Pushing Printemps

Even though in my heart I know that winter's rains and chill are not over, today we had a little teaser of springtime to come. When our plum trees bloom and the sun shines all on the same day, who wouldn't love up an impromptu breakfast outdoors? Since we have not even ventured into the garden in months, I set this one up on a makeshift table of reclaimed redwood planks on a vintage garden cart that I found in the shed.

in June we will pick hundreds of luscious plums

from this tree, but for now, a gorgeous

canopy of blossoms over our breakfast!

dappled with sunshine under the plum tree with

mossy ground, the table is set with vintage

French hand embroidered linen, vintage pitchers,

Phillipe desHouillieres plates, Meyer lemons from

our tree, and IKEA demitasse

the plum blossoms sprinkle over the

ground like so many snowflakes; in the

background you can see the tomato cages

patiently waiting their turn

in the vegetable patch

the view of the garden earlier this week... unending

rain and gloom, wind and chill

hope your Sunday is lovely!

Bare Wood Tabletop, Egypt & Caramel Mandarins

According to cutting edge west coast event designers, a bare wood tabletop adorned with a simple runner is trending large now. Beautiful wood should be used and enjoyed, not always swathed beneath acres of fabrics never to see the light of day! Picture the long Italian countryside harvest table with just a simple linen runner and some olive branches and candles. Simple!

Sunday night we had lovely friends over for dinner and a HD show of photos from their very recent trip to Egypt*. Yes, we love these friends that much! So... I decided to forgo the tablecloth, run a Japanese obi fabric down the middle of the table and go... bare! It was kind of exhilirating! Heck, I didn't even use placemats, but instead bravely placed plates, silverware & glassware all directly on top of honest, pure wood.

*Egypt: in the six days since our happy dinner, things have changed drastically in Egypt with a catastrophic revolt along the Nile against the standing president Mubaric. May the taking to the streets ultimately create a better life for the citizens of Egypt. Our hearts go out to those caught innocently in this strife and we pray for a quick and safe resolution for Egypt and for the world who waits with our breath held until this trouble ends.

the mosques of Cairo against velvety blue black night sky;

photographer unnamed

the pyramid shapes on our table are meant to remind us of the

Valley of the Kings and the flowers of the reeds along the Nile

I like not dealing with the yards of fabric this

table needs to cover it... just simple runner and bare wood

keeping things simple for a Sunday night

gathering with friends

closer view of the table center

love the colors in this vintage obi

silk runner

***

polychrome Egyptian drawings and heiroglyphics

source unknown

King Tutankhamun... 19 artifacts from his tomb are

being returned to Egypt by New York

Metropolitan Museum of Art in an generous and

ethical gesture

this old label from the early 20th C. is very

appealing to me with its romantic seafaring images

I love this photograph of the Pyramid...I am unable

to determine the source of the photo, but it is stunning

all the elements I think of about Egypt: the Pyramid,

the Sphinx and the patient, humble camel in

the hot and dusty sand

old Egypt glyphs font from Font River

***

A perfectly simple and elegant dessert are these Mandarin Oranges in Caramel Sauce. The recipe is French, and to be perfectly honest, it's not really a caramel sauce, but a caramelization of the fruit juices and brown sugar... a reduction, really. But it is a charming and very effective ending to a spicy meal, one I could imagine being served in Egypt on a hot, sunny afternoon.

Caramel Mandarin Oranges

Préparation : 10 min - Cooking : 10 min + 10 min

Cost : easy & affordable

Pour 6 personnes

6 mandarines
100 g brown sugar
2 Tbs lemon juice
30 cl orange juice
1 stick of cinnamon
2 whole cloves
1 tsp ground cardamom

Préparation :

- In non-stick saucepan, make a clear caramel with the brown sugar by slowly heating over low flame. Do not add water. Take off the stove and add lemon and orange juices. Cover at once.

- When sizzling ends, mix well with a wooden spoon. Put the peeled mandarin oranges and the spices into the juices and simmer for 10 minutes. Turn mandarins over, and simmer additional 10 minutes.

Présentation in glasses :

- Drain the mandarins, set aside. Reduce the juice to a syrup, and pour over the fruits. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. Place a mandarin orange in a glass and pour some syrup over each mandarin. Serve well chilled.

***

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Lavender :)

Hope your December is full of all good things so far: the spicy scents of holiday makings, the warm glow of the fire, fingerless cashmere gloves so you can use your iPhone, a cup of hot chocolate after a brisk turn at the shops.

As a designer, Christmas packs a lot into a few short weeks. First, clients need you now more than ever! Christmas is all about creating a festive, inviting and joyful atmosphere. And gratefully this year I am quite busy. Secondly, you have to give your own home some attention... and sometimes, like the shoemaker whose children go shoeless, you just pull things together, forget to polish the silver, can't find the right vase and don't have time to go shopping... so when you have a deadline, you use what you have and call it a day.

