Inspiration for living a luxuriously and balanced life

Monday, June 4, 2012

An Invitation to Dinner and a Give Away!

Our friends R and V frequently travel to Canada from the U.S. , on a recent trip they stayed with us at our countryside home. I invite you along for couple of the simple meals we prepared.

The tablecloth for the week was a lovely cotton blend in the softest blue almost a grey blue with floral pattern varying in from the lightest to darkest shades of  yellow, rose, and green. The bouquet of fresh cut purple tulips lasted the entire week. Each day opening a little more revealing the tulip's grand beauty.


The Denby pasta bowls were paired with a white square plate, with scalloped detail at each corner. The glasses used were an eclectic group from our everyday glassware ~ we do enjoy a glass of wine with dinner and since our friend V is originally from France the champagne flute (and bubbly) was added a few times throughout as an accompaniment to the preparation of dinner. The small tumbler was used for water. 


For the pasta meals the curvature of the spoon's handle in this flatware set is perfect for twirling the pasta onto the fork. 


A little bubbly to help the cook's ...


and dinner is served. On this particular evening Mr. G was the Chef preparing his signature meal Spaghetti (the long style...)  with a Tuscan olive and tomato sauce, paired with veal, Caprese salad and of course a Calabrese baguette. Now That's Italian!!!


During one of the evenings of relaxing ... We sampled some cupcakes from a new bakery that opened a couple of weeks ago, in the town close to our home. They were delish ~ we sampled chocolate, red velvet and vanilla. The small liquor glasses were used, as we were also trying Bartenura a dessert wine made in Italy from the Moscato grape, for the first time. We discovered  it is not as syrupy-honey sweet as Ice-wine ~ and could have really used proper wine glasses.  

This dessert wine would be great with cheese as well.


Along with the rich pasta dishes we made throughout the week, we did sneak in some healthy ones.  This particular meal we (Mr. G and R) grilled on the BBQ some tender organic steaks V and R purchased at a Butcher, R was familiar with in a near by city. A leafy lettuce, Romano tomatoes, grilled veggies, olives and red onion along with EVO and balsamic vinegar were served individually, allowing each person to customize a salad to their pallet's desire. Small white potatoes and Yams were also done on the grill. A very healthy meal ...


Ok... so we had some cheese cake dessert ... but look at how tiny each is ... some may have indulged in more than one ... 

During their visit our friends rolled up their sleeves and put on gloves to give our gardens and trees some much needed TLC ... you can see them in action HERE.

In appreciation to everyone who continued to visit and send emails (know that your words of encouragement brought hope to my grey days), during my sporadic blogging these past few weeks, I am hosting a wonderful giveaway, for a Gardener's Petite Box


Inside: a pair of  The Handy Gardener gardening gloves dipped in nitrile, perfect for protecting your hands and finger nails while you tend to your garden; a Treasury by Shaby Chic journal and pen to perfect for tracking what was planted, when and where or for writing some personal thoughts after an afternoon in the garden; a tube of Gardeners intensive therapy hand cream with Shea Butter, by Upper Canada; and what better way to sit back and relax after a day in the garden, but with a cup of tea ... some spring rain blooming tea from Teaopia. The shipping box is perfect for storing your journal and pen or keeping seed packets organized.

Give away is open to all followers of High Heeled Life including Internationally.

To Enter:

Be a follower of this blog High Heeled Life and leave a comment, It's that easy!
Winner will be announced on Sunday June 10th.






Joining:


Seasonal Sundays ~The Tablescaper 
Show Off Your Cottage Monday ~ The House in the Roses
Table Top Tuesday ~ A Stroll thru Life
Wow Us Wednesday ~ Savvy Southern Style
Tablescape Thursdays ~ Between Naps on the Porch
Creative Things Thursday ~ The Vintage Farmhouse  
Transformation Thursday ~The Shabby Creek Cottage 
Open House Party ~ No Minimalist Here
Feathered Nest Friday ~The French Country Cottage  
Farmhouse Friday ~ LaurieAnna's Vintage Home 
Show & Tell Friday ~ My Romantic Home 

22 comments:

  1. I am a follower of you!
    Thanks for hosting a giveaway.
    That dinner looks so good, and I love the formality of it!

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  2. I am a follower. And looks like a great visit, wishing I was a guest.

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  3. just found your blog and am now a follower,
    and I wear high heals in the countryside, ocasionally and elegantly!

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  4. I was just thinking it seemed like you hadnt been blogging much lately but didn't know if it was me not keeping up! Great giveaway! I love the cards ;o)

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  5. The table is just absolutely gorgeous!

