MOORE TO LIFE: AROUND THE WORLD

This weekend's episode of "Moore to Life" is an encore broadcast of the Around the World show. Like all of you, when I travel I like to collect items that inspire me and remind me of the uniqueness of the places I've visited and the memories created there. On this episode, I'm going to show you how you can create an Around the World themed tabletop using objects you've purchased while traveling and I'm also going to show you how to incorporate your travel finds into your home's decor. 

 

We will also visit Thierry Rautureau of Rover's Restaurant to learn how to make the fabulous duck dish from the recipe below.

Rover's Restaurant Warm Duck with Apple Salad

(serves 6)

INGREDIENTS

For the Duck
1 side of duck breast, deboned
1T Butter
2 Chopped Shallots
1/2 Chopped Garlic Clove
1T Indian Curry
1T Grated Ginger
1T Honey
1/2 teaspoon Balsamic vinegar
1T Chives, sliced thin

For the Apple Salad
3T Olive Oil
2 Granny Smith Apples, diced small
1T Indian Curry
1T Grated Ginger
1T Honey
1T Chives, sliced thin
Salt and Pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS


Duck

• In a hot skillet, sear the duck on the skin side first and once crisp, turn on the other side and cook another 3-5 minutes.
• Put aside and let it rest for at least 15 minutes.
• Remove the fat from the breast, cut meat into thin slices and put aside.
• In a hot saute pan, melt butter and add shallots, garlic, ginger, curry and all the duck slices, and add honey.
• Cook for about 2 minutes while tossing all the ingredients, then add the chives and put aside. Season to taste.

Salad

• In a hot saute pan, pour 1T of the olive oil, add diced apples and saute for a few minutes before adding curry, ginger, honey and chives.
• Toss together and set aside. Season to taste.

To serve

• Place apple salad on plate first, then top with duck.
• Drizzle with leftover olive oil and 1/2 tablespoon of Balsamic vinegar.
• Serve with arugula tossed with olive oil and salt.

Take a trip around the world without doing your hair and tune in to Seattle's KONG 6/16 at 10:30 am tomorrow for "Moore to Life: Around the World."

If you miss the show or don't live in the Seattle area, you can always watch episodes and video clips on KING 5.

WHAT I'M READING: CASASUGAR

Popping around online this morning via bing looking for inspiration and I found this incredible dining room addition to a traditional English row house in South London on casasugar. 

I absolutely adore the juxtaposition of the sleek modern style of the addition with the subtle ye olde brick suburban home.

Sadly, here in Seattle we have wet weather in common with London but the innovative folding glass doors are such a smart idea for creating and quickly converting an outdoor living room into one protected from the elements. An intelligent idea to note if you want to build an outdoor living area and not be constrained by the whims of weather.

 

The modern black and white furnishings complete the clean, sleek aesthetic; maximizing space and accentuating light.  I think its brave and fantastic for the owners to have created an addition that is such a bold departure from the traditional cottage-style architecture of their home. 

A VERY ALICE IN WONDERLAND EVENING

  

As I mentioned, I organized a birthday party for my girlfriend with an Alice in Wonderland theme. It is a beloved book of both mine and hers and with our excitement for the upcoming film, the theme just seemed perfect!  So I set about creating the garden tea party (only replace tea with champagne.) 

For the table linen, I laid a heavy zebra-esque black and white cotton weave that I had used for my New Year's celebration to set the tone for my guests' trip into the rabbit hole. This tabletop was all about layering of different colors, textures and materials so for the place settings I brought out my gold chargers to place under clear glass plates.  With the rabbit as our guide on this very important date, I used bing to find various antique clock faces and printed out the color images onto durable photo paper and set them in between the chargers and the plates. I paired the plate settings with mercury glass champagne flutes and etched vintage short wine glasses. 

 

To bring lush, natural green I headed to my local Michael's to find moss for the runner and spread it along the center of the table. I tufted the moss up and around low candlesticks and ferns placed on low risers.  I think candlelight is essential as it brings romance and drama - a must for every party - so I used very long, slender candles at varying levels along the table.

As always, for me entertaining is about encouraging my guests to connect with one another and involve themselves in the event. The seating cards were created with that in mind as I cast each guest as a different character. The seating cards themselves were comprised of a short wine glass with five red roses and illustrations of a selected character with a memorable quote were attached to a twig.  On every side chair rested a hat or headband which exemplified the character. 

