Entertablement Abroad – The Loire Valley

by Helen Kain | May 20, 2017 | Beautiful Towns, Chateaux, Entertablement Abroad, France, Gardens and Flowers

The Loire Valley is utterly gorgeous in the spring – abundant lilacs, colourful bulbs and tumbling wisteria. I’ve done a quick recap of some of my favourite spots from our trip a couple of years ago. In putting together the collage, I noticed I chose...

Lilacs & Gien Mures

by Helen Kain | May 18, 2017 | Gardens and Flowers, Green, Purple, Spring Tablescapes, White

It’s lilac season. Happy sigh. And while I have been a bit pouty about the continued chilly temperatures, the upside has been an extended season for blossoms. The perfumed air from the lilacs has been exceptional. A table featuring a combination of...

Entertablement Abroad – Montacute House

by Helen Kain | May 16, 2017 | Castles & Stately Houses, England, Entertablement Abroad, Gardens and Flowers

It’s getting to be tulip time here at home, which brought to mind the gorgeous display we saw at Montacute House on one of our visits to England. While red and yellow tulips are not my favourite combination, they are stunning here. The colour is just...

Turquoise Alabaster and Pansies

by Helen Kain | Apr 23, 2017 | Blue, Gardens and Flowers, Green, Spring Tablescapes, White, Yellow

Pansies. I love pansies, particularly the yummy pastel-sorbet-coloured ones. A friend of mine had pots of them as centrepieces at her May wedding many years ago I’ve been smitten ever since. I bought a flat of them last week and left them overnight at the...

Entertablement Abroad – Sarlat

by Helen Kain | Apr 16, 2015 | Beautiful Towns, Entertablement Abroad, France, Gardens and Flowers

The following day we set out for Sarlat, in the Dordogne. Loading the luggage into the car, we bid farewell to the wonderful staff at Hotel de Minimes and settled in for the drive. The town of Sarlat has been around since Roman times, its fortunes waxing and waning...

Entertablement Abroad – Chateau de Chaumont

by Helen Kain | Apr 15, 2015 | Chateaux, Entertablement Abroad, France, Gardens and Flowers

It was our last day in Amboise, and we had time to see one more Chateau.  Anxious to see the “rest of the story” between Diane de Poitiers and Catherine de Medici I voted for Chateau de Chaumont.  I was dying to see the...