Childhood slumber parties were pure magic. It was the freedom of being together after the adult world had fallen asleep. It was in the thrill of the ghost stories, the unchecked amount of sugar in our candy stashes. Growing up doesn’t mean that slumber parties should be a thing of the past. In fact, we need them more than ever! Between our careers and growing families, there’s an ever-increasing need for quality time with friends and pampering.
Whatever sense of wonder that’s missing from adult sleepovers, we make up for in luxury! Forget sleeping bags on the floor. We loaded down our sofa bed with linens and pillows.
Instead of frozen pizza, we opted for pan-seared sesame salmon, homemade pesto on spaghetti squash and new potatoes, and a summer salad with peaches and feta.
Our movie popcorn was dusted with truffle salt we brought home from an unforgettable trip to Monaco.
We had fun doing a 60s-style slumber party photoshoot – pure camp!
We watched movies, then capped it off doing what girls do best at slumber parties. We talked! Until the wee hours of the morning, we dished about boys, our careers, movie stars, and everything in between. Even if the giggles were fueled by my spiked watermelon & mint slushies, we still laughed all night. Just like old times.
Growing up outside of Washington D.C., I’d pass the mysterious iron gates guarding Dumbarton Oaks, but the ornate black and gold facade hadn’t yet piqued my curiosity.
Then, like many people around the world, I became fascinated by the Kennedy family and discovered that Jackie O. and many other Washington socialites liked to relax at Dumbarton Oaks. Just a few blocks north of bustling Georgetown, it features 53 acres of serenity and was but walking distance from the Georgetown home Jackie moved into after JFK’s assassination, pictured below:
The home was purchased in 1920 by Milded and Robert Bliss, and found the grounds rather neglected. They hired progressive landscape gardener Beatrix Farrand to design the various terraces, gardens and more.
I spent a summer day alone on the grounds, exploring and taking note of inspiring techniques which I will use on my own property. Every home needs a cutting garden as does mine. But this estate goes far beyond flowers. I’ve since installed fruit-bearing trees, a grapevine, ornamental trees and am on the hunt for a spooky, romantic weeping willow.
Dumbarton Oaks was a place that provided much solace for a grieving Jackie O., and it most certainly gifted me with an exhilarating Sunday, free from the stress of daily life. It’s a must-see for all nature-lovers, gardeners and would-be Bunny Mellons!
Blarney Castle in County Cork, where you can kiss the Blarney stone and magically receive the “gift of gab”
Whenever I think of Ireland, I think of road trips through the rolling countryside that come to a halt when a flock of sheep decide to congregate in the road. I wanted that classic film moment to happen to me; it’s so romantic. The closest we got was a confused goat crossing the street in a village.
Hearty Irish breakfasts awaited us at every bed & breakfast, complete with blood sausage and all the tea you can drink.
The people in Ireland are so kind, I was suspicious of them at first. They’re always smiling and going out of their way to make your day better, even if you never asked them to. One night Robert and I stood on a bridge in Limerick, admiring the hundreds of wild swans that gathered on the water. In the U.S., parks will buy two or three swans for show in a man-made pond and call it a day. In Ireland there were swarms of them. It was late evening as we huddled on the bridge, when a man started walking toward us. We tensed up and wondered what he wanted from us. When he got closer, we saw that he was smiling broadly. He saw that we loved the swans and advised us on where to go during the day to feed them stale bread.
Another time, a parking lot attendant let us exit without paying in full, due to some confusion I can’t recall. Before we pulled away, he smiled at us and said, “I always wanted to go to America to see those tornadoes, and be a storm-chaser!”
Killarney, my favorite village and yes, Bing Crosby’s “Christmas in Killarney” played on a loop in my head
Ireland was full of charming villages, ancient ruins on the side of the road for people to explore, neon shades of Kelly green, and hearty Irish breakfasts that called for blood sausage. They changed the name to “black sausage” to make it more appealing to foreigners, I believe.
The many pubs we visited were dark and comforting, with hand-crafted mahogany bars and booths.
We’ll be coming back.
