Infusing grandeur into otherwise drab Mondays with five things/ideas/events for the week:

I.  It’s official - T&T is brick and mortar. When I started this blog seven years ago while studying for the bar exam, I had no clue what was in store. The impetus behind the blog was to help people navigate the kitchen by taking complicated recipes and making them more accessible. Two-hundred-and-fifty posts later, I’ve taken on everything domestic with the same philosophy - it’s easy to live a beautiful life if you aren’t afraid to try new things, and have the proper tools and instructions. The new iteration of T&T will continue this idea. I can’t wait to share it with you in the coming weeks! 

II.  Standard animal prints are tired. Everything leopard, cheetah, and zebra has been done and overdone. But not to worry - there’s a new hide in town, the dalmatian spot. I’m obsessed with every single product I’ve seen in this print - from wallpaper (for the brave decorators) to throw pillows (for those coveting just a little change). I’m loving the print paired with tangerine orange in the picture above - the perfect pop for summer.

III.  My friend Lauren is my culinary counterpart, and we’ve recently taken to co-hosting dinner parties. Itching to try her sous vide, we did 72-hour short ribs for our last party. This time, we want to kick things up a notch with an elegant southern menu. Other than the obvious buttermilk fried chicken and cornbread, we are doing Park Tavern’s deviled eggs, blue mac and cheese with pancetta, arugula salad with chevre and tart cherries, plus my favorite dessert from Town Hall Butterscotch Pot de Creme. If you haven’t tried it, you have to make it immediately (trust me, it’s that good).

IV.  If you prefer attending dinner parties rather than throwing them, you’ll have to stock up on thoughtful hostess gifts. The official symbol for hospitality is the pineapple (which is why Williams-Sonoma uses them in all of their storefronts). These colorful pineapple candles from Australian brand Sunnylife are a chic way to say thank you for invitations.

V.  I’m a sucker for a good chandelier (there are three in my apartment and four in my showroom). I typically go crystal for my own decor, but a client recently challenged me to find something more minimalist for his mid-century dining room. Still on my rose gold kick, I narrowed my search to the rich metal. When I found this half-globe pendant, I knew it was the right fit - streamlined yet still a statement piece. Take a peek at the housewares store I found the pendant in Lulu & Georgia for more unique lighting options.

Have a wonderful week!  xx tt