September 04, 2015

INSIDE JULIETTE LEWIS' SUMMER SOLSTICE BIRTHDAY DINNER

September 04, 2015/ Laurén

Photo by: Jenna Elliott of One Eleven Photography

Before the summer officially ends, I wanted to share an inside look into one of our favorite parties of the season. On the longest day of 2015, we celebrated the birth of our beautiful and talented BFF, Juliette Lewis, with an ethereal, Summer Solstice-themed dinner party. We were so unbelievably honored to have the party featured on Elle Decor and MyDomaine - two of our favorite sources for home decor and lifestyle inspiration.

This radiant birthday girl was so fun to plan a dinner for. I asked her what her favorite style was and she said "Romantic -- like Romeo and Juliette." So we put together a palette of purples, brass, vintage dishes and lacy linens to create that.

Both Sis and I love a bare, solid wood table. It's our preference for most events these days. The slotted wood bistro chairs (all from Classic Party Rentals) added a clean, European charm to the garden setting.

Most of these gorgeous tabletop items -- including the mis-matched vintage dishes, brass flatware, candlesticks, napkin rings and linens were sourced from the amazing Borrowed Blu.

I love adding other "live" elements to the table, in addition to flowers. For this one, a combination of figs, plums and lichee went perfectly with the summery, romantic vibe. We always find that guests are more than thrilled to take fresh produce home to enjoy when the party is over. I love that it doesn't go to waste!

A little secret: These gorgeous (and legit!) amethyst crystals that added such beauty to the table - they're from Amazon! They also made great parting gifts for the guests. I love decor that does double duty!

I kept driving myself crazy, laying awake a night, wanting to have another modern and interesting element included in the table design. That's when I decided to "ombré" the candles down the table. I ordered four different shades from Yummi Candles (they have the best candles) and used about 6 per color. I LOVED how it came out. I also want to say that you can almost never have enough candles. The tables that really speak to me have an abundance of candles. Go big or go home yo.

Checkin' things out. It's good to look at things through some kind of camera to see if it's making sense from a photograph's point of view. Sometimes I will realize "Whoa! That's really sparse" or "The flatware crooked!"

For the evening's signature drink, I made one of our favorites -- hibiscus cooler. It's a really refreshing drink -- great warm summer days (and nights). Pick up some organic hibiscus tea from Whole Foods or your local health food type store. Brew the tea and add raw agave (or whatever sweetener you prefer) to taste. Cool and pour over ice. Done!

I make this in huge batches for parties. It's easy to make but don't wear clothes that you care about while making it - the color is super bright and stains! To make a large batch, boil a huge pot of water, put a box or two worth of tea bags in and then sweeten with agave to taste. Then put on a ton of ice, only when you are ready to party. I serve it in one of my big drink dispensers so guests can just help themselves. Got some boozers coming? Keep a bottle of vodka or gin around for them to spike it up!

Cocktail modeling is my favorite job.

For the dessert table, I draped an antique desk, that I inherited from our Nana, with more of the vintage lace. I made the yarn backdrop from basic cream and gold colored yarn purchased at Joann Fabrics. I measured, cut and knotted rows of ten strings, making the middle row the longest and coming up bit by bit on each side to make a V shape. I liked the romantic boho vibe that it gave.

Our girl Emily from Whisk and Whittle outdid herself again with the most beautiful, and GLUTEN-FREE, confections. Her cakes are works of art. The large cake in the back is a berry shortcake and the shorter cake with the cute "Little Shop of Horrors" guy on top is some seriously relish carrot cake. To make sure the chocolate lovers got some love of their own, she made salted chocolate chip cookies and brownies. We had a lot of fun eating dessert that night!

Look at all those gorgeous goddesses!

Massive thank you to all who helped make this evening so magical! Love you, JL!!!! xoxoxo!!

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CREDITS:

Party Design, Florals, Signature Drink + Custom Backdrop: Twink + Sis

Photography: Jenna Elliott of One Eleven Photography

Tabletop + Linens: Borrowed Blu

Misc. Tabletop: Twink + Sis' Own

Furniture Rentals: Classic Party Rents

Desserts: Whisk and Whittle

Candles: Yummi Candles

Amethyst Crystals: Amazon

Backdrop Materials: Joann

July 28, 2015

DETAILS FROM TWINK + SIS X BETH RIESGRAF HOSTED BABY SHOWER DINNER PARTY

July 28, 2015/ Laurén

Laurén (Twink) and Beth enjoying the fruits of labor. Photo by: Jenna Elliott of One Eleven Photography.

