May 01, 2018

MOTHER'S DAY COCKTAILS & CRAFTING PARTY

May 01, 2018/ Laurén

I co-hosted a (pre) Mother's Day Cocktails & Crafting Party with my friends and fellow nursery school moms Chase Beckerman & Stephanie Nortman, as a fundraiser for our school. Twink + Sis designed it, Chase supplied a flight of delish spring cocktails from Stillhouse Moonshine and Stephanie provided her stunning home as the venue. We had such a fun night and were honored to have the party featured on ELLE Decor last week. Now I get to share even more images and details with you on the blog today! All images by Jenna Elliott of One Eleven Photography.

Since the party was in honor of our fellow moms, we wanted to make the decor really feminine, with touches of pinks, peach and gold. The vintage runner and gold candlesticks had a glamorous 1960’s feel that contrasted really well with the bare wood tables and marble serving platters.

The original plan was to have the party outside but it ended up pouring rain that day! Luckily the modern farm tables and wooden bistro chairs (from Circa Vintage Rentals) worked just as well inside Stephanie's home. It was an indoor garden party!

Our friends at Makers Mess brought in the craft and all of its elements -- including an instructor who helped guide us through through the whole process. Each guest was greeted at their place setting with materials for seed bracelet making, including a gold or silver charm they could hammer with special letters or numbers of their choosing. A lot of us did our kids' initials!

Iris & Daughter created stunning floral arrangements in a palette of pinks, white, coral and yellow — using anemones, ranunculus, peonies and wax flowers. The modern white hexagonal vases were the perfect offset to the feminine flowers.

Pretty Rosaline goblets from Borrowed Blu.

Loved these gold and white hexagonal runners paired with the fuchsia-bordered napkins -- both from Hostess Haven.

The goal was to create a comfortable and intimate table where our guests could enjoy their drinks and conversation, while still being able to focus on their bracelet-making. Keeping that in mind, Whisk and Whittle created four delicious sweet & savory bites that we served right there on the table.

Asparagus crostini with fresh ricotta, lemon zest & pink pepper.

Tomato & zucchini polenta cakes with roasted corn salsa.

Fig Crostini with goat cheese, truffle honey and fig jam.

Lemon tartlets with raspberry drizzle and fresh berries.

Stillhouse Moonshine created an amazing flight of spring cocktails for the evening. I loved the way the bar looked!

“A Sip of Spring” - A blend of Stillhouse Peach Tea Whiskey, organic fresh peach agave lemonade and fresh organic raspberries.

I obviously couldn't wait to get my paws on it.

"Pineapple Express" - Stillhouse Coconut Whiskey, fresh pineapple juice, lavender and fresh blueberries.

"Mint Condition” - Stillhouse Mint Chip Whiskey mixed with soda, chocolate shavings and fresh mint.

After the instructor got us acquainted with what we were doing, we got rolling with our bracelet-making!

If you are looking to host a similar party at home, you can! Makers Mess actually created a seed bead bracelet party kit with everything you need for your next crafting party. I included it here in my May Favorites!

We did it! (iPhone pic by me)

From left to right: Chase Beckerman, Laurén LaRocca, Stephanie Nortman.

Thank you to my beautiful co-hosts and all of the lovely ladies who attended!!

Happy Mother's Day!! xoxoxo!!

CREDITS:

Party Design: Twink + Sis

Photography: Jenna Elliott of One Eleven Photography

Cocktails: Stillhouse Moonshine

Craft: Makers Mess

Flowers: Iris & Daughter

Food/Dessert: Whisk and Whittle

Rentals: Circa Vintage Rentals

Glassware: Borrowed Blu

Linens: Hostess Haven

Candles: Yummi Candles

Candlesticks: Anthropologie

Platters: CB2

Laurén's Dress: For Love & Lemons

Laurén's Braid: 901too

March 01, 2018

ST. PATRICK'S DAY DINNER PARTY

March 01, 2018/ Laurén

TWINK + SIS ST. PATRICK'S DAY DINNER. PHOTO BY JENNA ELLIOTT OF ONE ELEVEN PHOTOGRAPHY.

St. Patrick's Day is coming! ELLE Decor was kind enough to feature our St. Patty's dinner party and today we are sharing more photos and details here on the blog!

