Read Full Feature in Nesting Newbies Magazine, 2011 Issue No.5

Known as Chicago’s Well-Heeled Hostess, Kelly Lyden loves to plan a party. Nesting Newbies challenged her to create a little girl’s birthday party sans the princess theme! Kelly delivers a preppy-silhouette soirée in green-and-black color scheme with a pop of pink…a stylish party fit for any fair maiden.

Photography by Sisterrazzi Photography

Read Full Feature in Nesting Newbies Magazine, 2011 Issue No.5

Nesting Newbies accepts an invitation for a return engagement to Dining By Design, San Francisco! Issue No. 5 spotlights its epicurean deliciousness and showcases six delightful dining vignettes that were on display.

Kelly has created a clever ice breaker that will get any party started…napkins! Oh yes, you read it correctly…her Trivia Party Starter napkins come in a variety of themes and they’re an understated (and useful) tool for kickstarting conversation! Choose from 12 different categories, including Girl’s Night Out, Baby Shower, and Celebrity trivia.

And the brains behind these brain teasers have a heart, too…2% of sales goes to Room to Read, a registered charity that provides funding to allow girls in Bangladesh, Cambodia, Laos, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Vietnam, to attend school through High School.

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach…
- Elizabeth Barrett Browning, How Do I Love Thee?

A grand Victorian-love-story moment is worth the extra effort every now and then…just to keep the spirit of romance alive! Create your own enchanting evening with a tablescape similar to the one Lea McIntosh fashioned using resources from the wedding industry. “It’s great to tap into wedding sources for other special events like Valentine’s Day or an anniversary,” says Lea.

“Order flowers from your favorite floral designer, rent beautiful linens, and use your mother’s fine china…or you can rent that too!” Back in her event design days, Lea pulled together pieces her clients had from their families, antiques or vintage items, and mixed them with interesting linens, china, stemware, silverware, flowers, candles and accessories to come up with a beautiful tableau.

Linens: Wildflower Linen

For extraordinary linens, McIntosh adores Wildflower Linen. “They have some of the most exquisite selections when it comes to color selections, interesting textures and those that are ultra-luxurious.” Anything I can dream up, I can usually find a great solution at Wildflower.”

Flowers: Bloomster’s

For flowers, McIntosh uses several sources but no one is more inventive than Bloomster’s. “I like flexible arrangements that can be used in multiple ways. I asked for a wreath of flowers so the ‘lovers’ could gaze into each others eyes.” : )

Table Accessories: Beau-coup
Diamond Shaped Crystal Paperweights
Silver Plated Diamond Shaped Tea Light Holders

“I adore Beau-coup, a fabulous on-line boutique where I always find the unexpected. They have wonderful favors and unique gifts. I have used many things from them and especially like their diamond tea lights and paperweights. They add a touch of sparkle to the table.”

So the table is set and the candles are lit…what are you going to serve? Well, if you really want the cuisine to be as five-star-stunning as your tabletop, Lea recommends…

Le Cordon Bleu at Home

“This is a really good book for classic, formal French dinner recipes.”

Typically, you’ll find that fondue is for small groups…but Chef Lea McIntosh figured out a fun way to serve it to a crowd!

First, she planned for the following stations and spread them throughout the party space:

Meat fondue station with chicken, steak, sausage and prawns

Fresh fruit and dessert fondue station

Cheese and nut platter

Lea says that it’s always a good rule of thumb when planning any party to SKETCH IT OUT! Here is her drawing for the meat station and you can see that the final station is very similar to her sketch. “This also helped me make sure I had all of the service pieces, from platters, to sauce bowls, to utensils,” says Lea. “Without the sketch, I might have easily forgotten something and could have been running around at the last minute. Instead, by planning ahead, I was able to enjoy my guests.”

You’ll notice that the meat is raw. “When serving fondue for a large crowd, it’s best to prepare the meat to order.” Lea recommends recruiting a few of your friends who would enjoy socializing while acting as sauté chefs.

Lea likes to give her guests lots of options so the meat selection included filet mignon, New York strip, chicken breast, prawns, and Italian sausage. She used 20+ pounds of meat for 50 people. “This is more than usual; however, the meat station was the highlight of the evening and there wasn’t anything left!”

Lea’s Fonduta Di Parma is a great fondue choice for the meat station. “As with all cheese fondues, the heat needs to remain low, so the cheese doesn’t separate,” Lea advises. “Be sure to occasionally stir the fondue to avoid burning or separation.”

Recipe from “Crockpot Chic,” Nesting Newbies Magazine, Issue No. 2, page 14

There was an ample supply of fresh, handmade, mini-braided challahs, miniature honey rolls, baguette slices, plus a variety of tasty condiments to round out the station. Lea suggests bottled barbecue sauce, gourmet mustards, or Asian condiments such as Hoisin Sauce, Sweet-N-Sour, or Teriyaki.

Lea utilized every possible surface for her party. “I have a coffee table with a glass top, so I used it to serve the vegetable fondue station. A variety of freshly blanched vegetables surrounded an elevated Gouda Cheese Fondue with traditional buttermilk ranch sauce for dipping.

To complement the fondue stations, Lea presented an artful cheese platter. Guests love the beautiful display, and the delicious selection of cheeses. Read all about creating your own creative cheese platter in The Cheese Stands Alone in our Winter issue of Nesting Newbies. Turn to page 46. There’s a helpful video bite, too.

The dessert station was to die for! Chocolate fondue with lots of sweets perfect for dipping: pound cake, macaroons, Rice Krispie treats, marshmallows, and fresh fruit! For the fondue, Lea whisked heavy cream into melted chocolate until it reached the right texture. You might want to try her original WhatChaMaCallIt Chocolate Fondue.

The next time you set the table, roll out your napkins, placemats and table runners!
MYDrap products come on a perforated roll…soft, supple 100% recyclable and biodegradable squares and rectangles you can tear off as needed. They can even be washed and reused. Available in three sizes and more than 20 colors.

Available at casansamydrap.com.

Read Full Feature by Bridget Biscotti Bradley in Issue No. 4.

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As summer winds down and you realize that colder days are just around the corner, it’s natural to look for every opportunity to enjoy eating al fresco. So, when Nesting Newbies asked us to create a tablescape that epitomized the style and values of our eco-friendly home store, Reclaim, I could think of no better spot than the Menlo Park, California backyard of Sheila Riley and Douglas Farel. Their garden is an organic wonderland, meticulously cared for, but with a rustic and welcoming vibe.

This incredible setting inspired our table design—a collaboration between Holly Durocher, the staff interior designer at Reclaim; J.R. Farel, an up-and-coming product designer who works at Reclaim when she’s home from college in Boston; and me. The three of us set out to create an Indian-summer, organic-garden brunch.

Photography by Natalie Wi

Read Full Feature in Nesting Newbies Magazine, 2010 Issue No.4

Casbah Cool for Warm Evening Entertaining

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It begins with an idea, and Lea had one. A really good one. “I want to show our readers an alternative way to barbeque,” Lea McIntosh explains. “I envision a low table, with lots of cushions for casual seating, and the hostess at the head of the table with a small, portable grill right next to her. Then she can be a part of the party—not stuck behind the scenes cooking. I picture Casbah-like entertaining for the dog days of summer—laid-back…lots of laughter and conversation…pass the food as it comes off the grill and nosh all night.”

Read how the idea turned into a joyous day at a fabulous location, with a table styled by a oh-so-hip designer, and attended by popular bloggers…

Photography by Natalie Wi, Allure West Studios