Thanksgiving is on the way! Lawson's famous Potato Casserole

Ok, I will absolutely admit that I am a discerning foodie. I would not go so far to say that I am the stuck up foodie. Nor will I say am  that guy that can give a dissertation on molecular gastronomy. I am however very sure that I adore food and that I love all kinds of it.

Thanksgiving is without a doubt one of my most favorite times of the year!!!!  You know growing up down south, all of the "fixins" we would enjoy were amazing. Sweet Potato Pie, Oyster Dressing, Squash Casserole, and the list goes on and on! I thought I would share with you my Aunt Alice's now my famous potato casserole recipe.

1 bag cubed frozen potatoes
1 large block of extra sharp cheddar cheese
1 large container of sour cream
Hot sauce
1 stick of butter
1 sleeve of ritz crackers

 pre-het oven to 375. Make sure potatoes are at room temperature and place them in a huge mixing bowl. grate your cheese and place in mixing bowl. add in sour cream and melted butter. Add garlic salt, lawrys seasoning salt, pepper and hot sauce to taste and mix everything up. Stick in a baking pan long is
 preferable. Do not use a casserole dish. You want the potatoes to have room. Spread out the potatoes evenly. crush up the crackers and sprinkle on top of the entire dish. Cover with tin foil and place in the oven for 35-45 minutes. Uncover and let crackers brown for another 7-10 minutes. This while not being low calorie is absolutely amazing!

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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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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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

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.

Let's Go Wedding Trending!!!

“I want the reception to be different. . . I want it to stand out. . . How can I do something cool?” These are the questions that I hear time and time again from my brides.

I often suggest creating a signature station of some type. Specialty stations such dessert bars, candy bars, cognac and cigar bars, barista stations, and  wine bars are all options that I have offered in the past.

Budgets are tight in this economy so we are seeing a lot of brides go back to the standard 3 course seated dinner. However, there is still a trend of having one or many specialty stations following dinner.

Brides are opting to lose the wedding cake and replace it with varied choices from a creatively designed sweets bar. I like to do these bars on several levels and I also like to use whenever possible whimsical colors that take us back to our childhoods. Let’s face it, the saying kid in a candy store still has meaning even today!

One of the other assets of using a candy/sweets bar is that it gives the guests  the ability to enjoy a variety of items at their leisure.
 What started as cupcakes and then the playful candy bar has now emerged into a course that offers wide varieties of after dinner sweets options. From small tarts, pies and cakes, to signature jelly beans, initialed m&m’s all the way to creative pastry chef driven items, the possibilities are endless.


I always offer guests a uniquely created bag or small box that they can help themselves to the bar and then of course have the option of taking it home with them.  I enjoy pairing  the  dessert bar with a barista station and offering some fun blends of coffee for all to enjoy.

Another growing trend is that comfort/drunk food at the end of the night. Let’s face it, guests have enjoyed an open bar and have been having a good time. Some times in fact, too good of a time and they may be a little tipsy. You don’t just have to pass the same old tired foods.

 I like to add some flavor to our events and incorporate one of the hugest trends in the country and that’s offering street foods. Now if the event is an outside one, I will have a food truck pull up towards the end of the night and start serving. It creates such a cool vibe. I have even had a scenario where I had multiple food trucks arrive to offer a variety of street foods. Savory crepes,  fresh cut boardwalk style French fries, portabello fries, gelato, grilled paninis. . . the possibilities are endess! 

I like to often add the extra touch of some street performers roaming. Fire Breathers, stilt walkers, unicycle riders, caricature artists and you have a brilliant and memorable end to an amazing celebration!

Designer Tastes on a Budget. . .OH MY!

One of the challenges of our business is to give our clients exactly what they want at all times. After all, I am the artist that has to get into the head of our client and paint their picture to achieve the overall marketing goal of the event. With some clients it is quite easy because funding is limitless and the sky literally is the limit.

However, most of the time, it is my job to help figure out a way even on a budget to achieve the said aesthetic. Here are a few ways that you can still have a lovely event with out it breaking the bank.

Save the Bar: of course one of the biggest key elements to any cocktail event is the bar. Now it is no surprise that this can be a huge ticket item. Open bars for 3-4 hours in itself can be thousands of dollars. Then you have to add in the necessary labor to support the bar as well. My suggestion is if budget is an issue, simply offer a selection of 3 beers, a red and white wine that is tasty but is not incredibly expensive and then one signature cocktail that is available. A helpful hint to this would be to not make it too sweet. People will be more inclined to have more than one. It's a simple and effective way to cut corners while not looking cheap.

Share Share Alike: be sure to ask your planner if there is anyway that you might share the cost of rentals with a client that may be just before your event or just after your event. You can get great discounts on multi-day event rentals from all kinds of companies such as tent rental, audio visual, glassware, tables and chairs etc.

Utilize the Entertainment: instead of hiring someone completely different from your party band to play piano or guitar for the cocktail reception, utilize what you already have. You will get a much better rate. The band is already there, so use one of their guys to fill in the gap.

Schedule your deliveries during normal business: if you have the ability, make sure your rental companies are coming to drop off your items during the week and picking it up during the week. There are always extra fees added for special drop offs and pick ups. You can save tons right here!

It is the little details such as this that will help you and your pocket book. Happy Eventing!!!!

