Author: Erica Marchbanks

Thanksgiving: a Tale of Two Tables

Erica Marchbanks

Confession, I still sit at the kids’ table.

I mean, the “kids” are all over 21 now, two of my cousins are married, and there is an abundance of wine…but we still always break out a craft or coloring page, and all of our parents and grandparents still sit at another table in the formal dining room.

I’m also in charge of decor for both tables. To differentiate, I like to keep my “kids'” table a little more fun and informal, while the “grown ups” get a more formal dining experience.

Typically, though, I like to tie both tables together with an emphasis on natural decor by bringing the outdoors in (literally). It’s nice to inspire a seasonal ambiance by focusing the decor on what is naturally beautiful at this time of year.

At the kids’ table

Last year, I created a flurry of leaves by preserving maple leaves and suspending them from the chandelier with various lengths of fishing wire.

It’s pretty easy to create this effect. Just soak any leaf in glycerin and water soon after picking, and the leaves will stay more vibrant and less crispy. A simple Google search will help with the exact amount of glycerin necessary.

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Leaves drying after their glycerin treatment in the nearby pan

I added to this rustic table setting with homemade napkin rings (ribbons hot glued to acorns collected in my yard) and little pumpkins I kept from Halloween. All of these natural elements played well with my mother’s colorful serving dish as a centerpiece and some bright placemats.

Meanwhile at the grownups’ table

I actually had a few tables to work with. On one table, a little round pumpkin became a carved planter for a burgundy pansy. 1128131148b

On the buffet, there was space for homemade beeswax candles since all of the casseroles were being served from the kitchen next door. Each of these little candles were made from a mail order kit, and cored apples in serving dishes and teacups served as perfect candle holders.

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To add height and keep the formal feel, a seasonal flower bouquet took center stage my mom’s prized vase. 401720_859908748999_18812124_38841154_1935915328_n

Overall, most of the decorations were inexpensive or were found outside or among family heirlooms. The best part was that the day was warm and personal. The decor at both tables helped set the stage for a wonderful dinner and memories with family.

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Hope you have a happy Thanksgiving and that your holiday is beautiful. I can’t wait to see your pictures. 

A Cake Pattern…or Recipe for Party Success 

Erica Marchbanks

Confession: my name is Erica Marchbanks, and I’m moderately addicted to patterns.  I love bright, cheerful, repeated designs. The more pattern, the better! My mom thinks it’s precious, my sister thinks I need help, but I just think about Lilly Pulitzer…and sometimes Vera Bradley…which sometimes gets me in trouble.

To be specific about my love of pattern, blue & yellow based motifs are pretty great, green & pink are even better, but I’m a major sucker for any shade of blue & red/coral images splashed across whatever product you may be selling. For instance, I’ve gone so far as to call Lilly’s She She Shells “my pattern.”

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Photo credit: The Juice Stand Blog

So, it’s no surprise I was quite smitten with Vera Bradley’s Marina Paisley a few years ago. I looked at the magazine, spied that pattern, and marched myself straight into the Saddle Creek Vera store, determined to purchase something great.  This would all be well & good if I had chosen something even slightly useful…but alas, that was not true.

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I bought a recipe holder. Ok, well, maybe it would be useful for other people, but at the time my cooking skills were sub par, and I didn’t have five special, go-to recipes to my name. What was I to do? My recipe holder was so beautiful. I had chosen one where my favorite part of the pattern was front and center (a vital part of shopping for the pattern lover). It was clearly the best, not overly expensive object in the store. It was looking great in its new home. I had to keep it. I just decided it would have to look nice empty. So I called my grandmother, a fellow pattern lover, to tell her all about my new recipe book.

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It was just the phone call I needed (how do grandmothers always know what to do?). Along with patterns, my grandmom shares my love of chocolate. She offered me her favorite Kahlua cake recipe to add to my new organizer and told me she would love a piece of cake if I wanted to try the recipe that night.  I tried the recipe, & to my surprise, it really was easy and delicious!   I brought my grandmother half the cake, and carried some to a friend’s birthday party.  Everyone asked how to make this dessert. I was on a roll! The first recipe in the booklet was now my go-to recipe! I couldn’t thank my grandmom enough!

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Over the last few years, I have brought this cake to many events, & with different garnishes, it has fit every occasion! Somehow, following my seemingly silly interests melded with a little grandmotherly magic and mixed into a cake for any party.

