1/8/09

The new china

The WaPo reports:
Laura Bush unveiled not one but two new sets of china yesterday: one a traditional Lenox gilt-edged formal style with a green basket-weave border. The other...a less formal pattern created to be used in the private quarters...

Instead of featuring the imposing gold eagles of the formal set, some pieces in the informal set are intricately decorated with butterflies, dragonflies and cute little bugs inspired by species indigenous to the White House grounds.
That's awesome. I guess she really is a gardener!

9 comments:

LostRoses said...

You've just answered the question I had earlier today when I saw this on the news while at work. Who made the china? Since to all outward appearances I am cataloging books from 9 to 5, I couldn't really take the time to find out the answer, could I? Lenox, says Chuck. Thanks!

I like the china too. But what if the Obamas don't like it and it never gets used? I feel bad about the whole thing. But it will make a nice addition to the "dish room."

Anonymous said...

A set like that sounds beautiful. If it were me, I'd want to keep all the dishes. Then I'd set a table with one of every kind. I'm sure that's way too informal for the White House but wouldn't it be fun.

Anonymous said...

Hi Chuck, it does sound like a pretty pattern and not so boring and formal, although for feeding heads of state, the boring is probably better. But does that really make her a gardener? Or just someone who loves nature, which is also a good trait. :-)
Frances

John said...

A half million dollar "addition" to the dish room...wow.

Christopher C. NC said...

I have to tell my class envy just hush when I read something like this. The company is going to be eating off these plates.

Then I think 14 pieces per setting. What in heaven's name could all those pieces be? I served enough fancy dinners in my time. I should be able to figure it out. Let's see.

Dinner plate 1
Base plate 1
Pupu plate 1
Salad plate 1
Bread plate 1
Soup bowl and saucer 2
Soup cup and saucer 2
Coffee cup and saucer 2
Desert plate 1

Oh shit two short. Help? An extra dinner plate and what else?

You can't go wrong with that gawjus magnolia for everday china. We have flowers on our plastic ware here.

LostRoses said...

How about a fish plate?

chuck b. said...

Soup bowl and soup cup? Oi vey! If it was me, I'd say "Pick one!"

Fish plate sounds right, but what do I know.

I liked my grandmother's china. My aunt has it now and I can't remember the name. Someday in the future we'll be able to type "grandma's china" into Google and it will know.

Monica the Garden Faerie said...

Oh dear. It's happened. I've internalized my mother's philosophy on fine china: patterns around the edges are cool, but I don't want my food sitting on a display of any kind. Good lord. Maybe speaking in a German accent is next...
~Monica

Annie in Austin said...

I completely missed this story, Chuck, but coming to it late and on your blog means I get to read all the comments along with the news.
There's a photo on the White House site and it really is pretty.

Annie at the Transplantable Rose