How Delish Is This?

We Huffingtons do enjoy a libation now and again and when we come across one we really love, we feel it necessary to share.

Along with hot summer days, afternoon thunderstorms and the heady scent of gardenias, one of our favorite guilty pleasures is the delicious, and sadly, habit-forming Lillet.

If you haven’t experienced the sweet but tangy flavor of this French wine, do put it on your list. You’ll feel instantly transported to the madly glamorous Cote d’Azur of yesteryear.

The Lillet Frères (Paul and Raymond) are responsible for the creation of this lovely little aperitif, which hails from a little spot in Bordeaux and dates back to 1872. It’s a heady blend of 85% wine, herbs and citrus liqueurs made from a variety of oranges and then matured in oak casks.

Casks of Lillet, aging to perfection.

We found this description of Lillet from a real oenophile: “Golden color, shimmery; floral nose, honey, candied orange, pine resin, lime, fresh mint; distinct taste, generous, intense, aromatic, long.”

Lillet: the classic Bordelais aperitif

This sweet but tangy concoction has been going strong for more than 100 years – in fact, it’s said that the Duchess of Windsor never went anywhere without her personal bottle of Lillet. In the 60’s, it was the cocktail of choice for New York socialites frequenting the ever-chic 21 Club.

It’s even made it to Hollywood: in the movie, Hannibal, Hannibal Lecter drinks "Lillet and a slice of orange over ice"; he later serves the same drink to Clarice Starling. James Bond loves it, too, ordering it in both Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace. Martha Stewart likes hers with a little cucumber and tarragon: click here for her recipes. That’s so Martha.

Bond. James Bond.

Okay, so what do you do with it? We like it a nice thin-lipped crystal wine glass (preferably a Bordeaux glass), over ice (yes, ice) a splash of soda (yes, soda and we know you traditionalists will cringe) and a nice slice of orange. It’s heavenly on a summer’s evening when perhaps a little salade nicoise is awaiting you or perhaps a savory tomato tarte. Wherever, whenever and with whatever you decide to nibble on while sipping, Lillet is nectar of the soul.

Not a Bordeaux glass, but it will do…

Lillet comes in two variations: blanc et rouge.

We hope you take our advice and enjoy a glass of Lillet next time you’re dining al fresco on a warm summer’s eve. You will not be disappointed!

What are some of your favorite summertime cocktails?

Tata!

M.

Hooked on...Orange

We're not sure if it's the rising temperatures and the happy onslaught of early summer, but we've all got the hots for orange right now, whether it's on the wall, in the home, out and about, or on the toes. What is it about this juicy and vibrant hue that has us salivating right now? We're noticing it everywhere...

On the walls:

Our artists must be feeling the same way - and we love the way they're interpreting this lively and energetic palette into their work:

Susan Spies, Melancholy

Nancy Franke, Julep Cup

Jessica Falstein

Elizabeth Barber, Promise of Spring

Bonnie Beauchamp Cooke, Diane

On Oneself:

Atlanta designer Liz Shults, owner of Le Chateau Interiors, never leaves her house without wearing a touch of orange. In the winter, it’s a soft orange scarf that she wraps around her neck. It’s gorgeous and keeps the chill away.

And, in the summer, she swaps it out for a lighter-than-air gauze version. She’s also crazy about her new carnelian stone necklace that she loops around the neck. How stylish is that...

Liz stopped by the gallery while we were blogging! Here’s her gorgeous new necklace & summer scarf (with Amy Dixon’s paintings in the backgroud).


To any self-respecting femme Francophile, the #1 thing that comes to mind at the thought of the color orange is: HERMES.

This French fashion house is the quintessential purveyor of the color orange in a variety of forms. Orange silk scarves, cashmere throws, ceramic ashtrays, enamel bracelets…even the boxes come in this vibrant hue!

A little orange to dress the neck...

Stack the boxes on a table for a chic pop of orange.

An ashtray on the vanity is a great place to store jewelry.

On the toes and at the beach:

With the return of warm weather, orange is a must for the summer! Make your feet look tan and polished with a pop of orange on your toes.

Essie “Tart Deco”

Or if you’re really feeling bold, go all out with a great pair of orange sandals from Tory Burch (who, of late, seems to be responsible for orange’s resurge in popularity. Her fabulous boxes are almost as coveted as those from Hermes.

Tory Burch Thora flipflops

In the Home:

One Huffington is having an obsession about re-doing a master bedroom in French linen popping with accents of Hermes orange.

Room by Scott Schubel

Room by Eileen Kathryn Boyd

These little touches of tangerine, mandarin, and orange juice orange are guaranteed to pack a punch:

Leontine Linens “Shasta” quilt

Leontine Linens “Hayden” bedding

Leontine Linens “Horsebit” bedding

No Huffington get-together would be complete without a little taste of our favorite bubbly…which coincidentally comes in an orange box.

