Ladurée macarons have nothing less than a global cult following among the sophisticated social set.  The Parisian bakery first opened in 1862 and developed the iconic French cookie, which is made from two macaron shells filled with ganache.

Originally posted on Sweet Designs by Amy Atlas, this dessert table by Azar of Principal Planner in Montreal, was inspired by the signature celadon green and pale pink packaging of Ladurée.  To conjure up the feeling of a Parisian tea shop, Azar created an installation of gilded frames, glass jewelry boxes, distressed bound journals, vintage cake stands and gold rimmed tea cups.

The assortment of desserts – all in celadon, pale pink and cream – included a four tiered cake by The Caketress, cupcakes and macarons from Dolci Piu, cake balls from Three C Baking & Co and Turkish Delights, marshmallows and nougat cookies from Oh So Chic Sweets.

This pretty desserts table speaks to the little girl in all of us who grew up playing afternoon tea.  It would be perfect for a bridal or baby shower celebration.

See original post on Sweet Designs here.

PHOTO CREDIT:  Monique Simone Photography

Ghosts, goblins and ghouls don’t always have to be of the scary kind.  Halloween can have a cuter and sweeter side, especially if you are Mia Bauer, founder of Crumbs Bake Shop.  Halloween is by far her favorite holiday and a time of inspiration.   Here she shares a few expert tricks and original ideas for setting up a spooky dessert table that will delight the whole family.

Costume Your Table
Decorate the tabletop with lots of colored bowls – black, red, orange and purple – all of them overflowing with different kinds of candy.  Add spider webs and fake spiders which can be purchased at any paper goods or stationery store.

Special Effects
Place a big punch bowl in the middle of the table with fog coming out for a dramatic effect.  To make fog, combine dry ice with hot water. You can find dry ice at stores that supply regular ice.

Dirt Cupcakes
To make dirt cupcakes, use a Crumbs Blackout Cupcake or make your own with chocolate frosting with chocolate cake crumbs on top to make it look like dirt.  Before you frost the cupcake take gummy worms and mix them into the frosting and then manipulate a few to look like they are crawling out of the cupcake.

This season, Bauer’s Halloween creations include Spidey Web, chocolate cake filled with chocolate buttercream and topped with chocolate fondant, decorated with a spider web design and spider candy; Monster Mash, vanilla cake topped with orange tinted vanilla cream cheese frosting, edged with green sprinkles and decorated with a monster finger puppet; and Chocolate Halloween Pumpkin, vanilla cake topped with chocolate cream cheese frosting, edged with Halloween sprinkles and decorated with a pumpkin shaped cookie.

For the complete Halloween Gourmet Taste Pack, which includes 2 Spidey Web, 2 Monster Mash, 2 Vanilla Halloween Sprinkle, 2 Oooohstess, 2 Pumpkin and 2 Chocolate Pecan Pie, purchase directly from the store ($18) or online ($24).  Available until October 31st, 2011.

PHOTO CREDIT: Courtesy of Crumbs Bake Shop

Choosing an unusual location for an event can add something special to the experience.  For guests that attended a recent dinner party in the remote desert in Northern Nevada, the experience was nothing short of spectacular.

Seizing the opportunity to entertain the creative spirits and bon vivants that had descended upon Black Rock Desert for Burning Man, the annual art event and temporary community based on self-expression, Carl Heline from Krug and his friends Phil Winser and Ben Towill from The Fat Radish embarked on an ambitious three-day build out for their dinner party in the desert.

Dressed in outrageous costumes, 120 guests boarded the Krug Art Bus and were driven to the picturesque Zoo Camp for a seated dinner prepared by the chefs at The Fat Radish, a hip restaurant in Manhattan’s Lower East Side.  Bottles of Krug Cuvee were poured during the incredible sunset as guests dined and danced into the night.

As a parting gift, dog tag necklaces were handed out with the message, “I am an Animal, if lost take back to the Zoo.”

See coverage in W Magazine here.

See post from Taryn Cox The Wife here.

PHOTO CREDIT:  Dylan Trussell, David Dinetz and Taryn Cox

It was a step back in time to the Roaring 20s last Saturday night on the swanky rooftop of the Gramercy Park Hotel. The festive occasion was the joint birthday party for Vogue Special Events Director, Sylvana Ward-Durrett, and her sister, Daniela Taplin Lundberg.

The Gatsby-inspired gathering brought out New York’s finest party people including fashion designer Alexander Wang, event designer Raul Avila and a smattering of Vogue editors and social girls – all of them well clad in designer threads from Marchesa, Alberta Ferretti and even Kate Moss for Top Shop.

Amidst the scene filled with tassels and top hats, there was a big brass band, cigarette girls serving saltwater taffy and chocolate cigars and a custom-made Art Deco cake by Alice’s Tea Cup.

For more party scoop, see the original post on Vogue.com.

PHOTO CREDIT:  Mimi Ritzen Crawford for Vogue.com

For this special event, my company Sofia Crokos Events collaborated with a group of my colleagues to host a cocktail party to start off the new year.  Nothing excited me more than to incorporate my favorite color into the overall event design.  I have always been drawn to the color blue – primarily turquoise – from my travels to exotic destinations with crystal like turquoise waters.  Being of Greek descent, I have spent many summers in Mykonos and Santorini, two islands in the Cyclades that have white washed architecture and various shades of blue that are just dreamy!

Our event was held at The Glass Houses, a very modern venue surrounded by floor to ceiling glass windows with spectacular views of the west side of Manhattan.  When you have an empty canvas like this venue, its always easy to bring a design together. It’s simple and clean so you can begin your “painting.”

