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!
Questions & Reviews
I’d buy outdoor patio stuff for my new home.
I can’t imagine being able to entertain like that, but I feel inspired. I would love some dishes and lanterns like those. The whole table was fantastic…
Some white round plates.
Love, love, LOVE World Market too!! I can’t go in there for just one thing ever – I end up buying many more items than intended so I would probably just see what strikes my fancy and go from there!
I have swooned over World Market for such a long time! I’ve purchased some great cookware, but I have a real yearning for the gorgeous place settings. I would definitely spend my gift certificate on that… and a stash of Nutella, too!
Love your table settings! I think I am a big fan of the table top options, candles, linens, etc. Beautiful things!
I love world market! I would put the gift card towards a dining room table I have my eyes on!
Oh, wow! How gorgeous! My husband and I are college students with soon-to-be two children, living in a small apartment, and dreaming of the day when we have a house with a back yard where we can do fun stuff like host outdoor dinner parties! I, too, am in love with World Market and I would definitely be able to splurge on something in the kitchen/hostess/decor category!
I would buy kitchenware. I bought some mixing bowls from there before and I love them. They have great stuff.
If nothing else, we’d eat our way through that $100 in their Sticky Fingers brand of scone mix. Dee-Vine! Every flavor is great, never a disappointment, super easy to make (add water & mix with fork, really), only take 15 minutes to cook so an even be a weekday treat, plus each one is only around 150 calories! Okay, enough on scones, I’m sure we’d find some other loveliness too. 🙂
I love World Market! I love to browse that store. Always something new. I don’t know what I would use the gift card on. I love everything there! If I win the gift card I will definitely let you know what I bought though! Ha!
I would spend it on a little bit of everything… however those purple lanterns are CALLING my name!
What wouldn’t I spend $100.00 on at world market? I am especially drawn to the dishes and food sections, I can’t resist the bright colors and the gorgeous designs.
Ohhh, I think dishes, those look like so much fun!
I would probably spend the gift card on food or dishes!
World Market is awesome!! I’d spend the $100 in the cookware section or in the coffee department. Thanks for the giveaway!
After moving to a one room cabin with my husband and 6 month old (without an indoor bathroom) I would love to use it on anything to pamper my husband and me (eclectic dinner, new flatware, fancy drinks)since we’ve both been waking up several times each night! Plus, his birthday is coming up and I’d love to surprise him!
I desperately need new dishes! I love World Market – my poor boys groan everytime they realize that’s where we are headed! Thanks for the chance to win.
Awesome! Would love this gift card… no telling what I would find! =)
Oh my! I love World Market too. I love to go through the aisles and check out the imported food. Wow! With a $100 gift card, I could actually buy some! Though those dishes seem mighty tempting too…
I follow you on Twitter and tweeted about the giveaway. (@sebh55)
I shared on my Facebook wall. (Susan Brown Hatcher)
I haven’t been to a world market, but just looked at the website – holy smokes would I go crazy in there! It would be perfect. My dining room theme (in my imagination so far) is supposed to be “Around the World,” although it’s very likely that it will mostly be framed photography of Europe. I’d love to get a great dinnerware set (mine is a floral, that I don’t love but it was free) that could go along, and there are SO many things that would go great with the colors of my kitchen (citrus). I’d probably primarily spend money there are the decor, dining, and kitchen items. I have a few items in my kitchen that go with my color scheme, and it makes it so much more fun to work in. Great recipes make it fun to work in, too (that’s where you guys come in). 🙂 Love this website – keep up the great work!
I too love World Market! It’s a more affordable Pier 1 or PB. Can I say that here? Anyway, I have made lots of purchases over the years, but two of my favorite items are their Riley bookcases (I have 4) and their dining furniture. I bought a very large, very sturdy table and 6 chairs there two years ago. If I won the $100 gift card, I would invest in another important piece of furniture–a new desk with hutch. I homeschool and always need more organizational space. Pick me, pick me!
Isn’t World Market just the best? I’ve been shopping there for more years than I can count! I would probably use the giftcard to purchase some of the awesome foods and teas they carry as well as pickup a few snazzy outdoor glass lanterns for my deck and patio. By the way, I really love the table setting you used for your backyard meal – the colors are great!
I adore World Market and manage to find something wonderful in every department.
I’m re-decorating my dining room area and found some fabulous curtains at World Market the other day, but could not convince myself to spend the money on them… maybe if I had that gift card though 😉
I’d love to win the gift card and would probably use it on furniture.. and my aby a little food too!
I just love all your tablescape. So pretty. I’ve never even heard of World Market…so I would spend my winnings on a little of everything. Cute, neat stuff. Thanks for chance to win.
Every. Thing. Really.
TY!