Sunday, June 21, 2009

Partying old-style: How to amaze your guests with a vintage shindig

Ghost ladies mysteriously turned the photo black and white.

Anyone who would like to put on a raging theme party would do well to consult L.A. Conservancy mainstay and associate editor of Los Angeles Magazine Chris Nichols, who each year takes his birthday party one step farther into fabulousness. This year's 1880s Kentucky Derby theme at Glendale's historic Ard Eevin House was fastidiously carried out, down to eliminating all plastic and disposable partyware in favor of inexpensive glassware and cloth napkins. Chris's friends are the type who can actually lay their hands on a hoop skirt when needed, although the costumes this year were somewhat more challenging to assemble than last year's 1940 train theme.
Period-style refreshments included a traditional buffet spread including Southern ham, Kentucky sauce and fried chicken in the period dining room, mint juleps on the front porch, and delicious hand-cranked fresh peach-bourbon and vanilla custard ice cream in the backyard (left).
The setting was already impressive, but when the steampunk ghostbusters (above right), a pair of glowing hoop-skirted ghosts and a team of horses and period buggy arrived, we were all blown away. Now that is how to put on a birthday party. Happy birthday Chris!
Here's some more photos on my Flickr page.

2 comments:

Ellen Bloom said...

I couldn't have described the events of this fantastic party better! Always nice seeing you about town, Ms. Pat!

H. C. said...

wow, that looks nothing short of amazing! Though I wouldn't expect anything less from a Chris Nichols production -- he's an awesome reservoir of LA-related information and esoterica!