Whether you are from Manhattan, Boston or New England, the Buffalo Check Chowder Bowl is a great complement to your clam chowder.  It is one of the most collected Hartstone pattern.

Enjoy summer while sipping gazpacho from the Summer Garden Rib Bowl, its bright, vivid oranges and yellows wrap their way around and about the flower petals of Summer Garden as whimsical dragonflies make their way through nature’s light.

Dish up that favorite ice cream and serve the family! The Fruit Salad Mini Ruffle Bowl is great for ice cream or fruit salad.

The Cardinal Ruffled Bowl is new for the Holidays.  Place it on top of the coffee table and fill it with brightly wrapped candies to brighten your home.

The Hartstone Pottery presents a collection of patterns to choose from, made of vitrified stone, usually fired at temperatures above 2,100 Fahrenheit that makes stoneware dense, strong and non-porous.  Microwave, freezer, oven and dishwasher safe, the Hartstone Rib Bowls and Ruffle Bowls are available individually or in sets of 4.  All Hartstone products are hand crafted and hand painted at the Hartstone Pottery in Zanesville, Ohio. All body and glaze are lead and cadmium free.

Shrimp Dinnerware is on a cream body with a red shrimp and a red band. It’s available in select accent pieces.

Blue crab dinnerware is is also on a cream body with a blue band and a blue crab, and is available in a full dinnerware place setting as well as a wide assortment of accessories.

Anchor dinnerware is also on a cream body with a blue band.

Opal Innocence dinnerware had the addition of a Carved pattern, that takes the Opal Innocence design and interprets that design in a relief pattern. The relief pattern has a more casual appeal.

Butterfly Meadow dinnerware is 8 years old and still growing. Lenox introduced a new Cat Cookie Jar and a Bunny Sugar and Creamer.

Butler’s Pantry dinnerware has added rooster accents to a number of their items.

Peony Lane was reintroduced at the October Tabletop show. Peony Lane dinnerware can be found at Macys and other retailers.

Chirp dinnerware has new candlesticks, bud vase, and accessory sets added to the pattern.

Flutter dinnerware, a gray tone butterfly, is sold at Bed, Bath & Beyond and Macys.

Chocolate dinnerware has a drizzle design and is sold at Bed, Bath & Beyond.

They introduced Indigo Bloom dinnerware, and it is available at Bed, Bath & Beyond and Bloomingdales to mention a few. It is also available at the company’s website, Mikasa.com.

Curve dinnerware is available at a number of places and at Mikasa.com.

Bamboo Reeds dinnerware is available at retailers like Bed, Bath & Beyond and at Mikasa.com.

In their formal line, Mikasa introduced Love Story. Love Story dinnerware can be found at Macys and Bed, Bath & Beyond and Mikasa.com.

Platinum Petals dinnerware is sold at Amazon.com and Mikasa.com.

Shimmer Vine dinnerware is sold at Bed, Bath & Beyond and Mikasa.com to name a few.

Takaya dinnerware is sold at Amazon.com and Mikasa.com.

Floral Silhouette dinnerware is sold at Mikasa.com.

Platinum Ribbon dinnerware is available at Bed, Bath & Beyond and Mikasa.com.

Capri dinnerware was designed in an art nouveau style in gold and does not seem to be available at any retailer.

See the next post the results of more new dinnerware introductions from the October 2008 New York Tabletop Show.

The answer is some of them.

Nautica introduced 5 new dinnerware patterns. Anchorage dinnerware was a grey and taupe pattern. Bar Harbor dinnerware featured boats. Sea Beach dinnerware showcased shells. Knot dinnerware had a rope knot trim. Boston Blue dinnerware was a blue and white pattern.
Unfortunately none of these have yet to be placed with a retailer.

Joseph Abboud introduced 3 patterns; Zebra, Cheetah, and Bengal. Both Zebra and Cheetah can be found in Bloomingdales.

Pfaltzgraff introduced a large number of patterns, and haven’t been seen at a retailer.

Denby introduced Sienna, and it is available at a number of retailers. Sienna is a lovely brown dinnerware with teal inserts.

Sango introduce Society dinnerware and Contrast dinnerware in a variety of colors. Both collections can be found at a number of different retailers.

Updates on other manufacturers will be on the next post.

