Monday, August 6, 2018

A Brown Cow ~ Perfect Summer Dessert

August 6th is National Root Beer Float Day.
In honor of this "holiday", I'm sharing a post from the archives.


JUST BROWN AND WHITE 
And A TOUCH OF SILVER

Several years ago, Cuisine Kathleen challenged us to set a 
 table with white dishes and one accent color.
Easy for me to pull out the dishes we use daily,
Nantucket by Wedgwood.

As you can see my accent color of choice is brown.
Luncheon plates are a design by Kate Spade
for Lenox.  I picked up a set on clearance at TJ Maxx.
Flatware is Talisman by Christophe.

Rattan Chargers ~ Pier I
White Plates ~ Nantucket by Wedgwood
Accent Plates ~ Cordell Place Chocolate by Lenox

All of that topped with crystal stems by Denby and 
brown linen napkins held by Royal Staffordshire 
napkin rings in Tonquin.  

The monogramed napkins are circa early marriage.

The brown and white transfer ware napkin holders 
are Tonquin, a design by Clarice Cliff from the 1920s.
I found three of these at the Round Top Antique Market one year
and luckily was fortunate to add four more from
Nancy's Etsy Shop, English Transferware.
Nancy is a fantastic source for 
transfer ware and a delightful person.
You can find her Etsy shop here 
and her blog, Nancy's Daily Dish here.

The bone dish at the top of the setting is also Tonquin. 
I only have two of these, but thought I'd add them just because.

Colored crystal stems were all the rage 
in the mid 70s when we married.  
Our wedding china is 
Palermo Brown by Richard Ginori, 
so it seemed to be the perfect choice at the time.  
I still find them beautiful, but colored crystal has its limits.  

The bucolic scene of the transfer ware 
made me think of cows grazing in the countryside.

It wasn't long before my collection of 
cow creamers came into play on this tabletop.

This fancy lady is French, made with beautiful details
that one expects from Limoges china.  

The brown and white cow, another Round Top find,
 is in the Charlotte pattern by Royal Crownford.

These little girls are inexpensive 
and newly made in China.

So there you have it, Cuisine Kathleen, 
a table set with only white and brown.

My nod to National Root Beer Float Day
 is a quick and easy, but tasty dessert.

It is a favorite from my childhood.
~ A Brown Cow ~

~ Root Beer ~
~Vanilla Ice Cream ~
 ~ Whipped Cream ~

You can see I used the new A and W low calorie root beer, 
and the whipped cream only has 15 calories a serving.  
With a small scoop of ice cream, this is a fairly low cal dessert.

Top it off with some 
chocolate sprinkles or shavings.  

It's so tasty you'll have 
to hurry before the cows drink it.

 ~ Brown Cow ~
Yum ~ Yum
Happy National Root Beer Float Day!


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Sunday, August 5, 2018

It's All in the Details ~ Barn Sale 2018

It has long been a dream to experience the 
MacKenzie-Childs' Annual Barn Sale,
and this was the summer for me.
As they say, "There is a first time for everything!"

The MacKenzie-Childs Barn Sale is a four day event held at the 
company's headquarters just outside of Aurora, NY.
The tranquil property, once a dairy farm, is situated on 65 acres overlooking  Cayuga Lake and welcomes thousands of shoppers
every summer.  Last summer over 27,000 attended.

 Faithful fans of the brand come from far and wide to attend this event.  I say an event, because it is much more than shopping for discounted items.  It's a tradition for many, an annual trip for couples or a getaway for a group ofgirlfriends.  Many arrive the day before and set up camp to claim their spot in line to be some of the first to enter the tents that open early on a Thursday morning.

For all intended purposes, it's a time to celebrate and connect 
with others who share a passion for this special, 
whimsical brand of handmade ceramics, enamel ware, furniture, things for the garden, and other home accessories.
Both shoppers and staff sport attire in tribute to their favorite brand.
Yes, the day is a sea of black and white checks!

 And, yes,the lines are long, but the comrodary shared with those waiting in line is hugely fun.  Food and drink vendors are set up both outside and within the shopping area.  Music is broadcast and the atmosphere is that of a large outdoor party or festival.

My Traveling Tote pal, Patti @ Pandora's Box  drove over from
 Syracuse for opening day to share her shopping expertise.
We arrived at 6 am and waited in line less than two hours,
all the while having a great time chatting and laughing with
the throng of other MacKenzie-Childs fanatics who get up
at the crack of dawn to stand in line to spend money.

