FLOWERS. FLEURS. FLORES. FIORI.
When the going gets tough, the tough get flowers – the antidote for lifting the spirit. Fresh, wilting, or dried, flowers have a magical way of lowering your blood pressure and transforming space – and your mood. No need to break the bank to buy a fancy arrangement. Just grab a handful of the prettiest blooms from your local florist (or your garden), put them in a vase (or wine chiller) and – Voila! Plain, humdrum space is no longer.
Like on a recent hot summer day as we planned “the perfect” outdoor lunch underneath the oak tree with my friend Jeannie, her husband Stephane and son John, who were visiting from Paris, The City of Light. The weather was getting hotter by the minute, and a dozen flies were challenging Chef Louie when he brought out his seasoned carne asada and started preparing the grill.
Alas, table settings and wine glasses were schlepped back inside the house where we broke bread – amid bare walls and a painting project in progress. The covered chandelier was dubbed an “art installation.” And the center piece of the dining room? Romantic long-stemmed blooms in a crystal vase.
