A Rustic & Elegant Tablescape

If I had to pick one of my favorite meals, it would consist of a variety of good cheeses, crusty bread, buttery olive oil and a mixture of olives, perhaps it is the side of me that so badly wishes I was Tuscan.  I came across this delectable tablescape created by prop stylist Kim Ficaro (of Domino Magazine fame) for Athena Calderone - a fabulous interior designer that has a serious penchant for delicious food.  This table setting is rustic, yet incredibly elegant at the same time.  Continue for my take on creating the same type of meal!

Creating a Luxurious Life:: Linen & Room Spray

 I absolutely adore the smell of fresh laundry - it has a certain aroma that greets you with a warm presence.  Unfortunately, laundry time in Brooklyn is short of being glamorous, especially if you are without a laundry machine to call your own.  I, like many New Yorkers, make the long haul back and forth to the laundry mat with each time making the idea of owning a washer and dryer feel like some sort of dream.   In order to make post-laundry time more luxurious I decided to create different linen and room sprays to make my sheets, blankets and towels fresher and also to fragrance the air with a naturally uplifting scent.  Creating your own spray is incredibly easy and if you put it inside of a pretty container  you will want to keep it by your bedside and spray it on your pillow before going to bed.  Continue for instructions... 

Creating A Luxurious Life: The Breakfast Tray & Homemade Pain au Chocolat

I am excited to start off a new series today called 'Creating a Luxurious Life', which will be a monthly feature that shows little ways to incorporate bits of luxury into your every day life.  Today, I am beginning with one of the weekends biggest indulgences - breakfast in bed.  

Breakfast in bed seems like such a luxurious idea especially during the fast-paced week.  But on the weekends when there is more time to linger, nothing is quite like waking up to a beautifully arranged breakfast tray with hot aromatic coffee, a flaky pastry and fruit served alongside the weekend newspaper.  When it comes to eating breakfast I'll be honest, I am not that big of a fan eating something sweet first thing in the morning. I will have the occasional muffin if I make them but I usually like to stick with eggs for breakfast, however, I will make an excuse for my favorite french pastry, a pain au chocolat or chocolate croissant.  Continue for more...