". I was trying to hold off until Christmas for when Ina was going to send me her signed copy, but I couldn't resist. I can't wait to try out her recipes and will be sure to report to you all on some of my favorite. 


Here's an interview with Ina from the kitchn talking about Ina's new book and some tips for the holidays.

Ina, what were the holidays ever like before we all had you?! 

What are your favorite recipes in the book that are good for scaling up (or down) when you have a party, or for when you're just cooking for two? 
Some things, obviously, like a leg of lamb, are better for a lot of people. I don't mind making something big and then serving it in different ways for different dinners. Steakhouse steaks are great; for a crowd you can make them in two different pans. Also, the herb-roasted turkey breast is easy to make and to scale. You can make one or five.

What's your go-to dish for entertaining that's not too expensive? 
Weeknight Bolognese is great. It's just canned tomatoes, Parmesan, and pasta. You can use lean ground sirloin, and it can really serve a crowd.

What do you cook when you're alone?
Oatmeal! I never cook for myself! I cook all day so last thing I want to do is cook.

Who is your favorite person to have over for dinner?

Jen Scales

When it comes to making dinner or throwing a party, what's one mistake home cooks make?
Doing too complicated a menu. You get yourself in trouble, but it could have been avoided from the start. I always say don't cook more than two or three things for a meal. After all, it's not about the food. It's about the friends.

Do you have any favorite kitchen tools that you think are unfamiliar or unusual to home cooks?
I have a stack of eight half sheet pans — I do everything in theses. Bake, make cookies, cakes, roast! I think these are something many cooks don't think to have.

Another thing I find a lot of people don't have that I use a lot is a juicer. There is really no substitute for fresh citrus juice. You get so much flavor from something that is so inexpensive.

But then, with a good sharp knife you can do an enormous number of things. And I use my KitchenAid mixer everything from cakes to mashed potatoes.

What is one thing that you eat every day?

A Sweet Jennies cookie...to go along with my Sidecar cocktail of course.

Thanksgiving Garland Centerpiece

I can't believe that Thanksgiving is only three days away. With San Francisco having summer weather last week, I think we have almost completely missed fall. Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays as it includes all of my favorite things: food, family, wine and friends. People are in cheery moods (for the most part) and everyone gets together to give thanks...what could get better than that?! 

Our family's Thanksgiving table is usually filled with a lot of food and I think it's best to keep the centerpiece as simple as possible not to distract from the main event of the holiday...food. Here's are instructions for a simple and elegant Lemon Leaf Garland from Jordan Ferney. 

Online Invitations

If I need to send out a quick invitation or note online...I have always turned to Iomoi or Paperless Post...cheap and adorable. Things are changing over here...I just discovered Cocodot and have fallen in love all over again. There are so many styles and choices...your invitation and note sending options are endless. I love the Lilly Pulitzer collection on Cocodot and love that you have the ability to include pictures in the notes.


Although your first choice should always be a hand written note- sometimes a little e-love is just as good.

can't get enough of this change of address note

lilly does everything right

Make Small Commitments. Get Big Changes.

I just discovered these tips on a co-worker's desk and wanted to share with you. Although the author forgot to add "Eat a Cookie Everyday"...I feel like each bit of advice resonated with me and wanted to share with all of you.


Make Small Commitments. Get Big Changes.Compiled by Michael Dalton Johnson

Taking Care of You.

Drink plenty of water.
Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper.
Eat more fruits and vegetables and eat less that is manufactured in processing plants.
Avoid eating food that is handed to you through a window.
Live the 3 E's -- Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy.
Play more games.
Read more books than you did in 2009.
Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.
Sleep for 7 hours.
Take a 10-30 minute walk daily.
And while you walk, smile. 

Your Outlook
Don't compare your life to others.
You have no idea what their journey is all about.
Don't have negative thoughts of things you cannot control.
Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
Don't overdo. Keep your limits.
Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
Don't waste your precious energy on gossip.
Dream more while you are awake.
Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
Forget issues of the past. Don't remind others of their past mistakes.
Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.
No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
Learn a new word every day.
Smile and laugh more.
You don't have to win every argument.

Your Relationships

Call your family often.
Each day give something good to others.
Forgive everyone for everything.
Spend time with people over the age of 70 and under the age of 6.
Try to make at least three people smile each day.
What other people think of you is none of your business.
Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.

