A Weekend with Tricia Foley...

 

 Few things in life live up to how wonderfully you can imagine them. My wife, my family, my dog are all at the top of the list as better. The island of Nantucket too, and Paris of course... but Tricia Foley's NEW GENERAL STORE is right up there as well. Every year I am honored to participate and bring a few items to sell. I love meeting all of the people that come from far and wide and also catching up with the community of style professionals -- decorators, photographers, stylists, all converge to partake in a lovely weekend of beautiful things, delicious food and support.

I always enjoy staying with Trish: beautifully appointed bedrooms (as you can imagine) sumptuous towels, great conversation and fun.  I never feel more wholly accepted and intrigued than when I am at her home.

The first night is a dinner of guests over delicious eggplant Parmesan. Salad, wine, ice cream all flow freely around a table of friends and pets and fruitful conversation.

I always set up early on Saturday morning. I was in the chicken coop this time and brought a mix of my product line and vintage pieces.

 

 

  
Vintage books are a passion. I gather and bring volumes on birds, leaves, trees, gardens and topography.

 

I use the opportunity to change out some of my props. I love this old
tea box that held a tea pot and hand sculpted bust -- probably a college
studio project from the 60's.

A vintage book on mushrooms has a plain cover but opens up to the
most beautiful and detailed illustrated printed plates.

A stack of silver trays will intrigue decorators.

Some books come from my private collection as I look to find new
volumes. I have collected ivory colored pottery for years as well...

 

  

A black and white photo of peonies has a lovely coordinating frame in
silver leaf.

 

 

 The inside bottom of a woven compote is graphic and simple in materials.

 

My jelly jars look great with illustrations of the many ways to use
them.

 

 

 Trish has a rustic log table outside where she placed beautiful old
pieces of ironstone and porcelain dishes.

 

 

 A basket bike and vases of flowers mark the entrance of the store.
Trish has a lovely boat building modernized with windows and lighting
which creates the most spectacular retail space.

 

 

 Treasures abound.  Trish has both new and vintage items... much of it
made from artisans and local food purveyors.

 

Her friend and business partner Roy Hardin makes the most delectable
grilled pizza for lunch... with fresh tomatoes, fresh mozzarella
cheese, basil and a lightly dressed salad with arugula and toasted pine
nuts.

 

 

 Even the ice for the Lemon Verbena tea has Tricia Foley's classic
simple touch.

 

  

Kate, the daughter of one of Tricia's longtime friends, comes from
Manhattan to help every season. This time she has prep duty in the
kitchen

 

 

  Flowers and herbs bloom all over the yard.

 

 

Visitors congregate around a table that Roy created years ago.   

 

 
My chicken coop was just the right size for my mini sale.

 

I purchased some items for my own collection from a photographer I have
always admired. I will show off my finds in an upcoming post.

 

 

Now, how was your weekend?

 

 

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Matthew Mead's Recycled Style is available for pre-order via Amazon.com and Amazon.ca.

Celebrating Mother's Day...

 I made a late lunch on Sunday for my wife and my mother to celebrate Mother's Day. In the past we have gone out, but all too often lately we have found restaurant food really lacking. We had a very busy weekend putting the finishing touches on our upcoming Halloween magazine, but I really wanted to show my love via a homemade meal.

Flowers from the yard and florist filled favorite vases, jelly jars, and dishes.  

 

 

The table was dressed in 100% linen yardage from the fabric store.  I wanted to keep it all kinds of casual, so the light wrinkle of linen set the tone for some Russell Wright plates and grainy linen napkins.

I made a simple but delicious salad with fresh orange pieces, strawberries, and field greens tossed with a little poppy seed dressing and topped with toasted almonds all combined in a jelly glass. 

 

 

White hydrangeas from the florist filled a mid-century bowl and other glassware.

 

 

Lilacs from the yard in Frankoma pottery. 

 

For serving, I used wooden cutting boards, old hotel silver, some Bauer-ware and a favorite hand thrown plate in a plum tone that I found years ago at Dean and Deluca.

