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Saturday, October 29, 2011

Hostess Gift. . . Wine Ideas are Fine Ideas!

I believe one of the biggest mistakes people make when they attend a dinner or cocktail party is one of 2 things. First, they do not bring anything as a hostess gift. . . this just a huge party faux pas! Secondly, guests bring a gift that distracts the host from the party. Items such as food items that need to be put out immediately, or flowers that need to be put into a vase. The idea behind a hostess gift is that you bring them something that they can enjoy after the event and not to distract them from their guests. I have put together some really great ideas for your next outing. I'd love to hear your thoughts on them too!


Personalized Stemless Wine Glasses
Generously sized wine glasses are perfect for a sophisticated dinner party or a night at home relaxing. Set of four with each glass sand blasted with a single initial
$29.99+shipping and handling  gifts.personalcreations.com/productdetail.aspx



Attractive solid bamboo cutting boards feature a colored wood grain center with natural color on the ends. We personalize it on one side with any single initial and any message on 1 line, up to 20 characters, or with “Live, Laugh, Cook” and any message on 1 line, up to 20 characters. Display the personalized side when not in use and use the other side to prep vegetables or slice and serve cheese. $39.99

Here is a refined gift to accompany a special bottle of wine. This box is made of wood with metal accents, complete with a hinged lid and decorative latch. The box is adorned with a brass plaque, on which we engrave any message on 2 lines, up to 12 characters per line. Holds a standard 750 ml bottle of wine. $19.99  add a bottle of wine for $20 and your set

The Wine of the Month Club is the perfect gift to impress any wine lover! Each month they'll  deliver 2 full-sized bottles of hard-to-find, premium wines from award-winning, boutique wineries across the globe. Every wine they deliver has been carefully selected by  professional wine tasters who sample hundreds of new wines every year looking for the perfect combination of flavor, rarity and value. 

If you would like some direct links to these fabulous hostess gifts, drop me a line at lawson@lawsonroberts.com. 

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Friday, October 28, 2011

One Night Only. . . An Evening at the Infamous Studio 54

Ok so I admit, growing up down in Charleston SC I always had a fascination with what made Studio 54 Studio 54! How could 2 guys create world wide night club magic? How could everyone in the world want to get in and then no one be allowed in. . but wait here was Diana Ross dancing next to the maid from  the Waldorf? All of these things baffled and enchanted me at the same time.  I have to be honest, I had a life changing moment the other night.

As it turned out, Sirius XM was launching their new disco channel and wanted to for one night only re-create Studio 54 back to its late 70s early 80s glory disco dancing days. This was a ridiculous ticket to get a hold of. Believe me, if it were not for the kindness of friends and a good publicist, I certainly would not have been able to be there.

I'm going to share with you the events that made that night. It was something out of a story book. I literally was something that had to pinch myself and make sure that I wasn't dreaming. I do have the pictures to prove it so it indeed happened and I am only happy to share the story with you.



I met my dear friend Randy Jones from the Village People at Sardis down the street with a few others for a drink prior to arriving to do the red carpet. It was quite nice. We sat at the upstairs bar and reminisced or better said they did on the old 54 days. I of course was like a kid in a candy store wanting to hear story after story. We finally motivated down the street and made it to the event.  They had the whole street blocked off at 54 and 8th. As we started walking down the street Randy did a promo for a show that he is working on and the people with the ear pieces showed up and escorted us to the red carpet.

The list of celebs was endless. However, we were rolling in with 54 royalty. The Village People were regulars there and just flat out rock stars during the 54 era. To be joined by Randy was a thrill. He was stopped by the throngs of reporters. He took his shots as expected and then did an interview with ET.
It was interesting to me that the PR gal that was handling the Red Carpet started to wrap us up and ask us to go on in. It seemed a bit rushed. Well as I turned around and the crowd was screaming, sure enough there was Keith Richards walking in behind us. Ok first let me say, the fact that he is still alive and kicking with all of the booze and extra curricular activities he has enjoyed in his day is remarkable. Meeting him was even as brief as it was a thrill!

We were escorted inside and upstairs to the VIP bar. This event was one that no detail was left out. everything was perfect. . . all the way down to the young bar boys outfits.
We were joined by a mutual friend of Randy's and mine. Her name is Carrie and she is all things fabulous! Randy chatted with some long time friends before we walked upstairs into the vip seatings section. I bumped into Kevin Bacon with what appeared to be his girl friend. He was such a delightful guy. It would appear I am no longer 7 degrees from KB at all!

AS we walked into the seating area, the DJ was playing Macho Man. How appropriate a Village People song as we walked in. I could not help but to be moved a little to see the look on Randy's face and just how much fun he was having reliving the glory days. They had it down pat. from the original doormen, bartenders, and even Ian Schrager was there.

They were supposed to have had brilliant entertainment singing live. Rumored was Donna Summer, Liza and more. Something with music rights and it being a union house became too cost prohibitive so they just did the DJ. They did manage too find some of the original props. Remember the moon and the spoon? This one cost a pretty penny to get back. It apparently had been auctioned off and they got it back for $50,000 just for the night!
The lighting was fabulous as was the crowd!
 the evening progressed with meeting Clive Davis who I mentioned how much of a saint he had to have been to continue to be challenged by the Whitney Houston mess. He simply winked and smiled.

