This Week at Gatewood Hall

It has been a busy week here at Gatewood Hall Gracious Home. If we missed you last Saturday or Sunday we were at a linen and gourmet show in Atlanta. We felt productive and got a bunch accomplished. Mostly re-orders but a few new things and a couple of new lines. If you haven't been in recently please do...we have the store already for fall and a ton of new merchandise.

The furniture pictured above arrived this week. I love the bar stools and dining chairs! They have that Jenny Lind look that I am crazy for and the ticking and burlap make me sing!!! Come in and see for yourself!

Also just in is Ralph Kylloe's newest book, proving that he is the king of rustic, this is Kylloe's 20th book on the subject that exudes both luxury and comfort, history and innovation. This time Kylloe focuses on the work of Larry Pearson, AIA, who is recognized as a leader in rustic design; his work has been featured on the Travel Channel's Grand Castles of America and HGTV's Spectacular Homes, as well as in major shelter magazines, including Veranda and Metropolitan Home. Pearson Design Group was the recipient of Mountain Living Magazine's prestigious 2009 Home of the Year Award.

Fifteen rustic homes (Montana, Wyoming, Connecticut, Wisconsin, Minnesota and California) designed by Pearson are featured in this book. Sympathetic to regional conditions and using local materials, these homes showcase deliver solace and comfort to their inhabitants through a series of innovative spaces based on historic precedent and celebrated through the personality of hand craftsmanship. Ralph Kylloe, leading authority on rustic furniture, is the author of 20 previous books, including Cabins, Rustic Artistry for the Home, Cabin in the Woods, Cabins and Camp, Rustic Traditions, and The Rustic Home. We love his books if you don't own any yet treat yourself to his newest, you'll be addicted!

Finally, please don't forget about our block party on Saturday night September 18, 2010 6-9 pm. We will have some refreshments, prizes and a few specials so please bring your friends and come in and see us!

New Arrivals This Week At Gatewood Hall Gracious Home

We received a new line of jewelry this week and we are so excited. We are one of about five places in the state of Georgia that have this exclusive! You will love it! Each piece is hand made in the United States and it is just done so well. Not only is it unique but the prices are excellent. The Lariats are great! Wear them long and tied in a knot, or double it and wear it choker length. The lariats are gold plated chain or gold plated chain with stones or pearls. All of the stones and pearls are natural (no glass) and show natural variations. Come in and see these beautiful pieces.

We are also so proud to feature local artist Ande Cook's Blue Ridge series of Cards. Ande is a fine art painter and illustrator. She says that like many artists, she cobbles together a living however she can, but she insists on a creative path whatever the price!

Ande has illustrated several children's books including "Firefly's First Flight" and "The Merchant and the Parrot" as well as event posters, cards, and museum catalogs. If you are not familiar with her work come by for a taste in her cards. I promise they make you feel good and smile! She captures the essence of the north Georgia in The Blue Ridge series which includes; The Bear, Sugar Creek Church, Eva in the Creek, and my favorite Weekend at the Cabin.

We look forward to seeing you soon!!

The Cashiers Showhouse

This past weekend Shawn and I took off to Highlands and Cashiers, North Carolina. We were invited by our friends at Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles Magazine to visit the Thirteenth Annual Cashiers Historical Society Showhouse. The 3+ Million dollar showhome is located in the Wade Hampton golf community and boasts some wonderful area designers.

I wish I had a better photo of this room (below) it was one of my favorites by Suzanne Kasler. Through this window is a picture perfect view of Whiteside mountain...the builder absolutely "nailed" the home's location selecting the perfect site on the lot. When you walk into the foyer you can only say WOW to see this amazing view framed by Suzanne's clean, yet inviting design. The showhouse ends soon if you can make the trip it is worth it, and the proceeds help support this wonderful organization. (Tickets are $25)

We were very fortunate because the weather was perfect. We visited some great shops in both Cashiers and Highlands. Sadly one of our favorite places Dovetail Antiques was closed but we were able to check out another favorite, Summer House and it was as fabulous as ever!

If you have never been to the Old Edwards Inn you are really missing out. The Inn is beautiful, the courtyard is so cozy and the food is delicious. We didn't have time to enjoy any Spa services but we hear that they are wonderful.

