New Years 2020 Brunch Party Recap + Video

Hey Classmates,

On January 4th 2020 I hosted an intimate new years celebration at my home in New York City. The title and theme was Glitter and Glitz. The decor followed suite with a black, gold and silver color palette. My goal was to plan an event that sparkled with great energy, and shined with hope for a prosperous new year!

I purchased most of the dinnerware and decor from Five Below , Dollar Tree and Target.

I created the invitation using Paperless Post ‘s flyer feature which allows you to create a custom url for your flyer which can be sent as a text message directly to your guests. I invited about 11 guests and 6 attended.

I hand crafted a brunch menu that featured everything from baked salmon to homemade waffles and sweet potato hash.

You can view the full menu below.

No brunch is complete without bottomless mimosas! I created a Mimosa Making bar complete with an assortment of juices (orange, grapefruit, pineapple) and all the champagne you could drink.

Once the guests arrived they enjoyed food and drink and were instructed to write a work or phrase on the Resolutions wall to describe how they are going to approach 2020. Once everyone wrote a word or phrase we all shared and expounded upon what we write with the group.

I set up my ring light and took 2 polaroids with each guest. I kept one photo and the guest took one home in their favor bags which were filled with homemade hot chocolate packages and cookies!

We also played a Pop Culture Decades Trivia game where I googled movies and music from the last decade and participants had to guess the answers based on clues. Let’s just say it was a walk down memory lane!

All and all the party was a success because it was intentional, inspirational and engaging. I look forward to hosting more events in 2020 so stay tuned. Check out my YouTube channel for a full video recap of the party!.

Until next time, I leave you in love, peace and style,

Lonnie

Fave Five: December 2019

Happy New Year Classmates!

I am kicking off the year with a new series called FAVE FIVE. In this series I will be featuring five of my favorite things that I enjoyed from the previous month. I want to give you the inside scoop on what I am buying and loving! You can catch all new episodes on my YouTube channel. All product details can be found below and in the description box via YouTube. I hope you enjoy last months FAV’s! Let me know in the comments if you have tried any of these products

I leave you in love, peace and style,

Lonnie

FEATURED FAVES

Creme of Nature Argon Oil Intensive Conditioning Treatment

an intensively deep conditioning treatment that strengthens and helps prevent damage.

Creme of Nature Argon Oil Day & Night, Hair & Scalp Conditioner Hair Dress

oil-rich formula restores moisture, softens and hydrates dry hair and scalp.

Mahogany Teakwood High Intensity 3-Wick Candle

A delightful candle with scents of Rich Mahogany, Teakwood, Oak, Frosted Lavender and Essential Oils.

Ysrisny Upgrade Jade Roller for Face and Gua Sha Set Face Roller Natural Jade Stone

The facial roller & gua sha set can relax stress, boost blood circulation & lymphatic drainage, reduces puffiness & wrinkles and rejuvenate skin.

Joe Boxer Men's Plush Bathrobe

Super soft robe with shawl collar and major comfort.

BP Easton Chelsea Boot in Chestnut

Sleek almond toe boots in genuine suede, fit for casual or dressy outfits.

How to Pack Lighter When Traveling

Trying to figure out what to pack when traveling can be a time consuming and stressful process especially if you are a last minute packer like me. Many of us find ourselves overpacking and stuffing our suitcases to capacity before a trip only to arrive to our destination and realize that we have brought more than what we needed. I have learned some tips along the way that have allowed me to pack smarter, lighter and more efficiently.

Take Inventory + Plan out your looks

Before you begin packing ask yourself: "What will I be doing while on my trip?". For instance are you going to a formal event? Are you going hiking? Are you going to the pool or beach?etc. Taking inventory of your wardrobe needs ahead of time helps you to plan out each look so that you do not overpack.The next step can be a bit tedious but you want to plan out the full outfit for each day, your outfits should include shoes, clothes, and accessories. Consider the overall color scheme of all of your looks so that you can minimize the number of accessories and shoes that you bring .Give yourself at least 3 days lead time to begin the packing process. Waiting until last minute will most likely lead to frustration and over packing. Click below to download a free printable Outfit Planning Calendar.

Versatility Over Variety

Often times we over pack because we want to bring a variety of outfit options for each day. For some of us it feels more comfortable to have alternate options for each day in case we change our minds. This packing mindset leads us to pack pieces that can only be worn once or may not even be worn during your trip. I suggest that you choose versatile pieces over variety. Versatile pieces can be worn a minimum of 2 times on different days and also can be worn interchangeably and seamlessly with different outfits. For instance you can bring one pair of black jeans and style them up or down depending on your mood and dress code.

Wear the bulkiest items on travel day

Often times bulky items like boots, sweat pants, chunky sneakers and heavy jackets take up a lot of room in our suitcase or bag. Wearing these bulky \ items on the day you are traveling maximizes space . You can also layer jackets, sweaters and coats on travel day to make extra room!

