dinner with friends

May 19, 2021

Remember when I used to show pictures of my friend's parties? Now that we are vaccinated, parties are back on! Last week when I arrived at my first dinner party in 18 months I was handed a beautiful glass of bright red sparkling wine. That was certainly a nice way to start the evening. I felt like hugging myself as I strolled through my friend's pretty house. I missed getting dressed up and socializing so much. 

Rene loves color. Linens are Le Jacquard and roses are Joseph's Coat.

Rene is a great gardener and her roses were in full bloom. The house was designed to capitalize on their views and the landscaping was designed with garden vignettes that can be enjoyed from both inside and out. Throughout the house, window's views are framed by roses.  The entry way and hall way has full length windows that overlook three Climbing Joseph's Coat roses.

A massive Sally Holmes rose towering over a 6 foot tall fence.


The sunny dining room is flanked by windows on two sides. The east facing windows open to a patio covered with wisteria with a view of the horse ring beyond. The west facing windows open to a terrace covered with Climbing Blaze roses and a view of the vineyard.

Rene's love of color is on display again with this hand knitted
triangular shawl adapted from a Kaffe Fassett pattern.


We had drinks and appetizers on the terrace overlooking the pool, vineyard and horse ring that is to the left and just out of the camera's view. Isn't the view stunning? A Climbing Blaze Rose is growing over a bed of jasmine. In the early evening the perfumy fragrance of jasmine is unleashed. Heaven! 


Rene and Brian grow Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Chardonnay grapes. They built a little winery into the hillside where after harvest they can crush, age, bottle, cork, label and store their wine (with a little help from their friends). Over the years yours truly has been on every detail above many times. A labor of love that is made more fun with good friends and food and great wine. California living at its best.


Another view of Climbing Blaze.


I hope you enjoyed seeing pictures of this beautiful home and garden. The dinner was delicious because my talented friend is also a great cook, but I have no pictures to prove it because I put my camera away after ten minutes and enjoyed the evening. 

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5 Comments

  1. I LOVE your posts......share them with my husband and provide us with so much inspiration for our own garden...Thanks! ps.....knitting inspo also a great gift!

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  2. Beautiful photos of a beautiful house.

    Carole

    ReplyDelete
  3. It seems the fashion world has been living in a gray-and-black world since the nineties. So it is always wonderful, Kristen, when you give us a good dose of that California color. (In nature, of course, color is always everywhere, including right outside my own door, but your pictures glorify it more with all those shots of bright pink and red and glasses of bright burgundy on fuschia tablecloths and sun-drenched landscapes. I drink it all in. Chloe

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    Replies
    1. Thank you so much. I was also inspired by the beautiful colors and left determined to put more color in my life. Color is uplifting for sure!

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