Sarita's China

Behold my great grandmother's china. We have a history of gold-on-white china in my family and, apparently, Sarita was the trend setter. I thought my own version was pretty until this set was given to me by my older sister, who had it from our mother, who had it from her mother, who had it from Sarita!

Sort of like the begats in the bible, only culinary and female.

I grew up eating dinner across the room from Sarita's rather stern portrait on the dining room wall of whatever Navy quarters we occupied at the time; if her expression is any indication, she hated sitting for her portrait. I didn't think I'd have liked her until her china showed up.

Being a lover of beautiful tableware, I'm delighted to design sumptuous table settings around this lovely set. The decoration is actually raised, very tactile. Sarita was blind for much of her life; maybe that explains it.

And maybe Sarita was a sensualist. I think I might have liked her very much.