Chinese Take In

Yippee! It's Tablescape Thursday, and I've set out my infamous Blue and White.  Well, at least infamous to me; you know how I adore Bombay Co Blue and White.

How do traditions start?  One September, we had occasion to celebrate, so my in-laws joined us for dinner.  I did not cook, but I set a beautiful table for Chinese food.  Each of us (Mr Wonderful, father-in-love, mother-in-love, sister-in-love and her husband, and me) chose a dish from the menu to share.  That's fun because you get to try a dish that you would not normally eat.  Plus, there's beaucoup de food for a great price, less than $60 bucks for six adults and four kids, then left overs.

My mother-in-love and I went up the street to our favorite neighborhood Chinese restaurant to pick up the food and bring it into our home for Chinese Take In.

Since I have only five blue and white spheres, I used a couple of grapefruit in the bottom to help fill up the decorative bowl.

It's an informal gathering.

Our first course will be soup.

Patterns and texture.

If you collect blue and white, you probably have varying shades of blue.  When I started collecting Bombay Co Blue and White, they sold the dinner plates, dessert plates, canape plates etc, a la carte in boxes of six.  No bowls though, so I found bowls at another place.  Later, Bombay Co started carrying sixteen piece sets, but I like my a la carte patterns the best ~ a collected look.

It took me the longest time to find stemware to compliment my Bombay Co Blue and White china.  I knew I wanted blue stemware, but I used clear stemware and glasses until I laid eyes on these iced beverage stems several years ago.  This year on one of my Tablescaping Escapades, I found mouth blown goblets in a deeper shade of blue.  Now, I have an eclectic stemware duo.  I'd like a trio of eclectic blue stems ~ guess that means more Tablescaping Escapades, LOL ;)

Hostess view.

Here's a close up of the detail at the end of the silk table runner.

The napkins are *bee*jeweled.

Layers.

I took this pic just for kicks.  (Don't you just love playing in the dishes?) I like how the pattern in the base of the candlestick imitates the dessert plate's pattern.

Three condiment jars for sweet and sour sauce, soy sauce, and hot tangy mustard.

Counter top dressed up as the sidebar/mini buffet.

The soup tureen does not have a slot for the ladle, so I placed it on top of a canape plate.

When I was eight, my grandparents flew me to New York to for a Summer visit.  They took me everywhere, from Central Park to the top of Lady Liberty.  We also dined at a Chinese restaurant.  I just had to conquer eating with chopsticks.  It took me forever to eat all of my food; I was determined.  We shut the place down.  I remember vividly a man, probably the waiter or manager stopping by our table.  My grandpa said a few words to him.  Then, the man locked the doors to the restaurant.  We were the last customers.  My grandpa patiently gave me more instruction.  I was delighted to eat every bit with my chopsticks.  I was so proud of myself.  Every since, I've been eating my Chinese food with chopsticks.

In case, you have not mastered eating with chopsticks, help yourself to flatware from the basket. 

It's easy to pass around the boxes of Chinese food.  It's easier to pour the soup in the tureen for everyone to help themselves.

Our neighborhood Chinese restaurant offers Chicken Egg Drop Soup, Chicken Rice Soup, Hot and Sour Soup, Vegetable Soup, Won Ton Soup, Won Ton with Noodle Soup, and Yetca Mein Soup.  We're having Chicken Egg Drop Soup.  Which one is your favorite?

Would you like a spot of China Oolong Tea?  It's being kept warm for you.  I scooped up the metal teapot warmer on a Tablescaping Escapade to a prime outlet mall.

That first September when we had Chinese Take In with Bombay Co Blue and White, we really enjoyed ourselves.  So now when September rolls around, I set the table in my Bombay Co Blue and White and we order Chinese food.  Fond memories start traditions.  That's how traditions begin.

I sure hope that you had plenty of Chinese food.  If you're a dish-a-holic, I can't imagine that you got your fill of dishes, so waltz on over to visit Susan at Between Naps on the Porch to see all the beautiful tablescapes.

Silk Table Runner and Silk Napkins, Bee Napkin Rings:  Bombay Company

Dinner Plates, Dessert Plates, Canape Plate, Teapot and Cups, Soup Tureen and Ladle, Salt and Pepper Shakers, Spheres, Tall Candlesticks, and Three Condiment Jars on Tray:  Bombay Company

Teapot Warmer:  Villeroy and Boch

Bowls and Chopsticks on Rests:  Cost Plus World Market

Flatware:  HomeGoods

White Decorative Bowl:  HomeGoods

Small Candlesticks:  Hobby Lobby

Iced Beverage Stemware:  Tuesday Morning

Mouth Blown Goblets:  Pier 1

All the Best,

Requi