Halloween Party: Ghostbusters

We can't wait for the new Ghostbusters movie, especially since it will feature some of our favorite funny ladies. With Halloween just around the corner, why not throw a Ghostbusters-themed party? Silly string can stand in for proton packs, see if you can nab yourself a ghost...

clockwise from top left: skeleton dog, patch, silly string, Vigo portrait, LED ghost balloon,

ghostbusters sweatshirt, slimer wall decor, mylar ghost balloon, ghost trap, stay puft marshmallow man

Winter Wonderland Holiday Party

We love having our friends over for dinner during the holidays. It gives us a chance 

to relax over food and wine and good conversation. We recently hosted a winter 

wonderland-themed party, and it was a great way to get into the holiday spirit.

Our small flocked Christmas tree set the tone with its snowy branches, from Little Hills Tree Farm.

 We went for an easy appetizer of crackers, cheese and an orange cranberry mostarda.

 Guests were welcomed with a mug of Mulled Wine. As a bonus, it also made the house smell amazing.

The dining table, set and ready. Branches of seeded eucalyptus made a simple centerpiece. Dinner was French Onion Soup, a baguette and a pear and blue cheese salad. Easy to make ahead and put in the oven when guests arrived.

 Letter ornaments served as name cards, and also a party favor to take home.

 For dessert: a gingerbread spice bundt cake.

Clockwise from top left: tablecloth, seeded eucalyptus, pitcher,  flatware, bundt pan, candles, candlesticks, 

wine goblets, mulled wine syrup, plates, glasses, christmas crackers, letter ornaments, napkins

Crazy About: Thanksgiving Decor

Clockwise from top left: wine glass, tumbler, pumpkin, pitcher, rosemary napkin ring, tablecloth, birch pillar candles, 

farm to table serveware, champagne bucket, dessert plate, dinner plate, napkin

Halloween Party: Outer Space

Growing up we loved watching outer space invasion movies like Alien, Mars Attacks, Independence Day, Invasion of the Body Snatchers and the Twilight Zone. 

With Alfonso Cuarón's Gravity last year and Christopher Nolan's upcoming Interstellar, we thought it would be the perfect time to throw a Outer Space themed Halloween party. Choosing a Halloween costume always requires a lot of thought, but if you set a theme it makes it easier for guests, should they choose to partake. Whether you lean towards creepy or camp is up to you.

Clockwise from top left: balloons, bone bowl, alien sculpture, spaceship lamp,

sisters of the black moon ether essential oil,astronaut costume, beer kookie,

floor mat, star projector, space laser mug, astronaut helmet, marble serve board,

indigo bowl, alien hands, pop rocks, cheese knives

twilight zone image from here

True Blood Finale Party

We are huge True Blood fans and will be sad to say farewell to the HBO series this Sunday, as the seventh and final season comes to an end.  It will definitely be toughest to let go of our favorite character, Eric Northman, but hopefully a little finale party - including a few True Blood themed cocktails and some Southern fried chicken - will help ease the pain. 

Arlene's Bon Temps Bloody Mary Recipe

from the True Blood Cookbook

Ingredients:

6 ounces tomato juice

1.5 ounces vodka

1 tsp fresh lime juice

.5 tsp Worcestershire Sauce

Salt

Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Cayenne Pepper

Cracked Ice

Pickled Green Beans or Pickled Okra - for garnish

Combine the tomato juice, vodka, lime juice, and Worcestershire in a cocktail shaker.  Season with salt, black pepper, and cayenne.  Stir.  Fill a highball glass with ice and pour the drink over the ice.  Garnish with the beans or okra.  Serve immediately.

Makes 1 drink

Sookie's What a Fried Chicken Recipe
 from the True Blood Cookbook

Ingredients:
1.5 cups of all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Lard or vegetable oil… for deep frying
Two 3-3.5 pound broiler-fryer chickens cut into serving pieces

Combine the flour, salt, paprika, black pepper, and cayenne in a large plastic or paper bag.
Shake to mix.
Heat about 2 inches of lard until it registers 360 degrees farenheit on a deep-fry thermometer in a large, heavy pot. Put four chicken pieces in the bag, and shake well. Add the chicken to the hot fat and deep-fry until golden brown and cooked through, 12 to 15 minutes.
Drain the chicken on paper towels.
Repeat the process with the remaining chicken.
Serve hot or warm.

