2011 September | Vine

Decanter Or Carafe? That Is The Question!

Sep 162011

Shown are our Glass Half Full Carafes in Small and Medium (w6290 and w6291)

It wasn’t until I really started learning about wines that I realized there are so many accessories to deal with. You have a glass for reds, a different glass for whites, decanters, carafes, wine charms, chillers, and the list goes on and on…

Most of the time I don’t mind what I’m drinking from, but when I’m entertaining I figure drinking directly from the bottle isn’t the most appropriate! I decided to do some shopping and see what types of accoutrements I would absolutely need to entertain in style. I got the most tripped-up with carafes and decanters. Here is what I learned:

Decanters are used for two purposes. One is to separate the sediment from the drinking wine. Second, it is used to aerate the wine, allowing oxygen to approach the surface of the fluid to release different aspects of it. Most of the time, they come with a stopper in order to control the amount of oxygen that goes in. They should have a wide body to them so that air can reach the most amount of surface area.

There are two major differences between a decanter and carafe, First, there is no stopper. Second, the body doesn’t need to be as wide. Because of their lack of uniform shape, carafes can be used for more than just wine (juice, ice-water, mimosas, etc.).

Two other handy tips I learned in my research:

Make sure you buy a vessel that doesn’t contain lead. Because wine and juice are highly acidic, if the fluid is in there for too long it could absorb the lead and become a hazard.
Strong red wines should aerate well before being served, but whites do not need to be. So, if you’re in a rush serve whites first and let the red do some breathing!

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We love collecting!

What Inspires Us

Sep 152011

Our Curiosity Domes featuring Joe's watch collection.

Since we work at a company with an extra special affinity for interior design, we come across a lot of employees who love collecting, who just love stuff! I love hearing all the great things people have spent their time gathering, wondering through antiques stores, digging through estate sales, and picking up from their global travels. Sometimes people just happen to inherit a great collection of stuff.

Here are some collections our employees have:

Joe, our Director of Merchandising and Content, has inherited his father’s pocket watch collection. He has over 100 of them! See a few of them above, showcased in our Curiosity Domes.

I (Brittany) love collecting old, all white dishes (plates, bowls, creamers, pitchers, etc). I love everything from heavy ironstone to dainty china. The funny thing is most of the places where I find these dishes usually don’t have the best lighting (think estate sales or thrift stores); as a result, I wound up with a few cream dishes in the process!

Alice, our Marketing Manager, collects antique napkin rings. It all started with a collection from her mother, and it has gradually grown over the years. She displays them in clear acrylic containers on her bookshelves. Can’t you just image how graphic and elegant they must look!

Kameilia, our Strategic Marketing Manager, used to collect pencils. As a kid, she collected these inexpensive souvenirs from the places she visited, and her relatives brought back pencils from their trips. She still has over 1,000 unsharpened pencils!

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Fall in Love

Trend Report

Sep 142011

From the runways to the hallways, everywhere we look Burgundy is the color of the moment!

1. Navajo Pillow 2. Chloe 3. Burberry 4. Silkmoth Art 5. Manolo Blahnik 6. Glass Half Full Carafe

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Imagine a Day with the Boozehound

Product Stories

Sep 132011

Some of you have met Boozehound already, but for those of you who haven’t, allow me to introduce him!

Boozehound first came to us months and months ago. If you haven’t noticed, we have quite an affinity for quirky critters! And, we wanted to add another to our pack. We started with our love of wine and the colorful labels that cover the bottles. We laughed about the name “Boozehound” and thought about displaying wine labels on a dog’s body. Slowly, Boozehound came to life, complete with his own personality.

We imagine him sitting in a French bistro, explaining the various French foods to whomever will listen. Or hosting wine-tasting parties every weekend. Or maybe he’s driving a Morris Minor and surrounded by friends and finds from around the world (we know that one’s hard to imagine, so see below or visit our store)!

Boozehound is a party animal. Take him home with you now!

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The Mid-Autumn Festival and a Romantic Tale

This Month's Holidays

Sep 122011

Also called the Lunar, Mooncake, or Lantern Festival, this moon celebration started in China during the Shang Dynasty over 3,000 years ago. It is now celebrated in various countries in southeast Asia and falls on the autumnal equinox when the moon is at its fullest and brightest. This year, it falls on September 12th.

These are just one type of moon cake traditionally made during the Mid-Autumn Festival. Image taken from http://www.flickr.com/photos/47489771@N00/262305960/ Moon Cakes

Originally a worship ceremony to the moon, it is now considered one of the most important holidays in the Chinese calendar and marks the end of the harvest season for farmers. To celebrate, families observe the grand harvest moon together while eating delicious moon cakes and pomelos. There are several other traditions that follow, such as carrying brightly-colored lanterns, lighting incense, and performing elaborate fire dragon dances.

Fire dragon filled with longevity incense. Image taken from http://ilearn-culture.com/events/the-customs-of-mid-autumn-festival/

There are many stories as to the origin of the Mid-Autumn Festival, but the most popular is the story of Chang Er.

Legend says in ancient China ten suns appeared in the sky one day. These ten scorching suns burnt the lands, ruining crops and drying rivers. Just as the situation was at its direst and all seemed lost for the people on earth, a hero appeared, Hou Yi. With his bow and arrow, he ascended the peak of the Kun Lun Mountain. Using his mighty strength and godly archery skills, he shot down nine of the suns. The land and its people were saved from the catastrophe and Hou Yi became honored as a savior. Many people became his archery disciples, but among them, there was a cunning and devious man called Peng Meng.

