by Host Bee on January 19, 2012
I’ve already shared my love of Julia Child, but in terms of my personal list of fascinations, Wallis and Edward rank right along side the classic French chef. As many of you already know, Prince Edward, Duke of Windsor, formerly King Edward the VIII, abdicated the English throne in 1936 to marry Wallis Simpson, a divorced American socialite. But it’s not only the story of their legendary romance that appeals to me, but the personal sense of style that permeated every aspect of their life. The fashions they favored, the places they chose to live and the furnishings they surrounded themselves with were exceptional in every way.
Their story continues to garner interest! In 1988, Britain fashion editor and historian, Suzy Menkes compiled The Windsor Style, a coffee table style book, that features over 200 photos of the exiled couples’ homes in France and the United States, as well as the Duchess’ opulent clothing and jewels. More recently, in November of 2011, jewels from Wallis’ personal collection were sold at auction by Sotheby’s in London. The collection was bought for over 12.5 million dollars and the auction catalogs gave us another glimpse into their stylish and rarified life! (Duchess of Windsor Jewelry Auction, November 2011.)
Today, we can look forward to the February 3rd movie premier of W./E.! The film intertwines the epic romance with the contemporary story of a lonely young woman living in New York City in 1998 obsessed with Wallis and Edward’s affair! Co-written and directed by Madonna, the costumes and jewels alone are enough to wow!
by Host Bee on January 14, 2012
by Host Bee on January 14, 2012
by Host Bee on January 11, 2012
My fascination with Julia Child has been long standing. I own her famous set of cookbooks: Mastering the Art of French Cooking, her memoir: My Life in France, and both the book and movie version of Julie and Julia! The past summer involved a trek to the Smithsonian where Julia’s kitchen, with its iconic pegboard for pot storage, is on display! Lately, I’ve seen lots of DIY articles with instructions for replicating Julia’s efficient and space saving pegboard in your own home. The concept could work well even inside of a pantry or storage closet. Would you give this a try?
(Design*Sponge at Home)
Julia Child’s Kitchen Pegboard
by Host Bee on January 10, 2012
I really enjoyed this clip from YouTube that highlights some of the innovative changes being made in NYC to expand green space! Living walls, rooftop gardens and my personal favorite, The Highline, are all featured! Take a look and even better, visit The Highline. It’s beautiful in every season!
by Host Bee on January 8, 2012
The main course at my dinner party came from Bon Appetit and was easy to make ahead earlier in the day and reheat at dinner time! The ingredients are what make this dish a stand out from the typical versions of baked rigatoni. The recipe serves eight.
Rigatoni with Eggplant and Pine Nut Crunch
Ingredients
- Nonstick vegetable oil spray
- 1 unpeeled large eggplant (1 1/2 to 1 3/4 pounds), cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 2 medium yellow bell peppers, cut into 1/2-inch squares
- 2 cups grape tomatoes
- 3 large garlic cloves, divided
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 2 cups (firmly packed) fresh basil leaves, divided
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
- 1/4 cup pine nuts
- 1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes in juice
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 pound rigatoni
- 1 pound whole-milk mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
Preparation
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Preheat oven to 425°F. Spray large rimmed baking sheet with nonstick spray; add eggplant and peppers. Cut tomatoes in half lengthwise; add to sheet. Using garlic press, squeeze 1 garlic clove onto vegetables. Drizzle vegetables with oil; toss. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast vegetables until tender, stirring often, 35 to 45 minutes.
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Combine 2/3 cup basil, 1/2 cup Parmesan, pine nuts, and 1 garlic clove in mini processor. Blend until crumbly. Season topping with salt.
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Blend tomatoes with juice, cream, 1 1/3 cups basil, and 1 garlic clove in processor until smooth. Season sauce with salt and pepper.
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Cook pasta in pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally; drain. Return to pot. Toss with vegetables, sauce, and 1/2 cup Parmesan. Transfer to 13x9x2-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with mozzarella and pine nut topping.
