Parties Archives - Modern Pineapple

October 5, 2015

Nailed It

October! You are here and I’m grateful. This month brings much excitement (Paris! Frieze! Supper club!) it’s leaving me exhilarated. Not to mention, it finally means I’m switching into reds for nails and am just tickled to see the color returning to my fingertips.

Nails are such a personal reflection on your style, non? In my more neo-traditionalist ways, I follow trends while staying true to my more classic tastes. You won’t find blue on these fingers again — I made that mistake years ago, wearing a bright aqua (anyone remember Essie’s Turquoise and Caicos?? It was SO COOL back then) to my brother’s graduation from college. Naturally, I chose a monumental family occasion. I wound up hating it – with photo evidence – and my mother was horrified. I think about it every time I think about purchasing the latest too vibrant hue and it stays on the shelf.

My toes remain a consistent red throughout the year, though the shades may vary. For my hands, I gravitate towards darks in the winter, a neutral palette in the spring, and summer I go au naturale, keeping them shiny and buffed (they need to breathe! give them the summer off). But this — this is my favorite time. Everyone is back from chasing the summer sun and you can paint your nails (and the town!) red. A devout NARS supporter, I tend to go for Jungle Red, Torre del Oro or Chinatown, shown above. Jin Soon also makes a gorgeous version called Coquette, and at holiday time, I love Butter London’s vibrant Come to Bed Red (and the name! cheeky).

Now how to make the most of your mani? Buy your own bottles for easy touch ups at home. Keyboards make it terribly challenging to make the manicure last these days and ask for three coats at the salon. Yes, three! I read it somewhere a few years ago and thought it was just brilliant. Be patient. That extra coat seals the deal, and with your own polish you won’t need to worry about any dilution in the paint itself. And did you know that it actually takes 12 hours for your nails to set? Then you should run your fingers under cool water as the last coat of armor. I usually go to the salon in the afternoons, so when I wake up the next morning it’s one of the first things I do. There you have it!

Ps – I’m utterly addicted to Cherry Bombe and have been pouring over the pages since picking up this issue at McNally Jackson last month in New York. I’ve loved Christina Tosi since the start of cereal milk ice cream at Momofuku, and as you may suspect, the mag supports strong, real women. This edition is all about pet projects, and chasing that side hustle really does make you feel more fulfilled (and reading the stories have reinvigorated me with mine). x

August 21, 2015

Nice is Nice

This summer we have been living from high to high, with an uncanny number of celebrations and visitors (and vacations, which are celebrations all in themselves – a perk of living in Europe that my work holiday count more than doubled). We even spent two weeks back in the States visiting family, friends and New York — we missed you so!

Last month was our first wedding anniversary. We took a three day weekend to the French Riviera, drinking in the scenery over crisp white wine, bathing on the sunny, rocky beaches and taking wonderful long walks in the hot summer sun. It felt like we grew up just a little more that weekend, realizing we were leaving our excited newlywed phase with so many milestones and entering into our calmer, lifelong partnership.

If Nice hasn’t been on your list of places to visit, it’s one to add. Stay at Hotel Le Negresco — we did and loved everything about the art deco style and close proximity to the beach — and book a fancy dinner one night at their restaurant Le Chantecler. With two Michelin stars, you need to go hungry, drink champagne and prepare for a four-hour leisurely multi-course dinner which will give you enough time to talk about all the work seen at the Matisse and Chagall museums.

Just before our anniversary dinner, wearing the sash from my wedding gown x

Work up an appetite the next day with a morning sail around the Bay of Angels and pick up lunch at the market (the best time to go is late morning on Saturdays!) for the ripest peaches, fresh sandwiches and just-off-the-griddle socca. My mouth is watering right now just thinking about it! Eat it picnic style at the beach, and spend the rest of the day taking in the glamorous families and young children running around in water shoes to not cut their feet on the rocks. Other recommendations: dinner at JAN, hiking the coastline, and strolling along the promenade.

First delicious bites of socca at the market!

We ended the weekend back home on Palace Gardens Terrace, breaking out the top tier of our wedding cake from the freezer (for a buttercream cake, unwrap completely and set it on the counter for three hours as it defrosts – it will be ready to eat and absolutely delicious) and dancing barefoot in our living room to James Taylor. We read love letters from each other, and may have cried a little (okay, just me because my husband’s a doll). We talked through our year, where we were just twelve short months ago and how it feels like time has just flown. Aside from the letters, our gift to ourselves was new personalized stationery, which I’m dying to use! x

Just three rosebuds managed to be living following our weekend away, the perfect number to add to the top of the cake.

