While we all have our own penmanship style, Calligraphy is a style that is classic and always beautiful for addressing invitations or letters, especially for a more formal affair.  There are a variety of styles out there, some more old world and some with a modern edge to them.

I recently discovered a company called Linea Carta via Once Wed magazine who does absolutely beautiful calligraphy for weddings, personal stationery, baby showers and other special occasions.  The calligraphy style is a combination of classic, elegant and modern mixed with eco-friendly papers and simple designs; I am in love.  The woman who started it {Diva Pyari} grew up in the fashion industry, which would explain her collection’s impeccable style.

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In addition to custom stationery Linea Carta offers custom love letters, {so very sweet}.  You can order them on-line via their Esty shop by entering your personal message and specifying your ink color preference, and they will write it out in calligraphy for you.

Can you imagine getting a love letter that looks like this in your mailbox from your sweetheart?

Additionally there are an array of linens and other customizable cards available, a few of my favorites are:

This custom return address stamp to dress up all of your handwritten letters – so elegant.

These fun but simple linen cocktail coasters.  Incredibly versatile and perfect for an outdoor summer party or well-dressed bar {would also make a lovely hostess gift}. They are made with 100% naturally sustainable linen.

Bon appétit dinner napkin.  I actually gave a set of these to my mother for Christmas and think they are the perfect everyday linen napkin for your table.  Whether a ladies lunch or a Sunday night family dinner, they set the tone for a special meal.

Wishing you a happy Monday.

xo
~Emmanuelle

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While it’s the first week and the farmer’s will only increase their produce selection as the season progresses, I thought I’d share the beautiful things I came across today as well as some recipes to compliment what’s in season right now for some fun weekend dishes.

My first stop was at the Siena Farms stand.

Asparagus, beautiful asparagus.

Beautiful morel mushrooms.

An abundance of vibrant fresh spring onions, just waiting to be utilized in the perfect recipe.  This Spring Onion Tart Recipe is easy, light and incredibly flavorful.  Would be a great weekend dish accompanied with fresh greens and a glass of rosé.

My next stop was at Atlas Farms and I was greeted with these stunning radishes.

My favorite way to enjoy radishes is with a bit of butter and salt.  My grandfather loved them, {les radis as he would say} and they were almost always on the dinner table served that way growing up.  You should also know that they have incredible nutritional value.  They are one of the highest vegetable sources of vitamin C and possess rejuvenative properties due to their high sulfur, and silicon content {not too shabby for this little vegetable}.

There were also many plants available for your garden such as lettuce and vegetable plants as well as herbs.

Oh hello lovelies!  Beautiful sweet strawberries, how can you walk by these and just leave them there {I couldn’t}?

I came across this lovely recipe via Camille Styles blog.  It is a strawberry, brie and butter lettuce salad with a dijon vinaigrette and marcona almonds – Delish!!

Would be a lovely accompaniment to the spring onion tart recipe above, or simply on it’s own.

So there you have it.  A few highlights from today’s market visit.  I plan to make this a regular series on my blog with variety in content, as we see all sorts of produce throughout the summer.  Last summer when I took some time off after leaving the corporate world, I was incredibly inspired by my learnings of in-season ingredients and ways to integrate them into my kitchen.  It is my hope that through this series and by sharing what I’ve learned, I will pass that inspiration on to you.

Wishing you a lovely and beautiful weekend,

~Emmanuelle
xo

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It’s such an easy color to wear casually or a bit more dressed up for an evening look.  Below are some elements that would be lovely additions to any summer wardrobe.  From a day at the beach to a romantic al fresco dinner. Just pair the night look with a white flared pant and simple fitted white top or a maxi dress and you will look stunning!

Day at the beach: 1. / 2. /  3. This clutch by Anya Hindmarch is fabulous.  Would be amazing with a multitude of summer looks.

Al fresco dinner date: 1.  This necklace is an investment but amazing!  I have been eyeing it for a long time. I do believe that it’s a piece that would never go out of style given its simplicity. / 2. / 3.