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  6. Dearest Celia,

    You almost sound as bubbly as the Prosecco from Valdobiadene, the area where we lived! Pieter was in the hospital in Valdobiadene. By the way, we LOVE this Prosecco: Champagne's Sexy Italian Cousin. Your French born friend will not mind I guess... Also my favorite after dinner, dessert wine for rounding off a special meal with friends is: Moscato d'Asti dessert wine. I love it because it only has about 4.5-6.5 % of alcohol content.
    You did have a very 'fruitful' time together and it is food for the soul as well. Being with friends does give us a much needed life's injection for quite some time.
    That Petite box for the gardener is such an elegant choice of yours. As usual! You do possess that rare quality of picking out special things.
    LOVE to all of you and enjoy this new week.
    Mariette

    So glad the LB arrived and that you liked it. I is hard to part from pretty French treasures but it gives me joy, knowing it will reside with you.

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  7. Dear Celia,
    It's been a while since I've been in touch, but I've not really been happy in my own skin lately. Hardly any blogging and even less blogreading. But I'm here again. Your dinner sounds absolutely lovely, the kind of meal I'd love to eat :-)
    I'm working hard on the transition and doing the right things, but I find it disheartning as I don't see any results from all this hard labouring, I guess I just have to persevere.

    Take good care dear friend and I'd love to participate in your giveaway, especially as we are doing up our own front garden at the moment.

    Kindest regards
    Brigitta

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  8. Oh, that food looks delicious and a visit to your country home would make it difficult for anyone to leave! They sound like amazing friends, Celia. xo

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  9. Oh my goodness, I wish I was your guest! Only my favorite things :) Have a great week, Celia!

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  10. Celia, my angel, what a beautiful table and all is so awesome!!!!!
    You're a great hostess!!!

    Thank you my love for your comment on my blog, I've been much sporadic in blogging.... I always find an excuse :(
    So great that your family was able to go visit Portugal mainland, despite the crisis is always beautiful. I wish you'll go there soon ;)

    Good luck for your dinner I'm so sure it will be a blast ;)
    Wishing you many blessings and sending much Love from the middle of the Ocean....
    Big Hug
    xoxoxoxoxoxoxo

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  11. Celia - your dinner sounds so yummy - I love spaghetti for sure it is a big favorite around here! Lovely table as always. HOpe you are well, hugs friend.

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  12. I'll be right over for dinner!!!!! Hope all is well with you and thank you for the give-a-way!

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  13. Oh my everything looks so delicious and so inviting. I love your menus and your tablesetting is so pretty. Thanks tons for joining TTT. Hugs, Marty

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  14. Since gardening is a love of mine and tea begin for me at middle age and I have 'spread the love of tea' to all my family and friends and can hardly count all the teacups I have given away.....this would be a treasured giveaway to receive.

    I am a follower and admirer of you and your blog. Mother always told me when the going gets to you, get up, get dressed, and get busy. It has worked for me and this year My Dear One and I celebrate 60 years of marriage. I still use the advice given to me by my mother as the older you get the harder sometimes become, n'est-ce pas?

    Your dinner posts celebrated with your friends look so tasty. Love the oval pictures.

    Joyfully,
    ~Sylvia Faye

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  15. Celia
    I am craving spaghetti now after seeing that wonderful dinner you had with friends. The grilled veggies, salads and desserts also look scrumptious. I am a follower and your giveaway looks delightful.
    Afternoon tea is something I do for myself every day, time to relax and read or sit in the garden. I send cards but letters I've not written for ages. Unfortunately with typing everything now, my handwriting is not that great any more. I will look into your pen pal section but find myself with a few women I've met already through my blog that like to write (email) back and forth. I know, you're encouraging letter writing so I'm up for it.
    Hope you are feeling better these days and we can meet for lunch or tea.
    Hugs,
    Judith

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  16. I am a follower and an admirer of your garden . I would love to win the box of goodies

    My hydrangeas need lots of water since we haven't had rain for about 7 weeks

    I hope you are having sunny days also

    Janice

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  17. I am really enjoying all your pictures. Make space at the dinner table , pictures makes a person want to sit and chat and have a lovely meal together. Please enter me in your fun giveaway. I am a facebook follower. thank you

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  18. Celia, Great meal (you're lucky your hubby cooks and cooks WELL), and lovely tablescape! Glad you had fun with your friends. I would love to enter your giveaway. I could surely use that awesome hand cream; my hands take a beating and are always dry. Thanks for sponsoring this giveaway. Appreciate your generosity!
    Blessings, Beth

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  19. Celia, I forgot to mention that I am a follower for your giveaway. thanks again!
    Beth

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  20. I am a follower and love reading your blog.

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  21. Just discovered you! :0 will become a follower!

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