I was lucky enough to discover artisan Amada Laser, whose decorative arrangements brought an incredible wow factor as centerpieces. Using antique teacups, ribbons, flowers, and two dimensional illustrations of various characters, she creates amazing vignettes of the book's memorable scenes.  I love playing with the 2D paper illustrations and placing them into a tactile, tangible 3D setting.

I love sending my guests home with takeaways to remember the event and this party was no exception. Macaroons from Honore Bakery in Ballard are a guilty pleasure of mine, so I wrapped a few in clear plastic and tied them with black ribbon and a calligraphied "Eat Me" tag.  Something sweet for my sweets!

 

I almost feel guilty with how much fun I had in planning and designing this dinner party and I can only hope that our Alice enjoyed her trip down the rabbit hole as much as I did. 

KELLEY'S CONFESSIONAL: DINING ROOM REDUX UPDATE

 

So I've finished painting my dining room, step one complete. I kept the high gloss black which I'm over the moon about and now I'm moving on to the upholstery of my side chairs. I *thought* I had made a decision on a neutral sand color but, as I'm oft to do, I've decided to go into a different direction which has opened the door for all sorts of possibilities.

Dining Room Makeover Part 2 from Kelley Moore Creative Media on Vimeo.

I would love to hear your feedback, second and third opinions are always welcome!

GIVING BACK: KAREN'S VINTAGE COUTURE

 

 

Seattle has a new shopping destination for high fashion, reasonable prices and one-of a kind treasures --with an important difference. The Prada, Gucci and Chanel clothing and accessories at Karen's VIntage Couture are donated on behalf of a number of local non-profit organizations and then sold to help fund their programs. Buying vintage is so right for these times -- people are seeking greener and less expensive shopping choices, while still craving high style and quality. And during difficult economic times, its great to know that even people who can't give as much money to non-profits as they once did, can still empty their closets of clothing that no longer fits their body or their lifestyle -- all while benefitting the fight against cancer and helping families in crisis.

BENJAMIN MOORE ANNOUNCES HUE AWARD WINNERS

Paint company Benjamin Moore has announced the winners of its fourth annual HUE Awards, which recognize the exceptional use of color in architecture and interior design with glass sculptures shaped like giant paint droplets and cash prizes.  Ghislaine Vinas Interior Design of New York won this year's prize for residential interiors. It's of little surprise that she was awarded the prize with her decisive use of bold colors for wallpaint to distinguish each room of the house.

I was struck by two of her interiors in particular: a beach house in Montauk, New York and a pied-a-terre in Manhattan. I can see myself taking a lovely break in the beach house...

 

  

 

 

...while my husband would feel right at home in the mid-century NYC digs.

 

 

 

While I prefer to vary the color scheme of my walls within a certain palette, the richness of the colors within her work are certainly inspiring and another great reference when exploring how to add that extra pop to a room.

RAMBLINGS: MIKIE RUSSO

Along the road of my career and travels, I've been extremely fortunate to meet and work with an array of incredibly talented people. Ramblings is my way of picking their brain for more insight and juicy tidbits to share with you.
 
Michael Russo’s inimitable sense of style and industrious work ethic has earned him the title of one of the country’s most in demand celebrity event planners.  Russo’s career in the industry has spanned over a decade and has taken him all over the world.  His palpable energy and meticulous attention to detail has made him a favorite among countless high profile clients including Shaquille O’Neal, Kevin Jonas, Joey Fatone, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Kathy Griffin and Beverley Mitchell.  Russo’s oeuvre truly runs the gamut. While his youthful spirit keeps him connected to the latest trends, he possesses an innate sophistication and elegance that is apparent in his body of work.

Mikie, as I like to call him, and I worked together on the "Halloween Block Party" special for HGTV.  We had an absolute blast spooking it up!

What is your greatest extravagance?
Facials every two weeks! ☹ I can’t help it…

What career would you pursue if you weren’t doing what you do now?
Police officer or crime solver.

Which living person do you most admire?
My dad, he is faced with so many medical limitations but yet he has unbelievable strength, courage and will.

What three things can’t you live without?
Double face tape
Flowers
Family/Partner

What is your guilty pleasure?
Massages and ice cream!

What is your favorite color combination?
Shades of blue.

