Fifth Annual Tablescape Contest

Years ago, people would invite a neighbor or friend over on the spur of the moment for a cup of coffee, dessert, or for a weekend grill. Our day-to-day lives have become so busy in recent years that dinner parties are planned 3 months out. Part of my belief in creating traditions is to foster relationships and connections through daily rituals and traditions. Much of the joy in my life has come from informal get-togethers. This year’s Tablescape Contest Theme is “The Spontaneous Gathering.” It’s time for you to set your table for the spur of the moment get-together. Use your creativity, mixed with Rosanna collections, and remember spontaneous gatherings don’t necessarily take place at the dining room table. Share with us the story behind your tablescape design. Winners will be chosen by Rosanna herself. So join in for your chance to win a $500 Rosanna gift certificate, and be featured on Rosanna’s Table Talk blog. New This Year Starting on July 11th, we will choose a Table Of The Week to showcase on our Facebook, Twitter, and social media sites. At the end of the contest, all the Tables Of The Week will be entered into a drawing to win an additional prize.    Get Setting Now Our Fifth Annual Table Setting contest will start on July 1, 2011 and end on August 31, 2011. Winners will be announced shortly after. For a little inspiration, take a look at the photographs from our last few contests: 2010 2009 2008 2007

OFFICIAL RULES 1. Anyone with a passion for Rosanna-ware and tablescape design is welcome to compete, regardless of age.  2. Set the table for at least two. No actual food or Rosanna products is required. 3. Contest begins on July 1st, 2011 and ends August 31st, 2011 at 11:59pm PST. 4. Submit up to 2 photos of your tablescape and the story behind the design. Digital submissions must come as jpegs, around 4x5 inches, no less than 72 dpi and no more than 180 dpi. 5. When entering, make sure to include your name, your city, and an email or phone number where we can reach you. We respect your privacy and will not give out any of your information. 6. Photos in hard copy will not be returned. 7. Rosanna Imports, Inc. reserves the right to use and/or publish photos of your table setting submission however we see fit. Photos may be published on social media sites. Publishing does not necessarily constitute a winning entry. By submitting your photo, you agree to these terms. 8. Please email all enteries to info@rosannainc.com. Mailed entries should be sent to: Rosanna Inc Attn: Tablescape Contest 6755 East Marginal Way S. Seattle, WA 98108

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Connections & Traditions In Every Dish

The message behind every Rosanna dish is the same: slow down, appreciate one another, connect.

Photos courtesy of John Granen Photography;

from Rosanna's book, Coming Home

Human beings hunger for connection. That’s why a moment of relation to another is often the most fulfilling moment of a day. Because moments make up our days, days make our years, and years make our lives, continually seeking out new ways to connect with each other is of vital importance to our happiness.

I designed the collections below to help with the creation of daily rituals, which in turn allow people to bring connection into everyday life.

Happy Birthday & Petite Treat Collections

Creating traditions around common celebrations is easy.  Taking the Happy Birthday plates out on each family member’s annual celebration creates a tradition, a memory.  They can provide the vehicle to that special feeling experienced when one knows something exciting is about to happen.  The festive Happy Birthday plates can become family heirlooms and continue the tradition throughout the generations.  Moreover, our individual cupcake pedestals provide a quirky twist to a birthday celebration, making the celebrant feel extraordinarily special.  Or just use them to serve chocolates or cookies---either way the recipients will smile.

Gelato Collection

But tradition and connection should be regular and frequent.  I created our Gelato ice cream bowls to encourage people to gather together for a special treat—even if for no particular reason or celebration. Because, let’s be honest, who can say no to ice cream? These bowls also encourage us to eat locally or freshly, providing an ideal way to serve pudding or fresh berries.

Farmer's Market Collection

The amazing and vibrant produce of Pacific Northwest farmers’ markets inspired me to design our Farmer’s Market bowls emblazoned with images of fresh vegetables. Hopefully, the images will inspire you to visit your own local farmer’s market, or at least use some of these delicious ingredients to cook a healthy meal for family or friends.

Primavera Collection

The claim that we have “no time,” is heard in an almost constant refrain these days. People have to plan dinner parties three months out because we are so overscheduled.  I designed our Primavera tea set to fight back against this predicament. Hopefully, it will encourage people to spontaneously call up a friend and ask them over for a cup of tea and a chat.  Spontaneous gatherings can be so much more fulfilling and less pretentious.

Whether over tea, during dessert, or at the dinner table, these are dishes that encourage connection every day. I myself am a passionate advocate of family dinners, featuring a home cooked meal, nicely set table, candles, and pleasant music. Studies have shown that children who come from families that sit down for a dinner together are better adjusted emotionally and intellectually. So, even if it’s just once a week, set aside a little time to spend with your family. We love connection because it makes us feel so good, but nonetheless it remains elusive. We need to fight to keep it in our lives every day. These dishes are my small contribution to this incredibly important campaign.

Note:  For more information about creating your own traditions, living mindfully,
and many of Rosanna's recipes, check out her book,
"Coming Home: A Seasonal Guide to Creating Family Traditions."

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Heritage

Thanksgiving a time when we celebrate a variety of important things. To name a few:   harvest bounty, community, and being American. regardless of religion. Thanksgiving is also special because it is an adaptable holiday. It give us the opportunity think about our heritage as a country, all that’s good and what needs to be improved, as well as the heritage that is unique to our family. We are free to give thanks for what we have in whatever way we like.

For all these reasons, Thanksgiving is a wonderful holiday to share, especially with foreigners. Inviting someone from another country to participate in this quintessential American tradition is to learn what the United States is all about. After all, the first Thanksgiving was multi-cultural—a moment celebrated by colonists from different places in Europe and Native Americans together.

