First Happy Belated Thanksgiving. I have been cooking, cleaning, and organizing  the house for the past 3 days - all to devour delicious food in less than 4 hours with great friends.

We call our Thanksgiving the 'orphan Thanksgiving' because we invite everyone who is either foreign or those who cannot make it home on time. I had a friend who was supposed to fly in from Saudi Arabia but unfortunately could not get her VISA on time. I had friends from Germany, Cleveland, Key West, and Tallahassee. It makes it for an interesting time full of flavors both in conversations and in food. 



I did not make the traditional turkey. I am not a big fan of turkey. It's too dry for me. So we made a stuffed pork tenderloin, butter squash soup with apples and bacon, glazed carrots, home made honey wheat rolls, focaccia, brussels sprouts infused with balsamic vinegar, mini pumpkin cheesecakes, stuffed mushrooms, cheese potatoes, sweet potatoes pie, and the list keeps going and going. 


I made the center piece myself with accent flowers/green from Whole Foods. I did not want anything pre-made or too cute. I wanted something that called for nature, full of green. So I just grabbed some accent flowers and made them into this beautiful center piece. Not too bad, right? I worked for a flower shop in Tallahassee last year so I got some great tips from them:)

I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving. 

A BRIEF STORY OF A FAN

1. Greek and Roman women and men used fans made with peacock or ostrich feathers, linen or wood. Depending on geography fans were made with different material such as palm leaves in India or beaten Chinese gold in Asia.


FANS BY MODEWALK.COM


2. Fashion fans became ubiquitous and associated with sexuality during the Victorian times. A fan was not just an easthetic ornament for privileged women or 'cortigiane.' A fan symbolized a complicated and mysterious code of language between women and men, women and women.

FAN by Sarah Jane Bates

3. The typical folding fan was first introduced and seen in Japan and then introduced to China and the rest of the world including England and France.


FANS BY MODEWALK.COM

4. Queen Elizabeth had 27 fans.


FANS FROM THE BLOG STYLE ME PRETTY

5. During the 17th century European fans depicted stories of privileged and important figures.
FANS BY MODEWALK.COM

For more information please visit this site and explore a more detailed history of the fan.
Get these gifts for under $50!!

 We have all been there: we have a list of gifts we want to buy for friends and family  and yet when we get to the store we don't know what to buy for each individual or we end up buying for ourselves. Even worse we buy items that we like but really are not a reflection of that friend or family member. I feel I buy items that I like and want my friends to like too, which rarely happens. I am also a procrastinated and I panicked and stress over buying gifts for other people, because I overthink and end up leaving the store with nothing for my friends or family but plenty for myself. It is horrible. 

This year I decided to put together some gift ideas that works no matter what and are all under $50. 

Gifts ideas



All about the sweater



Few items on my to buy list for the home


Why I chose these items:



Paris, because I have always wanted to move to Paris. I tried so many times and yet never was able to find a job. I will one day, I will, just not now.
 Frames to frame memories of loved ones
The London Tower because I lived and worked in London in 2012 and London is now part of  who I am. It was a magic moment and very important part of my life both professionally and personally.
Tiffany box: because a box is always a mystery like a woman. I like to surround myself and my house with little boxes as I was on a scavenge hunt.