April 20, 2015

The Receiving Line

These days, there are a multitude of ways to get married. Whether you’re in city hall, a cathedral or with the sand between your toes, all you truly need are two people committing to each other for a lifetime. Hopefully, if you choose, you are doing so surrounded by your loved ones to celebrate this sacred life-changing event. If you are so lucky to be amongst your nearest and dearest, it is essential to spend time with each guest. (Your great aunt may have flown for miles to see her only niece be married, and would be crushed if you didn’t greet her with the utmost respect and gratitude for making the trip to your special day.)

It can be done in a variety of ways – greeting guests following the ceremony, going from table to table at your reception during dinner (a popular choice these days), or my personal favorite: the receiving line. After seeing it done so smoothly at a wedding we attended just prior to ours (beautiful Allana and Evan!), we decided a modern receiving line was a must. Held just before dinner towards the end of cocktail hour, we lined up to greet each guest as they moved from the clubhouse to the outdoor verandah for dinner and dancing.

The line included Ben’s parents, my parents, and then us just before guests walked outside. (It used to be the entire bridal party lined up to greet each guest — how tiring! Let your guys and gals have a drink after taking many photos with you and your beau after the ceremony. Ask your parents to do the honors with you, especially if you’re hosting more of a family fête.) The beauty of the receiving line is it can be set up anywhere — when your guests see you lining up, they’ll quickly see to follow suit, and some of your elder guests will remember the days when this was the norm.

It created the perfect platform to hug each guest, graciously thank them for attending and promise a dance together later that night. It alleviated any worries of missing someone and we were able to give our undivided attention, even just for a few moments which is hard to come by on wedding day, to each person. Word to the wise: plan out your time based on the number of guests. It’s so easy to get caught up, so give a hug, a kiss on the cheek and some quick words to follow up if you can later in the night.

Above: a photo of us from our receiving line on our wedding day x

March 24, 2015

Top Mood Lighting Tips

There is something so special about candles. I love the way they instantly elevate any moment, whether it’s a single pillar candle on the coffee table, or dazzling candelabras in the dining room. I’m personally a huge tea light fan and advocate. They’re small with big impact, versatile to go in any room of your house for hosting and gorgeous used in a variety of ways. Here are my top tips for setting the mood with tea lights for your upcoming soiree:

1. Buy in bulk. Tea lights aren’t very expensive, and often can come in packs of 50-100 so you don’t need to replace a bag often. We go through them quickly in our house {we light them every night with dinner — really, every night} so it’s nice to have so many easily accessible. There are so many options and colors. Scope out Amazon to have them delivered right to your door. Be sure to buy tea light holders as well. Mine are glass picked up from our local everything store, Tyler’s at Notting Hill Gate, but you can buy them just about everywhere!

2. Start fresh. It’s important to use new candles for every event to ensure they will flame for several hours {you don’t want them burning out halfway through your party!}. If you are expecting an epic long night, just plan to have extra tea lights on hand to replace them. I usually keep a few strategically stacked in a drawer in each room where candles are lit {read: everywhere}.

3. Invest in proper candle tools. This means a long lighter, instead of striking matches which can fly out of your hand and onto your tablecloth {guilty}, and a snuffer to safely extinguish the flame so you don’t blow hot wax onto your dining room table {doubly guilty}. Our snuffer was a gift from my mother-in-law, who had heard the tales. {I also like this one.} As you can see, I’ve learned from experience. These tools are worth it — spend the money for your safety and sanity.

4. Light candles on a tray. This is my favorite trick! I’ve found it’s easier to light all the candles on a tray {mine is Mariposa, similar here} and spread them about just before guests arrive, instead of going from room to room hunting for candles. Just remember to be super careful walking, and don’t carry too many at once.

5. Set in groups. Tea lights can be used in any variety of ways, but I personally love having at least 3-5 lights in any given space to have a beautiful effect {and it can still be a dazzling table sans flowers — economical too!}. It’s best to stick with the old decorating trick of odd numbers, so keep that in mind during your set up.

6. Use unscented candles. The last thing you want is for an overpowering tea light to take over the delicious hors d’oeuvres or dinner you’re serving. The only place I’d suggest it’s okay {and appreciated} to have a scented candle is the guest bathroom.

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