Amy Dixon, Vive Le Veuve

Out and About (and Abroad!):

A perfectly orange house in Cassis

When we decided to do an orange blog, we put feelers out to Ann who happened to be in Provence on ladies’ trip (more about that in another blog).

Orange signs in St. Remy

She had fun recording a few orange standouts in the market in St. Remy, where she usually spends her Wednesdays (before having lunch at her favorite place, Le Bistrot du Paradou).

A delectable fruit tart

St. Remy Market

Napkins or hand towels…a lovely gift.

Gorgeous tomatoes in the market. Don’t they look like mini pumpkins?

Orange French Fashions
An orange enthusiast selling his wares in the market

One vendor in the market was a little suspicious when she started snapping pictures of his orange shoes, but when she explained that it was for a blog on the color orange, he raised his eyebrows, shrugged his shoulders and said the French equivalent of “Whatever!” (“Bof!”)

A woman standing next to her said, “But wait a minute: I am a “symphony of orange” and gladly posed for the camera, revealing her perfectly orchestrated orange handbag and matching orange wallet (from Renoir, in Paris by the way).

Indeed, just her little bursts of orange on a sea of grey was the perfect contrast and “je ne sais quoi” that took ordinary to extraordinary. As the French woman knows so well, with the color orange, less is often more.

Ann with Van Gogh’s Orange Beard

What are some of your favorite pops of orange? We'd love to hear from you


Tata!

HH

Hooked on…Books: Part III

Huffington Book Club

When Sam Jones got the Huffington Book Club request for her favorite books, her response was immediately apologetic: “But I don’t read anymore!” It turns out that Sam has, like so many others, “crossed to the other side.” She only listens to books! And she thought that didn’t count! It turns out that all her favorite “listens” have actually been our favorite “reads” including the “Girl with Dragon Tattoo” and “The Girl Who Played with Fire” (Meg’s faves right now) as well as “The Elegance of the Hedgehog”(Ann’s fave right now.

So Sam thought that rescued her from participating in our blog, but on the contrary, we think our “listeners” will be so pleased to know that they have some of the same wonderful options as our readers!

Sam Jones: Audiobook Connoisseur Extraordinaire

Actually, it’s not entirely true that Sam only listens. She also has a very keen eye and doesn’t miss a single detail – and, she is unabashedly the queen of the coffee table books. Usually around Christmastime, she shares the love with the rest of us. In fact, don’t tell our families, but possibly our favorite Christmas presents are those heavy, rectangular-shaped packages that come wrapped in a stylish brown paper bag with a signature silk and raffia bow. As in everything else she does, Sam can pick out a stylish book (and always wraps it elegantly, too) and has introduced us to some of our all-time favorites:

“Crossing Boundaries” by Vicente Wolfe

“Style & Substance: The Best of Elle Decor” by Margaret Russell

“Inspired Interiors” by Suzanne Kasler (OK we technically gave it to her but she still shared it with us!)

“Vogue Living: Houses, Gardens, People” by Hamish Bowles

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And speaking of presents and books and happy wishes, today is our wonderful Madame Mohan’s birthday!

Bon Anniversaire!

What do you buy the person who is the absolute best at gift giving? Madame Mohan has such an amazing eye for gifts that we've kiddingly dubbed her the “VP of Corporate Gifts” at Huff Harrington. Linda is an expert spotter who knows how to find the diamond in the rough every time, and never misses a beat. So it's a challenge buying a present for the person with the best eye.

But taking our cue from Sam, and knowing how much we all love to read, swoon and renovate, we think we did OK for our Linda with this book for her birthday.

With this blog, and on this special occasion, we wish our sweet Linda a very happy birthday!! And finally, unsuspecting of any ulterior motives on our part for her birthday, Miss Linda has given us the following book for her Huffington Book Club favorites:

Madame Linda

"I've just finished a sweet little book called "Just Who Will You Be?" by Maria Shriver. It follows her thought process as she struggles to write a commencement speech for her nephew's graduation.

She challenges us to see the difference between what you will do and what you will be during your lifetime, and the importance of knowing the difference. It is a good read for all ages, especially poignant at this time as my older son begins the college process. I also enjoyed the part where Maria said she ate a bag of Swedish Fish during writer's block. It too is my stress food of choice during harried moments at the ballpark!"

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We hope you’ve enjoyed this past week’s Book Club entries. Look for a continuation of the series this summer after we’ve all been on vacation and had time to sink our feet in the sand and read to our heart’s content.

Tata!

HH

Hooked on…Books: Part II

Huffington Book Club

This post is a continuation of Tuesday’s “Hooked on…Books: Part I.” Reading is one of the most popular Huffington pastimes, and we couldn’t fit all of our bibliophile love into one post.

Ann’s Picks

I’ve been going through a Paris phase, which will surely make it into a blog at some point, and as a result, I keep reading everything I can get my hands on that relates to Paris.

