A BuDhaBoy Ladies Luncheon

Before summer vacation arrived I wanted get some of my close friends together for a little luncheon at my house so we could all spend some quality time before the craziness of the last weeks of school began.  And here is the result a BuDhaboy luncheon.  There is a local company called BuDhaGirl who was started by an amazingly creative, talented and charming woman called Jessica that has really beautiful, practical and chic pieces that promote 'mindful glamour'. Her designs have special meaning and are a vehicle for bringing the mind back into balance and focus.  I am obsessed with the gold all-weather bangles (I wear them so much my mom asked me the other day if I sleep in them!) and these cute budhaboys that you can add to necklaces or use as bag charms.  So I thought using the Budhaboy as the theme would be original!

Pretty rose and peony groupings were put together, a last minute table runner was DIYed, BuDhaboys were purchased as favors in an array of colors, the food and a special BuDhaBoy cake were prepared by some fabulous friends.  We love getting our friends together and gifting them with a wonderful experience of union, friendship, and love. Here, are the details-

||  Flowers.  The flowers were purchased at the local supermarket.  We used small and short vases to house one or two flowers for most arrangements to encourage conversation since we could all see each other, and then, we added height by adding larger groupings at the ends of the table in larger vases.

|| Runner.  The fabric was designed by Nate Berkus and we found it at our local Jo-Ann's. We added the pompoms trim which were also purchased at Jo-Ann.

|| Monogrammed Napkins. These were a birthday gift and ordered from a fabulous local store in Dallas called Madison.  These two are also other great sources for online monogrammed napkins Lettermade and Made on Marlow.

|| Flatware.  Gold just elevates everything to a different level.  West Elm has a wonderful set and so does One King's Lane.

||  The Food.  We cannot rave enough about the Lebanese food we had. Really, it could not have been more delicious or perfect for the occasion. Rima, a friend, was our caterer and if you are in Dallas we highly recommend her.  She made an array of Lebanese dishes that were divine, and which made our lunch, different, exciting and fun. It's not everyday you get invited to eat Lebanese food, you know? It was just perfect for our ladies luncheon. Rima has a passion for cooking and for making meals beautiful. When we saw how excited she was when she took out her homemade bread from the oven and we knew we were in for a real treat.  She made divine Falafel with Tahini, Manakeesh Zaatar (thyme pies), Kebbe (stuffed meatballs), Baba Ghanous topped with pomegranate seeds and onion molasses, Mouhamara (red pepper and walnut paste), beet root hummus topped with dill and pistachios, and a very special and refreshing tabbouleh.  Your mouth is watering, right? Visit her website here and you can contact her here.  She was wonderful to work with.

|| The Cake. It is the creation of Paola of Unique Party,  who has been a long-time friend and is seriously talented at making, designing and decorating cakes (you need to see her portfolio!).  All our birthdays and big celebrations have included one of her creations.  Paola makes the most delicious vanilla cake with a dulce the leche filling that you have ever tried.  If you are in Dallas keep her in mind for your next celebration. She loves taking your party theme idea and turning it into divine edible art!

|| The Favors.  The fabulous and colorful BuDhaBoys were our favors for our sweet guests.  They were a big hit and it was fun to think of the different ways we could wear them...on necklaces, as a bag charm, as a key fob, on our bracelets!  The guests were delighted to say the least.

In our view, elevating a meal to a celebration is the perfect way to shower your guests with love and respect. How do you make your meals special for friends and family?

[all photos by AC]