One of my favorite floral designers, Lewis Miller from LMD, created arrangements in the front of the room that guests first saw upon arrival.  Turquoise vases were filled with gorgeous white parrot tulips, purple anemones, hyacinth and campanulas.  For the table setting,  Lewis gave it an eclectic feel by mixing glazed white and turquoise vases with Mexican stone plaques.  We placed these on a white lacquer table with a dark turquoise/teal silk runner.

In the restrooms, we paired the popular 4711 German cologne water that has been around for over 200 years with a beautiful antique turquoise vase set on a glass mirror tray. The details of our turquoise event theme followed through even to the restrooms – very important!

Remembering that too much of a good thing can turn into an eyesore, we used the turquoise color sparingly, as an accent only, to give the room some pop.  We mixed in colors like purple, soft greens, whites and creams along with some silver touches to break it up.

Other décor elements included a white osorom bench was decorated with lush dark turquoise silk dupioni pillows and a large fabric panel that we made into wall art.  We used two types of blue dupioni fabrics and silk ribbons to make a grid pattern to give the room some texture.  The modern furniture rentals from Your Green Room included a lush tufted pale turquoise Chester sofa, Sklar floor lamps, Ashton wing chairs, a white square coffee table, side ottomons and an eclectic side round table called the Ari.

And, just for our guests, even the sky above the Hudson River that night was a sexy powdery blue, which we had planned for…of course!

GUEST BLOG by Sofia Crokos of Sofia Crokos Events

Sofia Crokos Events is a highly sought-after event planning and design firm which offers a variety of services to meet a client’s needs. The company works with vendors worldwide to create and produce memorable and exceptional events in New York and destinations around the globe.  Contact 212-929-1076 or email for more information.

PHOTO CREDIT:  Courtesy of Abby Ross Weddings

For their 150th Anniversary, Chopard retained Ron Wendt Design to create an event environment around the theme of Animal World. The black-tie event would launch the fine jeweler’s newest collection, which featured 150 one-of-a-kind designs that were inspired by fauna from around the globe such as a koala shaped diamond ring and cognac diamond monkeys swinging from a gemstone-laden vine.

Without hesitation we knew The Garden Court at The Frick Museum would be the perfect backdrop for their VIP celebration because of its old world setting. For the event décor, we played on the concept of the Garden of Eden and replicated the various habitats of the animals featured in the jewelry. We fabricated custom rectangular dining tables with burlwood framed mirrored tops.  The tablescapes were collections of woodland tree stumps which served as vases that held exotic lady slipper orchids, fern shoots, ivy, succulents and water lilies.

We created jewelry vitrines on oval columns, which showcased the Chopard pieces, to represent trees in a forest with vines growing around them.  Topped with the clear acrylic bonnets, each jewelry suite  presented an organic tableau inspired by nature with real organic tree stumps or stones to support the jewelry. In the case of the “arctic” collection, shells, white coral and molten glass rock chucks were used to simulate glacial environments. In place of a “red carpet,” we custom dyed a moss green carpet runner leading in to the Garden Court.

For the after party, we wanted a departure from the dinner and the exhibition of jewels so we gave the music room a face lift by creating a cool and sexy environment for a performance by John Legend and the hip music of DJ Mia Moretti. The existing decor of the museum had a very heavy Edwardian mood. We modernized it by doing wall to wall white carpet, bringing in white banquettes Philippe Stark Ghost chairs and coffee tables. White anemones accented the tables and two large Palm arrangements flanked the piano where Mr. Legend performed. The room was flooded with lavender light by Frost Lighting.

It was an incredible celebrity-filled evening with attendees including Gwenyth Paltrow, Kate Hudson, Christina Ricci, Natalie Cole, Georgina Chapman, Claire Danes and socialite Fernanda Niven, decked out glamorously in Chopard jewels, of course!

GUEST BLOG by Ron Wendt and Philip MacGregor of Ron Wendt Design

For over a decade, Ron Wendt and partner Philip MacGregor have worked with high end luxury and fashion companies and private clients to create tasteful, memorable and beautiful events.  To contact Ron Wendt Design, contact 212-290-2428.

PHOTO CREDIT: Courtesy of Ron Wendt Design

This wedding photo shoot was inspired by the Victorian Naturalists, a movement from the 18th century which was obsessed with observing, cataloging and categorizing nature. Juliet Totten and Sierra Yaun of Poppies & Posies developed the original concept and sent a mood board to each of the participating vendors, including us at Stuart and Welch Catering and Events. The collaboration was planned to give a bunch of small, local vendors an opportunity to show off their individual talents while coming together to produce a complete wedding scene with décor, invitations, food, photography and more.

To achieve their “naturalist” tablescape, Poppies & Posies built terrariums out of vintage apothecary jars, some with their own original labels, and filled them with unexpected elements such as yellow oyster mushrooms and airplants. The terrariums rested on a delicate bed of moss, lily of the valley and maidenhair fern that were arranged to look like it was growing from the table itself. Tiny blue quail eggs were placed in miniature nests and tied with strips of blue silk ribbon for place settings. Candles covered in birch bark and vintage inspired plates finished the tabletop’s naturalist inspired aesthetic.

As the first course, Stuart & Welch decided to create a spring sweet pea risotto with yellow oyster mushrooms topped with sunny side up quail egg.  It was a nice little twist to have risotto with a bright yellow yolk to match the yellow oyster mushrooms in the terrarium. A sweet pea puree was added to give the risotto a vibrant green hue which complemented the light gray plates from Anthropolgie and the dark wood table from Something Different Party Rental who provided the glassware, silverware and linens for the place settings.

