Yearly Archives: 2013

It really is Christmas with a weekend this packed with fun entertaining and events. Even San Francisco’s classic crisp, clear winter weather showed up to the party! On Friday, I returned home early to work on preparations for our brunch on Saturday. Margaret came over to help and together we chopped, cooked and polished up…

I’ve barely started working on our annual holiday brunch party that’s coming up this Saturday. But the great thing about a party you host every year is that you get used to the traditions and know the recipes well. We expect about 35 people, and the set-up couldn’t be easier! Guests.  35 or so people…

Patience wrote in with a request for a party this weekend: To the ever chic EmilyStyle! I somehow managed to say yes to hosting a Couples Christmas Party this Saturday evening. I think I said yes because in the back of my head I was thinking about you mentioning that not enough people host parties…

My holiday cards just arrived from the printer last night. With 75 to write before leaving on vacation next week, I need to start on them ASAP.  Why not turn the chore into a fun working party with a few friends? Guests.  A couple of close women friends who are also facing their own big…

Rob and I packed nearly every Christmas tradition into this weekend. Partially, because we are going Hawaii for the actual holiday with my family! A nearly-record-breaking cold snap in the Bay Area also helped us to feel extra wintry and wanting to stay in, like Jane Austen’s Mr. Woodhouse. On Friday, we dressed up for…

Kristy lives on a “farmette” in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia and left a comment with a request for her own holiday party brainstorm: Since we went away for Thanksgiving, I have a nice, 12 lb. locally sourced all-natural turkey I want to roast for Christmas Eve for in-laws and a few others. I plan…

Today’s holiday party brainstorm is a dinner party in disguise. Rob and I have a tradition of walking over to the neighborhood Christmas tree lot and bringing back a tree to decorate with a few friends. No elaborate invitations or decor required – just a festive night around the tree. Guests. A couple close friends…

I’m on a crusade to boost holiday entertaining! Every year, it seems like fewer people throw holiday parties. I hear all kinds of excuses: the apartment is too small, I don’t have enough chairs, I worry if people would really come.  But here’s the thing – everyone loves being invited to a party and spending…

To make up for the lack of weekend details, here’s a photo of the Le Petit Oliver soaps I brought back from the South of France. Everything in my luggage, and now the entire living room, smells divinely like lavender and olive oil from being near the soaps. It looks like you can only purchase…

Apologies for the late post, I’m still catching up from Thanksgiving. My holiday weekend was a bit of a bust. Rob and I drove to Sanger on Thursday morning and sat down to a massive holiday meal with his folks, grandmother, aunts and uncles. Everything was delicious as usual. But, by the time we had…