Dishing it up / with Sharon Insul

Come sit with me for awhile . . .
and see what I’m bringing to the table ®

Who can resist the warmth of sunshine surrounded by flowers and hummingbirds? I know. I definitely can’t! Below is a glimpse of the first of many Spring gatherings to come. We, in southern California are very blessed with balmy days of 70 degrees and above. Yes, yes I heard that. It’s true that our temperature can dip down, down, down. Evenings of  40’s to 50’s are no joking matter .   .   . believe you me! Us thin-skin Californians are not built for the Arctic. Having absolved myself of basking in warm weather .   .   .  it’s best to move on.

I love this table cloth (above) filled with vivid colored flowers set against a marigold, yellow and white plaid pattern. This happy table cloth is saying .   .   .  hurry .   .   . Come sit with me for awhile . . . and see what I’m bringing to the table®. Come bask in my flower garden, filled with sunshine, warmth, friendship, laughter and lots of yummies to while away the afternoon. Short lime green stemmed glasses pair well with cut crystal-like tumblers. Mother-of-pearl shell dishes will hold fresh ceviche followed by chilled shrimp rémoulade served on gorgeous hand painted vintage porcelain plates. Plates touched with accents of pale mint green, and shades of wispy pinks are further kissed with touches of bronze, likened to a setting winter sun.  Sooo comwe on .   .   . pull up a chair and enjoy!!!

Are you looking for a new twist on the same-old, ho-hum table setting?

Well look no further .   .   . help is here .   .   . Now on Amazon “a collection of… Tableofferings™ from the go-to expert tablescaper” Available in E-book and HARDCOVER getBook.at/Tableofferings

For the kiddies in your life “I am sooo Lucky!!!” Series AVAILABLE on Amazon

Book1  getBook.at/book1Lucky    Book2   getBook.at/lucky2

Book3   getBook.at/Lucky

Book3   getBook.at/Lucky3

Remember if you’re a Prime Amazon member you can read for free!

       

Sharon Insul is the former owner of the globally recognized  Beverly Hills boutique Candle light and… Beverly Hills, California, as well as an ongoing contributing columnist for the Beverly Hills Courier Newspaper.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dishing it up / with Sharon Insul

Come sit with me for awhile . . .
and see what I’m bringing to the table ®

“How do I love thee .   .   . I love thee to the level of every day’s most quiet need, by sun and candle-light .   .   .” Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806-1861). Over one hundred and fifty years later, I would say Ms. Browning nailed it!

We have been writing, painting, singing, signing, saying, and showing just how much we love one another since .   .   . well probably way before man began turning actions into tangible symbols of love. From cave drawings to Cartier, Linzer Heart Sandwich Cookies to tattoos, cigar bands to gold bands, and .   .   . well, I’m sure you’ve got my gist .   .   . Do you think you know where I’m going??? .   .   . Hell, I’m not even sure where I’m going with all this     .   .   . yet!!! Um .   .   . maybe that statement is a touch misleading.

The above photo .   .   .  Red feather Christmas wreath, that I re-purposed with twinkle lights  forming an abstract heart around red, the ultimate color of love, and certainly Valentine’s Day. Ah ha .   .   . see I really did, and do know where I am going! .   .   . phew! Be still my heart!  I just have soooo many out-of-the-box ideas that I need to grab a hold of the reins, and reign in my enthusiasm! The photo below? Oh that’s an easy answer.   .   . I’m just getting your Valentines appetite in gear .   .   .

For those of you who like spending Valentine’s Day with your honey in a secluded romantic get away .   .   . I say .   .   . Hotel Maison !!! Why??? .   .   . Why not??? I get to pick the menu, create the ambiance, orchestrate the music (not muzak), decide what, when, and where each course is served .   .   .  Now that, my friends, is not what you’ll get in a restaurant! It’s o k, go ahead, giggling is definitely optional. The photo below is from my Valentine’s Day last year. Please, by all means click on the photo, and step into one of my many ‘pop-up’ private dining spots in Hotel Maison. As for this years Valentine’s Evening .   .   . hold on zippy .   .   . not so fast .   .   . patience people .   .   . I have much to share with all you romantic enthusiasts .   .   . next week!

