It’s my party and I’ll…
It’s almost the halfway point to my next birthday (or my “midi” as I called it when I was young and stupid enough to celebrate such a thing). I don’t know if it’s just my own psychosis, but I feel as if my friends expect a better party from my because of my profession. Ironically, it’s this same profession that puts my own planning of the soirees on the back burner inevitably until the night or two before said occasion (come on, bingo and cupcakes with champagne was fun, right?).
Luckily, I am great at planning other people’s birthday parties in a nap. Recently, a GTB (groom-to-be) asked us to throw together his 30th birthday in about oh, two week. Yay, what fun, I thought. We didn’t have too much to go on but we knew he was a connoisseur of fine wine, and loved the Arizona Wildcats. So, we had pretty much free reign on this one. Which is quite a double-edged sword if you ask me.
Once we found the perfect venue (the penthouse at The Hotel on Rivington; hello outdoor hot tub) the rest of the party quickly took shape.
How could you not have a good time?
Trying to steer clear of the typical cocktail party (i.e. been there done that), we set up three different bars to enhance guests experience (and well, that’s just how we roll).
The first was a wine and cheese bar manned by the award-winning sommelier, Aldo Sohm, who picked out some of the finest reds and whites the world has to offer, brilliantly paired with our selection of cheeses from New York’s emporium of all things fromage, Artisanal. Guests were also able to fill out cute little wine tasting note cards while they sipped so they wouldn’t forget the memorable vintages when they got home. Crowds around this table were worse than SATC2 on opening night!
Super cute personalized tasting notes...
Next was the vodka tasting bar, paired with, you guessed it, caviar and blinis. Yum! Nothing like an ice-cold shot of Russian vodka on a hot summer night.
And of course, you can’t have a party without tequila! But not just any two-bit Jose; our friends at Tantao brought over tasty jalapeno, chocolate and tropical flavors for us to pair with some south-of-the-border treats.
One of our beautiful tasting bars...
The vodka tasting station.
Ah, and for my specialty…the cake! Only the picture below will do it justice.
Is this not the coolest cake you've ever seen?
Mix all of the above with a killer DJ and you’ve got the making of one kick-ass birthday party.
Right, now back to planning mine…
Special Thanks
Venue: Hotel On Rivington
Cake: Ron Ben Israel Cakes
Signs: BDUB
Tip-Tastic Tuesday
“The only thing to do with good advice is to pass it on. It is never of any use to oneself.” -Oscar Wilde
People are always asking me for wedding advice. Period. No matter where I am – cab, cocktail party, colonoscopy appointment (ok, ok, I was at the dentist but alliteration is such a nice literary device, isn’t it?). It seems that the whole world is either getting married or knows someone that is getting married, and of course wanting what else but some free advice.
So, following the wise words of Oscar, I thought I would take the last Tuesday of each month to share some little gems of knowledge with you. Yes, this means you no longer have to hit me up at rand-o places… (you know who you are crazy-woman-on-line-in-the-bathroom-at-Iron-Man-2!) looking for that one golden nugget.
Tip #1: Have the groom’s speech be as early in the night as possible!
I know this sounds like a big “duh,”, but you’ve all seen it happen and it ain’t pretty.
And gentlemen, I have heard the whole Dutch courage argument, but unless you want your speech (which, chances are, will be videotaped for all of modernity) to be reminiscent of Mitch Martin a la Old School, please, I beg of you…speech first, drinkie second…capisce?!
Wolves dressed in sheep’s clothing…
I went on a date the other day (please keep your comments to yourself, it’s not going to be that kind of post). But what I do want to talk about it where we went. Okay, skip the dinner and drinks and get to the god stuff (again, minds out of the gutter please).
And by “good stuff” I’m talking about the incredible band we went to see at Galapagos Art Space in Brooklyn. Sybarite5 are a stings quartet that we’ve (as in Marcy and myself… not my date) have had the pleasure of hiring for two past events- once for a cocktail party in Aspen and the other for a ceremony in Newport- and they truly rocked each time. However, I’m sure you know, that at an event you are running around like a chicken sans head, so I’ve never really had a chance to sit down and fully appreciate just how kick ass they are. Until last week, that is! The Sybarites juxtapose Stravinsky with Radiohead (yes, that did come directly from their website) and turn out some mind-blowing music that even those fearful of a little classical will enjoy. Their rendition of Stairway to Heaven is pretty amazing. It’s like that spice that you know is familiar but just can’t quite pin down- “is it cardamom she wonders, no it’s Led Zeppelin.”
I normally don’t like to let our little cats of their bag but I just felt selfish keeping these guys all to myself.
And if you don’t trust me you can see for yourself: http://sybarite5.org
Like a proud mama…
I don’t have any children… yet. And when/if I do I’m not sure if I’m going to be the kind of mom who whips out photos of her kids from those little plastic protectors in her wallet (or is that what they all say?).
However, I sorta “get” the gleaming pride these parents feel when they show unknowing strangers their little one-toothed wonders. I can only compare it to the same sort of shameless delight that I feel when I see one of MY brides in print.
Not wanting to be the freaky lady at the grocery store check out line flashing you the newest (July) issue of BRIDES, I’m taking this opportunity to share them with you (just in case you haven’t already seen)…
A couple additional shots… more wonderful details from this wedding on a future post.
BRIDES chose such a great shot of the bridesmaids that I thought it was only fair to include this stunner with the dashing groomsmen.
Each table was named after one of the many places the bride and groom had traveled.
A view of inside the tent from the opposite angle. The bride and groom chose one long attendants table for 33 guests.
Special thanks to:
Decor: StoneKelly Events
Photography: Ron Lynch Photography
p.s. I’m going off to Europa (I know, I know, so jet set) for a little holiday, but I’ve left Marcy with some posts so you don’t miss me too much. Pics and details when I get back… if I get good reports.
Babies on Board
A luncheon table
Faux seed packets, calligraphed with guests name for seating cards
Introducing Lea Brumage, who is the second in command at Marcy Blum Associates, she’s been just dying to blog, so here goes:
There’s a new phenomenon going around the MBA offices lately. No, it’s not the new iPad, el Niño, or a sweep of brides wanting teal and brown. It’s babies, lots of them.
I know, I know, women have babies all the time. But this is the first time MY brides are having them and they seem to be coming fast and furious! This spring three MBA graduates became new mommies (welcome Ryan, Satay and Bea). Another is pregnant and I have it on good word that another is definitely trying.
We were lucky enough to be hired by the two grandmas to be to create a surprise baby shower for one of the miniature additions. Now, while we love a good party, I wouldn’t use the words cute and cuddly to describe Marcy’s aesthetic. But I have to say I think we found a really great balance between disgustingly, nauseatingly, sickeningly cutesy and well…boring. The sex of the little newcomer was also kept a mystery, so instead of the predictable pale pink and blue palate, we used the beautiful, budding Central Park back drop of A Voce at the Time Warner Center as our inspiration and ran with it. Baby pea pods in chartreuse and orange were the starting point and you can see from the photos where we went with the theme. One thing you can’t see in the photos was the iPod we had programmed with a “baby” themed play list- I thought that was a super cute touch! It turned out to be a stunning ladies lunch, with the proud papa-to-be even making a surprise appearance.
The menus at each place
An adorable sugar baby on a Sylvia cake
The invitation
Special thanks to:
StoneKelly – decor
Sylvia Weinstock – cake
Harold Hechler Photographers – photography
BDUB – paper goods