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Bake pasta until heated through, 25 to 35 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes and serve.
by Host Bee on January 7, 2012
At my dinner party, I served a green salad with a few unique ingredients! The recipe is from the Styer’s Garden Cafe at Terrain – my favorite ever garden shop!
Shaved Asparagus, English Pea and Prosciutto Salad (serves 4 generously)
Ingredients:
- 1 lb. fresh peas, shelled (I thawed frozen peas to save time!)
- 2 T. lemon juice
- 1 T. minced shallot
- 2 t. Dijon mustard
- 1/2 c. olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 bunch of asparagus, trimmed
- 6 c. spring greens
- 8 slices prosciutto, cut into thin strips
- 2 T. chopped mint
- 1/4 c. shaved parmesan
Directions:
Place shelled peas and 1/4 c. salted water in a saucepan. Cook and cover over high heat 4 to 5 minutes or until peas are tender. Drain and let cool. In a small bowl, whisk together lemon juice, shallot and mustard. Slowly whisk in olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place asparagus on a cutting board, hold tip and shave lengthwise along each stalk with a vegetable peeler. Place shavings and tops in ice water for 10 minutes. Drain well. In a large salad bowl, toss greens with prosciutto, asparagus, peas and mint. Drizzle with dressing and top with parmesan.
by Host Bee on January 6, 2012
This week I hosted a dinner party for a few girlfriends – wanting a chance to catch up after the busy Christmas season. The menu consisted of an appetizer, salad, pasta dish and bread. My friends brought the dessert! Here’s the first of the three recipes that I used – the appetizer – that’s both a bit different and delicious!
Limoncello Shrimp Bruschetta (I doubled this recipe)
Ingredients:
- 1/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 12 large, uncooked shrimp, cleaned with tail on
- 1 lemon, zest finely grated and juiced
- 1/2 c. limoncello liquor
- salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 baguette, cut into slices and toasted/grilled
Directions:
In a 12 to 14-inch saute pan, heat olive oil over medium heat until just smoking. Add garlic and cook until light brown. Add the shrimp and cook without turning, 2 -3 minutes. Turn shrimp over and cook for one minute. Remove shrimp from pan. Add the lemon juice and limoncello, cooking until reduced by 1/3, about 2 minutes. Return shrimp to pan and season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat. Arrange the bread slices on a platter and top each slice with one shrimp, pouring sauce over all. Garnish with lemon zest and serve.
by Host Bee on January 6, 2012
I really enjoy the emails that I get from an American Express publication called Departures. Today’s Dispatch offers a glimpse into hotel rooms that have been decorated by well known fashion designers! Take a look at these fabulous spaces and enjoy a virtual vacation! (Departures Dispatch)
by Host Bee on January 4, 2012
While traveling over the holidays, I had a chance to read Bossypants by Tina Fey. What a great book! I was laughing out loud, reading passages aloud to whoever would listen and then watched Saturday Night Live with a totally new perspective. The book is well written, offers some funny, yet apt, life advice and is a window into the world of motherhood and television! A quick look at this review from Amazon will let you know just how funny this book is! Grab a copy today – especially if you’re in need of a laugh!
Review
Once in a generation a woman comes along who changes everything. Tina Fey is not that woman, but she met that woman once and acted weird around her.PRAISE FOR TINA FEY:”You’d be really pretty if you lost weight.” (
College Boyfriend, 1990 )
“Tina Fey is an ugly, pear-shaped, overrated troll.” (The Internet )
“Mommy, where are my pretzels?” (Tracy Morgan )
ADVANCE PRAISE FOR BOSSYPANTS:
“I hope that’s not really the cover. That’s really going to hurt sales.” (Don Fey, Father of Tina Fey )
“Absolutely delicious!” (A Guy Who Eats Books )
“Totally worth it.” (Trees )
“Do not print this glowing recommendation of Tina Fey’s book until I’ve been dead a hundred years.” (Mark Twain )
“Hilarious and insightful. Laugh-out-loud funny — oh no, a full moon. No! Arrgh! Get away from me! Save yourself!” (A Guy Turning into a Werewolf )
