Everyday Living

Tablescape Tuesday: Welcoming Summer!

~ Food & Entertaining, Summer, Tablescape Tuesday

        “This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭118:24‬ ‭

The humidity and the hot temps that we’ve had lately here in the Appalachian Foothills have announced that summer is here…but the new season doesn’t technically begin until 11:24pm tonight for those of us living in the Central Time Zone! Last week, Butch and I enjoyed eating dinner on the patio four different nights…the mosquitoes weren’t too bad, and the scenery was perfect!  Several mornings I sat in the cool morning breeze with my cup of coffee just enjoying the birds and wind chimes sing, the smell of lavender and magnolia, and the colors popping up all over the garden!  Join me today as I am welcoming summer here at Everyday Living!

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I hope y’all don’t tire of seeing hydrangeas on my tablescapes…limelights are now beginning to bloom!
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Eat, Drink, And Be Italian!

~ Food & Entertaining

    “For a man’s ways are before the eyes of the Lord, and he ponders all his paths.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭5:21‬ ‭

We have certainly been in garden mode here at Everyday Living…and I have enjoyed every minute of it!  I have loved sharing my gardening journey with you all and I am so impressed by all of the links you shared on my first link party!  Today, I want to switch gears to talk about something else that I love: food.  I’m pretty sure we can all agree on that topic!  Butch and I have long been fans of all types of food, but especially true Italian cuisine. With three trips to Italy, it has become our favorite next to our beloved food of the the South. We have literally eaten our way through our stops in Italy…the freshest seafood on the Grand Canal in Venice…a wood-fired Pizza Margherita on the isle of Capri…heavenly cannoli in Lucca…the creamiest gelato in San Gimignano…the unbelievable pastas in Rome’s trattorias…ok, I will stop.  I am making myself hungry, and I am sure you get the picture!

Fortunately for us, we don’t have to travel very far to enjoy the best of Italian food! 60 miles down the road from us is Birmingham…the home of Alabama’s most celebrated chef, Frank Stitt.  Birmingham’s foodie scene can be traced back to Chef Stitt as he put it on the food map with his famous Highlands Bar and Grill and the French cafe Chez Fonfon that is next door…but those aren’t his only restaurants in the area.  Today, we will be visiting a beautiful Palladian-style building on Highland Avenue, Bottega Favorita that houses his other two restaurants. The dressy main dining room occupies one side with the more casual cafe occupying the other side. Both experiences are wonderful, but today we will step inside the cafe and sit down for a quick bite!  Like I said, it is more casual, and Butch likes that no coat or reservations are required. But on occasion, I do manage to get him all dressed up for the dining room! And yes, it is Italian, but you can expect to find the freshest southern vegetables to show up in your pasta or risotto! Buon Appetito!
  The cafe’s Pompeii red walls, huge brick wood-fired oven, long bar and communal table combine for a truly Italian style food experience!
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Tablescape Tuesday: Sunday Evening In the Garden

~ Food & Entertaining, Gardening, Tablescape Tuesday

“A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭15:1‬ ‭

Is there anything more relaxing than a Sunday evening?  It’s a time to rest and clear your head before the hustle and bustle of Monday barges in! My favorite Sunday afternoons and evenings are spent in….you guessed it – my garden!  After a busy day filled with teaching small group and playing keyboard at my church, sharing lunch with my family, I look forward to time outside relaxing if the weather permits!  This past Sunday was a little on the warm side, but not too hot for a Sunday Evening In The Garden!  You are invited to join me at my table for four!

    With hydrangeas in bloom, they are likely to be the star of a tablescape!
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