{CAVALIA}

Back in San Francisco! Just in time for the Holiday Season Cavalia will run from November 16Th to December 12Th. I have been invited to the opening night and cant wait to see it! This time over sixty magnificent horses on stage raising the bar for an spectacular entertainment. Check it out!

{PERFECT TABLE SETTING}

Having fun while browsing for few ideas for the perfect table setting for the upcoming Holiday Season! I found this gorgeous pictures ... Hope you enjoy them and get some inspiration as well!

Gold is such a lovely alternative. It has a warmer feeling and the table designed by Carolyne Roehm above and top has a beautiful mix of colors that adds to that warmness.

For those who prefer darker colors, this table from Ralph Lauren Home mixes gold, silver and black that would be perfect for a more masculine setting.

There is a simple elegance to this table setting that I absolutely love!

This table also doesn't worry about matching china or flatware and as you can see, there are actually two tables. A few smaller tables sometimes with less people make for a better party than one big long table. For fun, you can have people change seats between courses.

{SILVER LINING}

I am in love with these silver tins for my sugar or coffee. But while I'm wishing I thought I'd throw in the treats tin. I love treats and I would love even more to have a pretty tin to put them in. And then, of course, why not a toast rack because everyone needs one of those. Toast and tea, there is nothing better, in my opinion, except maybe a little butter and jam on the toast.

Have a great week!

{Bonjour ... Ladurée in NYC! }

These gorgeous ceramic candles from the famed Parisian pastry icon Ladurée are finally available in the USA exclusively at Aedes de Venustas in NYC. Yummy flavors include Caramel au beurre salé {caramel with salted butter}, Mille et Une Nuits {a spicy, woodsy scent}, date, Fleur de Oranger, violet, Mimosa, and many more. Almost as tasty as a macaron!

And, the boxes are almost as pretty as the ceramic pots. So, if you can't make it to Paris for a macaron, visit Aedes de Venustas here and treat yourself to a pretty candle!

{HAPPY HALLOWEEN}

Happy Halloween! It is fun to play around and use our imagination ... This year I am loving the shades of hazy blue and gold.

{FALL TABLE IDEAS}

Some fabulous ideas for your upcoming parties ... Cant wait to host my next dinner party and use some of these gorgeous settings. Just another example that we do not need to break the bank while entertaining ... Lets use what we have at home and a little imagination.

{THINKING OF PAULETTE}

Have you tried these yummy macaroons from Paulette in San Francisco yet? (located in Beverly Hills too.) They carry a dozen flavors from lemon, caramel pecan, Colombian to Madagascar vanilla, Sicilian pistachio, and sweet wedding almond. And not to mentioned that they carry one of the best selections of my favorite tea Marriage Freres! ... And the packaging is so cute too!

Located at 437 Hayes St, San Francisco

{BENU ... FINE DINING REDEFINED}

The wait is over. San Francisco's most hotly anticipated new restaurant recently opened its door with seasoned Chef Corey Lee (world-renowned Chef Thomas Keller protege) at the helm. Benu is the culmination of Lee's 15-year experience working at some of the most highly acclaimed restaurants in the world, including nearly nine years with Chef Keller as Chef de Cuisine at the French Laundry and as a Sous Chef at New York's Per Se. Benu distills fine dining down to the elements most relevant to modern diners: exquisite ingredients, unique flavors, precise technique an caring service. Defining subtle sophistication, Benu offers inspired, progressive American cuisine in a historic, cleanly design space that is sleek, contemporary and elegant.

The tasting menu varies between eight and 12 courses, reflecting seasonality, inspiration and evolution.

22 Hawthorne St

(415) 685-4860

{... DARIOUSH}

I am so excited about my weekend! October marks the most exciting time in the Wine Country_ Crush, when grapes are picked, sorted, crushed and turned into wine. I will be spending a few days there enjoying the grape crush festivities and attending to some special wine tastings.

I am thrilled to visit my friends at Darioush, which is one of my favorite wineries, they will be hosting a "By Invitation Only Experience", a 120 minute tasting experience crafted for connoisseurs and hosted at the owner Darioush Khaledi’s private cellar. Our host will pour their Crown Jewel, Darius II to be tasted alongside with Darioush Signature Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. Small, exquisite food bites, prepared by the Khaledi’s private chef will complement the yummy tasting.

Cheers!

{DESIGN, WINE & DINE}

Join the Kitchen Design and Epicurean Event of the Season. Live cooking demos by Tyler Florence, Alain Roby and many more. Complementary design workshops, seminars, cocktail parties and panel discussions. The full size, built-out working dream kitchen will be surrounded by outdoor dining and living spaces featuring beautiful and provocative custom furnishings, flooring, fine art, and antiques. Designer and chef competitions and Festive cocktail receptions - all in an entertaining and interactive forum.

Proceeds from the event will provide scholarships to Bay Area interior design students. Scholarships will be awarded through the Design Trade Resources Association, a showroom-based trade organization comprised of San Francisco Design District showrooms.

