Paris Market Chandeliers in House Beautiful!

This month's issue of House Beautiful has featured one of our chandeliers! We have a smaller version of this one currently in the store, (right when you walk in the front door) but you can always special order whatever you want from us.

 

This chandelier is just perfect in this gorgeous kitchen

 

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PHOTOFLASH - The Cupcakes & Cocktails Book Signing Party

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Congratulations again to Cheryl and Griff on their fabulous cookbook! We had so much fun last night and we were so happy we could celebrate with you!! 

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                                                    photos by lauren de rosa

 ...and a good time was had by all!

You can check out some more pics from the night at QuiStyle

And more cookbooks will be available for purchase from our website next week!

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Today is the Day for Back in the Day!

Hope to see y'all out tonight! 

Come and Toast The Sweet Life!

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Come and Celebrate the Sweet Life!

Come celebrate the sweet life with us this Thursday!!

Charming invitations by Monica Lynch, check out some more of her work here

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Cupcake Lore

Cupcakes have a big following these days. 
Here's some lore behind their allure...

 time to make the cupcakes...

The first primordial mention of the idea of a 'cupcake' can be traced as far back as 1796, when a recipe notation of "a cake to be baked in small cups" was written in American Cookery by Amelia Simms:

"A light Cake to bake in small cups. Half a pound sugar, half a pound butter, rubbed into two pounds flour, one glass wine, one do. [glass] Rosewater, two do.[glass] Emptins, a nutmeg, cinnamon and currants."

No one can decide if the name is accurately traced to the fact that the tiny cakes were baked in small cups, or if it was because the ingredients were measured out in cups and easy to remember;

One cup of butter, two cups of sugar, three cups of flour, four eggs, one cup of milk, and one spoonful of soda. 

Either way the cupcake sailed easily into the culture, and is here for the long haul. I think at one point the Romans forgot how to make cement, but somehow I don't think cupcakes are in the same danger! 

This Thursday we're celebrating Back in the Day Bakery and their new book from 5-7pm with of course, lots of cupcakes!!

Hope to see y'all there!!

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Back in the Day Bakery Cookbook Book Signing Party!!

***Slow down and taste the sweet life ***

Cocktails & Cupcakes

Thursday, April 26th, 5-7pm

right here, at The Paris Market!

It's going to be a grand little party, this evening soiree celebrating not just the new cookbook from the best little bakery in town - not really little, its actually warm yet roomy, airy and filled with light - and just the place you're excited to take all your out of town friends- but its also marks 10 years in the neighborhood, now a solid anchor to its neighbors on Bull and DeSoto Street in the Starland District. For Cheryl and Griff, Back in the Day Bakery was more than bringing from scratch baking back into the foreground and creating a nostalgic experience for their customers, it was also about being part of our community and creating a cozy, homey haven for all to come share in. I think of them as the Cheers of Bakeries. In offering their talents and passions to the world they have truly become an integral part of the community, a place that visitors always list on their favorites of Savannah. And while its perfect for a little treat, or like maybe 2 or 3 old fashioned cupcakes, (definitely their hallmark) they also offer more substantial fare - their sandwiches are quite good too! It's a perfect spot to stop and fuel up before you go about your day on Saturday.

But to the book - it's fantastic! The pictures are gorgeous, there's a ton of recipes, and they give plenty of methods to their magic; like the best way to cream butter and alternates to sifting among others. You know, some of those secrets that most other cookbooks leave out. In content, form and spirit its the perfect package - giving you a real taste of the Back in the Day Bakery experience, and all the recipes to create it at home. 

The cookbook that started out as a humble "love letter to the public" which they were originally going to self-publish on lulu.com, quickly morphed into its rightful manifestation when fate intervened and Artisan books stepped in. It's true in more ways than one; the cream will rise to the top!

Cheryl and Griff are friendly and fun, both serious and slapstick, and just the people you want baking you the best stuff on earth daily. But this little video says it best:

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SCAD Style: Design with RKS

Well the week flew by before I knew it, so when I got to work this morning I just as soon scurried out to see the Ravi Sawhney lecture at SCAD Museum of Art. (Part of the SCAD style lecture and event series) Mr. Sawhney is the Industrial Designer and CEO of  RKS Design, located in Thousand Oaks, CA, right next to Malibu. First off, SCAD does a great job at getting great, relevant speakers in pretty much year round, not just for this week. And as a citizen Jane, I also really appreciate that they are open to the public and anyone can attend. Many schools do not offer things like that and its important to return the favor to the community.

