Thank you, Mom.

Give me an excuse to throw a party and I’m all over it - so with Valentine’s Day approaching, I wanted to do something special for my girlfriends, and what better way to show my appreation for their support than by hosting a pre-Valentines Day party at my showroom? Yes, it was for ladies only, although few guy friends tried to finagle an invite…without any success.  Sorry boys, maybe next time.

It’s amazing how quickly we can transform our work space, which is usually filled with fabric, patterns, buttons, and beads, into a romantic setting.  With the help of my team, we dressed our mannequins in red, dimmed the lights, and put tons of scented candles everywhere, along with out signature yellow flowers.  The air filled with perfumes and, with a Cielo CD playing the background, in few short hours our showroom went from a designer’s workshop to a romantic and inviting hangout. Of course, even if a party is girls-only, creating an atmosphere that touches all your senses is the key to your guests having a great time.

What to serve was the big question for me…mind you, we don’t have a full kitchen in the showroom, so what to serve always presents a bit of a challenge. But I made it work.  Drinks are always easy to take care of, as I do have a fully stocked wine bar in our showroom – an antique Horchow mirrored wine cabinet, my favorite piece of furniture.  My buyers and guests always comment on how I don’t have a water cooler, yet I do have a fully stocked wine bar…what can I say, I have my priorities straight!  J  

But, for my pre-Valentine’s Day Party, I opted to serve only champagne, which is more feminine and refreshing, don’t you think?

The main table was covered with gourmet delights, such as Zebar’s famous foie gras served on sesame seed crackers and a fresh French baguette cut into perfect, bite-size pieces.  I ordered a selection of cheeses from Citarella downtown….Israeli feta, something to die for.  For those who liked a hint of spice, there was a bowl of red pepper and cheese spread that you needed to hover over and have few helpings of in order to figure out it’s ingredients.  And, of course, there were the ever-faithful sushi rolls.  All the hors d’oeuvres were garnished with fresh fruit and vegetables. However, even in company of these heavenly delights, one dish stole the show: Shami (sp?) kebabs, served with yogurt mint sauce, made by yours truly the night before. The platter was cleared as soon as it was served, and all the ladies wanted to know what was in these mouth-watering creations. Well, it’s my mother’s old recipe, which was way too complicated to explain over cocktails. 

Aside from being very tasty, the kebabs prove a point: the exotic always stands out in a crowded room (and even on a crowded dinner table). So, my unsolicited advice to you, regardless of what endeavor you take on, is to always bring a bit of yourself to the table – in other words, something unique and different from the norm, because that is what will attract people to you and your business.  For my pre-Valentine Party, it was my mother’s recipe.  Thank you, Mom. 

Aysha