Mei 2013

"First things first...We are truly blessed to have the means to set a pretty table and invite our friends to join us for good food and fellowship. I am mindful that many are not so fortunate. My daughter has a passion for the work of the Food Bank. As a singer-songwriter, she has written and recorded a song that is the anthem for the world wide Crop Hunger Walk project. Her song, "Raise Your Voice" is featured in their video. I've included a link in the side margin of my blog. I hope that it will encourage you to support projects in your community that contribute to the effort to overcome hunger.

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When we departed Sorrento, we headed for Rome, the last leg of our journey. The images of Rome were almost overwhelming. I found myself snapping pictures at every opportunity. Much of the time, I don't even know what I was capturing, but that really didn't matter. I'll break this into several posts over the next few weeks. I hope that you'll enjoy soaking up the sights...the magnificent history...of Rome. Come along with me on my Rome Adventure (minus Troy Donahue and Suzanne Pleshette).

All checked into the Rose Garden Hotel...right across the street from the American Embassy. I can recommend it...the hotel, not the Embassy.

We headed out for a walk pretty quickly...

...Past the Swiss Embassy...

...coming in at the top...

...of the Spanish Steps.

...which is obviously a very popular destination....1000's of my most intimate friends.

Still had a reserve of energy, so we continued on...

...past so many amazing facades, centuries old...

...until we reached the Trevi Fountain...

again...so many people, and it wasn't even high season, yet.

Absolutely magnificent!

We ventured further on this day, but I'll wait to share more pictures until next week. Rome definitely lived up to its reputation.

I think that any season is the right time to ponder magical moments spent during long dreamed of visits to foreign lands. How about you? With thankfulness for her dedication and efforts, I'm joining the multi-talented Tablescaper for her meme Oh, the Places I've Been .. Don't miss out on this marvelous blog party. See you there!

You can check out KC's music at www.kcclifford.com, on iTunes, and on YouTube. I hope that you'll take a few minutes and give her a listen. You'll also enjoy reading back through her blog on this site. The girl can really write! Her latest CD is called "Orchid." It is available on iTunes or through her website. I hope that you'll give her music a chance. I know that I have zero objectivity where she is concerned, but I think that you'll fall in love with her music and her!

Rome Adventure, Part I

Nail biting is a fairly common habit among children, teenagers, and young adults. Research suggests that 30% of children ages 7-10, 45% of teenagers, and 25% of young adults bite their nails.

People most often bite their nails when they're focusing on a different task (like reading, homework, or television), are bored, or are experiencing stress, excitement, or anxiety. Many times people don't even realize they are biting their nails because it has become a habit - some people bite their nails in their sleep.

Why is nail biting considered such a bad habit? Continual nail biting leaves your fingers red and sore and can even cause them to bleed. In some cases, you may get an infection on your fingers or in your mouth. It's also very unsanitary. Think of everywhere your fingers have been and all the germs that are being put into your mouth! Finally, nail biting is bad for your teeth and can cause permanent damage to your fingernails.

Many times, people who bit their nails are embarrassed to show their hands or fingers. Here are give suggestions for "fighting the nail biting" to help you break your habit and feel confident in your hands and fingers.

Maintain your fingernails by regularly trimming and filing them. If they are short and kept, you will be less likely to bite them.
Get a manicure regularly or use nail polish. If your nails look nice or you spend a little money on them, you may not be so inclined to bite them.
Coat your fingers or fingernails with a bitter-tasting nail polish. Every time you go to bite your nails, you will have a nasty taste in your mouth.
Wear gloves or put stickers or bandages on the tips of your fingers to remind you not to bite.
Substitute nail biting for a different activity like drawing, writing, playing with Silly Putty, or using a stress ball. Find a different technique like yoga or meditation to manage stress.

Source:

Connelly, D.D.S., Thomas P. "Mouth Health: The Dish on Biting Your Nails." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 20 May 2010. Web. 22 May 2013. <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/thomas-p-connelly-dds/mouth-health-the-dish-on_b_574866.html>.

"How to Stop Biting Nails." How to Stop Biting Nails Tips.com. N.p., 15 Dec. 2012. Web. 22 May 2013. <http://stopnailbitingtips.com/>.