Happy {almost} summer!

~Emmanuelle
xo

Mr. de la Renta is bringing his bold and unexpected colors to events and correspondence, that can be customized for a variety of parties and events – you will see they’ve translated into quite a lovely collection with some really fun and vibrant prints.  According to Vogue, the designer’s at Paperless Post used fabric samples and swatches from his 2013 spring ready-to-wear, pre-fall, and resort looks and integrated them into the stationery designs.

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These designs are available both as electronic invitations or in print.  The electronic versions start at 25 cents each and printed cards start at $1.58 each.  You can view the full collection here.

What do you think?

~Emmanuelle
xo

Recently some dear friends of mine and I have been talking about making St. Barths our next trip for some R&R and a break away from the cold, post-holiday season.  With 17 pristine beaches, an island that is no more than 8 square miles and an approach of villas for accommodations rather than erecting an abundance of hotel chains around the island, the preservation of serenity from what I understand has been well done.

There has been some discussion though about St. Barths, that during the economic boom it turned into more of a party-scene, however it has been said that the island has gone back to it’s more laid-back {yet chic} vibe which is what would attract me to spend a holiday there.  I like to go somewhere that lends itself to falling completely off the radar when I take a beach vacation.

While we’ve just started talking about it, I do enjoy researching new places especially given that I plan events around the world, it’s never time wasted for me.  I’ve recently come across a few articles on either new hotels or refurbished hotels in St. Barths {perhaps that is an Omen to take the trip?!}.  According to Departures Magazine, a hotel that has maintained a more ‘refined boho spirit’ through the years is Le Sereno; That really interests me {keeping the vibe true to the original island culture}.  It is managed by a husband and wife team, whom host cocktail hours every week in an effort to get to know all of their guests and more than half of their guests are return customers.

The hotel has 37 oceanfront rooms and also {3} four bedroom villas with their own pools, terrace and garden, all designed by French interior designer Christian Liaigre.

The topic of St. Barths is not finished here.  I plan to do further research and share more findings with you along the way.  In the meantime, if you have any favorite places on the island, I would love to hear about them!

xo
~Emmanuelle

In honor and celebration of the day, I wanted to share some photos of famous/iconic mother’s  with you along with my inspiration for a lunch table setting.

These images are courtesy of Life Magazine.

This year, I’ve made reservations for brunch, so I will not be entertaining, however if I were, I would host a lunch filled with lovely details.  I was inspired to create this setting by these beautiful giverny {Monet’s gardens} plates.  Giverny is a place I visited with my mother several years ago, and it remains a fond memory, so it would be a place setting with meaning.

Champagne is always a great way to make someone feel special so I would serve a rosé champagne and add lilly of the valley flowers to the center of the table.  The champagne holder below is gorgeous!  Would be a beautiful addition to an all white kitchen and is perfect for entertaining and bubbly bars.

1. / 2. / 3. / 4. / 5.

Happy weekend and happy mother’s day.

xo
~Emmanuelle

]]> http://poiseboston.com/celebrating-mothers-mothers-day/feed/ 0 http://poiseboston.com/sunshine-on-a-cloudy-day/ http://poiseboston.com/sunshine-on-a-cloudy-day/#comments Thu, 09 May 2013 17:42:07 +0000 Emmanuelle http://poiseboston.com/?p=3785 Continue reading →]]> Well it may be warmer in Boston but it’s very grey and rainy today, so I thought I would share a post of color to cheer everybody up!  According to color psychology,  being the lightest hue of the spectrum, yellow is uplifting and illuminating, offering hope, happiness, cheerfulness and fun.  Perfect on a day like today!!

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I don’t wear a great deal of yellow, however I’ve been swooning over this Stella McCartney top for quite some time now.

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{image & recipe: mango rosette tartlettes}

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Yellow is a great color to integrate for an al fresco summer party.  Below are some fun elements to help you do just that.  Just add lots of sunshine, your favorite people, a great playlist and voila!!

