And just like that, we went from Dinner No. 1 to Dinner No. 20 with many other Create Dinners events in between.
A lot of people ask me how I got the idea to start Create Dinners.
I love food, good conversation, and pretty tablescapes, but the truest answer is this: my best friends, several of whom were at the very first dinner almost 6 years ago. We all have different creative skillsets and the types of gatherings we would produce together for fun felt too good to not be shared with others. They are they best birthday and life celebrators I know, support in seasons of grief, my favorite group text thread, listening ears, hand makers of all things, and women who lift me up daily. They are the reason Create Dinners is what it is, so it only felt right for us to travel back to the place where it all began to celebrate our twentieth women’s dinner.
The theme this time around was FIGURES: an expression through art by way of lines, waves, and movement. This dinner honored the creatives that inspire us and the many forms that must take shape before a masterpiece. We looked to the greats like Alexander Girard and Hilma af Klint and chose bright kelly greens, poppy reds, mustards, and pinks for this HOT Palm Springs gathering.
Details, details, details.
Between Leah Pearlstein’s red figures inspired manicure, the Dos Hombres Hibiscus Paloma Cocktails, Tamales by Citlali Tamale and other incredible spicy fête by High Desert Food Fight, and hand painted tote bags from Elise Cahill, you really couldn’t go wrong. Well, maybe we would have chosen a cooler month, but somehow the 100 degree weather wasn’t that noticeable once the sun set and connections were being made.
The line up of women in attendance:
@eliseapffel / @eliseapffelatwork - Host + Hand Painted Tote Bags
@_kate_moran - Photography + Florals
@kailleen - Film Photography + Florals
@highdesertfoodfight - Chef
@citlali_tamales - Chef
@design.prettythings / @doshombres - Cocktail
@gabaiter - Mocktail
@annalundapffel - Paletas
@thelalook - Table Styling
@tatianatakabayashi / @domicilela - Green Glassware
@adaywithhoho - Paper Weaving Activity
@imaginarytheaterco - Poetry
@k_apostrophe - Textiles
@lozyjane / @willandbear - Hats
@leahpearlstein - IG Story
@anniebalto / @eatnour - Take Home Favors
@aliciadiscipio - Playlist
@yearandday - Ceramics
A personal highlight from this dinner were the amazing film portraits that Katie Marble took of each attendee throughout the night. She’s been photographing these dinners since Dinner No. 2 and it’s been so cool and inspiration to watch her work evolve over the years.
Thank you to the hundreds of women who have sat around the table and brought their whole selves, their talents, and kindness to build Create Dinners into what it is today.