Packing Hacks

How you pack is just as important as what you pack when it comes to packing light . Here are a few space saving hacks that have helped me when packing. The first is rolling clothes instead of folding. Rolling takes up less space and prevents wrinkles. Use he wasted space inside of shoes to store rolled up clothing,accessories and even toiletries.

How To Have a Relaxing Vacation

According to the dictionary, vacation is defined as a period of time spent away from home or business in travel. In my humble opinion, vacation should be a time to get away from things like work and stress so that you can reconnect and recharge. I can recall several vacations that I went on that were simply exhausting. In search for some of the possible reasons for this, I turned to research.

Tim Bono, PhD believes that “When you have a routine, there’s less mental energy that has to go towards figuring out what we have to do, It’s part of the reason why vacations can be so exhausting. You have to figure out, okay, ‘where do we park the car? Where do we get our coffee? If we want something to eat, where do we go? What are the choices for what we’re going to do today?’,”

Dr Bono’s explanation makes perfect sense. Even with pre-trip planning, the newness of a place away from home creates a lot of brain power which can tire us out. So how do we prevent this vacation burn out?

Over the past few years I have made a dramatic shift in how I approach vacation. At one time my goal was to do the most, see the most and leave nothing unturned. But now I realize that it is important for me to begin taking my self care into consideration while on vacation . Everyone vacations differently, some people prefer packed itineraries, some people prefer to explore every edge of the vcation destination No matter your style I believe that the following tips will help you take care of your self and return home more rested as opposed to more exhausted

Planning out a vacation minute by minute can really add to the anxiety of the vacation experience. Before you even book you ticket, I suggest setting an intention for your trip. Why are you going on vacation anyway? Are you going to relax? are you going to turn up? Taking vacation can become routine if we do not take a moment to think about the purpose. Setting that intention will impact how you plan , execute your vacation.

One of the exciting parts about going on vacation for me is the opportunity to create a familiar home environment in a new place. Whether I stay in an Airbnb or in a hotel I am always thinking about how the environment will assist me in feeling relaxed and comfortable.

For some, home away from home may look like a staying in a log cabin in the woods. For others a luxury hotel suite or a private villa. When booking your lodging pay attention to things like decor, furnishings, the surrounding neighborhood to make sure that you feel at home while you are away. It can also be really helpful to bring items with you on  vacation that make you feel more at home such as candles, fabric spray, magazines, books or even your favorite foods. 

Sometimes we spend so much time “doing stuff” that we don’t truly soak in the destinationThe fastest way to burn out on a vacation as far as I am concerned it to over plan. Over planning looks like booking various experiences, tours, events, tourist attractions, shopping, dining, going to see a shows etc. Running back and forth trying to make it to various activities is tiring. My suggestion is to be realistic about what you can accomplish in the time that you are on vacation and enjoy the location.

No matter how far the distance, traveling is exhausting for various reasons and nothing is more tiring than the thought of racing to a show or dinner reservations as soon as you touch down for vacation. If you are looking to feel more rested during and after vacation I highly suggest planning in a day of rest. This is a day where you do not have any planned activities. This free flow day is for you to check in with yourself and ask the question “what do I need today?” What do I want to do?”

Just like any other thing in life , on vacation we can run on auto pilot , free flow day is about doing only what you want to do and responding to your body. Some examples of free flow activities could be sleeping, eating in, taking a walk, or doing an activity. The options are endless but it must be unplanned prior to the trip and done only after you sit with yourself and discover what you need.

I love going to the spa, but depending on my budget, I cannot always afford to get a massage or facial at a luxury spa while on vacation. So instead, I bring the Spa to my hotel room. Pack travel size beauty and skin care items such as sheet masks, manicure kits, serums, face scrubs and essential oils. You can implement these items by having a spa day with yourself or taking a few minutes to throw on a mask as you meditate or set intentions.

How to Plan a Party on a Budget

I love to entertain but I will be first to admit that hosting an event is time consuming and can get expensive really quickly. Over the years I have discovered a few tricks that help to make the party planning and execution process more enjoyable.

In June I hosted a Rosé themed party. In this blog post I will be sharing some of my party planning and hosting secrets to show you how I brought my vision to life and how I saved money by doing it all myself!

Parties can get really expensive really fast! Setting a budget means determining how much money you want to spend for all of the expenses associated with the party.

Choosing a theme for your party early on in the planning process gives you a direction to go in with the food, activities and decor. If you do not already have a theme in mind you can use Pinterest for inspiration.

To better illustrate my party planning tips I will be using a recent party that I hosted as a case study. I knew that I wanted my party to celebrate the Summer season so I came up with the idea of hosting the Rosé Soiree. The idea was to create a small gathering where my guests could enjoy each others company, delicious food and various rosé varieties. This wine tasting at a vineyard.

