This Lebanese dish is a favorite I learned from my mother-in-law. It’s a pea and carrot stew with vermicelli rice made with beef stew, garlic and a medley of spices, all simmered in a rich tomato sauce. There are different versions and different ways to make this dish. Over time I have taken those different versions to compliment my family’s palate. It’s quick, healthy and hearty. Hope you will try it!
Baby and Child•Celebrations•Pretty Please Baby•Pretty Please Design
{Celine in Paris} 1st Birthday
June 4, 2023This pretty Parisian inspired 1st birthday was one for the books. It was a dreamy day and it was such an honor to finally be able to design and plan a party for this beautiful family. The theme was meant to be as my client (and friend) found out she was expecting while in Paris. When her and her husband found out they were expecting another beautiful little girl, they decided to give her a French name, Celine. The design direction we aimed for was a very a feminine one with beautiful shades of pinks and all the magical...
Celebrations•Family•Lifestyle•Persian New Year {Norooz}
PERSIAN NEW YEAR {NOROOZ} 1402
March 20, 2023With the ongoing revolution happening in Iran, Norooz (Persian New Year) will feel a lot different for Iranians around the world this year. That being said, our rich and ancient history should be kept alive and our beautiful cultural traditions should continue to be celebrated. My vision and design direction for my haft-seen this year was done with high hopes for freedom for Iran. May the fight for freedom and all the lives lost not be in vain. If you are unfamiliar with Norooz {Persian / Iranian New Year}, Norooz in its literal translation means New Day – “No”...
There are many versions of Persian Koofteh {Persian Meatballs} and my go-to version is the one I learned from my beautiful mother. It also happens to now be a favorite of my husband’s (who is not Iranian) and so I make this dish often. My version of Koofteh Berenji is mixed with meat and an assortment of dry herbs and basmati rice, cooked in a simple turmeric and tarragon infused tomato broth. Follow and save my Koofteh Berenji reel recipe on my Instagram and let me know if you have any questions and/or comments. I hope that you will...
One of my favorite aspects of party planning is being a part of my client’s families and seeing their children grow. Creating momentous occasions for them to enjoy now but also look back on one day is so special to me. If you have been with me for a while, you will recognize my beautiful Natalia. I have planned her birthday before and here we are again as she turns 7. We had so many different plans for this beautiful butterfly bash as it was supposed to be outdoors, but the California rain had different plans for us to...
Baby and Child•Celebrations•Pretty Please Baby•Pretty Please Design
{Snow White Siena} 1st Birthday
December 23, 2022When my dear client (and now dear friend) asked me to plan her beautiful daughter’s first birthday, I was delighted to be part as I have planned parties for all of her beautiful children to date. So I knew this one would be very special to me as well. In full transparency, when she shared with me that she wanted to do a Snow White themed birthday, we were both a little out of our comfort zone because the colors of this theme are so bold and not a color palette we typically gravitate towards when designing parties. However,...
Christmas•Family•Home•Lifestyle•Pretty Please Design•Pretty Please Home
My Hermes Christmas
December 10, 2022‘Tis the Christmas season and it’s already flying by! I usually get my Christmas tree up early but this year my plans fell behind. I always say, time has wings and it couldn’t ring more true. This year I used the same Christmas tree as I used last year. I bought a few new customized ornaments, some new ribbon and a new tree topper. I was in the mood to pull together an equestrian aesthetic to compliment my Hermes scarf behind the tree. I did that by making bows from the Hermes ribbon I have from previous purchases and...
With not enough weekends in March, I decided to do a birthday party after school for my son with all of his classmates. I had the party at DEFY trampoline park that my sweet boy just loves and can’t get enough of. I did find it a bit challenging to create an aesthetic that aligns with my taste not being able to work with a blank canvas to decorate. That being said, one of my favorite details of the space we secured was the black and white checkered floors. Absolutely loved them! My son turned 5 this year and...
March and April are always my busiest months of the year. My husband’s, my brother’s, my son’s, my daughter’s and my mom’s birthday are all within weeks of each other in March and April. Adding to these special days, Iranian New Year {Norooz} is one of my favorite holidays and it falls in between all of my loved ones celebrations. It’s a whirlwind of good times and a big beautiful blur. On top of all of these celebrations, this year I decided to design some Haft-Seen spreads {traditional Iranian New Year table / spread} other than my own and...