We love the wine garden patio! We had some wonderful gastro-treats like their housemade pimento cheese with spicy flatbread crackers, and a very unusual, yet delicious charcuterie plate that included a duck prosciutto and smoked salmon! My favorite sandwich is their grilled chicken with melted brie, applewood smoked bacon on this fantastic roll...YUM! Shawn is crazy about their burgers! Really...we love everything about the Old Edwards Inn, they know how to do it right! And you know us we absolutely love the details and boy do they watch the details from the complementary truffle-seasoned popcorn in the garden to the Frette linen napkins right down to the meticulous landscaping and grounds you won't want to leave!

While we did have a wonderful time as always it was great to get back home to our beloved and laid back Blue Ridge!

The Girl & The Fig Products at Gatewood Hall!

We are so pleased to be able to offer "the girl & the fig" products at Gatewood Hall. Created by Sondra Bernstein proprietor of the renowned Sonoma, California restaurants Estate, The Fig Cafe and The Girl & The Fig these products will make your mouth, heart and stomach sing for joy!

The fig and port vinaigrette is the signature dressing for the famous grilled fig & arugula salad at Sondra's girl & the fig restaurant. A perfect balance of tangy and sweet. Serve on a salad of arugula, toasted pecans, pancetta, grilled figs & chevre. (say it with me, HEAVEN!!!!). You can also use it as a marinade for pork or chicken.

The Apricot Fig Chutney is probably one of the most popular products from the girl & the fig. Plump apricots and calimyrna figs are a fantastic combination for flavor and texture. With a hint of ginger, spices and dried cherries, this chutney is a very versatile condiment that will add another flavor dimension to your favorite dish.

Serving Ideas:

The most popular box lunch sandwich from the girl & the fig is the house-roasted turkey, apricot fig chutney, fiscalini cheddar cheese on a baguette. (YUMMY!!) You can also...

- Add to a cheese and charcuterie platter.
- Marinate chicken or pork chops with apricot fig chutney and grill.
- Serve as a condiment for pork loin, roast chicken, turkey breast
- Serve on a Grilled Cheese Sandwich
- Mix with Cream Cheese or Mascarpone and make Stuffed French Toast.

Mostarda is an Italian condiment made of candied fruit with a kick from mustard or mustard seed. Traditionally mostarda was served with boiled meats called bollito misto which is a speciality of northern Italian cooking. More recently it has become a popular accompaniment to cheeses. Subtle flavors of rosemary, cinnamon, coriander, and ginger add depth and create a nice balance in the multi-dimensional product. Serve alongside charcuterie or cheese, or even as a spread on a sandwich . We served a sample at our last block party and Brenda along with one of our guests agreed that it would be fabulous on a peanut butter sandwich..that is where Italian meets the south! I think a big tablespoon in Greek Yogurt or in oatmeal would be extremely satisfying. Also delicious as a condiment or sauce with grilled chicken, pork, lamb, and sausage. You will love it!

The red onion confit is a blend of red onions, red wine vinegar, red wine, sugar, thyme, salt, pepper. Serve with charcuterie dishes, grilled sausages, barbecued chicken and meats. Add to a turkey or cheese sandwich. It almost has a sweet and sour flavor and adds a nice addition of flavor to the most basic recipes.

Serving Ideas:

- Serve with charcuterie dishes, grilled sausages, BBQ chicken and meats.
- Add to a turkey or cheese sandwich.
- Use as a condiment for cheese platters.
- Warm gently and use as sauce for pork, chicken, turkey, or beef.
- Use as a sandwich condiment or on a burger. YUM!
- While braising, add a couple tablespoons to the pot.
- Add a few tablespoons to sautéed vegetables. (I do this and it really dresses up something simple!)

The salts are wonderful blends that include:

Fennel citrus herb blend - A blend of fennel seed, lemon and orange peel, sea salt, lavender, mustard seed and other spices. Sprinkle on fish, chicken or pork before pan searing or grilling. Add water to brine pork or chicken.

Lavender sea salt- Simple lavender flowers blended with grey sea salt. Subtle scent and flavor makes this a great addition to certain dishes for an unusual dose of flavor. (I love it on fresh heirloom tomatoes!)

Citrus sea salt- Oven dried lemon and orange peel mixed with grey sea salt. Sprinkle on fish, chicken or pork before pan searing or grilling. Toss with pasta or risotto. Serve as a condiment on the table.

We also have Sondra's outstanding cook book that is full of great recipes that promote her vision of country food with French passion.

Stop in this weekend we will be having tastings of some of the girl and fig products...we will get you hooked!! See you soon!

Oh Boy Have We Got Some New Arrivals For You!!