We were so honored to have #realsweetbabyshower featured on MyDomaine. We are excited to share even more details from one of our favorite events today on the blog. We teamed up with actress, Beth Riesgraf, star of USA’s “Complications,” to give Beth’s sister, Mary Riesgraf, a glamorous evening baby shower in honor of her baby boy on the way.

The shower was held at Beth’s beautiful Los Angeles home. A mutual friend actually suggested doing an evening shower and we loved the idea. The guest of honor really wanted a sophisticated and glamorous celebration, so creating a dinner party seemed like the perfect fit.

We sourced the majority of our tabletop from Borrowed Blu. The seafoam green dishes, mixed with the smoke and black goblets, added a masculine touch honoring the baby boy, without hitting it too on the nose. The brass accents, dip-dyed muslin napkins and soft florals added an inviting femininity and glamour, which I felt paid homage to Mary (guest of honor). The abundance of candles flowing down the table allowed us to play with height, which I think added some interesting visual impact.

The flowers were some of my most favorite that we have ever done. I loved the contrast of the super soft pinks and whites with the dark scabiosa.

We filled vintage salt shakers with pink Himalayan sea salt. Another tip: Try going with a taper candle that isn't white. If you are afraid of color, even going with a sand or putty-colored neutral can change the feel of your entire table scape.

Sis and I in a rare photo together!!

We loved creating this dessert table. A local artisan created the custom photo backdrop and hand-carved gilded “eat sweets and be mary” dessert table sign — the guest of honor cried when she saw it. We love creating memorable moments like that at our events. Having custom elements is our favorite part - it makes the whole experience feel really unique and special.

I brought antique leather bound books (and extra brass candlesticks) from my living room to help create some height and "layer" the table with a little extra eye-candy.

Whisk and Whittle created the most stunning cakes and donuts for the dessert spread. And what's better? The cakes were gluten-free!

Handmade perfection.

Beth is an incredible cook and made her signature braised short ribs and gluten free fried chicken for Southern-themed meal. Upscale comfort food is a favorite of the guest of honor. We added salads and roasted veggies from Joan’s on Third.

Cherry mojitos, that we also adapted into a mocktail for the mom-to-be to enjoy.

Beth created this gorgeous and luxurious cheese platter for the guests to enjoy with their drinks as they arrived.

And the cutest guest award goes to: Mary's daughter Emma, who perfectly models a photobooth prop made by Beth.

The group toast as the sun went down was truly magical.

Congratulations Mary! We love you!! xx

Design, Florals, Custom Backdrop and Sign: Twink + Sis

All photos by: Jenna Elliott of One Eleven Photography

Tabletop Rentals: Borrowed Blu

Misc. Tabletop: One Kings Lane

Table and Chairs Rentals: Classic Party Rentals

Desserts: Whisk and Whittle

Food: Beth & Joan's on Third

Taper Candles: Bed, Bath & Beyond

Laurén's Outfit: Top: Isabel Marant via FORWARD by Elyse Walker, Skirt: Raga via Fred Segal, Shoes: Givenchy via Barney's New York

Beth's Outfit: Dress: Stone Cold Fox via Free People, Bodysuit: Anine Bing, Shoes: Dolce Vita

July 20, 2015

10 GREAT STORAGE AND MEDIA CONSOLES

July 20, 2015/ Laurén

My personal console from Design Within Reach. Details below.

I love me a good storage console. They make a big design impact in any room and help to keep things tidy and organized by providing extra storage for media, books, etc. Here are some beautiful options, currently on the market.

New York Sideboard from HD Buttercup

Hermosa Sideboard from Empiric Studio

Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams Allure Media Console

Tracey Boyd Sura Media Console via Anthropologie

Design Within Reach Line Credenza

Ralph Lauren Home Downtown Modern Cabinet

La Salle Metal Wrapped Console from Restoration Hardware

Blu Dot Dang 2 Door/2 Drawer Console

Lexington Home Criss Cross Console via One Kings Lane

Mr. Brown London Claudio Cabinet

Happy Storage!! xx

March 12, 2015

DTLA'S POKETO

March 12, 2015/ Laurén

Located in DTLA's Arts District, POKETO is a one-of-a-kind boutique with a little something for everyone. I really love and want to support stores, like this one, that carry wonderfully unique and handmade pieces, that you can't find just anywhere. I especially love their perfectly put together displays -- each with its own theme, telling its own story. Founded by husband and wife team, Ted Vadakan and Angie Ayung, POKETO recently opened a second location in Koreatown's Line Hotel. Here's a look into the flagship store.