"Luxury must be comfortable, otherwise it is not luxury..." - Coco Chanel
Photography by Debonair Visuals
We see the memes of “Normalize women of color in luxury” so often and while we can want the best moments and memories for ourselves, we have to actually put forth the work to do so. I mean, not just thinking about it, or simply wishing for it, not saving memes and pictures that we'll "one day" try, but actually scheduling the time, planning the effort, and taking the steps necessary to move in that lavish energy you seek. Often we may believe we can’t afford the luxury our faves enjoy on a regular basis, but this sentiment could not be further from the truth. Luxury manifests itself in a number of ways, and is not limited to getting dressed up for fancy dinners in the city or booking a flight to an exotic island. It is the every day ability to be at peace. It is the time to be fully happy and the security to do so without worry hanging over your head. Even if just for the night, it is what you should experience much more often than the only on special occasions you're used to. Luxury can very easily be experienced within a formidable budget and right in the comfort of your own home. Trust me, you deserve.
I’ve been having distinct visions of a garden brunch for my own self care for a while now. Every time I watch Baby Boy or see the photo of Jody's mom with her wine in the garden, I feel that peace. Often for my Bourgeois Nights In I’ll do a variation of a charcuterie/fruiterie or sweets, but for this evening I wanted a spin on breakfast for dinner and elevate it to a Bourgeois Brunch. If I could enjoy Prosecco for my me-time, I might as well add some OJ for a late night mimosa treat (Spoiler Alert: It was the right choice).
I'm making the conscious decision to have more Bourgeois Nights In for myself by scheduling the time to do something that brings me joy, or allows me to do the inner healing work, or just get something done that's been hanging over my head in general. I feel at peace when I know there aren't any daunting tasks looming in the background. Sometimes I need to just vibe out to a good playlist, set a mood, and enjoy the space. It is my meditation. It is a chance to just be. A garden setting would allow all that natural beauty to view while sipping a glass of something chilled, and I was more than ready for that.
While I’ve been greatly enjoying nude and pink toned events lately, it’s the summertime! And we’re outside! (Kinda?). So in true fashion of being outside adjacent, I knew a night-time brunch was going to need to bring the sunshine in.
With a bright, white table cloth topped with these sage-green rustic chargers, I knew immediately this would bring the garden feel inside. I added dark grey napkins under the plating to provide that much needed contrast.
Sticking to the garden aesthetic, I immediately thought of silver pairings to utilize the galvanized, rope lined ice bucket to hold my three wine bottles, stuck to theme with stainless steel silverware and coasters, and added a burlap accent to adorn the silver rimmed white china plates. A single, peach, spray rose atop the china was the icing on the cake.
The rust accents in the chargers paired perfectly with the colorful, orange, yellow and green floral arrangement (courtesy of a blend from a centerpiece from my god-mother’s wedding and inexpensive florals from Trader Joe’s), and I added white hydrangea and rose leaves to accent the table and chargers.
I staged the arrangement in this beautiful diamond-cut vase, which corresponded lovely with not only the textured design of the chargers, but also the crystal stems of the champagne flutes and accents of the faux crystal candle holders, which hosted the most darling, sage-green taper candles to match the chargers as well. I also kept to the crystal theme in using whiskey glasses for our water glasses.
To add more color to the table, I utilized these rust colored glasses (from the Wax and Wine candles we created in the Burnout issue), and filled these with tea lights to reflect that beautiful, auburn color throughout.
Once complete I took a step back and enjoyed the view. The subtle color story alone was adorably comforting. I felt like I had transported from my normal living room to a special V.I.P. event all to myself, serving as a reward for all of my recent effort put toward my endeavors. I deserved this.
With the hectic work week upon me, I knew I wanted the look and feel of treating myself, but did not want to put forth the work to cook an entire brunch for one. The very talented Siam of Luxe Charcuterie had just the perfect board for a night like this. I can pretend like I shared this, I even set the table to entertain the idea, but admittedly, I fully treated myself and turned this brunch for two into a solo reservation.
The name “Luxe Charcuterie” truly lived up to the expectation of its intention. This brunch board didn’t only look incredibly packaged with the pristine white box wrapped in a Tiffany blue ribbon, and adorned with bright yellow and fuchsia florals, but it tasted spectacular.
While the box itself was beautifully put together, I opted to tap into my “extra” nature and carefully placed all of the box’s contents onto a wooden cutting board. This was the perfect addition to set all of my late night garden brunch dreams on fire.