 

I made meatballs, which I mix up using egg yolks and freshly grated parmesan cheese. I bake them in the oven in a sauce of freshly chopped plum tomatoes with fresh oregano. Once out of the oven I place a fresh basil leaf on each and cover the whole thing with foil so the the oil from the basil cascades over the meat balls.

The meatballs topped spaghetti which I paired with more fresh basil and a homemade sauce.

Steamed zucchini and  sugar snap peas are served with a bit of
butter, pepper and sea salt. 

  

A baker friend supplied me with freshly
baked squash rolls from her bake shop. They are a decadent addition served with honey butter.

 

 

I created penne and broccoli Alfredo with a crispy parmesan chicken breast. I pound the chicken very thin and then place it in a Ziploc bag overnight with freshly grated parmesan cheese and a bit of cream.  I then dredge it in more cheese and bake in  the oven for 15-20 minutes.
Because of marinating in the cheese, the flavors are throughout the meat and subsequently very tasty.

For dessert, a fresh raspberry cheesecake made with raspberry puree and
shortbread cookie crust:

Sangria was the drink of choice and flowers abounded almost everywhere
the eye could see.

 I so enjoy cooking for my family and celebrating
with a meal that is always anticipated and so well received. I
think my wife and mom thoroughly enjoyed the day and all the simple
details... and there were plenty of leftovers to share around!

How was your Mother's Day?

 

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Matthew Mead's Recycled Style is available for pre-order via Amazon.com and Amazon.ca.

A Homemade Mother's Day

Mother's Day is almost upon us and if there ever was a person more deserving of a little extra love and attention, it is the mothers in our lives. Head on over to the Wayfair blog where Matthew is sharing some of his stand-out tips for saluting Mom in style, with easy-to-execute homemade food, gifts, and pampering ideas.

Happy Mother's Day!

A Spring Garden Event...

 
 

Jenny and I felt so privileged in many ways this past weekend.We were asked by our long-time friend and photographer Helen Norman to participate in an amazing garden event at Ladew Gardens--a historic topiary garden just north of Baltimore, MD.  Helen and I worked together during my years at Country Home and always look for oportunities to work together every chance we get. She contributes a great deal to Ladew Gardens and has asked me several times to participate in the annual event. This year I cleared my schedule and Jenny and I packed our truck with books and vintage items and made the nearly 9 hour drive to do the show. What a wonderful treat...to see the grounds, meet other vendors, learn about the property, and stay with Helen, who has a wonderfully relaxing compound with a charming guest house where Jenny and I were able to relax and enjoy every perk of country life.

Ladew has acres and acres of the most beautifully sculpted whimsical topiaries and a historic house that is just spectacular. Check their website for tours and events. 

Our white tented space was amongst the trees and next to a spectacularly oversized bird house.
The house is pristine and beautifully maintained. One vendor staged vintage garden furniture on the front lawn; it looked so totally at home.

 

I have collected garden items for over 20 years. Watering cans, old gathering trugs, topiary forms and miniature urns. My wife always urges me to share these treasures and so I dug deep for this event.

 

 

Watering cans in every shape and size lined our booth:

 

 

 
I brought books, wire baskets and my famous jelly jars. A trip to the local Wegmans yielded spectacular garden roses and other blooms.

 

 

My bird plaque fret-work ornaments were perfectly at home in the garden settings. We decorated the tables and tent with our linen runners.

 

Helen photographs homes, products, people...everything to do with home and lifestyle. She shared our booth and debuted her new card line of organic vegetables grown on her own farmlands by her brother.  They are beautiful and drew lots of people to our tent.

 

 
Many folks dropped in to visit and purchased items, while some just enjoyed the amazing weather.

 

 

 Jenny found a syroco garland which will really dress up a wall in a "garden-ey" way.

 

We enjoyed every moment at the garden, meeting so many people and
spending time with Helen. It was a working, but truly relaxing, get-away.

 

 

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Matthew Mead's Recycled Style is available for pre-order via Amazon.com and Amazon.ca.