LOVE a Birthday Party!

By Pauline Parry

We love doing personal events, and it doesn't get more personal than this! When my husband turned 60 it was time to really show him how much he's appreciated. We brought together all the things he loves and even branded his event with a palm tree that was perfect for this vintage theme. This is where being a professional really comes in handy.

We held the event at Union Station in downtown Los Angeles where Good Gracious! Events is a preferred vendor. We love this location. The site is a shining example of Art Deco architecture and embellishments so we went with that. Guests were told to come dressed "cocktail fabulous" and they really embraced the chance to dress up! The event took place in the station's Harvey Restaurant where you can't go wrong with any color. We used linen in Satin Emerald Green topped with paves of white carnations in black vases to go with the era.

Dennis even wore a white tux. He looked very dashing. Love that!


Since essentially I was the client, I could cherry pick the best of the best, and even throw in a few ideas I'd been dying to try for clients but for one reason or another they weren't used, like this martini library pictured above. We've done this in several different ways but I really wanted tinted glasses to go with the green tea martini we were serving (more about that in a moment).

We had three different food stations. On this one we served fish and chips with steak fries dusted with sea salt and placed in wax paper printed to look like newspaper.


I was thrilled at how the appetizer library turned out (pictured here is Grilled Shrimp Cocktail Chimichurri). And opening different stations at different times also really helped keep the flow going. For instance, the Appetizer Library opened at 7 followed by the Salad Bar. No Carl's Jr. this! ... each salad was named after a cocktail -- Shaken Only, Not Stirred. Then we had a roving cart that offered guests racks of lamb and grilled beef tenderloin with cauliflower mash. We also had a couple other food stations to help the flow (see menu below).

And at 10:30 - 1:30 the perfect apres-club food was served -- mini doughnuts, fresh and hot, a "must have" in the world of Dennis.

Good Gracious! Events took care of all the elements of this event, including the entertainment. We had a big band as well as a singer who sang Happy Birthday in the style of Marilyn Monroe. We also projected Dennis' favorite film, Shane, on the wall behind the band. There was also an emcee who "roasted" Dennis, and as corny as it might sound, we had a Tiger Woods look-alike for photo opportunities. Yes, Dennis LOVES golf!

Of course Dennis' favorite "station" was the Single Malt Whiskey Tray. Girls dressed in the style of a twenties speakeasy passed miniature bottles between 8 - 11 to be served neat with a splash of water or lump of ice.

Although I loved the Dennitini ... a ginger green tea martini with green olive in black glasses. Come to think of it, Dennis doesn't drink green tea!

There were those present who re-named it the Pauline-atini!! My thoughts? A martini by any other name is still a martini! It's all about food, fun and love! Another great evening that we celebrated with friends and family, sharing and adding memories and so much more.

"I love Dennis," says a happy guest.
And we love birthday parties!

Photos by Marianne Lozano: Studio Lozano

MENU
(abbreviated)

TRAY PASSED

Mac & Cheese Cupcake
creamy macaroni cheddar cheese layered in cupcake form with a panko gratin crust

Shrimp Pancake
grilled shrimp seasoned with a coral spice sauce wrapped with a dollhouse sized corn pancake and tied with a chive

Red Shallot Tart Tatin
caramelized shallot with roasted red pepper served on a puff pastry shell

Shepherd's Pie Tartlet
savory chive house-made short crust pastry tartlet filled with chunks of lamb with tomato chutney topped with fluffy golden mashed potatoes

FROM THE APPETIZER LIBRARY

Oyster Shooters
baby oysters with vodka, horseradish, cocktail sauce, tabasco, lemon and chopped parsley

Grilled Shimp Chimichurri
grilled tail-on shrimp served in cosmo shot glass with chimichurri sauce

FROM THE SALAD BAR

Margarita
hearts of romaine tossed with roasted corn, toasted pumpkin seeds, frizzled tortillas in a creamy tequila lime cumin dressing

Lemon Drop
baby arugula, pine nuts, hearts of palm, and mozzarella with Lemoncello herb dressing

MAIN ENTREE
Served from a roving Cart

Rack of New Zealand Lamb
and
Beef Tenderloin Steak
both served with
creamy cauliflower mashed potatoes

FOOD STATION ONE
Fish and Chips
Smoked Fresh Salmon
Haricot Vert and Sweet Pea

FOOD STATION TWO
Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
Grilled Duck Panini
Orange Beets Tower

FOOD STATION THREE
Veal Scaloppini Cassis
served with
berry couscous flecked with chunks of zucchini and baby spinach
and
grilled forest wild mushroom skewer

FROM THE DESSERT LIBRARY

Sticky Toffee Pudding

Apple Pies

Muscat Berry Soup

Tres Leche Parfait