June 01, 2017

PICNIC BIRTHDAY PARTY FOR JUSTJARED.COM FOUNDER, JARED ENG

June 01, 2017/ Laurén

Left to right: Laurén LaRocca (Twink + Sis), Jared Eng (JustJared), Marlan Willardson (Twink + Sis)

We designed a picnic birthday party for JustJared founder, Jared Eng. Jared wanted a masculine and refined picnic party and we were all for it! Our goal was to make his guests feel like they were at a real, park-like picnic, with fun games and activities, but with elevated food and decor. Brace yourself for tons of photos (we had a hard time narrowing down on this one -- too many details!!!) and endless summer party inspiration!!

All photos by Sarina Cass of Red Anchor Photo.

Doing a birthday party for a man is something that we don’t get to do very often! We wanted to make it really festive and celebratory, yet sophisticated. So we really played up woods and fresh greens as our main focus. The food table was covered in wood crates, boxes and trays — the continuity of all that wood helped to set the tone. Then we sprinkled in a bit of white (serving pieces and pots) for a touch of modern contrast.

The Iris + Daughter hanging greens installation was one of the main focal points of the party — it was so fresh and alive — really stunning. The splash of copper in the custom signage (from A Dapper Line) added a fun, modern feel to the table.

Jared Eng with actress, Jaime King and her son, James Knight.

Jared wanted classic picnic food, so we went with Heirloom’s yummy sandwiches, a crostini station (filled with cheeses, breads and flatbread pizzas), a green salad, pesto quinoa salad and fresh fruit. We topped Aheirloom’s gorgeous handmade cake stands with eye-popping donuts from Donut Friend and the pièce de ré·sis·tance — an over-the-top, mega delicious caramel drip cake from Whisk and Whittle.

We love using sustainable palm leaf tableware from Leafware and it looked perfect paired with the pretty blue marbled napkins from Meri Meri.

Sometimes the smallest details make us completely giddy. This time is was all about the brass ants from Arteriors Home. Many guests (and our amazing vendors) were equally smitten. They were definitely a conversation piece!

We loved seeing Jared and his godson, James Knight, playing and having a great time together at the party. So so sweet.

The other main focal point of the was the large wooden boat filled with ice and drinks! We had so much fun with that. We made an organic mint lemonade, spiked with vodka and pre-poured them into mason jars. We sealed the jars and tossed them in with the ice (ready for guests to grab), along with a variety of other drinks. We parked a vintage bike behind it and added a cluster of Geronimo fringed balloons. It turned out quite handsome, and festive!

We had a variety of potted plants, succulents and cactus to place around the main food table and at various seating areas at the party. This is a great way to incorporate fresh elements without having to do floral arrangements, especially if your party decor is on the masculine side. You can either give them away as party favors when your guests leave or keep for yourself as home decor.

Weaving in some green into lounge chairs is a simple way to add a summery and festive twist to your outdoor furniture.

Jared really wanted to have blankets on the grass to make it like a real "picnic in the park." We are obsessed with the hand-woven Turkish towels from Odd Bird Company. We layered different prints in blues and greys, and added a mix of pillows on top for cozy lounging. We placed extra blankets in a wire basket where guests could grab one and make a “picnic” wherever they liked. He also wanted polaroid cameras so his guests could take pictures for him to have as keepsakes, so we put together some trays with the cameras and added other fun items like dominos, chips, popcorn and a pretty plant.

A staple for almost all of our outdoor parties -- mini kraft paper bags filled with kettle chips and organic popcorn (or whatever your favorite snack may be!) and place in a tray for guests to help themselves to. It's always a hit with adults and kids.

For your upcoming summer party, try placing some games around, in various locations, that your friends can partake in at their leisure.

Actress, Georgie Flores, presents Jared with his birthday cake, as his friends sang "Happy Birthday."

How about those blue ombré birthday candles from Knot & Bow? Too good!

Happy Birthday Jared!!! Thank you for having us be a part of this fabulous occasion!!

xoxo!!!

CREDITS:

Birthday Boy: Jared Eng

Party Design & Drinks: Twink + Sis

Photos: Sarina Cass of Red Anchor Photo

Location: Airbnb

Greens Installation/Potted Greens: Iris & Daughter

Copper signage (“Jared’s Picnic”): A Dapper Line

Turkish Towels (used as picnic blankets): Odd Bird Company

Food Table, Aculpulco Chairs, Ottoman, Cornhole, Giant Jenga - YEAH! Rentals

Wooden Boat, Vintage Bicycle, Bench, Tree Trunk Tables, Various pillows: Found Rentals