Serves 4-6

And for decor:

Clockwise from top left: sweatshirt, (fairy) light, white sage, viking helmet, 

red crepe paper, cook book, beer glass, voodoo dolls, card game, confederate cap,

fangs balloon, shot glass, bon temps tee, werepanther pillow

Fourth of July BBQ

Happy Fourth of July! We hope you are enjoying this gorgeous summer day outdoors. 

Clockwise from top left: lit umbrella, bunting, sparklers, bench, plates, flag blanket,
smoker/rotisserie, horseshoes, ice cream maker, BBQ tool set, mason jar mug

Wedding Menu: Fisherman's Wharf Seafood Feast

Inspired by the Italian Christmas Eve Feast of the Seven Fishes, this menu showcases the incredible array of fresh seafood available in Northern California.

Passed hors d'oeuvres & Champagne

 Fresh Tomales Bay Oysters with Hog Wash & Mignonette

Roasted Fingerling Potato & Caviar Canapes

Mackerel & White Bean Bruschetta 

Appetizer

Swan Oyster Depot's Crab Louie

Soup

Cups of San Francisco Style Cioppino

Entree

Grilled Whole Snapper

Orzo Risotto

Roasted Baby Leeks

Salad

Escarole Salad with Anchovy Dressing

Dessert

Chocolate Pots de Creme

Wedding Cake

Movie-themed Oscar Parties

We've been looking forward to the Academy Awards for weeks, and can't wait to catch the show tonight. 

Here are all of Movie-themed Oscar parties, how will you be celebrating tonight?

American Hustle

Gravity

Her

The Wolf of Wall Street

Oscar Party - American Hustle

Our final Oscar Party is for American Hustle. Play up the glitz and glamour of the disco era with metallics and textures like leather and snakeskin. Encourage guests to dress as their favorite character (see our fashion inspiration here) and have tools on hand (beard oil, curlers) to further aid their transformations.

Clockwise from top left: curlers, beard oil, snakeskin mirror, disco ball, paramount dinnerware, leather placemat,

silver glasses, chevron straws, fur throw, flag art, jeweled flask, raindrops wall art, shell dish, horseshoe

Oscar Party: The Wolf of Wall Street

The Wolf of Wall Street is our next Oscar party theme. Leonardo diCaprio's portrayal of an over the top party boy stockbroker was very fun to watch. Because the movie was so much about excess, there's no such thing as taking the decor too far.

Clockwise from top left: tiered stand, drunk coasters, green tissue garland, gold dinnerware, french press,

quaaludes canister, dollar sign, shirt cup, striped straws, money bottle stopper, key chain

Oscar Party: Gravity

Next up in our Academy Awards countdown is a Gravity-themed Oscar party. 

Alfonso Cuarón's movie made incredible use of 3D technology to give the viewer 

a taste of what space is like.

Clockwise from top left: silver balloon letters, celestial napkins, astronaut ice cream, gold rimmed plates,

square bowl, poster, star straws, black tissue garland, earth tapestry, cloud tablecloth

Oscar Party: Her

The countdown to the Oscars is on! We've picked a few of our favorite best picture nominees and put together themed parties that we'll be sharing with you over the next few weeks. This was an especially strong year for film, so we haven't decided on who we think should win the big awards yet, but Her was very well done, both from a storyline perspective as well as visually.

Clockwise from top left: eyeglass bottle opener, heart straws, LCD monitor, mustache bandaids, heart bowls, earbuds,

champagne glasses, love tray, napkins, iphone case, speaker, Los Angeles card, tissue garland

Happy 40th, Kate!

We can't believe one of our favorite style icons is 40 today! We hear Kate recorded a song with her husband Jamie Hince, and is celebrating with a Marie Antoinette themed bash. Here are some of our favorite past birthday looks of hers.

Kate's 25th hosted by Versace

The morning after - in a room at the Ritz shot by Juergen Teller

30th birthday - The Beautiful & the Damned themed party

Turning 33

Turning 34 in Chanel

Turning 38 with Jamie

Posing for Playboy's 60th anniversary

Crazy About: Halloween Decor

Clockwise from top left: web canopy, picture, rat, fog machine, skeleton, spiderweb, tombstone,

insects, bat, crystal ball, giant spiders, vintage lion skull, pillow, candle

Summer Solstice Party

Clockwise from top left: tent, string lights, bottle holder, lantern, bench, food cover,

 patterned plate, solid plate, champagne glass, brass mug, tart server