Project Food Blog Challenge 3: Lobsters & Board Shorts--Luxury without the Fuss!

Thank you for all my wonderful fans/friends/foodies/blogstalkers for your votes. Here's my 3rd entry for  

Project Food Blog's Challenge on dishing up a luxury dinner sans the fuss! 

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Your task is to cast your vote and tell me if  you would have loved to RSVP to this dinner.  Show your love by clicking here on the heart or on my Project Food Blog widget on the right of the screen.  Voting for Challenge 3 begins Monday, October 4 and runs thru Thursday, October 7 at 6pm (PST).

When I think of luxury, my mind immediately takes me back to Hawaii, stirring up memories of me sipping on mai tais and oozing aloha attitude through and through. A few years ago, I was fortunate enough to have a special somebody in my life call this island his home. While the island's azure waters and bountiful fresh produce & seafood left me happy as can be, what I truly miss about our time in Hawaii was what some refer to as the "aloha spirit" (thanks, Liren) or in my case, the "aloha attitude" where smiles are shared liberally, luring you to pause and smell the plumerias.  We had the lifestyles of beach nuts, but the lavish taste buds of passionate epicureans.

I miss walking into a fine dining establishment with sand between my toes, sporting my flip flops after having just stepped foot off the beach and being greeted with a warm, friendly smile--those days made me understand right then and there that great food didn't have to come with all the fuss.

LUXURY sans the FUSS:

The idea behind this type of dinner party is to incorporate casual elements into the evening, while still retaining certain luxurious touches into the menu selection, tablescape décor, and whatever else you feel embodies luxury dining in your book.  I really feel that the simplest details can exude luxury, such as keeping my florals fresh and earthy with special attention paid to what's local and in season. 

And quite honestly, I am not a fan of places that adhere to a strict dress code--it really takes the fun out of eating in my world.  Tell me this:   How am I supposed to enjoy a meal when the lovely dress I picked out for my date also means that I can only nibble on my dinner b/c I'm too self-conscious that my zipper might pop? Or if I'm worried that my hubby is going to strangle himself because his tie is making him feel stuffy and uptight?  Yes, I repeat: strict dress codes TOTALLY detract from having Spicy Green Mango enjoy her meal.  Of course, this doesn't mean I'll show up to your dinners in cut-offs and a stained T-shirt.  Hey, I try to keep it classy, too, you know.

ENTER the BOARD SHORTS:

The timing of Project Food Blog’s Challenge 3 couldn’t have been more perfect — it was my hubby’s birthday weekend. When I told him I was tasked with planning a luxury dinner, he was skeptical at the idea, so he asked, “Honey, what am I supposed to wear?  A dress shirt and tie?” And just as those words escaped his lips, I knew he was dreading my reply.  As I sat anxiously brainstorming my dinner plans, I casually replied, “Your board shorts..like the time we were in Hawaii.”  If only I could capture that look of euphoria in his eyes, you could only imagine the huge sigh of relief that escaped his chest. I knew he wouldn’t object to anything else I had in mind. 

I kindly asked the rest of my guests to come as they were--as comfy as can be.  My dear friend, Jenny (also co-founder of a sustainable vintage shop--Retrofit Republic) even came dressed in her vintage pants with elastic waistbands---the woman is serious about her dinners :)

COLOR & THEME:

My initial desire was to create a non-frilly tablescape that was masculine, but with subtle touches of softness to freshen it up and make it a festive occasion. I opted for a cool color palette inspired from my days in Hawaii---sage to represent the azure waters of the Lanikai beaches and a soft yellow to symbolize the rays of sunshine. I also really liked that the colors were unisex. As I was shopping for flowers, I realized that the Craspedia Billy Ball flowers I had initially wanted were nowhere to be found, so I had to compromise with another yellow flower that turned out to be equally pleasing. I also opted for succulents b/c I love their natural design and desert allure (a striking contrast from the islands). The basil addition came on a whim as I was hunting for herbs in my parents' garden and was mesmerized by the beautiful stems of cinnamon basil blossoms sprouting among the pepper plants. I realized instantly that these basil had a special spot on my tablescape.

 

CRAFTING a MENU:  BRING on the LUXURY

As soon as the sun transcended the horizon and we finished our early jog along the shores of Waikiki, our Saturday mornings in Hawaii were marked by a trip to the city's Chinatown to slurp down a hearty bowl of pho noodles before toting bags of golden pineapples and rosy rambutans from the open-air market vendors lining the stalls near King Street.

Having access to the freshest fruits, vegetables and fish on the island was undoubtedly the BEST part of living in the land of aloha.  As I reminisce about my moments on the island, how could I possibly pass up an opportunity to bring the flavors of the island back to the Mainland? Not a chance!

One of our favorite places in Hawaii was the Ocean House Restaurant  at the Outrigger---the setting is quite possibly one of the most picturesque and romantic spots along Waikiki.  Situated just steps from the beach, on any given evening, you can  listen to locals crooning  live music from the nearby bar, while the ambient flames from tiki torches can be seen swaying in the coconut-scented island breeze. The menu is both inspired by this special place and our recent vacation in Thailand--a co-mingling of two of our favorite beach destinations to date.  

Whatever dinner menu you decide to craft, remember that the best ones will have a story behind them.  It's not only a great topic of conversation, but it layers on a personal touch to your party.  When our guests arrived, they instantly knew what inspired our dinner menu and they were more than happy to partake in helping us relive those days of fine dining.

 

 SWEET ESCAPE:  ASK for HELP to MAKE it SWEETER

My sister can whip up the most whimsical designs and I absolutely adore her for that. We tag team b/c I get juiced with an inspiration, incorporate my artistic design elements and and then she takes it to a whole 'notha level.  The fresh meyer lemon cake (thank you, Ina Garten) with whipped vanilla buttercream and the birthday bunting decor was entirely her doing and then I topped it all off with fresh guava leaves from my parent's backyard along with presenting the masterpiece on my lovely wicker cake pedestal.  Her creativity inspires me and it keeps me beaming for more. 

The key lesson here is to commission (um, I mean ask..hehe) an earnest sous chef to also help with the preparation--it makes your life a heck of a lot easier and really gets somebody else to showcase their talents.  My sister professes that she is not a chef, but she can bake and bake well.  I have no complaints in this department, so I obliged.

Five minutes after singing the birthday song, this is what we had left.  Wish I could share it with all of you.