Soon Hou Yi married Chang Er, a beautiful and kind girl. Other than teaching archery classes, Hou Yi spent his time with Chang Er and they were much adored and admired as a loving pair. One day, as Hou Yi was traveling to Kun Lun Mountain to visit a friend, he came upon the Jade Empress, a heavenly goddess. To the Jade Empress, he requested and was given the pill of immortality, which was able to transform a mortal into a deity. Hou Yi was reluctant to leave his wife alone on earth, so he decided to share the pill with her.

One day, he left to go hunting with his disciples and left the pill of immortality to Chang Er for safekeeping. The devious Peng Meng overheard about the pill and stormed into their house with his sword demanding Chang Er to give him the pill of immortality. Unable to fight against Peng Meng and afraid that he would use the pill for evil purposes, Chang Er swallowed the immortality pill. Immediately, she became light and started to float out the window. She flew up the sky beyond her control. As she flew further from earth, she realized she would never see her husband again. In order to be with him, Chang Er landed and stayed on the moon to watch over him.

When Hou Yi came back and discovered what had happened, he dashed out to the backyard garden and yelled out his wife’s name in sadness. Suddenly, he noticed that the moon was brighter than normal and he could notice a familiar shadow moving on the moon, much resembling his beloved wife; Hou Yi realized that she had become a deity on moon. He set up an incense altar in the moonlight and placed her favorite fruits and snacks as a memorial for Chang Er. Once word spread that Chang Er had become the moon deity, people began to place offerings and pray to the moon every mid-autumn for the kind-hearted Chang Er to grant peace and happiness to them.

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Dog Gone Good

Our Furry Friends

Sep 092011

As I have mentioned before, we at Wisteria, love our pets! So we wanted to share one of our doggie silhouettes that Karl Johnson of Cut Arts did while visiting us here in Dallas…

Monkey Ryburn

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Stylist Tip

Ask Our Designer

Sep 082011

Photo courtesy House Beautiful

Styles for window coverings are so varied. When deciding the style, consider the shape of the window, what style will be most appropriate for the room, how much privacy is needed, and whether to inside or outside mount.

1. When doing full draperies, the fullness of the fabric should be 2.5x the width of the finished drapery.

2. Always line and interline. Use blackout lining for complete darkness, such as for a bedroom or media room.

3. If mounted outside the window frame, the curtain should hang from just below the ceiling or crown molding making windows look taller and ceiling look higher.

4. Length can fall to touch floor. If you prefer the curtain to gather on the floor, add about 1.5″ – 2″ more to your measurements.

5. Allow enough space on either side of window for stack back if doing draw draperies. Allow one third or half of window opening for width of stack back.

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Wine Tasting

Wisteria's Kitchen

Sep 072011

Our Napa Cheese Board and Vino Plates are perfect for entertaining.

My friends and I love indulging in a little wine now and then. Every month, the eight of us take turns hosting a winetasting party. We usually try four or six bottles (a balance of whites and reds) with cheeses, chocolates, sliced meats, and fruits to compliment the wines that have been chosen. It’s a great opportunity to sample different vineyards and grapes that I would never normally try, and as it turns out, some of my absolute favorites have come out of these experiences. From doing wine tastings I have learned that my palette prefers an unoaked chardonnay (they keep them in steel barrels instead of oak), and I love a smooth, spicy Spanish red. Here are a few wines that have become my favorites, and are great options for under $15!

Whites

Yalumba Viogner, Australia; Has a very tropical palette and smell. Try this one with some green apple, yum!
The Naked Grape Chardonnay, California; Peachy! This was a great drinking wine for the warm weather.
Dirty Girl, Texas; Hard to find, but worth the wait! It is perlante, or slightly effevescent with a very unique flavor. Very good with mild cheeses.

Reds

G4 Garnache, Spain; spicy and very bold. The vineyard is called “Vinos Sin-Ley” which translates to “Wines without law. No kidding.
Marques de Caceres Rioja, Spain; with notes of several berries and a touch of vanilla. Great with a heavy dinner.
Seven Daughters, California; they have taken 7 varieties of grapes and made a perfect blend. Dark fruit intro with a peppery finish. (Their white blend is really good too!)

Also, here are some tips to ensure that your wine-tasting event is top-notch:

Uncork a white wine just before drinking to make sure it is chilled enough. With reds, you should open 30-40 minutes before serving. It is best to aerate in a decanter, carafe, or pitcher.
Try whites before reds. A white wine is typically easier to clear from the palette than a red.
With pairings, muddle a small portion of food in your mouth and then take a sip of wine. This makes sure that you get both flavors on your palette for the most accurate tasting.
A standard glass serving should be halfway; you should be able to swirl the wine in the glass to release its bouquet

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InStyle | September 2011

As Seen In

Sep 062011

Featured Wisteria Product: White Dipped Round Baskets ( Set of 2) W6086

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Halloween Party!

Behind-the-Scenes

Sep 062011

Fall isn’t complete without a Halloween party! And it doesn’t have to be too scary to be fun and festive. In fact, for our September photoshoot we “had” to have a Halloween party just to photograph all our Halloween items. Food, pumpkins, fake spider webs, and spooky ghosts were all brought in to make it feel like the real deal.

To make a Halloween party of your own, we have a few suggestions! Create a candy bar, like the one seen above, using glass jars for the candy and our chalkboards. Cut a pumpkin in half, carve out the insides, and fill it with ice and colorful drinks. Add spider webs and spooky decor to your room. Set out fall food favorites, like candy apples. And fill goodie bags with candy for take-home party favors.

Take a look at some of our party ideas and seasonal inspiration. What’s better than kids, costumes, and candy!