Wednesday, May 18, 2011

TABLESCAPE THURSDAY - Dining Alfresco

I love the "Outdoor Living Ideas" theme of today's Tablescape Thursday.  There is nothing I enjoy more, when the weather turns nice, than to have a libation, snack, or meal in the great outdoors.  These days, alas, our great outdoors is still loaded with debris, courtesy of the Good Friday tornado.  Debris that encompasses about 85% of our property, beneath which the grass continues to grow and, at last check, is roughly 18"  high.  So while I do still sit in my favorite spot on the back porch and have my morning coffee while listening to the sound of chain saws buzzing like killer bees and roofers hammering away like woodpeckers, I long to have things back in order and enjoy dining alfresco anew.



To maintain my sanity positive outlook, I've been paging through some wonderful books of Mexican Courtyards, Gardens, and Cocinas, longing for the day when our patio can be as festive.  I'm going to share these pages with you, and I dare you not to come away feeling festive, inspired, awestruck, and craving chips, salsa and a margarita!





Are you suitably inspired?

All photos in this post came from the following books, all of which are available on Amazon.  Any or all of these would make excellent additions to your cooking library as dining, as we all know, is so much more than food.

Mexicasa: The Enchanting Inns and Haciendas of MexicoMexicolor: The Spirit of Mexican DesignMexicocina: The Spirit and Style of the Mexican KitchenIn A Mexican Garden: Courtyards, Pools, and Open-Air Living Rooms


13 comments:

  1. I'm your 100th follower!! YAY!! :) Thank you for visiting my blog and leaving me a comment! Loving all the colors in these pictures, and I want some of those square plates! :) Thanks Again, and I hope your evening is Plum Perfect!

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  2. Pattie, I love the multi-coloured chairs in the first picture. How well they go with our Fiesta dishes!

    I've reached the 5 year anniversary for my blog. If you get a chance, pop over and register for my giveaway!

    Becky

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  3. I hope you get everything back in order soon! We're in Italy right now until the fall, but we had to check on our home in AL (it was okay, though friends weren't as lucky) to see if it had blown away!
    I love all the vivid Mexican colors!
    Hugs,
    Lana

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  4. Bless You! I admire your sense of humor "chain saws buzzing like killer bees and roofers hammering away like woodpeckers", I hope things get back to normal sooner rather than later for you! What inspiring photos you've found, it does have me longer for some guac & chips with a cervesa or margarita! Love those festive & bright chairs!

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  5. Everyone affected by the tornados have been in my thoughts and prayers. I am so sorry for your experience.

    Your pictures are inspiring! I love the bright colors. I hope that soon you will be dining alfresco in such a beautiful setting.

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  6. I must have any of those multi colored chairs.. been looking for some, but not been having much luck. so sorry about all the debris, all of you are heavy on my heart and high on my prayer list. I love that you showed these photos, we are going to redo our patio and bring in more of a Mexican flair.. I can hardly wait! Be blessed, xox marlis

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  7. I love the pictures .. such vibrant colors. Outdoor living is the best! Thanks for giving us all some inspiration. ~Susie

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  8. Love the photos, and certainly understand your desire for serenity in these table settings, especially compared to your own life right now. Hope everything gets resolved soon. Notice, I can now post. ??

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  9. I love all things 'Mexico' so you know I love these patios. They remind me of the hacienda we stayed at in the Yucatan last December. So colorful! I'm just looking forward to getting out my orange summer dishes!

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  10. Such pretty fun colors! I love all of these, they just make everything happy.

    Thanks for your nice visit to my blog, I love it when you come.

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  11. I love color so these tables appeal very much to me...thanks for sharing. Pattie, I do hope the remaining debris from the tornado is quickly cleared so all can get back to normal...whatever that may be...my prayers to all who were affected by this devastation.

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  12. All gorgeous. Love the table with chairs of many colors.

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  13. Inspiring? Absolutely!!! Not only by those vibrating tablescapes but by your sense of humor and your positive attitude. Kudos to you, Pattie:)

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Thank you so much for commenting, I love every one of them! I am, however, unable to respond to anonymous comments.