Your Life
The worst promise you can break is one made to yourself.
Do the right thing!
Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
You don't have a soul. You are a soul. You have a body.
However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
The best is yet to come.
When you awake alive in the morning, thank God for it.
Your Innermost Self is always happy. Follow it.
No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up

Swanson Vineyards

Although I have never actually tasted any "Swanson Vineyard" wine, I am a huge fan of Alexis Swanson's blog. So creative...and she spotlights one of my favorite places...Napa. Who needs to try the wine when I am already sold on the blog!? (maybe starting to take this blogging thing one step to far).


Anyways- here are some great housewarming, thank you, and all around just fun gift ideas from Swanson Vineyards. Click here to order.

macaroni and cheese.

It's amazing how the simplest and cheapest (and personally my favorite) dinner option growing up has now become trendy, fancy and expensive...goes to show that we need to stick with the classics. Macaroni and Cheese. I am preparing the menu for my girl's dinner tomorrow night. I want to serve something that I can make ahead, that's relatively simple to prepare and that can leave my guests going home happy. Although in a sick way I love that neon orange Kraft macaroni & cheese powder- thinking that we are all now "grown up", need to up the spice and elegance factor.


Here are some macaroni and cheese recipe ideas that I am choosing between- which one looks the best to you?

Fancy Macaroni: Pioneer Woman Cooks

I have been dying to try out a recipe from the Pioneer Woman Blog. I love her writing and recipes!

Wild Mushroom and Truffle Macaroni and Cheese

Thanks to "What We're Eating" for this recipe. Although fear my guests will head home in a serious food coma...although can't get enough of my white truffle salt lately.

Mac and Cheese by the Diva Herself...Ina.

Had to save my dear pal Ina's recipe for last. So decadent and rich (that clever Ina!).

What do you think? What's your favorite Mac and Cheese recipe? Am I missing one?

California Cutting Board

There are so many fabulous finds on Etsy that I think I could lose days wandering all over the site. I wanted to share with you a great gift idea that was in this month's Real Simple. 

Head on over to AHeirloom's etsy shop for this perfect kitchen gift...even better, only $40!

DIY Party Favors

I am having some girls over for dinner this Friday and am looking for a cute party favor to send everyone home with at the end of the night. Some of these ideas would also be great holiday gifts...the gifts look relatively simple to put together and I always feel that something homemade adds a special touch.


D.I.Y Hot Cacoa Favors: Check out the simple instructions over on Ruffled.

This S'mores Kit would be more appropriate for a holiday gift as it looks as though the process of putting it all together is a bit more extensive...but the final product looks like it would be worth the time!

thanks to Kim Vallee for sharing these ideas!

Casserole Tote

I am starting to think that I should create a blog tag just for totes. Feeling like I blog about totes more than cookies...but I had to share with you this find that I saw on the Hostess Blog. It's a casserole tote from Vonny and is perfect with the holidays just around the corner. Want to share your fave lasagna with your friends, but worried it's going to dry out before party?? Thank god for the casserole tote. 

Home City Prints

I recently met Jamie of Jamie of All Trades up in Seattle for Courtney's engagement party. Jamie is a baking and blogging extraordinaire and I love following her posts.


I wanted to share with you Jamie's recent City Print post. These prints are from Blanca Gomez's etsy shop. After our recent fun trip to New York, I think the NYC poster will be on my Christmas list this year...looks just like a cover from the New Yorker. The only thing missing...where's the San Francisco poster?

How to cheer for a marathon.

New York City is one of my favorite places. The energy, the restaurants, the people, the fashion...all fabulous. I have run the New York City marathon three times and this year was the first time that I was on the other side of the marathon...a cheerer and not a runner. After a martini and Magnolia Bakery banana pudding on Saturday night- I sure was happy that I wasn't on Staten Island at 6am waiting to start the marathon!

I thought I would spice up our cheering section for John and get creative on our signs. Here's how you do it- head to Kinkos, print out a 11x17 picture of your runner's head, cut, laminate, tape to stick...and your all set...world's best cheerer for $15.

Here are some pictures of Ginny and my marathon cheering adventures!

making friends with the brooklyn police

Murrays Bagels

loving central park

yay...you did it!!

Only thing missing...Sweet Jennies cookies at the finish line!!
(I was too busy with the laminating to also pack the cookies to NYC)