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Ralph Lauren ~ La Plage

ENJOY!

and fabric...

and accessories...

Picnic anyone?

http://www.ralphlaurenhome.com/

Embracing Etiquette with Teresa continued... see introduction post

(1-29-10.)

Self- Introductions

This is the easiest type of introduction. The only name you need to remember is your own. This is not the time to be shy. In all situations, self- introduction is fairly casual. . (“Hello, my name is Alex.”) The other person should respond “I am Lew. “It is nice to meet you Miss Williams.”

Someone may blurt out “What’s your name?” while forgetting to state his own. State your name before asking that person’s name.

When introducing yourself to a group of people, wait until there is a pause in their conversation. A hello and your name may be enough, but if you prefer to ask a question, introduce yourself and then ask the question. “Hello, I am Teresa. This is my first visit to your club, and I was wondering about tonight’s agenda.”)

At large events, you will NEED to introduce yourself if there is no one there to introduce you.

I hope that you have enjoyed these posts from the Ralph Lauren Spring 2010 Collection.

See you soon,
Teresa
xoxo

Ralph Lauren ~ Le Grand Hotel

The Spring 2010 Collection by Ralph Lauren is as beautiful as we have come to expect from this design giant. Classic and genius are words that present themselves into my mind when I open a magazine or email with his work displayed. This bedroom is no exception, and neither is the rest of the perfection in this collection, which I will show you in two posts, beginning with this one.

Rich textures, color, and wood are present in everything designed by Ralph Lauren.

Beautiful fabrics...

and beautifully finished wood.

Lavish whites...

wood...

and luxurious materials.

Accessories...

games...

and personal goods.

Beautiful dining furnishings...

accessories...

and to finish it all... a lovely bar.

www.ralphlaurenhome.com

Embracing Etiquette with Teresa continued... see introduction post (1-29-10.)

The Order of Introductions

Who to introduce to whom is a subject we worry about needlessly. The person being introduced first is shown deference, based on seniority or prominence. The order in which a person is introduced is important, but if a mistake is made offence is not usually taken.

The four guidelines follow:

Younger person is introduced to an older person. (“Mrs. Quinn, I want to introduce you to my daughter, Angela Duke. Angela, this is aunt, Mrs. Quinn”.)

A person of high rank or prominence is named first and received the introduction. (“Princess Angela, may I present my husband C. J. ? ”) Always try to introduce your boss first when introducing them to a lower rank person. (Mr. Gunter, I would like for you to meet Ashley Griswold, who will begin work with us on Monday. Ashley, this is Mr. Gunter, president of our company.”)

When introducing others to family members, the other person’s name is said first. (“Alex, I would like for you to meet my cousin, Erin.”). But as a sign of respect, an older person is named first. (“Mother, I would like to introduce Lauren Williams. Lauren, this is my mother, Mrs. Teresa.”)

In social situations, men are introduced to women. (“Mrs. Jones, I would like to introduce Mr. Smith.”)

Tomorrow we will talk about self-introductions.

I hope that you have enjoyed this post as much as I enjoyed designing it. Ralph Lauren gave me everything I needed to present it well.

See you soon,
Teresa
xoxo

SMS - Piggy Sugar Cookies

The Sugar Cookies chosen by Nina of Nina’s Cupcakes for Sweet Melissa Sunday was a big hit. We had fun making little piggy sugar cookies but since we are also getting ready to hike at Tiger Mountain this morning ( in Washington state - part of the Northwest is not frozen or under snow), I am going to be kind of quick.

In my house we collect cookie cutters and have oodles of them but we decided to go with only one design. The cookie dough was delicious and a little sticky while rolling out. I had trouble getting my pieces of cookie dough off of the board, even using a pastry scraper as a spatula.

The flavor was wonderful with the lemon zest added and this is one of our little piggies decorated. The royal icing was a little messy but fun. Thank you Nina for a wonderful choice! To get the recipe for this week, go to Nina's blog and also see what great things she did with her cookie dough. Don't forget to check out the other Sweet Melissa Sunday bakers here to see everyone's artistic side. Happy Baking and Happy Sunday Everyone!

Appetizer: Hot Lobster Dip; Dinner: Asian Shrimp Bisque with Shrimp Toast

Dinners. What comes to your mind when you think about dinner? Does each day bring about a different thought on what dinner should be?

Me? Dinner Monday through Wednesday means cook something lighter, easier and quick for clean-up. The beginning of the week always means work, schedules and unexpected events. Thursday is looking closer to the weekend so I want to cook fun dishes, usually requiring more effort. Friday, well, its' Friday! Weekend . . . Anything GOES . . .

The Hot Lobster Dip and Asian Shrimp Bisque with Shrimp Toast is my Friday dinner menu. I do make my menus for each week and know what is possible and what is not. Fridays, I let myself leisurely make dinner, sip wine and talk about whatever makes us happy:

Hot Lobster Dip
8 oz. cream cheese
1 T. milk
1/2 lb. lobster meat, diced
2 T. onion, grated
1 t. cream style horseradish
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
1/3 C. almonds, slivered and toasted

Directions:
Soften cream cheese with milk. Add all other ingredients except almonds. Blend well. Spoon into oven proof dish. Sprinkle with almonds. Bake 15 minutes at 375.
Asian Shrimp Bisque with Shrimp Toast

Serves: 2 quarts soup serving 8, 8 pieces Shrimp toast for garnish
(adapted from Emeril Lagasse)

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup small diced onion
1/2 cup small diced carrot
1/2 cup small diced celery
1/3 cup finely chopped leek
1 tablespoon minced ginger
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 to 3/4-pound shrimp shells and heads (if possible)
1/4 cup brandy
1/2 cup sake
6 cups chicken stock
1 bay leaf
1 sprig thyme
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground white pepper
1 tablespoon paprika
1/2 cup sushi rice
1 cup canned unsweetened coconut milk
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 recipe Shrimp Toast, recipe follows
8 sprigs cilantro leaves
2 tablespoons diagonally cut green onion tops

Directions:
Set a deep, wide pot over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add the onions, carrots and celery. Saute, stirring, until the vegetables are lightly caramelized, about 7 to 8 minutes.