Boy oh boy, have we got some new arrivals for you! We (and by we I mean Shawn, Becky and Brenda...because I've been in ATL) have been busy all week receiving, unpacking and displaying "new stuff". We have some funky, fun, vintage and one-of-a-kind stuff pictured above (I especially love the lamp and zinc trough!)

We thought these water and wine glasses were great. They are from a new vendor that we are very excited about because they really have some unusual items!

These French hand-painted dessert plates would make lovely gift, or would they would be great to hang on the wall. We have the hens, the gardener and cherries. Wait until you see them in person because the photo just doesn't do them justice.

Lenny & Eva introduced these cool new necklaces that you can personalize with your vintage sentiments and charms, they also have some great new leather braided wrap bracelets that you can wear several different ways. All you L&E lovers need to come in and check out these new items...you will have to add them to your collection.

When we were at the mart I can't tell you how much time we spent reading and laughing at the Anne Taintor merchandise! We have some of her new items including pill boxes, magnetic postcards, matches, shot glasses, coin purses, bags, flasks and of course napkins. Come in for a giggle!

We also received a shipment of books...a lot...(so please come in an buy some Shawn is ready to kill me...I can't help it...I LOVE BOOKS!). JellyCat Stuffed animals they are the best...wait until you see the new guys! Caspari napkins, including some of the new fall patterns. Pre de Provence soaps...and new handbags !!! Woo Hoo! Come in and see us this weekend. Shawn and I will be there to take you on a tour of the newest goods! Can't wait to see you!

A Busy Week...

Whew, it has been a busy week! We have been working on a sales, leasing, conference and amenity center down in South Georgia (and oh my was it HOT down there!). I have included a few photos for you to see (they are from my phone, I'll post some better photos later).

Don't you love this mirror? I think it looks great with my favorite BCL Jenny Lind Lamps!

As always thank you Becky and Brenda for keeping things together this weekend! We received a ton of new merchandise in this week so go in and visit them. (Our A/C works well and it will be nice and cool!) HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!!

New Arrivals From Market...Already?!

It is no secret that Shawn and I are immediate gratification folks so we are so excited that we already have items arriving from the Atlanta market that we attended last week. Above are great things from one of our favorite and exclusive lines! A couple are re-orders that we quickly sold-out of: the wire mail basket and the wire garden tea-light stakes...you asked so we brought them back. We ordered the metal numbers about three weeks ago and sold out the the first weekend we put them out so we brought those back too! Something new is the vintage look metal French wall signs...Parlez-vous Francais? (do you speak French?)...Nope? Neither do we. So I'll tell you what they told us they say..."Idleness is the mother of all evil". Don't you just love that?!

When we opened in our new location we brought in Archipeligo, and it seems like you love it as much as we do!

Boticario de Havana the first scent we brought in is described this way. "In the 1940's the world flocked to Havana; they came for the nightlife, but left with the secrets of the "boticarias" - the small apothecaries that dotted the side streets and specialized in natural skin care remedies made from local plant materials. Coffee bean, tobacco flower with pure essences and extracts of orange, sugar cane and sweet pineapple were used to promote beautiful, soft and healthy looking skin. Today we know these ingredients contain the alpha hydroxy acids, antioxidants and other agents that actively moisturize, hydrate and reduce redness associated with rough, dry skin." We originally brought in the perfume, body lotion, body wash and bath salts...they have been a big hit. The new items from this market are the candle (it's wonderful!!), shampoo, and conditioner!

Our rep gave us samples of their Milk line to try and both Shawn and I thought it was marvelous! A pure and simple additive for the bath and body dried milk solids with natural soy and oat proteins combine to gently nurture and sooth the skin. Soy Milk products are blended with proteins, amino acids and lipids- allowing for rapid hydration and cell regeneration. Oat Milk products are blended with oat grain to soothe the skin. We have the body lotion, body wash, hand wash, and the best stuff of all...the unbelievably rich bubble bath.

Table Topics have been so popular and one of the newest versions sounds great (and the timing is perfect for all of those kids getting ready to head off to college!) They can spark fun conversations that take them beyond the oh-so-boring "what's your major?" and lead them to questions that they just wouldn't think to ask on their own. They'll talk about everything from the best cheap food near campus to the best parties to the three causes they care about most. This college-life inspired set of conversation starters makes meeting new people and making new friends way more fun. But, we have to warn you, these questions might be the start of an all-nighter. Heck, you can't study ALL the time!

This is only a sampling of our new arrivals this week so please come in this weekend and check out some of our new stuff! See you soon!!