As my dear friend Tish Jett kindly said to my blushing ears:

"Kit's aesthetic is eclectic, while capturing that unique je ne sais quoi of Provence. She understands the potent cocktail of its romance, nonchalant elegance, warmth and comfort which is so rarely replicated by Americans who look for the "nothing out of place" sterility that does not in any way reflect l'art de vivre in France."

I am so happy that Tish, who is American and lives in Paris, sees me that way. She has captured in her words my very philosophy about la vie Provençale. Her words were un petit cadeau for me this Christmas time. Mille mercis, Tish!

Here, then, is our home at Christmastime, 2010:

the lavender inspiration

for the dining room

I layered the table with old French linen, and over that, an embroidered

organdy overlay... then used lavender silk to ground the place settings,

added a little bling with lavender paillards, and kept the feeling

light, simple and elegant

the lavender cowhide layered over old French linenis perfect for the

dessert sideboard! (this photo makes me realize just how badly I need the

perfect sconces on either side of our large, large 19th C. painting... right?)

roughly cut lavender silk rectangles ground the place settings;

layered on topare vintage lace placemats and silverware;

the lovely plate is Anthropologie and the vase is a vintage

Provençal bee catcher jar

sideboard is ready for the 13 desserts de Noel, a

Christmas eve Provencal tradition!

***

bay leaves layered in tulle with white lights

are the inspiration for the living room;

this made a great swag for the mantel

(it looks best against a white background)

the details of the bay leave are lost in this photo with hotspots

where the lights are but in person it is truly beautiful!

some Christmases you have a really beautiful

tree; others not so much... this year I admit

I have the most un-photogenic tree ever, I think!

but we love it anyway :)

the wreath on the front door given to me by

a lovely friend 12 years ago; it reminds me of

her every Christmas and remains the same

although the door changes color frequently, bien sûr!

***

P.S.

Don't miss out! Enter the

Chic Provence Design Tour Giveaway

fora chance to win an incredible

silk filament filled duvet!

Teatime

Tea in the garden!

gorgeous vase from Moustiers in

the Vaucluse, Provence,

one of a pair my daughter found at a flea

market near St. Tropez

the madeleines and the Minton teacup

set on the French lace cloth in front

of the fountain

some of the old French lace tea cloths I've collected

hand washed and drying in the sun

(I'm channelling my "inner French grandmother"!)

also making an appearance: vintage Japanese teapot

and Art Nouveau silver Tiffany service

the mark on the bottom of

the Moustiers vase

although I don't see my mark on this

chart of the old authentic Provencal

pottery marks...do you?

peeking through the lavender at the

linens drying in the breezes

(ok, it's really sage...but looks a lot

like lavender!)

***

linking to Tablescapes Thursday at

Between Naps on the Porch!

***

Kit Golson

for Chic Provence Design

Hidden Villa: Humanitarian Awards Dinner

could anything be more appealing than

this beautiful chioggia beet?

The Duveneck family were on the side of the angels a long, long time ago. In 1924 they established a self-sustaining organic farm as an educational center and invited multi-racial children to the summer camps they started in 1945. This is the incredible legacy and mandate for Hidden Villa today.

It was an honor to head the Decorating Committee for the annual Humanitarian Awards Dinner for 350 tented outside under the stars this last weekend in the hills west of Palo Alto, California.

With an almost non-existent budget for decorations, we naturally turned to the Farm itself as a source to interpret this year's theme, Deep Roots, New Shoots, and used our own farm-grown products: olive tree branches, chioggia beets, organic carrots, sunflowers, zinnias, amaranth for the centerpieces. We asked the board members, staff and decorations committee to collect old bottles. We were able to use those as single-stem-vases, jumping on that hot trend. A cornstalk turned roots-up became a holder for the table numbers.

We were thrilled to witness the incredible honorees Chris Bischof & Helen Kim, Eboo Patel, and Susan, Franklin, Katherine, David & Katy Orr receive the distinguished Humanitarian Awards that evening over our farm-cultivated gourmet feast and fine wines.

Plan to join us next year! and in the meantime, be sure to visit Hidden Villa, in person or online. You will be impressed and grateful to know there is an organization that cares so deeply about our culture, our children, and our mother earth.

And, you can get fresh, organic vegetables every week next summer if you sign up early enough!

the theme: Deep Roots, New Shoots inspired us

to use farm produce in the centerpieces

the big tent the afternoon before the dinner

tables are just about ready for the evening festivities

our artistic "melange" of farm-grown

flowers and vegetables;

we wanted a simple presentation

we notched the upturned cornstalk and

let the roots anchor the centerpiece while

holding the table number

the second tent looks so cool and inviting before

we set up the silent auction items

***

A Little Tour Around

a pathway leading to the old stagecoach stop

the old stagecoach house now houses summer interns

from all over the world

a peaceful, pastoral scene

the Duveneck residence built in 1924, now center

for Hidden Villa staff and events, including weddings!

the roadway meanders through the farm pastures,

gardens, buildings with gorgeous views all around

gorgeous zinnias grown on the farm!

{from Kit}

linked to Between Naps on the Porch