Recently in “Kitchens and Kitchen Stuff”

elevate "take-out" coffee to a new level!!!

Had dinner last night with the E-I-C, at our favorite haunt The Silver Star  (not terribly chic, but great hamburgers!) ....... we go there to "muse & amuse," chatter about the "accessories & accessorations" of our lives ........ we talk about everything!!! 

We were discussing our upcoming trips to Europe and I was telling him about the fabulous "jelly serving spoons" I had found at a design/hardware store in Paris. I mentioned that I was going to stop in Paris to pick up a bunch more and did he want one or two!!! I realized how silly this sounded.... going to Paris for $8.00 spoons .... why not just make a quick stop at Gracious Home??? But, of course, there are no jelly spoons at Gracious Home or anywhere else.... this sublime spoon has disappeared, if it ever existed!!!!! 

I'm hoping that by putting the spoon's picture into the world, possibly some "tabletop guru" will see it, realize just how fabulous it is and make a new "jelly spoon," that will be available closer to home!!!!  It really is an amazing "accessoration"!!!!

Continuing my quest for "yummy accessories," I found these divine cake stands in Seattle from local design duo, Jamie Iacoli & Brian McAllister. These delightful stands are created from hand selected vintage brass candlestick holders ..... that are then powder coated into any of the yummie colors above ..... and then the designers adhere a hand finished white corian top!!! Sizes for the tops vary from 4" to 13" and the heights are left to the candlesticks!!! 

I absolutely adore these stands ...... and I love lots of desserts on the table ...... So, how many should I carry back to NYC for Thanksgiving dinner???????

I am so lucky to have so many interesting and innovative friends!!! One of my most interesting BFF's is an amazing cook...YUM!!! In addition, she is a passionate collector of "everything" and has collected cookbooks for decades!!! She has created incredible dinners with the help of all the great chefs from Julie Childs to Ina Garten!! Of course,, I adore everything she makes.....but, I really covet her enormous collection of dishware!!!!  There is dinnerware galore..... and every holiday has its own set of plates!!! She has a variety of sets of fine china, as well as the most divine sets of hand thrown dishes.  What really fascinates me, is that she has figured out how to put these passions together in her recently re-done kitchen.......and has created a totally new piece of furntiture....... a unique "book/dish case"!!!!!

Chartreuse is my favorite color....so, imagine my delight when I found this divine stainless steel and polypropylene dish rack!!! high&dry, was the inspiration of award winning, London based, design company black+blum!!!! The sculptural rack, inspired by architectural models of buildings, folds flat for storage and has extra long spikes to hold your champagne flutes, a must!!!! Also included with the rack is a drainage tray which has a "lip" that can be flipped up or left down, depending upon usage.  

Sorapot is a unique and modern teapot, it is the thoughtful creation of designer Joey Roth. He incorporates the cleanliness of line, architectural shape, and the quiet simplicity of a gentle cup of tea into his design. The tea is displayed "inside a glass barrel like an aquarium of tea leaves." The Zen nature of the design, incorporating the sleek chrome handle, reminds me of a gentle piece of sculpture. Made from the highest quality stainless steel, pyrex glass, and food-grade silicone, the pot's beauty increases with age! According to Joey...."My dream is to find a well-loved, well-used Sorapot in an antique shop fifty years from now, and I designed with this image constantly on my mind." 

Designed to hold 11 oz., it is perfect for two cups of tea.......why would anyone need more!!!!! 

My very tasteful and chic Grandmother, Nana Lu, always started the day with a bed tray.....  a white linen doily, scalloped in pink, lined the top..... with a glass of fresh orange juice, a silver carafe of coffee, a cup & saucer, a plate with toast and butter, a pot of jam, a white linen napkin, and a silver bud vase with one red rose.....always at 9AM!!!!!!! But, as we know those days are long gone!!!!! I hate not being pampered, missing the niceties of life, and am thrilled to find Peter White who has designed Le Petit Dej, for his company ByWhite Design, for similar reasons!!!

This divine acrylic tray is 14.5 x 21.5 x 4 inches in size, is available in white, yellow and red, and is even made in the USA!!! It is a fabulous design and most important there is never soggy toast!!! And reminds me of my Nana!!!

Have you ever seen a kitchen like this????  I seriously doubt it......artist Ellen Nora Goldstein has spend over a decade creating her kitchen......and I wonder if it will ever be finished.....my guess is never!!!! The ever evolving space is a brightly colored montage of pots, pans, dishes, foods, and treasures from all over. I adore the orange wall, accented with red pots, as well as the yellow wall with the green trim. Obviously, Ellen has no fear of color!!! The mosaic countertop, used for both cooking and dinning, is surrounded by metal trimmed bar stools with different color seats. There are a millions things to see in this room, and one of my favorites is the whimsical chandelier.....dressed by Ellen!!! Adorned in beads, a cow mask, crystals and pearls, and eclectic charms.......the fixture creates a glowing light for dinning, making the kitchen look like a magical fairyland!!!! AND, just when you think you've seen everything, you look down to the floor....... and under your feet is another outrageous mosaic wonder!!!

Right now, hurry over to Rockefeller Center to see House Beautiful's kitchen of the year. Divine & delicious cookbook author, Ina Garten and interior designer Robert Stilin collaborated to create this fabulous & functional white kitchen.  If you can't get there this weekend to see it...click on the House Beautiful link below and see the fabulous images of the kitchen, as well as a conversation between HB's Editor in Chief, Stephen Drucker and Ina.