Downton Abby

(Warning: this is a long one)

Are you watching "Downton Abbey" on Masterpiece Classics?  I have been waiting for it and am absolutely mesmerized now that it is finally on!!  I have been recording it and re-watching over and over.  There is so much to see!   I subscribe to "The English Home" and the February issue has an article on the country house that was used as Downton Abbey.   The series reminds me of "Upstairs, Downstairs" from Masterpiece in the '70s.  Does anyone remember that one?   I did not miss an episode of that series either (actually, more have been made...can't wait for that, as well).  Another amazing film that has some gorgeous dinner scenes is "The Age of Innocence" which is one of my favorite movies of all time!

Back to Downton Abbey...the writing is wonderful, the acting fabulous, and the costumes and sets-to die for!!  Can you tell I'm smitten?  In the first episode, one scene shows the family coming to breakfast.  Although there were footmen serving at lunch, tea, and dinner, breakfast was a different thing altogether.  The sideboard was set with dishes and food and everyone helped themselves because people started their days at different times depending on what individuals' plans were (of course, some of the ladies had breakfast brought up, which is a whole DIFFERENT thing). 

I am fascinated by a life so gracious and privileged (but the life of the staff was something different altogether!  That was some hard work!!)  There is a wonderful book about life of the upper classes in the 19th Century.  It's called "What Jane Austen Ate and Charles Dickens Knew" by Daniel Pool.  It's a great read and explains a lot to those of us not born to the upper class.  It's a terrific resource when reading british novels of those eras.  I don't know if it is still in print, though.

Anyway...you didn't come here for this rambling so here is my "tablescape" for this week.  I would say this is a little fantasy (in which I play the upstairs AND downstairs parts).   I decided to set breakfast on the sideboard.  So here we go!

Our sideboard is not very large and actually didn't accomodate any FOOD!!  Just imagine that there are a few extra feet of sideboard on either side!!!

Plates for whatever you choose for breakfast from eggs to toast or maybe scones and jam...

You can have your soft-boiled egg in one of these charming egg cups.  My British husband has his childhood "eggs and soldiers" on occasion still...

Toast in the silver toast rack

This is a clever footed butter server. 

The dome of this lid slides back and rolls underneath the piece!

Let's see...marmalade in the crystal jam jar and strawberry jam in the china one?

Your choice of tea or coffee...

Milk and sugar, so pick up a cup for the beverage of your choice...

Here is a last look....

I hope you are enjoying "Downton Abbey".  There is a VERY good chance that there will be more about it on my blog!  Thank you for enduring this long and rambling blog!!  Oh, there is the drawing room bell; I'd better run!!

Now for the dish on the dishes:

• All of the china is "Old Country Roses".  Much of it was wedding gifts from Peter's family in England (this pattern was not available at the time of Downton Abbey because it wasn't made until 1962)
• The silver plate flatware pieces are Reed and Barton "Rathmore" and a few random patterns of which I have only individual pieces
• The crystal jam jar is an ebay find

I love to hear from you.  Thank you for stopping by!!!

Snowy Day, Snowy Tablescape

Our backyard this morning

I know that all of you southern ladies are having a terrible weather time right now!  I hope everyone is safe and warm.  Up here in upstate New York, this is normal and we have the equipment to deal with it (though some schools are closed today).  I am also lucky that, for the most part, I work at home.  So it is snowing and quite lovely.  A snowy white table seemed appropriate for the day.

There is nothing I love more in winter than being in my own cozy home, with the snow coming down.  Here is a winter white table for two

Wintery silver, glass, lace, and candles

Etched crystal glasses in two different patterns

A closer look at the frosty etched iced beverage glass

After dinner, maybe a nice fire in the living room?

Thank you for coming out in this snowy weather (though I'm sure it's warm and sunny somewhere!!). 

Now for the dish on the dishes:

• All of the white china is Royal Albert Val D'Or which I have been collecting for years from ebay
• The sterling is my Oneida Damask Rose
• The cotton lace tablecloth I have had for years
• White napkins were purchased on ebay
• For the centerpiece, I used an oblong silver tray and a silver stemmed dish with candles and pearls
• The etched iced beverage glasses are from ebay and the wine glasses from a dear friend

I hope you leave me a message because I love to read your comments!!