So without further ado….

Here’s the recipe for

My Grandmother’s (Very Easy) Kahlua Cake:

Ingredients:                                                                                                                        

(Remember, it’s tasty. I didn’t say healthy.)

 1 box               Duncan Hines Devil’s Food Cake mix                                                                

1 small box   Jello brand instant chocolate pudding mix                                                      

2 cups             Sour Cream                                                                                                                

4                       Eggs

3/4 cups        Vegetable Oil

1/2 cups        Kahlua

6 oz                  Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips

 

Directions:

 Mix everything except chocolate chips. 

Mix in chocolate chips. 

Pour into a greased bunt pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

 

Decorate for the occasion if you want to….mine isn’t that beautiful, but looks aren’t everything…it’s perfect as it is.

Cake…just don’t take it to a party I’m going to…unless you want double the Kahlua cake!

Enjoy,                                                                                                                   

Erica

The Essence of Tuscany

Erica Marchbanks

Sometimes I feel like Tuscany can be bottled.

The olives in a sunny Italian grove are pressed into a bright oil to be taken anywhere in the world and poured over crusty bread. A few drops of the region’s dark, sweet balsamic vinegar on this bread is a very happy start to any meal, and opening a bottle of Chianti Classico seems like a vacation in itself. It’s almost like the sweeping vistas, patchwork farms, and sunny days of Tuscany can be can be distilled, reduced to a powerful essence.

Castello di Verrazzano

I had the privilege of visiting the centuries old Castello di Verrazzano this summer. At the castle, my group’s tour guide enthusiastically told us the estate’s history as well as the process of making delicious wine. Then we got to try some of the estate’s own bottled heritage, including a few types of wine in a range of taste and price.

When asked what the best wine in the world is, our friendly guide explained that her grandfather had always told her, “the wine with the highest price and the most awards isn’t necessarily the best wine. It doesn’t matter how much you paid for a bottle, if you’re with good company, in a beautiful place, and the wine tastes good with what you are eating, then that’s the best wine.” How sweet and true!

Looking back at our stay in Tuscany, I love to scroll through my pictures of the loggia at the Villa il Poggiale where we stayed. The idyllic villa sits at the top of a hill, surrounded by olive groves and allows panoramic views of the innumerable, picturesque farms dotted across similar hills as far as the eye can see. At the end of the deep-set front porch is one tall, open air window which seems to frame the best of the countryside for the viewing pleasure of anyone lounging outside.

Villa il Poggiale

As nerdy as it is, before my trip, I had watched “Monty Don’s Italian Gardens” on Netflix, eager to see what the world would look like in Italy. On the show, I learned that a trick in gardening is to frame a beautiful view in order to bring it into focus for the visitor, and by concentrating on one part of a vast expanse, the view outside the garden becomes something precious to be admired like artwork.

It seems to me like this framed view, like a good bottle of wine, condenses what is beautiful about the surrounding area and makes you feel warm and happy to experience it…especially when enjoying it surrounded by friends and family and good food.

Hope you have a chance to enjoy the essence of wherever you find yourself this summer, and maybe you too can take a little bottle of Tuscan sun home with you.

Beautiful travels,

Erica

Swiss Sheep

Erica Marchbanks

I just love Swiss sheep. The mountains are cool, but when every steep hill is dotted with sheep wearing little bells, what could be better?

When I went to Zermatt a few summers ago, I had expected to spend two full days zipping around in the world’s greatest ski resort where the highest slopes that remain snowy all year round.

Instead, I spent most of my first day hanging out with sheep.

We had arrived during the hottest summer in dozens of years…seriously, we met a Swiss couple this summer who were still complaining about Summer 2017.

Summer skiing the next day…not even warm enough for coats

When my little traveling group showed up at our adorable hotel, Le Petit Charme Inn, our friendly host explained that the ski slopes were currently slush, so we should take a hike over the village to get a good view of the Matterhorn. The hike began at the edge of town and passed a few cows lazing in the grass before climbing pretty steeply through a dense forest. Olivia and I were seriously over the hike after five hundred feet that felt like approximately five miles.  We sat on A LOT of rocks while Dean (who’s basically Disney’s Tigger in human form) bounced around coaxing us to keep going.  That is until Olivia heard the twinkling of sheep bells in the distance.

