as it happens, when you've collected "things" most of your life, you end up with a
wide assortment of those "things."
sometimes, you even forget what you have because "out of sight, out of mind" is the refrain.
a long long long time ago, one of my best girlfriends and I decorated tabletops for
fine dinner parties, showers, weddings, you name it.
during this process we accumulated lots of different things.
like those brass candelabra in the photo. we had many many pair of the candlesticks, as we used to rent them out for weddings, etc., so they're stood over many happy occasions.
like those antlers underneath all the autumnal berries.
I have a giant air conditioned storage unit filled to the brim with all this kind of stuff,
& probably $100,000 worth of Christmas decorations.
anyway, back to the table...
the other night we decided to have a late "after Halloween" supper...
someone else was taking care of all the food, but I was pressed into service for the table.
off to the storage locker I went.
then on to the grocer, & to Michael's (I love Michael's).
I found the cranberry hock glasses & many other beautiful old items.
you see, my adult kids don't want any of this as their "tastes" are different they say,
or they entertain differently they say...and where I live now there is absolutely no space
for all of this to be stored properly.
I ended up really happy with the result.
it didn't bother me at all that the amber votives didn't match the cranberry hock glasses.
remember, the Italian in me loves opulence.
the hostess had ordered Rock Cornish Game Hens for each diner,
and btw, they make a beautiful presentation of themselves!
an awesome squash casserole souffle-type dish,
stuffed red tomato's with crab meat
& this amazing cranberry ice cream.
as you can see there are a lot of different things going on,
but the white candles blazing away, great Ottmar Liebert music playing,
creating a lovely evening of good friends sitting down to dine.
of course, someone brought some really great wine as well.
Your table is gorgeous and your brass candelabra absolutely stunning! I never see anything like that around here, and it does me good just to feast on your photographs, thank you!
ReplyDeleteThank you SO SO much! Being a combination of Italian & Texan it means "overly magnificent" abounds.
DeleteI THINK I SHALL MOVE INTO YOUR STORAGE UNIT!!!!!!!!!!!!XX
ReplyDeleteToo too funny !!!
DeleteYou have your own kind of grandiose style, my dear. No one is quite like YOU !!!
Texas style opulence personified! I would love to just reside in your storage unit for a little while.
ReplyDeleteOnly if you help me clean it out.
DeleteToo too much. Yikes, as Penelope says.
Absolutely beautiful Marsha!
ReplyDeleteOh the table is simply...beautiful...the menu sounds perfect and I am sure the guests were all friends and your'simple' after Halloween dinner was a great success.......don't you love dressing up the table and making pretty???
ReplyDeleteI am so fortunate to have my friends, all of whom have seen me through some tough times. And, it's this kind of fun that makes life shine.
DeleteWhat a stunning table! I'd love a post on some of your other opulent things. If you ever decide to part with any of your things, I sure hope I know about the sale (lol). Again, your table is breathtakingly beautiful!
ReplyDeleteABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL ! The guests must have felt very welcome.
ReplyDeleteSame situation here, I inherited many french antiques from my family as I am french, furniture, dishes ,linens , my children are only interested in the Art deco ones , older than that does not interested them... Decided when I am gone they will have to deal with it!!!
ReplyDeleteYour table does look stunning, enjoy it all, no sense keeping it in a closet, I am an old lady(, not ashamed of saying it )
,and I try to use all the old things, might as well!!!
Annie v.
Annie, I don't know what to say, when I was growing up it was a given that we would have things passed down to us from grandparents and parents, aunts/uncles. My daughter-in-law told me not to give her anything antique...as she doesn't want anything "used." Laughing out loud still !!
DeleteI cannot imagine how amazing it would be to inherit ANYTHING from your storage unit (AKA Treasure Chest)! That table sings with luxurious warmth and is gloriously inviting. What a gift you have to effortlessly choose simple items that transport your dinner guests. BRAVA!
ReplyDeleteThank you for visiting, Treep.
Deletexx's
It is such fun having friends over to dinner, of course the best part is their company, time chatting together and great food, simple or grand, it doesn't matter, but good food is so very important, but what fun I love to have before anyone even arrives, laying the table, planning with our daughters and oh what fun we would have with everything in your storage!
ReplyDeletethe table setting is just beautiful!! How wonderful to sit down to dinner in the company of good friends and all your "things" that could tell so many stories if only they could speak!! You are so right about our kids not wanting our "things". Many of our friends are in that same situation. Sad really as many of my special "things" came from my parents'. sigh.
ReplyDeleteYou know, this evening WAS fun because the work was shared by different people and no one was overwhelmed. That's the BEST !!
DeleteA stunning table- wish I was there!
ReplyDeletebeautiful table scape!
ReplyDelete-linda,ny
The candelabra within the tablescape is such great taste. Love the gold accents against the navy table cloth!
ReplyDelete