At Newgrange, an eye-opening Neolithic site just outside of DublinOh, just your average unmarked ancient ruinFish and chips – Ireland knows that the best fries are steak fries!Wearing my locally made Aran wool sweater for this chilly night…in July!All of the bed and breakfasts in Ireland had ticking grandfather clocks, good family china and dogs curled up in chairs.King John’s castle in LimerickExploring an abandoned church in Adare VillageThe breathtaking west coast of Ireland mimics the beauty of California’s Big Sur – a great, seaside drive over winding cliffsIreland needn’t advertise their beef as grass-fed. Their response? “But of course they are!”Slane Village in County Meath
A sweet chalkboard message and carport strung with white curains serves as a warm welcome.
Attorneys Marcus Lange and Zawadi Brown were already engaged, but when a San Francisco law firm offered Marcus a dream job, he and his fiancée decided to start this new venture as man and wife.
the happy couple
We had two weeks to pull off one of the happiest days of their lives, and it was a success!
Sans Fancy Venue!
Everyone knows that a wedding date is at the mercy of the wedding venue. Since official venues were out, we chose our backyard! Since it’s the East Coast, we got a spacious white tent in case of rain.
Sans Caterers!
Instead of locking down official caterers, the couple cherry-picked their favorite foods, and dishes that highlighted their heritage. The groom is German, which meant schnitzel and sauerkraut potato balls. The bride is from Trinidad with a Rastafarian and vegetarian family, which meant a mix of vegetable patties, jerk chicken and plantains. They also offered one of their favorite dishes: mutton biryani from India. Guests are still raving about the All-Around-the-World menu!
Sans Bakery Cake!
Instead of trying to score a last-minute wedding cake from a bakery, they called on food artist Carol Brown, known for her impeccable baking at Dixie Donuts and beyond. She outdid herself, with a homemade red velvet cake, chocolate brownies and a classic pound cake. For good measure, Marcus and Zawadi provided chocolate-covered strawberries as well.
Sans Decorators!
Rather than hiring a decorator, Zawadi and friends, (including myself) created hand-made decorations in various shades of purple, the wedding color. Silver was the accent color. Billowy tissue paper balls were strung about, wisteria hung from the railings and the ceremony took place under a tree that was positively dripping with colored ribbons and strands of crystals. When the wind blew, it was ethereal.
Sans Florist!
The couple skipped major florist fees by marrying outdoors, as our yard has a peach tree, fig free, Concord grape vines, a weeping cherry, daisies, hydrangea bushes and more. In fact, every flower from the purple hydrangea was snipped and placed on every table. Adding to the rustic theme were mason jars filled with sand and lit candles, lanterns hung from the trees and burlap runners featured ladylike polka dots.
The ceremony was short, sweet and personalized with the couple’s own vows.
Sans Bartender!
Rather than hiring a bartender, the couple offered a conveniently pre-mixed signature drink, the Trinimeister. Combining both their heritages, it was a mix of Jaegermeister, coconut rum, pineapple juice and Sprite, which fit right in with the summer day. Beer and wine were also available, though as the party went on, more and more bottles of liquor filled the bar.
Who needs a wedding planner when you have friends?
It was a day with zero humidity, sunshine and a cool breeze. It may well have been the prettiest day of summer. Mr. and Mrs. Lange were surrounded by love, with friends and family who all rallied together to make this day unforgettable.
Bree Hall (pictured right) was a force during the wedding planning.
We wish Mr. and Mrs. Lange the best of luck with their new adventure in San Francisco!
Hydrangeas popped on every table, and wedding toasts made guests laugh and cry.Silver accents complimented the purple and white decor.
Gift bags were filled with homemade air freshener spray (created by the bride’s brother) and German beer.The couple’s friend Mark is also a taleted musician, who performed a warm, personal tribute.happy to open our home
I had friends coming to dinner with their three boys in tow. As a kid, it can be a bore being dragged to adult dinner parties. So I took a cue from the Nora Ephron playbook and decided we would play with our food. I created a Build Your Own Taco Bar!
It was a weeknight, so the dinner needn’t be fussy. The mother and children are vegetarian, so I served alternative proteins and and kicked the veggies up a notch with chipotle-spiced eggplant and Southwestern-style summer squash. I laid all the toppings out, and we had a great time building unique tacos – no two were the same!
This greeting lets the kids know it’s not all about the grown-ups!The drinks let grown-ups know it’s not all about the kids!I get to rock my fabulous Mexican folk art runners!For extra long tables, be sure to place fixings to both ends of the table. Less passing, more eating!
