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| Monkeying-around napkins from Sharyn Blond Linens |
Fine linens are one of my obsessions, and although my collection is vast I am always on the hunt for beautiful additions. I fell in love with linens when I was a little girl and would regularly sneak into my great-grandmother's closet to go through her linen boxes. Noonie, as we called her, was born in 1887, and she was the epitome of a Southern lady. A classical pianist, avid Scrabble player, and fierce crossword-puzzle worker, she never left home in the daytime without her hat and gloves, and she never learned to drive a car. Some of my fondest memories are of playing Canasta with her.
The closet was Noonie's sacred space, her secret hideout, a place where she could bring out her un-ladylike and inappropriate vices. It was where she would retreat to smoke, certain that no one knew, and it was filled with the smells of peppermint Chiclets and sachets and Chanel No. 5, all used for smoke coverage. Thankfully she blew smoke through the screen on the window, regardless of the temperature, so little or no trace of smoke was ever left behind. Only once did I actually catch her smoking, but I always knew what she was doing in there.
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| Horsey cocktail napkins by Kassatly |
What pleasure I had ducking into the closet when Noonie was busy elsewhere and going through her amazing boxes of linens. They were such a visual feast-the hand-embroidered monogrammed handkerchiefs in white, ecru, pale pink, and blue; the baby pillow cases with shadow-work monograms, handmade in Madeira. While Noonie had fabulous chests of table linens in her dining area, these little boxes of intimate pieces were what fascinated me the most.
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| Ghost, witch, and pumpkin napkins from Leron |
As her only great-grandchild I inherited her linens, and I've continued building the collection throughout my adult life. I loved buying linen bedding from Jesurem in Venice twenty-four years ago for my daughter Mamie's nursery. My go-to place for linen tablecloths is 100% Capri in Miami and St. Barth's.
But I think possibly my favorite items to search out are linen cocktail napkins. They are immensely collectible and fun, and I detest paper napkins!
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| 'They Drink Like Fish' cocktail napkins by Julia B. |
Some of my favorite finds through the years have been:
- Horsey cocktail napkins from Kassatly, earmarked for mint juleps at Nashville's steeplechase
- Ghost, witch, and pumpkin napkins from Leron-perfect for a hefty witches' brew
- Leron's bumblebee cocktail napkins, embroidered in white-cotton and silver thread, and de rigueur with a glass of Billecart-Salmon Brut Rosé
- "Monkeying-around" napkins from Sharyn Blond Linens, the best choice for a casual fall cocktail party
- Julia B's "They drink like fish" napkins-which can be custom made with your name-for entertaining my more raucous friends
- The beautiful and elegant monogrammed napkins from Grace Hayes Linens, which are available in dozens of colors.
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| Bumblebee cocktail napkins by Leron |
Noonie loved a highball, and every time I add new cocktail napkins to my collection I think of her, wishing I could invite her over for a stiff old-fashioned. I would happily let her dig through my linen boxes, which I'm sure would elicit a smile, a thumbs-up, and a cheers!