What is the favorite room in your house, and why?
Sitting room, this is where I get most of my inspiration for party’s/themes.

What is the most memorable event you’ve attended and why?
Emmy Awards/Dinner in 1998, that was the moment I decided to be a party/event producer.

What would people be surprised to know about you?
I’m a little bit of a pack rat.

What is your biggest pet peeve?
People being LATE…..

2D INTO 3D: NO GLASSES REQUIRED

  

Lately, I've been obsessed with artists and designers using light and projected images to create a three dimensional space utilizing two dimensional objects.  I played around with that idea when I created the seating cards for my Alice in Wonderland tabletop (more pics and video very soon, I promise!), as I wanted to conjure the feeling of the storybook characters jumping from the pages and coming to life.  

 

This effect was used throughout the Opening Ceremony of the Winter Games. I was absolutely captivated by the projected video of the killer whales swimming and cresting on the floor of the stage with actual steam rising from their blowholes.

Recently, I've been seeing more examples where designers are taking it one step further and incorporating natural elements such as water and wind to complete the effect. 

Maison Hermes in Tokyo created this window display and I think it is exquisite in its simplistic beauty as a work of art while also incredibly clever in how it accentuates the beauty of the fabric and pattern of the Hermes scarf itself.

LIBERTY OF LONDON FOR TARGET!

 

For over a hundred years, Liberty of London has been synonymous with English style. They are famous for their bold patterns and colorful floral prints that have adorned everyone from rock stars to royalty.  Now, they make their way stateside with a new partnership with Target!  The Liberty of London for Target home and fashion collection features a total of 25 unique prints that are perfect for springtime. Beginning March 14th, the British brand’s beloved micro-floral patterns are splashed across everything from bicycles and sundresses to teapots and tote bags. Here's a just a sample below.

Two colorways of the melamine dinnerware below, at $2.99 for each piece I may be coming home with a set of each!  Great for entertaining outdoors, where you want your settings to be chic but safe.

 

 

This melamine two-tiered dessert tray is absolutely darling!

The partnership with Liberty of London marks the first time a Target collection has spanned so many categories, including vibrant fashion and accessories for women, men, children and baby, as well as a  assortment of home and gardening items. The prints on these wallets are also available as totes!

Along with a lovely array of dresses are these adorable sateen bucket hats and crinkle scarves.

With the diversity of prints and colorways, I think this new line can be integrated into any room. Here is a pair of throw pillows featuring tangerine and lavender, one of my new color combination inspirations for spring.

Ok, time for a bad pun - at these price points you won't break the...

Har har har I know!  But this new collection has just put such a smile on my face that I couldn't help it!

KNIT HOME ACCESSORIES

 

 

With snow falling in record numbers throughout the country - really, even South Carolina - winter seems to be holding on tight.  With that in mind, I put together a couple of warm, cozy and easy projects to create knit home accessories to help you survive this last month of the ol' man.

Decorative Knit Globes

All you need to get started is yarn, balloons, and liquid fabric softener.  Blow up your balloon to the desired size for your resultant globe.  Wrap the yarn around the balloon creating whatever pattern catches your fancy and paint fabric softener onto the wrapped yarn as you wind.  Hang the globes to dry. 

 

Once the yarn has hardened, carefully pop the balloon and remove from your new yarn shell.  

I love hanging these above a tabletop or adding an easy little DIY light kit to create homespun chandeliers.

  

If you like, these can also be used as decorative eggs come spring!

Knit is the New (Old) Fabric

Here are a few other knit accessory ideas that you can make at home as well as some fabulous finds if you prefer to shop!

TABLETOPS: ALICE IN WONDERLAND SNEAK PEEK

 

This weekend was one of my best friend's birthdays and nothing makes me happier than to throw an over-the-top celebration for those I love.  The party was for a girl who has been to Disneyland over a hundred times (no exaggeration, I promise) and so I wanted to use fantasy and fairy tales as a jumping off point. We've both been eagerly awaiting Tim Burton's imagining of Alice in Wonderland so I decided to cast her in the role of Alice and take my guests through the looking glass.

More pics and how to achieve this look to come!

MOORE TO LIFE: CANLIS SALAD RECIPE

 

On "Moore to Life: Celebrating Your Past" I focused on ways in which you can incorporate this ideal into your home decor and how to share it with others through a distinctive potluck gathering. When it comes to the food and family, no restaurant in Seattle is more entrenched in family tradition than Canlis. I visited the famous, family run Canlis Restaurant where executive chef Jason Franey showed us how to prepare the legendary Canlis salad.