A sweet end to the meal: Carol’s homemade pound cake
You know you’re someone when Anna Wintour speaks at your memorial service. Or when Joan Collins speaks at your funeral. Joan would never waste her time on mere mortals.
Isabella Blow didn’t need to die to get such reverential treatment. She chose to end her life in spite of it, after battling depression and being diagnosed with ovarian cancer. But let’s not have her death and much-publicized disappointments overshadow her brilliant life.
When one thinks of Isabella Blow, they think of her outrageous hats. This post will feature a few of these, and highlight some creative achievements that get overshadowed by her personal tragedies in the media.
She began as an assistant to Vogue’s Anna Wintour. Did not freak out.
She was a muse for designer Phillip Treacy, with whom she shared a lifelong collaboration after he created a wedding headdress for her.
And these accomplishments are just the icing. She was a socialite, but when out and about in the fashion scene, she didn’t merely get tipsy with friends. She made deals and enjoyed creative collaborations. She was more interesting than she was beautiful. More business-minded than she was bubbly. And more sensitive than many of us. She left us too soon.
Birthdays are meant to be celebratory, but tacky party ideas for these poor people are mocking, suggesting that death is just around the corner.
When my mother turned 60, we opted instead for an upbeat 50’s-themed party, which would be reminiscent of her childhood and a much simpler time. People are still talking about it, and it even inspired other family members to do the same!
How to do it…
1) Make it a costume party! It will set a great atmosphere, and lots of laughs when friends see one another!
2) Vinyl records make great decorations for the walls, dangling from the ceiling on strings and as a centerpiece. Speaking of centerpieces, it’s easy to make a mock milkshake with glasses, shredded paper and striped straws! Glass soda bottles look great too – extra credit if you score vintage ones!
3) I say this for every event, but have a themed cocktail. We named ours the “Beauty School Dropout.” And since it’s a sock hop, wholesome root beer floats and milkshakes really hit the spot!
4) The birthday cake is a perfect opportunity to reinforce the theme. We used a lot of vinyl records, so one went right onto the cake!
5) To keep things lively during our meal, we had karaoke. But that’s only because we hired a special DJ who had a trick up this sleeve….6) HE WAS ALSO AN ELVIS IMPERSONATOR!!! I now truly believe that one should not throw a sock hop without an Elvis impersonator. It just takes things to a whole other level.
7) We used vintage candy as party favors, and it brought back old memories to everyone, from baby boomers to millennials! Using the language of the time, we told guests we hoped they had a “swell time,” added a poodle graphic and tied it up with a bow!
The party hosts enjoying the fruits of their laborThe birthday girl being serenaded
My son and I, soaking up spring in the South of France
Finally! Those deadly icicles have dropped from the roof. They stabbed the dirt. They fed the roots and bulbs biding their time below. Without the bleakness of winter, one cannot fully enjoy the excitement of spring. It’s more than the burst of colors pushing through the brown. It’s the promise of things to come; a summer filled with barbecues, beach outings, and the smell of coconut sun lotion.
Too many people are content to admire the warming weather from office windows. That will not do. Here are the top five things to help you spring into spring!
weeping cherry tree
1) Buy a flowering tree or shrub, and plant it in the yard.
Studies have shown that when people literally get into the soil, they don’t just feel more in synch with the outdoors, but are happier and live longer. Year after year, this plant will be the first to bloom in April, a beautiful congratulations for surviving winter.
The biggest challenge with a hammock is staying awake
2) Buy a hammock!
You don’t need two perfectly-spaced trees, or even a yard! Hammocks can be sold with a stand, and can even fit on balconies. The best part? A hammock forces you to look where you usually don’t: UP. You’ll slow down and notice the blue jays, passing clouds and gorgeous sunsets.
3) Make a fresh batch of sweet tea or lemonade.
Never underestimate the power of taste buds. A refreshing, warm-weather drink can transform your mood and offer something a little more interesting than ice water.
I uncovered this mysterious gem while hiking the woods along the James River in Richmond, VA
4) Get moving!
Whether it’s a volleyball game or a hike along the river, enjoy the cool air before summer ushers in humidity or scorching heat. Not only will you feel great toning up your winter body, but you can work on your tan as well!
