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.

Happy weekend! Since I’ve been reporting to culinary school at the crack of dawn each morning this week, I can’t wait for some leisurely wake-ups that are unaccompanied by an alarm clock…sounds like pure bliss. Other than that, the weekend will be spent making some decisions on our under-construction home, booking upcoming travel, and hopefully finding time to indulge in some fantasy with the new Alice in Wonderland. Sunday night, A & I will get all decked out for a fun Academy Award Gala, so lookout for a party report next week…which reminds me of one other to-do list item: picking out my gala attire! Hope you all have wonderful weekends, and take a few minutes to enjoy some favorite links from the week! XO

I think this is the true look of love…mixed with sheer fun.

A bouncy house at a wedding? There’s a first time for everything!

How to…create a garden rose bouquet on a spray rose budget.

Take me on a trip, I’d like to go somewhere…

A refreshing burst of flavor for summer party drinks.

The hippest little indoor garden for a very haute green thumb.

What’s not to love about a juicy pop of citrus in a tropical setting.

*Image: Style Me Pretty

Although Austin certainly has its fair share of trendy food trailers (from creperies to empanadas) I couldn’t resist this cupcake trailer concept out of Southern California…especially since the shoot was photographed by one of my all-time-faves, Jose Villa. Merging a background in design with her passion for baking, Amber Vandervliet created a mobile cupcakery in the most adorable RV that is the perfect combination of vintage chic. Best of all, Enjoy Cupcakes will park their trailer with “twinkling lights, a festive canopy & a wafting sweet smell” at parties and events. Take a look at this eye candy from the bakery and tasting room…I don’t know about you, but I’m suddenly feeling inspired to do a little Friday baking of my own (ruffly vintage apron required!)

*Images via Style Me Pretty.

One of this week’s highlights was styling a photo shoot for an upcoming issue of Brilliant Magazine. I was lucky enough to work with an incredible team: Word of Mouth Catering created the most mouthwatering hors d’oeuvres for the shoot, and photographer Mike Bullock captured every detail to perfection. The article (penned by moi) will be a step-by-step guide to throwing the most unforgettable surprise party for a very special someone. But since I don’t want to spoil the surprise, you’ll have to wait for the next issue to see details!

For me, nothing epitomizes classic beauty quite like the ballet. It’s always stood for a captivating balance of strength and grace, so it’s no wonder that the new Martha Stewart Weddings uses ballet as the inspiration for a timelessly elegant celebration. From the fashion to the flowers to the invitations, I am seriously swooning over this gorgeous motif. Follow the jump for more eye candy…

*Images: Martha Stewart Weddings via Style Me Pretty.

Rain, rain, go away… I am SUCH a sunshine girl, but when the sky is falling I really despise being without an umbrella. Meg joins us today from fab blog Mimi & Meg with her weekly installment of chic gift picks for the party hosts in your life. This one is all about staying super stylish throughout the rainy season. Says Meg:

Rain or Shine, the party must goes on! Help a host stay dry with a fun patterned or classically colorful umbrella. When I graduated from high school, I didn’t understand why my aunt gifted me with an umbrella…but was certainly thankful that she did on the first rainy day at college!

Top: Kate Spade; Above: Marimekko ‘Red Floral‘; Echo ‘Optical Zig-Zag‘; Echo ‘Graphic Geo.’

Above: Felix Rey ‘Love’; MARC by MARC JACOBS ‘Standard Supply’.