An End of Summer Birthday Party with Alex Papachristidis
Alex Papachristidis is famous for creating luxe, exciting interiors that combine modern and old-school elegance, simple details and lavish, show-stopping elements. Of course, you might know that already – if you own his book The Age of Elegance or are one of his more than 35,000 Instagram followers. But did you know this? Alex can do the same thing with a dinner table: make it feel both traditional and modern, elevated while stilling reading fun. Basically, he knows how to (throw a) party.
We caught up with Alex at the late Summer birthday party he threw for his partner Scott, poolside in the Hamptons. Want to know the deets? We thought you might.
The Tables:
The tables, which seated around sixty, were nestled near a pool house and tucked behind privet. They were clustered close together for a casual, communal feel.
I like my parties to feel a little overcrowded, I like my tables to be tight. I think the great thing about the Hamptons is you get a mix of generations, of families and friends. And you also get your best friends’ houseguests.
The China:
Mottaheda Blue Canton white and blue china mixed with Historic Charleston, and some antique and vintage pieces.
The Glassware:
Blue and clear Villeroy & Boch goblets were the vessels for water and wine. Clear hurricanes from the Dior Home store in Paris provided a little twinkle.
On the buffet table, we were obsessed with the Bungalow 5 Pagodas, which were adorned with white hydrangeas.
I like to mix high and low. Price doesn’t scare me. There’s no such thing as too inexpensive.
The Flowers:
Annie of the Sag Harbor Florist created centerpieces that felt natural and just a smidge rustic. What was in ‘em, you ask? Here goes: kumquats and clementines provided the pop of orange that we loved against the vivid green, fresh bay leaf and mint, umbrella ferns, green helebrious, gardenia foliage, white snowberry, and fair Bianca garden spray roses also joined the party.
The Menu:
The menu consisted of superbly-done Summer classics – the key was that everything was homemade to the core.
Greek Salad, Toasted Pita, and Tzatziki
Macaroni Salad with Homemade Pesto, Beans, and Sundried Tomatoes
Ribs
Turkey Meatloaf
Corn on the Cob
Coleslaw
And, for a specialty cocktail, Alex chose Southsides, with home-brewed lemon and mint mix. The twist? You could have yours with vodka or rum.
• It’s always fun to have a specialty cocktail.
• Always provide vegetarian options. With sides, could someone make a meal out of them?
• Before entertaining, set out a sample place setting to make sure you like the way it looks before setting the whole table.
• Buy high/low and mix it together.
• When collecting, pick a theme (like blue & white) so that you can mix and match.
Want more modern elegance? Buy Alex’s book, here!
Follow Alex on Instagram @alexsviewpoint.