1. how adorable is this pom pom umbrella? / 2. / 3. / 4. / 5. / 6. / 7.

xo
~Emmanuelle

I am so sorry for the late post.  Not only has it been a busy morning of meetings, my internet has been down for two days and I have finally gotten to the Starbucks in my neighborhood where I can actually gain on-line access and get some work done {until my internet issues are rectified}!

Today I am sharing something called a few of my favorite things.  I hope to make this a regular series on my blog at a minimum monthly and perhaps eventually weekly where I share some of my favorite things of the moment with you.  I hope you like it!

1. I must say, I do love flamingos.  They are a symbol of warmer climates {to me} and I find them to be elegant, and in some instances glamorous {think Palm Beach glamour}.  This one seems particularly balanced and poised, don’t you think?

2. Vintage glasses are something I’ve been obsessed with for some time now.  I recently came across these glasses with gold and cream designs.  They would be a stunning accessory for the right bar or cocktail party.

3. LOVE this idea for either wedding flowers or simply a gift bouquet.  Scarf tied bouquets.  What a fabulous touch of fashion and a great gift for a bridesmaid or for someone special just because!

4. It’s difficult to find a nicely fitting peplum top that hits your waist perfectly.  This silk organza strapless version by Oscar de la Renta is absolutely lovely and would be an elegant & glamorous evening look paired with skinny black pants.

5.  I could go for a stiff cocktail bubble bath after a day like today.  This Willow & Water bubble bath by library of flowers looks lovely with a scent of ginger & lemongrass, and would make a really nice mother’s day gift.

I hope you had a great day and wish you a lovely evening.

~Emmanuelle
xo

Here are some highlights.

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2. {I am obsessed with this orange Mrs. Roper-esque dress.  Would be the perfect hostess gown.  I would wear it with a chunky necklace and platform shoes for dinner parties and feel like Iris Apfel which would make me happy}
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Chuck Taylor style shoes have never been on my radar until recently.  I need a pair of shoes that I can walk the city in that are not totally flat, but are not running sneakers either.  I have been eyeing these for a few weeks, however I think the collection below is really fun as well.  These are a casual option but dressed with skinny white jeans and a light sweater, a fun pattern at your feet would be a great detail!

1. / 2. / 3. / 4. / 5. 

As I mentioned their own collection is impressive as well this season.  There were some stunning maxi dresses {not yet on-line} that a friend of mine ended up purchasing for an upcoming wedding she is attending.  It was incredibly flattering and had a beautiful color palette. And even these dresses below, modern and adorable for a variety of wearing occasions.

1. / 2. / 3. / 4.

What do you think?

~Emmanuelle
xo

This was quite the eventful week and now we are already into May, can you believe it?  Sunday is Cinco de Mayo {as you know} which will entail festivities all around the city I am sure.  So in honor of that, I’ve put a look together should you be out and about celebrating, as well as some festivity ideas should you be hosting your loves.

1. / 2.  {I saw this clutch in person this week and LOVE it!  Truth be told, it was the inspiration for this whole look}
3. / 4. / 5. / 6.

According to Bon Appétit magazine, the Paloma cocktail is Mexico’s beloved cocktail, not the margarita, so why not serve yummy grapefruit Paloma cocktails at your party instead? Click here for the recipe. In lieu of flowers, use succulents to decorate your table, more images for decor inspiration here.  These corona pops are adorable and super easy to make, how fun to serve and what an adorable presentation!  Get the how to here.  These are my favorite!!  Mini margarita favors for your guests to take home.  Relatively simple to make and such a nice touch for your party.  Instructions here.

There you have it.  Wishing you a really fun celebration if you are celebrating.  I am hoping to make one of my favorite gazpachos in honor of the festivities and if I do, I will share with you over the weekend, just check back or like POISE on facebook and you’ll be updated when it goes up.

salud!
~Emmanuelle
xo