Visiting Sonoma last October will go down as one of my favorite trips of 2015, being incredible for so many reasons.  I, of course, knew I was in for a treat right off the bat spending time with one of my all-time favorite brands, Williams-Sonoma and gathering around the table with Fortessa in my happy place, the historic Fairmont, was simply second to none.  It’s here where I relearned the magic of mealtime. 

I’d been to wine country several times before, and with each visit, I felt a renewed appreciation for the time spent around the table. Life just seems slower there.  Hours spent lingering at the table long after dinner is done reminds us that there’s nowhere else we’d rather be. Farmers and friends gather around to enjoy the simple pleasures of food and wine, a feeling that you want to bottle and bring home with you.

After this visit with Williams-Sonoma and Fortessa especially, I found myself leaving inspired to recreate the magic of mealtime at home.  I wanted to put effort back into our weeknight meals…no takeout boxes, to-go cups or stacks of brown paper napkins.  For the new year I vowed to bring the focus back on time spent around the table with conversation, home-cooked meals and beautiful, yet simple details, even if it was for only one more night a week.  And dream world, yes, I’d have these gorgeous peonies at every table, duh.

A brand that totally gets those beautiful, yet simple details right is Fortessa. Restaurants, hotels, weddings and events have turned to this family-run business for its stunning dinnerware for decades, but it wasn’t a common name to many households.  But now, to my delight, Fortessa invites us to set the dinner table with its at-home collection, sold at Williams-Sonoma.  The collection is full of timeless, functional pieces that instantly elevate your dinnertime routine. I’m such a fan of its stemware and gold flatware especially; they’re easy pieces to include on any weeknight tabletop.  Tell me is making dinner a priority on your 2016 to-do list?  Truly, MKR

P.S. Enter here for a chance to win an idyllic stay at Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa in Sonoma Valley with Williams-Sonoma and Fortessa, plus a wine tasting at our fave, Silver Oak! It’s basically our absolute dream vacay, so we’re crossing our fingers for you! xo 

P.P.S.  Don’t worry we’ll be sharing recipes from this post very, very soon.