Merci New York’s custom dessert and gift table introduced botanical illustrations, terrariums and other naturalist elements to a environment where food and sweets are normally the main focus. Vintage-inspired paper designs, moss and a decorated birdcage centerpiece were surrounded by a variety of neutrally colored gourmet food items such as pretzels dipped in white and milk chocolate, old fashioned swirl root beer flavored lollipops, almond biscotti with vanilla icing and caramel popcorn wrapped in faux bois paper cones. Chilled bottles of seltzer with vintage inspired labels and ribbon candies custom wrapped in cornflower blue ribbon echoed the color palette of the table settings.

Poppies & Posies also designed all of the personal flowers for the photo shoot. They used unusual botanical elements such as gloriosa, succulents, heleborus and mosses to create bouquets and boutonnieres that were in keeping with the naturalist inspiration.  Maria Cerff of Lela New York carried the botanical motif through to the paper goods and created a custom print for the invitations and stationery.

Other wedding elements included a handmade ring pillow by Llubav and models, made up by Lauren Napier, wearing bridemaid dresses by 57Grand and Two Bird Bridesmaids. Shoe and handbag designer, Janelle Sing created an evening clutch with silk dupioni that she hand painted herself.

After all of the hard work that went into creating every detail of this wedding event, Whitney and Dustin, the husband and wife team of Oh Darling Photography, arrived at our transformed venue, The Xchange, to capture each beautiful moment.  To celebrate our collaboration, we all settled in and treated ourselves to a cupcake from Tully’s Bakery which were gluten-free (her specialty) and delicious!

GUEST BLOG by Michael Steifman of Stuart & Welch

Stuart & Welch Catering & Events is a new venture focusing on local, seasonal products, fresh food, natural elements, and the highest quality service.  For more information contact them via email or at 718-467-1010.

Poppies and Posies is a floral and event design company based in New York.  For more information, contact 646-386-7247.

PHOTO CREDIT:  Courtesy of Oh, Darling Photography

Seat a table of four in an instant with the Way Basics Simple Table Set.  A quick peel and stick is all you need to set up a portable table and four cube chairs for your party guests.  Lightweight yet sturdy enough for the weight of an adult, the boards are sustainably made ZBoard from recycled paper which are fully recyclable as well as water resistant.

The table is available in Blue, Cedar, Espresso and Orange while the cube chairs come in Blue, Cedar, Pink, Green and Orange.  Perfect for any occasion that needs additional seating or for a crafts table for the kiddos.

The Simple Table Set typically retails for $170 but is currently on sale for $121.96.

PHOTO CREDIT:  Courtesy of Way Basics

We created Silkstone, our boutique events and catering company in New York, on the belief that there are two essential ingredients to the service industry: the stone which represents the intensive labor, integrity and commitment; and, the silk that reflects the creativity, innovation and elegance in which this is presented.

So when a client approached us to throw a lavish birthday party with the inspiration, “The Rat Pack,” we relished in the challenge to create a unique event around a popular theme and to avoid the cliché perceptions of that time.  Instead, we concentrated on the sights, smells, sounds and tastes which defined that era rather than the glossy Hollywood version.

With every event the journey for the guests begins with the invitation. We took a copy of a famous Frank Sinatra vinyl and swapped in an image of our client, added event details and created a custom CD with iconic music from the genre to give guests some inspiration.  A dress code advised, “Gentlemen to sport Rat Pack attire, classy suits with silk pocket squares, tuxedo shirts and maybe even a gangster fedora. The ladies should exhibit the styles of Marilyn Monroe, Jackie O and the Hitchcock leading blonds.”

On the night of the event guests walked down a dark, cobblestone alley to a concealed speakeasy door.  The sounds of a trumpeter and the heckles and shouts of acting prostitutes filled the smoky street. Burly bouncers ushered guests through a dimly lit corridor into a Chinese launderette – the stage for our coat check. Guests were forced to weave through a thousand pounds of vintage clothes in laundry carts and hanging bags, bamboo clad walls, chirping caged birds and barely audible Chinese music.  An elderly Chinese man summoned guests behind the launderette through a heavy burlap corridor to reveal a scene straight from a 1950’s speakeasy. Pre-dinner cocktails were served in tea cups from the barrel built bar.

To actively engage our guests and create a energetic atmosphere we had bookies taking odds on the blackboard wall.  Cocktail hour concluded with a bang with a drunk (actor) who smashed through the bar and pulled down the burlap material wall to reveal a glitzy, glamorous Vegas-style ballroom. Glass chandeliers, tall palm trees and light projections created ambiance.

Cigarette girls circled the room and cabaret performers put on a lavish show reminiscent of the New York underground world.  A swing band played classic tunes (that were featured on the CD) such as, Fly Me to the Moon and New York, New York by Frank Sinatra; Mr. Bojangels by Sammy Davis, Jr; L.O.V.E. By Nat King Cole and Ain’t That a Kick in the Head by Dean Martin.

A bespoke dinner, inspired by The Rat Pack’s last meal at The Sands, created the perfect set for a true 1950’s experience. The menu featured canapés of Stuffed Crimini Mushrooms and Deviled Quail Eggs with Truffle Paddlefish Caviar and, for dessert, the Chocolate Knickerbocker Glory with Raspberries and Hazelnut Custard.

As a final surprise, while the guests were having dinner, the Speakeasy room was transformed into an extravagant hotel bar, clad with feathered arrangements and over-sized white booths for guests to relax and take a break from the dancing.

