Anatomy of a Dinner Party: a day in the life of a hospitalityaholic
 

table settings

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Dinner Party 101 – Setting The Table

Monday, November 16th, 2015

Good Morning Darlings!

The holidays are sneaking up quickly and the dinner parties are afoot. Are you hosting Thanksgiving this year? Is it your first time? Let’s visit.

No reason to be scared. We are going to do this together. The first thing your guests will notice when they enter will be your table. Is it set correctly? Instead of guessing which side the fork goes on, here’s an easy to use chart.

Simple Table Setting

This keeps things simple. Why put the napkin on top of the plate instead of under the forks? This way your guests don’t have to jostle the setting to place the napkin in their laps.

If you are going to be a guest at someone’s home for Thanksgiving dinner and can’t remember which fork to use, always use the outside utensil first. If you get there and the table is not set like the diagram above, always take your cues from the hostess. Do what she does.

Tomorrow we’ll talk about the menu.

xoxo, Patti

How Many Extra Guests Are Coming?!

Thursday, November 17th, 2011

Good Morning Darlings!

You are ready to go for Thanksgiving. Got your lists made, your table setting all inspired by Martha Stewart, stocked up on wine so you can tolerate your inlaws.

What else could you need?

You are going to love this!

Simple Table Settings

Friday, November 4th, 2011

Good Morning Darlings!

Ready for Thanksgiving? On a budget? Me, too.

How to make it special inside…

FFF-Pretty, Easy Tables

Friday, August 5th, 2011

Good Morning Darlings!

Pretty tables make me melt. And there are so many ways to dress your table with so little effort.

Some ideas for you!

Time to dress up your table!

Spring in My Step

Tuesday, March 15th, 2011

Good Morning Darlings!

I am so excited for spring to be here. Easter, in particular, when Eric, John and I will be hosting dinner at our house.

To get ready, I have taken large square votive holders, filled them with potting soil and grass seeds and now I wait. The grass-filled votive holders will line our dinner table, enveloping the table in fresh, green grass. But for now, I am tending to my little charges.

Would you like to see what’s inspiring me today?

Thanksgiving 2010

Tuesday, November 30th, 2010

Good Morning Darlings!

We are finally recovered from Thanksgiving (I think). It was a wonderful time with fabulous friends and I bet you want to hear all about it. Lets do it!

Just between you and me, I had no intention of hosting Thanksgiving Dinner, but when bestie Diane said she was coming home, I knew that called for something special. We bought the turkey, planned a few dishes, invited a few friends, bought a case of bubbly. Then our incredible friends from Black Tie Barbecue told me they were holding a smoked turkey with my name on it, I decided to go ahead and roast the turkey we had at home and freeze the meat for the Christmas party nibble ingredients.

Do you remember the photo of those smoking turkeys? Unbelievable.


More thankful fun inside!

Lovely Thanksgiving Table Settings

Monday, November 16th, 2009

I missed you yesterday, Darlings! Crystal and I were out enjoying the incredible weather here in Atlanta – 76F Sunday! Crazy!

But time to discuss Thanksgiving again. This time it’s about table settings. For me, this comes second only after the food. I only allow myself to enjoy setting the table after I have done everything else. It’s like dessert for me.

This turkey will find about six (so far!) of us gathering around. I decided to go for cute instead of elegant. Here’s the inspiration from Martha for my table.

My Table is the Big Kids' Table!

My Table is the Big Kids' Table!

I have a huge pewter boat that I use for hors d’ouevres that would work perfectly for this. Hmmm, but what to put in the boat to hold the cute sign? Mashed potatoes? That might work.

And, I know this is another of Martha’s ideas, but how many chickens do you need to eat before you have enough wishbones? But it sure is cute. You collect and wash all your leftover poultry wishbones (maybe from the time you gave that medieval feast for 100?) and paint them chrome. Then, you tie the ends together (wrapped six times and sacrifice a kewpie doll…wait, wrong recipe…) and voila! You have napkins rings. Looks like I’ll be saving my wishbones from now til next Thanksgiving. I am wild for this idea. However insane it is.

Take All Your Wishbones Just Laying Around The House.....

Take All Your Wishbones Just Laying Around The House.....

Here’s one that would be easy and crafty, too, from Blissfully Domestic! I don’t know if it’s my style, but I like how festive it feels.

Don't Pass the Turkey Over With This Setting - You Could Get Singed!

Don't Pass the Turkey Over With This Setting - You Could Get Singed!

Even if you don’t have the budget for decorations, you can still spruce up your table for free. How about taking a glass bowl or vase and filling it with fallen leaves found while taking a walk? You could also take one of your favorite scarves and use it as a table runner (first make sure it’s washable before someone spills the gravy). Fresh apples or any type of fruit could adorn the center of the table, too. Set apples and/or pears/persimmons/whatever is around and scatter them down the center of the table, perhaps on more of those fallen leaves (be super careful with your candles, if you have dried leaves on the table – votives might be the answer here.) Another solution would be to take all your fruit and pile it up on a cake stand in the middle of the table – maybe stick a few leaves into it or the turkey art the kids brought home from school. Even having the kids make those paper traced turkey hands as placecards would be super cute.

I also liked this idea, which reminds us of why we are at dinner this day. Take strips of paper, write what you are thankful for, and attach with double sided tape and read aloud at dinner. Easy, but it could start a special tradition.

I'm Thankful For You!

I'm Thankful For You!

And how cute is this little placecard? Take those nasty things that fall from trees and turn it into something memorable. And easy. I love pretty and easy.

Gum Tree Spurs - Now For The Table!

Gum Tree Spurs - Now For The Table!

And for the easiest centerpiece yet – got a candle? a glass holder for it? some popcorn? You have a centerpiece.

Corny, but Cute!

Corny, but Cute!

The fine folks at HGTV came up with this beauty. Really, this is the time to break out all your prettiest tableware and make it work. I’m inspired by this because bff, Vickie, gave me some beautiful gold glass vases and these are now going on the table. Along with my boat.

Ohhh, Gold!

Ohhh, Gold!

if you have the time and inclination, you could visit your local Pottery Barn, Restoration Hardware or Pier 1 for lots of inspiration. But I like to use my imagination (and the imagination of style mavens like Martha) to create something that you can’t buy out of a catalogue.

Next Monday we’ll discuss the last minute prep. Don’t panic – it’s just dinner, Darlings!

xoxo, Patti