Mr. Sawney showed us a bunch of examples of RKS work, ranging from a smartphone for the blind, to a portable barbecue, to hydration technology to purify water. (FYI:He also helped to develop Teddy Ruxpin back in the day!) He also touched upon the whole design ethos, of which I got plenty of lovin' spoonfuls of when I studied ID at Syracuse and Pratt. For those unfamiliar with the journey of the Industrial Designer - we are told that design's real place in society is to improve it, to build upon it, to make the world both more accessible and more enjoyable. Its chief aim is to improve the quality of our lives. These are ideas we all like to get behind, and then creeps in commercialism and conspicuous consumption and to quote Mr. Sawhney, "Its not how you feel about the design, its how it makes you feel about yourself." True. A beautiful house can make you feel beautiful (a la Paris Market of course!) but in some ways it can seem a double edged sword. I willfully acknowledge that objects and clothes can shape the way we feel about ourselves, just as architecture can serve to elevate or denigrate --in the latest issue of Harper's Magazine there is story about the end of the high-rise public housing-- I have to question if we are perhaps hyper-attached to our objects and if we overly identify with "things". And is design improving our world, or are we just pandering to our own self absorption? Which is not really a problem I think design can necessarily solve, but its more of a psycho-social aspect/hurdle. Which Mr. Sawhney also pointed out. Many of the problems  they encounter in design, he says, are not the marriage of technical function and formal aesthetics, but are the everyday attitudes and beliefs of the culture. He brought up the design of a water bottle his team designed - a hard BPA-free plastic refillable bottle, Triton plastic I believe, as an elegant alternative to buying bottled water in the flimsy plastic you get your Poland Spring in. Is the problem the Poland Spring Bottle, or that nobody likes to recycle? He noted only 20% of them are recycled. Are water bottles the problem, or are people the problem? So are we admitting that we can't change people and we have to give them a cute water bottle instead? Or can a really good design change people's behavior? Such as this water bottle? If design can do that, than that is really amazing and applaudable. I mean, I could buy a Snapple Iced Tea and then fill that glass bottle up with water as much as I wanted to as well. But I guess that's not cute. It's not heightening our experience of drinking water and looking great doing it. 

This isn't a critique of  Mr. Sawhney or his work, but a testament to how good his lecture was -  he made me think about all these things. Are we, as a society, improving the way we live or are we just adding more crap to the world - driven by our narcissistic preponderances? But that's what makes us human - we make things. But they need to be valuable on multiple levels.'

I liked one of the things he said about Good Design - 'its hard to define, but you know it when you see it - which is kind of like finding your future spouse or wedding dress. We have only a foggy notion of what we want - and as he also pointed out - Designers are more the facilitator of good ideas than an unstoppable wellspring. This is a good point. Designers are facilitators, not dictators, and we need to always ask the end user what's important to them. He mentioned Joseph Campbell and Maslow as important influences, but ended with a quote from Maya Angelou: "People forget what you said, people forget what you did, but they never forget how you make them feel" And isn't that just the greatest design challenge of all time. Treating others with compassion. It also makes the most difference.

Unfortunately SCAD style ends today, but there is lots going this weekend - The Susan G Komen Race for the Cure, Earth Day at Forsyth Park with lots of events going on... and of course our Cupcakes and Cocktails party coming up next Thursday!! So excited for that!

Have a great weekend mes amis!!

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Traveling First Class

I recently took the Silver Meteor (Amtrak) up New York. I took the husband with me because we all know men are great to have on hand for traveling - generally taller, more muscles, etc. Just kidding, I just wanted him with me. We were traveling up to my baby shower!

We made a reservation for a sleeper car - the viewliner roomette -hubs said it was like being in a Japanese hotel. The sink folded up and down and the toilet was right next to the bed. Which being pregnant I rather appreciated. I just rolled out of my bunk and waddled two steps when nature called.

The Viewliner  Roomette:

That grab bar helps you climb up to the top bunk. below: the drop down sink and toilet below.

 

This is the toilet/sink view. There is another seat across from this one, with the door to the car on the left. Also, the toilet seat is only exposed when you want it to be. That little platform drops down and covers it. Then you step on that to get up to your top bunk.