GUEST BLOG by Clemmie Browne of Silkstone

Silkstone is committed to delivering creative, innovative and sustainable food, lifestyle and design concepts. Led by dynamic duo Philip Winser and Benjamin Towill, the company has quickly established a stellar reputation  for delivering world-class events with particular flair for creativity and resourcefulness, building an impressive list of clients that include Rodarte, Aveda, Hugo Boss and Terry Richardson.

For more information on Silkstone Events and Catering, visit  www.silkstonenyc.com or contact via email or at 646 861 1545.

PHOTO CREDIT:  Stephanie Kessell and Nicholas Routzen

From birthdays to bar mitzvahs, the name on everyone’s lips these days is Amy Atlas, a New York based “sweets stylist” who is creating quite a buzz with her signature dessert tables.  Just in time for Valentine’s Day, Amy has created a table filled with cakes and candy in shades of pretty pink that could also work for a baby shower or engagement party.  Here she shares more sweet inspiration and tips on recreating her gorgeous sugar spreads…

Tell a Story
Take something that inspires you and create your dessert table around it. The design can be inspired from something as personal as a family heirloom to as simple as the pattern on the host’s invitation. Let the dessert table tell a story about the event so that the dessert not only becomes functional, but becomes part of the event design.

Keep it Simple
Keep the color palette simple so that the display won’t look too busy and make sure your serving pieces work well with the mood of the overall table.  Don’t stress about filling up your table with many different elements.  You can provide five or six different desserts on beautiful serving pieces with a simple floral arrangement and it can make a lovely display.

Sample Your Sweets
Always sample your dessert vendors before using them for your event. A beautiful cake is not always the best tasting cake! The key is to find the right balance. Pick desserts and candy that not only look good together, but provide a balance for your guests’ palate.

Give A Gift Bag
Provide goody bags for your guests as take-home desserts. It’s always a treat to give your guests something to remind them of how sweet the day was.

Stock up on party supplies, decor items and baking items at some of Amy’s favorite spots in NYC including Kate’s Paperie, Treillage, New York Cake & Bake.

To hire Amy Atlas for your next event, contact her via email or at 917 974 9285.

PHOTO CREDIT:  Courtesy of Amy Atlas

Decorating with a heavy hand can leave your holiday party looking a little too much like Santa’s lair.  Our friend and celebrated event designer David Stark shows us how to lay off the tinsel and faux snow for a more natural aesthetic this season.

For The Lazy Hostess, Stark shares his top 5 design ideas for a festive home including a few favorite pieces from his new collection at west elm.

1. The supermarket is a decorator’s best friend, and a bag or two of fresh cranberries goes a long way in creating a holiday look without a lot of fuss.  To give inventive cheer to the standard escort card table, fill serving trays with a carpet of fresh cranberries and arrange the cards over the top in rows.  Line trays of hors d’oeuvres with the cranberries to create a bed of rich color for the food.  To round out the theme, serve a cranberry cocktail with a fresh cranberry garnish.

2. Our Natural Weave Trees from west elm are the no mess/no waste version of a Christmas tree! There is virtually no “set-up” unless you feel like decorating them – you can pin ornaments, holiday cards, or garlands to the cones or simply enjoy them as minimalist sculptures without any ornamentation at all!

3.  Use the holiday gifts that you will be giving family and friends as your holiday décor prior to giving them as gifts.  Instead of storing them in your closet or under a bed, wrap them in coordinated papers and ribbons and place them around the house in beautiful vignettes.

4.  Candles are instant magic.  I am using our gold flower candle lantern from west elm a lot this season.  They last and last and last – I love the pattern which is celebratory but not particular.  They have gone from Halloween to Thanksgiving and now will hit Christmas and New Years in my home.  Buy design elements that have multiple holiday uses – GREAT on the wallet. GREAT on time!

5.  A simple cloth napkin can provide all the décor you need to make your dining table feel special and the fold takes only seconds.

David Stark Design (87 Luquer Street, Brooklyn 718-534-6777) produces and designs a wide range of events, from intimate dinner parties to elaborate weddings, museum openings, foundation and non-profit benefit galas, and large-scale corporate functions for clients including Tory Burch, MOMA, Target, and the New York City Opera.

PHOTO CREDIT:  Courtesy of David Stark Design and west elm

Related Posts:  Easter with a Twist,  Green Inspiration

Despite the annual deluge of tacky costumes and kitschy decor, we found ourselves inspired by Halloween and its celebration of the living dead.  Our interpretation of this haunted holiday can be brought to life with these exquisite items below…

From the parlour of Douglas Little of D.L. & Company, the “purveyor of curious goods,” comes two incredible candles that would surely set a mysterious mood for Halloween – Vena Amoris ($150) or “vein of love,” an effigy wax scuplture of a hand and, from the Momento Mori collection, Skull with Snake ($85).

Vintage inspired black goblets from Eden & Eden ($65 for a pair) and gold beaded napkin rings in the shape of spiders ($56) by Kim Seybert would give your dining table an opulent look.  Serve guests candied apples made with red wine caramel which taste as decadent as they look.

Lace masks, leather gloves and boudoir inspired apparel from Kiki De Montparnasse would allow you to dress to impress in less for your night on the town.

And, if mingling with the masses at the Halloween parade isn’t your style, spend some time at Purgatorio, the new erotic nightmare fantasy show created by Simon Hammerstein of the infamous supper club, The Box, which opens on October 15th, 2009 and runs through the 31st.

