entertaining

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RED, WHITE + BLUE FAVORITES FOR THE 4TH

The Fourth of July is this weekend already, and we are ready to celebrate with a bevy of red, white and blue decorations, good food and, hopefully, amazing weather! I’m not usually the biggest fan of red, but this time of year, I love to display small pops of it in full force, alongside navy,…

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GET THE LOOK: SAG HARBOR SPRING TABLE SETTING

I asked on Instagram last weekend what kind of posts you’d like to see here on the blog and an overwhelming number of you requested more table settings with sources for getting a similar look! I feel like I post quite a few of my settings on a regular basis, but if more is what…

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REAL VS. FAUX BAMBOO FLATWARE

After posting this faux bamboo flatware set in my post last week, I got a ton of questions about how close to the real version this was, as well as the quality of the two and whether or not the fake version was what I post in my tablescapes or not. Since I have both…

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OUTDOOR FAVORITES FOR SPRING + SUMMER

Spring is on its way out the door, as the heat and humidity are quickly on their way in, so we are currently all about cleaning up the yard, flower beds and waiting patiently for the last of the pollen to clear so we can power wash the exterior and move full-on into summer mode!…

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MY FAVORITE TIRAMISU RECIPE

Tiramisu is my hubby’s all-time favorite dessert and since this is really the only sweet treat he will eat, I’ve been trying to find the perfect recipe for the past few years and I’ve finally landed it! I’ve been making this for special occasions, deployment homecomings and just because, for a few years now and…

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GARDEN-INSPIRED FINDS FOR SPRING

Blue and white may be my all-time favorite color pairing, but fresh spring green and rattan, wicker and everything woven is a very close second. I’ve found myself gravitating toward the house plant section of the grocery store and grabbing another bird’s nest or stag horn fern every time I go in there lately, just…

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SPRING THINGS, PART I

I hope you all had a lovely weekend and are off to a great start this new week! Just popping in quick to share a few pretties that have landed on my radar for spring this morning, from a beautiful burl wood tray and a rattan wine holder to a gorgeous and incredibly reasonably priced…

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FALL-INSPIRED ENTERTAINING PIECES TO ADD TO YOUR EVERY DAY BASICS

It’s finally starting to feel like fall around here and it’s a pleasant reminder that the holidays are right around the corner! I’ve already started adding little touches of fall to my every day dinnerware and serving pieces; wood, marble, ironstone, bamboo, unlacquered brass and tortoise go such a long way in adding warmth and…

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CHARCUTERIE FOR TWO

Lately, we’ve been celebrating the end of another week with a simple cheese plate and a cocktail on the porch while the kids play outside. The weeks just seem to fly by at warp speed, so, come pickup time on Friday afternoons, I’m ready to down shift and enjoy every moment of having my littles…

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SHOP SMALL: LOVING LATELY FROM PALOMA AND CO

La Dolce Vita was one of the very first design blogs I ever followed more than a decade ago, so when designer Paloma Contreras opened Paloma and Co, it was inevitable that I would covet every single curated piece! This is one of my first stops for gifts for friends, hostesses and sometimes even teachers,…

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LONG LIVE DAHLIA SEASON

The only upside to the close of summer is that my back-to-school blues are assuaged by lots and lots of dahlias! My friend Sarah started her own sustainable flower farm last February and I couldn’t wait to sign up for her fall subscription for all the dahlias, zinnias and cosmos my little heart could wish…

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SMALL BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT: NAUTICAL BOARDS

If you guys have been following along for a while, you know that arranging charcuterie is one of my latest passions. There’s just something so therapeutic and satisfying about creating something for family and friends that’s as delicious as it is beautiful. It’s also my favorite way to celebrate the end of a long week…