The Passover Table is Covered with Frogs!

passover table setting

The Passover Seder Table is not simply a place to tell the story of the Exodus and to eat dinner. The Table is symbolic in and of itself. It is a place where memories are made and traditions are taught. It is where we gather with family and friends, and newcomers too, to celebrate our freedoms.

passover table setting

The vibrancy and beauty of the Table reflect our gratitude to God for taking us from slavery to freedom, from sadness to happiness, from pain to joy, from darkness to light. Fresh flower arrangements that mirror this year’s bright ORCHID & LIME color scheme make the table especially spring-like and festive as we celebrate the bounty, joy, and beauty of the season.

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Teacher Appreciation Luncheon ~ Baseball Theme! Home Run!

root beer float
teacher appreciation luncheon invitation

Take me out to the ball game! We all have our favorite days in the school year – mine, Graduation Day and the Annual Teacher & Staff Appreciation Day. Each year the generous, creative parents of children at Rolling Hills Country Day School transform our auditorium into a delightful oasis in the middle of the workday.

A couple weeks before the event we were thrilled to receive an “admission ticket” to a DAY AT THE PARK accompanied by a box of Cracker Jack – a baseball-themed luncheon, and we were invited to wear our favorite team jersey. How fun! And while we know the general theme of the event, the decor and menu will be a surprise until we walk through the auditorium doors. We’re always dazzled and amazed when we enter the room!

The attention to detail is what impresses me most. This year featured charming picnic tables with astro turf runners with giant baseball vases and handcrafted daffodil arrangements. Four “Olde Fashioned Stations” were set up around the room – Party Favors, Root Beer Floats, Ball Park Candy & Cupcake, Popcorn. Fresh popped corn was offered with assorted toppings – truffle salt was by far the most popular. Several moms baked specialty cookies, which were made into ice cream sandwiches, a hot seller! The buffet table featured a bounty of picinic-style sandwiches, salads, and sides. Last but not least, one dad was the pretzel & peanut vendor, how adorable is that??

While some parents graciously serve the food and set the tables at the luncheon, other parents are in the classrooms with the children so teachers may have an extended lunch period to relax and enjoy the fabulous meal. We are so very fortunate to work at an outstanding school with such a dedicated parent population.

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Celebrating Democracy: A Re-Creation of The Inaugural Luncheon

table setting inauguration

Fifty-Seventh Presidential Inauguration
January 21, 2013

This was a grand day. A day for all Americans to come together and celebrate, to acknowledge that we can disagree politically and still have mutual respect. Barack Obama’s Inaugural Luncheon captured the spirit of the day.

Republicans, Democrats, and Independents were seated together at the tables. The legislative branch, judicial branch, and executive branch were enjoying each other’s company. It was all good. I am proud to be an American. I am a patriot. I love the formalities, the ceremony, the protocol, and the tradition.

In that spirit, as we did four years ago, we re-created dishes and the table decor of the Inaugural Luncheon with the help of recipes from the Senate Inaugural website. Coincidentally, I had just purchased a set of Lenox china with a teal rim just two days before, almost exactly the same as the china pattern used at the luncheon!

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Salted Caramel Brown Sugar Pots de Creme

salted caramel

Salted Caramel Brown Sugar Pots de Creme

christmas table setting
Our Christmas Table & Fire in the Hearth

Merry Christmas Friends! I brought this petite dessert, Salted Caramel Brown Sugar Pots de Creme, to a holiday party the other night. They travel well and received rave reviews too. It’s amazing how a handful of everyday ingredients can easily be turned into a sublime little treat:  sugar, cream, milk, egg, vanilla, salt.

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Home Tour – Part II: The Tables

natural holiday table setting

Chez Lori Lynn is a place for entertaining. For the WHITE POINT HOME TOUR & RECEPTION, the tables in my home were dressed in a seasonal style. And to give an idea for a holiday dish that is super-popular and easy to prepare for a crowd,  I served my Holiday Spiced Sweet Potatoes to the 300 attendees. I know that sounds like a lot of sweet potatoes, but only a sample was served, so it really was manageable…

My home joined six other distinctive San Pedro homes on the WHITE POINT HOME TOUR & RECEPTION hosted by the Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy. All the proceeds from the event supported site improvements and habitat restoration at the White Point Preserve. The White Point Nature Preserve features 102 acres of restored coastal sage scrub habitat, hiking and handicap accessible trails overlooking the Pacific Ocean and Catalina Island.

The Seasonal Tables

  • Natural Thanksgiving
  • Casual Elegant Candelabra Dining
  • Purple & Green Butterfly Garden
  • Rise ‘n Shine Breakfast Counter

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