BEAUTIFUL DINING WITH FRIENDS

One of my favorite things about a dinner party is the preparation beforehand especially when I know my girlfriends are coming over. Your female friends always notice little details, and appreciate the time you invest. Making the time to gather your girly friends is important, mainly because they are a big support, and you always seem to laugh at the simplest things. When I made the decision to begin my blog these five women were an incredible support, and an honest sounding board for my daily questions and motivation. I wanted to give a big thanks to all of them and hoped they would connect with each other.  This dinner was a way of saying "Thank You for your generosity and daily encouragement."

Taking the time to set a beautiful table sets the tone for your dining experience. Yes, it takes effort but it's incredibly rewarding when your guests walk in and appreciate the beauty. It really is a creative experience. While I'm waiting in a carpool line, I like to spend time looking at magazines and scrolling through Pinterest. First I pick the colors I want to use, then decide on the meal, also the music is always important so I love making a playlist from iTunes. It seems to be forever summer here in Los Angeles, so I chose a California Chardonnay.  I love to mix and match my china, and it always makes for nice conversation because it all has a story.  Frank Family Chardonnay is always my first choice for a California white wine.

Rose Petals frozen in an ice cube tray / Gold Pasinski Bar Glasses /Photo: By Becca

 Buying the flowers puts me in the best mood, and that too is important for being a happy and relaxed host. A great dinner party begins with the spirit of the host. I set the table the night before, that way I'm not rushed on the evening before my guests arrive.  Since it's all girls for the evening, I thought different variations of pink would be ...pretty.  Can't go wrong with Pink Roses, Tulips and Calla Lilies.

And now comes the fun part, getting creative with the flowers.  I play my favorite music and let the creative juices flow.

Christofle Water Pitcher & Fish Vase / Baccarat Papillon ( butterflies) / Photo By :Becca

Philippe Deshoulières China & Serving Tray /  Founded in 1826- 100% made in France / Christofle Flat Ware / Nautical Luxuries Shell Napkin Rings 

 The meal tonight was vegetarian. All the dishes are from the book "the forest feast"  By: Erin Gleeson. This book is not only visually stunning, it's yummy. Our friend and chef, Berta  prepared these meals. It's always fun looking through cookbooks and deciding on your courses. Berta served us an amazing meal, and each dish looked just like the book. I really recommend The Forest Feast cookbook, it's simple and everything I've made in the past always turned out.        *My favorite salad - Arugula - Watermelon - Goat Cheese - Jalapeño / Dressing:  vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil, and dijon mustard. / Photo By:Becca

Red Cabbage Salad with radishes - lentils - cherry tomatoes / Dressing: olive oil, lemon, and dijon mustard. / Photo By:Becca

Corn & Cauliflower Tacos / cauliflower, corn, red pepper flakes, chili powder, garlic powder, olive oil, salt, & pepper ( roast together in over @ 425F, 15-20 minutes (until golden) Top off with Greek yogurt, feta & hot sauce.

Desert / SO DELICIOUS Dairy Free Coconut Milk & Raspberry / fresh blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, and homemade granola from Whole Foods / rose petal decoration / Anthropologie bowl /  I love to mix china patterns together. It's a great expression of who you are,  just like fashion.  These bowls from Anthropologie put a perfect touch on the dessert. / Photo By:Becca

Elephant place card holders /  Saint Hilaire  / When the trunks are up it means "Good Luck" 

Salute...Cheers...À Votre Santé

Candle sticks are also mixed and different heights. The Baccarat Butterflies seemed appropriate for the evening.

Thank you!  Val - Lindsay -Jesica Ryzenberg - Amanda Korbitz  Becca Murray  Thank you Berta for a great meal.

For dinner gifts, I found these journals by Compendium. Each one has a beautiful illustration and inside you will see whimsical images and quotes. These beauties are all writers and creative, so I knew these journals will have a good home.  Write down your dreams, your goals, and your visions and watch your world bring all the right players into place...it truly works. / Photo By: Becca

It's been an incredible breath of fresh air connecting with the girls pictured above. If I can encourage anyone over the age of 45-50, It is to keep connecting with those who are younger.  First of all they're fun, they are full of dreams and possibilities, and they also have an interest in you. We all have pearls of wisdom to offer each other, and if you remain open minded,  we can all be helpful to each other in reaching our goals.  The more you connect, the higher you vibrate, the happier you will be.  That's a wonderful feeling isn't it...

