Dinner Party

As much as I like to prepare and cook ahead, sometimes a dinner party creeps up on me. I had invited Lauren and Octavia over for dinner on Thursday and then proceeded to get super busy with client work all week. By the time 5:00 rolled around, I had done absolutely zero to prepare for guests…

A few months ago, Rob took on a volunteer role as the new community organizer for a group called SFUR, promoting trail riding in San Francisco. It has been fun watching him build a network of supporters through pancake breakfasts, speaking at City Hall and trail work events. He asked me to help host a dinner party…

Margaret’s wedding in August will be here before we know it! As bridesmaids, Jackie and I have been scurrying to host these parties in between our crazy schedules. She just recently returned from a stint in Africa for work and I’m about to head off on our big Spain/Morocco stay. You’d never sense the rush from…

My friend Sarah has a wonderfully odd, historic sense of humor. For example, one of her favorite weekend activities is a “consumption day” where you sit out in the cold on a deck chair wrapped in blankets, reading and drinking bloody marys. She’s the best, obviously, and great things happen when her whimsy is combined…

Easter weekend is a lovely time for a bridal shower, especially if you’re honoring someone as great as Margaret! Spring is the air, everyone has pretty dresses, out-of-town family are visiting. For this shower, I planned an easy menu with plenty of options for the gluten-free guests. Menu Tea, lavender lemonade and champagne Spring crudités…

Last year, Rob and I were jetlagged in Istanbul for his birthday – his 40th! – and didn’t do much to celebrate. So this year, it was time for a huge bike ride and beach party with a bunch of friends. I coordinated with super helpful volunteers from China Camp State Park in Marin to…

I love an impromptu dinner party! Lauren emailed in the morning to see what plans we had for Monday night. With a fridge packed with fresh produce from last week and a flat of fresh strawberries ripening on the counter – I invited her over for a casual Monday night dinner party. A Simple Strawberry…

Last night’s dinner party featured delicious fresh spring produce in simple, mediterranean combinations. Since one of the guests was vegetarian, the whole menu was meatless starting with a hot baked feta that was SO tasty and super easy. Rob and I discovered the miracle of baked feta when we were on the Greek island of…

It is big news that Mark Bittman from The New York Times and various lovely cookbooks has moved to the Bay Area!  His simple, delicious farmer’s market recipes have been an inspiration and now that he’s released into the wilds of California, I can only imagine how exciting things will get. After reading his column…

A four-foot-tall pink jellyfish chandelier…three courses of delicious seafood…one ridiculous plastic crab hat…nothing less would do for the birthday celebration of my great friend Margaret!  The night’s menu included Spanish and Moroccan flavors – two of her favorite places to travel. Enchantment Under the Sea Menu  Castelvetrano olives Black rice tabouli salad with cranberry bean…