Oddly enough, I have had four copies of “A Moveable Feast” in the last few years, but with my strange habit of leaving the book on planes, trains, automobiles and hotel rooms, I haven’t actually managed to finish it once since I first read it in my twenties. Freud may have something to say about this, but as far as I’m concerned, it’s simply frustrating!

Many years ago, Meg and I first bonded over our mutual like for “Cooking for Mr. Latte” which is a well-written love story by one of the food editors at the N.Y. Times, filled with self deprecating humor and delicious recipes. The illustrations remind me of Meg and something tells me that if we Huffingtons ever met the writer, Amanda Hesser, we’d all be bff’s. So when Meg recently recommended the book, “Lunch in Paris,” and said it was a Parisian version of Mr. Latte, I jumped on it and had to agree that it was highly entertaining, delicious and well written. In fact after borrowing Meg’s copy, I actually had to go out and buy my own (hard copy!) because the recipes were so irresistible.

On our most recent trip to Paris, Mr. Marathon and I decided to visit our favorite book store, Shakespeare & Co., known for being a literary hangout of American expats in the 1920’s. Not exactly fashioning myself as one, I asked the salesperson if she’d ever heard of “Lunch in Paris” and she said, “Oh God, not another American girl meets French boy in Paris” love story?” Clearly, she’d never heard of it.

Somewhat apologetically I said, “Well, yes, actually it is … but this one’s really well written” (trust me!) to which I was greeted with an exasperated roll of the eyes and a sarcastic, “I’m sure it is.” No but really, I insisted, it’s great! You should get it! As the eyes continued to roll, my husband nudged me slightly, and said, “It’s OK.” Not everyone will believe that this is a delightful book with some serious undertones and seriously delicious recipes, but I happen to know that that is their loss!

And, on this same Parisian note, I am three pages from finishing “The Elegance of the Hedgehog,” probably one of the most universally popular books of the last few years. When I started to read it, several weeks ago, I thought it was so philosophically boring and pedantic, that I questioned the dozens of people who’d recommended it.

In all fairness, I am reading it in French, and although I’ve always considered myself to be fairly bilingual and as comfortable in French as in English, this book makes Proust seem easy!! It took me several nights to get in to it, and still I questioned and cursed all those responsible for my nightly mystery (but at least I fell asleep fast!). Now, I am devouring every last delicate and delectable detail with my only regret being that there isn’t more of it to savor. I don’t want to put it down. I don’t want it to end. It’s like a trusted old friend that you never want to leave. It’s become a part of me. An extension of my soul.

It’s exactly what a great book should be and the reason we all still love to read.

Sarah’s Picks

After finishing my dissertation last fall (about the Charleston art market - a lovely topic - but 30,000 words about anything can be a bit of a chore), I had a long list of “fun & fluffy” books that I wanted to read while my brain took a rest from heavy lifting. Currently on my bedside table…

I finally decided to see what all the Emily Giffin hoopla was about, and I’m hooked! I breezed through “Something Borrowed” and “Something Blue” in a day apiece, and now I’m onto “Baby Proof,” “Love the One You’re With,” and her new release, “The Heart of the Matter.”

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Dorothea Benton Frank’s fantastic accounts of life in the Lowcountry. Her new book, “Lowcountry Summer: A Plantation Novel,” comes out in June, and I can’t wait to read it.

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My guilty pleasure is Lauren Willig. I’m currently on the fourth book,“The Seduction of the Crimson Rose.” The series chronicles Harvard graduate student Eloise Kelly’s, attempt to uncover the identity of the England’s most famous spies, the Scarlett Pimpernel, the Pink Carnation, and their cohorts and fellow spies, in order to complete her dissertation. Each book flip-flops between present day and the 17^th/18^th centuries, when relations were tense between England and France and spying was at its heyday. If you enjoy historical fiction, you will love these books!

Rachel’s Picks

I’m currently enjoying “The Bauhaus Group: Six Masters of Modernism.” The Bauhaus group was a group of avant-garde artists living in Germany during the volatile interwar period 1919-1933. They believed in combining form and function to create a beauty in the industrial (they were the ones to come up with stackable chairs!).

I love reading the stories of this group of artists who blew the art world out of the water in 1919 and continue to shape our culture. This book is broken up into 6 sections, with one artist per section. So although the book seems long you can pick and choose which artist seems most interesting to you. It's a really personal look at artists, whose work is usually all you get to read about.

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In other news, Doug Foltz’s solo show last Thursday was a smashing success! Thank you to everyone who came out to support Doug and view his beautiful new work. Erin Hollenbank, of the Atlanta Art Critic blog, was kind enough to write a little review about Doug’s show. Click here to read it.

What’s a party without pictures? A very boring event, indeed. Click here to see photos from the event of Doug and his fans.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Tata!

HH