5) Do a mini-makeover in your home!
I would suggest spring cleaning, but cleaning is so awful! Instead, lighten up your home. Replace heavy draperies with sheer ones, lighten your bedding, switch out your jewel-toned throw pillows with pastel ones, which look great with a geometric pattern. If you have a backyard sitting area or balcony, spruce it up so it’s ready for last-minute company or a solo glass of wine.
The Boathouse in RVA knows how to deck out their outdoor seating area!
I’ve always been inspired by Peter Mayle’s A Year in Provence. He drives around the Provencal countryside eating epic meals and describing the hilarious locals, many of whom are grumpy and backwards. But no matter how many holes are in their socks or much they hate Parisians, one mustn’t ever call them rednecks. Mais non! It’s the South of France, and they still have a nose for great wine, hunt for truffles and were farming organically before organic farming was cool.
So we rented a villa in the hilly village of Mougins, outside of Nice. When hiking, it offered sweeping views of the Mediterranean. We had a local boulengerie and patisserie, and daily we’d grab cafe au lait, croissants and quiche. We explored surrounding villages and stopped in bigger towns, such as Cannes and Nice.
But the focus of our trip was relaxation, and our villa gave the restorative feel we needed. The old stone house was shaded by giant olive trees. I uncovered a stone slab table in the yard – perfect for writing. There was a zipline, a hammock, avocado and lemon trees and a horse across the way. The semi-arid and sunny weather mirrored the paradise of Southern California. We didn’t want to leave.
Until we return, and return we will, we can always read A Year in Provence, Encore Provence and Toujours Provence. Over and over. Readers, I warn you. Don’t even think of opening these books while hungry!
Embassies from around the world dot the landscape in Washington, D.C. and the streets are filled with reckless foreign diplomats. You can spot their special license plates, which allow them to drive like maniacs since they’re granted immunity. D.C. was a true mixing bowl, where the Italians weren’t the Jersey Shore type, but the type who spoke Italian and made their own limoncello.
My childhood in the Washington suburbs was multi-cultural, but not in that forced, PC way that makes everyone nervous. My school featured students from France to India, Vietnam to Ireland. To celebrate this mash-up, Beech Tree Elementary hosted International Dinners, where families cooked food from their native country to share. Stations would be set up with homemade flags, dollops of food were shared and adventurous eaters would mill about.
The event brought families together in an organic way. It inspired me to host an International Dinner Party of my own!
Chocolate from around the world
How to do it:
1) The hardest part? Cooking food from around the world. The most fun part? Cooking food from around the world!
The spread featured homemade duck pate and Korean kimchi and rice with seaweed!
2) Make signs for all the foods – it will encourage guests to try somehing unfamiliar. A charming accent? Label everything on airmail envelopes!
3) Feature beer and wine from around the world!
4) Ask guests to arrive dressed in native garb – clothing from their country. Many of my friends didn’t have such clothes, but they improvised. My friend Tess wore a custom dress she had made in Vietnam. A man of French descent wore a fake moustache and an English friend wore tartan and wellies! But hands down, the best costume went to Kim Burke-Connors, who celebrated her Russian roots with a babushka scarf, a basket of potatoes, a bottle of vodka and austerity!
5) Buy a basket and fill it with international foods such as Italian pasta, German mustard and soy sauce. One guest will get to go home with this prize. How do you determine the winner? World trivia, based on geograhy, customs and food! At our party, competition was tight, with a lot of tension between the last two finalists.
6) Give guests a small parting gift, such as Swiss chocolate or a small bottle of Irish whiskey. Guests will love being treated to a night around the world without leaving town. Enjoy!
International dessert bar, with sugared mangoes from the Phillippines, Scottish shortbread, American s’mores and much more!A deviled egg bar is a fun represention of the USA – Nora Ephron used to say that people love to play with their food!
Childhood slumber parties were pure magic. It was the freedom of being together after the adult world had fallen asleep. It was in the thrill of the ghost stories, the unchecked amount of sugar in our candy stashes. Growing up doesn’t mean that slumber parties should be a thing of the past. In fact, we need them more than ever! Between our careers and growing families, there’s an ever-increasing need for quality time with friends and pampering.
Fayeruz Regan 