Everywhere we went in Switzerland, every adorable sheep wore a little bell around its neck to help its shepherd keep track of his flock. The sound of a whole flock of sheep bells softly clinking in a field truly sets the soundtrack for an alpine fairytale!

The sound of bells also means there’s surely a group of cute animals just around the corner, which was definitely the case on our hike! The first tiny farm- livestock farms in Switzerland are about the size of my living room, nothing is Texas size- was just feet from the path, and we hurried to take picture of little black eared lambs next to their slate roofed barn. This was just the first group of sheep, though. We spent the rest of our hike hurrying from one little pasture to the next. Soon, without even remembering how “tired” we had been, we found ourselves above the tree line and with a spectacular view of the Matterhorn brooding over a field.

Olivia, Dean, and I spent some time (maybe the better part of an hour) taking selfies with sheep and absorbing the beautiful mountain-scape around us. We also found that, as always, you never know exactly where you’ll end up on vacation, and cute animals plus beautiful views equal motivation for extreme hiking endurance.

Deign Inspiration at Home

Walking around Zermatt after our hike, we were reminded of the afternoon we had spent with sheep and of the town’s inextricable relationship with the countryside around it. Everywhere we looked was wool and lambskin décor. Many of the cafes had draped sheep skins over chairs to keep customers warm as they ate outside, overlooking the (slush-illy) snowcapped mountains. The use of these local wool products showcased regional heritage while creating a cozy, inviting look.

Back home, you can recreate this warm Swiss look with sheep skin throws available online or even relatively inexpensively from your local Ikea store.

You can also honor your new lamb friends by using faux lambskin.

Either way, paired with a warm wool blanket (in very Swiss bright red) your house will feel warm and inviting.

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Night at Oak Alley

Erica Marchbanks 
I got a chance to experience history come to life at Louisiana's Oak Alley Plantation and Inn.

No Filter

Oak Alley emerges hazily from a Southern fairy tale, humid and sweet with a strongly graceful beauty. A first drive past the planation allows a glimpse of two even rows of very old live oak trees leading up to a symmetrically columned house peeking under the branches at the end of a brick path. Yet, to spend a few hours here only begins to hint at the depth of its timeless character. The ability to spend slow hours at this property affords it a special feeling I haven’t experienced at any other historical site. Every moment of the girls’ weekend I spent at the Oak Alley Inn felt like I had discovered a treasure.

After driving rural miles down the Old River Road, past other fabled plantations, we arrived in the wake of a gulf coast evening downpour. The staff greeted us warmly in the Inn’s welcome center near where a wedding party was gathering. One of the friendly employees handed us frosty lemonades and escorted us to the cabin we had booked for the night. She showed us all of the amenities in an essentially perfect miniature house tucked away on the back of the twenty acre property.   I stayed in the next to last guesthouse on the row of cottages.

The décor felt fresh in a Southern contemporary manner, and the best part of the little house was that it was so clean, there was very little evidence anyone else had ever even stayed there before this weekend. I joked that I could have happily changed my address to Cabin 8 Middle of Nowhere, LA. A rustic fireplace made living area feel cozy, and a large screened porch invited lounging while watching the last of the summer hummingbirds buzzing around the cabin’s feeder. I’ll also mention, the place was bigger than my sister’s apartment in Atlanta.

Yet, the most exciting feature the hostess led us to was a flashlight charging in the bedroom. “You’ll need to bring this flashlight when you explore the property tonight,” she told us.

What an exciting invitation! I couldn’t wait to discover what happens after dark on a property with over 200 years of history. The true magic of the Oak Alley Inn is that guests are encouraged to stroll the grounds of the planation twenty-four hours a day, whether or not any public tours are open. After eating a hearty, casual meal at the nearby DJ’s restaurant, an adventurous friend and I hurried back to the cabin to put on sneakers and grab the flashlight.

Not to lie, I had expected to frighten myself a little, imagining what could be lurking in the country fields or even (despite my rational thoughts) what presence from the past may be gliding in the shadows. Yet, the only resident to creep behind us was the tabby cat we had met earlier in the moving and educational slave quarters exhibit.

