Dinner Party Ideas
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Thursday, November 16th, 2017
Good Morning Darlings!
It’s no secret that I love a party. I love them so much! The lists, the menus, the guest list, the beverages, the decor. Between you and me, I almost love the planning as much as the actual party.
We are heading into the busiest party season of the year. The lovely people at InStyle Magazine sent me a copy of their newest book, InStyle Parties and it’s a stunner. Packed full of great tips and ways to make your life easier when throwing your soiree. They even have a recipe for Black & White Cookies – my favorite of all the cookies.
I love all the ways this book helps you plan. Each party helps you plan with a Countdown so you won’t feel rushed on party day, Shortcuts so you don’t have to create every detail, The Pour with terrific cocktails and of course, wonderful menus with recipes and the most gorgeous and swoon worthy photographs.
InStyle Parties would make a perfect gift for a friend, or a treat just for you (you deserve it!). This tome is going on my coffee table so I can refer to it frequently as I plan my next get together.
In stores now!
xoxo, Patti
Posted in baking, cocktails, dinner parties, Dinner Party Ideas, entertaining, Events, Gifts, Hospitalityaholic, Luxury, party | Comments Off on InStyle Parties
Tags: Entertaining Books, InStyle Parties, Learning how to throw a party, Party Books
Tuesday, November 7th, 2017
Good Morning Darlings!
Things have been hopping around here, so I thought I would post a few photos and give you an update.
Candy Experiment
Eric and I went to see Nathaniel Hawthorne and the Night Sweats on Halloween night, so we weren’t here for most of the candy-handing-out. I put a sign on our candy bowl and set it out. It worked pretty well. No one took the bowl!
Larry. Oh, Larry.
This is crazy Larry. No, he won’t make you a great deal on a new car, but he lives with us now. Larry loves long walks, chasing balls, driving Karen insane and sleeping on the bed. Get off the bed, Larry. We are learning to love Larry.
These ladies are electric!
This was a group of ladies I brought together that pretty much run this town. From the Arthur M. Blank Foundation to the Georgia Chamber of Commerce and beyond, these ladies taught me so much in one evening. Looking forward to plenty more dinners with women of substance like these five.
Cream Puffs!
Did you know that cream puffs are insanely easy to make? You can make tons in an afternoon and watch your friends gobble them all up. This is a before picture, but they turned out great. I topped them with chocolate ganache and filled them with…GASP…vanilla Jello pudding (I dumped all the jello into a piping bag and hid the evidence). Don’t judge. They were delicious. Here’s a recipe. Go make them right now.
I love my friends.
After I made the cream puffs, we had a lovely dinner party for 6 friends. I made a beef bourguinon and served it over Israeli cous cous with a crisp green salad and yeast rolls.
The photo above is my kitchen after the dinner party. Our wonderful friend Teague rolled up his sleeves and washed all the dishes. Our dishwasher is on the fritz. I could tell you why, but the story is too gruesome. If you live in a 100+ year old house, you can imagine.
Anyhoo. How’s your week coming along?
xoxo, Patti
Posted in Appetizers, atlanta, baking, Dessert, dinner, dinner parties, Dinner Party Ideas, entertaining | Comments Off on Here and There
Tags: Beef bourguinon, cream puffs, fall cooking, fall dinner parties, Larry
Tuesday, July 11th, 2017
Good Morning Darlings,
With all the summer parties still to come, you’ll want your tables to look festive.
I love a pretty tablecloth but want it to look perfect without ironing. You, too?
Enter, TableVogue. I swear by these. Truly. Open up your six foot folding table and throw it on. Voila! You look like the perfect hostess. Saving you more time to pick out the perfect party dress. Or have that cocktail before the crowds descend. I don’t judge.
How perfectly pretty is this?
Buy these stunners here. And they didn’t even pay me to tell you about them. I love them that much.
xoxo, Patti
Posted in dinner parties, Dinner Party Ideas, entertaining, Holidays, Hospitalityaholic, Luxury, party | Comments Off on Strike a Pose – Vogue (TableVogue)
Tags: Get drunk, Party Down, Party Tables, Tablecloths, Tablevogue, throw a party
Tuesday, June 27th, 2017
Good Morning Darlings!
The sun is finally shining in Atlanta.
Madea and me are loving this weather.
In honor of the sun shining, I am posting gold things today.
I bought these gold beauties on a recent shopping trip in Tampa with bestie Holly (we saw U2, too, but that’s another story).
There’s no place like gold…
And Eric and I finally got around to bottling up the limoncello that has been brewing for months in the pantry (note to self: don’t let it sit so long next time).
The homemade stuff is on the left.
Here’s a fun recipe for a yummy cocktail to make with your limoncello. Limoncello Gin Cocktail with Grilled Thyme.
What’s making you feel golden this summer?
xoxo, Patti
Posted in atlanta, brunch, cocktails, Dinner Party Ideas, entertaining, Hospitalityaholic, Luxury, party | Comments Off on Feeling Golden
Tags: gin cocktails.=, gold things, holly, Limoncello, Summer drinks, Wonder Woman
Saturday, April 15th, 2017
Good Morning Darlings,
Still crushing on Easter – only 1 more day!
