The partner of food blogger Matt Armendariz of Mattbites made the most stylish candied apples I have ever seen. Matt qualified the result as pure magic and he is right.

While you get the recipe take the time to check the beautiful still life picture he made with black wine goblet from Juliska that I introduced last year.

+ Adam’s Scary Apples on Mattbites
+ via Totally Tabletops

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Lots of progress have been done with tile effects. We all seen the superb wood porcelain tiles in restaurant lobby. They provides form and function. Porcelain and ceramic tiles are perfect for high traffic areas  and a wet area like a bathroom or a pool house.

One brand that carries upscale luxurious tiles is Porcelanosa, a Spanish company that started in a small village by the Mediterranean Sea in Castellon, Spain. Browsing their catalogue is a treat. They have been in the United States for the last 20 years. Porcelanosa say that their products are available at surprisingly affordable prices.

If you wish to add the effect of luscious wallpaper in your bathroom without worrying about maintenance, go with wall tiles. My collage at the top shows a bathroom with Decor Silk Blanco tile. Venezia provides a baroque print. The sophisticated lino metal series would look awesome  in his bathroom.

Bringing Character to a Room with Tiles

Continuing on masculine home decor, I really like the ambiance of these two lounges. One the library, I wish to point out the large scale tiles while the natural stone fireplace is the star of this bachelor lounge. The two lamps fits so well in the space.

The reflexion of the 3D Blueker looks incredible on the pool. These pictures clearly demonstrates how you can make a statement with porcelain and ceramic tiles.

MORE:
+  Porcelanosa

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Inspired by the fabulous work of LA-based event design Flite, I examined how to best use silk lanterns in a garden party to get a stunning effect. It starts with the superb Vietnamese silk lanterns, which are a lot more sophisticated than Chinese paper lanterns.

When you are hanging lanterns, mix the shapes and alternate colors. Pumpkin, diamond, teardrop, balloon, cocoon shapes work well together. I encourage you to mix solids and patterns within a hue family. A two-color palette is more elegant. For the garden wedding in violets, you can broaden the scheme by adding a few pink lanterns. I think this installation was really successful.

Since you will need a large number of lanterns to make a statement, it is often best to rent them. Plus, they will do the installation for you, including doing the wiring if your party continues after dark. An event design studio with a remarkable portfolio is Flite located in Los Angeles, California. Looking at their portfolio is a treat.

If you wish to do it yourself, you can find sources online. Vi Gallery sells 4 shapes of Hoi An Silk Lanterns in two sizes (medium $20 USD large $30 USD) in an array of colors. For a larger selection, check Asia2you, a retailer based in Wisconsin that ships everywhere. This is where I found these beautiful parasol lanterns.

SOURCING:
+ Silk Lanterns by Flite - Photo credits for my first collage: top left photo by Cat Gwynn and Ben Hoffman, top right photo by Louis Felix, second row photos by Mark Carolin
+ Orange pattern prosperity lantern on sale at $33.95 USD
+ Solid Orange prosperity lantern on sale at $31.15 USD

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There is something about bento boxes that made them desirable. We often see the same ones. So I dig to see if I could find something different. Bento & Co carries products that are normally unavailable in the North American market. In fact, I was in awe with so many products that I will do two posts.

Bento Boxes for Him

Men do not wish to bring at work the cheerful bento boxes that we typically see here. As more people are getting concern with eating healthy food, I feel there is a market for bringing lunch at work. If you do not wish to cook your own lunch, why not plan with a local caterer a week of lunch meals? Bring your Bento boxes and ask them to set up your meal by day. One the morning, you just need to grab a bag.

Bento & Co proposes stylish masculine boxes. Select from the professional-grade stainless steel Zen boxes or the classic black boxes. The elegant fake-wood boxes go inside the microwave and are dishwasher safe.

Cool Way to Carry your Bento Boxes

Bento & Co also sells kits with one or two bento boxes, a chopsticks carrier and an assorted bag. A belt is used to secure the boxes and chopsticks carrier. It is really elegant.

Another way is the furoshiki wrapping technique. Here they have done the basic wrap.  The 100% cotton tea pot furoshiki looks great.

About Bento & Co

Founded by a Frenchman and his wife who lives in Kyoto, Japan, Bento & Co ships in many European countries, in Canada and in the United States. The only thing is that their site is only in French as far as I know. But there are lots of pictures for you to understand each product. They support Paypal.

SOURCING:
+ Dragon Black box 18.80 EUR, set 31.80 EUR
+ Zen 02 41.80 EUR
+ Bento Ajira fake wood 19.80 EUR
+ Furoshiki Tea Pot wrapping fabric 5.50 EUR
+ Kimono Pink Long box 17.80 EUR, set 29.80 EUR

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On August 20th, 2009, there was an outstanding picnic party in Montreal. The Dîner en blanc (White Dinner) was imagined by François Pasquier 20 years ago. He ran 20 editions so far in Paris. His son Aymeric, who now lives in Montreal, organized the first edition in Montreal. A bid crowd invaded a large place in the city that is kept secret until the last minute. The goal is simply to pass a good time around a good meal in an unusual urban place.

