My love affair with World Market started when I was just a kid. I think I was in 6th grade when my friend and I would sometimes get dropped off at the mall to hang out and we’d always walk over to World Market. They used to sell the most amazing little rose-flavored candies. Yes, roses- as in the flowers. They were so so good. To this day every time I walk into a World Market store, I keep my eye out for them. Now that I’m grown up and actually have use for the amazing household items in the store, I buy more than candy! I buy much more than candy. I love World Market like Kate loves Target. We’re talking serious business here. Some might classify it as an obsessive relationship. I mentioned in a photography post that I did a while back that a huge number of the dishes and table linens you see in my food photographs, including the photos in our cookbook, have come from World Market. They sell an amazing selection of cookware, dishes, and specialty items. Remember the adorable little mugs you all were raving about in my hot chocolate post? Yep. World Market. They also sell a great selection of furniture, housewares, gifts, jewelry, accessories (see the cute floral headband I’m wearing in the next pic? World Market!), over 500 international wines, gourmet foods and specialty drinks imported from more than 50 countries. It’s seriously one of my most favorite places, which is why I jumped at the chance to host a party compliments of World Market and Foodbuzz. I had the perfect occasion this past weekend while I was in my home town of Seattle; my favorite sister (okay, she’s my only sister, but for reals, she’s my favorite) was having a birthday!
That’s my sister Becca. She’s awesome. She’s an amazing cook (I actually photographed her making something this weekend that I’m going to post soon) She’s insanely creative (we’re talking like, she built a to-scale replica of my parents house in gingerbread last Christmas. Okay, and she has a college minor in art, but seriously the gingerbread was sweet) and she does crazy cool stuff like rescue orphaned animals and train them to release them back into the wild. No joke. She taught a half-dead bird how to eat. And then fly. She’s like an animal whisperer. She’s also single. In case you know someone. Just sayin…
I had a perfectly lovely backyard meal in my mind and I found everything I needed at World Market. Sometimes when you envision outdoor entertaining you immediately think of paper plates and plastic tablecloths. I love to mix and match and bring some of my indoor things out. I started out with a crisp white tablecloth, and added a bamboo table runner. I love how the bamboo is kind of rustic and fits in with an outdoor theme.
Then I used some plain white plates. This is a fabulous thing to have. World Market sells a lot of these buffet sets; plain white dishes in all sizes that come in these nice holders. They’re affordable, and great to have on hand for big group meals.
I didn’t want them to get lost on the white tablecloth though so I used these awesome chargers. Aren’t they fantastic? This is my most favorite color so I couldn’t resist. They’re a heavy duty plastic so they’re super easy to clean too. I love these.
On top of the white plates, I placed these fun melamine dessert plates. They’re light weight and inexpensive; perfect for outdoor entertaining! I love the colors in them, and found cloth napkins in a matching color too.
One of my favorite things to do on an outdoor table is light candles. There’s something about a breeze, and summer weather, and flickering candles, that makes you want to stay at that table for hours. I LOVE these purple glass lanterns. Those things are big, and only 8 bucks! They matched the purple in the plates perfectly.
World Market has a gazillion different styles of little votive holders. I’m madly in love with these blue square ones. I grabbed a bunch of different styles and colors and scattered them around. All the colors tied into the plates so they all matched when put together.
See those cute drinks? One of my favorite things.
World Market Italian Sodas. They have a bunch of flavors; my family loves the Blood Orange. The Mango Passion Fruit is yummy too.
The personal sized bottles look so cute on a dinner table. Sort of casual-chic.
My sister bought her own flowers (okay, and she made half of this meal herself too. She’s rad like that.) How crazy beautiful are these peonies??
Seriously I couldn’t stop staring at them. I love fresh flowers on a dinner table, especially an outdoor one.
Just make sure when you’re entertaining that you use shallow vases or bowls so you don’t block people’s faces.
Okay I’ll stop swooning over the flowers. Back to food. For an appetizer, I grabbed a great pesto, and also a Piquillo and Artichoke Bruschetta spread. Both were amazing. I could eat that artichoke stuff with a spoon. Okay I sort of did. Both came from World Market. Did I mention they have food there? Food from all around the world? Ya, they do. And lots and lots of chocolate and treats too.
I need to make a knock-off of that artichoke spread asap.
My family also loves these chips. They taste similar to those Pop Chips that are popular right now.
My kiddos love ’em! They also have lots of fun trinkets, toys, and novelty items at World Market. My kids beg for stuff every time we go there and I usually say no, so this time I grabbed a bunch of toys to keep them busy while the grown-ups ate. It worked brilliantly.