PHOTO CREDIT:  D.L. & Company, Kiki de Montparnasse, Epicurious, Neiman Marcus

Chef Gabriel Thompson’s menu juxtaposes elements of classic and modern Italian cuisine in dishes like Fluke with Ginger, Yuzu, Apple, and Chives; Roasted Mushrooms with Fregola and Sarda and Anson Mills Polenta; and Octopus with Zeppole, Mantecato, and Celeries.

L’Artusi features a private dining room called The Wine Cellar, which seats up to 16 people for sit-down tasting dinners (4 courses for $75 per person, 5 courses for $90 per person, or a 9 course customized menu for $150 per person), and requires a $1200 food and beverage minimum. Also available is the entire upstairs mezzanine area, which includes the private dining room and seats up to 45 people for family-style dinners, or passed hors d’oeuvres and a buffet-style dinner, which require a $5000 minimum. Family style dinners begin at 3 courses for $65 per person, 4 courses for $85 per person, or 5 courses for $95, while passed hors d’oeuvres like the tasty crudo or arrancini are priced at 3 types for $15 per hour, 5 for $20, or 7 for $35. Full buyouts of L’Artusi are also available on a case-by-case basis.

The Italians have a saying, “A tavola non si invecchia mai,” which means, “At the table, one doesn’t grow old.” New Yorkers are in for a treat then, as we predict L’Artusi is here to stay.

L’Artusi is located at 228 W. 10^th Street, New York. To host a private event, contact Jen Lucia at 212-255-5757.

Lauren Shockey is a food writer who has contributed to publications including The New York Times Magazine, Gastronomica, Brides and ELLEgirl.

PHOTO CREDIT: Courtesy of L’Artusi.

Delicatessen, with its chic décor and breezy ambiance, offers three distinct spaces available for private events. These include an upstairs dining room, which can seat 96 for a seated dinner or about 175 for drinks and appetizers; a skylit courtyard equipped with a hidden DJ booth that can accommodate 28 for a seated event or about 60 standing; and the “Minibar,” a dimly-lit, intimate downstairs lounge that can hold about 30 to 40 guests for cocktails and hors d’oeuvres.

The restaurant’s haute finger foods (think cheeseburger spring rolls and Reuben fritters) have already garnered much buzz, and can be found on the passed hors d’oeuvres menu, which costs $25 per person for two hours. For more substantial fare, three-course prix fixe meals are available at $27 per person for lunch and either $35 or $55 for dinner. Two-hour beverage services start at $35 per person for beer and wine, continue at $55 for well drinks and $60 for specialty cocktails. Delicatessen can also customize drinks and hors d’oeuvres. And in these economically tough times, Delicatessen represents a pretty good deal. “What we provide is value, but it’s also a really cool space,” notes owner Mark Thomas Amadei.

Indeed, being cool doesn’t mean just catering to celebrities. Delicatessen wants to be known also as a neighborhood spot, which is why it won’t normally offer complete buy-outs for private parties. Egalitarian, indeed. It’s nice to know that everyone can still party like a rock star.

Delicatessen is located at 54 Prince Street (at Lafayette Street), New York. To host an event, contact Travis Christ at 212-226-0211.

Lauren Shockey is a food writer who has contributed to publications including The New York Times Magazine, Gastronomica, Brides and ELLEgirl.

PHOTO CREDIT: Courtesy of Delicatessen

Karwa has designed a variety of wine packages to suit novices as well as connoisseurs and to accommodate a range of price points from the “Because I’m Worth It” luxe tasting to “Savvy in the City” that features wines under $15. The interactive tastings are perfect for a housewarming, a bachelorette or even an office holiday party.

Here, we ask the entrepreneur about her friendly, fun approach to wine and the growing trend of tasting parties at home.

How did you come up with the idea for Swirl Events?
I organized a wine tasting for a group of girlfriends and asked everyone to bring their checkbooks so we could do some grassroots fundraising for an organization I support. Because it was Women’s History Month, I focused on all women wine makers and told my guests the stories behind the bottles. Maybe it was the influence of the wine speaking, but by the end of the evening, everyone encouraged me to create a company that did fun, “unstuffy,” but elegant wine tasting parties. And, Swirl was born.

Are all of your Swirl-ettes trained sommeliers?
Yes, at a minimum, each of our “Swirl-ettes” has an Advanced Certification from the Wine & Spirits Education Trust, an internationally recognized and respected board. But that’s the minimum. On top of their extensive wine knowledge, they are all dynamic, personable people that are passionate about wine, but not at all pretentious about it.

Besides your wine tasting events, do you host educational wine classes?
We’ve just started our series of courses as we learned our clients wanted further education on wine in the Swirl way. Our first class was about “Decoding a Restaurant Wine List” and it was a hit! We’ve hosted other classes this Fall including, “Organic Wine” and “Best Wines for your Buck.”

Are you finding that more brides/grooms are looking to host wine tasting parties?
Bridal wine tastings are big right now. Brides and their friends are really eager to have an alternative to the typical and somewhat dreaded bridal shower where the only activity for guests is watching the bride unwrap presents for 3 hours! It’s also a welcome change for the bride who wants a bachelorette party at home that is a bit more elegant yet fun.

Swirl Events is available for private and corporate wine tasting events throughout the 5 boroughs, Long Island, New Jersey and Connecticut. To set up a wine tasting (for 6 or more guests), contact Anu Karwa at 917-463-3994 or via email.

SPECIAL OFFER: Readers of Notes on a Party get a 10% discount on a private event.