Balloons: Geronimo Balloons

Food: HeirloomLA

Cake: Whisk & Whittle

Donuts: Donut Friend

Cake Stands: Aheirloom

Plates & Forks: Leafware

Napkins: Meri Meri

Brass Ants: Arteriors Home

Ombré birthday candles: Knot & Bow

Mini Paper Bags (Popcorn/Chips Bags): Amazon

Ring Toss: Sunny Life

Trays, Bowls, Hexagonal Objects, Various Pillows: West Elm

Various Pillows: Target

Laurén's Hair: 901too

Laurén's Outfit: Sunglasses - 3.1 Phillip Lim via ShopBop, Top - SEA, Skirt - Current Elliott

Marlan's Outfit: Sunglasses - Tom Ford via Neiman Marcus, Tunic - Marina Rinaldi

March 03, 2017

EASTER PARTY

March 03, 2017/ MARLAN

Our Easter party checklist includes carrot cake, crudités with spinach leek dip, deviled eggs, watermelon bunnies, fresh flowers, confetti eggs, surprise bunnies and lots of fun partyware.

Love the way that tulip opened.

Sweet little birds sweeping over the flowers.

The Meri Meri surprise bunnies and pinwheels help to fill empty space on the table.

The kids welcome the Easter Bunny (cake topper).

And then dig into the treats.

How cute are the little quail eggs in the crudités box from Joan's On Third?

February 02, 2017

SALTED DARK CHOCOLATE PUDDING (REFINED SUGAR-FREE)

February 02, 2017/ Laurén

Lately I have been doing a ton of cooking and baking. Every night I seem to be testing out some new version of my favorite recipes to suit my (kinda, almost) mostly sugar and grain-free diet. Sis coined this as "Paleo Adjacent" and I think that's a perfect description. Turns out, Sis and I like our Paleo Adjacent desserts more than their earlier, traditional incarnations. This Dark Chocolate Pudding is taken from the most INCREDIBLY DELICIOUS recipe from The New York Times. I've substituted the sugar for maple syrup but I do love it with real milk and cream. I've included a non-dairy version that is really delicious too. The original recipe also called for corn starch which I replaced with arrowroot powder and optional grass fed gelatin. The texture is thick and smooth. Make this for your Valentine and I'm sure you'll get lots of X's & O's.

SALTED DARK CHOCOLATE PUDDING

Serves 8

1 large egg, plus 2 yolks

6 oz extra dark chocolate 70-85% (or darker if you prefer), roughly chopped

2 tablespoons butter (use ghee for a dairy-free version)

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 1/2 cups whole milk (use full-fat coconut milk for a dairy free version)

1/2 cup heavy cream (use coconut cream for a dairy-free version)

1/2 cup maple syrup

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa

2 tablespoons arrowroot powder

1 tablespoon grass fed gelatin (optional)

1/4 teaspoon sea salt, plus more for garnishing

whipped cream for serving (whip up the leftover heavy cream from above with a dash of vanilla and a splash of maple syrup)

In a heatproof bowl, whisk together egg and yolks. Set aside.

Place chocolate, butter and vanilla in a food processor or blender (I use my VitaMix) but do not turn on.

In a medium pot, whisk together milk, cream, maple syrup, cocoa, arrowroot, gelatin and salt until smooth. Bring to a full boil, whisking, and let bubble for 1 to 2 minutes. Do not let it burn. It will start to thicken. When it does, remove from heat.

Pour a little of the hot milk mixture into the eggs, whisking constantly to prevent them from curdling. Do this a few times and then pour the eggs into the pot with the remaining mixture. Cook over low heat, whisking constantly, until mixture just returns to a bare simmer (one bubble is plenty). Immediately pour into the food processor or blender. Run the machine until the pudding is very smooth (the hot mixture will melt the chocolate).

Pour into individual bowls or one large bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Refridgerate until firm and cold. At least 4 hours for individual servings or 8+ for a large bowl. One chilled and ready for serving, remove from fridge. Sprinkle with medium-sized sea salt granules. Top with fresh whipped cream. I also love this with fresh berries.

I hope you love it as much as we do! xoxox!

Seersucker Napkin: Hedley & Bennett

Wooden Tray: West Elm

Wooden Bowls: Target

January 17, 2017

BOHO CHIC BACHELORETTE PARTY

January 17, 2017/ Laurén

One of our very favorite events EVER EVER EVER, in the history of Twink + Sis, was this boho chic bachelorette party, for my lovely friend Veronica. We were beside ourselves to have the soirée featured on Martha Stewart Weddings a few months back. I'm so excited to share even more photos and details here on T+S!

All images by Alissa Noelle Photography.

We had the party at the bride-to-be's house because her backyard is gorgeous and I have actually always wanted to do an event there. I am in love with her drought-resistant landscaping and fruit and vegetable gardens. It was the perfect backdrop for a ladies' night to celebrate her upcoming wedding. The idea was to have the bride's closest girlfriends for an evening of drinks, desserts and games -- an elevated bachelorette party.

