Issue link: http://papercitymagazine.uberflip.com/i/745587
A rchitect Chip Fucik and builder Schacht McCollum had designed and built Oren's home for just such occasions — casual entertaining. The back patio with white- painted brick exterior, black-framed windows, and herringbone paver flooring echoed Jo Malone's palette of black and cream stripes. Striped gray- and-white curtains finished the backdrop for a black- and-white Jo Malone-themed evening. Oren's Old English sheepdog's gray-and-white coat was even on theme. Cocktails and hors d'oeuvres were served indoors at 7 pm, and at 8 pm, as the evening cooled and a breeze took hold, guests strolled outside for dinner, which led to surprise number one: a hall filled with helium balloons in punchy black-and-white with dangling black grosgrain ribbons for guests to grab. The striped curtains were pulled back for surprise number two: two long poolside tables set for 32, with black Chiavari chairs contrasting with crisp white tablecloths and hot-pink linen napkins. Low and tight arrangements of alternating white hydrangea and white dahlia in black glass vessels ran the length of the tables, laced with simple white votives. At each place waited an impeccably wrapped party favor: a Jo Malone candle and gift certificate to the boutique's Tasting Bar, where customers customize fragrances. Swift + Company served a late summer menu ideal for an en plein air evening: English pea, tomato cognac, and roasted cauliflower soup trio with cheddar chive biscuits and whipped strawberry butter to start, followed by seared sea bass with pink peppercorns and grapefruit beurre blanc paired with haricots verts, Brussels sprouts, and snap peas tossed with spinach basil pesto, finished with English sticky toffee pudding. At the end of the evening, a number of balloons took off into the night, as did the happy guests, including Jo Malone's Tara Connaughton and Katie Morrell, in from NY; Becca Cason Thrash, Courtney Hopson, Neal Hamil, Lindley Arnoldy, Gregory Fourticq Jr., Sara Dodd, Elizabeth Petersen, Haydeh Davoudi, Marita Fairbanks, Erin Florescu, and Luvi Wheelock. A DIFFERENT STRIPE 100 (continued from page 98) Cocktails and hors d'oeuvres were served indoors to begin the evening Monica Bickers, Neal Hamil, Luvi Wheelock Ursaline Hamilton A few balloons took off into the night at evening's end The alfresco dinner scene Marita Fairbanks Host Lisa Oren, Sara Dodd Elizabeth Petersen, Katie Brass