The long, shadowy walk from our cabin, through the heart of the planation and almost to the Mississippi River beyond was surprisingly comfortable in a way that felt like I was truly getting a chance to live on the property and get to know it for myself without the filter of someone else’s interpretation. As we returned down brick path that had led us under the ancient oaks and to the street where we had caught our first glance at the stately old home, I got the sensation that if I did discover there were vampires to interview in the sticky, Louisiana night air, they truly would be suave and sophisticated and would join us for a stroll before disappearing back across the low-lit brick porch into the house’s locked front doors. It felt like we weren’t just imagining scenes from movies or the past, we were living them.

Design Moment

Two candles that spark memories of Oak Alley

One of the most memorable things about the immaculate little cabin I stayed in at the Oak Alley Inn was the soft, mint wall color. The tone was fresh yet soothing and lent a relaxing vibe to our cabin.

If you aren’t ready to repaint an entire room, though, this Williams Sonoma candle in the same color can help set a restful tone in your home. I like to enjoy the fresh Lemongrass Ginger scent in the kitchen.DSCN2378

I also can’t help but picture New Orleans gas lamps flickering over columned porches whenever I think of Louisiana nights. Although, this little Lifetime Candle by White River Designs isn’t exactly gas, it’s a different than a regular wax candle and the flame flickers more dramatically when reflected in the oil base.

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White River Design
Lifetime Candle

Just remove the little glass ball and add the wick, which is included in the box. The lifetime candle can be refilled over and over to enjoy for a lifetime…or many, just like time spent at Oak Alley.

Looking forward to hearing of a travel destination that felt special to you!

Erica

Easy Thanksgiving Decor

Erica Marchbanks

Let’s be real. No one feels like spending a lot of time decorating for Thanksgiving. There’s too much cooking and soon to be too much Christmas hall decking to be done in just a few days. Also, for my family, there’s the extra step of packing up all the warm turkey and side dishes and transporting the festive meal to my grandparents’ house. However, it is fun for the Thanksgiving table to feel like fall, especially if the scene setting is easy.

Yesterday, I bought a little packet of faux leaves from Michaels. I’m planning on sprinkling a few around my newly bought metal pheasant (or is it a grouse or maybe a partridge?) as a centerpiece. The remaining leaves are now a simple garland.

Awesome Pheasant from Target

To make the garland:

  • I threaded all of the leaves onto a length of gold thread, making sure to send the thread through various places in the leaves. If I threaded through the end of one leaf, I would thread through the middle or side of the next. I noticed this added to the illusion of leaves haphazardly floating on the breeze.
  • I then laid the newly threaded garland on the floor and spaced the leaves as far apart as I wanted them.
  • Next I flipped over each leaf and added a very small dot of hot glue over the place where the thread went through the leaf to make sure that all of the leaves stayed spaced apart.img_7243
      Just a dot of glue is enough.

The leaves and pheasant are currently displayed on the mantle awaiting their trip to my grandparents’. Along with the simple, festive centerpiece, I plan to drape the garland across a window behind the table.

Cinnamon Broom from Kroger or Fresh Market…Books from Childhood

Excited to see your Thanksgiving decor,

Erica

last edited November 20, 2018

O Camden! My Camden!

Erica Marchbanks

Camden, ME- Where the mountains meet the sea

Every time friends mention they are going to Maine, I feel secondhand excitement just thinking of all the fun they are going to have.

Camden, ME is one of my favorite, if not my favorite place in the US. I’ve been visiting Camden every few years since I was pretty little, and every time I leave, I can’t wait to go back. Once, I told someone that Maine is better than 95 percent of the the places you can visit in the world, and my sister quickly told me that was a low estimate.

Places to stay on a trip to Maine:

I would highly recommend staying in Camden as your home base and balancing your trip with both exploring this little town and taking day trips along the cost. There are also several very cute, very small towns in which to stay. For example, tiny Rockport is very quaint and quiet but still close to everything.

There are obviously no bad neighborhoods to avoid. In town, the Gaylord Camden is very nice, but the place my family and I have loved the most is the 200 year old home in Rockport that we found on Airbnb.

Activities

You will definitely need to rent car even if you will be staying primarily in one town. When my family visits Maine, we really spend a lot of time sightseeing and enjoying nature. We frequently take drives or hikes just to see the scenery and find a new lighthouse or adorable roadside store along the way. Maine is very rural and historic, which is a lot of its charm.

