With the last few days of August here, everyone seems to be talking about the end of summer. Yes, school is starting and a few leaves have started to drop off the trees in our yard. The weather is still warm though, and I’m determined to stretch out our summer days for long as we can. I keep reminding people that the official first day of Fall isn’t until the end of September; let September have it’s summer days too! One way I’m keeping the season alive is with a bit more al fresco dining — I’ll do it every chance I can get until the temperatures drop — and pulling together festive summer tabletops with my favorite color scheme: blue and white. read more

I know I’m probably in the minority here, but I really love grocery shopping. I get that it’s a not-so-fun chore for a lot of people, but I really enjoy it. I love to go to the store for inspiration, scanning the produce and proteins for my next recipe ideas. Last week I got the chance to check out the new Wegmans store in Natick, and because I’m a grocery-shopping-nerd I was delighted to explore it. read more

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We are heading out on a family beach vacation in a couple of weeks and I’m so excited. We’re staying with friends on the Cape, and a big part of my excitement is rooted in starting traditions with Jane that meant so much to me as a kid. Some of my happiest childhood memories are from our family vacations to the beach. I remember spending the whole day in our bathing suits, with the salt water drying on our tanned skin as we played in the sand. I remember they joy of outdoor showers, and heading into town for ice cream cones after dinner. read more

I find that some of my most enjoyable party experiences are those that revolve around casual settings and shareable food – and there is no better way to create a casual, shareable vibe than with a taco party! In the spirit of kicking off summer, I have been working on some new taco-inspired recipes for al fresco entertaining. On the menu: quick and easy grilled chipotle chicken tacos that guests can assemble themselves with all of the toppings. And to cool off after a bite of these spicy tacos, I’m serving up big-batch pitchers of frozen peach margaritas – they use frozen fruit for a sorbet-like texture, yum. Head over to the Chinet^®brand blog today to get the chipotle chicken taco recipe, instructions for making the frozen peach margaritas, and a few tips for setting up your own summer taco fiesta! read more

Memorial Day weekend is upon us, which means it’s time to kick off summer, wheel out the grill, and get our backyard celebrations started! I admittedly jumped on the BBQ train earlier this week when I saw some cute hot dog napkins at Target that quickly inspired our dinner plans. Grilled hot dogs, some macaroni salad, and pickles made for a pretty delicious weeknight treat. Now that the first al fresco meal of the season has been taken care of, I’ve been digging in my archives for more Memorial Day menu ideas and thought I’d share a few of my favorites here as you plan your own long-weekend celebrations!  read more

When I’m styling a table for entertaining, I always start with an inspiration piece — something that sets the tone and palette for the whole scene. When I received this beautiful geranium printed tablecloth in the mail (from Roller Rabbit, my favorite place to source table linens) the bright punchy pinks and deep jewel-toned greens had me hit the ground running for this colorful summer garden party.   read more

I am loving warm-weather this year a little bit more than usual. Life with a toddler gets exponentially easier when the sun is shining and they can run wild in the grass and on the beach.  Because of this, we have been spending as much time as possible outdoors – sidewalk chalk drawing, bubble blowing, nature walking, and a little bit of good old-fashioned picnicking too! I plan to put my picnic-skills to the test this summer and thought I’d share a few of my favorite picnic menu and packing tips to get you inspired for some al fresco dining of your own: read more

The number one thing that gets me through winter (and let’s be honest, the very wintry spring we had this year!) is thinking about how gloriously wonderful summer will feel when it finally arrives. I start making a mental bucket list of all of the things I want to do when warm-weather hits, and at the top of my list is usually entertaining outdoors. My friends at Better Homes & Gardens have been getting me extra excited for some al fresco celebrations this summer with their annual Summer Entertaining Guide! It’s chock full of great entertaining tips, cocktail recipes and outdoor decor ideas (oh, and a giveaway for a $250 Crate and Barrel gift card!). Flipping through this inspiring guide got me thinking about a few of my own favorite summer entertaining tips: read more

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The weather seems to be inching farther and farther away from a never-ending winter, and closer each day to the promise of summer parties and al fresco dining! Eating dinner outdoors has to be the number one warm-weather activity I look forward to as the seasons change. Living so close to the ocean, combined with my affinity for all things nautical and preppy, I more often than not like to give my outdoor table a festive sea-inspired spin when I’m hosting guests. read more