An Elegant Lunch in a Beautiful Home

As promised...here are a few pictures of the lovely home where Charlotte Lyons arranged for us to have lunch on Saturday.
It is the spectacular home of her brilliant friend Suzanne, who is a caterer and clearly a talented decorator....



The home sits high on the hill overlooking the Hudson River...
I wished that I had asked more questions about its history...Charlotte did tell us that Suzanne and her husband put a lot of work into restoring this grand old home to its former glory.



It boasts beautiful spacious porches...
(love the pale blue ceiling...)



Walking through the front door we found ourselves in a huge foyer...with a staircase at the far end. (Please forgive these less that perfect pictures!)



Looking back to the massive double door we just entered and the window seat where our purses were piled...



The beautiful mobile was made by Suzanne's husband with found driftwood...



There was a lovely organic and natural feel to Suzanne's decorating...



This fireplace is in the huge foyer as well. Originally the paneled walls were dark wood but I think it all looks beautiful painted white...Notice the detail in the ceiling...there is fabulous detail in the woodwork and moldings throughout...



This is one of the beautiful parlors off the foyer...
... It is decorated in creamy whites with a touch of lavender...



The window seat in this parlor looks out over the porch and the grounds...
... with the Hudson River down below...



A beautiful collection of amethyst colored glass bottles and coral...
...the river is reflected in the glass protecting the framed map...






The parlor on the opposite side of the foyer was also filled with objects from nature...seashells and an artful arrangement of fungi and driftwood on the mantel...
...beautiful paintings...







This elegant and gracious home is welcoming and comfortable...



The dining room was bright and sunny ....with another lovely tiled fireplace....
(I counted 6 fireplaces on the main floor!)
The two tables were beautifully set with fresh flowers...





Suzanne made one of her signature dishes for us...Coronation Chicken! It had the most delicious sauce...and I hate to admit it but I had a second serving! She served it with a salad composed of hydroponic watercress, frisee, organic radishes and Persian cucumbers in buttermilk chive dressing. Delicious! A side dish of couscous mixed with saffron, toasted almonds and golden raisins completed the menu along with fresh warm rolls...



An eye for details and a love of nature....
...notice the butterfly on the crisp linen napkins tied with brown and cream grosgrain ribbon...



Dessert was a scrumptious red velvet cupcake with a cream cheese and butter frosting.

So, you can clearly see that we were treated royally and that not only did we have a wonderful time crafting and enjoying each other's company but we were able to do so in two beautiful and gracious old homes.

Thank you Charlotte, Jane and Suzanne for your gracious hospitality!