I love to shop, so it's no surprise that some things came home with me, but the real treasures of my trip were the friendships that resulted from the amazing group of friendly people.  
There were Instagram friends who recognized each other and made the effort to introduce themselves and also the newly 
made friends met while we waited in lines.

Who knew there is a group called, 
Barn Sale Line Friends? 

Once the line makes it to the covered walk, 
shoppers are close to entering the shopping tents.

MacKenzie-Childs staffers, like this cutie, are on hand to tag shoppers with a wrist band for the day.  The wrist band is the ticket into the shopping tents and allows shoppers to come and go without having to wait in line to re-enter the tents that day.
Patient, good sport spouses,like Jim and Jack,
 often wait outside the tents to ferry goods
to the car while the shopper keeps on shopping!

Once inside, the tents are jam packed with racks and boxes 
and tables full of various MKC goodies from linens to ceramics
to garden goods, to furniture to holiday to accessories to .   .   .   .
Words can't begin to describe the incredible inventory.

The property of the MacKenzie-Childs headquarters was bucolic even with the two acres of tents and all the food and drink vendors. 

Oh, I've much to share with you about this incredible 
former dairy farm property, but I'll save more for later.

I have a complete post on what's inside the Farmhouse,
so look for another post along with .   .   .

A post spotlighting the goods that arrived in these boxes.
Still much to share about this magical experience!
  
Joining 

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Monday, July 23, 2018

A Place Like No Other



 I've recently returned from a very special trip.
January brought a milestone birthday for me this year,  
and my gift from my very thoughtful husband was a trip 
to upstate NY to attend the MacKenzie-Childs yearly Barn Sale.

 I packed my bags, and the week of July 9th, 
Miss Merri Mac and I boarded a plane for Syracuse, NY.
If you've followed along here, you know I've long been
passionate about MacKenzie-Childs, thier Made in America 
ceramics, as well as their notable whimsical style in all they sell.

Aurora, NY is a sleepy village about 50 miles southwest of SYR. An easy drive through the beautiful countryside dotted 
with grazing cattle, crops, and quaint little towns,
brought me to Aurora in just over an hour.

In fact, Sherwood Road took me directly E. B. Morgan House,
 my home away from home for the week.
"Once home to Colonel Edwin Barber Morgan, co-founder of the New York Times and American Express,  E. B. Morgan House combines luxurious modern aesthetics with the unparalleled beauty of an historic stone mansion.  E. B. Morgan House offers seven stylish guest rooms, private marble baths, exquisite living spaces, gracious porches that overlook the lake and lawns, and an exceptional collection of original modern art.  
Guests are invited to enjoy E. B. Morgan House as they would a home, with the sumptuous comforts of the library, parlor, dining room, and pantry."

From the minute I walked through the stunning 
etched glass doors, I knew I was in a place like no other.
I had previously visited E. B. Morgan House in 2006, 
while on a day trip to Aurora with a friend from Rochester.  
I knew the background story of how Pleasant Rowland, founder of American Girl Dolls, had generously used her fortune to
 revive the village of Aurora, home of her alma mater, 
Wells College.  For almost twenty years, Pleasant Rowland and
the Aurora Foundation have restored more than fifteen buildings
in the village of Auroa with a wellness center and spa currently under construction.  What a beautiful legacy!

Built in the 1858 as a private home on the shore of Cayuga Lake,  
the Italianate style E. B. Morgan House was renovated in 2003 
to become part of the Inns of Aurora.  
With delightful verandas both front and back, they offer the perfect spot to soak in the beauty of Cayuga Lake.
I had the pleasure of Room 202; a room with a view!

Greeted with my favorite champagne, and a turndown
service like no other, the luxury of this inn is magic.
Beautiful fabrics and finishes, bright, happy colors, equisite contemporary art, and touches of MacKenzie-Childs create an unmatched ambieance for this place that is like no other.
 Each morning as I savored the quiet and beauty from the veranda,
I sipped my morning coffee from a beautiful 
MacKenzie-Childs mug.  
A home away from home, both comfortable and luxurious.  

 Evenings were spent down by the water around the cozy fire pit as we watched the glorious sunset, glass of wine in hand, and
shared our adventures of the day with other guests, all the while marshmallows roasted for the indulgant childhood treat of s'mores.  Fireflies flitted about, and the stars twinkled above.
Oh, how I'm missing these magical times!

The E B Morgan House in Aurora, 
a place like no other.  

More posts to follow with details of the 
MacKenzie-Childs Barn Sale 
and more adventures of my trip. 
Joining 

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