The Dinner That Wasn't

The Dinner That Wasn't was planned for New Year's Day 2011.  Unfortunately, I started out the new year with a strained back and all of my plans for a lovely turkey dinner with my sister P. and friends didn't happen.  We had a twenty pound turkey and lots of other food for dinner but I spent part of New Year's day in the E.R.

 

I'm feeling better now and decided to set out at least one place setting and a few accompanying pieces just to give an idea of what might have been :-(   Oh...and there is a blooper on here too...made AFTER Susan's blooper day-so I really have no excuse!

 

I wanted a poinsettia theme for a few reasons which I will explain later...

 

I put this place setting on my tea cart...still using my Christmas dishes.

Here is the first view of my blooper.  I don't know what I was thinking, but I put the forks backwards!!!!  But my poinsetta napkin ring shows up nicely

 

This beautiful table runner is from my husband's cousin in England.  The set also included eight matching placemats!!!  I LOVE them!  This is my poinsettia inspiration and the main reason for the poinsettia theme

Here is a candlelight view.  That is my same Christmas centerpiece but I used white candles instead of the red I had at Christmas

 

This placement is part of the set from England.  This is my sterling.  Those little cookies were still available for a photoshoot, but they won't be around for long!!

 Another view.  This was all set on my teacart which is in front of one of our built-in cabinets in the dining room...you can imagine what is in there!!!  I could use about one hundred more!!!

In keeping with the "pointsettia" theme, I made new placecards

Here is my blooper close-up and staring right at you.  But this photo does show off the placemat.  I also had live pointsettia to put on the buffet where the desserts would have been

 

Since we didn't get to have our company for dinner, I am happy to at least share with you a vignette of the table that was supposed to be.   Oh well...the best laid plans!!

(My husband ended up cooking the 20 pound turkey the Sunday...now our freeze has LOTS of turkey in it!)

 

Wishing everyone a very Happy and Healthy New Year!!!

 

Now for the dish on the dishes:

• Poinsettia tablerunner and placemats are a Christmas gift from my husband's cousin in England
• Christmas dishes are Gibson from Winterthur catalogue several years ago
• Cream soup bowl is Royal Albert "Val D'Or
• Sterling is Oneida's  "Damask Rose" that I have started to collect
• The cream soup spoon (silverplate) are from ebay and I have no idea what the pattern is
• Poinsetta silver napkin ring is a Marshall's find MANY years ago
• Red hemstitches napkins were found on the internet for next to nothing (less than $2 each)...don't know which site
• The candle holders are from the dollar store...I bought several so I would have matching ones

 

Thank you for stopping by...I look forward to your comments!!  Love to hear from you!!

 

Tess

Christmas Eve Dinner

I hope everyone had a wonderful and happy Christmas with friends and family!!!  From all of the beautiful tables, I'm sure that many Christmas memories were made!!

I am posting our Christmas eve dinner which is when my family gets together.  I wanted to use the actual table so I didn't post last Thursday.  Yes, this is the real Christmas eve!  I love getting to use my Christmas dishes. There is something so wonderful about setting a table with dishes that are for a specific and fleeting time.  I appreciate them BECAUSE of the short length of time I use them.  Fresh flowers have the same effect on me.

 Hope you aren't too "over" Christmas tables yet...

 

It seems that we always start with this view, but I think it's a good introduction!

 

Here is a closer view...we started with cream of spinach soup (I don't have "food" pics)

 

The tea cart is all ready for handling serving dishes that won't fit on our small dining room table

 

This is the "bird's eye" view

 

The evergreens in the arrangement are from our "wreath " trip and the flowers almost didn't make it...I had to wait at my favorite florist for the deliveryman.  Apparently, he was several hours late, but I came at the tail end of the panic at the florist and they were able to sell me the carnations and roses I wanted for my centerpiece

 

In keeping with the "holly and berry" theme, I made these placecards

 

 This is the silver that we bought when we first were married...and more holly and berries

 

I set out desserts on the sideboard...tempting us all through dinner!!