If you are looking for inspiration, here are a couple of my favorite blog post about my favorite spring day. Enjoy!
It’s a Swoozie’s Easter!
Easter With The Fam
Peeping Easter
I’ll leave you with a link to the lemon meringue pie I’ll be making on Sunday. The recipe is by my sweet friend, Brookie Lark, who created the Anatomy of A Dinner Party logo and makes everyone swoon with her famous blog, Cheeky Kitchen. I LOVE Brooke.
Isn’t this pie a beauty? Thanks Brookie!!
Happy Easter my Bunnies!
xoxo, Patti
Posted in baking, Dessert, dinner, dinner parties, Dinner Party Ideas, entertaining, Events, Holidays, Recipes | Comments Off on Easter Re-runs!
Tags: Brooke Lark, Cheeky Kitchen, Easter, Lemon Meringue Pie, Swoozie's
Friday, April 14th, 2017
Good Morning Darlings!
Easter is right around the corner. I LOVE Easter – all the pretty colors, the nice weather, the leftover ham. What’s not to love?
My favorite thing is to set the table. I attended a meeting this week at 14th Street Antiques and Modern Home and wowza, do they have gorgeous things to set the table with. Take a gander, my little geese.
All that glitters, might be gold!
Swimming in glamour.
Always welcome your guests with a drink.
And for all you Easter fans like me, there’s even a sale on all things spring and gilded. Love.
Color me glitter!
Go visit my fabulous friend Lisa over at 14th Street Antiques and Modern Home and tell her I sent you. You could spend the entire day in there.
xoxo, Patti
Posted in atlanta, Dinner Party Ideas, entertaining, Holidays, Hospitalityaholic, Luxury, Shopping, table settings | Comments Off on Hop To It Bunny – At 14th Street Antiques!
Tags: 14th Street Antiques and Modern Home, Decor, Easter, Easter Ideas, Home
Tuesday, April 4th, 2017
Good Morning Darlings!
With spring in the air, I am dying to start planning some outdoor parties. Our new (100+ year old) house has a gigantic front porch that faces a very busy and loud road, but I’m still determined to throw a porch party (or three) this spring to bring together friends old and new for adult beverages and fun conversation.
What do I do for inspiration? Why, I do the same as you – I read dinner party blogs! I love this one, Cup of Jo, who gathered tips from tons of party givers. I even learned a new tip or two.
Warmer weather makes us want to get out and enjoy the outdoors. Or a drive to somewhere indoors. Recently, Eric and I enjoyed a night out at Saltwood, the hotel restaurant at the Loews Atlanta. I am swoony for a hotel bar and restaurant and Saltwood did not disappoint. Incredibly charcuterie, and gorgeous craft cocktails at their new Traveller Bar, which may be gone by now. It’s a pop up! Take a look.
Traveller Bar, as seen in LA. It looks the same in Atlanta! 🙂
And here in Atlanta. Photo credit, Eater Atlanta
I will admit, instead of having dessert in the restaurant, we retired to the bar for another cocktail. So good. Special thanks to our sweet friend, Rachel Peavy, who is the PR Maven for the Loews Atlanta. It was so much fun running into her and catching up.
Go forth, and entertain your friends. Mix up some fresh lemonade and add a bit of grenadine to make it pink and then some vodka to make it boozy. It is such a lovely springtime cocktail! Here’s a great version!
xoxo, Patti
Posted in atlanta, cocktails, dinner parties, Dinner Party Ideas, entertaining, Luxury | 3 Responses »
Tags: dinner parties, Loews Hotel Atlanta, Spring, Spring Cocktails, Traveller Bar
Wednesday, February 8th, 2017
Good Morning Darlings!
It’s February. Which means winter. It also means it’s my birthday month!
I needed a pick me up to hold me over until my Florida vacay in 10 days (please let it be warm and sunny!) and I had a surplus of lemons I was going to use for that detox drink that gets Beyonce to her fighting weight.
But I never got to making those detox drinks and the lemons were waning.
You know I’m always up for a party, so I decided to use those sunny little orbs to make my first ever batch of limoncello!
First, we have to find a terrific recipe. I found this precious blog called Garden Betty and decided to follow her recipe for my first foray into making adult bevs. Go follow her and get her recipe and then we can make limoncello together!
Aren’t lemons the happiest of fruits? So sunny and they smell soooo good.
So sunny and fresh!
You have to zest them all and then you can’t just leave the juice – those lemons need to be juiced, too! I ended up with about 3 cups of juice from 15 lemons. I can’t lie, Eric juiced most of the lemons. He’s the best.
Thanks, Eric for juicing all those lemons!
You put all the zest into a glass gallon jar and add a liter of vodka. For some reason, friends have been gifting us with vodka, so we have a boodle at the house. It looks like this.
I bet that is so tart!
At second glance, that may be bigger than one gallon. Anyhoo. The jar goes into the dark pantry for 6 weeks.
Have you ever made limoncello? Tell me all your stories!
xoxo, Patti
Posted in atlanta, cocktails, cooking, Dinner Party Ideas | Comments Off on When Life Gives You Lemons…
Tags: Garden Betty, Homemade gifts, lemons, Limoncello