Are you looking for a new twist on the same-old, ho-hum table setting? Well look no further .   .   . help is here .   .   . Now on Amazon “a collection of… Tableofferings™ from the go-to expert tablescaper” Available in E-book and HARDCOVER getBook.at/Tableofferings

For the kiddies in your life “I am sooo Lucky!!!” Series AVAILABLE on Amazon

Book1  getBook.at/book1Lucky    Book2   getBook.at/lucky2

Book3   getBook.at/Lucky

Book3   getBook.at/Lucky3

Remember if you’re a Prime Amazon member you can read for free!

       

Sharon Insul is the former owner of the globally recognized  Beverly Hills boutique Candle light and… Beverly Hills, California, as well as an ongoing contributing columnist for the Beverly Hills Courier Newspaper.

 

 

 

 

 

Dishing it up / with Sharon Insul

Come sit with me for awhile . . .
and see what I’m bringing to the table ®

Whether you’re in like, lust, or love .   .   . red velvet takes the cake!

Your heart belongs to ? Hmmm .   .   . Not sure who your heart belongs to? No worries. I believe in waiting until your heart meets its match .   .   . buttttt .   .   . oh pleeeease  .   .   . of course there is a but, isn’t there always? But the but is a good one. Remember when you were a pre-schooler, a kindergartener? Noooooo? How about grades one thru six when everyone handed out little Valentines to classmates, teachers, mommies and daddies? Ahh .   .   . you do remember .   .   . great. My point? My point is that Valentine’s Day is for everyone. I see it as a celebration of special warm and fuzzy feelings, for many people for different reasons. Sooo .   .   .  having said all of the above .   .   . let me entertain you with my take on Valentine’s Day 2019. My take on the upcoming Valentine’s Day 2019 can be seen below.

An intimate table for two in front of the fireplace covered with a floral motif needlepoint tapestry giving this table a feeling of intimacy. Flashes of red dishes, glasses, gazillions of candles .   .   . and ‘Red Velvet Cake’ fill this Cupid’s nest. Did you see that flash? No? Look closer. Geez. Missed it again? I’m telling you it was just there! There. There it was again! You didn’t see it? Hmmmm .   .  . Maybe what you need to do is .   .   . set your table, so Cupid can sling those special arrows of love and romance for you!!!

Are you looking for a new twist on the same-old, ho-hum table setting? Well look no further .   .   . help is here .   .   . Now on Amazon “a collection of… Tableofferings™ from the go-to expert tablescaper” Available in E-book and HARDCOVER getBook.at/Tableofferings

For the kiddies in your life “I am sooo Lucky!!!” Series AVAILABLE on Amazon

Book1  getBook.at/book1Lucky    Book2   getBook.at/lucky2

Book3   getBook.at/Lucky3

Remember if you’re a Prime Amazon member you can read for free!

       

Sharon Insul is the former owner of the globally recognized  Beverly Hills boutique Candle light and… Beverly Hills, California, as well as an ongoing contributing columnist for the Beverly Hills Courier Newspaper.

Dishing it up / with Sharon Insul

Come sit with me for awhile . . .
and see what I’m bringing to the table ®

What’s fun, mysterious, enticing and exciting all rolled into one?  Mardi Gras of course!

An all out party that leaves no one a stranger. First throw a few colorful strands of beads around your neck, leave an overflowing basket of beads near the front door, and don a fancy-schmancy-glitzy mask as seen above.  O k. That’s a good start. Now whip together an epic foodie table. Lol! Wait don’t run away .   .  . this won’t hurt a bit! Think color .   .   . lots of color and  . . .

