Just Because

Sparkly Dinner Setting

I just realized that none of the four Venetian wine glasses made it into this frame. The following photos will prove that the proper wine goblets are there. What you’re seeing here are the water tumblers.
I just realized that none of the four Venetian wine glasses made it into this frame. The following photos will prove that the proper wine goblets are there. What you’re seeing here are the water tumblers.

I had real guests over last night for my first dinner party in my newly redesigned dining room. The best part about the preparations was that one of the guests was doing all the cooking, allowing me to go all “Martha Stewart” with the ambience and table setting. The key to the look was the wonderful domed putz castle purchased through Anthropologie, which I then placed on an antique glass cake stand. By setting this whole arrangement onto a silver charger, I was able to maximize illumination by placing glass votives on the charger’s level rim.

Since I have already written about the porcelain,Venetian goblets, linen, and sterling flatware, I will instead explain the reason for the crazy water glasses. They’re vintage highballs featuring turquoise and gold Persian horsemen waving mallets in a lively game of polo. Over the past twelve years, I have managed to break most of my larger Venetian goblets and lacked two to make four complete place settings of one water and one wine goblet each. And I keep forgetting to order more from the original Murano source, Vetreria Colonna Fornace. Hence the crazy fun tumblers. To see the complete table setting, click the link below.

Interior Design

Table Setting (version two)

Another dress rehearsal with three new elements.
Another dress rehearsal with three new elements.

What’s new and different in this table setting are the Venetian goblets, the Mottahedeh porcelain, and the silver mint julep cups. I ordered my goblets while on vacation in Venice, and they are by far my favorite. But unfortunately, after eleven years of use, I only have a few left. I am currently trying to reconnect with the Murano shop where I purchased them and my chandelier, but their website has disappeared.