Our "good luck" themed St. Patrick's Day table is definitely a more subdued side of the holiday than most of us are used to. We always try to challenge ourselves to create events that are festive and beautiful, and a little bit unexpected. The “good luck” theme immediately brought the well-known quote, "Find a penny, pick it up. All day long, you'll have good luck.” to mind. So the very first design idea was to cover every inch of the table in pennies. We had so much fun with it and loved how it turned out.

As for the centerpiece, we had the idea to have a lush Irish “garden" running down the middle. Meagan Vos, of MV florals, used two types of moss, baby tears, pansies, white alyssum, green dianthus, Queen Anne’s lace & white garden roses to bring our vision to life!

On a trip to our local swap meet we found an antique horse shoe which we added to the centerpiece, bringing extra good luck and introduced a bit of a masculine, equestrian vibe — which we played up with the wooden plates, dark napkins and teak and bronze flatware. To ensure we payed enough homage to the holiday’s green aspect, and give the table some femininity, we tied an emerald green velvet ribbon to each guest's crystal cut coupe, and added a beautiful hand-painted, watercolor place card.

We created the "Good Luck Gimlet” as our signature drink for the evening, which was a combination of freshly juiced cucumber and lime, with muddled mint and a really lovely small batch gin. There's nothing like a freshly crafted drink, we always say! I will put in the extra work and juice everything myself right before a party. When guests are greeted with a delicious, freshly-made cocktail, the night gets off to a really fantastic start.

Whisk & Whittle made the perfect cake to go with our St. Patty’s dinner -- a chocolate Guinness cake with a salted caramel & pecan filling. It was so incredibly delicious!

Happy (almost) St. Patty's Day!!!! xx

CREDITS:

Concept, Design & Cocktail: Twink + Sis

Photography: Jenna Elliott of One Eleven Photography

Florals: MV Florals

Cake: Whisk & Whittle

Tabletop Items Sourced From: Borrowed Blu

Linens: Maison Midi

Place cards & Signage: A Dapper Line

Candles: Yummi Candles

Ribbon: Etsy

December 21, 2017

10TH ANNIVERSARY FAMILY PHOTO SHOOT AT ONE & ONLY PALMILLA

December 21, 2017/ MARLAN

When we were wedding venue hunting in 2007, my sister (Twink) suggested One & Only Palmilla. She and her husband had honeymooned there and loved it. It was absolute heaven and a short flight from Los Angeles, so seemed to be the perfect location for our intimate destination wedding. It was! We had the best time bonding with our family and friends in the days leading up to the wedding. An adventure we would continue to talk about for the ten years following.

So it was only fitting that we return for our 10th anniversary (earlier this year). We decided to bring Mila (5) with us and make a family trip out of it. She absolutely loved it. We spent our days swimming and relaxing (with the hotel staff taking incredible, loving care of us). Before we left, we had the opportunity for a dusk family photo shoot with the talented Bernardo Arce. Wanted to share it with you here, hope you enjoy it!

Happy Holidays! xoxo

Venue: One & Only Palmilla // Photographer: Bernardo Arce // Mila's dress: Bonpoint // Marlan's (Sis) kaftan: Camilla

December 11, 2017

HOLIDAY SIP AND SHOP + PHARMACIE HOLIDAY COCKTAIL RECIPE

December 11, 2017/ Laurén

Photo by Jenna Elliott of One Eleven Photography

We co-hosted a Holiday Sip & Shop with our BFF's Beth Riesgraf and Marissa Ribisi, to benefit the local women's shelter in Downtown LA. I am so excited to share images of the event with you today! We teamed up with so many amazing artists and vendors for this event. It was truly a magical day.

Sis & I created a girly & whimsical holiday wonderland table filled with delicious treats by our fave, Whisk & Whittle. And we are truly still gasping from the beauty of the garland MV Florals created for us.

Our guests enjoyed their bite-sized treats and handcrafted holiday cocktails from Pharmacie, while shopping from so many incredible artisans and companies including Bare Collection, Beautycounter, Entertaining Elephants, Jen’s Pirate Booty, Lovelybird, Makers Mess, MB Surplus, Mariah O’Brien interiors, Michele Miskovich Photography, Odd Bird Company, Pade Vavra, Red Car Wine, SKJ Sunkissed by Jenni, Sweet Mary’s, Tracee Nichols, Tysa Designs and 901too.

