We’re still basking in the glow of Dinner No. 25, a true midsummer dream that brought together brilliant women, golden hour light, and soul-nourishing connection! Let’s review, shall we?
We gathered at the beautiful Poppy’s HQ, to celebrate the first day of summer with our incredible partner, Heraclea—the first Fair Trade certified olive oil brand in the U.S. Their line of Turkish olive oils, rooted in regenerative farming on Mount Latmos, was the heart of our menu. Estelle Njuguna and Isabelle Lopez created a stunning midsummer menu that showcased Heraclea’s full range, from the brightness of their lemon-infused oil to the richness of their mature harvest.
The setting was nothing short of magical! Dinner began with cocktail hour indoors, where guests were greeted by stunning florals and a lush spread with seasonal bites. There was a canele with a tomato veil! Did you even know such a beautiful thing could exist? Our time was accompanied by a perfectly curated playlist by Stephanie Geddes. You can treat yourself and listen to it HERE.
Irene Chung brought the scene to life with a live illustration of our tablescape, capturing intimate vignettes of the evening as they unfolded. We moved outdoors just in time for golden hour, where a long, beautifully set table captured the energy of summer in full bloom.
The florals by Cailla Quinn and Hri layered seasonal wildflowers, herbs, and unexpected sculptural blooms in a warm, sun-drenched palette. The arrangements were bursting with seasonal touches like sugar snap peas on the vine and all the right colors. A bee hovered over our table, and normally I wouldn't love this, but she felt like a friend. Candle light invited easy conversation and laughter and each detail added texture to our tablescape, from hand-painted menus and name cards designed and printed by Denise Kan to blockprinted table linens from Swati Bansal. Junell Banks sparked conversation with her beautifully written prompts and Paperless Post coins, generously provided by Jess Focht, carried the spirit of intentional communication and connection all the way to our guests' inboxes.
For dessert we had a platter of berries with heaping bowls of whipped cream and the most scrumptious Earl Grey Burnt Basque Cheesecake I have ever consumed. You can get Isabelle's recipe for it HERE. I'm still thinking about it and will be attempting to make it for my mother-in-law, an avid Earl Grey tea drinker, for her birthday in August.
The evening closed with a soul-soothing sound bath led by Manali Doshi, while each guest left with a lemon-glazed olive oil cake baked by Deepika Kalla-Paul, a delicious takeaway that featured Heraclea’s Mature oil from their Heritage Collection as the star ingredient.
The entire experience was beautifully documented by Sophie Fabbri in both film and digitals, including gorgeous portraits of each woman in attendance.
Dinner No. 25 reminded us why we gather: to honor intention, celebrate seasonality, and connect more deeply with each other and ourselves.
Cheers to more of this all summer long!