Canlis Salad

(serves 4 to 6)

1 large head Romaine hearts, cut into 1" pieces
(Wash individual leaves in warm water, drain and dry in colander then chill in refrigerator. Don't ever, ever toss a Canlis Salad with warm or wet leaves!)
8 cherry tomatoes cut in half
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onion
3/4 cup freshly grated Romano cheese
1/2 cup very well done chopped bacon
1/2 cup thinly sliced fresh mint*
1 tablespoon thinly sliced oregano leaves
1/2 cup croutons*
kosher salt and fresh ground tellicherry black pepper to taste

Dressing
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground tellicherry black pepper
1/4 teaspoon minced garlic
1 coddled egg*

Ingredient notes:
Mint - you can't use too much mint (experiment yourself)
*Coddled Egg - Pour boiling water into a cup and put a whole egg (in the shell) into the hot water , let sit for one (1) minute. You may substitute with pasteurized egg mixture (found in the dairy section in cartons).
*Croutons - We make our own croutons. Butter and Italian seasoning.

Directions:
To make the dressing, put the salt and pepper, lemon juice, oil, and coddled egg in a bowl and whip vigorously, then reserve. Into a salad bowl add the prepared Romaine, green onion, cheese, bacon, oregano, and mint. Pour dressing over salad and toss thoroughly. Split the salad on to four chilled plates and arrange croutons, a sprinkle of Romano cheese and halved cherry tomatoes on the salad to finish the presentation.

WINTER GAMES TAILGATE PARTY

I've been excited for weeks and now admit that I am totally addicted to watching the Winter Olympics. If you're like me and can't get enough, use it as an excuse to throw a party! I know, I know the Olympics are all about ancient tradition, honor in the dogged pursuit of one's goals, and the grace of physical perfection but why should that stop anyone from tailgating in celebration?

Winter Games Tailgate Party

To get all of the details to throw your own celebration, check out my "Olympic Tailgate" how to:

In part one, you can find the easy step by step for:
a lanyard invitation - everyone needs credentials to get into the party
a centerpiece drawn from the five olympic rings - using keg cups of course!
and an ice luge cocktail service - so smooth

Part two includes DIY for:
athlete trading card coasters - learn the stats with a cold one
Olympic wreaths and gold medal party favors - everyone can be a champion at these events
and the ultimate Olympic fan foam finger - you know what to do with that!

KELLEY'S CONFESSIONAL: DINING ROOM REDESIGN - STEP ONE

 

It's been a few weeks since I finished the redesign of my library, so I'm on to my next project: my dining room.  I've settled on a color for my wallpaint and the upholstery for my dining chairs. However, I'm still searching for the right je ne sais quoi to make the seating truly unique. You'll remember I posted on the stationary that I'm coveting that has the same Chang Mai Dragon pattern that I upholstered the two chairs that sit at the heads of my table. 

Dining Room Redesign: Step 1 from Kelley Moore Creative Media on Vimeo.

For the remainder of the dining chairs, I want to create an embellishment that is complementary to the drama of that pattern but not wallflowery - know what I mean? Would love to hear your ideas!

FRIDAY FROLICKING: THE FOODPOD

 

As I've confessed before, I'm not a cook but I do love all things that go into helping me warm the tummies of those I love.  When I stumbled upon this thing, this FoodPod, I had to take a second look. 

 

This bizarrely cute little alien baby per A+R is a modern silicone cooking tool designed to save time when boiling, blanching or steaming by conveniently containing, removing and draining foods like eggs, veggies, shellfish and more in one easy-to-use vessel. (Phew! It's to feed humans not the other way around!) 

 

Built-in grip clip allows for convenient removal from water. Simply place foods in the FoodPod and put in water to cook. Lift from water, let drain. Remove and enjoy!

MOORE TO LIFE: CELEBRATING YOUR PAST

 

On this episode of “Moore to Life,” I discover and share ideas on how to celebrate your past.  Each family history is unique and worthy of sharing with your loved ones and friends, these differences are, in a way, what tie us all together. Here, I'll give you ways in which you can incorporate this into your home decor and how to share it with others through a distinctive potluck gathering.

Moore to Life: Celebrating Your Past