"Nail Biting." American Academy of Dermatology. American Academy of Dermatology, n.d. Web. 22 May 2013. <http://www.aad.org/dermatology-a-to-z/for-kids/about-nails/nail-biting>.

"Nail-Biting -Topic Overview." WebMD. WebMD, 03 Jan. 0000. Web. 22 May 2013. <http://www.webmd.com/anxiety-panic/tc/nail-biting-topic-overview>.

"Stop Nail Biting: Treatments and Causes of Biting Fingernails." WebMD. WebMD, 2 Nov. 2012. Web. 22 May 2013. <http://www.webmd.com/beauty/nails/stop-nail-biting-tips>.

Fighting the Nail Biting

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Each year, The Tablescaper poses the question "Where Do You Keep It All? This time I have something new to add to the mix. Last Fall, Sweet Mister announced that he needed another closet for his out of season clothing. He observed that I had every extra closet in the house filled with dishes, crystal, and accessories. He was correct. He thought that he would have a carpenter come build a cedar closet for him in the third garage/storage room. I suggested that he could indeed do that....orrrrr....I could make a clothing rod available for him in one of the guest rooms, and he could have his carpenter turn the third garage/storage room into a china room for me. Oh my gosh....he did it!!! It took several months to complete; Sweet Mister designed the whole thing with the carpenter. I'm still deciding which of our patterns I want to keep in the china room, and I am thrilled with his generous gift. This week, I want to share the China Room with you...Come on in...

An assortment of tureens and bowls sit atop the cabinets on the right side of the room. Some day I plan to replace those ugly light strips with a couple of chandeliers.

Cake pedestals plus some additional tureens live on top of the cabinets that run down the left side of the room.

This oddly shaped table is really my slab roller that I use when I work in clay. It's always been in this room, and I really didn't have any place else to locate it....and I didn't want to get rid of it. I covered it with a large canvas tablecloth/drop cloth, and I placed sliders under each leg. If I ever want to pull it out for clay work...easy peasy. It's become a staging area when I move things in and out of the china room to the house.

A humble Rubber Maid cart has quickly become my new best friend. Once loaded, it takes but a few moments to transport my china for luncheons and parties to the kitchen door. Now let's take a look inside the cabinets...Yes, it's all color coded...

The whites and creams...

Each section of cabinets has three upper and three lower shelves...

Middle shelf, left to right: Ovington Brothers accent plate; Wedgwood Queens Plain; Royal Crown Sutherland, unknown pattern name; and Castleton Regal. Lower Shelf: Wedgwood Countryware; Cherry motif glass accent plate; Reticulated B&B plate; Haviland plain white luncheon plate; and Wedgwood Majolica Cream Leaf plate. (I displayed as many of the patterns as I could.)

Upper shelf: Royal Doulton RD199 Luncheon plate. Middle shelf: Copeland Spode Jewel; Pottery Barn Enamelware plate; Coalport Kingsware Lady Diana. Lower shelf: Maryland China Company Minuet charger plate.

The pinks and reds are next...

Upper shelf: Coalport Exotic Bird Z3137 luncheon plate; and Royal Doulton Lowestoft. Middle shelf: Schumann Dresden Empress Flowers; Copeland Spode Irene; and Royal Crown Derby Olde Avesbury. Lower shelf: Royal Doulton Old Chelsea; Coalport Old Coalport; and Copeland Spode Red Aster.

Upper shelf: Royal Worchester Regency. Middle shelf: Copeland Spode Mayflower; and Haviland luncheon plate. Lower shelf: Copeland Spode Luneville; and Coalport Sevres Group.

My wonderful blues...

Upper shelf: Minton Cobalt and Gold; Castleton Old Empire Blue; Coalport Spearpoint; and Minton Consort. Middle shelf: Copeland Spode Peacock luncheon plate; Ridgways Lynton; Wedgwood Albion; and Copeland Spode Ermine. Lower Shelf: Coalport Kingsware Blue Calico luncheon plate; Meissen Blue Onion; Haviland Meadow Visitors; Wedgwood English Countryside; and Copeland Spode Wildflowers.

Upper shelf: Spode Blue Room Warwick Vase; and Aynsley Delphine. Second shelf: Haviland Rani; Haviland Saxon Flowers; and Haviland unnamed luncheon plate. Third shelf: Royal Staffordshire Louis XV!; and Spode Blue Room Byron Group. Lower shelf: Spode Blue Room Portland Vase.

