An Extraordinary Afternoon!

This Saturday I attended
"An Extraordinary Afternoon" an Event Design Showcase hosted by Spruce Restaurant in SF, Annena & Company and Lisa Lefkowitz Photography. Annena and Lisa have recently opened a shared studio space on Sacramento Avenue, and partnered with Spruce Restaurant, down the street, to introduce friends and colleagues to this wonderful area of San Francisco, and the fun and inventive businesses to be found there.

As soon as I entered Spruce, I fell in love with the Summer Garden Party decor room; Kathleen Deery and Annena Sorensen, had combined their incredible talent to create a relaxing and welcoming ambiance no one would want to miss...especially me! They used my favorite colors...peach, apricot, and raspberry, combined with clean bold white...it all reminded me of a Creamsicle, my favorite summer treat as a child.

Susan Morgan, of Elegant Cheesecakes, created a customized cake to go with citrusy summer feel of the decor...now you may wonder about the dog bone shaped cookies, but there is a clear explanation....




....just above the fireplace is a beloved pen and ink drawing of an English Bulldog, so the creative team decided to include him in the party...

... even the place settings featured the dog bones as place cards...what a yummy idea!

Several of my friends were co hosting the event at Spruce, including Sabrina of Hello Lucky! Her display table was full of amazing designs in letter press as well as standard printing...there is something for every taste and budget in the Hello Lucky 2009 offerings.




I couldn't stop admiring the huge peonies Kathleen had provided at each vendor's table; the one at Sabrina's table was so full and fluffy it did not look real...but it was!

Annena and Kathleen had designed an elegant brown, gold and cream dinner setting for the private dining room at the back of Spruce. This is the location where Beth and Beau, my July 25, 2009 couple had their rehearsal dinner last summer; I loved working with Beth and Beau, so seeing the rich colors of the room reminded me of the fun I was having planning their rehearsal dinner this time last year!

The rich cream textures work perfectly with the warm candlelight, and the luxuriously full centerpiece of tulips, and a rose, embellished in Kathleen Deery style by hand, with hundreds of single rose petals to suggest one huge rose bloom...I call this yummy!!

Before leaving the neighborhood, I took the opportunity to walk down 2 blocks to the 3rd floor studio of Annena and Lisa. The clean modern design, with tones of bright turquoise and white, and the stunning photos on the walls welcome anyone passing through the doorway.

What a cheery place to sit and look at photo books or design magazines!

I had been visiting the studio at the same time as Kevin Chin; he had already picked up his gift bag from the event, and proudly showed it off...I went back to get mine before I left, and I am glad I did...Susan Morgan included a miniature cheesecake! Yumm, what an Extraordinary afternoon!


I was able to include one of my brides, Haidee, at this event, so she could get further inspiration for her June wedding; Gloria Tritasavit who met with Haidee and me several months ago, to discuss her design ideas, was also at the Spruce event...it was a fun reunion...design friends, at a Design Showcase!

Thank you Annena Sorensen, Lisa Lefkowitz, and Spruce for including me in this enjoyable and inspiring afternoon!

These are all the sponsors of the event:
Annena and Company
Lisa Lefkowitz Photography
Kathleen Deery Design
Mayfield Bakery
Eleant Cheesecakes
Classic Party Rentals
Hello Lucky!
Maybelle Imasa-stukuls
Precision Parking
Thomas Hughes Films