To me, there’s nothing more blissful than spending a sunny afternoon lounging outdoors at a table with friends. Now that warm spring days are {finally!} making an appearance, I’ve been looking through my files for inspiration to set a gorgeous table for spring parties. I’m dying over the rainbow-hued ranunculus with mini strawberry shortcakes in the image above. A few of my other favorites…

Images: {1} InStyle via Brabourne Farm, {2 + 3} Style Me Pretty, {4} House Beautiful via Brabourne Farm.

I still remember the first time I tasted tiramisu in all its layered, creamy, espresso-infused glory, and truly thought I’d just sampled the most heavenly flavor combination on earth. I believe it was a somewhat generic version à la Macaroni Grill, but the brandy-soaked lady fingers, sweet mascarpone cheese & shavings of bittersweet chocolate left such a lasting impression that I’ve since sampled countless adaptations in restaurants around the world. Last weekend we invited friends to our place for an Italian feast, and I realized it was high time I master this classic myself. After looking at tons of different recipes, I settled on creating a hybrid of a Giada version with this quickie by Jamie Oliver. Much to my surprise, when I opened the container of mascarpone cheese, I happened to notice the most luscious, traditional recipe printed on the back, so I decided to throw elements of that one in the mix as well. The final version takes inspiration from all three: a classic filling of egg yolk & mascarpone, plus an addition of orange (via Giada) and ladyfingers soaked in Vin Santo instead of the usual brandy (via Jamie.) The result was total, beater-licking, bowl-cleaning, dessert perfection. Follow the jump for the recipe.

Orange-Scented Tiramisu

Ingredients

• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup strong coffee, cooled
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tbsp Vin Santo (a really delish Italian dessert wine)
• 8 oz. mascarpone cheese
• 1/8 cup cocoa
• 20 ladyfingers (toasted for a few minutes in a 350 degree oven)
• zest from one orange
• bittersweet chocolate shavings, for garnish

Directions

• Combine 3 egg yolks, 1 tbsp coffee, sugar & Vin Santo into large bowl. Beat 2 – 3 minutes. Add mascarpone and beat 4 minutes until smooth.
• In another bowl, combine 3 egg whites and pinch of sugar. Beat until stiff peaks form. Gently fold into mascarpone mixture.
• Dip one side of each ladyfinger into remaining coffee and layer on bottom and sides of serving dish. Spread 2/3 of mascarpone mixture and sprinkle with cocoa and orange zest. Layer ladyfingers and finish with mascarpone layer, cocoa, orange zest, & bittersweet chocolate shavings. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.

*Serves 6. And this is every bit as incredible the next day!

Today’s inspiration board is a saturated dose of vibrant color to welcome the warm days & balmy nights of spring. Usually I associate the word aquamarine with a soothing wash of watery blues…but this color palette is punched up with poppy details for a look that’s much more zesty than zen. A brilliant bouquet of balloons, carnival snacks like popcorn & lollipops and teal-toned macarons lay the foundation for a playful & outside-the-box party. The take-home lesson? Try mixing shades that may not seem like natural pairings; like this aqua-poppy combo, you just might stumble upon a match made in heaven.

*Images: {Row 1} Cake, Style Me Pretty; Table, Martha Stewart Weddings, Balloons & Pins, Snippet & Ink {Row 2} Cupcakes, Snippet & Ink; Popcorn, Style Me Pretty; Lollipops, Jamie Hammond; Favors, Martha Stewart Weddings {Row 3} Macarons, Style Me Pretty, Cake Stand with Candy & Invitations, Martha Stewart Weddings.

This weekend is a crazy one in Austin, as it kicks off the start of the annual SXSW festival. Film buffs, music fans, & tech nerds arrive from across the country, and a definite energy fills the city throughout the day and into night. I’ll hit up a few events & concerts, and then probably retreat to the safety of home for a respite from the crowds. Looking forward to sunshine & inviting a few friends for a cozy dinner in…I’m thinking pasta & tiramisu. Hope you enjoy a few of my favorite links from the week! XO

My vote for the most glamorous Oscars table of the year.

