A Springtime Fête: Hosting My Belated Bday in Paris
Hi friends,
Everything I know about hosting I got from my mom. Everything I know about cooking, plating, and nourishing, I got from my dad.
It’s that time of year when I gather my dearest friends and host them at my place for a little springtime fete, an ode to turning another year older, wiser, and even more resilient.
Per usual, these are my birthday party traditions:
There must always be a theme.
There must always be an activity.
I always wear white.
Ever since I was a child, my mom always celebrated my twin brother and I’s birthdays with festivities and food. For my sixth birthday party, she threw me an afternoon tea party complete with handmade tea party hats decorated with faux flowers and tulle. Every party had goodie bags and paper invitations for all the girls in my class. Evites weren’t a thing.
All the good graces of hosting and decorating, I’ve learned from my mom. When it comes to food and catering, I learned everything from my dad. The rhythm of prepping, cooking, baking, and playing is an art in itself. Through trial and error, I’ve learned a few best practices when it comes to preparing a spread from scratch and it all comes down to timing:
Start with the longest and hardest dish first.
For order of cooking/baking, dishes that can be served cold can be made second. Dishes that should remain hot should be prepared after and kept in the oven to stay warm.
Finishing an hour early is key. It gives you enough time to plate, arrange the table, and change before guests arrive.
Prep the night before if you can.
The Menu:
Afternoon Tea Sandwiches: raspberry and sweetened mascarpone, egg salad with a side of olives
White asparagus with butter and olive oil
Baked Tomato and Olive Quiche
Baked Brie and Honey
Chocolate Tart with Blackberries
The Theme/Activity:
As an avid tea drinker, I asked all my friends to bring a box of their favorite teas to swap and trade. I provided little bags and tags so everyone could personalize their mini library of teas to bring home. Since I have a few different circle of friends from all different places in the world, I thought exchanging tea would be a nice way to break the ice and build community amongst my friends. From Belarus to Malaysia, tea is something that we can all share and enjoy together.
The Look:
For me, the tradition of wearing white for birthday stems from the practice of welcoming spring. I shed my dark winter coats and start to put out my collection of vintage white dresses. Also white is simply one of my favorite colors to wear.
I wore a slip dress I thrifted back in LA last year and I borrowed a cape from my dear friend, Ivana, to add a bit of drama. Since the cape was so long I only wore it for pictures, it wasn’t practical to run around in while I hosted. I tied a little piece of lace that I received as part of my birthday present from another friend, Clara, to wear as a choker.
The Décor:
For the the party itself, I knew exactly what I wanted for the overall visual. I wanted something minimalist yet romantic and a little bit modern. I found some great serving pieces from my local second-hand stores: a silver serving tray, a glass vase, and a white ceramic fruit bowl all for nine euros. Lately, I’m also loving silver bowls and I love the one that I found at Søstrene Greene.
Despite feeling a bit burnt out from the week before, I’m really glad I pushed through to host my friends. Cooking, baking, and hosting are all components of some of my deepest love languages and it brings me so much joy to be able to share it with the community of friends that I’ve built here. I simply feel so lucky to live in such a beautiful city, in my dream apartment, surrounded by strangers turned chosen family. Even though birthdays are meant to make an individual feel special, it’s so important to me to show how important those closest to me truly are. Afterall, the greatest gift in the world is time and the luxury of being in the present moment.
Until next time ~
Bisous,
Kiana