We enjoy being Art of the Table.  We enjoy being at Art of the Table.  We’re celebrating four years in October and are so thankful for our customers & friends!  So although we love being at the store, we’ve got a different locale in which to enjoy life that night.  On October 26 at 6:30pm we will be hosting a party at the Chop House downtown complete with food & wine, music & friends.

Please consider joining us – tickets are $60 – and available at the store.  You can stop in or call to purchase yours!  We would love to have you there.   Want more details?  Ask one of the staff, they know how fun it will be!

Yes, some of us have very creative palates and are willing to try anything. I have learned in the last few weeks that some people can’t really see the beauty in Alder smoked sea salt and Applewood smoked bacon in their 41% deep milk chocolate! Moments ago I slipped another morsel of this exquisite – and really fun! – chocolate into my mouth and let it melt. Immediately a whiff of that bacon hit me and then the chocolate. Smokey, salty, and such smooth chocolate too!

If you try it, let us know what you think. There are skeptics out there but I just think we shouldn’t judge a Mo’s Bacon Bar by its cover. Art of the Table’s price? $6.50 per bar

While you’re at it, if you like unique flavor combinations, try any of the other Vosges products from Chicago: Barcelona Bar, Red Fire Bar, Black Pearl Bar (with wasabi and sesame seeds) or the Woolamooloo Bar! Many of these are now available in mini bars too for sampling or little gifts!

The Art of the Table elves have been busy at work the last few days – we’ve been preparing a sale table for you!

Okay so there are about 5 sale tables and each one is chock full of summer goods and other foods & candles and linens and serving pieces that we’re done showing but hope that you can still use!

While we were setting up, we were chatting about what great gifts these summer sale items could make. Remember how you’re always looking for something for your sister-in-law on her birthday in January…and she loves being outdoors on her deck all summer? and you can never find her that perfect something? Maybe this week you’ll find it, her gift – early – and at a great price, too!

We are featuring a $2 or less table, select paper products at 40% off and a mystery item each day that will knock your socks off. Take a chance to visit this week as next week it will be all over, and fall products will be in its place!

This past week, Amy & Steve took a quick trip to California for both some R&R and some wine tasting. We happily report that California is just as beautiful as last time! Apparently there was an earthquake in San Francisco while we were there, but we were over in Modesto at the time and didn’t feel the effects. We did, however feel the effects of great food, wine, pool, sun & friends! We try to venture to California every other summer. We always go with the same three couples as they’re great travel companions. They have to bear with us as we get very in depth, full line tastings and the whole 9-yards tours of wineries. But then again, I don’t think it bothers them too much. They’re Dutch and I get them in free with extra wine!

Wine visits on this trip included a jaunt to Santa Rosa to taste at Hook & Ladder winery. We currently carry my favorite two wines from our tasting there – the Gewurtztraminer & Cabernet Sauvignon; and though I never thought I’d hear myself say this, their White Zinfandel wasn’t bad!

The other two visits that day included Ace Cider Company and B.R. Cohn winery.

We rented a house in Sonoma and ate out at two neat restaurants; Deuce & The General’s Daughter. Both were great, though if you go to The General’s Daughter, be prepared for a price fixe meal. We weren’t. Don’t get me wrong. It was good food, it just wasn’t what we were expecting.

The other day of our tastings took us to Napa. We made a quick stop at the Oakville Grocery so Amy could get some more ideas of products to carry. Watch for the Bread Dip Co. to arrive soon! Our two wineries today included Cosentino & Grgich Hills. At Grgich, we got the special tour from Dave Bos, one of the vineyard managers (originally from Holland, MI). They are using biodynamics in their fields to create better grapes – therefore making better wines. We got the whole schpiel and our own tasting with Dave. My favorite? The Fume Blanc. It’s got a ton of flavor and it’s round and full in the mouth.

At Cosentino we tasted through a ton of different stuff. On the top of my list were – the expensive ones! Seriously though, collectively we liked “The Franc”, Legends Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, the Merlot and the Napa Cab. The Cabernet was not ‘typical’ we decided. It was lighter and dirtier than most. The Merlot had a great nose, was plush and at a great price. The real fave for me was the Legends Meritage. A blend of 41% Cab, 37% Merlot & 22% Cab Franc, it was plush but not sugary, besides that all I could think about was the green pepper. Yes, up there at $80 of course I like it!

We’re going to Spain on May 18th and we’ll be back May 31st.