PHOTO CREDIT: Courtesy of Swirl Events

Joining us as co-hosts for the evening were Olivier Giugni (L’Olivier Soirees and Galas), Karrie Goldberg (The Kagency), Eugene Lee (Rolling Press), Collette Leonard (Reyka), Ira Levy (Levy Lighting), Valerie Morel (XA – The Experiential Agency), Leslie Nilsson (Sage Events), Gerald Prolman (Organic Style) and Danielle Venokur (dvGreen). Together we gave our guests an interactive, green experience that showed them how sustainability could be super chic!

Event planners and industry executives from Calvin Klein, David Yurman, Etro, Prada, HBO, GQ, Warner Music Group, Radar Entertainment, Ripe Events and CBS College Sports gathered in the spacious loft to chill out to the sounds of DJ Aaron James (represented by The Kagency) and admire the beautifully dressed showcase tables.

Sustainable designer Danielle Venokur of dvGreen featured a table inspired by Moroccan fantasy including some whimsical toy mobiles (from Acorn Toy Shop) of classic fairy tales like Rapunzel and Snow White which were handmade with natural wool and wood. Place settings used recyclable coasters and place mats from Paper Table as well as seating cards and thank you bags from Pear and Peony. For the centerpiece, recycled tissue paper flowers added color to the natural birch bark and fallen branches.

Renowned floral designer, Olivier Giugni of L’Olivier Soirees and Galas, presented a “Taste of Provence,” a rustic wooden table with vintage Medici urns filled with local and organic flowers from the Union Square green market and organic fruit including melons, artfully sliced in varying degrees, which were used as table decor. Organic cotton napkins from ABC Home, non-toxic glazed china from Sur La Table and recycled glass from Anthropology were used for the table settings. Soy candles were placed in mason jars filled with organic pumpkin seeds.

Smock, a sustainable letterpress company that prints on luxe bamboo paper and Oslo Press, an innovative invitation designer who laser engraves on wood veneer, showed a wide range of eco-friendly wedding invitations.

Three dedicated bars offered guests a wide range of eco-conscious libations including the Reyka Eco-Chic Cocktail, Parducci’s award winning 2006 Chardonnay and a choice of four signature brews from Peak Organic beer. Sage Events, a green caterer dedicated to using small, local family-run farms and purveyors, served guests made-to-order San Francisco-style “paella” from their Cioppino Station as well as hors d’oeuvres including Tomato Basil & Goat Cheese Shots with a Parmesan Cup and Carolina Pulled Pork Sandwiches on a Mini Brioche. Their legendary mini Sage American chocolate cupcakes were passed for dessert.

Newcomer Van Leeuwen Artisan Ice Cream served delicious scoops of Red Current, Chocolate and Ginger into organic cones or cups made from sugar cane. The super premium ice cream brand has an old fashioned truck that can be found serving from various spots in New York and Connecticut for those looking for another sweet fix (check their web site for exact locations).

Levy Lighting created ambiance through low powered LEDs, that washed the loft in orange and pink, and reusable projected decor, including a tree and a rug. The roof deck was lit with low consumption, green fluorescent tubes and over-sized, wireless LED globes, which looked dramatic against the stunning sunset.

Sustainably-grown roses and sunflowers by Organic Bouquet were styled by L’Olivier into elegant arrangements placed around the room. An Eco-Chic signature, the gifting table was filled with hundreds of single stem Organic Bouquet roses and mini Reyka bottles with matching recipe cards for guests to take as they left. The raffle gave away 2 gift certificates for a dozen roses and sets of Pacifica soy candles to lucky winners.

For a complete list of resources used to produce our fabulous Eco-Chic Entertaining event, please email us with your name, company, title and mailing address to receive an exclusive event brochure printed on FSC certified 100% recycled paper with low VOC vegetable inks by Brooklyn printer, Rolling Press.

PHOTO CREDIT: Ron Holtz of Ron Holtz Photography

The second event in a series, A Night of Eco-Chic Entertaining presented by Notesonaparty.com celebrates the best products and services in the green marketplace and special events industry.

For more coverage, see The Deal’s Tech Confidential and party blog, Socially Superlative.

Relevant Posts: The Green Scene

More Green Entertaining, click here.

With some original ideas borrowed from one of her recent corporate bashes, Kalman shows us how to channel our inner child and have some fun, even on a budget or in the city!

Go With Brightly Colored Décor
For this party, we used hundreds of beach balls (of all sizes from 5” to 24” rounds) as our general inspiration. If you hang them in clusters, it makes a great visual and sets the “fun” tone of the event. Table clothes were rented in a rainbow of colors from orange and yellow to blue and green. Striped umbrellas were placed indoors as well as outdoors on old-fashioned picnic tables.

Use Everyday Items as Accent Pieces
Beach pails come in all sorts of sizes and colors, which can be used for flowers, drinks or ice. Beach towels can be rolled up and used as bolster pillows or laid down overlapping on the floor like a rug. Fresh citrus like oranges, lemons and limes are inexpensive and reusable decor items. Limes look chic in tall minimalist vases with single blooms.

Serve Classic Summer Favorites
Always a crowd pleaser, we served mini burgers decorated with pickles on top. If you have a larger budget, serve steamed lobsters and clams. A raw bar is a great option for a buffet. We set up rows of shot glasses filled with chilled Bloody Mary’s next to the oyster bar. Watermelon can be marinated with flavored vodka by cutting a hole in the watermelon, pouring vodka inside and letting it soak in. All you need to do is slice and serve for a cool, refreshing treat that has a kick.

Give Kids Stuff an Adult Twist
Give you guests a dose of nostalgia by bringing in items from their youth. We found these faux fireflies in mason jars that reminded us of our childhood. Surround each glowing jar with some amber votives and you have an elegant and interesting centerpiece. For something really kitsch, set up a do-it-yourself snow cone station, which can be rented from Party Rental LTD or purchased from Snowie with all of the different syrups and cones. Add a splash of alcohol for the adults!