If life gives you lemons, make exceedingly stylish lemonade.

Sealed with a kiss…and a sweet surprise underneath!

Glamour + Sunshine + Ridiculously gorgeous girls…only in L.A!

Adventures in romance & academia.

Banana Bread + Chocolate, turned upside-down.

Wave the flag!

The most whimsical parade & amazing dress all wrapped up in one totally inspiring wedding.

I’m saying ‘yes’ to the khaki jacket, ‘no’ to the leopard shoes. How ’bout you?

***

*Photo: Karen Mordechai via Sunday Suppers.

It’s a gorgeous spring FRIDAY, so I am of course itching to get outside, soak up some sun, and have a little taste of summer days ahead. Which explains why I can’t stop obsessing over these images from a rehearsal dinner in Cabo, designed by Alison Events and shot by Anna Kuperberg. The sights, sounds, colors and flavors of Mexico are so vibrant, and there’s really no place I’d rather be today than kicking my shoes off into the sand and dancing to the beats of that mariachi! There’s so much party inspiration here, from hand-woven Mexican linens to personalized maraca favors to a rooster pinata. Total celebration!

Images via Style Me Pretty.

Just had a meeting with pastry chef Paige Morgan, owner of Paige’s Bakehouse (just added to my list of favorite bakeries) and we had tons of fun talking petit fours, birthday cakes, and countless other party confections. Since she’s so sweet, I left toting a few of her finest creations: Petit Fours (Devil’s Food with Strawberry Preserves; Lemon Cake with Lemon Buttercream), plus the most charming cookies and perfect chocolate cake ball. Let’s just say I could barely contain myself long enough to capture a photo sans nibble…

ear readers…

What a crazy and fun year it’s been! The first twelve months in the life of this blog have flown by, and I feel honored to have been part of your lives through Style Notes for a few minutes each day.

Thanks for reading along & cheering me on as I started an event planning business…got married!…traveled all over the world…and started culinary school. It’s been quite a journey, and Style Notes has continued to evolve with each change that happens in my life.

Cheers to an incredible year…and to the adventures that await the next one!

*Images: Style Me Pretty

I like to think that I’m a bit of a pizza connoisseur…I love it at its most basic (fresh tomatoes & mozzarella) and its most inspired (my last pizza night combined acorn squash, gorgonzola, & arugula in one on one divine pie.) Even a well-executed pepperoni from a delivery joint can send me swooning if I’m really in the mood. One of my favorite wedding gifts was my pizza peel & pans from Williams-Sonoma, but I must admit that I resort to picking up a store-bought crust far too often when throwing together weeknight meals. So my latest culinary school lesson was absolute perfect timing: a hands-on demonstration in how simple it is to do homemade pizza crust…and soooo worth the effort. We had such a blast kneading, rolling, & tossing the crust into the air (okay, I might have dropped just one…) Embrace the tactile experience of kneading & rolling the dough. And the fact that flour is going to get everywhere. Follow the jump for the foolproof recipe!

Perfect Pizza Dough

Makes four 12-inch pizzas

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (one 1/4-ounce envelope)
• 2 cups warm water (105 degrees to 115 degrees)
• 5 to 5 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting, preferably organic
• 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
• Extra-virgin olive oil, for bowl
• Assorted toppings: my favorites include heirloom tomatoes + basil, sliced zucchini + eggplant, pineapple + canadian bacon. They all go well topped with lots of fresh mozzarella!