Pharmacie served three gorgeous seasonal cocktails and I was particularly obsessed with their "St. Nick's Tonic" -- which I have lovingly renamed "THE MOST DELICIOUS HOLIDAY COCKTAIL. EVER." Founder, Talmadge Lowe, was kind enough to share his recipe for the drink with us today! Read on for all of the details...

We went super feminine with the copper, pinks, red and white palette. The fresh greens brought in that Christmas tree vibe that we all love. We went crazy with bottle brush trees, in a mix of metal colors, and glittery birds to amp up the "glamorous wonderland" feel.

PHARMACIE'S ST. NICK'S TONIC

Gin - 2 oz

Cinnamon Syrup** - 1.5 oz

Lime - 3/4 oz

Cranberries

Muddle a handful of cranberries in the cinnamon syrup. Add this mixture with the gin and lime and ice in a cocktail shaker.

Shake vigorously. Pour the entire mixture into a hi ball glass. No garnish. Let the muddled cranberries float in the gorgeous pink drink. OR, maybe put a tiny branch of fir in it!

**Combine equal parts water and sugar (I cup of each) in a small pot and heat until the sugar dissolves. Add 8-10 cinnamon sticks to the syrup while hot and let steep for 2-3 hours. Always let it cool to room temperature before using. Refrigerating over night is preferred.

Tracee Nichols Jewelry. Photo by Jenna Elliott of One Eleven Photography — Tracee Nichols Jewelry. Photo by Jenna Elliott of One Eleven Photography

Odd Bird Company. Photo by Jenna Elliott of One Eleven Photography — Odd Bird Company. Photo by Jenna Elliott of One Eleven Photography

Beauty Counter. Photo by Jenna Elliott of One Eleven Photography — Beauty Counter. Photo by Jenna Elliott of One Eleven Photography

Bare Collection. Photo by Jenna Elliott of One Eleven Photography — Bare Collection. Photo by Jenna Elliott of One Eleven Photography

MAKERS MESS. Photo by Jenna Elliott of One Eleven Photography — MAKERS MESS. Photo by Jenna Elliott of One Eleven Photography

MB Surplus. Photo by Jenna Elliott of One Eleven Photography — MB Surplus. Photo by Jenna Elliott of One Eleven Photography

Credits:

Photography: Jenna Elliott of One Eleven Photography

Florals: MV Florals

Linens: Classic Party Rentals

Cake Platters: Borrowed Blu

Drinks: Pharmacie

Desserts: Whisk & Whittle

Christmas Decor: Anthropologie

Thank you to everyone who made this event possible!! xx

November 06, 2017

A THANKSGIVING DINNER INSPIRED BY OUR CHILDHOOD

November 06, 2017/ Laurén

We were so honored to have our Thanksgiving dinner featured on ELLE Decor. It was especially meaningful because this Thanksgiving table was inspired by our childhood. It was our rendition of the table our mother and grandmother would create for the holiday. Our grandmother had wicker cornucopias as the centerpiece of the table with an abundance of overflowing fall fruit -- it was really beautiful and always stuck with us. So we did our own take on that -- using the brass bowls and pedestals to house pomegranates, tangerines, figs and grapes.

The color palette was dictated by our childhood dining room, which had a burgundy vintage oriental rug and deep raspberry upolstered dining chairs. Those jewel tones were the starting point of our palette and mood. Our grandmother’s china and goblets were emblazoned with gold so we decided to play that up by using copious amounts of brass in this interpretation. Then we modernized it by going with a bare wood table and benches.I am obsessed with the carrera marble chargers from Borrowed Blu. On one hand, they have this classic elegance but on the other, they are pretty unexpected.

Sissy designed the flowers and here's what she said: We wanted to create rich and abundant florals. We started out with amaryllis (a Christmas favorite) in a deep burgundy as the focal point and then added maple leaves, purple clematis, coral ranunculus and peonies in burgundy and a pink so light it almost looks white. The coral ranunculus also nestled in brass bud vases right on the guest’s plate to accompany the place card, and in clusters scattered amongst the bowls of fruit on the table.