 

At the Savannah station we were the only two getting into a sleeper car that evening so we were told to walk on ahead and wait at a different spot than everybody else. We boarded at 7:38 and Jimmy, our Porter, helped us with our luggage and familiarized us with the car. You can apparently check alot of bags on Amtrak too. We just checked one, but you can check up to 3 bags per person for free (!!) The seats were nice and roomy with plenty of space. So much nicer than squeezing into coach on a plane with everybody's elbows on their laptop jutting in your face. and you have a sliding door you can close as well as curtains on the window that velcro in place. Unlike hotels, bottled water was complimentary and unlike planes we both got a window seat AND a pillow! We had a lot going on leading up to the trip so we really just crashed when we got on board. Jimmy told us that our reservations for dinner were at 8pm. We made our way down to the dining car and we had our choice of chicken, fish, steak, spare ribs or pasta. I got the steak of course which came with a baked potato and green beans. It was really good! The baby was pleased with the iron and b12 I'm sure. There was a good selection for dessert too, we settled on carrot cake; on my trip back I got Hagen Dasz raspberry sorbet. Yum. Anyways, all meals are included in the price of your ticket. Jimmy came by around ten to set up our bed for the night. The two seats slid together for the bottom bed and the top bunk lowered from the ceiling. I asked for an extra blanket because the lower bunk is obviously a bit cooler than the bottom. I have to say, being pregnant it was nice to be able to lay there while being pleasantly transported to my destination. The motion of the train rocked us both to sleep and I made sure to curl up on my side as the baby is laying on top of a major artery and I can really tell now. I randomly woke up a few times through the night to gaze out the window and look at the random scenery illuminated only by orange streetlights.  There is something about traveling on the train that makes you feel like you are in an Edward Hopper painting. It has an element of melancholia to it - this steel snake charging through the night, while its sleepy passengers are rocked like babies. 

 Hubs in the top bunk, assisted by Miller Lite:

Morning rolled around and we were too comfortable to get out of bed for a proper breakfast, so hubs brought me back some coffee (also complimentary) and I found the New York Times had been slid under our door. It was so nice, laying in bed with coffee, the Times and the last minutes of Newark rolling by. Hubs jumped into the shower down the hall in the morning. It was cute - a little shower pod with a room attached for changing. I am really straddling the line between seahorse and kangeroo at this point so I didn't make the attempt. I just washed my face in our room and fixed myself up there. We arrived at Penn Station, NYC at 11:30 am, where my mom (expert Manhattan driver) managed to find a space right outside the station. Sort of amazing in itself. It was a fun trip. Very simple and easy breezy the whole way. I highly recommend it.

***If you're pregnant its a nice way to travel - the train moves through the night, no annoying security checks, or plane switching, meals are included and made for you, you can lay down the whole way...and the toilet is right there.

Hubs and me at my baby shower -looking much better:

 

My Mom and I:

 

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Sweet Windows for the Sweet Life

We're all really excited for the upcoming Back in the Day Bakery Book signing party right here at The Paris Market on Thursday, April 26th from 5-7pm! 

Everyone is invited, so come on over, pick up a signed copy of home baked awesomeness, feast on some free cupcakes, and toast to the sweet life with some champagne. And take home all those yummy recipes in one fabulous book!

The windows have been dressed and we're ready to party!

See you next Thursday. Bring your sweet tooth!

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A Crafters Guide: Fabric Flag Cake Toppers!

 With our big Back in the Day Bakery book signing bash right around the corner, I have nothing but sweet treats on the brain. The cupcake craze has definitely hit us all hard and what better to add an extra dose of cuteness to these dream desserts, than with a fabric flag cake topper!

Supplies Needed!

Craft Glue

Assorted Fabric

Rubber Stamps

Ink Pad

 4 Inch Bamboo Skewers

Scissors

Colored Tape (Optional)

 Step One

Help your skewers pack a pretty punch by wrapping them with colored or patterned tape. I am just head over heels for the designs and colors we carry in the store. Its a good way to add some fun contrast to your fabric flags and provide a nice pop of color.

 Step Two

Trace a triangle onto a stiff piece of paper (this will act as your stencil). Trace around your stencil with an ink pen onto the back of you chosen fabric. Continue by cutting out your flag shapes.

 Step Three

Stamp your chosen designs onto your newly cut flags. Plan ahead by setting aside half of your cut out pieces. These will serve as the coordinating backs to each flag. Try stamping a cheerful message, a party theme, or the age of your special birthday someone.

 Step Four

Thoroughly coat the back of one of your plain flags with craft glue. Place your skewer against the flat edge of your triangle on top of the glue.

Step Five

Place your printed flag (right side up) on top of the glue covered flag, sandwiching the skewer in between the two. Let dry completely before placing on your cupcake.

Voila!

A perfectly printed topper for you next cupcake camp-out!

Join us April 26th from 5-7pm as we celebrate the much beloved Back in the Day Bakery and their new cookbook, with a book signing bash! 

See you there, and until then, Happy Crafting!

This is your craft loving how-to gal signing off!

xo, Jessica

visit me on my blog!

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