Veronica's favorite color is purple, so we used that as the jumping off point for the color palette. We also had gems as a running theme throughout -- the piñata, cookies, hexagonal platters -- a nod to her diamond engagement ring.

I had this idea to create really unexpected floral arrangements that were not only visible from all sides, but also "spilling out," making for a super dreamy, romantic scene. Iris & Daughter did an incredible job bringing that vision to life -- absolutely blew it out of the park! It really looked like a fairytale! The acrylic boxes did triple duty by creating height and also providing a shelf for drinking glasses and party decor.

We wanted to party to have luxe layers of boho, as well as modern. We mixed gold and copper which added a glamorous touch. Our custom rope and tassels installation framed the single diamond-shaped piñata, and was draped throughout the dessert table.

The bride-to-be wore a fresh flower crown while relaxing in her peacock "throne." We served several desserts and Veronica's favorite drinks -- rosé and prosecco.

Whisk and Whittle made beautiful and delicious treats, including a marbled berry cake, topped with brightly-colored bohemian flowers, mini blackberry donuts and chocolate hazelnut tarts. We added in some gem cookies by Holly Fox to keep the diamond theme rolling.

A small, intimate party is such a treat. You can create so many lovely details when you don't have to feed and seat 100 people. We braided tassels from natural cotton twine for each person's goblet as an added touch.

The bride is Italian and her wedding was in Italy so we paid homage to that with this custom sign by A Dapper Line that read "un brindisi all bella Veronica" ("A toast to the beautiful Veronica").

We love some good games to get the party going. Our favorites are Scattergories, tailored to the theme of the event, and everyone's favorite -- THE QUIZ. (To learn more about our favorite bachelorette and baby/bridal shower games CLICK HERE).

We braided some of the leftover yarn from the rope installation to decorate the beautiful Compartés chocolate bars, that served as gifts for the game winners.

We made the seating area festive by added giant balloons with fresh greens and flowers. It made it feel girly and fun -- just like a bachelorette should be!

All of the guests participated in creating a beautiful woven wall hanging that was gifted to the bride at the end of the evening. Makers Mess (an art studio that comes to you!) provided an instructor and all of the materials needed to create the piece. We loved this because it was something that everyone could take part in (no matter their skill level) while still being able to chat and enjoy the party.

I wish I could live in this party! Congratulations Veronica!

xoxo!! LL

CREDITS:

Concept & Design: Twink + Sis

Photography: Alissa Noelle Photography

Guest of Honor: Veronica Lombardo

Florals: Iris & Daughter

Desserts (Cake, Tarts & Donuts): Whisk & Whittle

Gem Cookies: Holly Fox

Furniture Rentals: Circa Vintage Rentals

Tabletop Rentals: Borrowed Blu

Signage: A Dapper Line

Craft + Instruction: Makers Mess

Balloons: Koyal Wholesale

Piñata: Prospect Goods via Bracket

Candles: Yummi Candles

Wicker Water Pitcher: Maison Midi

Hexagon Platters, Candle Holders, Vase: CB2

Moroccan Wedding Pillows & Old Fashioned Glasses: Anthropologie

Ice Bucket, Tongs & Berry Cups: Crate & Barrel

Game Prizes: Compartés

Game Stationary: Paper Source

Gold Game Pencils: Etsy

January 04, 2017

JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH SIP & SEE

January 04, 2017/ MARLAN

Photo: Jenna Elliott, One Eleven Photography

Our beautiful friend (and amazing photographer) Jenna Elliott, and her husband Andrew, adopted a baby boy, James. Her girlfriends chose Sunday brunch to host her Sip and See at Jenna’s favorite place — Arlington Garden in Pasadena, California.

We were inspired by Jenna’s only request for the theme — the book James and the Giant Peach (which her best friend’s grandfather wrote). In looking at the James and the Giant Peach artwork, three things stood out: peaches, birds and the ocean. So we used those as the guideposts for the Sip and See decor.

For peaches, we used giant balloons, with green crepe paper leaves (that we cut out free-hand), to give the effect of peaches floating overhead. Dessert carried the theme through with peach donuts and the incredible peach marzipan cake topper by Whisk and Whittle.

Gold birds nested atop the cake stand and candy dishes from Target and little white ceramic birds decorated the place settings. We also incorporated Sugarfina’s Apollo Kumquats to serve as “egg” candies.

For the ocean, we tore pieces of fabric in blue, green and white and then tied them to twine to create the fabric garland runner. West Elm has some incredible agate pieces so we used the coasters on the place settings and bookends to adorn the cake stand.

We also loved the idea of using spheres as a nod to the peach, and to the earth in general, so we incorporated wood and metal spheres throughout the length of the table.