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Cheers,

L.

Fall Design Trends

As the season begins to change for cooler more temperate weather, the first thing I do is put up the white clothing, linen and the sear sucker pants. Now I will leave the sear sucker jacket out to be rocked with jeans! (Just Saying).

However, that aside, it gets me thinking of some of the latest trends towards colors and design ideas for both weddings, social and corporate events.

I have found a rather interesting array of colors to be popular this Fall and Winter. Take a look and I will offer insight to each for you.

Purples are huge this season especially with both candles and linen options. Now remember, I'm not speaking of Lavender, but more over real violets or purples.

Harvest orange is being seen in a lot of accent work with both florals as well as center pieces. Think cornucopias without doing the obvious.

These are 2 of the biggest colors we are seeing this season. I will showcase  more as we go into 4 varying scenarios of event trends.

TREND 1:

Vintage is bigger than ever this season. For instance wedding dresses with cap sleeves. Vera Wang who of course did the Kardashian wedding shows off her thoughts on this lovely vintage concept.

Other things adding to a vintage style wedding would be to have it take place outside. You can even go so far as to take it and do it in a back yard to add that home style vintage vibe.

One of the biggest trends that remains strong is our eco-friendly wedding.

In 2011, we’ll continue to see more green, environmentally friendly weddings. Think second-hand and vintage wedding dresses.

 LED lighting, ( which we use all of the time)

 recycled paper invitations and programs:

 Catering is often done with local farms providing fresh items to the caterer. Farm raised and grown always tastes so much better. Heirloom tomato bisques, Pulled pork BBQ canape on a corn bread round, and the list just goes on and on.

 Charity donations will continue to be a popular option instead of traditional wedding favors, and more couples will be asking for donations to their favorite charity instead of wedding gifts.


The Modern Wedding:

With both our wedding divisions making huge plays for this during this season, I thought I would share a few thoughts on some of the things that are happening.

3 Modern choices

 Our brides are opting for non-traditional dress choices, such as: beautiful hues instead of the usual white or ivory; old shoulder instead of strapless; and short cocktail dresses (the little white dress) instead of a long gown.

This trend will continue through décor, as well, with couples steering away from the customary 10-person round table and opting to mix table shapes and sizes.  The use of farm tables as well as squares and rounds is something we are using often.

 cool lounge settings,



One of the largest trends we are seeing with our modern brides is setting up after parties for everyone. This is especially true with destination weddings. No one wants the party to end. WE are finding that the couples are often reserving VIP rooms and sections in lounges and nightclubs and keeping the party going all night long.

Another fun option for the modern bride is that they are letting their brides maids choose their own style dresses to wear as long as it keeps with the color scheme. This is not the norm. However, it certainly is cool!

Social Media:   We hear about it in our daily lives. This is something bigger than facebook or twitter. Brides are creating their own wedding website that they can update daily and keep their guests involved step by step. Guests love reading how the planning is coming along.  There are tons of resources out there to do just that.

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Thanks for reading!!!

Lawson's Labor Day Potato Salad

Growing up in the south, it was always a tradition to have potato salad. I personally never really enjoyed the sweet potato salad with the pickles. I took it upon my self to create one that I have taken to party after party and it gets rave reviews. This is something you can even get done today for an event this afternoon or this evening.

Serves 6-8

10 Russett Potatoes

5 celery stalks

1 red onion

1 package of bacon

1 small jar of dukes mayo

1/2 bottle of ranch dressing

3 tablespoons of regular yellow mustard

1 tablespoon of dijon mustard

Lawry's seasoning salt

garlic salt

black pepper

Boil the potatoes until they are completely cooked through. You can always tell by sticking a fork in them. while this is happening, cook the entire package of bacon. save some of the drippings for later too.  Make sure bacon is crumbled and put in a bowl for later. pre-chop your red onion and celery and stick in very large mixing bowl. Put your crumbled bacon in the bowl as well. Once potatoes are cooked drain out of the water and place them in the mixing bowl. With a knife start cutting up the potatoes. Remember you're not making mashed potatoes so there is room to have some lumps! Add just a splash of the bacon drippings then add the mayo, ranch, 2 mustards, and seasonings and mix together. Stick in the refrigerator for an hour and you're ready to serve.



Happy Labor Day Recipes that are EASY!!!! ENJOY!

Well, we all know it's a boat and beach day. What will serve a bunch of people and is easy as can be to prepare? Try our world famous White Sangria.  Drop me a line and let me know how it worked out for you! Lawson@lawsonroberts.com

Lawson’s Famous White Sangria:

Ingredients
3 tablespoons sugar
3 shots  apple liquor
1 lime, sliced
1 lemon, sliced
2 ripe peaches, cut into wedges
3 ripe green apples seeded and cut into wedges
1 bottle white Rioja Spanish wine or other dry white wine
1 pint raspberries
Sparkling soda water, for topping off glasses of sangria at table

Directions
Combine sugar, apple liquor, lime, lemon, peaches and apples in a large pitcher. Cover with 1 bottle of Rioja wine and chill sangria several hours. To serve, spoon fruits into glasses or goblets, adding a few fresh raspberries in each glass, pour wine over top of the fruit. Top glasses of sangria off with a splash of soda water and serve.