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

I.  Over the weekend, I moved into my showroom on Market Street in San Francisco. To say that I’m thrilled is an egregious understatement. There isn’t an ounce of doubt that I couldn’t have pulled this off without the support of friends and family (particularly those who carried heavy boxes of dishware and climbed terrifying 24-foot ladders to install chandeliers). To thank my nearest and dearest, I’m hosting a handful for pizza and champagne in the new space this evening. It wouldn’t be T&T without a little glamour, so I’m serving the bubbles in vintage 1920′s champagne coups with edible flower accoutrement. The flowers add a beautiful focal point without generating the extra fizz that berries produce. The arrangement would be similarly gorgeous served with rose sparkling at a bridal or baby shower.

II.  Speaking of showers, I’m obsessed with this floral/helium combination. Easily replicated using any color scheme, the infusion of nature into traditional party decor creates an elegant backdrop for your next girlish get-together. For a ten-foot banner, order 48 balloons in 2-3 shades in 2-3 sizes from your local grocery or party store (ask the clerk for more or less helium accordingly). Tie the balloons a couple inches apart to a ten-foot rope to create a bouquet effect. Pair with greens and your favorite blooms by tucking them into the balloons and affixing with florist tape.

III.   I’m a sucker for a good coffee table book arrangement. As I’ve said once or twice before, I have them on every single surface of my apartment (there are four different piles on my desk alone). And while I’ve stacked them as high as they can possibly go without losing their chic appeal, Assouline and Taschen keep churning out new glossy books that I can’t seem to live without. The solution hit me when I spotted this striking tri-level console curated to perfection (including the adjacent fiddle head fig tree). Find coffee and end table versions here and here.

IV.  From heatwaves to rainstorms, and back again San Francisco is in for another dose of heavy sunshine this week. Summertime weather in the spring has me daydreaming about root beer floats. I’ve decided to satisfy my craving for sarsaparilla by making Root Beer Ice Cream.  All you need other than the titular ingredient is milk, cream, yolk, vanilla, and sugar. A little more outré than the classic root beer float, and almost as easy to make. 

V.  Another way to keep cool this week is to pay a visit to the highly-air conditioned de Young Museum. From peonies and Picasso to ranunculus and Ruscha, art and blooms come together to spectacular effect during Bouquets to Art running from April 5th through the 10th. Ogle arrangements by some of the most luscious floral designers in Northern California, inspired by works from the de Young’s permanent collection. 

Have a wonderful week!  xx tt