Courtney Allison - French Country Cottage Inspired Gatherings

For my mom,

whose love of home and entertaining has shown me from a youngage that creating a welcoming place for friends and family to gather also createswonderful memories that last long after the occasion.

My memories of those childhood occasions have encouraged me tocreate gatherings for my own family, who inspire me every day.

Contents

Introduction

Gatherings. It is a word that brings to mind something wonderful. Something full of excitement andanticipation and inspiration. Lots of laughs, special conversations, meaningfulmoments, and memories in the making.

Inspired gatherings with friends and familywhether small and intimate orfull of guests and energyare food for the soul.

From the time I was a young girl, I remember being quite enamored withanything to do with gatherings, from dinner parties to lakeside getaways with familyand friends to Thanksgiving dinner at my grandmothers house in the mountains. Therewas something about those special times that held a certain fascination for me, evenwhen I was little. When I knew that there was a special occasion coming up on thecalendar, I got a little bit giddy with the anticipation, knowing what was sure tobe an enchanted event was just around the corner.

Though I wasnt involved in the aspects of party planning, packing for agetaway with the family, or the basic details of what goes on behind the scenes, theappeal for me started with the simplest of things: a notepad and pen that motherwould use to jot down things to remember and the smallest of details she didnt wantto overlook. She would plan everything, right down to when the invitations would goout and what time in the evening the candles would be lit.

The hors doeuvres. The dinner. The beverages. The desserts. They wereall there, of course, but beyond those handwritten notes and list of nibbles werethe things that delighted me most. The candles. The Christmas tree twinkles. Themusic playing in the background. The way the sun dropped behind the trees at aparticular time and the stage that had been set for the party felt like it came tolife. Along with all this came the laughter of guests and the smile that my motherwore when she could finally take a moment to relax and enjoy the moment.

Now that I am older, I think back to our gatherings when planning andhosting my own, and while I have vivid memories of the elements and layers that wentinto each one, the china patterns, the tablecloths, and the particular food are notwhat stand out to me. It is much more the feelings, sights, sounds, smells, andambience of the gatherings that have stayed with me. That sweet smell of mygrandmothers fudge that you could almost taste from the moment you stepped inthrough her front door for Thanksgiving dinner. The crisp mountain air and smell ofsmoke from the campfire at the lake and & the feeling of the scratchy woolcamping blankets. The burst of yellow and pink wild flowers gathered up from thegarden and placed on the table for a summer evening barbecue.

It seems our family has a long line of entertaining women who had scratchpads filled with lists, notes with tidbits to remember stuck to the counters, andold favorite recipes earmarked in the ruffled pages of cookbooks. Those formerlysecret family recipes handwritten on old recipe cards were spotted with flour andoil stains, evidence of how many times they had been used over the years.

My mom was always planning the next great get-together, whether it was agrand occasion, like a block party, or something simple, like a picnic dinner at theocean. My grandmother was much the same in her love of entertaining and having ahouse full of people. No doubt she was an influence on my mom, just as Nana, mygreat-grandmother, was on her.

The same dishes that my grandmother usedthe ones covered in pink flowersand lace detailsare in my cupboard for everyday occasions now, and whenever webring them out to use them, I am reminded of those Thanksgivings and Easters at herhouse and the memories that come along with them.

Though holiday gatherings were some of the most memorable, I also lovedthe simplest of get-togethers. The tailgate meet-ups at the drive-in theater in highschool. The summer barbecue in the backyard with childhood friends. The summer weekswe spent staying on Lake Tahoe with three other families, and the weekends skiing,where I mostly looked forward to sitting by the fire and warming my frozen fingersand frostbitten cheeks.

Gatherings are not just tables and lavish occasions. They are the beachpicnics in the sunshine and salty ocean air and quiet camping trips at the RussianRiver, complete with all the layers of thick, plaid cotton sleeping bags, campfirestories, and evenings lying cozy next to the fire staring at star-filled skies andtalking until we fall asleep.

There is something about those moments. That simple in-between feelingwhen it seems the world stops for a few minutes while you look around at peoplemaking sweet memories. It is inspiring to think that something as simple as a quietmorning on the lake sipping cocoa can become a long-lasting memory for someone.

Today I am just as inspired whenever I am creating a beautiful gathering.I have learned that a dinner party is much more than a grand dining table set withelegant china and flatware, layers of flowers, and beautiful twinkling ambience. Itis a time to be together. To break bread over an evening simmered in conversation,where laughter flows freely and friendships and moments fill you up more than thefood. I often find myself pausing in the busyness of the evening to soak up eachelement and layer. The music, the sound of the crickets, the hearty laughs, andmuted conversations. The candles flickering and burning low as the clock movescloser to midnight. The smell of dessert warming in the oven and the joyful smileson the faces of friends all around.

To me, a gathering is much more than a party or an event. It is kindredsouls coming together to share an experience that is full of inspired moments wheremany small and big memories are made.

Elements and Layers

Much like design, where one thing is complementary to another, myessentials for any gathering that I am planning take a very similar approach. Thereis, of course, the unexpected in the mix of accoutrements. And there is the pice de rsistance , that one thingin any setting that the gathering simply wont feel the same without: it is thatsprinkle of magic, the ambience.