{table for two: call me cupcake}

. . . frilly cakes and raspberry icecream, rainbow cakes with swiss meringue frosting, chocolate cakes with fudge icing, and walnut, caramel and chocolate ganache tartelettes . . . the fanciful creations of call me cupcake are like warm summer afternoons beneath the willows and sparkling breezes along the water's edge . . .















{p.s.} amazingly, the cake in the second last was her first & don't you just adore all the pink?


{images: call me cupcake via simplesong}

{hello & a brand new week}

. . . hello again! . . . monday, monday, and still very much in weekend mode, {and perhaps may have eaten far too much chocolate}, and after spending sunday under the spell of sunlight and very good company and {mostly} not working for the first time in forever, perhaps since paris, still feeling a little caught up in daydreams, and so things may be moving a little more slowly today . . .

hope you had a stunningly lovely long weekend & that your week is off to a perfect start, roséline xo

{p.s.} & o n e l a s t t h i n g : a million years behind on email correspondence once again -- please accept most sincerest apologies . . .


{images: photography by justine robinett via tory hoen at haven in paris}

{countdown to the royal wedding: high tea}

. . . and with the royal wedding merely days away, there is talk of duchesse satin gowns and horse-drawn carriages and happily ever after, and if you're hosting a tea party to mark the momentous occasion, be certain to serve vanilla bean buttercream cake, scones and profiteroles, and vanilla & coconut macarons, of course . . .











{photography by natalie hunfalvay for hello naomi, here & here via 79 ideas}

{photography: salt caramels}

. . . a few weeks ago, glamorous reader bonnie sent along a link to a few photographs she had taken of cherry blossoms in washington, and while gazing at all the beautiful blossoms, also discovered this utterly lovely salted caramel series, with its wonderfully hazy, dreamy, soft-flowing light . . .








{images: all photography by bonnie sen}

{table for two: meringue-encased lemon cakes}

. . . perfect for mid-march soirées and even better, dinners outdoors . . .

{meringue-encased lemon cakes:}

125g butter, softened
1 cup (220g) caster (superfine) sugar
1/4 cup finely grated lemon rind
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups (225g) plain (all-purpose) flour, sifted
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, sifted
1/2 cup (80ml) milk
2 tablespoons lemon juice
6 scoops vanilla ice-cream
basic meringue mixture {see below}

preheat the oven to 160°c (320°f); place the butter, sugar and lemon rind in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until light and creamy; gradually add the eggs and beat well; fold in the flour, baking powder, milk and lemon juice; spoon the mixture into 6 x 1 cup-capacity (250ml) lightly greased muffin tins and bake for 30 minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer; cool in tins for 5 minutes; remove and cool on a wire rack

using a tablespoon, scoop out a hole in the top of each cake and fill with a scoop of ice-cream; place the cakes on a tray and freeze for 30 minutes; spread the basic meringue mixture over the cakes and place on a baking tray; cook under a preheated hot grill (broiler) or in a preheated 200°c (390°f) oven for 2-3 minutes or until the meringue is set and golden; serve immediately; makes 6

......................................................................................................

{basic meringue mixture}

150ml eggwhites (approximately 4 eggs)
1 cup (220g) caster (superfine) sugar
1 teaspoon white vinegar

place the eggwhites in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until stiff peaks form; gradually add the sugar and vinegar and beat until the mixture is thick and glossy; use immediately

......................................................................................................

{p.s.} previous table for two posts:
* homemade french baguettes
* crab bruschetta


{image: scan by this is glamorous from seasons by donna hay}

{oscar party inspiration: buttercream}

. . . gold buttercream frosting . . . can you imagine? sheer brilliance.

{image: photography by heather waraksa for style me pretty via pinterest}

{a winter's day}

. . . and after all the magnificent madness of snow & mistletoe, happily taking a few beautiful moments to linger in the luxurious lull before new year's, spending time, alone together, slowing down the days {just a little}, and dreaming up nights draped in candlelight . . .


{p.s.} in case you missed, wonderfully exciting news xo


{images: marie claire idées via somethingwhite; photography by paul barbera}

{a new week & the last month of the year . . . }

. . . summer feels like a beautiful dream and the last of the autumn leaves have fluttered away, and now, it's waking up to mornings of romantically swirling snowflakes, wreaths of holly and towers of meringue, ruffled bed canopies and gold satin slipcovers, gingerbread with icing and the warmth of crackling fires, fairy lights and candlelight and the most beautifully decorated trees, and most of all, a feeling of magic in the air . . .

{images: 1 - domino magazine via pinterest; 2 - homes & gardens; 3 - toast; 4 - photography by chris everard; 5 & 8 - simple home by mark & sally bailey via linen & lavender; 6 - at home via 1st dibs & delight by design; 7 - homes & gardens; 8 - style at home, both via delight by design}

{holiday inspiration: silver & gold}

. . . while may not have had a chance to get together holiday decorations this past weekend {perhaps & hopefully this week}, have been dreaming up elegant colour palettes for the season, and while the last may have been inspired by tiffany's blue, this year, quite smitten with the idea of simple and classic silver and gold, perhaps hints of pearl and opalescence, gilded garlands and glittering sequins, and perhaps, just the faintest glimmer of palest lilac . . .

{p.s.} also lovely: one & two; & how was your weekend? dying to know what holiday colour palettes you've been dreaming up?

{also:} a few things you may have missed:
* weekend: a few lovely links
* at the shops: andrea bonelli, san francisco
* for the holidays: advertising

{& one last thing:}
* now that we finally have a winner for the philippe starck louis ghost armchair, it's on to the next glamorous give-away {perfect for the holidays!} a little later today -- check back if you like . . . xo

{images: photography by virginia macdonald for style at home}

{at this moment: new & exciting things}

. . . a crisp tuesday in mid-november and one of those days with a billion & one things on the to-do lists, half answered press interview questions and missed deadlines -- but also -- upcoming and impossibly exciting things: fantastic new features, including a stylish new series and a new contributor, an inspiring new project and last but not least, a warm & official welcome to joan, admin & info intern, who will be handling much of the unfortunate disaster that is the current inbox and already things are falling perfectly into place and the universe is unfolding as it should . . . and now, a frothy latte in celebration of beautiful things to come . . .

{p.s.} also fun & special thanks to felicity for everything xo

{images: haute design}