Play Childhood Games
Part of having fun is getting your guests to goof around. Water guns, bubble blowers and even a piñata can get everyone in a playful mood and create some great photo opportunities. If you have a backyard, try a game of Bocce Ball or set up a make shift lawn in your apartment with a strip of AstroTurf from Home Depot.

Opened in 2001 by Maya Kalman, Swank Productions (231 West 29th Street, Suite 605, 212-643-3211 x111) began as a boutique wedding coordination company which, over the past eight years, has evolved into planning different types of social occasions and corporate events. Voted “Best of the Best” Event Planner NYC by the Knot Magazine in 2007, Swank Productions has clients including CBS, Bloomberg and Bride’s Magazine.

PHOTO CREDIT: Courtesy of Swank Productions

For more Lazy Hostess tips, click here.

Part of their new catering offering, the Hill Country Barbecue Trailer is a custom-made “Billy Bob Rig,” with a professional and mobile barbecue pit that serves up both food and entertainment with multiple smokers, grills and a light and sound system.

Hill Country has several event packages designed to give guests an authentic experience of the Lone Star State. Whether it’s a party for 50 or 500, guests can enjoy the restaurant’s legendary brisket, pork and beef ribs cooked and carved right in their backyard or drive-way.

The catering group can arrange decor rentals like hand made farm tables with gingham table clothes and butcher block serving counters, supply trained staff as well as book a live rock, country, or blues band (through renowned agent, Jack Grace) for any kind of event. It’s an original and fun idea for a corporate company retreat or even a laid-back rehearsal dinner.

To hire Hill Country Catering or book the Barbecue Trailer for your next event, contact Lanier Brooks at 212-255-4544 ext 13 or email lanier@hillcountryny.com.

PHOTO CREDIT: Courtesy of Hill Country

Related Post: Honky Tonk BBQ

Pick Vibrant Colors
Don’t be afraid of color! They add life to the party and change your energy. There’s so much emphasis placed on picking two or three colors and sticking with them; however, I think it’s one of those rules that was meant to be broken. Color, and lots of it, is what summer is all about. For our tea party we used organic bright pink carnations mixed with Ranunculus and accented with lime green Alyssums.

Use Vintage or Transform Everyday Items
Vintage china is a great way to reuse old items to create a unique tabletop. Esther Derkx has an original collection of cast off crockery that has been screenprinted with new images for a modern look. For placemats, we used recycled, eco-friendly drawer liners. And, we found beautiful and elegant tea tins at The Odor that were used as colorful vases. Lemons became place card holders!

Look for Eco-Friendly Tabletop Accessories
These are my favorite cream and sugar pots by LightenUp that are made with natural clay and handmade, non-toxic glazes. Cork underlays from Matteria are great options for table decor. The table cloth and napkins we used are handmade with organic cotton and locally manufactured here in LA. Look out for Green Carpet’s new sustainable line of tabletop accessories and linens coming this Fall!

Serve Small Bites and Fair Trade Tea
The premise behind an afternoon tea is to enjoy small bites of sweet and savory foods. I like to source locally produced or fair traded teas from around the world. The artisan tea cakes by Jin Patisserie, who has a charming boutique in Venice Beach, are displayed on a recycled artisan cheese board made of left-over marble.

To promote conscious consumerism, don’t forget the 4 R’s of Green Entertaining, “Reuse, redo, recycle, and rent!”

Founded by Dana Morgan, Green Carpet Event (446 Doheny Drive, Beverly Hills, 888-402-1117) is a sustainable event design and production company based in Los Angeles that specializes in weddings, birthdays, baby showers, product launches and gift suites. Notable projects include the LG House in Malibu and the Sundance Green Gifting Suite.

PHOTO CREDIT: Courtesy of Sprig, Matteria, Green with Glamour and Esther Derkx.

More Green Entertaining, click here.

Now, you can cast the wait staff of your dreams by perusing a gallery of model head shots on ModelBartenders.com, which is a service that provides trained male and female bartenders, waiters, cocktail servers, coat check attendants and street teams for both corporate and private parties.

Model Bartenders has done all kinds of events for high profile companies including Martha Stewart, Mercedes Benz and Christie’s auction house. According to founder Marc Levine, his company often works with private clients with outrageous requests. For a 50th birthday party in Connecticut, Model Bartenders had to secure a team of synchronized swimmers to perform in the pool.

Whether you are looking for one attractive and competent bartender for cocktails at your house, a bevy of shirtless men in turbans for an over-the-top theme party or a team of blond spokesmodels for your product launch, Model Bartenders can help you find the staff you need.

Pricing starts at $45/hour for basic wait staff and goes up to $200/hour for special requests with a minimum of 5 hours. The service is currently available in New York, Los Angeles, Dallas, Miami and Washington D.C.

To book Model Bartenders for your event, contact 212-499-0886 or email modelbartenders@aol.com.

PHOTO CREDIT: Courtesy of ModelBartenders.com

After a short career in broadcast journalism, Chen followed her sweet tooth and apprenticed at her favorite French pastry shop and hasn’t looked back since. Chen, who counts chocolate confections, macarons, and St. Honores (a traditional French cake) as her favorite sweets, has since honed her craft at several high profile restaurants including Jean Georges, Country, and The French Laundry.

“I like working with desserts because it gives me the satisfaction of making a person feel like a child again,” she says.

Chen has now taken her love of all things sugary and founded Sweet Chick, a company that hosts cooking parties as well as creates customized dessert tables (think chocolate bars and bon bon shops) for weddings and corporate events.