LET'S FOCUS ON PAM

I'd like you to meet my friend and photographer Pam Springsteen.  She has zoomed in on some of the most notable faces in music history and film. Pam was born in Freehold, New Jersey and raised in Northern California. The younger sister of Bruce Springsteen, Pam's photographs of her brother can be seen through the Mojave Desert and along the famous Route 66. Pam began her photography career shooting for magazines and the music industry. Her work appeared in Spin Magazine, RollingStone, and Musician to name a few.  Her style has attracted a broad range of celebrities including Keith Richards, Neil Young, Tom Hanks, Ice Cube and Rosanne Cash.  Pam's unique strength lies in her ability to create an honest and intimate portrait in a comfortable , fun and collaborative environment. 

Pam and I happened to meet on one of the hottest days Los Angeles has had in years. I've been fortunate enough to have met Pam several years ago through our kids school. The photo you see above is very telling of who she is. Pam's laugh is infectious, and her smile is contagious. You can't help but feel happy and carefree in her presence.  I'm sure the artist experiences the same vibe when in front of her lens. Her photography is not only impressive it's authentic...because she is. 

I love Pam's confidence, calmness and her down right ease attitude of life. She's managed to roll it all together. Photographer, wife and a great mother. I can say this because I've seen her in action for the last ten years. Below are just a few of Pam's photographs. Her work is truly a reflection of who she is. I believe she captures the artist's spirit, heart and liveliness.

Lyle Lovett

Neil Young

Robert Plant & Alison Krauss

Italian Fans  

Keith Richards

Tom Hanks

Tony Childs... what a great shot!

Her brother... Bruce Springsteen

Ghost Of Tom Joad / Exhibit going on now - September 8 - December 22 / A traveling photography exhibit curated by the GRAMMY Museum of Los Angeles to document Bruce's world, at different stages in his career.  For more info. visit: MONMOUTH UNIVERSITY

Stormy afternoon on The Jersey Shore.

Pam's favorite subject / Her beautiful, gracious and kind daughter... Ruby

When Pam said "Yes" she would like to be featured on The Grateful Gardenia as one of my Fearless Females I was thrilled. Over the years, I've loved getting to know Pam, and her talent goes unnoticed by no one. Pam is real, kind and funny beyond...and she is definitely FEARLESS. Whether she is encouraging her daughter Ruby or in a conversation with you, she is always telling you to "Go For It."  Thanks for your inspiration, oh...and sweating it out together while hanging out in your studio. Currently her photos are part of a traveling exhibition curated by the Grammy Museum titled Bruce Springsteen: A Photographic Journey.

And you bet...this girl was "BORN IN THE  U.S.A." 

Interview with Pamela Springsteen

Me:  As a businesswoman, what are some challenges you have faced and how did you overcome it?

Pam:  What are the challenges I have faced:  First let me start off by saying how grateful I am to have spent my life's work doing the thing that I love. I have been a photographer for 25 years and I have met so many interesting people and have traveled to places I never would have gone. The challenges today are different than when I first started shooting. The digital revolution has changed things in so many ways, the market has been flooded with images increasing competiion and lowering rates making harder for photographers to earn a living. Kodak has gone bankrupt, Polaroid has gone bankrupt, and the last lab on the planet to process Kodachome closed down (for photographers and Simon and Garfunkel fans that's very sad).  In spite of all that the most important aspect has stayed the same, which is staying true to your own vision.  The only way to overcome these challenges is to adapt to the changes and know who you are and what you do.  It can be a very exciting time as well, on the positive side there are more opportunities and more outlets for visual communication.  Photography at it's best tells a story. I try to look for the story in every frame and when you capture that, well, that's the exciting part.