Time to add some New Orleans delights. Delectables fit for the most discerning of foodies. One must have, a dish called étouffée.* For the grab and go in the crowd try a tray piled high with muffuletta.**  For the Mardi Gras veteran serve a huge dish of Dirty Rice.***

For dessert I recommend the King Cake shown below. Considered the highlight of a Mardi Gras celebration, consisting of a brioche-like dough topped with a glaze of icing, dried and/or candied fruit and embellished with purple, green and gold sugars. Time to celebrate!!!

*Étouffée or etouffee is a dish found in both Cajun and Creole cuisine typically served with shellfish over rice. The dish employs a technique known as smothering, a popular method of cooking in the Cajun areas of southwest Louisiana. Wikipedia

**The muffuletta is both a type of round Sicilian sesame bread and a popular sandwich that originated among Italian immigrants in New Orleans, Louisiana, using the same bread. Wikipedia

***Dirty rice is a traditional Louisiana Creole dish made from white rice which gets a “dirty” color from being cooked with small pieces of pork, beef or chicken, green bell pepper, celery, and onion, and spiced with cayenne and black pepper. Parsley and chopped green onions are common garnishes. Wikipedia

Are you looking for a new twist on the same-old, ho-hum table setting? Well look no further .   .   . help is here .   .   . Now on Amazon “a collection of… Tableofferings™ from the go-to expert tablescaper” Available in E-book and HARDCOVER getBook.at/Tableofferings

For the kiddies in your life “I am sooo Lucky!!!” Series AVAILABLE on Amazon

Book1  getBook.at/book1Lucky    Book2   getBook.at/lucky2

Book3   getBook.at/Lucky

Book3   getBook.at/Lucky3

Remember if you’re a Prime Amazon member you can read for free!

       

Sharon Insul is the former owner of the globally recognized  Beverly Hills boutique Candle light and… Beverly Hills, California, as well as an ongoing contributing columnist for the Beverly Hills Courier Newspaper.

 

Dishing it up / with Sharon Insul

Come sit with me for awhile . . .
and see what I’m bringing to the table ®

Looking for inspiration?

With Valentine’s Day a mere 14 days away, I thought I should offer up a second   romantic evening possibility. My first ‘2020 Valentine’s Day tablescape “TABLE FOR TWO!!!” can be seen at https://wp.me/p3E2rZ-5G6 .

The setting above was sooo easy to put together. I started with a gorgeous textile of red silk luxuriously embossed with gold, brought back from one of my travels in Thailand. I chose to gather this delicious textile creating a puffy billowed effect as opposed to stretching it out flat on the table. Think of shaking the textile into the air much like a sheet and letting it rests wherever, and however it lands. English vintage dinner plates, mix well with vibrant red ceramic earthenware bowls. Hand painted stemware share space with red handled eating utensils. Red feathered tapers, as well as t-lites nestled inside red based martini glasses, adds the perfect pop. What better way to enjoy the shimmer, sparkle, and twinkle that brings out the true brilliance of the golden embossed textile than with candles lit and positioned to orchestrate the ultimate dancing of the flames. Go ahead create your own private passionate world for a .   .   . “TABLE FOR TWO!!!” can also be seen at https://wp.me/p3E2rZ-5G6 

Are you looking for a new twist on the same-old, ho-hum table setting? Well look no further .   .   . help is here .   .   . Now on Amazon “a collection of… Tableofferings™ from the go-to expert tablescaper” Available in E-book and HARDCOVER getBook.at/Tableofferings

For the kiddies in your life “I am sooo Lucky!!!” Series AVAILABLE on Amazon

Book1  getBook.at/book1Lucky    Book2   getBook.at/lucky2

Book3   getBook.at/Lucky

Book3   getBook.at/Lucky3

Remember if you’re a Prime Amazon member you can read for free!

       

Sharon Insul is the former owner of the globally recognized  Beverly Hills boutique Candle light and… Beverly Hills, California, as well as an ongoing contributing columnist for the Beverly Hills Courier Newspaper.

