I love entertaining.
tulips, coffee, and reading up on how to make Camille Styles’ Lavender Lemonade
Whatever the season I love to have guests over for dinner, for drinks, for lunch or brunch. Any excuse for a get together!
I love planning the themes of my mini events, planning the menu, the drinks menu, the playlist. I also love throwing things together last minute for a spur of the moment party.
I’m an avid collector of party planning books, from Martha Stewart in the early days to Lulu Powers who has been a standard in my home for years. Recently while reading some blogs online I came across Camille Styles Entertaining: Inspired Gatherings and Effortless Style
. I featured this book on my March Coveted List, then promptly ordered it on Amazon!
Camille Styles Entertaining is all about effortless style. A little planning up front, but essentially setting you up to be able to throw together a super stylish yet casual little party, for 4 or for 40, without any stress or drama.
Camille says “My secret to modern, stress free entertaining: keep the focus on just a handful of details that pack a major punch and leave a lasting impression in guests’ minds.”
I’m planning out some spring and summer entertaining, so this weekend will involve some quality time with good coffee and Camille Styles Entertaining, picking through her ideas for table settings and menus, cocktails and party themes. I love outdoor chandeliers and lights strung through the trees, and I love normal weeknight dinners served on pretty plates at a beautifully set table outdoors under the stars.
One of the things I love about this book is the celebration of everyday life, making the normal feel just a little bit more special. Camille tells us not to wait for special occasions but instead to infuse some of her ideas into our regular life. Make our dinner tables looking prettier and more festive, eat outdoors rather than at the dining table.
Her book is full of lush images, great personal stories that breathe life into her parties (when I read the first page story about turning a tedious work dinner into a fun Mexican fiesta I knew this was the book for me!) recipes, menus and cocktail ideas. It makes a great gift for friends, for Mother’s Day, for yourself. Whether you entertain all the time or whether you never entertain at all, there is something for you in this book.
You can find Camille Styles Entertaining on Amazon.com