“I decided to host dessert cooking parties to share my tips and tricks,” explains Chen. “These parties are social gatherings where people can meet new people, learn something new and have fun!” Indeed, at Chen’s classes, guests will learn to prepare tasty treats like summer tarts, petit fours, and chocolate truffles, or focus on a particular skill like cake decorating. Private dessert parties, which can be held in a commercial kitchen or in one’s home kitchen, can accommodate 8 to 10 people and cost $150 per person.

In addition to creating dessert tables for special events, Chen has also garnered acclaim for her elegant, custom-designed wedding cakes. The cost of the cakes depends on style and flavor, but generally ranges from $10 to $25 per person.

For more information on Sweet Chick or to place an order for a cake or dessert table, contact Hsing Chen at hsing@sweetchicknyc.com.

PHOTO CREDIT: Courtesy of Sweet Chick

Lauren Shockey is a food writer who has contributed to publications including The New York Times Magazine, Gastronomica, Brides and ELLEgirl.

Certainly not if you have Princess Katie & Racer Steve in the house or rather, the apartment. This extremely funny, talented duo comes with a full band and plenty of music, conga lines and fun. The birthday girl or boy will hear his or her favorite Princess Katie & Racer Steve songs and help with all of their rockin’ props.

After the show, the band even signs autographs, take pictures and hands out tattoos. The best part of the show? No yawning parents or whiny children.

The cost is $2,000 for a 45 minute concert (with an hour and and a half set up). If you want to check out Princess Katie & Racer Steve beforehand, the band is live in concert for a DVD taping on July 13th at the Highline Ballroom (431 West 16th street, 212.414.5994). Visit the band’s website for tickets or call 1.800.393.4132 for more information.

Kelcey Kintner is the creator, writer and editor of the mama bird diaries, a smart, funny and always unpredictable take on motherhood.

Recently, the bar has branched out into cocktail catering, bringing their drinks to events of all sizes.

“I come from an events background and was excited to extend Death & Company into that arena in the form of cocktail catering,” says owner, David Kaplan. “For us, it is a way to bring cocktail culture beyond our venue to reach a wider audience and expose them to proper cocktails in settings that wouldn’t otherwise have them.”

This means that Death & Company has catered events as small as 20 people packed into a one bedroom apartment and as large as the St. Germain First Fridays at the Guggenheim Museum for over 2000 patrons. For such events, they have created cocktails like the Elder Fashion (Plymouth Gin, elderflower liqueur, and orange bitters) and the Fresca Brava (Herradura tequila, lemon juice, simple syrup, yellow chartreuse and strawberries).

Kaplan notes that the smaller events allow the bar to be very hands-on with its clients, explaining how the drinks are made, and even having the guests help prepare them (when sober enough!). Additionally, the bar does cocktail “training” and spirit tasting parties, helping neophyte drinkers learn the difference between Manhattans and Martinis.

Just another reason to raise your glass and say, “Cheers!”

As Death & Company customizes events for each client, pricing will vary, but usually starts at about $50 per person. For additional information regarding their Cocktail Catering, contact Alexandrea Elman at ali@deathandcompany.com or 917-575-9717.

PHOTO CREDIT: Courtesy of Death & Company

For the Cooper Hewitt Museum, how did you come up with your idea for the recycled paper topiaries?
I had just attended a fashion party that was supposedly a “green” event where a burlap tablecloth and green-hued theatrical lighting were less than convincing to me as being eco-sensitive. During the evening, a man got on stage and announced to the crowd, “The revolution starts here!” and I thought to myself, “you’ve GOT to be kidding!!”

That event’s lack of real “eco-cred” became a nagging and symbolic line drawn in the sand to me. Since parties are inherently about waste, I asked myself how event décor could be made entirely out of something that was already waste, rather than go out and buy more stuff.

I’d been fascinated by the sheer beauty of paper shreds and every office, large and small, creates so much of it. The light bulb went off in my brain: this is the perfect material to speak to the problem at large!

Green weddings are becoming more popular. How have you incorporated elements of nature indoors?
I’ve used small elements, such as a bed of grass for escort cards or making the escort cards themselves out of natural materials such as beach shells delicately painted with guests’ names. For the Sundance Institute, we installed larger thematic décor to create a sense “place” within their New York City gala event. The gorgeous landscape of Utah was brought to life conceptually where leaves on regional trees and woodland wildlife were both handcrafted from old maps of the area.

What’s your favorite new green discovery?
Umlungu is a web site that sells crafts from Africa made entirely out of things typically seen as garbage. Check out these adorable animals and flowers made from plastic bags and cans. I don’t believe that any green initiative inspires these artisans but because money and supplies are tight, these are the only materials they have access to. I adore the fact that innovation and eco-sensitivity are by accident!

For the recent DIFFA Dining by Design Table we created for Benjamin Moore, we used these amazing “flowers” made from shavings from the wood shop floor in Bali. I love that they are made from leftovers and beautiful to boot!

Did you make any resolutions for Earth Day?
Eat and cook at home more, and get take out/to go less!

David Stark Design (87 Luquer Street, Brooklyn 718-534-6777) produces and designs a wide range of events, from intimate dinner parties to elaborate weddings, museum openings, foundation and non-profit benefit galas, and large-scale corporate functions for clients including Target, Condé Nast, MOMA, and the New York City Opera.

PHOTO CREDIT: Courtesy of David Stark Events and Production

Eco-Chic Entertaining is a special series for the month of April that is dedicated to the best green vendors, products and services.