What's Inspiring Us This Weekend

1. Our favorite tabletop collection gets inspired by award-winning costume designer and artist Tony Duquette. What?! We can hardly wait. Serving plates and a hand-painted artichoke-shaped tureen from the Tony Duquette collection by Mottahedeh. Photo credit: Geoffrey Sokol. Read all about it at Architectural Digest.
2. When we saw this #TBT on the Neiman Marcus Facebook page, it struck a chord because isn't this exactly how every person feels when they walk through the doors for the first time? “I dreamed all my life of the perfect store for women. Then I saw Neiman Marcus, and my dream came true.” – Edna Woolman Chase, former Vogue editor, 1936. (Vintage photo of the Flagship store in Downtown Dallas.) Amen. 
3. We had the pleasure of brunching with the Brides of North Texas yesterday at the newly renovated (and utterly gorgeous) The Joule Hotel in downtown Dallas. We love those ladies and can't wait for their 5 year anniversary! Image via our friends at De Ma Fille Bridal. 
4. What are we reading and watching? We always love Net-a-porter's weekly mag The Edit, but this week they have the iconic Iman sharing her wisdom and fashion know all. Isn't she fabulous at any age? Work it, girl. Also on our list is the upcoming biopic of Jimi Hendrix entitled All Is By My Side starring Andre 3000. Our love for Jimi, classic rock 'n roll, and appreciation for all things Outkast have us more than looking forward to this much anticipated film. More details here. 
5. Wondering what to eat and drink this weekend? James Tidwell, beverage manager and sommelier of The Four Seasons in Dallas, shares the best summer wines to help you beat the heat over at The Daily Meal (our newest source of all foodie fun). And what else to eat but the best Chile con Queso ever? (We are in Texas, after all.) Texas Monthly shares the iconic (yes, we used iconic to describe a dip) recipe from Dallas' own Matt Martinez Jr. Yum is an understatement.
Your turn! What's inspiring you this weekend?

Eat: Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese

Our perfect morning? Yummy Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese, a little reading, and perfectly P.O.S.H. China. Get the look with Antique Sevres Tea Cup and Saucer, Sophia Salad Plate, Contrella Dessert Plate, Artesian Flatware

Whether you're playing hostess or just in the need for a little comfort food in the morning, gooey, warm cinnamon rolls seem to always fit the bill. This recipe creates the perfect texture and tenderness for your roles and will likely be a favorite your family wants every weekend. If you want to play around even more, add a little vanilla. Mmm-hmm good! Remember, special treats deserve special presentation. Break out the china for the fam, or if holding a brunch or guests, reserve specialty china, like our Sevres or Mahogany Rose Collections. Just you? Well you deserve a special place setting to go along with your morning "me" time. Enjoy!

Ingredients

Dough: 

1 cup whole milk 

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 1/2 cups (or more) unbleached all purpose flour, divided
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
2 1/4 teaspoons rapid-rise yeast (from 2 envelopes yeast)
1 teaspoon salt
Nonstick vegetable oil spray Filling:
3/4 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature Glaze:
4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation

For dough:
Combine milk and butter in glass measuring cup. Microwave on high until butter melts and mixture is just warmed to 120°F to 130°F, 30 to 45 seconds. Pour into bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Add 1 cup flour, sugar, egg, yeast, and salt. Beat on low speed 3 minutes, stopping occasionally to scrape down sides of bowl. Add 21/2 cups flour. Beat on low until flour is absorbed and dough is sticky, scraping down sides of bowl. If dough is very sticky, add more flour by tablespoonfuls until dough begins to form ball and pulls away from sides of bowl. Turn dough out onto lightly floured work surface. Knead until smooth and elastic, adding more flour if sticky, about 8 minutes. Form into ball.

Lightly oil large bowl with nonstick spray. Transfer dough to bowl, turning to coat. Cover bowl with plastic wrap, then kitchen towel. Let dough rise in warm draft-free area until doubled in volume, about 2 hours.

For filling:
Mix brown sugar and cinnamon in medium bowl.

Punch down dough. Transfer to floured work surface. Roll out to 15x11-inch rectangle. Spread butter over dough, leaving 1/2-inch border. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar evenly over butter. Starting at 1 long side, roll dough into log, pinching gently to keep it rolled up. With seam side down, cut dough crosswise with thin sharp knife into 18 equal slices (each about 1/2 to 3/4 inch wide).

Spray two 9-inch square glass baking dishes with nonstick spray. Divide rolls between baking dishes, arranging cut side up (there will be almost no space between rolls). Cover baking dishes with plastic wrap, then kitchen towel. Let dough rise in warm draft-free area until almost doubled in volume, 40 to 45 minutes.

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 375°F. Bake rolls until tops are golden, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and invert immediately onto rack. Cool 10 minutes. Turn rolls right side up.

For glaze:
Combine cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter, and vanilla in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat until smooth. Spread glaze on rolls. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Makes 18 serving. Recipe from Bon Appétit  | March 2008. Bookmark it on Epicurious. 

Agenda: Strike Out!

Believe it or not, china collections and beautiful tablescapes aren't the only things that strike our fancy. Think more along the lines of strike outs, hours of innings, and sunflower seeds. Yep, we join the rest of America in loving baseball as one of our favorite pastimes. We have Rangers love, but our hearts go out to the high school players who really put their hearts and souls out on the field. Jaime is out this week in Lubbock, Texas, watching her son at the Premiere Baseball Championship with 1,100 high school baseball players. And us? We're nervously chewing sunflowers seeds in the office waiting for news. We had to take a moment today to wish Joseph Jr. good luck the rest of the week! Here's to beating your sixteen strike-out streak!

Tabletop Tuesday: The Great Gatsby

 Featured in Top Design for Modern Luxury Brides, the always on point Todd Fiscus designed his own Great Gatsby tabletop around a palette of black, gold, silver, and lavender, mixed metals, and glorious floral arrangements. We imagine intimate conversations amid a crowd of fabulous people, delicious gastronomic confections served in dainty crystal pieces, and, of course, a well-heeled crowd. Daisy would approve.
 

Gold Chiavari with Antique Ivory Bark Linen

Christofle Flatware, Barcelona Gold Charger, Contrella Salad Plate, Vintage Glass Compote, Elise Cut Crystal Stemware

 

 

Photography, Thisbegrace Photography
Concept + Design, Todd Fiscus, Todd Events
Venue, The Mansion on Turtle Creek
Rentals, P.O.S.H. Couture Rentals

 

If you're thinking about the seaside

Left, The Princess of all Princesses, Grace Kelly playing photographer at a swimming competition at Palm Beach, Monte Carlo in 1972. Right, The ease of rattan charges and the elegance of cut crystal. Get the look with P.O.S.H.: Round Rattan Charger, Michelangelo Flatware, Elise Cut Crystal Stemware

Just because you're sitting by the sea doesn't mean you lack the style of a P.O.S.H. place setting for your guests. Take a cue from the always on point Grace Kelly, who took the laid-back vibe of beach life by mixing it with the elegance of a princess. Bring texturized elements, like rattan chargers and fruitwood chiavaris, and pair them with crystal stemware or luxurious metals for a seaside embrace of the high-low trend. Palm Beach approved.