 Me: Describe a day in your life as an entrepreneur?

Pam:  A day in my life: My personal day is balanced between being a photographer and being a mother, being an artist and being a business person.  I'm not very good at multi-tasking and I'm a bit of a perfectionist, so things often don't get done quite as fast as I would like. Between school drop offs and returning emails, the core reason why I chose this profession often takes a backseat so the one thing that I do that's very important to me is- everyday I make sure I photograph something that's purely for myself.  It may not always be great but it keeps the creative juices flowing and my passion alive.

Me: What motivates you to keep going?

Pam:  What motivates me to keep going is that I love photography. I love what I do. I don't care who or what I'm shooting I am always at my best and happiest behind the camera.  

Me: What are your 3 favorite beauty or clothing products you can’t live without?

Pam: FRESH Rose Face Mask or face cream or any product from FRESH. Ito Green tea which is always on my desk and Hye Park and Lune's  super soft t-shirts.

Pamela Springsteen Photography   Contact Pam directly for sales or questions.

          "One should really use the camera as though tomorrow you'd be stricken blind."
Dorothea Lange

GUADALAJARA & TLAQUEPAQUE TREASURES

 La Bienvenida a Nuestra Ciudad

f you haven't thought about making a journey to Guadalajara, you might want to add this city to your checklist.  Guadalajara was incredibly cosmopolitan and full of buildings rising up and beautiful people everywhere.  We were invited to a friend's birthday party and my husband, and I had never been so we decided to hop on Aero Mexico and have a little adventure.

We took off for a day to visit Tlaquepaque (tlaké pake) famous for its pottery and blown glass.  The main square in the city centre is El Jardin Hidalgo (Hidalgo Garden"), named after Miguel Hidalgo y Costlier, the "Father of Mexican Independence."  You stroll  down one street and each shop was more colorful and full of incredible hand made goods than the next.

Talented women were making any color, size or shape you would like.

Father Hidalgo was one of the heroes of the Mexican War of Independence.

Voladores de Papantla - An ancien Mesoamerican ceremoy/ritual still performed today. The ritual consists of dance and the climbing of a 39 meter pole from which the participants then launch themselves tied with ropes to descend to the ground while one remains playing a flute and drum. 

After the first part of the day shopping around and working up an appetite, we decided to stop  at Casa Fuerte.  Highly recommend from our local friends, and no reason in questioning that. It was quiet the preferred place.

Case Fuerte was open air, tranquil with a Latin jazz band  ( I was in Heaven) and we were ready to experience the full dining culture of Mexico.  I ordered a Don Julio margarita, my husband had a Spanish white wine and the chips and salsa were terrific. Just what we had in mind.

Camarones Tamarindo - Camarón, en salsa de tamarindo.  And it was delicious...

Chili Relleno en Nogada - Poblano peppers seemed to be a very popular dish.

The people were lovely here, so happy and you could feel they appreciated tourist and the locals.  The service was great, along with our food and drinks.

With our friends being locals we knew we were in for an authentic experience, and now... ready for round two of shopping. Gracias Casa Fuerte, for taking care of us.

Beautiful glass hearts in all sizes and vibrant colors.

We purchased these beautiful glasses, along with hand blown stir sticks, place mats, cocktail and dinner napkins along with this hand blown napkin holder.

Colorful  handmade placemats & napkins.

HUI ZA CHE / TEQUILA REPOSADO /  gift from the birthday boy, made by his family.

Dia de los Muertos  / Day of the dead / 

Day of the Dead (Spanish: Día de Muertos) is a Mexican holiday celebrated throughout Mexico, in particular the Central and South regions, and acknowledged around the world in other cultures. The holiday focuses on gatherings of family and friends to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died, and help support their spiritual journey.

Day of the Dead happens to be my birthday, so we couldn't resist beginning our collection.

Incredible, stunning furniture and light fixtures at IO Art Gallery.

How can you not appreciate an incredible Mariachi Band...

A goodbye wave from the Joven (young)  in Tlaquepaque

   "The world is a book, and those who do no travel read only one page."   Saint Augustine