#thanksgivingtable Archives - Northern California Style

How is your Thanksgiving going today? I saw this pillow above and I had to get it for my entry as this is our year in a nutshell isn’t it? Making the best of it right? I didn’t know what to write about at the beginning of this pandemic. I never thought we could still be living with Covid at the end of the year, but November has finally brought us some happy news. The vaccines coming are hugely effective. There is a light at the end of the dark tunnel we’ve been living in all year! I am feeling especially thankful right now for that and the election and frankly 2020 being almost over.

We were so busy this week getting things ready for Thanksgiving and having Griffin home now for two months (yay) from University. I have just finished The Queen’s Gambit which was fantastic acting and of course I loved the clothes and the sets. I loved the vintage Kentucky home the main character lived in. I’m now into The Crown, also a good diversion, but being a hard core Diana fan, not sure how much I like some of the acting and Charles and Camilla are getting me angry all over again. I have come around to liking Charles again the last decade, but boy did he mess things up. I know the family (or the firm as they say in England), had some hand in that too.

One other show Americans may not have watched, but I am now recording on PBS is Escape to the Chateau. I man obsessed. An English couple sell their two bedroom flat in Essex and buy a 19th century French chateau that they renovate and fix with a limited budget, but a loads of talent and creativity. Dick the husband is a Lt. Col. and handy with everything and Angel is just the most creative designer whether it’s interiors or events that they host. I love their darling children and the last episode I watched Angel had created the most beautiful Christmas table I have ever seen. A fun an inspiring show with just lovely people!! Any other good recommendations for shows you all are watching?

Are you celebrating Thanksgiving with family? Are you doing small? A young guy who helped me at the store told me he ordered his own Safeway dinner because he didn’t want to endanger his mom, as he works with the public. I thought what a loving son. So many are doing the right thing this year and it seems easier now knowing this might be over sooner than we thought. Last year we had thirteen people for dinner, but this year just five, us plus my dad. This will be the year we did what we all had to. It’s not going to be much longer friends. WE CAN DO THIS!

I made a quick trip to Crate & Barrel on Monday to check things out and get some table ideas. I am always inspired by their beautiful store and how they have Thanksgiving and the holidays set out. I came home with this runner and this long wooden centerpiece bowl.

I foraged in the yard for olive branches and leaves and added my small pumpkins from Halloween. These vintage napkins rings from an estate sale, kind of work with this mod runner, the black plates and white napkins. I will add some votives to the table and blankets to everyone’s chair as we will be outdoors.It’s going to be a little chilly, but we will make it fun I hope!

Max and I did a lot of prep today…

We made ahead the sweet potato casserole, the cranberry sauce, the pies (one pumpkin and one pecan), a new recipe of California inspired Artichoke Parmesan Sourdough Stuffing from Sunset magazine, and Ina Garten’s version of Chez Panisse’s spiced nuts for the appetizer. Tomorrow we will do the mashed potatoes, Brussels sprouts and the bird on the grill. The challenge is figuring how to get it all heated and cooked at the same time isn’t it??

I’m so glad Max like doing the pies and is a great help in the kitchen! I could not do this without his help.

I hope you all are hanging in there this year. It hasn’t been an easy one for so many. I am thankful to all of you for your kind and thoughtful comments all year…

I wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving.

Kim

P.S. I’ll be back this weekend with some Black Friday deals and ideas to help with your holiday shopping.

Today I’m honored to join a talented group of bloggers on a fall table inspiration collaboration! We all came up with fun tablescapes to give you new ideas for autumn decorating and dinners.

With the cooler weather upon us I’ve started thinking about Thanksgiving and how it might be this year… With so much cancelled and not possible, it seems many people will do just a small immediate family Thanksgiving. Are you thinking of Thanksgiving or fall entertaining at all?

I’m really a unfussy person when it comes to table settings and I like a simple look. I left my black table without a tablecloth, as it is a great foil for those rustic warm colors. I found my steel and iron table in Ojai a few years ago and love it..

I knew I wanted to use two pretty striped fall toned throws. I laid one on a chair and folded the other in the center of the table..

I found these beautiful flowers ( I think they are called Caspia), and black vase at my local Bunches floral shop in downtown Los Gatos.

I love these napkins found on Amazon and a snip from my new olive trees, tied with black cord.

Aren’t persimmons pretty? My family likes them in fall salads and just sliced up for snacks.

I luckily had some golden drinking glasses that I added here to this harvest mix. I used my heavy stoneware Magnolia plates from Target and couldn’t decide if I wanted to use cream or black, so used both. The whole table is casual and easy. I didn’t iron my napkins, and wanted it to feel pretty, but not formal, a very California..

The grey woven placemats add in some more texture and the gold flatware a bit of sparkle. I bought this flatware last year at Crate & Barrel, but they have not worn well. I want to eventually replace it with a better quality set like this Fortessa set at Pottery Barn.

On Sundays we try to do a nice dinner and have my dad over. Max often does the cooking and I fuss with the table and make dessert. It gives my sons more time with my dad and I appreciate them actually sitting down long enough to have some conversation! Music is nice too and I love to make a seasonal playlist. This year there is a lot of the same all the time, so it’s nice to make things feel a little extra special some nights!

Now for more inspiration…