The staff as expected was gorgeous!!!

As the night continued, we ended up closing the place down. It was so much fun. However from there we went downtown to Gas Light where I hung out with one of the original bartenders. . who PS now is 52 and doesn't look a day over 35!!! He had some of the craziest stories you could imagine.

I will say one of the biggest secrets to the place was that Steve Rubel would hire these drop dead gorgeous straight boys and have them just tell the guests that they were gay to entertain them just enough to keep the guests happy. 

Carrie and I along with 2 fun guys!

All in all, I can honestly tell you that my life was totally changed that night and boy of those walls could talk! One night only at Studio 54. . another Lawson Living Moment!

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Monday, October 10, 2011

Fun Fall Entertaining Ideas

As the leaves are changing and we are packing up our flip flops and replacing them with our fleeces, I thought it would be the perfect time to chat about fall in home entertaining.  Cocktail or dinner parties are such a lovely option this time of year. Here are some simple yet chic things you can do to create the proper vibe the you’re going for in welcoming in autumn to your next event.


In home décor: stay away from the simple pumpkins, more of an interesting table setting route would be to incorporate fun fall colored candles. I will warn stay away from the scented candles at the dinner table as it could distract the guest’s palate. Rich reds, oranges, purples are all colors that are appropriate to use. You can also grab a large vase and use what nature has offered you. By this I simply mean go outside and grab some pine cones, and some lovely colored leaves and create your own design in the vase.

The Perfect Cocktail: with chillier weather means time for toddies!  Bourbon is a huge component this time of year. Welcome your guests to the party with this signature cocktail:

Warm Apple Bourbon Cider:

 1 gallon(s) (16 cups) fresh apple cider

5 teaspoon(s) ground cinnamon

2 1/2 teaspoon(s) ground nutmeg

 2 1/2 teaspoon(s) ground ginger

 3 cup(s) bourbon   we used Pappy Van Winkle bourbon

 Add  cider, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ground ginger into a pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling turn stove off and add your bourbon. Pour into a festive colored handled cup and garnish with a cinnamon stick.

Fun Fall Hors d’oeurve:

Warm Crab Dip Cups
One 4-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1/2 teaspoon Lawrys seasoning salt
½ teaspoon garlic salt
½ teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
8 ounces fresh or canned lump crab meat, drained
1 oz phyllo cups pre-baked

Place all but crab in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Fold the crab in last. Place in casserole dish and bake for approximately 40 minutes on 350. Take out and let cool for about 25 minutes then take a spoon and gently place a small scoop of crab dip into each warm phyllo cup. Garnish with a small piece of green onion.


Enjoy this most amazing season. For all things entertaining style take a moment and view our website at www.lawsonroberts.com. Follow us on twitter at www.twitter.com/lawsonroberts or like my Facebook fan page at www.facebook.com/lawsonrobertsllc

Sunday, October 2, 2011

The Low Country Boy goes to Low Country



It was a crisp Sunday afternoon in the city. I was delighted that a business meeting called  for me to have brunch at a restaurant interestingly enough called Low Country. Now of course being born and raised in Charleston SC this absolutely peaked my interest. I told my friend I was with, up until that point, I had yet to find anyone that did Charleston/southern food REALLY well up here. However, with a name like Low Country, I was sort of thinking that it may have been a bit contrived in their derivation and presentations. Boy was I wrong. They have hit it on the head in every direction.


At my brunch table was a PR associate that actually attended USC and knew Charleston very well along with 2 other friends who were not at all familiar with the art form of southern cuisine. The PR associate made a comment to me that there was no where she had been that had gotten the staple shrimp and grits correct. She cautiously ordered it. It was served with cheesy grits, andouille sausage and a tomato based gravy. She was delightfully pleased with hers.



For any of you that know me on brunch. . . as with most things, I am a creature of habit. I always look for the Eggs Benedict. Theirs was served with country ham and a Texas Pete based hollandaise. It was quite savory. My one complaint when using country ham is that it tends to be so incredibly salty.  Don't let the complaint fool you! I was hungry and ate every bite. I did however find it odd that no where on the menu allowed for hash browns, home fries etc. The only thing I saw was french fries.

My friend ordered the big breakfast biscuit that came with bacon and scrambled eggs. It was very big dirty biscuit-esque a la Hominy Grill.


the decor is quite interesting. It's low key with a big display in the back of various types of bourbon that they sell. The music could not have been any better in my opinion. It was Stevie Wonder into Diana Ross. I even heard a Chairmen of the Board beach music song. I looked up at my new friend who had attended USC and said "OMG they're so playing beach music  in here!!!"

Lowcountry gets it right in almost every aspect of the word. I will say that service was a bit off. She was sweet. . . just not very attentive. I will also say that it was surprisingly slow and quiet in the restaurant today. I am not sure why people have not found the place yet. I can only bet that it will not be a secret for long.

When traveling to NYC and wanting some southern comfort food for brunch, give Lowcountry a shot.