Offbeat Parties

Turkish was the theme of our weekly dinner party last night, and a great excuse to do lots of layering: both with fresh bright ingredients and lots of different table linens. Menu Appetizer: “Meze” platter with imported Turkish dolmas, black olives and persian cucumbers topped with lemon and paprika.  Amuse-bouche: Tomatoes stuffed with kisir (tabbouleh…

This week’s dinner party was a pretty informal, impromptu affair. The guests were a former colleague of mine, Lauren, and my good friends Jackie and Pierre who just moved back from Atlanta to California. Menu:  Purple Haze goat cheese with crackers, nuts and dried fruit to start Wild caught coho salmon baked with champagne and…

Gorgeous food, easily prepared. Great conversation with friends. Meeting new people. Last night’s dinner party was everything I love about hosting!  Here’s the play-by-play guide: Spanish-inspired Menu Appetizer of Spanish cheeses Mussels in a chorizo, chickpea, tomato broth Fresh tomatoes with kale pesto dressing Roasted cauliflower Warm crusty baguette Dessert of grapes and spanish dark…

It’s been quite a year already. Out of the last six months, I’ve been traveling for five: France, Hawaii, Turkey-Greece-Croatia and Alaska. Whew! Now, we’re back in San Francisco and I’m taking on a new adventure. It’s no secret that I’m a bit agoraphobic when it comes to social life. I’d much rather have a dinner…

Our 6th year at Mountain Play in Marin and our best picnic yet! The performance this year is one of my favorite musicals: South Pacific by Rodgers & Hammerstein. A perfect chance to produce a spread of polynesian recipes, exotic flowers and tropical fruits.  The Guests 16 people made the trek up 2,500 feet to the…

Happy Valentine’s Day to everyone!  After yesterday’s morning tea party, I dashed off to work with a client in the afternoon and returned home to prepare for the day’s second entertaining event.  Matt and Jon were arriving for dinner at 7:00. I planned an easy, frenchy menu for the dinner. A big pot of coq…

Your first tea party! What a fun occasion and what an honor to be hostess for it.  My friend Amy brought her two- and three- year old daughters over today for a Valentine’s Day morning tea with at 10:00 am. The menu for this tea had to be gluten-free and full of things that young…

Valentine’s Day festivities are heating up at our apartment. Tomorrow, I’m hosting not one – but two – parties on the theme.  We start the morning with a Valentine’s Day tea party with two young ladies who are friends of mine. Then, a couple friends are coming for dinner in the evening.  To summarize…there’s been…

It’s a rainy and cold Friday here in California. After a few months of sunny weather, winter has finally arrived. This is the perfect climate to invite friends over for a low-key Sunday lunch. Hearty food, wine, coffee and dessert around the fire, I can’t think of a better way to spend a Sunday! Joel…

There comes a moment, on these busy holiday party weekends, where you realize you haven’t eaten anything but spinach dip and fudge in about 36 hours. A nice leisurely weekend lunch is just the thing to get you recharged on real food. A couple weeks ago, I made cioppino for Sunday lunch with my parents.…