What an exciting time of year! I know it always seems like the winter is so long, but when that sun starts to shine and the days get longer, Saratoga starts hoping! I love seeing everyone downtown; the stores are filled and our favorite outdoor dining decks are up and humming with people watchers. Ready for another season of Horses? This year we have the Belmont Stakes to get ready for in June…so what are you waiting for… let’s go shopping!
Impressions of Saratoga has just brought in the best outdoor serving and dining set I’ve seen in a long time. The Racing Dishware Collection is colorful, fanciful for our area and perfect for patio and poolside entertaining. The Platter, serving tray, dishes and even the coffee mugs are all made of melamine. I was totally fooled until I touched it. The whimsical artwork, available in cocktail napkins too, is by Susan Winget, an artist whose work had been seen at major National Venues such as the White House and Colonial Williamsburg! Be sure to start your personal collection before they become history! And if you’re like me, my assortment of candles has vanished, but fear not all my soy burning buddies…a new wick is in town, Shop Local Candles by Ella B. Candles! Made in the USA with the finest 100% pure soy wax, each scent is reminiscent of our own Saratoga and the memories we make such as Health, History and Horses…which I just took home…divine! You can also find other aromas such as Saratoga Tack Room, Spirit of Life, Broadway Stroll and Canfield Casino! Grab one for the house and one to give away!
With a quick summer stroll, you’ll head right to Silverwood Gallery where they offer original Tom Myott paintings. My eye was drawn to one of his pieces, Track Hats, with a gold frame and slight linen mat. The colors range from bright yellow and reds to violets topped with apricot accents. All the while, you sense the anticipation of these ladies as they await their chosen horse to finish the race ahead of the others. When you hang your Tom Myott painting, you may just want to compliment it with a Bit Strapped Pillow in blue and white linens. The center brass bit is beautifully framed with a black linen background and bound on each end with linen strapping. A simple “Saratoga” motif goes a long way!
Now, I can’t go into the summer months without showing you the latest and greatest for my outdoor cooking friends. Wait ‘til you get your hands on the new EVO Professional Wheeled Cart and Grill at Earl B. Feiden Appliance! The surface is a 30” circular black, oil seasoned steel cooking extravaganza! It has two circular cooking zones, one on the outer edge and the other at the center which are controlled separately. This miracle of a cooker will allow you to sauté, braise, flattop (Plancha) grill, pan fry, roast, poach, steam and toast! Unbelievable!! Where was this genius of a cooker when I was renovating my kitchen?! With 48,000 BTUs, you can start imagining the recipes that are possible! And no worries, the cook surface has a quick release top and drip pan to make clean up a breeze! If you’re more into adding color to your back patio, take a look at the new Hestan Outdoor Built-in Grills in Colors! And its not all about the looks…these grills deliver the highest performance in cooking with patented ceramic infrared top burners for searing, finishing and cooking including a rotisserie. Their Trellis Burner™ provides high-performance power with greater heat coverage and precision control while the DiamondCut™ grates create a superior grilling surface and greater heat distribution. So much so that this grill earned the VESTA Awards for Best in Gas Grills and Best in Show! You just might want to check it out for yourself!
On the softer side, Curtain & Carpet Concepts just updated their Kaleen Rug display to feature the new indoor/outdoor rug Boca Collection, a P.E.T. Polyester fiber made from pieces of recycled plastic containers…very eco-friendly. These jeweled toned, flatweave rugs are hand-loomed in India making each a unique piece of artwork. Soft enough to take on kids for the interior but tough enough to endure the fun of family gatherings all summer long!
Finishing Touches is always a delight to visit with its tasty fudge collection and homemade ice cream shop. Next time you stop by for a cone, pop inside the shop and pick up one of these must-have Fun in The Sun 70” x 90” Mega Blankets. Perfect for days strolling in Congress Park or an impromptu picnic at Yaddo Gardens…One of my favorite spots to take my kids for summer photos. The best part, the blanket is water resistant so damp grass won’t spoil your outing! For the indoors, I just had to include these Floral Bouquet Pure Soy Candles in a votive trio. Not only do you have floral scents for your home, the packaging is plantable, containing seeds which will blossom into a garden! Now that’s a summer gift that gives twice!
Just down the road at Accents at Allerdice, they just collaborated with artisan Aaron Jackson known for his rough metal sculptures first sold in Australia. Featured in the shop is this hand-crafted Butterfly Lighted Sphere. The delicate interplay of each butterfly was inspired by the many natural surfaces Aaron found on his worldly travels. It’s so much more than a light fixture, it’s a hanging sculpture! And for underfoot, the rage has been Vinyl Rugs! Allerdice is featuring the Artful Home Floor Mat of Sunshine Flowers in various sizes. Easy to clean, fade resistant, allergen-free and lies flat to reduce tripping in high traffic areas. Need a little colorful boost on the floor, well, head over to Accents to see what all the craze is about!
I’m heading back outside for one more grill thrill…The XO 40” Grill & Cart XLT at Marcella’s Appliance. This 68,000 BTU of awesome power has 4 heavy-duty Tubular Stainless-Steel Burners, offering full coverage to your cooking interior. The top rack is versatile for baking and roasting but can swing up when not is use. Halogen lights aid in cooking for late night burgers while blue LEDs backlight the controls and offer a dramatic accent to your outdoor cooking experience. Having a large crowd, no worries…with 872 square inches of cooking, you have plenty of room for a variety of meats and roasted vegetables! And for my cooking enthusiasts who insist on organization, there’s a built-in utensil hanger and bottle opener. The chef has to stay hydrated!
Are you going to be ready one month earlier this year? If you even question your senses, be sure to stop into all our wonderful local shops to prepare your home for the coming summer events. You can never start too soon…
Until next time my friends,
Colleen Coleman of CMC Design Studio LLC
Certified Kitchen & Bath Designer
Certified Aging in Place
True Color Expert
@cmcdesignstudiollc
“Creating Environments for Life”TM