Martha's Entertaining. Yes, indeed, she is!

What a photo. Out of all of the photographs in this enormous book (Martha's Entertaining: A Year of Celebrations) this photo of Martha on page 50, shown above, captures so much of the essence of what this gorgeous tome is all about: being welcome. The contentment in Martha's eyes, that candid smile, not a hint of self-consciousness, and the luminescent aura that surrounds her speaks volumes about this hostess. She is glad you're here. There are several great shots of Martha throughout the book, all of them capturing a natural, unfettered spirit with effervescent expressions that show us she is truly in her element: at home, surrounded by beautiful things, delicious food and the people closest to her.

Unlike Martha's first book, Entertaining, which was groundbreaking for its sheer scope and thoroughness, this follow-up volume demonstrates a hostess who is more comfortable in her approach to entertaining. The  parties, holiday gatherings and more formal business luncheons in Martha's Entertaining are more accessible to the reader, I think, because we know the hostess so very well now. To those of us who have been with Martha since the beginning, she is as familiar as any aunt, any friend or teacher and we are eager to learn from her. Today, she is simply Martha. And that single pronoun evokes in our imaginations a very specific style that we have come to identify with and adore.

Aside from the hostess, the groups of guests shown attending the parties in these pages are small. The environments, too, while extraordinary in their architecture and design, are relatively informal. Decorations are kept free of any sort of bombast and over-the-topness and there is an elegant simplicity to many of the occasions she chronicles. There is not a "Sit-Down Country Luncheon for One Hundred Seventy-Five" with tents and a small orchestra, for example, nor a "Country Pie Party for Fifty." In fact, the number of guests in the parties and events hosted by Martha in this book range from four to thirty - with the exception of a few large-scale events she hosted for charitable purposes - and she is just as comfortable serving oatmeal with brown sugar and croissants from the freezer for breakfast as she is serving a five-course dinner.

Let's look for a moment at the presentation of the book. It is utterly beautiful with hundreds of full-colour, full-page photographs of Martha's homes and the glorious food she prepared with her chef Pierre Shaedelin. It is divided into times of day (mornings, afternoons and evenings) with various functions and events falling under these categories, from Easter to Christmas. The recipes and how-tos are kept corralled at the back of the book for easier reference, leaving the bulk of the book to serve its purpose as inspirational fodder for the reader.

For a fan of Martha Stewart, the book is bliss. We readers adore her magazines not only for their information but also for their presentations of ideas: the layout, the colour, the style. The same will be true for this book. 

Each chapter in Martha's Entertaining is like receiving a special invitation into one of her homes, an offering to behold the dinnerware, the flower arrangements, the beautiful spaces and the stunning views. The visual magnitude of the book instantly achieves intimacy and Martha's thoughtful reflections on each event - the inspirations for the table settings, the menus, the locations and the colour choices - dazzle us even further. The book is a tribute to the very notion of inspiration, for each page is both inspired and inspiring.

I knew I would like this book the moment I heard about its inception and it was worth the wait. I know you'll love it too. (Click here to watch Martha and some of the people who helped her with the book discuss some of their favourite photographs and recipes.)

Koah Enjoying her Martha Stewart Double Feeder

Jessica Hodgson, the winner of last month's PetSmart contest, sent in this photo of her cat Koah enjoying her new Martha Stewart Pets double feeder and feeding mat from PetSmart. Jessica told us about Koah's story and we loved how devoted she was to this special feline, which is why we chose her as the winner. Koah was rescued from the streets of Daegu in South Korea while Jessica was travelling there. Jessica made all the arrangements to have her brought back to Canada to live with her. Jessie says she loves the bowl because when her other cat, Neko, is finished with his side of the feeder, she can put the lid on it to keep it fresh. It also keeps Koah from eating the rest of Neko's food! For the photo, Jessie dressed Koah in the little polka-dot bow that wrapped the package when it arrived in the mail. So cute!

Sarah Carey the new Editor of Everyday Food

Sarah Carey is replacing Anna Last as the editor-in-chief of Everyday Food. Sarah, who has been a longtime food editor at Martha Stewart Living and a co-host of the Everyday Food program on PBS, will assume the role immediately. Anna is leaving MSLO to pursue other interests. In a statement, Martha had nothing but fond things to say about both women:

"I can think of no better person to serve as its editor-in-chief. As our readers, viewers, users and listeners know, Sarah is a passionate cook and extremely knowledgeable about food. She has so much to offer this brand and our enthusiastic consumers, and I am happy to have her at the helm of this wonderful magazine."

