Those that know me probably already know that I prefer the cooler months of the year.  When the first promise of fall weather hits Southern California I’m energized, let the entertaining begin.

[By the way, I do love summer entertaining as well, I’m a party girl at heart.]

Eventually I ran to Minneapolis, where it’s cold, and I figured I’d keep better – Rhoda Morgenstern

We’ve been doing quite a bit of entertaining lately. “Entertaining” for us means setting a nice table, cooking a simple meal and having a relatively smallish group over for good food, nice wine and great conversation.

Since setting the table is one of the perks to entertaining for me, this post is mainly to share some seasonal table settings I hope will inspire you.  To mix things up a bit, in addition to table setting ideas, I thought I’d share a list of guests I’d invite over in a heartbeat if I thought they wouldn’t report me to the authorities as a stalker crazy lady!  You’ve undoubtedly read interviews where they ask you, who, alive or dead, would you like to have dinner with?  Well, I’m doing it one step better…I’ve thought about this, this list is of people I’d like to talk to, even just casually.  I don’t need Einstein, although I’ve read he was quite a jovial fellow.  These are people that are alive and seem like genuinely nice and fun people.

Also, since I don’t like enormous parties when I entertain, I’ve only invited 6, with Mr. B and me that makes a very doable 8 at the dinner table.  That also gives me a head start on subsequent celebrity dinners…there are so many more folks I’d invite if I could.  So, first on the list:

1.  Diane Keaton, she may not be exactly as fun as I perceive her in the movies she’s been in (how does one really know, right?), but she loves to decorate, so I know we’d have topics in common.  Plus, I love that she seems genuine, not overly self-possessed.

 2.  Jon Stewart, politics aside, is there anyone that gives a better interview?

3.  Meryl Streep, there are no words, rather there are so many adjectives I could use to describe her, but her name, for me, is synonymous with fabulous.

4.  Tom Brokaw, I grew up listening to him on our local news station, back in the day.  Then, as a Today show enthusiast, I watched him all the years he was there.  I just really, really like him.

5.  Ellen DeGenerous, she’ll keep us laughing.

and last but not least…

6.  Willie Geist, the son of Bill Geist of CBS Sunday Morning, appears on Morning Joe (MSNBC) and does the third hour on the Today show.  He’s smart and funny and I love him like one of our sons.  He’s a guy that fits in with old and young people alike.

As any skilled party planner will tell you, once you have the guest list you can begin your plans for table setting and menu.  We’re going to jump right to the table settings since that is a major part of the fun for me.

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The ever talented Jenny Steffens Hobick of Everyday Occasions published a post about fall table setting with muted colors, so pretty. Oh, and did I mention she recently opened an online store selling some of the best tools for entertaining.

Yvonne of Stone Gable shared her table setting for an autumn high tea back in 2011 and that table is still one of my all time favorites, be sure to visit the post if you like autumn and blue and white.

Carolyn Roehm has written so many great books, but her book, Passion for Parties is a constant source of inspiration to me.

Martha Stewart never disappoints and I appreciate her ability to make simple components come together to create a pretty table.

Nancy’s Daily Dish features some great table settings for the season.  Her Etsy shop sells trasferware of all kinds.  This is such a great autumn table setting.

Delores, over at Vignette Design always provides me with good ideas for whatever season when it come to table top design.

Even though this tablescape doesn’t have the strictly traditional autumn touches, its a subtle and lovely table for this time of year.

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The sisters at Providence Ltd. never disappoint…this rustic table is great and completely out of the box.

{Southern Accents ~ oh, how I miss that magazine}

Who would be on your celebrity list for a dinner invitation?