I think I will have to go back, to visit Stephen Baldwin’s Kansai Japanese Steak House. Stephen ordered from us in February of this year, and he has installed thirteen of the Cherry Tree Aurora Asian Tall Wall Sconces in his restaurant. I’ll let the photos do the talking here. Needless to say, they blend. Now pass me the sake.

Varaluz Lighitng Fascination Collection Pendants

Maybe your children are lucky enough to be part of a Hanukkah festival concert or you are anticipating a Torah reading at the temple. Most likely you are looking forward to entertaining friends and family at home for the Night of the 5th Candle dinner. Enjoy eight days of singing, eating, drinking and gift exchange. All you need is a menorah. However, if you are looking for ways to update your dining room for the festivities, you can consider pendant lighting such as these from the Flair and Fascination collections by Varaluz Lighting.

Varaluz Lighting Pendant Lighting Flair Collection

Hanukkah is approaching and my new friends have explained that it is not Jewish Christmas. At my Jewish cooking lesson last month, the cooking teacher shared her childhood experience of having to explain to classmates that she didn’t have a Christmas tree but a Hanukkah bush. It was her family’s way of bringing evergreen into their decor though they did not observe Christian holidays. After her latke frying lesson and lecture on Jewish history, I understand that the frying potatoes in oil is a ritual that helps people remember the miracle of the temple oil that burned for eight nights.

Now besides gingerbread, I am looking forward to sufganiyot. I am so happy to be introduced to Jewish culture and food in Los Angeles. I’m from the San Francisco area so before my move to Southern California my exposure to Jewish culture was limited to matzo ball soup from the Holy Land restaurant in Berkeley. I was missing so much!

Happy Hanukkah!

Dining Chandelier Aladdin Light Lifts

Aladdin Light Lifts can gently raise and smoothly lower chandeliers up to one thousand pounds. Apartment Therapy reports on trendy and DIY chandeliers it its “Not Your Mother’s Chandelier” article. Before Aladdin Light Lifts, crystal chandelier owners had to sacrifice intricate designs, avoid complex filigree and angled surfaces. Why? Because dusting would be a pain in the neck.

Now whether you have your heart set on a new 300 pound Edison Chandelier or 200 pound Bohemian chandelier, you can install it and change its height easily with Aladdin Light Lifts. I am fond of Glass Link Chandeliers and Hand Blown Art Chandeliers mentioned in “Not Your Mother’s Chandelier”. Now you can indulge in mini chandeliers with lots of detail and glass chandeliers with facets. If you decide to hang a chandelier over your dining table leave 30″ to 36″ for headroom.

Crystal Chandeliers Bath Lighting by Aladdin Light Lifts

How do you reduce glare of chandeliers? Choose shades and dimmers for chandeliers in the bedroom, bathroom or dining room.  What are some sizes of chandeliers? Mini chandeliers are less than 20″ in diameter. Medium chandeliers are less than 36″ in diameter. Foyer chandeliers are 36″ in diameter or greater.

Glass Chandeliers Aladdin Light Lifts for Bedroom

Pendant Bar Lighting Fixtures Varaluz

If you are a fan of the Green Living Ideas blog, then I bet you are virtuous and considerate all year. Come on! Don’t be modest. I bet you are serving non-alcoholic drinks, that you found on Babble.com, such as ginger ale and mint Molasses Mules and Hot Buttered Un-rum holiday cocktails to your pregnant party guests. You’ve practiced making rice pudding frozen desserts with raspberries for healthy holiday desserts as suggested by Delicious Days blog. Furthermore, you asked for a donation to Rainforest Alliance towards their sustainable tourism efforts instead of a present for yourself.

Pendant Lighting Argyle Collection by Varaluz Lighting

Since you are such an ec0-sweetheart, you need to know about Varaluz Lighting. Before it was fashionable to be green, Varaluz Lighting has been recycling steel and glass to create its lovely light fixtures. For example the hand-stamped, transitional-style Argyle pendant lighting fixture you see above is 100% recycled glass and 70% recycled steel. This means if you decide to buy a home lighting fixture for the new year, you can rest assured that you are purchasing from a company that shares your values about sustainability. I know you’d resist Argyle’s glass grit sparkle and desert pearl finish if it weren’t eco-friendly. Good news that it is!

Contemporary Chandeliers Milano by Artcraft Lighting

What do the dream kitchens on HGTV for 2012 have in common? Fluidity between cooking and dining area. A blending of food preparation and entertaining areas. Imagine friends coming into your cooking arena to chat and help marinate. What are the colors that make up the palette of the 2012 dream kitchen according to HGTV? You see soothing hues such as blue, cream and gray.

What are some fresh ideas for colorful kitchens from Remodelista? Add color to your cabinets using plastic laminate over plywood or switch to open shelving. Use flower wallpaper that you would usually use for bedrooms in the kitchen. Create vignettes on your kitchen counter with colorful art, plants, and decorative containers.

What if gray and blue are not for you? How about using Pantone’s 2012 color of the year? Tangerine Tango. Expect to see this vivacious orange popping up in cosmetics and women’s clothing for spring and summer 2012. House of Turquoise Blogger is delighted with this color. Why not introduce this color to your dining room with upholstered dining chairs in Tangerine Tango? You can decorate your kitchen and dining room with Artcraft Lighting for balance. For instance, off-white linen shades and black finish of Artcraft’s Coventry Collection of pendant and kitchen island lights would be a good contrast for vibrant colors. Artcraft’s 6-Light Milano contemporary chandeliers in chrome are an excellent choice for a vibrant dining room.

Artcraft Kitchen Island Lighting Coventry