For this chic affair, guests bring their picnic with a or two bottles of wine. In France, many people bring Champagne. Everyone must wear white clothes and people should dress up. If you own a gorgeous white hat, you should wear it. Besides the guests, the tables and chairs are all white.

Dîner en blanc encourages people to bring white china and to carry their food and drinks in a white basket or bag. Do not forget to bring your wine glasses, white linen napkins and a few tea votive candles for candlelight dining.

I love the concept because it is an elegant party where everybody pitched in. This is a true experience. Everyone that went was thrilled. As I discovered how they organized this large-scale picnic, I thought you could recycle the concept for a big outdoor reunion.

Set Up the Tables and Chairs

A bus brought the guests to the location. This process ensures a steady flow of people, which is key to the set up of the tables and chairs. In France, people bring their own chairs and tables. In Montreal, they were supplied.

The guests reserved as a twosome formed by a man and a woman. This is because the event design implies that you need to be accompanied by someone from the other gender.

Every pair/couple gets a specific place (row and number in the row). Each twosome received an overall floor plan to locate their row and a detailed plan of their section. Then, an orchestrated ballet started. Men picked their folding table and 2 chairs. Women grabbed the white tablecloth. You eyeball the location of your table in the row and as your table neighbors arrive you move to the right or to the left until the long communal table is built. It sounds complicated but it is not. 1200 guests were ready to sit down in less than 20 minutes last week.

All the men sit on one side while the women sit on the other side. The event design is based on symmetry. It is beautiful to see the alternating rows of people all dressed in white.

Fancy Food

The food that people bring is fancier than at a typical park picnic. If you do not wish to make it yourself, you can always ask a caterer to prepare the food for you. This way, it is already package to be carried around. With picnic basket on wheels, you can go the extra miles. I saw a Parisian couple who brought their cast-iron fondue pot to eat a cheese fondue.

Like I said, everyone that went to Montreal 2009 White Dinner had a fabulous time. I think that recycling their concept for your party in a park would be a hit. Watch this TV report from Radio-Canada about the first Dîner en blanc that happened in Montreal. Even if it is in French, just watching the images would give you a good idea of the event.

MORE:
+ Images from the Facebook group of the Montreal’s Dîner en blanc
+ Montreal’s Dîner en blanc

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If you are a Greater Toronto resident, you can enter the $10,000 Dressing Room Makeover on Canadian House and Home. For the rest of us, we can take clues on how to organize our closet by exploring the different displayed elements. This is an installation made by California Closets.

+ Enter via Canadian House and House

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I introduced last April this exquisite Champagne cooler. I got the chance to see many in person at the Interior Design Show of Toronto. Do not look in the exhibit; it was only accessible to VIP guests.

I have the chance to be a good friend of Harry Wakefield, the founding editor of MoCo Loco. If you recalled, Harry was one of the 3 bloggers invited on a Design Trends by the Minute panel at the show.

Not only did I drink a superb rose Champagne (pink) but I got the complete demonstration on how works the coolest cooler on Earth. This unique piece of technology is an avant-garde interpretation of the French candelabra. This explains why the cooler illuminates thanks to rechargeable battery.

Globalight retails for about $800 if I am not mistaken. But do not rush to the store; the Globalight cooler is only available in Europe.

In the shadow (bottom picture), you see a guy taken a picture. This is Maxwell Gillingham-Ryan of Apartment Therapy. Look at some of his pictures on Maxwell’s highlights of IDS 2009.

Go see more pictures of the VIP lounge and bar on a photo album of AHWKV’s page on Facebook.

+ Globalight for Veuve Clicquot

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When I saw this on TV this morning, I was in awe! This is the simplest idea to impress your guests at your next dinner party

How to make fancy After Eight Chocolate in 7 steps

Christian Escribà demonstrated for a TV5 show called Mixeur. The recipe is an idea from the cooking genius, Chef Ferran Adrià of El Bulli. I took pictures from my TV, which explained the lower image quality.

1. You start with fresh mint leaves.
2. Deposit the leaves on a waxed paper sheet in a cookie tray.
3. Pour hot chocolate on each leave – my choice would be dark chocolate
4. With a spatula, spread the melted chocolate to create a layer
5. Deposit in the fridge for cooling down
6. Carefully turn and remove the paper
7. Use a dessert tongs to place them in a serving plate

With a recipe so simple there are no reason why not to serve homemade mignardises after your meal.

After Eight Wedding Cake

If you like the idea, you can order from Pasteleria Escribà the After Eight wedding cake where white chocolate suits better the occasion.

If you understand French, you can watch online the episode 5 of Mixeur with La famille Escriba, Philippe Starck and more.

SOURCING:
+ Recipe images from MIXEUR, les goûts et les idées
+ Pasteleria Escribà

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White damask or jacquard tablecloth looks more elegant and formal. Remember that formal china typically has a rim pattern. It used to be the only choice for formal entertaining until the Americans introduced the tradition of color tablecloths in the 1950s.