October 19, 20, 21, 2010
San Francisco Design Center
Galleria Atrium
101 Henry Adams Street
San Franciso, CA

{HIGH FASHION MEETS HIGH DESIGN} ~ SAN FRANCISCO FALL ANTIQUES SHOW

The San Francisco Fall Antiques Show is the oldest continuously operating international antiques show on the West Coast. The Show features approximately seventy dealers from across the United States and Europe, offering for sale an extraordinary range of fine and decorative arts representing all styles and periods including American, English, Continental, and Asian furniture, silver, ceramics, glass, jewelry, rugs, textiles, paintings, prints, and photographs.

Benefiting Enterprise for High School Students the show is vetted in cooperation with the Antiques Dealers Association of California to ensure the highest quality merchandise.

Oct 28-31, Fort Mason Center, San Francisco

{STATE-OF-THE-ART}

California's favorite museums are dusting off to prepare for treasures old and new.

The 125 year old Crocker Museum in Sacramento reopens next month, October 10th, after tripling in size- making room for more blockbuster exhibitions. In S.F., the SFMOMA has brought on Norwegian architecture firm Snohetta to helm its $250 million expansion project. Following a national search, Berkeley's BAM/PFA selected Diller Scofidio + Renfro to design its new complex, targeted for 2014 completion. Beginning in 2013, The Autry in L.A. will gradually open 25,000 square feet of additional gallery space. And if that isn't enough to fill your culture calendar, the Eli and Edythe Broad Museum has been greenlit for construction in Downtown L.A.

{POST-IMPRESSIONIST MASTERPIECES AT DE YOUNG}

This fall, directly from the Musee D'orsay 120 late Impressionist paintings by artist including Van Gogh, Gauguin, Cezanne, Renoir, Toulouse-Lautrec and Seurat will be on view in San Francisco.

The de Young will be the only museum in North America to host this celebrated collection rarely seen outside of France. From September 25th - January 18th, 2011

{WINE, DINE & EXPLORE}

This is great news! now you can discover the Academy of Sciences and its world-class exhibits on a guided tour after the museum closes to the public every Sunday. Enjoy an exclusive wine reception, an in-depth look at selected exhibits, a visit to the Academy's rare gems and minerals collection, followed by a delicious three-course dinner in the famous Moss Room

The California Academy of Sciences is San Francisco's premier science museum, located in Golden Gate Park and dedicated to exploring, explaining and protecting the natural world.

For reservations or to inquire about other tours, visit here

{TOMALES BAY RETREAT ...}

September is always busy and hectic month for me so I am looking forward to stay here pretty soon and relax at this waterside beautifully furnished chalet located in Marin County, The Poet's Loft, complete with hot tub, wood-burning stove, boat dock and sweeping views of Tomales Bay and Point Reyes Peninsula.

{I LOVE NEW YORK}

There are some many lovely restaurants in NYC that I am looking forward to my trip at the end of September and try some of the new spots and hopefully if weather permits dine al fresco.

{THINKING OF ROME ...}

Rome is absolutely one of my favorite cities to visit, I have been lucky to been there twice but since I saw Eat, Pray, Love this weekend with my girlfriend Lisa can't stop thinking about eating, cooking and traveling in Rome. Let's go!




I would like stay at the Hastler again and will love try all this new restaurant recommendations from the New York Times:

Antica Pesa, Via Garibaldi, 18. A combination of traditional and more modern food. Supposedly a celebrity haunt, but it seemed pretty down-to-earth.
Giolitti, Via Uffici del Vicario, 40. An old classic for gelato. Try the rice and chocolate flavors.
Le Mani in Pasta, Via dei Genovesi, 37. Off the beaten track in Trastevere, but worth the trip. Mostly locals, and excellent food.
Pierluigi, Piazza dé Ricci, 144. Really popular and good for people watching.
Roscioli, Via dei Giubbonari, 21. Really fabulous bakery and restaurant for lunch or dinner. If you go at lunch, they will bring out a big thing of risotto — and within minutes it’s gone.
San Crispino, Via della Panetteria, 42. For inventive, modern gelato.
Sangallo ai Coronari, Via dei Coronari, 180. More creative cuisine combined with traditional. Nice patio.

Cooking Classes: Italian Gourmet

Wine Tasting: Vino Roma

Outdoor Market: Campo dei Fiore

Ciao!!

{FUN PACKAGING}

If you are looking for a new and different way to bring your picnic next time, check this out Boxsal has made it easy with their cool picnic boxes disguised as briefcases, boom boxes and works of art. Each box contains compostable dinnerware and utensils and is just waiting to be filled with the fun food items of your choice.

{MONTEREY JAZZ FESTIVAL} SEPTEMBER 17-19, 2010

For three nights and two days, the oldest continuous jazz festival lives on - lavishly. With 85 performances serenading 2 acres of Monterey Fairground, this edition is anchored by standouts such as Chick Corea, Dianne Reeves, Harry Connick Jr. and Roy Hargrove.
For more information visit www.montereyjazzfestival.org

{CLIFF HOUSE ... THE PERFECT VACATION SPOT}

I've started my Monday browsing and wondering about homes, decor and great vacations spots, I found this gorgeous place tucked in the cliffs of India overlooking the Arabian Sea it is a unique home that looks modern, relaxing and beautiful.

Enjoy!