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

I.  As Table + Teaspoon branches out into interior design projects, I’ve found myself longing to add a few new pieces to my own home.  To breath life into my mostly gray apartment for spring and summer, I found a preserved boxwood globe and whimsical lacquered linen pillows (Nordstrom brand).  The selections satisfied my design appetite while transforming my butler tray table and ghost chairs with sheepskin throws into an entirely new space. 

II.  With Mother’s Day just around the corner, surely more than a few of you are scrambling for last minute gift ideas.  A suggestion that is both simple and stylish: pick up a vintage teacup setting (find one in a color scheme or pattern that remind you of mama) and take it to your local florist to fill with blooms.  After the beauty of the flowers fade, your mom will still have the cup to sip coffee from each morning while thinking of her favorite child.

III.  The weather couldn’t be more perfect for Cinco de Mayo!  If you can’t get a table at your local Mexican eatery, whip up my take on the Tacolicious Tuna Tostada and Pasion Margarita at home. The tostada quickly comes together by combining sushi-grade tuna, chipotle aioli, crispy leeks, and avocado.  For the spicy-sweet margarita, blend together habanero, passion fruit, pineapple, lime, tequila, and Grand Marnier.

IV.  I hope that you will join me at the ArtPoint Annual Gala on June 7th at the de Young.  The summer cocktail soiree is presented in conjunction with the Modernism from the National Gallery of Art: The Robert & Jane Meyeroff Collection featuring fifty works from legends like Lichtenstein and Jasper Johns.  The evening begins with a VIP reception and private exhibition viewing, followed by live music, DJ set, open bar and dancing in the stunning museum.

V. While Ted Talks have always been one of my go-to sources for innovative ideas and information, I’ve recently been watching a lot more of them via Netflix.  I’ve particularly enjoyed the How the Mind Works collection, featuring a range of topics relating to the brain - from how we experience beauty to the way that the brain is able to repair itself post-trauma.  One of my favorite pieces explores the difference between our sexual and domestic desires, and the possibility of finding both in one person long-term.  Check out a transcript of Esther Perel’s talk here.

Have a wonderful week!  xx tt