{ Archive for the ‘Entertaining’ Category }

lacquer nut bowl

Fab find
Lacquer nut bowl, $4 each; westelm.com
fab find lacquer bowl lacquer nut bowl


Guest post by Elaine Song

I usually gravitate towards shades more than colours. Most often you’ll see me dressed in black, white or grey. Needless to say, my home decor tends to run on the safe side with neutral tones, but this doesn’t mean I don’t love me some colour — I just tend to use it in punchy accents. I was instantly drawn to these lacquered wood bowls from West Elm. The high-gloss finish offers bright colours and shiny metallics that not only add that delicious pop to a room, but also allow you to customize these accents to your own style and decor. Use them for food, displays, jewelry, keys, or loose change — it’s up to you!

dreaming of spring

I’ve been dreaming of spring lately… Warmer weather, blooming flowers, outside brunches and the fresh spring air! I wanted to share a few entertaining items that are reminding us all that spring is right around the corner… and it can’t come any sooner!

OrangeJuicer dreaming of spring

Pottery Barn Juicer

Tis classic, old-fashioned juicer not only adds style to your kitchen, but it will be your best friend when squeezing all that delicious fruit this spring!

FeedBag dreaming of spring

Potter Barn Feed Bag

A perfect bag for the spring picnics we’ve all been waiting for! Also, when you buy this bag you’re contributing to the UN World Food Program, which provides children with healthy school meals and fresh water!

MasonJar1 dreaming of spring

Pottery Barn Mason Jar

Time to bring out the Mason jar! It’s not spring until you’re sipping lemonade out this mug.

OrganicNapkins dreaming of spring

West Elm Organic Napkins

There’s something about simple organic linens that remind me of spring. I adore these yarn-dyed napkins from West Elm… A perfect blend of simplicity and color.

Eden Passante is the owner of Sugar and Charm, a boutique event design and planning company, focusing on creating the most charming, unique and sweet events.

easy ice cream sundaes

One of my favourite dessert recipes for last-minute entertaining is making your own ice cream sundaes. For a casual get-together, it’s really a fun way to have every guest build their own sweet treat, ready in minutes. There are a few very easy steps to this recipe. The real key is toasting slivered almonds (toasting them releases the nutty flavour). Almonds are one of the items I always have on hand in my pantry. I use them in salads and cakes, and they add that perfect crunch atop a velvety bowl of ice cream. I lay them out in an even layer on a baking sheet and toast them at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until golden.
ice cream easy ice cream sundaes

The other elements of this ice cream dessert are some good quality vanilla bean ice cream and some chocolate sauce made by simmering heavy cream and pouring it over some dark chocolate chips.

Chocolate Sauce

  • 12 ounces of bittersweet chocolate chip (70%)
  • 1-1/3 cup of heavy cream

Place the chocolate chips in a heat-proof bowl. In a small saucepan, bring the heavy cream to a light boil. As soon as it boils, pour it over the chocolate. Let it rest for 30 seconds and stir until the mixture is homogenous. If you want the sauce to have a thinner consistency, add another couple teaspoons of heavy cream. Serve immediately.
To build the dessert, place 2 scoops of vanilla ice cream in a bowl, top with a couple spoonfuls of the chocolate sauce, slivered almonds and a few sprinkles.

Jennifer Bartoli is a Montreal-based food writer, photographer and recipe developer who grew up in Paris. Her longstanding passion for food took her to New York City, where she studied at the French Culinary Institute. For more delicious recipes like this, check out Jennifer’s blog, Chocolate Shavings.

emma serving bowl

Fab find
Emma serving bowl, $26; potterybarn.com
fab find emma bowl emma serving bowl

Guest post by Elaine Song
You know the saying, “It looks so good I could eat it”? Well these bowls are so pretty, you’ll want to eat right out of them. Enhance the beauty of your food with these earthenware serving bowls. The beading detail along the outside is subtle, yet makes these bowls oh-so-charming. At 10” in diameter, they’re great for serving a hungry group of dinner guests or just displaying fruit.

a charming st. patrick’s day table setting

With St. Patrick’s Day right around the corner, I created a quick and easy table setting for inspiration! For the look, I simply repurposed gift wrapping paper from Paper-Source for the place-mats, then added in a succulent (already potted) from the grocery store and homemade linens from a fabric shop. Guinness beer is a must-have at any St. Patrick’s Day dinner and I also made some delicious Guinness mini-cupcakes (recipe found here) that go perfectly with the dark stout! This St. Patrick’s Day, set the table, cook up a traditional Irish meal and serve some Guinness beer and cupcakes! Cheers to the Irish!

St.PatttysDay1 a charming st. patricks day table setting

St.PatttysDay31 a charming st. patricks day table setting

St.PatttysDay2 a charming st. patricks day table setting

St.PatttysDay4 a charming st. patricks day table setting

St.PatttysDay5 a charming st. patricks day table setting

Eden Passante is the owner of Sugar and Charm, a boutique event design and planning company, focusing on creating the most charming, unique and sweet events.

colourful ceramic spice jars

Fab find
Ceramic spice jars, $4 each; anthropologie.com.
spice jars colourful ceramic spice jars
Guest post by Elaine Song
I have completely fallen in love with these adorable spice jars. They’re airtight and come in four pretty, pastel colours – perfect with Easter just around the corner! Each jar is numbered and impressed with the phrase “Plein de Bonne Choses” (Full of Good Things). It’s these little details that make them all the more precious.

three drinks even st. patrick would love

When I think of St. Patrick’s Day I think of Guinness and Irish Cream. Irish Cream makes me think of coffee, so I figured why not do a little Irish mix n’ matching and see what delicious treats I can come up with. I ended up loving three creations using these ingredients… so here they are! Try them out and celebrate St. Patrick’s with a little caloric love!

