Week #43 - Monthly Dinner Parties - Event

A while back me and my close friend Kirsten Goldberg set up a private cooking company called Brandywine Cooking. Kirstin Cummings made an awesome website, we did one dinner party, even made business cards. Then we sort of ran out of steam.

This year at the Mishap Prom Kirsten brought up the idea of Brandywine doing a monthly dinner party. At first we’d just do it for friends and family, charging little over the cost of the food, then when we start to really figure it out, we’ll raise our prices a little and open it up to the outside world.

We had our first one of these parties last night.

This was the menu:

Local Dungeness Crab and Chick Pea Fritters with Persian Cucumber and Yogurt dipping sauce

Shaved Fennel and Honeycrisp Salad with Champagne Vinaigrette

Mushroom Braised Lamb with Gremolata

Tangerine and Honey Roasted Roots

Assorted California Cheeses Curated by Kirstin Cummings

Warm Spiced Quince with Ricotta and Pink Peppercorn Cream

and here’s a picture of Kirsten with the lamb:

The party went wonderfully, if it was maybe a little strenuous but we learned a lot. I think we need to bring in at least one more person to help with the cooking and serving.

I want to have another one in either late december or early January. Who want to come?

Week # 27 Shows at Lobot - Event

Ryan Beebe, my old friend and co-conspirator asked me recently if I’d be interested in booking shows with him at Lobot Gallery, a venue and art space where he lives.

The idea is simple enough. He’s got a great space and it’s open most weekends, we might as well start filling it with people and music.

We’ll be starting small, one show a month starting in early October and then moving to a biweekly thing in the beginning of the year. These wouldn’t be huge shows just something to keep us busy and keep the art/music world in Oakland thriving.

We met the other day and we both agreed that the thing to do would be to make them theme show. Kinda like the Mishap shows but way more layed back.

We need bands, art and films. Oh and we need a name for our project something simple that doesn’t commit us too much to any one aesthetic.

Here’s the themes we’ve come up with so far:

Tropical (in the Winter of coarse)
Black Coffee (Where we serve coffee)
Jumpsuit Party (Me and Ryan got thrown out of one these once)
Outer-space Cocktail Party
County Fair
Dance Contest
Dance Marathon
South of the Border Party
Talent Show (Ryan did one of these for his birthday it was bad ass)
Roller skate Party
70’s Porno Party (Biggest mustache contest)
Movie Monster/Vampire Party (Not around Halloween)
Christmas Party (In summer)
Art’s and Crafts
American Gladiators
Bouncy house (in the house)
Laser Tag (All we needs the equipment)
007 Party

Let me know if you guys can think of anything else.