Celebrate Mother's Day With a Stylish Brunch

Sidestep the long lines at your favorite brunch spot and skip the last-minute, cellophane-wrapped bouquets this Mother's Day. Host a stylish brunch instead for a celebration spent the way this special day was meant to be enjoyed—unrushed and cherished with friends and family. Photo courtesy Baume & Mercier

Show your impeccable style and gracious hosting skills—traits you probably got from mom—by planning a memorable brunch with ample time for sharing stories and strolling down memory lane. Invite aunts and cousins and a few friends and their moms for an afternoon soiree of creative small plates, refreshing cocktails, and floral design accents.

Mother's Day is all about flowers. Mix up cut flowers and potted plants in pastel hues for a garden-inspired setting; when guests leave you can distribute the potted plants, like roses, Montauk daisies, and tulips, in lieu of bouquets. For a modern spin, consider artfully placed terrariums of varying sizes filled with air plants, cacti, and ferns; you might even pick up the basic elements for DIY terrariums—glass jars, soil, moss, charcoal, gravel—and have your guests build their own deciduous gardens that they can take home to remember the day.

While you wait for all of your guests to arrive, have flutes of chilled Prosecco or peach mimosas on hand as a refreshing welcome drink. At the table, have some jugs of refreshing cocktails prepared, like Pimm's Cup or Bloody Mary. You can make the latter more creative by providing a selection of hot sauces, olives, and even ice cubes made of celery, Worcestershire sauce, and chiles that melt and slowly flavor this classic brunch drink. You'll also want to have fresh-pressed juices, hot water for tea, and brewed coffee.

One of the hardest parts about brunch is deciding what to order when everything looks delicious. Offer up a selection of sweet-and-savory brunch-inspired classics served in tapas-size portions so that your guests can try everything. Frittatas made with garden veggies, like zucchini and eggplant, and cheeses are a crowd pleasing alternative to omelets, while bacon-and-hash brown quesadillas are inventive spin on these staples. Make a berry salad and warm syrup for topping Belgian waffles and dark chocolate chip silver dollar pancakes.

After treating mom to a special day spent celebrating with the people who matter most to her, surprise her with a timeless gift that will remind her how much she means to you each day. A classic watch from the Linea collection by Baume & Mercier offers versatility. With its polished case and interchangeable bracelet, a Linea is perfectly suited to the woman on the go who is seeking a watch for every occasion.

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Insider Portland Travel Guide: Best New Chef Jenn Louis Downs Cappuccinos, Likes BBQ for Brunch

With two terrific restaurants, Lincoln and Sunshine Tavern, 2012 Best New Chef Jenn Louis is among the leaders of Portland, Oregon’s laid-back yet ingredient-obsessed food scene. Here she reveals her favorite coffee in the Northwest, where to stay and how to avoid acting like a tourist in her city. Podnah’s Pit in Portland, Oregon Courtesy of Ristretto Roasters

“I love their cappuccinos; they pull everything double ristretto [which means twice the coffee grinds for a single shot] and use great local milk. They’re not large, huge cups of coffee. I was just in Italy, and Ristretto is doing a very authentic job.”

“I love these little steamed shrimp balls: They’re like shrimp pâté covered with grains of rice. Somehow it looks like white sea urchin.”

“It’s Texas-style barbecue. The chef, Rodney Muirhead, trained in fine dining before he opened a BBQ joint. I love the smoked chicken and brisket. They do brunch as well, and the biscuits are amazing.”

“I’m a bourbon drinker, and it’s kind of a bourbon bar—really woodsy inside and comfortable. It depends on how stressed I am whether I order neat or on the rocks.”

“I buy bread from Grand Central for my restaurants. They’ve been in business forever, and the quality is great. For myself, I get this little chocolate Bundt cake with chocolate glaze.“

“The hotel is lovely and well-located downtown. They do a really nice job of making you comfortable, and the rooms are very modern. It was a big renovation project.”

“The main location is a full block and many stories high, and it’s phenomenal. They have new and used books and an offshoot for cooks and gardeners.”

“I love to walk around Portland. All the neighborhoods are so different. Tourists tend to stay downtown, and Portland isn’t really about downtown. I would urge them to come visit the east side. One of the walks that’s cool is the Eastbank Esplanade; you can stroll along the river and see all the boats.”

“It’s probably the highest point in Portland, and on a clear day in the summer you can see all the mountains: Mount Hood, Mount St. Helens, Mount Adams, Mount Jefferson and Mount Rainier. It’s really pretty, grassy; you can bring a picnic.”

Photo © Alexis Achten / Jasmine Photography

Lincoln: “The octopus starter. It’s braised, we grill it and we toss it with a little sherry vinaigrette and pimento. The salad it comes with changes depending on the season.”

Sunshine Tavern: “I really like the pizzas. I also love the fried chicken sandwich: a toasted brioche bun with fried chicken and a salad with blue cheese dressing, celery and chiles.”

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