It’s also true that the best way to learn something is to teach it. If you want to understand what the United States stands for, and think carefully about how it prompts us to be grateful, here’s your opportunity.

Here are some things to think about this Thanksgiving, whether you have a foreigner at your table or not:

-What does this country have that you couldn’t live without?

-What is your favorite aspect of “American life?”

-What about this country do you hope will never change?

-What makes you proud to be an American?

Wishing a very happy Thanksgiving to all.

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We Remember

Nine years ago today, the words “September 11^th” became an infamous phrase flooded with stark imagery and strong emotion.

In the years between then and now, we as a nation have traveled far.

Yet, when I try to answer the question What does it mean to honor 9/11 in the year 2010?  all I can think of is return.

In the wake of catastrophe, the United States came together. We took the phrase “United we stand, divided we fall” to heart and we acted. We strengthened our communities, reached out, went beyond ourselves, and allowed ourselves to feel, deeply and genuinely. It is easy, natural even, to act this way when tragedy strikes. However, when the need for connection and unity is less urgent, we tend to forget that great fulfillment that comes from living with unity as an aspiration and an inspiration.

Here is what I believe: return to unity.  It is best way for us to pay homage to the day that changed American life forever. These are still trying times, times when we would all benefit from embracing one another and orienting ourselves towards togetherness. Some of our most shining moments as individuals and as a nation were born amidst the wreckage of 9/11. Let us return to those moments, and remember how it felt to live as our best selves. By doing this, we pay tribute to the ones no longer with us, as well as honor the ones around us, always moving forward, striving for a more perfect union.

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Unexpected Blessings

Since the release of Coming Home I’ve been on an extended adventure around the country known as a book tour.

Though I’ve done many “dish signings” and public meet-and-greet events, I’ve come to realize that book signings are something special. It’s been a surprising and gratifying experience. I am touched when people approach me to tell me how the book has touched their lives, inspired them, and how they used the suggestions inside to make their lives more satisfying

I’ve been consistently delighted to bump into people from my past at these events. At one book signing I reconnected with a woman I knew as a toddler and young child in Portland, OR. I love these moments of unexpected connection with people after many years of silence, in some case 50-plus.

I am most proud of Coming Home for its ability to serve as a point of reconnection. It is a wonderful gift to rediscover people I never would have seen again had I not written this book.

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Opera en el Mercado

I came across this video and it made my day. It also made me cry. Sometimes the most beautiful moments in life come to us as small surprises. Here is the description:

Last month at the central market in Valencia, Spain, opera singers disguised as shopkeepers were selling produce at the various stalls.

Suddenly, Verdi's La Traviata starts playing over the loudspeakers and they burst into song. None of the shoppers had a clue what was going on. Sort of like candid camera, but completely charming....ENJOY!






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Coming Home...and Leaving Again

My daughter Alessandra just left to start her last term at Brown. My heart breaks all over again every time she gets on a plane going east. I loved having her home for Winter Break because it encouraged me to experience the world in a new way. Whenever she comes home I connect in different ways, with different people.

Having a college-age child back home is an invigorating experience. College years are a time of growth and exploration. It is a time of constantly going outside of one’s comfort zone. I find when Alessandra is home she brings this energy into my life, too. Over the past month I’ve done a few things that I don’t do in my normal routine— I’ve gone out to a late night movie on a weeknight with Alessandra and a few of her friends. She’s taken me to drinks in a neighborhood I rarely frequent, and introduced new recipes to the family that I wouldn’t think to make.

Writers don’t often discuss the college-age child. It’s all about the toddler, the tween and the teen. And that makes sense; the 20’s are a decade of gaining independence from one’s parents and finding a separate identity. But your relationships with your children don’t have to suffer, even as they begin to make their own ways in the world. I think the key is to accept invitations to peek into their new lives as they become adults. Parent-child relationships change as children grow. It’s often difficult for parents to relearn to negotiate a world in which they don’t have to constantly consider a child’s needs.

This shift is tough, but there are ways to make the transition gracefully. For example:

Always accept an invitation extended by your college-age child. These experiences provide a poignant reminder of what it feels like to be flexible, curious and spontaneous.




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Dishes that are Dear to the Heart

Quite often, we receive emails from Rosanna admirers. They write that they bought dishes from us years ago, and have since broken or misplaced them. They've loved these dishes well, and want to know if we have replacements in our warehouse. I wanted to share one of the most recent messages we were sent:

Hello Rosanna,

I enjoyed reading your biography on your web site and share your passion for Bella Italia.

A few years ago, my wife purchased a coffee mug for me that was made by / for your company. The mug has the image of a post card addressed to Signore Ugo Riso in "Roma." The postmark, "23 7 35 Pesaro" is from a small village in north central Italy on the Adriatic sea named Pesaro. My family has its roots in Pesaro so this imparts a sentimental value to the mug. The mug has a capacity of about 18 ounces.

This mug was damaged during our recent move back to the United States from Portugal. I am in the Navy on active duty and was stationed is Lisbon.

I checked your web site and did not see any items resembling this mug. Is it possible that you may have any of these mugs in your warehouse? I would be interested in purchasing a quantity of these mugs.

Thank you for your assistance.
I look forward to hearing from you.


Unfortunately, the collection in question is no longer in production. However, we scoured our warehouse and were able to find some of the mugs this man asked about.

Stories like these confirm that Rosanna dishes do make a difference in people's lives. The heart and soul we try so hard to communicate with our design does come through. It's wonderful to have our product featured in fashion magazines, but it is responses like the one above that prove we're living up to our mission statement and vision for Rosanna dishes- to create traditions and becoming an integral part of peoples' lives.





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