Organize your birthday differently!

For a few years now, every August, I’ve been organizing a themed evening to celebrate my birthday, but above all to get together with the people I love. It’s become a tradition I look forward to! I love preparing my menu, imagining my décor and spoiling my guests.

So I thought I’d give you a few tips on how to organize your party and make it a memorable evening, with ease!

The key to success: an enchanting setting and a gourmet menu!

THE MENU

For the menu, I love concocting a meal to share. I place several dishes on the table and let my guests help themselves! This makes the whole thing super-friendly. As an added bonus, I always serve my dishes in pretty crockery and use my favorite seasonal produce to make my meals.

This year, I entertained my loved ones with a menu inspired by Italy! You know my love for this country and its culinary culture…

Here’s what was on my table:

1. Pickled olives from the market and Castelvetrano olives from Milano

2. A baguette served with parsley dipping oil, orange zest and balsamic reduction

3. A dip of white beans, lemon and garlic with tomatoes preserved in olive oil with orange zest and fresh thyme

4. A dairy-free Caesar salad

5. Nectarine panzanella salad with tomatoes, croutons, red onions and basil

6. Orzo salad with homemade basil pesto and garlic-roasted zucchini

7. Lemon chicken brochettes

8. A tiramisu from my Italy folder, coming out next autumn!

9. Passion fruit, coconut, lime and raspberry vegan doughnuts from Leché Desserts

To complete my table, I stopped at Leché Desserts, Épicerie Milano and Marché Jean Talon, specifically Boucherie du Capitol (because they sell the best marinated olives). These shops are three of my favourite addresses, whether for a birthday party or any other event! Finally, to keep things simple, I asked my guests to bring their own wine or spritz.

THE DECOR

Of course, a successful party requires a beautiful décor. You know my passion for all things aesthetic, and my party is no exception. In recent years, I’ve thrown a fairy-tale party, a western party, and this year, I took inspiration from Italy for the set-up and decorations!

I bought lots of tomatoes and lemons to create my centerpieces. I also bought some beautiful tomato canes at Milano to make vases. Finally, I made a bar station for my guests, which I decorated with flowers.

TIPS 101

• To organize your festivities properly, I suggest you start by choosing your theme. Pinterest and Instagram are my best friends for inspiration!

• Next, I try to gather different items, whether on Etsy, Amazon or at thrift stores to make my decor even more unique!

• Finally, I like to ask my guests to dress according to the theme to have the most beautiful souvenir photos