HEIDI ROTBART’S JANUARY 2023 PAJAMA BRUNCH
I rarely “review” private parties, but a couple of times in the past, I have done so for the daytime fetes of my friend Heidi Rotbart because they’re so perfect. I was so thrilled to finally have it back again that I feel the need to give you a quick little rundown about its excellence, especially so you can copy some of the special aspects of it for your own next soiree.
The sparkling invitation, which mentions taking the Covid tests.
First of all, Heidi did the smartest thing before the party even began! It’s so brilliant, in fact, that I’m shocked I never thought of it! Instead of having all her guests worry about potentially catching Covid from another guest, nor having people show proof of vaccination, (in case any of her friends are anti-vaxxers, which I highly doubt, but still…,) she came up with the best solution, which was perfect for all concerned. We each had to do our own at-home Covid test within twenty-four hours before the party, and send her a picture of it! That way we could all attend with welcome peace of mind. Mr. X and I really appreciated it, so much so that we even wore our negative tests to the brunch! (Just to entertain people, of course.) We were glad to finally learn how to use those tests, too.
So last Sunday morning, we donned our best *PJs, and took off for the lovely Playa Vista area. *(Heidi’s beginning-of-the-year party is always a pajama party. She asks guests to wear some sort of pajamas or sweat outfit, along with slippers or sneakers. The fun among us do as asked, but I’m always disappointed to see how many people feel that rules do not apply to them. If I were the host, I wouldn’t let them in. My party, my rules!)
Karen Salkin, (in her mandated pajamas,) and Heidi Rotbart, (being fancier as the hostess.) Photo by Mr. X.
As always, Heidi was the hostess with the mostess. (Even though she herself was rocking a cocktail dress and heels! As I said, the host gets to make the rules.) She makes everything so easy for everybody.
For the set-up, she spaces out the tables and counter with platters, hotplates, and chafing dishes, and gets the potluck started with very generous bagels and lox. And then everyone participates, which I love. The variety of dishes is truly amazing; no two people bring the same thing! Heidi doesn’t even delegate what to bring; if someone needs a suggestion, she’ll help out with an idea, but, by some miracle, it always works-out perfectly.
This time, there was every brunch food imaginable, (and even some that aren’t!) I brought a potpourri of cherry blintzes, yummy Kings Hawaiian rolls, (which are good to fill with ingredients, but are deliciously sweet on their own,) a bottle of pear vodka, and the piece de resistance—my very own homemade chocolate toffee!!! I love getting creative in ways other than in my writing.
A colorful plate of Mexican casserole, cornbread, and tons of bacon. Photo by Karen Salkin, as is the big one at the top of this page, (which she snapped after most of the food was gone, because she had to eat and socialize first!)
As always, the Grand Marnier French Toast, made by Heidi’s great friend Kim, was my favorite thing. I love it! (And you know I hate alcohol, so that I adore this dish so much is astonishing.)
And Heidi did the most thoughtful thing, which I soooo appreciated—as she greeted us, even before I was able to give her the goodies I brought, she told me to hurry to the buffet because there was only a little of the French toast left, and she didn’t want me to miss it! How’s that for being a kind hostess?
A few other wonderful dishes were a Mexican casserole, delicious noodle pudding, chocolate bread pudding, a cornbread “cake,” shrimp cocktail, bacon-wrapped dates, all kinds of fruit salads, and even Kentucky Fried Chicken! And homemade chocolate chip cookies that were better than the very expensive cookies I had just bought in San Juan Capistrano! Not to mention all the bacon you could eat!!! What a supreme luxury. [Note: The big pic at the top of this page show just about a tenth of the fare on offer that day!!!]
Karen Salkin’s adorable party slippers, that are about four times bigger than her actual feet! Photo by Karen Salkin.
The guest list was a very interesting mix, as well. There were several show biz types, outside of just Mr. X and me. I even got to clear-up something in that category that I’ve wondered about for years. Heidi introduced us to someone named Michael Braverman. She said his name before we saw him, so I got excited, thinking it was one of Mr. X’s producers from when he was on the popular television series, Life Goes On. (I actually did an episode of it, as well.) But this Michael Braverman turned-out to be a much younger guy who also produces TV shows! Every time I’ve seen that name on TV, I thought it was our guy, even though the types of shows didn’t really jibe with his MO. So this Michael explained how it was just a fluke that he was able to use the same name as another producer. In the Screen Actors Guild, (which Mr. X and I are in, of course,) no one is allowed to use the same name; the person who shows-up later on has to add an initial or something. But now I know the Producers Guild rules, as well. And I know both men with that name!
There was so much champagne, but this trio was the prettiest. Photo by Karen Salkin.
Now, as to the other guests, we met several interesting ones. We spent the most time chatting with a wine expert, even though I don’t drink! And I loved the young guys who entered the premises by…climbing up the balcony! The intelligence factor was even covered by—no, I was not going to say “yours truly,” even if the shoe does fit—an elementary school principal. A hot chick one, to boot!
I even sort-of helped get a couple together! (After I suggested it to the guy, Mr. X looked at them talking and whispered to me, “Couple alert.”) Now I can’t wait to go to Heidi’s next soiree to see if they show-up there together!
Well, of course, I can’t wait for her next event, not just for that, but just because all of her get-togethers are so good!