SandCIrish2 three drinks even st. patrick would love

The Guinness beer float: Coffee ice cream and Guinness beer… what a combo!

SandCIrish1 three drinks even st. patrick would love

SandCIrish3 three drinks even st. patrick would love

Irish Cream, Coffee Milkshake: Add 2 cups of ice cream, 1/2 cup milk and 2 Tablespoons Bailey’s Irish Cream. Go green and really kick up the “Irishness” by adding in a few drops of green food coloring!

SandCIrish4 three drinks even st. patrick would love

SandCIrish5 three drinks even st. patrick would love

Add a side of cream and Irish Cream  for a simple, yet festive way to serve coffee on St. Patrick’s Day.

entertaining products for valentine’s day

Here are a few of my favourite entertaining items for Valentine’s Day that will have your family or Valentine feeling loved!

heartpot entertaining products for valentines day

Le Creuset Pot from Amazon

This heart-shaped Le Creuset pot will add a “touch of love” to your homemade meal.

straws entertaining products for valentines day

Red paper straws from KikkerLand Shop

Garnish Valentine-themed cocktails and milkshakes with these adorable paper straws!

cakestand entertaining products for valentines day

Rosanna Inc cake stand

It’s not Valentine’s Day without some delicious treats! Display a Red Velvet cake on top of this fancy pink cake stand from Rosanna Inc.

cuttingboard entertaining products for valentines day

Heart-shaped cutting board from Modern Tribe

This heart-shaped cutting board can be used to serve cheese and crackers on as well.

Eden Passante is the owner of Sugar and Charm, a boutique event design and planning company, focusing on creating the most charming, unique and sweet events.

new york city’s perfect cup of coffee

* Note from the editor: I’m so excited to introduce you all to our new food blogger, Jennifer Bartoli. Jennifer is a food writer and photographer from Montreal, and — having studied at the French Culinary Institute in NYC — has developed her own delicious blog called Chocolate Shavings. A few times a month, Jennifer will be sharing some yummy recipes and fab foodie spots in Canada and abroad. For her first post, she shares a favourite haunt for delicious coffee in New York so you know exactly where to go for a cuppa on your next visit. — Lauren, web editor*

New York has a never-ending number of coffee shops – so much in fact that it can be difficult to pick which one to try. After living in the city for a little while and often making my way back to visit, I think I’ve finally found my favourite one.

Stumptown 11 new york citys perfect cup of coffee
Stumptown 2 new york citys perfect cup of coffee

Stumptown Coffee Roasters at the Ace Hotel
18 W 29th St.
New York, NY 10001

Stumptown Coffee Roasters in the Ace Hotel is the perfect place to sit down and enjoy a warm cup of coffee. Their cappuccino is by far the best I have ever had – without any hint of bitterness; it is just perfectly velvety and rich. Stumptown also carries a variety of snacks – my favourite being their pretzel-like sandwich filled with cheese, ham and mustard. The Ace Hotel is also worth a mention. Its decor is beautiful – with eclectic furniture, warm colours and a cozy vintage feel.

handmade wine charms

I recently hosted a small dinner party at my house and I realized I didn’t have any wine charms. So on a whim, I decided to create my own and personalize them with the first letter of each of my guest’s names. Luckily they were all different. They mentioned how special they felt when they saw the cute, little charms handmade for them, already on their glass. Also, having the charms really kept the confusion down as the night went on! I definitely realized the importance of the wine charms that night and I’m forever a fan! Below are three easy ways to create your own charms for your next intimate gathering with friends.

IMG 4113 web handmade wine charms

Cut a cork into five round circles and stamp each with the first letter of the name of everyone who will be attending. At the top of the cork, poke a hole big enough to string some twine through. I actually used a bobbie pin to make the hole, since it’s all I had laying around. String some twine or ribbon through the hole and tie to the stem of each glass.

IMG 4124 web1 handmade wine charms

If you don’t have unlucky enough to get a rubber cork with your wine, you can use paper and a circle puncher to get the same look.

IMG 4117 web1 handmade wine charms

Chalkboard wine charms are super easy to make and you can reuse them! Just buy little wooden cutouts (whatever shape you like!) at your local craft store and some chalkboard spray paint. Paint each side of the wooden piece and let them dry completely. Hot-glue some twine on the back and tie to the stems.

IMG 4127 web handmade wine charms

And just for fun here’s a little tip on how many bottles of wine you should have on hand depending on your guest-count.

Six Guests: 4 Bottles

Twelve Guests: 8 Bottles

Twenty-Four Guests: 12-16 Bottles

Eden Passante is the owner of Sugar and Charm, a boutique event design and planning company, focusing on creating the most charming, unique and sweet events.

Photography by Zan Passante

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