Last Easter was exceptionally special: mild, spring-like weather after a biting winter; Ella Fitzgerald floating over our speakers; family and friends flown in from around the country; and a long, boozy Easter lunch-that-turned-into-dinner-that-turned-into-late-night-night-hang, progressing from effervescent glasses of pre-lunch Mirabelle Rose sparkling wine (my personal favorite) to magnums of pinot noir my brother-in-law had packed in his roll-a-board from a special wine shop on the Upper East Side of Manhattan to post-prandial old-fashioneds (for the men) and Tom Collinses (for the ladies–my cocktail of choice).
{My tablescapes over the last few Easters. LOL. JK. Easter tablescape inspo courtesy of Pinterest.}
Mr. Magpie cold-smoked salmon as our appetizer; baked bread from scratch (his preparation takes 3 days!); grilled the most outrageous fall-off-the-bone Easter lamb, paired with a tomato-basil chutney; and served up a Thomas Keller asparagus preparation. (If you know anything about Thomas Keller, you know nothing is simple with him. The asparagus coins were outrageously delicious…and probably took Mr. Magpie two days to make thanks to additions like “parsley water.”)
I contributed Daniel Boulud carrots (amazing, amazing, amazing — you must give this recipe a try; I guarantee it will make it into your regular cooking rotation! We make these all the time.) and Chrissie Teigen’s scalloped potatoes (rather involved, but epically delicious–and could literally serve an army).
And, we finished it all off with made-from-scratch coconut cake by yours truly (I frankensteined two recipes, picking and choosing elements of Martha’s cake and Ina’s cake to make a hybrid cake that turned out perfectly) and sorbet topped with champagne.
So, we were quite the gluttons.
I had to turn to Mr. Magpie’s incredible steel trap memory to resurrect the menu because, well, I’m better at short-term recollection, but also because I was way too distracted by the beautiful company to keep tabs on what I was eating, delicious as it was. (I do remember going back for seconds and thirds of Mr. Magpie’s lamb, nabbing little bits and pairing them with his amazing bread and a hearty slather of Plugra butter. OK, maybe it was more like fifths and sixths…we just lingered over the amazing feast all day long.)
My sister and I shared an upholstered stool at one end of the dining room table; we’d gotten crafty with seating because we didn’t have enough for all of our guests. The overflow seating was indicative of the overall excess of the day–and, likely much to the annoyance of our guests (a belated apology there), gave us every excuse to devolve into “Christina-Jen” conversation: laughter-punctuated sister exchanges full of shorthand and insider talk that made little sense to anyone else.
My dear friend, eight or nine months pregnant at the time, be-moaned her pregnancy-imposed abstinence from the smoked salmon platter and begged Mr. Magpie to make another batch post-birth, which he happily obliged several weeks later.
My brother-in-law eyed the coconut cake multiple times over the course of the morning; I relished capturing these sidelong glances that he likely thought no one noticed–so deeply satisfying to know you have delighted a loved one without them saying a word.
Another dear friend hilariously lambasted people who categorically refuse to try/enjoy coconut. Apparently coconut-hating is “a thing.” (This rousing declaration may have been wine-induced.)
My best friend, flown in from New York, was dolled up in a dress and high heels for the occasion, though we never set foot outside of the house. We all raved over her dress’s versatility, her perfect beachy-waved hair, the fact that she is “a tall drink of water.”
It was one of those perfect afternoons that almost feels like a movie. One of those afternoons where you just know you’re making a memory that will one day resurface in the haziest glow of love and nostalgia. And, as I’ve ordered a few items over the past few days in advance of this upcoming Easter, the above fragments drifted in and out of my mind, tinged with warmth and love, just as expected.
This Easter will be decidedly different: fewer people around the table, simpler fare on offer–but new traditions in the making. A different kind of family taking shape. As with much of the past few weeks, as I approach Easter, I find myself jockeying between a sense of gratitude and nostalgia for the past (funny how change can do that to ya) and a parallel gratitude and excitement for the opportunity to build a cozy future for this little family of mine. During these early days of caring after a newborn, I find myself straining to try to soak up every little detail, hoping I won’t forget the funny snorts and squeaks mini makes right now, or the big, sweet smile that crosses her face (probably gas, I know–ha!) as she’s drifting off to sleep, or how impossibly tiny her feet look in Mr. Magpie’s hands. But in recalling some of the details from last Easter with my nearest and dearest, I’m struck by the fact that I often remember the littlest, most trivial minutaie from an afternoon or event–the details that add up to a mosaic of feeling, if not an accurate depiction of the day. And that’s just fine, too.
Below, some of the items I’ve snagged in advance of this new holiday tradition chez Magpie.
My Easter WishList: For the Table.
+Set of 12 mini-tapers ($11).
+The prettiest floral plates ($54 for set of 4).
+Gingham napkins ($9 apiece). I also LOVE these tulip-print napkins.
+Faux-moss bunny ($16+ depending on size).
+White wreath ($43).
+A pretty linen runner in a pastel hue ($60 — and monogrammable!)
My Easter WishList: For MiniMagpie.
+Feltman Brothers’ infant dress ($48) — I love that this old-school children’s clothing line (established in 1916!) makes dresses in newborn sizes!
+Easter bonnet from Beaufort Bonnet Company ($52).
+Mon Petit Shoes infant shoes ($49).
+Pat the Bunny book ($10).
+Beatrix Potter Easter basket ($13, and it’s monogrammable!). I am planning to order mini one of these adorable personalized linen easter baskets from Etsy ($49), but love the straw style, too. I also considered this linen basket bag from Etsy ($22), and I absolutely LOVE these hand-embroidered styles ($42), but they have been sold out for 2017 for awhile.
+Faux grass ($9).
+Sleep Sheep Soothing Sound Machine Stuffed Toy ($24) — this came highly recommended from one of you mamas!
My Easter WishList: For Me.
+I am planning on wearing this Ulla Johnson dress I bought last fall (no longer available online) — it’s not usually the style I would reach for on Easter (typically I lean for something more classic/feminine), but I love the color palette and the forgiving shape, and I’ve been super into that boho vibe lately. If I hadn’t already snagged this baby and had it chilling in my closet for months, I might consider this breezy Ulla Johnson instead ($505). To hell with the old no-white-before-memorial-day rule!
+You can get the Ulla look for less with this amazing find for $113, which, incidentally, I think I must own. #Addedtothecart
+I would love to make it a whole Ulla affair, and finish with these amazing Ulla heeled sandals ($495). {Get the look for less with these or these, both of which I adore.}
+Finish with one of these lust-worthy Muun straw totes ($205). I want one BAD.
+Finish with this gorgiiiine floral scarf, thrown around the shoulders or worn as a belt or even a bracelet, wrapped a few times around your wrist ($89). Alternately, love this simple blush scarf/wrap/shawl ($38)! Endlessly versatile.
+If you need additional warmth, I like the idea of finishing with a cropped jacket — go with a classic denim to dress things down or a nude leather (die over this buttery style!) to edge things up.
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