White dinnerware is the most popular – not a big surprise.
Square dinnerware was everywhere – again, not a surprise.
Turquoise and otehr blue-green shades were shown in a wide number of showrooms – shown as accents with brown, white, and blue, but will this fashion color be strong for dinnerware?
Purple is making a comeback.
Greens are still strong.
Birds and butterflies are flying around the plates.
Reactive glazes still very strong in Housewares.

Fitz and Floyd is working with Ralph Lauren to create a brand new Ralph Lauren dinnerware line. The new line will include dinnerware, stemware, flatware, barware, and giftware.

Homer Laughlin showed their new Fiesta dinnerware color. The new Fiesta dinnerware color is Lemongrass. The new color was first introduced in March of 2009 at the Chicago Home and Housewares Show.

Waterford Wedgwood, has a new owner, KPS Capital Partners. They are restructuring, and will now be known as WWRD Holdings, which includes Waterford, Wedgewood and Royal Doulton.

Lenox has been bought by Clarion Capital Partners. They will put the spotlight on their heritage as an American manufacturer, ans will focus on both the bridal and casual upstairs market. They are also planning to develop a premier line of product that will appeal to the luxury consumer.

Mikasa, owned by Lifetime Brands, is focusing on fashion. They are developing a sub-brand called M by Mikasa, to showcase more contemporary and edgy designs for the housewares department.

Portmeirion bought royal Worcester and Spode, bringing togther the three powerful English Brands.

Luigi Bormioli introduced a line of bone china, the first time they have put bone china in their line. The white bone china line was introduced uner Luigi Bormioli;s Michelangelo collection.

Oneida introduced
Allegra – a white porcelain with a subtle texture on the rim.
Adriatic – soft liquid blue textural glaze that moves into even softer tones of blue
Windance – subtle effects, illustrative about nature

A number of companies focused on Black and White dinnerware.
Villeroy & Boch’s Bloom Shadow was black & white with a touch of gray, and Bloom Sun was black and white dinnerware with a dash of yellow.
Mikasa introduced a number of black and white dinnerware patterns, Etch, Brushstroke, and Urban Rose.

Lenox introduced a new Christmas dinnerware pattern called Merry Berry.
Tag introduces a number of Christmas dinnerware patterns, Winter Wonderland with an embossed snowflack and reindeer design and Alpine in red and white.

Zrike introduced three new Coca Cola collections in the melamine dinnerware line: Diner, At the Movies and Red, White & Bold. Zrike also introduced Marisol and Pirouette, 2 dinnerware patterns from Tracy Porter.

Fiesta’s new Square Dinnerware was introduced last October at the New York Tabletop show. Homer Laughlin said it would ship in March of 2009, and Macy’s has it!

The press release from Homer Laughlin says:

Newell, W.Va.—(October 20, 2008)—The Homer Laughlin China Company™ is extending its iconic line of dinnerware with a new youthful shape: Square. Featuring the same sculpted art deco design by Frederick Hurton Rhead, new square shaped FIESTA Dinnerware complements the brand’s traditional [round] place settings and assorted contemporary glazes.

“The new shape addresses the needs of a growing consumer segment that cannot be ignored,” says Rich Brinkman, FIESTA Dinnerware. “Younger as well as new, edgy consumers desire unique shapes, sizes and colors that speak to their personal preferences, as well as stylized home decors.”

The company is unveiling Square in eight contemporary colors at New York Tabletop Market, 41 Madison Avenue, Wednesday, October 22 thru Friday, October 24. Look for FIESTA’s new shape in the following glazes: Shamrock, Ivory, Sunflower, Tangerine, Scarlet, Peacock, Cobalt and newly introduced Chocolate. “Additional core colors will be added to the offering in 2009,” he says.

Debuting at the FIESTA showroom on the 16th floor in Square is a Dinner, Luncheon and Salad Plates, and 19 oz. Bowl and Mug, as well as a full FIESTA line of dinnerware and accessories.

Despite square silhouettes, pieces maintain a strong relationship to the company’s established ‘round’ deco offering; coupe shape and height remain the same, along with the brand’s signature concentric rings.

Homer Laughlin’s artisans rounded the edges of the Square designs. “The softened look not only helps to maintain brand continuity,” says Brinkman, “but allows the complimenting intermixing of the two different shapes.”