Add the leeks, ginger and garlic and saute, stirring occasionally for 1 minute. Add the tomato paste to the pan and cook until the vegetables are well coated about 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the shrimp shells and heads to the pan and cook until the shells are pink and well caramelized, about 5 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the brandy and sake and ignite.

Continue to cook the brandy and sake until nearly evaporated, about 1 minute. Remove the shells and heads. Add the chicken stock, bay leaf and thyme and bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer.

Season with 2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon white pepper and the paprika.

Add the rice to the soup and cook until the rice is tender and beginning to burst, about 45 minutes.

Use an immersion blender (or in small batches in a bar blender) to puree the soup and then strain through a fine mesh sieve into a clean pot. Return to a simmer and add the coconut milk and cayenne pepper.

Heat through but do not allow the soup to boil after adding the coconut milk. Adjust the seasoning and serve while hot with the shrimp toast. Garnish with the cilantro leaves and green onion tops.

Shrimp Toast:

Ingredients:
1/2 pound peeled and deveined shrimp (about 9 ounces unpeeled)
1 large egg
1 large egg white
2 tablespoons minced green onions (green parts only)
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro leaves
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
3 ounces cream cheese
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 slices brioche, or home-style white bread
1/2 cup vegetable oil or melted clarified butter

Directions:

Combine the shrimp, egg, egg white, green onions, cilantro, garlic, salt and white pepper in a food processor and process until blended but still slightly chunky. Add the cream cheese and pulse until smooth and thick. Add the cream and pulse just until blended being careful not to over-process. Spread 1/4 cup of the shrimp mixture on each slice of bread, spreading it to the edges and smoothing the top. The remainder can be used within 2 days or frozen for up to a month.

Heat the vegetable oil to 360 degrees F in a large deep skillet. Add the shrimp toast, in batches, coated side down, and fry until golden on first side, 2 to 2 1/2 minutes. Turn and cook until golden on the second side, about 1 1/2 minutes. Drain on paper towels. To serve, cut each toast diagonally into quarters, and serve one quarter in each bowl of soup.

What is this plant?

I really like the smell of this plant. I always disregarded it as a shrub that fills space in the garden. There is one growing right outside my studio room window and yesterday, I was trying to get the screen back into the window and I plucked a couple stems to put into a vase. Later, Matt smelled it and said its scent was nice... and it was! It is fresh smelling, a little medicinal and just a little sweet. Does anyone know what it is called?

Thank you, in advance!
Update: Thanks to Amelia and Alison! It is Pieris japonica, or also known as the lily-of-the-valley shrub! Looks like lily-of-the-valley, but it is a shrub. It has to be easy to grow because it is growing like a weed outside my window and I've neglected to water it... umm, ever. It was here before we moved into the house.

New velvet crush

I'm just a little hooked on and excited about velvet right now. Why? I don't know, but if pressed on the question, I guess it's because it has a vintage feel about it. I like the the weight and thickness as well. It creates lovely durable and substantial head pieces. Expect to see many more velvet pieces soon. Here's the latest:

Milky Way
Hand dyed and handmade silk velvet and silk organza flower.
Thank you so much, everyone, for your sweet comments on my previous post. I'm SO happy that you like the new work. That really keeps me going! I "treated" myself to a shower this morning... ha ha! I don't look like such a grease ball in these latest photos. ;)

Fabulous Fashion ~ The New York Collections

Actress/Model Natasa Vojnovic with members of The American Ballet Theatre. February Issue Elle Magazine. Dress by Tommy Hilfiger

My favorite dress. Carolina Herrera.

Dress by Michael Kors.

Dress by Oscar de la Renta.

This beautiful tailored suit by Ralph Lauren. I love this suit.

I hope that you have enjoyed this selection from New York Collections. Great combination -- fashion and culture.

NOTE: You can buy your herbs now. I am going to purchase rosemary, basil, sage, thyme, dill, mint, oregano. I am going to grow lettuce, but not in the box I built. You will need a good potting soil (I use Miracle Gro.) Put gravel, if you will be using, and pour in soil and them plant the herbs. Water. Be sure you keep them moist, but not soaked.

Embracing Etiquette with Teresa continued... see introduction post (1-29-10.)

Five Introduction Goofs

Looking away. If you are looking around or talking while an introduction is being made, you are showing that you are not interested.

Making too-personal comments. Conversations about divorce, illnesses, job situations, death, etc. are not acceptable during an introduction.

Interrupting. When people are obviously involved in a conversation, do not interrupt them in order to talk or make introduction.

Deferring to one person at the expense of the other. Include all parties in a conversation after an introduction.

Gushing. Do not be too enthusiastic with introductions. It may make others uncomfortable. No match making here.

See you Monday,
Teresa
xoxo