As for Anna Last, Martha wishes her the best:

"I would like to thank Anna Last for steering both print and digital issues of the magazine over the last two-and-a-half years. Anna has been instrumental in building a loyal base of readers for Everyday Food, and for delivering extremely high levels of reader satisfaction."

I only spoke to Anna Last once in person and even in those brief moments she left an impression on me: kind, gentle and inspired. When I spoke to her, I thanked her for the wonderful, refreshing changes she brought to the magazine after she assumed the role and she was genuinely touched by the compliment. I know she will be brilliant at everything she pursues in the future. And I know Sarah will be wonderful as editor-in-chief.

Whateverland

Touted as "not your mother's self-help book," the new book by Alexis Stewart and Jennifer Koppelman-Hutt may just leave you speechless - a state Alexis and Jennifer have rarely found themselves in. The book is a spinoff of their former radio show, Whatever with Alexis and Jennifer, which aired on Sirius satellite, and their television show of the same name, which aired last year on the Hallmark channel. While Alexis and Jennifer have gone their separate ways, the book is filled with anecdotes about how the two girls grew up, their advice on food, clothing and life in general. It has been called a "tell-all" by various media who have salivated over Alexis' detailed accounts of growing up with Martha: "If I did something wrong, I would have to throw it away and start all over again," she writes. "I grew up with a glue gun pointed at my head." On Halloween, Alexis says, there was rarely anything to celebrate: "There was no costume. There was no anything. We would turn off all the lights and pretend we weren't home." Martha insists the book is all in good fun (it was dedicated to her, after all) and she calls  the book "very funny." It is out today.

New: Martha Stewart Fine Furniture

Martha Stewart is set to launch a new brand of furniture: Martha Stewart Fine Furniture with ML Brands International, formed by upholstery maker Miles Talbot and case-goods source Lefa, based in Pensylvannia. The line will debut at High Point Market this Saturday at the Miles Talbot showroom at 1690 English Road.

As most of you know, Martha had a partnership with furniture-maker Bernhardt. The line yielded several wonderful collections, many of which were based on furniture designs from Martha's own homes. Collections included Skylands, Turkey Hill, Lily Pond, Katonah, Opal Point, North River and Greenwich Street.

The new line with ML Brand will debut with upholstery and occasional furniture with other categories set to debut in 2012, including larger case-good pieces. The pricepoint is said to be mid- to high-range with many of the pieces boasting handmade details. "It was Martha's desire to step up in the furniture marketplace and have some finer goods that she would be able to live with and sell to her neighbours," says Rob Casey, managing partner in the venture.

You can read the full press-release here.

Costumes For Pets

More often than not, dogs loving being a part of the action, taking part in family outings and events. Trick-or-treating on Halloween is no exception. PetSmart has the most extensive line of pet costumes on the market today, including a number of new costumes for dogs from Martha Stewart Pets. In the October issue of Martha Stewart Living magazine there was a terrific article about Halloween costumes for pets that explained the dos and don'ts of pet safety. Katherine Miller, director of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals was asked about her tips and suggestions for keeping your pets safe and happy during All Hallows Eve. "A pet's ability to bear wearing a costume depends on the pet and its past experiences with clothes, collars and harnesses," she says.

Martha Stewart Pets Witch Costume for Dogs

Costumes should never impede a pet's ability to move, see, breathe or hear. Avoid small sequins, hanging parts and bells and don't leave a pet unsupervised while it is wearing its costume. Miller suggests trying on the costume a week before Halloween during positive activities such as on walks or during feeding times to see how the pet adapts to wearing it. If your pet seems restless, agitated or depressed, tries to pull off the costume with its teeth or runs away to hide it is uncomfortable and the costume should not be worn.

Most commercial pet costumes are designed to be light and comfortable but you could also make your own! Click here to see Martha's templates for a petaled collar for cats, a doggie dino tank and bat-wing harness. Read more about pet safety for Halloween here.

Martha Stewart Pets Devil Costume for Dogs

Be sure to bring your 'little one' along to PetSmart's Howl-O-Ween in-store event on Saturday, October 22nd. Pets can parade around in their devilishly cute digs in PetSmart stores across the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. Three winners will be chosen from each store - first, second and third place - each receiving a voucher for a PetSmart product, including dog and cat toys.

The November Issue

While most of us here in Canada have already enjoyed our Thanksgiving meals, I still look forward to the November issue of Martha Stewart Living with all of its homey comfort and pre-holiday hullabaloo. This issue is filled with the sort of warmth and coziness us longtime readers so enjoy! There are table decorating ideas, festive fall crafts, delicious holiday recipes (including mile-high desserts) and plenty of holiday strategy ideas to help streamline and simplify the busiest time of year. There are fresh and new ideas, too, including an entirely vegetarian Thanksgiving spread, a look at a perfectly imperfect home designed for active living and the restoration of a 200 year-old hotel in Pennsylvania. Also included is an excerpt from Martha's Entertaining, which is due out on the 25th of this month: Martha shares some new Thanksgiving recipes from a dinner she hosted at Cantitoe Corners. Get the issue on newsstands now!