Softer too are the bowl and mug. “Both are square at the base and round at the top for the obvious reason”, says Brinkman, “as practicality, functionality and ease of use have always been trademarks of the FIESTA brand.”

“Softened does not mean downsized,” says Brinkman. Scale is the only lingering difference between FIESTA’s now two shapes. “Each square plate was designed a bit larger than its round counterpart,” he says. The Dinner Plate, for example, is ¼ inch larger than the round version. “Again,” he says, “to allow decorative layering of the two shapes.” Mug and Bowl are equally more generous as well.

Square FIESTA will be available at major department stores and online in March 2009.

MSRP: Suggested retail price is as follows: Dinner Plate $18, Luncheon Plate $16, Salad Plate $12, Bowl $12, Mug $13.

About Fiesta® Dinnerware

Designed by Frederick Hurten Rhead in 1936, FIESTA® Dinnerware is now the most collected china in the United States and among the most collected china in the world. It has been featured on many popular TV programs, including ABC’s Extreme Home Makeover and the Today Show. The product was discontinued in 1973 and reissued in 1986 with new contemporary colors to mark its 50th anniversary. Its unique Art Deco style has landed FIESTA® Dinnerware in the collections of numerous museums from the Smithsonian Institution to the Andy Warhol Museum.

Fiesta’s Lemongrass dinnerware is a modern yellow green with a touch of acid. The new Lemongrass dinnerware items will ship to retailers in June 2009. Macy’s department store will be one of the first stores to carry the new color.

Homer Laughlin introduced the new Fiesta Lemongrass color at the Home and Housewares Show in Chicago.

Don’t let the preparation get you down!! Here is a list of what can be helpful to make your dinner easier and more enjoyable for you.

Use your fine china Fine china will add to the holiday mood.

Decorate your table for the holiday, but do so simply. A big centerpiece will look very pretty as people arrive, but it will get in the way after everyone sits down at the table. It is awkward to talk around that big thing in the center of the table. Can we say . . . been there . . . done that.

Have extra dinner plates Extra dinner plates will be critical if extra people show up, or if you need a small platter to hold food that someone brought.

Have extra flatware and extra glasses In case extra people show up.

If you are having over 12 people

Have extra serving bowls and plattersso you can divide your food into half or thirds, and place the food into a couple of areas on your table(s). That way, one bowl of your special potatoes does not need to go all around the table. Everyone will get the hot food sooner

Have an extra set or two of salt and pepper shakersThe salt and pepper shaker sets do not have to be the same. It is very good if they are different, and there is a story linked to them, so you can pick up the conversation with their cute story when needed.

Serve butter on a couple of small plates Serving butter on a butter dish is not necessary, and the extra butter dishes will be a pain to store after the meal.

Either have an extra gravy boat or use your creamer as a second gravy boat. A tall bowl with a ladle will also work as an extra gravy boat.

Enjoy your dinner. If you are enjoying yourself, so will everyone else. You will set the mood of your meal, and create memories for everyone to talk about in years to come, and have them excited about the next time you all get together.

• romantic soft lighting
• special and delicious menu
• special tablesetting

There are a couple of ways to create soft romantic lighting. Put low watt bulbs in your lamps. Eat dinner by candlelight. (Don’t use too many that you set off your fire alarm.) Put lighting gels over you lights. Drape scarves around the lamp shades (be careful about over heating the fabric).

You know how to create a special menu for your loved one, for you know what their favorite foods are. Many people consider seafood special and others want an expensive cut of beef, so customize it for the two of you. But here’s a big hint, make the portions of food smaller than your normal meal. It is just the two of you, and you don’t want either of you to be uncomfortably stuffed after dinner, and then not have any fun during “dessert”. Consider feeding your loved one their dinner, or portions of it, and thereby enabling you to comfortably enter their personal space and take special care of them.

Here are some ideas to make your table setting romantic:

• Use a small table, so the two of you are close, or take all the leaves out of your dining room table.
• Pull out the fine china
• Use glasses with stems for all your beverages to add an elegant feel to the table.
• Lighted candlesticks, of course
• Use the silver flatware
• Use a tablecloth, or some other pretty fabric over the table to dress it up
• Decorate the table with a small centerpiece or garland draped around the table, or a little glitter on the table
• Use small bowls to hold any condiments – do not put any cans or bottles on the table

Have Fun!