We also grilled up (and by we I mean my husband) one of my all-time-favorite summer meals, Italian Chicken and Vegetable Skewers. Per my sister’s request we (and by we I mean my sister) also made Caramel Toffee Fruit Dip. (Are you starting to wonder if I cooked anything at all??) And a yummy Pear and Gorgonzola Salad.
My sister also made an awesome Orange-Teriyaki Steelhead, which I’m going to share her recipe for soon! Heaven knows our Seafood Section can use all the help it can get. I’m thinking I should have her do a monthly fish feature!
For dessert (seriously I made this one myself. I mean, I bought this one myself. It counts, I swear.) I picked up some Seattle-famed Trophy Cupcakes. I have to be honest and say that when it comes to gourmet cupcake shops, I’ve been disappointed way more times than I’ve been pleased. But Trophy came through! These babies were amazing.
All in all it was a gorgeous night with fantastic company. Nothing better than friends and family on a beautiful summer night at a beautiful summer table!
Moving into my first apartment this fall, I would undoubtedly purchase the darling Russian doll measuring cups, quality pots and pans, and some fun food to begin life in my apartment with a zing 🙂
LOVE World Market!!! I spend most of my time in the dishware/kitchen section, so that’s likely where’d I’d use the prize $$!! They DO have interesting looking food… and their gift bags are SO cute… and I LOVE those candle-holders you posted pics of… (sigh) I LOVE WORLD MARKET!!! : )
I would definitely buy serving dishes. I think any meal tastes better when served in beautiful dishes.
I love those dishes! Oh, and I also need some new steak knives. 🙂
I love dining al fresco but currently have nothing to do so, so I’d definitely get something for an outdoor summer dinner party.
I love your table Sara! I would totally spend it on dishes and whatnots! I love to set a pretty table using candles, charges, different plates, etc. I think it’s so welcoming to your guests!
I love World Market and would probably spend it on some cool kitchen gadgets and home decor stuff. 🙂
I love world market. I would definitely spend it on their dishes. I need some new ones and have been eyeing some there!
Dishes and table linens! I would love to pic up some fun new things for summer.
Hopefully something for a new house…. which means that I would be getting a new house! 🙂 But, really? Probably some toss pillows. I need to change up the look in my bedroom and living room, and that’s a quick, easy way!
How can I choose what to buy? I guess I would have to say home decor.
I would spend the gift card on a little bit of everything! Food, housewares, jewelry…I love it all!
I think I would go with furniture. We just bought a new house and I want to fill it with everything from World Market!
I love World Market! We used to live near one and now we don’t, but I still go online to ogle the furniture and housewares. I’d love to shop for stuff for our new house …
Love the spread! I am obsessed with World Market too. I love their Christmas ornaments…I have some of their furniture. If I won the gift card I would probably use it towards some new linens and serving utensils and maybe some of their treats.
If I got the gift card, I would probably spend it on furniture/home decorating. I love decorating and never seem to have enough money in my budget to do it. 😉
I would use it to by a little bit of everything. So much to choose from!
I love all the European cookies at World Market. So yummy!
I love, love, love World Market! The closest one is about 30 minutes away from me. And believe it or not, I was just trying to think of a reason I needed to go down there! I have so many things I would buy. Pretty dishes, napkins, and there are so many foods I want to try like those veggie chips and Italian sodas. Yummy!
I would use it on cute, outdoor dinnerware! 🙂
Definitely food and/or dishes. They always have random stuff from Portugal or Brazil which obviously makes me jump for joy when I see it!
I think I deserve to win since a) it’s my birthday this week, and b) you got to keep all the cool stuff I helped you pick out!
For real though, thanks for the awesome party 😀
I think I would spend this on new dishes! Thanks for the giveaway!
I love world market. I would use the card to by dishes or serving pieces. It’s all about presentation right! I found my first World Market store about ten years ago and it is one of my favorite places to go when I can get a babysitter. I can spend hours in there. By the way, if you don’t have a world market near you …some Bed Bath & Beyond stores have a World Market Section in their stores.
I would use the gift card for dishes and some of the hurricanes you have on the table! I love candlelight!!!
I don’t think I’d have a hard time spending $100 on some home decor items!
I’d definitely spend it on furniture. They had some cute black folding chairs that would be nice to have on hand. Then I could put the extra leaves in my table and sit everyone around it when we have guests.
I’d use it on some fun food! I always drool walking through their food section.
I love their dishes. But they have a candy called malteasers…they are heavenly. Thanks.
I’d spend it on deco or furniture for my new house!