Martha makes an appearance on the cover of the November issue.

There are plenty of Good Things in this issue, including this festive wreath made of corn husks dyed a deep burgundy.

Martha used her silver Tiffany & Co. serving set for this mixture of light and dark turkey meat and pumpkin stuffing.

Introducing fresh and modern ways to set the Thanksgiving table.

Deborah Needleman's new book "The Perfectly Imperfect Home" looks like it's going to become a classic. With an emphasis on living for real life, she balances style and design with practicality and function.

This porch at the Omni Bedford Springs Resort in Pennsylvania invites cool breezes and sunny warmth. It is part of a massive restoration project that rescued this 200 year-old hotel from virtual obscurity. 

Martha's Entertaining: Another Sneak Peek!

A longtime reader of the blog sent me an excellent link to an online catalog that featured an excerpt from Martha's Entertaining: A Year of Celebrations, a new book written by Martha Stewart which will be out on October 25th. Chanintr Living is an online journal that was founded by Thai entrepreneur Chanintir Sirisant in 1994 with the purpose of bringing fine luxury goods to Thailand. The company is Thailand's leading retailer of luxury furniture and décor and is a growing lifestyle brand. The summer issue of the company's catalog was all about Maine and featured a look at Martha's new book with photographs taken at Skylands from a chapter called A Paté Campagnard Lunch. You can view some of the photos below, taken by Frederic Legrange. You can click here to view the Summer 2011 Chanintr Living catalog in its entirety, with many more photos from Skylands and a recipe for Martha's famed popovers. Oh, I can't wait for this book!

A Stroll Down Beekman Lane

I still recall the first time I saw Dr. Brent Ridge on The Martha Stewart Show. It was the spring of 2008 and he had brought a small group of his goats to the show to demonstrate for Martha the finer points of making goat's milk soap - something he and his partner, author Josh Kilmer-Purcell, were doing in earnest as they attempted to build a business, a brand and a new life in the sprawling beauty of upstate New York on their new farm. 

At the time Brent was the Executive Vice President of Healthy Living at Martha Stewart Living and was working closely with Martha on health-related content for the magazine and television show. I was quick to blog about his new venture in the country. (You can see the first Beekman Blog I wrote here.) I was just as swift in ordering some of the Beekman goods for myself and have been a fan ever since. (Many of their products are sold at Anthropologie, where I work, so the temptation is a daily force to be reckoned with.) 

I have blogged about their Beekman 1802 brand on numerous occasions and over the last three years have developed a sweet rapport with both Brent and Josh, even taking my mother to visit their farm in Sharon Springs, New York, and having homemade goat's cheese and sparkling apple cider with Josh at their kitchen table! (I have yet to meet Brent in person!)

My mom and I often discuss that trip and reflect on how special it was to us. It wasn't just the fabulousness of their beautiful, historic mansion; it wasn't the glitter of celebrity that was building around their brand and their new TV show and it wasn't their adorable goats.  (Although, they were adorable!)  For us, it was their generosity, their kind approach in welcoming us into their home and the sincerity that shines through in everything they do. My mother has been back several times since that visit in 2009 and has plans to visit again, just as I do. 

I'm not sure why I am so nostalgic about all this. Perhaps it's because I am consistently humbled by the power of blogging and the meaningful connections that are sometimes made through this vast, invisible space called the Internet. Some of those connections are truly special, as it is with Brent and Josh, and many more of you out there too who have found me - and found others - through this blog.

This is why I am so thrilled to tell you about the release of their very first cookbook, which will be in stores tomorrow. Be sure to pick up your copy! I have not seen it yet but I am told it is lovely, filled with inspired recipes that use fresh ingredients and supplemented with beautiful photographs by Paulette Tavormina, whom I have also profiled on this blog - and who was kind enough to offer me a tour of her studio the next time I am in New York City! Visit the Beekman site for more information about the book and join their Heirloom community by trying out one of the recipes and sharing your personal variations online. The Beekman boys are also hosting a very special contest to celebrate the release of the book. One grand-prize winner will win a trip to NYC where Brent, Josh and the editors of Bon Appetit magazine will throw a party just for you in the amazing test kitchens of Bon Appetit! Be sure to enter!

One of the many beautiful photos in the book by Paulette Tavormina