The attention to detail floored me: With each bite I could hear myself verbally reacting with surprise after surprise. The hard-boiled eggs were seasoned so that you could easily enjoy them whole. The croissant was toasted to perfection, and flaky in all of the best ways. The yogurt was topped with a brown sugar crumble granola blend that was perfectly paired with the blueberry and strawberry fruit toppings. The…sugar…waffles…ugh, my new favorite addiction. Even the syrup was rich and decadent, and I immediately saw the value in this box.
Then to also include pancakes, chocolate croissants, jam, sausages, cheese, more fruit, and a bottle of orange juice paired with a Mionetto Prosecco, I was blown away. And even then, to come with its own set of biodegradable wooden serve ware, I stan. This box exceeded my expectations, and it is easy to see how Siam could build her brand as quickly as she did from word of mouth alone during a pandemic. Having been in her business for just one year at the time of posting, and a new addition to Delaware by way of Canada, she has accepted orders for one and for hundreds in her business ventures. She is truly a sweetheart and her attention to intention is absolutely appreciated. & With her brunch board for two being only one of her specialties, I look forward to experiencing her other creations with charcuterie for future Bourgeois Nights In to come.
This box was the perfect amount for two, and I happily ate on this into the next day. If you plan to host a garden themed brunch of your own, additional items you could include with minimal effort are the prosciutto wrapped asparagus from our Rose' & Rose Goals - Manifest issue as well as Trader Joe’s assorted quiche.
In a carafe, I added purified water (the best tasting water hands down), as well as a separate carafe of an orange, peach and mango juice courtesy of my fave (Trader Joe’s). I added clementines as an option for a twist on water with lemon to have water with orange, which also brought more color to the tablescape.
That trifecta of Prosecco, orange-peach-mango juice, and then a squeeze of clementine, whew, that made it all worth the week I'd had.
In addition to the Mionetto Prosecco courtesy of the Luxe Charcuterie brunch box, I displayed three additional Black-owned wines that would be perfect for a brunch pairing in lieu of the traditional mimosa:
House of Brown - Chardonnay
I’ve got a confession to make: I don’t care for Chardonnay…personally. However, my sister and fellow resident Bougie Foodie, The Suzie Speak, graciously offered her Chard expertise and noted that this was a solid wine with more oaky notes (the part I usually don’t care for) than buttery, and a floral and crisp, fruity finish. She described this as light and airy, and a good summer Chardonnay. If you haven’t gotten a chance to chill your wine, she recommends freezing a Granny Smith apple slice to chill and add to the flavor profile of your wine without watering it down. She knows what she’s speaking on, so check her out and her Bourgeois adventures in the beautiful city of Philly here.
Mary J. Blige - Sun Goddess Pinot Grigio
This is the wine for me. Smooth like that of the voice of the woman who created it, this orange tinted rose' - pinot is so unique in taste. The light strawberry and lemon notes are winners. This is a medium-bodied wine, so it's great for the aunties at the cookout, but did just fine for me at home for my Bourgeois Night In. Try this for yourself or next time you want to show off, the color alone is stunning, but the taste is impressive.
McBride Sisters - Sauvignon Blanc
This is for grown folks only, okay?! Savi’s are such an adult wine, the red or the white, and this delivered on that very expectation effortlessly. Straight out of the bottle was a little too intense for my Prosecco pallet personally, however allowing the wine to breathe for a bit (an hour is plenty of time, but I didn’t dive into mine until the next day or so), will ease up on the initial shock of this bold wine.
I relaxed, I snacked, I took time to leisurely scroll social media instead of being in work mode for once. I spoke to my little brother and I prayed. I enjoyed this little impromptu moment of solitude. It was right on time.
& After my first glass, I vibed...
I love a night-time self care session. It is never too late for a Bourgeois Night In. Next time I’ll need to do this in the rain, because even in the beauty and stillness of the night, that stillness is a mood.
I was fortunate enough to enjoy this alone, but of course I set the table for two. If you would like to set your own table for one or two, or any number really, feel free to set up a consultation with me here. & If you're interested in trying any of Siam's incredible creations, while reasonably priced starting at $20 for her single serve box, I’ve got a code to use for your Luxe Charcuterie order to receive 10% off of your brunch or charcuterie tray for your next Bourgeois Night In. You can see her Instagram, @LuxeCharcuteriee, for all of her skills, or visit the link in her bio to place your order. Use code “BL10” at checkout, and be sure to tag both of us if you decide to get your Luxe-Bourgeois on yourself. Women of color living in luxury, I love to see it!
Cheers, Beauty!
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