Roof Deck Inspiration

We are in process of having our roof deck re-stained for the summer and I finally ordered a set of teak furniture for the deck…something I have been wanting to do for a long time.  We had a plastic table and chairs for the past few years that served the purpose just fine.  After some crazy storm last year, a huge hole was blown out of the center of the table.  No idea how that happened, but it was definitely a sign to finally invest in my beloved teak table.

Husband M is having his 30th birthday this summer and I would really like to use the roof deck for a party.  I put together an inspiration board of the design/feel I am trying to achieve this year.  I’m hoping to get the deck pulled together soon and will post before and after shots.  Roof decks can pose some challenges with outdoor designs.  First off, everything needs to be pretty rugged as there is so much exposure to the elements.  I’m hoping that teak will last a lot longer than our plastic furniture.  Secondly, any small accessories need to be pretty portable  or be able to be tied down so you can either remove them or store them before a storm.  Third, forget the candles.  My candles usually stay lit for about 10 seconds before the wind blows them out.  I highly recommend getting a set of candelas.

Roof Deck Inspiration by meaghbarry on Polyvore.com

Items in this set:
Teak Adirondack Chair – Bed Bath & Beyond, $90
Candela Rechargeable Lamps, $85
Galvanized Metal Serving Pieces | Pottery Barn, $29
Globe Paper Lanterns, Set of 10 | Pottery Barn, $25
Ultrasoft 16-inch Navy Blue Throw Pillows (Set of 2) | Overstock.com, $25

What are your outdoor design ideas?  Do you run into any challenges while attempting to decorate the great outdoors?

-m

St Patrick’s Day Party Ideas

Living in South Boston, we usually end up throwing a St. Patrick’s day party for the annual parade.  Over the years, I’ve tried out serving different types of food for the event.  I’ve never tried making corned beef and cabbage, as that sounds like a truly terrible dish to me.  I like to stick with brunch ideas as the festivities usually start around 11 or 12 on a Sunday.  Here are some ideas:

-Make-Your-Own Omelette Bar: This is pretty easy to put together.  Gather a number of small bowls and fill them up with things that people might want to put in their omelette: mushrooms, green peppers, tomatoes, spinach, ham, shredded cheese, etc.  Also, in a large bowl, crack a few cartons of eggs and whisk together a large batch of egg mix.  Everyone can pick exactly what they want in their omelettes and everyone is happy.

-Breakfast Sandwiches: Cook a couple packages of bacon in the oven at 400 degrees for about 10-15 minutes.  Put the bacon on paper towels to soak up the grease afterwards.  Cut a couple packages of  English muffins in half, put on a cookie sheet, and toast under the broiler.  In the meanwhile, start cooking eggs sunny-side up.  About 30 seconds before they are done, put a slice of cheese on top of each egg and allow to melt.  Put one egg on each English muffin bottom, top with bacon and the other half of the English muffin.

-On the side, I like to make a large fruit salad and have a couple of pitchers of beverages.  While most people stick to beer on St. Patty’s day, I like to make Bloody Mary’s and a sparkling pomegranate juice for the non-drinkers.  In small cups, put limes, lemons, and celery for people to add to their drinks.

Happy St. Patty’s Day!

-m