The greens and orientals...

Upper shelf: Wedgwood Napoleon Ivy; Antique Rose Famille; and Jadeite Alice. Middle shelf: Bernardaud Artois; and Wedgwood Majolica Green Ivy plate. Lower shelf: Bordallo Pinheiro Leaf plates; Arita Imari Fan; Coalport Cathay; and Coalport Exotic Bird Green Z3137.

Upper shelf: Royal Crown Derby Old Imari; Mottahedeh Sacred Butterfly; and Coalport Corean Temple. Middle shelf: Coalport Chinese Willow; and MacKenzie Childs Courtly Check Charger plates.

And the browns, golds, and charger plates

Upper shelf: Luneville Louis XV Honey; and Copeland Spode Delamere. Middle shelf: Alfred Meakin Fair Winds; and Staffordshire Heritage Hall. Lower shelf: Coalport Athlone Brown; and Royal Doulton The Beaufort. The charger plates were too large to display vertically.

The lower bank of cabinets hold open drawers which house...

Assorted bowls...

...placemats...

...and napkins...And finally...

I ended up with the cedar closets. These are the tablecloths for the formal dining table. They were moved to give Sweet Mister the closet that he wanted in the house for his out of season clothes. Thank you, Sweet Mister! I can hardly wait to see where you 'Keep It All"! I'm always looking for new and better storage and organizational inspirations.

Wednesday is the 64th edition of Cuisine Kathleen's meme, "Let's Dish". I'm excited to be a charter member. Pop over (pun intended for the Chef Supreme Kathleen) and join the fun!

Lots of great ideas to be gathered when you visit Yvonne at Stone Gable for Tutorials, Tips, & Tidbits. Don't waste another moment...hurry on over!

Thank you, yet again, to Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for hosting her magical meme, "Tablescape Thursday." Hop on over and check out the myriad of marvelous tablescape designs, after 10:00 AM on Thursdays. You'll be glad that you made the trip...it's a wonderful adventure.

June is here, and the Tablescaper has invited us to join her for "Where Do You Keep It All?. I'm always a bit surprised when I participate in this one. I could only trust this to a group of fellow dishalolics. How about you? With thankfulness for her dedication and efforts, I'm joining the multi-talented Tablescaper for her fabulous meme Seasonal Sunday. Hope to see you there!

You can check out KC's music at www.kcclifford.com, on iTunes, and on YouTube. I hope that you'll take a few minutes and give her a listen. You'll also enjoy reading back through her blog on this site. The girl can really write! Her latest CD is called "The Tag Hollow Sessions"" It is available on iTunes or through her website. I hope that you'll give her music a chance. I know that I have zero objectivity where she is concerned, but I think that you'll fall in love with her music and her!

Where Do You Keep It All?, 2013

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This week, I want to share with you some more highlights of our time in Sorrento, Italy. I'll be keeping it short and sweet.

Our hotel, the gorgeous Hotel Bellevue Syrene, was only a five minute walk from the central square in Sorrento....time to explore!

The entire walk was filled with local eye candy....

Can you imagine coming home each evening and passing through this door? I'm fascinated by unique doorways....are you?

I kept thinking of these passages as alleys, but they're really some of those quaint and narrow streets that I told you about in my post on Florence. There was a wedding just ending as we passed. The guests were chatting and sipping wine, standing in the lane as we passed. There was only room for what I'm guessing was the get-away car.

Tablescape.....sort of...this was the seating for a local gelato shop. They'd be fun for our grandkids.

I'm enchanted by the gorgeous Italian yellows found on so many buildings.

Just your everyday, centuries old loggia, where the older men of the community gather to visit....how gorgeous is this!

I can only imagine the joy of shopping for my produce everyday at open-air markets like these. Wow!

The central square....a dynamic, energy-filled location. Busy, but not hectic....I loved it!

Not exactly your average Bed Bath 'n Beyond. I've had dreams about this shop since returning from our trip....oh my....linen heaven! Martha @ Lines from Linderhof, this glorious treat is right on the corner of the square. Don't miss it when you get to Sorrento!

We heard music playing, so naturally we turned the corner and headed down the alley/lane to seek out the sound. That's how we found this wonderful restaurant, tucked into the alley space.