2016. Welcome the New Year!
I know a lot of people's New Year's resolution include losing weight, joining the gym, starting another "new" diet, getting new job, but for me, I have a different one:
My list starts with "dine in style".
I figured since I am one of the thousands of people who are all too trigger happy taking food photos, I thought I'd take it to the next level and set up a great frame work for my subject as well.
As a kid, I've always drooled over formal dinnerware, fine china, sterling silver and crystal glassware. I used to dream of indulging in 4, 5 & 7 course meals while I play tea (and dinner) parties with my piggie dolls.
Even as a teen-ager, while friends flock over fashion magazines, I used to bury my nose over Martha Stewart's Living magazine, flip over Home Decorating journals and stroll towards the Home & Kitchen section of the mall while kids my age obsessed on the latest shoes and make-up trends!
All is well, because after over 2 decades, I'm proud to say that I have contributed quite a lot to my mom's kitchen collection.
However, for some reason I can't remember, I stopped with this hobby.
I even limited myself to eating on sturdy earthenwares and cheap (but cute) ceramic mugs.
Perhaps, fine dining is one of the things most people now take for granted in lieu of practical dinner given their busy schedules. I for one would be lucky if I could even have time to grab a quick meal "rice topping style" in the kitchen!
Or was I just afraid to use my mother's fine china for fear of breaking a piece that would leave the set incomplete?
But what's the purpose of owning fine tableware with no intentions of using them in the first place?
So for this year, I resolve to slowly utilize our dishware collection even for just simple meals alone or with company.
After all, it makes the experience more pleasant.
Kicking off this resolution is a rather modest dinner with my best friends. The table is set hours before I cook dinner. This way I can focus on a task at a time.
Seeing my childhood friends once again reminded me of my passion as a kid and armed with more knowledge today, I was inspired to add up my own spin on the custom place settings.
Here's my first ensemble. I call this HIPSTER CHIC place setting good for 1 or 2.
Who says one needs to own the complete matching set of fine dinnerware to design an ensemble? Not me. Just a piece or two collected over the years makes this more interesting.
This set is composed of sturdy ceramic plates in pale yellow with copper-colored patina for salad/fruit, a large brick red plate for the main course, a polka dotted bowl for soups/cereal, all of which I got from a flea market. A sunflower coaster (for the bread roll) I snagged from a garage sale, cup and saucer set from a store in Japan, the stemmed glasses and coaster I got as Christmas gifts from loving friends. The utensils my dad bought in Jersey (after I rallied for him to buy me tons and tons of kitchen and dinnerware, hehehehe) and placemats purchased over a decade ago from Rustan's. The napkin is one sewed by my yaya when I told her we needed green linen for the bread basket.
This is a sentimental collection, synonymous with your typical hipster fashion and a good framework for a sumptuous breakfast. Every piece holds a memory that brings up a smile every time I use it.
Now, for lunch I chose a rather industrial look.
The plates and cup&saucer set originally from a dinner set I purchased over a decade ago for our daily use. And since the plates are used everyday, only a few survived to see this millenia. But for a nice lunch for 1 or 2, I can rustle up this particular design. Glasses engraved with the letter M were purchased by my father likewise the utensils with the wooden handle. The water goblet and coasters purchased from local grocery stores.
This set is perfect for a hefty lunch of soup, salad and a meat course.
I'm no wine drinker so the glassware is perfect for juice and water. The demitasse at the top of the dessert fork and spoon is intended for a single flower to dress up the table.
A Victorian inspired place setting, perfect for a 3 or 4 course dinner.
Now that I have my "framework" in place, I am more inspired to create sumptuous meals that would grace our dinner table as had been the tradition set-up by my mom.
Also, I am now back to my cruising around Home & Kitchen sections of malls, department stores, even flea markets, garage sales and online shops for that one of a kind piece that would complement my dinnerware ensemble. Who knows what kind of treasure I would find. Afterall, one man's trash would be the next piece to my never ending dinnerware puzzle.
Bon Appetit!
luv,
La
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