 

This is my Brit in his Christmas crown from his Christmas cracker!  He wears that Christmas tie every year.  He was enjoying dinner...pork roast and roasted potatoes

 

Meanwhile, while we were having dinner....two of our three kitties were guarding the Christmas tree while keeping toasty warm!

 

We no longer exchange gifts...we put names of our favorite charities in a hat, pool our "gifting cash" which makes a tidy sum; then we pull one name and donate all of the money to that charity.  We've been doing this for a few years now.

 

I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and best wishes for a Happy and Healthy New Year!!

 

Now for the dish on the dishes:

• My Christmas dishes are Gibson. I found them in the Winterthur catalog (when they had a bigger variety of wares)
• Cream soup bowls are Royal Albert "Val D'Or" from ebay
• The damask tablecloth...hmmmm...I can't remember
• The napkins were a sale purchase from LinensNThings...so you know it was a while ago
• Reed and Barton "Rathmore" silverplate from Marshall Field's in Chicago-now gone  :-( 
• Waterford "Marquis" crystal stemware-T.J. Maxx (still waiting for a Homegoods here!)
• The flowers are arranged in a three legged cut glass bowl which was my mother's
• The mercury glass votive holders are from Michael's...wish I had bought more
• Christmas ornament placecard holders were purchased on ebay last year
• The candle globe on the teacart is from T.J. Maxx...I just put "berries" and real boxwood with it set on a red toile plate
• Red and gold placemats on the teacard are from Big Lots and Walmart-great price for all
• Dessert service on the buffet is Old Country Roses that we received as wedding gifts from my husband's family

Thank you for stopping by and I love reading your comments...

Christmas Traditions

PART I

I love anything traditional...whether ages old or newer traditions of just a few years! 

One Christmastime my sister P. and I went to a local Christmas tree farm to get wreaths.  She is an Adirondack lover and I have an artificial tree, so we both wanted the smell of real pine.  We had breakfast at a favorite little place that is on the way to the farm.  Well, we have now been doing this breakfast and wreath outing for several years, so I guess it is a tradition...Yippee!! 

 This is part of their display of decorated wreaths that they make to sell.  Some are quite fancy!

This year our sister L. joined us for breakfast and I got a picture of them playing with the restaurant's decoration (can't take them anywhere!!!)

This is a view of the big barn filled with fresh pine trees.  It smells WONDERFUL in there!  We each brought home a wreath and I got some boughs to use on my tables

But this has nothing to do with tables...so Part II of this post is about a casual little Christmas table for two.

PART II

This is an unsparkly, non-golden, casual table for two...

This is in our small dining room at our "cozy" table

I love traditional red and green, but I never seem to have enough green!

We have to have Christmas crackers...that's an OLD British tradition

 Here are fir branches (from our wreath trip) and my folk art Santa..I just love him!

 Here he is, center stage, on the table

Well, actually, our Christmas eve dinner will be more formal, but I wanted the chance to use these wonderful pieces that I have.  I hope everyone's Christmas preparations are going smoothly!!

Now for the dish on the dishes:

• Toile plates from T.J.Maxx
• Red salad plates from Big Lots
• The beautiful red and green center cloth is from my sister  (Thanks L.!)
• The basket is from a co-worker
• Jim Shore Santa is from a friend
• Green "napkins" are fingertip towels from Dollar Tree
• Placemats from T.J.Maxx
• Glasses-Waterford Marquis (from T.J.Maxx)
• Silverplate flatware from Oneida (my mother's)
• Christmas crackers from T.J.Maxx-so glad they are carryng them...it was getting expensive ordering imported ones from England!!!!

So glad you stopped by even with all of your baking, shopping, wrapping, and decorating!!  Thank you! 

Please check out all of the beautiful tables at "Between Naps on the Porch" hosted by Susan (her link is up on the right of my blog)

I love to read your comments!

Tess