Heart of Hospitality Holiday 2021

Follow me on instagram @deannakane16 #sometimeshospitalitylookslikethis #sometimesmonamilookslikethis LIKE/FOLLOW/SHARE on social media Facebook @heartofhospitality Instagram Heartofhospitalitymag I grew up in the midwest and I have to admit it was a bit of a culture shock when I finally settled in Southern California. In my new “hometown” (of 20+ years now), we don’t get the same seasonal changes that affect the rest of the country. We don’t get the beautiful changing colors of leaves in the trees (or at least we get very few), we don’t get the biting colder temps of fall and winter (sometimes this is a blessing), and it is only on rare occasions that we can catch the scent of a genuine wood-burning fireplace (which is probably what I miss the most!). I have fond memories as a child of neighborhood drives to see all the holiday decorations…

Over the river and through the woods, but it wasn’t grandma’s house we were going to. We stopped in the beautiful woodland area of Topanga Canyon for our holiday pop-up party where we had our fantastic Christmas dishes displayed for our holiday basket. We found this traditional Christmas stoneware dish set with 16 pieces at Cracker Barrel for $80 (that’s only $5 per piece!). We love how Cracker Barrel exudes country lifestyle and living, and we brought a small taste of it out to the woods to enjoy our party. A green lantern purchased at Mosketel’s (Los Angeles’ downtown shopping outlet for Michael’s Craft stores - $39.00) is the feature of our centerpiece. Colored Hydrangea flowers from Hobby Lobby and Electric candles from a value pack at Costco are simple additions…

It’s that time again… Christmas. As I have said in the past, I am a little more Scrooge than Elf and this year is no different. I have a 3-year-old daughter who has been singing jingle bells since July and a mother who has been singing Michael Bublé since 2011. Together they’re like an episode of Christmas Captain Planet. "WITH OUR POWERS COMIBINED!" Then magically there’s snow and twinkle lights. It’s a lot. It’s a lot, all the time! If you’re reading this send help! All joking aside, I really am coming around to the idea that Christmas *MIGHT* be fun! Two years ago, I had never had a Christmas tree since I moved out of my mom’s Christmas death trap… I mean, wonderland. But, last year I did have a…

I remember being little and sitting by the Christmas tree at our usual festive holiday parties and secretly listening to the mysterious and fascinating debates of the adults on the current events of the day. It never became an argument, just stimulating fun. Civility seems to be a lost art, but certainly a treasure worth rekindling. It can be as simple as learning to say "no" gracefully without feeling guilty about it, not being too blunt, rude, or the opposit…too wimpy about it! We all understand what a vital skill this is, especially around the holidays in order to avoid becoming over-committed and turning December into a frazzled, dizzying race from the 1st to the 31st! It is also especially important in today’s climate to know how to converse amicably and disagree…

Creating a meal that everyone will eat without slaving over the stove can sometimes be a daunting task. Well, do we have a great solution for you! For our harvest party this year, we created an extensive potato bar with all the fixings! We were excited to invite some of our closest girlfriends over to eat, chat, and watch our first Christmas movie of the season, Christmas at Pemberley Manor (Theys 2018). We wanted something simple, but fulfilling for our guests, and the idea of roasting a turkey or ham with all the traditional sides was too much to think about. So, we decided to put together a non-traditional potato bar where everyone could get their fill of tasty food that was easy to prepare and eat. We washed our potatoes,…

We love thinking out of the box and setting the stage for innovative décor. Our Thanksgiving feature steps outside the box of traditional earth tones of orange, yellow, and brown. Gili Tzeela wows her guests with this sleek, modern and elegant tablescape created by blending a spectacular black and white combination sparked with gold accents. The glass candle holders add ambiance and keep the tablescape modern and sophisticated without distraction. This Page: We love how Gili uses several different lighting options with tall, gold candelabras with tapered candles in neutral colors, smaller glass votives, and even smaller amber colored votives. The eclectic mix of lighting options is bold, yet femininly soft. A hexagon coaster with a marble finish makes a great name plate with custom gold printing. Opposite Page: We absolutely love,…