‘Tis the most wonderful time of the year! No, not that holiday with all the presents. Sure that one is fun and all. But Thanksgiving has long been my favorite annual gathering because it’s a food lovers holiday. Thanksgiving offers the chance to indulge in all my favorite things; time with the people I love and care about, amazing food, delicious drinks and gorgeous tables. I don’t know about you, but I feel particularly ready to pause and take stock of what I’m thankful for this year. I recently had the chance to celebrate Friendsgiving (because when you can do Thanksgiving more than once you should!) and am so thrilled to get to share it with you today.

This Friendsgiving gathered some of my favorite San Francisco bloggers including Caitlin, Jeanne, Erica, Todd, Amanda, Nichole and Therese. We all came together in this beautiful setting, everyone contributing something to the scene. With this many talented people in one room, I was confident every detail was going to be on point. The day certainly lived up to expectations.

Caitlin was in charge of setting the table. I love how her rustic chic tablescape came together. Vintage brass, simple florals and touches of green in apothecary bottles made the table feel light and airy, but still festive. Mismatched antique silver and a collection of vintage glassware kept things from feeling stuffy. The layers, the textures, the colors. Everything was spot on. Erica added a personal touch with lovely placecards. She created a little bouquet wrapped with twine and a personalized tag written in calligraphy to sit atop each napkin –  such an elegant touch is perfect for a holiday. When the food was added, the wine poured and the candles lit, the table came alive with color and warmth.

Of course it wouldn’t be a proper holiday without a celebratory outfit. We all partnered with Banana Republic, Gap and Old Navy to find the perfect looks. The best part of a Friendsgiving is the come-as-you-are vibe. There’s no pretense with friends. No one you need impress. You can simply be you. My look – a classic pair of dark jeans, a cashmere sweater, a brocade jacket and a statement making heel – made me feel like a million bucks. Exactly what this mama needed! You can create a similar look right now because you can save 40% off everything at Banana Republic and Gap and Old Navy (well through TODAY so shop fast!). Just be sure to use the code FRIENDS at checkout. You can get all the details about my outfit here and everything I’m wearing (along with a few extra faves) are at the bottom of the post.

I was asked to contribute the cheese plates for the day’s festivities. I have a bit of a proclivity for them (as this post and this post attest!) There is no real secret to creating a good cheese plate. I love to offer a lot of variety, a lot of color, texture and something unexpected. For these cheese plates I found fresh Moroccan dates – those bright yellow things – that were indeed edible and certainly unique. A mix of crusty bread and herbed crackers allow guests to mix and match flavors to their hearts’ content. Some beautiful concord grapes, figs and olives offer a nice mix of salty and sweet.

Of course it is fun to set a beautiful scene and feel ready to celebrate, but I really love the sentiment of the Cesar Chavez quote that Caitlin had made into a wall hanging:

“If you really want to make a friend, go to someone’s house and eat with him…the people who give you their food give you their heart“

Rather than get caught up in the rush this season, I want to make a point to sit down and break bread with my friends, my family – any and everyone I care about. Because ultimately it is those connections, that friendship and that love between people that matter most – no matter the time of year.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.

SHOP THE POST

[show_shopthepost_widget id=”2115884″]

For more Thanksgiving table inspiration CLICK HERE

For my favorite Thanksgiving recipes CLICK HERE

For seasonal cocktail ideas CLICK HERE

set design by caitlin flemming / photography by delbarr moradi / food by jessica robertson / props from elsie green

this post is in partnership with Old Navy. all thoughts and opinions are 100% my own. thanks for supporting collaborations we’re excited about and that have kept apartment 34’s doors open.