A theme sets the overall tone and the vibe is how you manifest the theme using the 5 senses at the event.

Questions to ask as you are developing your theme:

1. How do I want my guests to feel at the event?

2. How do I want my guests to feel after they leave the event?

3. What does my theme look like?

4. What does my theme feel like?

5. What does my theme taste like?

6. What does my theme sound like?

I wanted the vibe of my party to be modern, Chic, with earthy, organic, feminine elements.

Color really sets the tone when party planning. Choosing a color scheme helps you to maintain a cohesive aesthetic for every item related to the event. Having color references makes shopping and planning a breeze because you are not left wondering what colors to choose for utensils, plates balloons etc.

I drew color inspiration from the pink color of rosé wine and the metallic elements

COLOR SCHEME

Soft Pink • Rose Gold • Champagne • Metallic Gold

COOLORS.COM has an amazing color scheme selection tool if you need to explore color scheme options.

How your guests find out about your event is very important. Invitations are their first impression of what to expect at the event and 1st impressions are the only impressions in my book. I always assure that my invitation embodies the essence of the event itself. Everything from the colors you use to the words you use matter. Nowadays most people are using web based digital invites because they save money , time and the planet! Most people throw away paper invitations anyway!

I created my invitation using Paperless Post. This online invite building site offers hundreds of free templates and their “flyer” option allows you to send your guests a url that links directly to your invitation and the best part is that they can RSVP without creating an account.

I believe that food and drink really make a party memorable. My number one tip when formulating a menu is to choose a cuisine. This will make choosing your menu items much easier because you are working within a limited cuisine category. For instance if you choose American Comfort Food, you can now work within that category to find menu items.

For the Rosé Soiree I choose a Mediterranean Small plates themed menu. An image of the menu is below. I made everything with the exception of the pita, hummus and falafel.

MEDITERRANEAN GRAZING PLATTER

Assorted Vegetables, Falaffel, Pita,

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus, Tzatziki

KABOBS

Shrimp / Chicken / Vegetable

ISRALI COUSCOUS SALAD

Pearled CousCous, Tomato,

Cucumber, Lemon Dressing

GREEK SALAD

Romaine, Spring Greens, Kalamata Olives, Red Onion, Grape Tomato, Feta, Greek Vinaigrette

STRAWBERRY LEMONADE CUPCAKES

Select Recipes From The Rose Sioree Menu

- Veggie Party Platter

- Chicken Skewers

I wanted to keep the decor minimal for my party, simple and casual. I turned to amazon where I found this paper pennant and paper tassel set they were under $10. They were both pretty easy to put together but the tassels were more time consuming because you had to construct each one individually.

The Menu

I designed the menu using Canva.com. I printed it out on eggshell paper and attached it to a clip board for a casual vibe. I embellished the clipboard by making a bow out of the handle of a brown shopping bag. Once I formed the bow I attached it with a bit of hot glue.

DIY Tools to always have on hand

• Scissors

• Hot Glue Gun

• Ruler

• Level

• Tape

• Sharpie Markers

• Thumb Tacks

• Pens/Pencils

• Exacto Knife

• Paper Clips

How I Celebrated Pride: The Garden Party

HAPPY PRIDE! Last month I had the pleasure of attending the GARDEN PARTY hosted by The Center. According to their website “The Center fosters a welcoming environment where everyone is celebrated for who they are. We offer the LGBTQ communities of NYC advocacy, health and wellness programs; arts, entertainment and cultural events; recovery, parenthood and family support services”

The Garden Party took place at Pier 97 at Hudson River Park. Each year The Center brings together local chefs, restaurants ,businesses, performers and sponsoring organizations . Proceeds from Garden Party support The Center’s life-changing and life-saving programs and services and keep their doors open 365 days a year.

The Garden Party was the first formal event I went to in order to kick off world pride 2019 therefore I was excited to attend. When I arrived to the location, there was a long entry line that moved pretty fast and was quite pleasant to be in because all of the attendees that I met were kind and nice to talk to. Once I got into the event which is held outside under various tents and pavilions, I began to sample all of the delicious food and drinks sponsored by Simrnoff. Ya’ll know I live for an open bar situation. or should I say LITUATION?

There were a variety of food vendors present from simple to extravagantly gourmet. My all time favorite dishes was the Mexican Corn and the Polenta dish. (See Pictures below). That Mexican cordn ws so damn good! I have plans to try and recreate the recipe at home! it was good GOOD. I went back for seconds!

During the event here was music, performers and a beautiful view of the water which was a nice backdrop. Shout out to THE CENTER for creating spaces and resources for the LGBTQ+ community all year round! I had a blast and I would highly suggest that you consider going to the garden party next year. Learn more about the Garden Party here.

Until next time.

I leave you in love, peace and style.

Lonnie