The best tablecloths are made of cotton, linens or a mixture of the two. A good wash in hot water typically get rid of the stains. In fact, it is the only case where I would recommend washing in hot water. Synthetic tablecloths are less chic but are easier to clean.

And to answer a common question: you choose between tablecloths and placemats. You do not put both on the same table. You can add a table runner with placemats on square or rectangular tables.

Fabric Napkins are a Must

Whenever I buy a tablecloth, I get the napkins, unless I want to use it exclusively for a buffet table. The napkins does not have to be the same color but they must be of the fabric and finishes.

I hear stories that in old fashioned five-star hotel, they will bring you a black napkin if you are wear black pants or a black skirt.

Fitting the Tablecloth

Aim for tablecloths that hang 10 to 15 inches on all sides to look right. Anything less than 9 inches looks cheap. In the industry, a drop of 10 to 12 inches is the lap level while the standard banquet overhang is 15 inches. You will find that some sewing on the sides may be required to achieve the perfect overhang.

For formal entertaining, a first tablecloth goes down to the floor (a drop of 30 inches) and a smaller decorative tablecloth put on top. This look is also romantic so keep it in mind for Valentine’s Day.

How to Choose the Linen Color?

The linen must enhance your dinnerware. Low contrast creates a soothing effect. Contrasting effect can look more festive. I tend to favor the contrasts for my party tabletops because it is more dramatic.

Here is a trick to do before you rush to the store. Do some color testing at home with a place setting including the glassware and flatware. If you already selected your centerpieces, add them to the test. Lay out on your table solid color clothes or any fabrics you have, assemble a place setting with the china, glassware and flatware to see which one looks the best. Then, you will know what color to look for at the store.

Matching patterns is more complex. I usually bring a plate to the store to make sure they go together.

The pictures are tablecloths exclusively available at La Maison Simons, a retailer with stores in Quebec city and in Montreal. This is where I buy most of my tablecloths for everyday dining and casual entertaining.

SOURCING:
+ La Maison Simons – from $14.99 to $89.95 for tablecloths

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I only found the European online retailer Made In Design that carries the full Eno collection. Gladly for us, it ships to Canada and the United States.

+ A beautiful grinder in white marble designed by Laurence Brabant. £29 at twentytwentyone

+ Plancha by the Industrial Designer Emmanuel Gallina mixes a Bamboo platter with a porcelain plate. I want 2 or 3. £28.17 at Made in Design

+ Marie Rahm and Monica Singer of Polka Ms & Ms designed an extensive white bone china dining and food preparation collection. I like to own the Small Breakfast set that includes a cup with plate and lid. £21.67

+ Coll slow is a tea light dish warmer made of alabaster stone. It is gorgeous. Every hostess needs one or two dish warmers. My double tea light candles is so practical for large pot and pan. £93.90

Candle Holders

+ Sebastien Bergne imagined the Multi candle pin. This is an elegant candlestick for pillar and taper candles. It is an original way to add punch to basic candles. £27.45

+ Arik Levy designed these stunning tall candle holders. He also created the votive holder. The tall model is available in black aluminum, white alabaster and silver plated brass. From £22.43 to £49.01

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I say brilliant because these recipes add panache to any dinner party yet they are uncomplicated to make. Let’s start by two Christmas ideas by food and interior stylist Paul Lowe of Sweet Paul.

+ Dress up the classic cheese dessert platter by dishing a whole Brie or Camembert with a couple of splashes of lavender honey and dried figs. Photo by Colin Cooke. Via Sweet Paul

+ This tasty recipe of Brussels sprouts is made in the oven. I made a French recipe with Brussels sprouts and bacon. Paul proposes Brussels sprouts with pancetta and almonds. I wrote it down on future dishes to cook. Photo by Frances Janisch.

+ Canapés pair well with a glass of Champagne. Like I said in my previous post, excellent sparkling wines can rival the taste of Champagne. I love Champagne and I feel they should be included in any celebrations. Elise of Simply Recipes shares her Smoked Salmon and Goat Cheese Toasts. Her recipe makes about 40 pieces. Several steps can be prepared a few days ahead. The lemon strip satisfies your eyes and your mouth.

+ Gifts do not only go under the Christmas tree. Get inspired by how The French Laundry set up a gift tower at their dessert station. Via Daily Feed

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We will only admire this contemporary item from far. I show you the pictures because each Spheric by Mumm sets the tone for a Holiday table.

What it is?

For the 2008 Holiday season, FX Balléry Design imagined 5 giant Murano glass bubbles to symbolize unique Christmas baubles. Inside each blown glass ball rests a G.H Mumm Champagne bottle.

Five declinations of Champagne are featured: Mumm demi-sec, Mumm Grand Cru, Mumm Brut Cordon Rouge, 1999 Mumm Cordon Rouge, Mumm Rosé.

Since November, Spheric by Mumm are available at La Grande épicerie de Paris. One bubble costs 3,500 ?. The rich collector can acquire the 5 bubbles for 17,500 ?. I will pass for this year.

+ Spheric by Mumm on FX Ballery
+ Via DESIGNSPOTTER

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