Saturday, December 24, 2011
A look into one of my family's favorite traditions.
I crave Christmas every year. Before the Thanksgiving leftovers are even gobbled up, I’m already dreaming about my family’s traditional Christmas spreads to come – hot breakfast casserole, butterscotch haystack cookies, mini beef Wellingtons, and a cheese platter that captures every tastebud. It’s my mom’s recipes that give me a sense of comfort, a sense of belonging, a sense of home. And this year, she reminded me even more what home tastes like – and my childhood, too. A few days ago, I came home to find my mom making classic, rolled sugar cookies – a treat she hadn’t whipped up in some time but with me, my brother and sister in mind. Seeing her in the kitchen took me instantly back to my childhood. She would single out a day after …
Monday, December 12, 2011
Design the perfect dinner party
When hosting holiday dinner parties, the focus begins with the food. However, to set the mood, spend time planning your dinner party décor. You’ll impress your guests with easy to create tablescapes. Linens and Things Whether hosting a sit-down dinner or buffet, choose linens that compliment, not compete, with your tableware. Nothing says elegant like white linens. I prefer white linens because they showcase colorful dinnerware and accessories like candle holders and ornaments. My favorites are the hem-stitched linens at Williams Sonoma. On a budget? Try a new flat white sheet. Printed linens may be used to layer white linens, but skip the placemats. Unless you are protecting fine wood from a table of 2 year olds, placemats are useless …
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Stressless apps for your next holiday party!
Forget the eggnog. Forget the Martha Stewart-style wrapped gifts with fancy bows. Forget the Charlie Brown Christmas tree. Forget the carolers. I’ll trade in all of those traditions for a month of holiday parties anytime. Well, that might be a stretch about the gifts and I’m sure my mom would say differently. But seriously, gatherings, festivities, celebrations, bashes, merrymaking – whatever you call them - get me in the holiday spirit more than anything else. With these parties always comes the dreaded question: What should I bring? It needs to be simple, transportable and, of course, delicious. I always, always bring these stuffed mushrooms. They’re unbelievably easy and become the instant hit of the event. Once you pop one in it’s …
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Never before has being digital come with so many options.
This year, the chances are high that you'll either be shopping for an e-reader or hoping to find one under the tree with your name on it. Mashable, in its look to see which tablet has generated the most online buzz, calls e-readers "the Tickle Me Elmo for adults." Luckily, the Arlington County Library has put together a nice collection of tips to help sort out the differences between a Nook Tablet and Kindle Fire (and other ways to read without paper). But before you rush out to the Apple Store or Barnes & Noble, let us know...
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
The U.S. Department of Agriculture approved a 15-cent tax on real Christmas trees to raise funds for ads promoting once-live trees for the holidays.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture approved an industry-supported 15-cent tax on fresh cut Christmas trees to fund a campaign to promote the purchase of real trees. The Christmas Tree Checkoff Task Force, which formed in early 2008, approached the USDA about creating the proposed national research and promotion program. "The purpose of the program will be to strengthen the position of fresh cut Christmas trees in the marketplace and maintain and expand markets for Christmas trees within the United States," according to an entry in the Federal Register. Growers who import or produce fewer than 500 trees are exempted. The fee could increase to 20-cents per tree in the future. Three years after implementation the USDA proposes taking a …
Merlisa Lawrence
9:23 am on Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Here is an awesome video from one of my favorite local designers, June Shea, on how to dress your table for the holidays. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnZRSn4zFaM more ›