Perfect things to do in Camden-

  • Eat breakfast in one of the little restaurants downtown
    • Mariners has a patio right over the little waterfall that pours into the harbor and has both beautiful views and pancakes with Maine blueberry jelly, yum!
    • My sister’s boyfriend claims that blueberry muffins at the Bagel Cafe behind the Lord Camden are the best food he’s ever eaten…to the point that he ate two there and one on the way home… but I love the bagels.
  • Stroll around the lawn in front of the Public Library. There just isn’t a more peaceful place.
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Camden Public Library
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View of Harbor from Park
  • Take a Windjammer Cruise.I highly recommend the Schooner Appledore.The tours are always beautiful, of course.The guys who sail the ships are characters who make the trip fun. You’ll see seals, Camden harbor, and lighthouses!
    • There are a several tours available. My family really enjoys the short cruises of an hour or two during the day or even at sunset.
  • Hike or drive to the top of Mount Battie for a panoramic view of Camden’s place along Maine’s jagged coastline and rocky islands.DSCN2306
    On fall afternoons, pick apples at a nearby farm.
    • There are quite a few places to pick apples and many varieties of apples, so just run a google search to see what’s near you.
    • This activity is best done at the beginning of the trip because you’ll want to want to bring a few apples with you when setting out for each day’s adventures. You may also have a chance to make and enjoy an apple pie if your place has a kitchen.
      Tour the little shops in the little downtown. You’ll find everything from quality clothing to souvenirs and nicknacks. The Smiling Cow is a classic.
  • After dinner (or really anytime), grab an ice-cream at Camden Cone.

Fun in surrounding towns:

  • Owl’s Head Lighthouse is my very favorite lighthouse.
    • This is in a very forested promontory with a little museum and gift store in the old keeper’s quarters, and you can hike down to a little rocky beach to one side.
    • In Rockland, ME

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  • Walk out to the Breakwater Lighthouse.
    • This is kind of a trek. It’s located a little over a quarter mile walk out in a bay over a breakwater of large rocks.
    • In Rockland, ME
    • While there, also check out the Samoset Hotel.

 

 

My family loves to visit Art Galleries.

  • Farnsworth Museum
    • The main museum in Rockland houses a collection of contemporary and historic American artists with a specific wing dedicated to the works of the Wyeth family.
    • The Farnsworth also owns the bleak and weathered Olson House in Cushing, ME. This home inspired and is featured in many of Andrew Wyeth’s paintings, including Christina’s World.
    • Many painters have been inspired by Maine, so even small galleries are filled with great art. My favorite of these is the Wiscasset Bay Gallery, which just happens to be just steps away from a wonderful antique store and arguably Maine’s best lobster rolls, Red’s Eats.

 

  • A trip to Maine is essentially a challenge to eat as many lobster rolls as humanly possible. There are many awesome places to eat this delicacy. Camden’s wonderful restaurant, Cappy’s, is out of business, so my family is still on a quest to find a replacement. The best lobster rolls are served in roadside stands by local fishermen, not in restaurants. Don’t be shocked, though, if they charge restaurant prices…lobster is lobster, but it is so worth the price. Lobster rolls here are the best you will find anywhere in the world.
    • Recently, the best lobster rolls I have had were at Libby’s Market in Brunswick, ME. Don’t be surprised that the little dining area is in what looks like a regular gas station. The rolls are very good and fresh. The owner and his wife catch the lobster themselves.

 

 A Little Farther Away from Camden:

  • Go to Acadia National Park!
    • The place comes alive for leaf peepers in fall. Bar Harbor is a nice place to visit near the park entrance.

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  • Visit the L.L.Bean Flagship Store with the giant Bean Boot out front. L.L.Bean was founded in Maine, promotes an outdoor lifestyle, and supports the National Park Foundation…could there be a better company?
  • Visit the other awesome outlet stores. The Patagonia outlet in Freeport, just across the street from L.L.Bean and the Barbour outlet in Kittery can’t be beat.

Design Moment

For tourists, Maine basically wouldn’t exist without ships. Ships bring in lobster and sight seeing scooters sail through almost every bay. Therefore, nothing captures the essence of Maine at home more than ship decor.

You can go classic by purchasing your own painting from a local gallery,

Or you can get a little kitsch with an antique mobile.

Bonus points if your mobile is next to a picture of Owls Head

I can’t wait to hear all about your adventures in and around Camden, Maine!

Let me know your favorite places and your best lobster roll recommendation!

Your leaf peeping friend,

Erica

written October 22, 2018