Happy New Year!

There was much to celebrate in 2011. I am filled with gratitude as I look back on this year and for all of YOU! Wishing you a happy and healthy 2012! I can not thank you enough for loyally following our blog and for all of your kind comments and emails! 

Photo: Tiny White Daisies

Perfect New Year's Party with My Notting Hill

Having lived in London, the title of Michele's blog grabbed my attention when I found it a few years ago. MY NOTTING HILL quickly became one of my daily reads. I encourage you hop over and check it out - you will love her style! 

Michele was kind enough to join us over the holidays and share some entertaining tips just in time for New Year's! 

Favorite Cocktail for Ringing in the New Year

A bourbon and gingerale with cherries, made from Baby Bourbon Whiskey from New York's Tuthilltown. The bottles are adorable too!

Favorite Recipes When You Entertain 
Michele's husband is the cook, but she does love serving Bittersweet Chocolate Lava Cakes with a Pomegranate Compote. CAKE RECIPE   COMPOTE RECIPE

Best New Year's Eve Party You've Attended 

While in college at a friend's house. My favorite New Year's Eve parties have always been at someone else's home! HERE is a great source of last minute party ideas, cocktails and recipes.

New Year's Eve Outfit 

A dressy sleeveless top like this ONE from Ralph Lauren

With a pair of wide leg pants and earrings like these from KAREN SUGARMAN DESIGNS

Any Resolutions You Care to Share?
Finish existing projects before starting new ones! Try not to jump to conclusions.  Read more works of fiction. 

Images: Grant Gibson Blog, Recipe Bridge

Gorgeous in Gold

New Year's Eve is only a few days away and I hope you have your party plans set! I love metallics for entertaining this time of year.

Glamorous Aprons - Who Knew?!

One look and you can see why ICE MILK APRONS are all the rage. With aprons this stylish, you may not want to take it off before your guests arrive! The apron arrives packaged with recipes in a jar like the one below. Love it!

Perfect New Year's Cocktail

Wondering what to serve at your New Year's Party (or to enjoy while cuddling on your couch while watching Dick Clark)? Why an Auld Lang Cocktail! RECIPE

Christmas Fun in CT

I wanted to share one picture of Christmas in CT. I hope you all had a great holiday! 

Merry! Merry!

Merry Christmas to all of you! 

Image: Tiny White Daisies

Holiday Party Tips - Bourbon and Pearls

My last guest in the series on Holiday Party Tips is Tabitha from BOURBON AND PEARLS. She lives in Scotland, but dreams of living in LA. She can't live without early morning spin classes, vintage first editions and Pol Roger champagne. Don't you love her already??

Best Source For Holiday Party Inspiration

Tabitha presses her nose against THE ADMIRAL CRICHTON'S site like the little matchgirl: their name is synonymous with the best parties and events in the country, they have delicious cocktails recipes, mouthwatering canapes and excel at table design.

Favorite Holiday Cocktail for Serving Guests

Why make cocktails, when given a choice, everyone always picks champagne. Serve it in vintage coupes, after two glasses everyone thinks they are drinking vintage champagne!

Favorite Party You Attend Every Holiday Season

The Spectator's Annual CHRISTMAS CAROL CONCERT in London, warmed by Winter Pimm's, mince pies and chestnuts.

Best Hostess Gift for Under the Tree

Keep things classic and traditional. Gold and Frankincense are a little hard to come by these days, but DIPTYQUE have hostess gifts all wrapped up with their evocative Myrrhe candle.

Best Holiday Tunes For Entertaining

Christmas classics sung by FRANK SINATRA will always set the right tone for any party.

Favorite Holiday Tradition

Every December, Tabitha tucks  misteltoe, and ivy into her door wreath to celebrate the winter solstice and to garner the hope and protection they have offered since times past. Find one HERE.

Photo Credits: Tiny White Daisies, Flicker

Party Details: Christmas Party CT

I am busily packing my bags to leave for the holidays and for our family party tomorrow night. For over twenty years we have been hosting a fabulous Christmas Party in CT. It starts with cocktails in the house which is decorated to the nines with the fires roaring - so festive. We then move to the barn for dinner with fifty of our favorite folks.

