Monday 22 January 2007

A Beautiful Sunday Lunch at Straddie

Tropical greenery and shells in a timber bowl sets the scene above. My gift to the host was the branch of Frangipani which I cut from a Frangipani tree in our yard at our beach house.

Each female guest was given a soap which was placed on their dinner plates.

Look at this beautiful setting - I love the bamboo cutlery and the blue and white tablecloth and napkins in particular, oh and the shell which is so perfectly placed!


Beautiful rattan pieces which Annie has collected over time.



A bamboo tray filled with delicious bites. Notice the pineapple head which is used as decoration on the platter was cut off from the pineapple which Annie also was using in the cocktails - so creative!

The cushions I had made for Annie late last year pictured above - all made in Ralph Lauren fabrics.

The breathtaking view from Annie & Michael's veranda above.

As we arrived Annie was serving fresh fruity cocktails which she handed to each guest in the most beautiful rattan drinking glass as above.




More Ralph Lauren cushions above.


A beautiful collection of shells in a timber bowl.


Yesterday we were invited to our very special friends beach house at Stradbroke Island (Straddie for short) for a Summer lunch. My friend, Annie is so creative and I just had to show you the beautiful scene she created for the lunch. Blue, white and orange were her colours for the day with beautiful blue and white patterned tablecloths, woven place mats and bamboo cutlery - not to mention the beautiful orange flowers, orange linen napkins and shells which adorned the table setting. Late last year Annie asked me to have some blue and white cushions made for her beach house which I have photographed above - we made them all in Ralph Lauren blue and white patterns and stripes with my favourite one being the Koi fish design. When we were in Hawaii over the holidays Annie bought the matching Koi navy and white fish beach towels - so beautiful. As you will see above her beach house is to die for!

15 comments:

a. said...

WOW...always a lovely scene from your blog. Really makes me want to visit Australia even more now!

The pillows are wonderful as is the view and I am sure the company as well.

The only way I can remember its summer in Australia is seeing the tennis players sweating to death on the courts when watching the Australian Open!

Style Court said...

Lovely Anna! Thanks for sharing.

Anonymous said...

What a post! Please tell Annie we appreciate her sharing her home and table with us. You Yanks out there: Do you feel like people don't entertain much anymore? Aren't people always "too busy" and doesn't this make you want to open your home to some friends? Thanks, Anna - I thoroughly enjoyed this as I sit on my couch enjoying the -1 Celsius weather outside.

kstyle said...

Anna you have no idea what memories your photos bring back of our year in Australis. We talk about it every day and especially now when the weather here in oregon is so cold and miserable. We lived right on the beach just south of Noosa and we walked it every day and it was glorious. So fun to have you as a blogging pal living so close to where we did in lovey Queensland. k

ALL THE BEST said...

To dye for indeed! Thanks for sharing Anna. Considering how cold and rainy it is in the UK right now, these photos were a visible feast for the eyes! Just lovely!

I must, must, must plan a dinner party to lift my mood! Just the inspiration I needed!

Anna Spiro said...

Thanks PP for your lovely comments. I know that everyone commenting here is lusting for warmer weather but can I just say it is soooooo hot here that it is just uncomfortable. I have the airconditioning at home blasting because it is so hot!! From one extreme to the next I suppose!!

Anna Spiro said...

Thanks Stylecourt and Pink!

Anna Spiro said...

K - you should try to come back down here sometime!! Noosa and just south of Noosa is so beautiful. I love going up to Noosa for a weekend every now and then to go to the beach and to go shopping in Hastings Street and I love doing the National Park walk. It's nice having you as a friend too K!! Thanks for commenting!!

Anna Spiro said...

Thanks ATB!! I think I might have inspired a few people to have dinner parties this week - I absolutely love having lunches or dinner parties - I love the planning and the setting up - it really gets my creative juices swirling!! Can't wait to see some pictures of your dining party ATB!!

kstyle said...

We will be back anna. And shopping on hasting street and hanging out at the beach in Noosa was my absolute favorite. And we did the hike many times and I saw my first koala (note I didn't say koala bear) there and it was so exciting for us. Boy do I have some stories to share. Like the giant fruit bat story. But I'll save that for another time. k

Anna Spiro said...

When you come to Noosa next I would love to go shopping in Hastings Street with you K!!
Anna

Anonymous said...

Gorgeous table setting. Very inspiring. I love blue and white together. We have frangipani in the yard, it is gorgeous cut in a vase. I love the smell.

Michele said...

Holy Moly! Last summer I attempted to divulge my passion for the water by morphing my apartment into a 'beach house'... I wish I would have had THIS post for inspiration then!

Anna Spiro said...

Thanks Jen. I too love frangipani branches cut and placed in large glass vases. I'm so glad you are inspired!!

Anna Spiro said...

Thanks Michele as always. Your comments are very encouraging!! I love beach house style especially here in Australia where the weather is always so warm and damn hot at the moment may I just add!!

Anna