Create Tables as Brilliant Experiences

In my book, From Drawing Board to Dinner Table, we show a number of historic tableware designs that come with great stories. Written there, “We all need to eat. It is a fact essential to our material existence and a characteristic that humans share with animals. But humans are essentially different than animals in that they have a rational soul that is capable of imagination and the acquisition of knowledge.

To rejoice in or have special festivities to mark a happy day, event, especially a birthday or rite of passage. What kind of celebration are you partial to?

How many ways can you celebrate a birthday? Trampolines and cream pies on the face? Going fishing? Watching a movie or play? Going to a museum? Paintball Fight? Some cultures don’t think birthdays are an event to be commemorated at all. Staying indoors, sheltering in place? In our family, we usually gather for a meal, and there is always the requisite homemade cake on some theme with candles and some thoughtful, if small, gifts and the birthday boy or girl’s, favorite food.  But the day is transformed into something special with the decorations and the fact that we are together.  Plus, we set a fancy table. What else? The grandchildren paint a banner, there are helium balloons, and usually the dining room is festooned with crepe paper streamers all over, not very artfully done, (including the backs of chairs). The little ones are bursting with excitement to show what they have done to get ready. People are loud and talk over each other. The most important feature is that we attend, all together. Holiday tooting horns make the occasion impossible.

We advocate having a friend over and picking up some take-out or making a sandwich with some chips and guacamole. Use a pretty napkin or offer a clean and folded dishcloth. Pick some flowers from outside and put them in a juice glass on the table. That is all it takes to make a meal seem special. Plus: hearing about your friend’s day.

Formal Vs. Casual

A lot of people are nervous about setting a formal table because they think there are rules and don’t know what they are. A while ago, we wrote a little blog about how to set a formal table. Click on this link to find out more https://www.mottahedeh.com/blog/2010/08/06/mottahedeh-memo-how-is-a-formal-table-set-part-2/. Actually, you can follow all the points we make about dining on our early-days blog. It is called Mottahedeh Memo. But today the rules have changed and it is alright to find new ways to use your great looking items and to mix it up in novel and interesting ways. Go for color, flavor and importantly, originality. At Mottahedeh, that is what we like. Generally,” formal” means individuals having defined place settings and each person has their own. The seating is arranged. “Casual” means figure-it-out-for-yourself. For instance, stand the forks up in a glass and leave a stack of paper napkins where everyone can get them.

People of around my age can remember the cartoon about Yogi Bear who lived in Jellystone Park . It was his calling to take the five-finger discount by lifting any pic-a–nic basket he could find. I found this rather interesting, because, for us, the lunch would go into a simple bag of any sort. So, first of all, the basket raises people expectation because of its elegance. My college roommate gave my husband and myself a wicker basket with a lid, a very nice green and white checkered tablecloth for putting on the ground, and the basket had slots that would hold glasses and plates. We had just moved to New York City and this was to facilitate outings to Central Park. I was in love with it.  In the park you could have a catch, take a nap, go for a short stroll. But the big challenge is the coming and going. That is why we make tin picnic sets of four in a tin box. The plates are sturdy and pretty and when we are finished with the meal, we pack up the used dishes in the box and bring them home for a wash. We also added wooden forks, spoons and knives that are reusable. We suggest someplace soft for your landing spot. Easy on the elbows and knees!

Not exactly a soft landing, but refreshing!