The front room of the barn.

Party Ready

And so is Auggie

Then we head back in the house for more cocktails, dessert and lots of singing (often a bit rowdy) Christmas Carols with musicians from  PETER DUCHIN ORCHESTRAS.

Party Details: Holiday Fete

Here is a photo of another holiday dinner I had for friends. I did the centerpiece myself - it is so easy! Floral foam and flowers mixed with herbs. 

Stylish Spirits

A friend brought me a few bottles of BULLY BOY vodka and gin as a hostess gift. They are so good and not surprising these scrumptious spirits are now being served in all of Boston and Nantucket's best restaurants. Any of these bottles would make the perfect hostess gift or for stocking your own bar during the holidays. 

Bully Boy Distillers is owned and operated by brothers Will and Dave Willis, who were inspired by their childhood family farm. During prohibition the farm was home to a collection of local artisan spirits, which were stored in a vault in the farmhouse basement. With names like “Medford Rum” and “Cow Whiskey,” these precursors to today’s craft spirits were harsh and remarkably undrinkable, but they had character.

Roughly 70 years after Prohibition was abolished the vault was rediscovered. Though covered in dust and cobwebs, it was inspiring, and the idea for a distillery that continues the legacy of artisan distilling in Massachusetts was hatched.

Paying particular attention to the caliber of ingredients used in its products, Bully Boy produces premium spirits in small batches, emphasizing quality over quantity. As homage to the farm, the distillery is named after Bully Boy, a favorite farm workhorse.

Cheers! 

Hip Holiday Monogram

Can you stand it? I am swooning over this monogram that the ever stylish HOLLY MATHIS hung on her door for the holidays. I am ordering one HERE for next year. What a great gift! And you can spray paint it a fun festive color.

Holiday Party Tips - Acanthus and Acorn

I hope you all are enjoying the Holiday Party Tips series as much as I am! I love reading entertaining tips from this stylish group of bloggers. My next guest is the always fab Rebecca of ACANTHUS AND ACORN. 

Best Sources for Holiday Party Inspiration

Everything! Rebecca's ever expanding file of snippets she's gathered from the pros and things learned along the way from years of entertaining. Ideas that are simple and elegant are the most inspiring.

Favorite Holiday Cocktail For Serving Guests

Cabochon Cocktail from entertaining guru Colin Cowie. It's easy to make and serves about 15 people. 

Recipe
In a pitcher, stir together 8 cups cranberry juice, 4 cups currant flavored vodka, 1 cup club soda, 1 cup ginger ale and 1/2 cup Rose's Lime Juice. Pour over cherry ice cubes, (put maraschino cherries with stems in ice trays, fill with water and freeze) placed in a silver bowl for guests to help themselves!

Favorite Party You Host Every Holiday Season

Rebecca's favorite holiday party is any gathering in her home, because nothing puts her in the holiday spirit and gives her greater pleasure this time of year than creating a wonderful and festive evening for friends!

Best Hostess Gift Under The Tree

This can be a challenge, but everyone enjoys beautiful hand towels for the powder room or kitchen.

Best Holiday Tunes For Entertaining

Of course all the classics by such greats as Bing Crosby, Johnny Mathis and Nat King Cole. Plus, Diana Krall, Harry Connick, Jr and Michael Buble. But also mix in some other tunes like Boogie-Woogie Santa Claus (Lionel Hampton), All I Want For Christmas Is You (Mariah Carey) , Zat You, Santa Claus? (Louis Armstrong) and Santa Baby (Eartha Kitt) for fun! 

Favorite Holiday Tradition

All things related to the stockings!!! The family tradition is to open up all the gifts under the tree, have a big holiday breakfast and then dive in to the stockings filled with fun treats, gag gifts and scratch-off lottery cards!

Images: Eddie Ross, Inspired Design, Tiny White Daisies and Martha Stewart