Gobble Gobble

Bonjour y'all!!

First, thank you all for your support of the book. I'm so so happy you are enjoying it and understanding my brain. I don't really have the words to thank you enough for purchasing my words! I always wanted to be a writer, I just assumed it would be for TMZ. This is so much better.

If you haven't purchased your copy yet, you can do so HERE. Makes a great holiday gift, if I do say so myself.

A few weeks ago, I did my first antique show. And I can happily say, it will also be my last. Not only because I was told I am not invited back, but because antique shows are a thing of the past. There was no one there, only a few people who were clearly there only for the snack bar. The first day I was hopeful, my booth was adorable and not overly cluttered. I spent 6 hours setting up, buying fresh flowers, lighting candles, doing everything to make my booth feel like a home. It was not worth it. Ty and I sat at my booth for 8 hours for three days, and no one came. I almost cried right there. Instead, we snuck wine in styrofoam cups and drank.

At the end of day three, we started to pack up an hour early. I was then yelled at by the show coordinator that I was not allowed to leave.
"Am I being held hostage?" I asked.
"You're not allowed to leave until the show is over."
I thought being an adult meant leaving whenever I wanted to, but I was wrong. We left early anyway. I don't care if I'm thrown in jail, as long as I don't have to look at another antique turquoise jewelry booth ever again! The next day, we were on our flight to Paris, where the antique show couldn't find me.

We returned from Paris just in time for Thanksgiving. The French don't know what stuffing is, so I had to say au revoir. This year, Ty and I are taking on the task of helping with Thanksgiving. Usually, we are at my grandma's house where no one is allowed to step into the kitchen from Wednesday-Friday. We will be spending the holiday at Ty's parent's house in Los Angeles, it is currently sunny and warm but I'm hopeful it will snow by Thursday.

A huge part of this holiday is the table. If your table doesn't feel warm and inviting while also making you afraid to break anything, you're not doing it right. Here are some of my grandma's tables for inspiration. Don't feel bad, no one can do this like she can. Take a look at the paisley throw tablecloth, are you kidding me, it's too good! Don't be afraid to have assigned seating, it always is a good idea. My favorite part, and the only part I was allowed to help with, was the seating arrangement. It helps children understand that some people don't get along with others and to seat them near the bathroom.

I love Thanksgiving. I love everything about it. The food, the fighting, and the turkey hangover. Ty and I have pulled some recipes from Bon Appetit to test out this year. He's going to handle the turkey because I don't want to stick my hand inside its butt. Bon Appetit has a great recipe for a spiced and glazed turkey that's cut up and carved before you serve it. It's supposed to allow every piece to get the attention it deserves. It will also get rid of the fight over who gets to carve the bird at the table.

If you're into this idea, here's the recipe we're following. CLICK HERE

Doesn't it look beautiful? I'll post a photo if ours turns out anything like this. If it doesn't, you won't be hearing from me for a week.

For my portion of the meal, I'll be doing the Bon Appetit mashed potatoes with a crunchy top layer. It's not Thanksgiving without mashed potatoes, specifically mashed potatoes that are 2/3 butter. This recipe has that. The top layer adds a little crunch to each bite without changing the staple dish too much. Plus, the recipe calls for potato chips, so I'm in.

Here's that recipe. CLICK HERE

The final recipe we're copying is the gravy. It has MSG in it, so you know it'll be delicious. I used to not be allowed to go to Panda Express because of the MSG, but look at me now!!!

Gravy recipe. CLICK HERE

The rest of the recipes will be from my mom's cookbook, Surviving Thanksgiving. If you end up using any of the O'Connell recipes, please send me photos! You can email me at havesomedecorum@gmail.com

We usually eat our feast at 4pm on Thanksgiving. That way seconds can be served before bed and you have ample time to prepare for Black Friday. I went Black Friday shopping with my mom once, it did not go very well. We drove to the Best Buy early in the morning, saw the line, drove right home and bought everything online.

This year, you don't have to drive to Best Buy, or Target, or Zales, or whatever giant store still does in-store deals. It's all about online baby. The Have Some Decorum shop will be having a huge, HUGE, Black Friday sale all weekend long. Everything will be 50% off, yes everything! The paisley throw, 50% off. The oil paintings, 50% off. The Santos statue, 50% off. The sunburst mirrors, 50% off. You get the idea. Make sure you're subscribed to the mailing list over at havedecorum.com to be the first to get your pick.

Most of the Paris trip was spent at the Puces, brocantes and the boulangerie. The Have Some Decorum shop is back! I brought an entire suitcase home filled with antiques for you!!! Stay tuned for next week's blog where I'll tell you about throwing up in public and all the antiques!!

Also, Frances says hi!