We’ve all been there, done that. The asparagus is in the oven, ready to go, the potatoes washed, in the pan, not yet started, the salad done minus the dressing, the meats seasoned, prepared for the oven, and the hint of rosemary filling the kitchen air. It’s 30 minutes out from the guests arriving when…
Tag: entertaining
Culture, what else have we learned from the egyptians
Table centrepieces made of garlands or wreaths are one custom that has endured the test of time yet not that of forgotten beginnings. Dating back to the Egyptians, wreaths were placed on mummies as they entered the afterlife in a nationwide custom that celebrated this important rite of passage. A few centuries after, rose-petal garlands…
The Eggs of Easter, Egypt and the cosmic myths
The beautiful tradition of colouring eggs is laden with meaning. Its history can be traced to the very beginning of creation. Spring is a flame that took the shape of myths, legends and religions across time. Believers hold it as the reaffirmation of faith. Non-believers cherish charismatic rebirth customs in many of its forms. In…
Christmas decor traditions and their ritualistic performance
Christmas is the most famous ritual in the western world. Controversial in approach for many reasons, the ones that celebrate it agree on the importance of a specific decor to set the season’s festive mood. Like any other ritual, the careful assembly of parts and steps is critical in achieving a successful rite and passage:…
Christmas traditions, dishes and how to present them
I am a Christian. I do not know how much of a believer but a Christian in terms of traditions. I was raised in Romania in a mixed Hungarian-Romanian family with many customs that did not fit one norm but rather straddled the two cultures. Food tradition, like in any celebration everywhere in the world,…
Three things to look for this holiday season that make gifting yourself or others a pleasure
With the holiday season just around the corner, the stay-home crowd will naturally think of gifts and shopping, cooking and house decorating, outfits and social visiting schedules. As you approach it, you better start planning some things ahead. Time goes so much faster between November and January, does it not? Considered by many the lesser…
Alfresco Cheese, the perfect presentation and dining just south of the 45th parallel
On average, in Ontario, the frost-free season starts somewhere around the 23rd of March and ends on the 31st of October. In its window of 161 days, the flurry of life outside most Canadian homes is in sync with the season, ripping the benefits of a warmer sun, flower beauty and much-needed positive energy. Part…
Games night at home and how to let the kids win graciously
Letter to the parent who wants to set a perfect games night time: any Friday night of your choosing place: once upon a home, in a house full of laughter and joy Dear parent, This one will be an easy one. The kind that you need a stiff drink for and a lot…
Happy Earth Day and how to think about the flowers that decorate your table
There is no better day than today to be mindful of the cycle of life that keeps our planet alive. In the post-industrial age we live in, we in the north-western hemisphere, are perceptually disconnected from the resources of our existence. This has a big impact on how we do everything, from waste to decorating…
Happy Valentine’s
Valentine’s Day is all about spending time with the ones you love and respect and the ones that feel the same toward you. Typically celebrated at dinner, this year the day falls on a weekend. With work out of the way, a full day can be planned around love, intimacy and affection. So set up…
Outdoors are the new indoors
2021 TREND SPOTTER 💫 LIFESTYLE Biggest lifestyle trend for 2021 will be getting out and styling it like there is no tomorrow. When out of hibernation and back into the greens, spring will bring with it the much-awaited access to the great outdoors. Lawn chairs and fishing rods may do the trick for some, but for…
Fifteen minutes of domestic pleasure
This is an ode to the Everyday, the normal day, the one that tends to get ignored, the one that you want past while you reach the special ones faster, that day, that ordinary one that fills most of your life, the one that should get the most attention.