 

 

Dishing it up / with Sharon Insul

Come sit with me for awhile . . .
and see what I’m bringing to the table ®

TABLE FOR TWO!!!

In case your wondering why there are three seats around this love nest for two (seen above) .   .   . let me explain. The wonderful hand painted garden seat was there to act as my silent butler, large enough to carry the extra load of goodies that I put together for last years intimate 2019 celebration. Not only was it Valentine’s Day but also a mere few days past Chinese New Year. Since I was still in the swing of Gung Hay Fat Choy-ing, I decided to ‘couple the two‘ into one fun-romantic evening. A roaring fire was the perfect background for this candlelit soirée served on a glass table set with hand painted stemware, red napkins and chop sticks .   .   . of course!

I began my tantalizing Valentine’s dance-of-romance with a delicious tray of assorted appetizers whipped up by my favorite Chinese restaurant to be enjoyed with Sake. A series of mouth watering morsels followed. One of the courses was a  sizzling rice soup. What could possibly be wrong with romancing over a bowl of sizzling rice soup when the recipient was, is and will always be a tried and true soup-aholic? Low votive- candles, as seem above, were the perfect added touch to what turned out to be ‘the perfect evening’. I just heard someone say ‘what about this year’s Valentine’s Day celebration. Tune in next week for this years Valentine’s Day celebration.

Are you looking for a new twist on the same-old, ho-hum table setting? Well look no further .   .   . help is here .   .   . Now on Amazon “a collection of… Tableofferings™ from the go-to expert tablescaper” Available in E-book and HARDCOVER getBook.at/Tableofferings

For the kiddies in your life “I am sooo Lucky!!!” Series AVAILABLE on Amazon

Book1  getBook.at/book1Lucky    Book2   getBook.at/lucky2

Book3   getBook.at/Lucky3

Remember if you’re a Prime Amazon member you can read for free!

       

Sharon Insul is the former owner of the globally recognized  Beverly Hills boutique Candle light and… Beverly Hills, California, as well as an ongoing contributing columnist for the Beverly Hills Courier Newspaper.

 

 

 

Dishing it up / with Sharon Insul

Come sit with me for awhile . . .
and see what I’m bringing to the table ®

GO FOR THE EXTRA POINT .   .    .

Rooting for your favorite football team can really be exhausting! Super Bowl Sunday, February 2nd is ‘THE’ day to let it rip! That’s to say .   .   . screaming, hooting and hollering, and boasting are not only allowed .   .   . but encouraged!!!  Of course with all of this expended energy comes the need for sustenance. Enter ‘Tableofferings’ with a couple of sure fire fixes. O k .   .   . so I put the cart before the horse and showed you my absolute CAN NOT MISS yummies first. Can you blame me? Of course not. Lol!!! The beauties above are sooo easy to put together. Really. Just bring in three, four or more tried and true ice cream flavors, ice cream scoops, bowls of assorted toppings and long handle spoons. Mmmmmmm.

FOR A TOUCHDOWN .   .   . go with the tried and true!  The gigantic sub sandwhich below is filled with everything but the kitchen sink and makes a greeeeat statement. Fill up a tub with ice, beer and juice. I don’t know about the upcoming games final score .   .   . but what I do know is that these two food groups are always a TOUCHDOWN!!!!

Are you looking for a new twist on the same-old, ho-hum table setting? Well look no further .   .   . help is here .   .   . Now on Amazon “a collection of… Tableofferings™ from the go-to expert tablescaper” Available in E-book and HARDCOVER getBook.at/Tableofferings

For the kiddies in your life “I am sooo Lucky!!!” Series AVAILABLE on Amazon

Book1  getBook.at/book1Lucky    Book2   getBook.at/lucky2

Book3   getBook.at/Lucky3

Remember if you’re a Prime Amazon member you can read for free!

       

Sharon Insul is the former owner of the globally recognized  Beverly Hills boutique Candle light and… Beverly Hills, California, as well as an ongoing contributing columnist for the Beverly Hills Courier Newspaper.