Directions

1. Dissolve yeast in warm water in a large bowl and let stand for 5 minutes. Stir in 3 cups flour and the salt, stirring until smooth. Stir in an additional 2 cups flour; continue adding flour (up to 1/2 cup), 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring until dough comes away from bowl but is still sticky.
2. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface, and knead with lightly floured hands. Start by slapping the dough onto the counter, pulling it toward you with one hand and pushing it away from you with the other. Fold the dough back over itself (use a bench scraper or a wide knife to help scrape dough from surface). Repeat until it’s easier to handle, about 10 times. Finish kneading normally until dough is smooth, elastic, and soft, but a little tacky, about 10 minutes.
3. Shape dough into a ball and transfer to a lightly oiled bowl; turn to coat. Cover with plastic, and let rise in a warm place until it doubles in volume, 3 hours. Press it with your finger to see if it’s done; an indent should remain.
4. Place a pizza stone (available at most kitchen supply stores) on floor of gas oven (remove racks) or bottom rack of electric oven. Preheat oven to at least 500 degrees for 1 hour.
5. Meanwhile, scrape dough out of the bowl onto floured surface, and cut it into 4 pieces. Shape into balls. Dust with flour, and cover with plastic. Let rest, 20 to 30 minutes, allowing dough to relax and almost double.
6. Holding top edge of 1 dough ball in both hands, let bottom edge touch work surface (refrigerate remaining balls as you work). Carefully move hands around edge to form a circle, as if turning a wheel. Hold dough on back of your hand, letting its weight stretch it into a 12-inch round. Transfer dough to a lightly floured pizza peel (or an inverted baking sheet). Press out edges using your fingers. Jerk peel; if dough sticks, lift, and dust more flour underneath.
7. Arrange desired toppings on dough.
8. Heat oven to broil. Align edge of peel with edge of stone. Tilt peel, jerking it gently to move pizza. When edge of pizza touches stone, quickly pull back peel to transfer pizza to stone. (Do not move pizza.) Broil until bubbles begin to form in crust, 3 to 4 minutes. Reduce temperature to 500 degrees, and bake until crust is crisp and golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes more. (If not using broiler, bake pizza for 10 to 15 minutes total.) Remove pizza from oven using peel, and top with additional toppings if using. Slice and serve. Repeat with remaining dough and assorted toppings (each variation can be multiplied, depending on the number of pizzas you’re making).

Remember last week’s post on the photo shoot I was styling for an upcoming article in Brilliant magazine? The issue launched today, and I couldn’t be more thrilled with the way it all came together in print. The topic of the article made it pure fun to write: how to design an unforgettable surprise party, from chic DIY invitations to a menu chock-full of “surprise” touches. Hop over to Brilliant to read the online version of the entire FAB issue (& flip to page 58 for the surprise party piece!)

*Image: Mike Bullock; Food: Word of Mouth Catering

Today’s inspiration board drew from a little fantasy of mine…over the weekend we walked the construction site where our new home is being built, and for the first time I realized that I’ll have this wonderful patch of earth right outside the door of my future kitchen. Immediately my mind filled with images of climbing roses, terra cotta pots overflowing with lavender, & trailing vines covering the walls surrounding my secret garden. There’s something a bit mysterious about cascading branches of ivy (perhaps because ivy walls are so often used to conceal the most glamorous homes?), and I’d love to host a springtime party that celebrates the old-fashioned simplicity of this humble plant. Cafe tables scattered across a stone terrace, perfectly-manicured topiaries, a picnic overflowing with spring’s bounty, and glowing lanterns that take the party into evening hours. Just like the namesake restaurant, it all comes together for a look that’s chic and effortless with a dash of intrigue.

*Images: {Row 1} Bicycle, Amy Butler via The City Sage; Lanterns, Martha Stewart Weddings, Cheese Labels, Style Me Pretty {Row 2} Drinks & Courtyard, Snippet & Ink; Kiera Knightley in Atonement {Row 3} Ivy Bouquet, Martha Stewart Weddings, Library Wedding, Snippet & Ink; Pizzas, Kristi Schiffman; Ivy Garland, Elizabeth Messina.