HEIDI ROTBART\u2019S PAJAMA PARTY BRUNCH<\/h1>\n
The funny thing, for me, was that I woke up that day in my usual<\/em> PJs, (trust me\u2014not attractive ones,) and then after a shower, I donned a brand new set of blue silk ones for the party. Then when I got home, I changed back into my house set to watch the Olympics! So, it wasn\u2019t at all like I rolled-out of bed and right over to her house.<\/p>\n Karen Salkin’s silk PJs and adorbs slippers. Photo by Karen Salkin.<\/p><\/div>\n But it was so entertaining to see what her hundred or so guests were wearing! I was happy to see that a majority of them were fun enough to at least try<\/em> to rock the appropriate attire. Heidi also requested that, along with the pajamas, we wear slippers, or similar footwear, and that was interesting, as well. If there had been a prize for best ensemble, guess who would have won it? Me, of course! Always one to comply with my host\u2019s wishes, my crazy slippers put me over the top! (One day I\u2019ll tell you the story of why I have them to begin with.)<\/p>\n The entire affair was very upbeat and homey, with people mingling in every room and on the outside decks, as well. And it was all so convivial; everyone knew someone. I never<\/em> go anywhere alone, but I just knew that I would be comfortable enough to do so to this one, and I was correct!<\/p>\n Photo courtesy of Heidi Rotbart.<\/p><\/div>\n But the best part was the food. What a feast Heidi put together! She asked us all to bring our favorite brunch food, and the variety could not have been better!!! She didn\u2019t micro-manage at all; we each just brought what we liked, and it worked out perfectly. She had a beautiful platter of bagels, lox, cream cheese, and all the go-withs, as the starting point. And there were many appetizers, tons of bacon, (how generous was that<\/em>?!,) all kinds of salads, and several chafing dishes with creative e-word concoctions. And the entire kitchen table was devoted to desserts! I was shocked that no two were alike. (I baked a mocha latte coffee cake, which I was thrilled to see be well-received.)<\/p>\n My absolute favorite dish was a surprise, though. It was Grand Marnier French Toast! As you may know, I detest the taste of alcohol, and I\u2019m not a fan of e-wordy French toast, either. But this dish was perfection! The bread was compressed and tight, and the alcohol taste had burned-off and left a sweet syrup-y taste. I could not get enough of it! [Note: I\u2019m so sorry for the dearth of food pix\u2014I was having such a good time that I totally didn\u2019t think to take any snaps!]<\/p>\n Karen Salkin’s mocha latte coffee cake. Photo by Karen Salkin.<\/p><\/div>\n As for beverages, many people brought champagne, but another guest and I contributed big containers of orange juice, which got gobbled up right away. (So, if you use this prototype for your own celebration, I suggest you make sure to have a few more people bring OJ, not just for your teetotaler pals, but also so you can make mimosas!)<\/p>\n By the way\u2014this soiree exceeded my already-high expectations. And you know how high they were to begin with by this fact\u2014I left my round-the-clock Olympics-watching for it<\/em>! I knew that would set me back many hours, (because, as my regular readers know, I watch every moment of the coverage, save for hockey and curling,) but I didn\u2019t want to miss Heidi\u2019s fete. And boy, was I right! Now I can’t wait for next year\u2019s rendition, no matter what<\/em> date it\u2019s on! I\u2019m in a nightshirt as I\u2019m writing this, so I\u2019m ready to go right now!<\/p>\n This was my second year at this Easter brunch (which is so much more than that,) and here\u2019s a shock\u2014Mr. X came with me, both<\/em> years!!! So you know how excellent of a party this is, when the homebody opted to return.<\/p>\n Can you guess whose sweatshirt is ruining the gorgeous tableau? Photo by Karen Salkin.<\/p><\/div>\n This was an all-day event, and it\u2019s planned-out perfectly in advance, so that we can then all be cool and loose on that day. And what a partnership these two hosts have! It\u2019s held at Steven\u2019s stunning Malibu property, and all organized by Denise, (who I wish worked with me<\/em>! She\u2019s the most organized person ever<\/em>, and is ultra-pleasant through it all!)<\/p>\n As the invite stated, \u201cdoors open at noon,\u201d which gave the twenty or so of us time to meet and greet, and set-up the food we all brought. Denise leaves nothing to chance. Noth-ing<\/em>!!! She thinks of everything<\/em>, and plans accordingly for guests who need gluten-free, nut-free, and vegan dishes. (How kind is that<\/em>?!) And it results in just the correct number (and variety) of appetizers, main and side dishes, and desserts. [Note: I found-out just how rare gluten-free crackers are! My search for them went city-wide!]<\/p>\n Some of the Easter e-word hunters. Photo by Karen Salkin.<\/p><\/div>\n After a beautiful al fresco dining experience, overlooking the ocean, it was time for the Easter E-word Hunt! Denise had gone to the trouble of hiding colorful plastic ones\u00a0all over the massive property, and the guests got to do the search. It was easy to get distracted, though, because designer Steven has so many interesting artifacts along all the trails, and we wanted to explore them all. They each have an interesting story!<\/p>\n Karen Salkin’s very colorful clothing and jewelry and Easter e-word nails that…she painted herself!!! Photo by Mr. X.<\/p><\/div>\n It\u2019s a good rule that after you find a certain number of e-words, you have to stop. Or else you know that competitive moi would find them all<\/em>!!! When we could tear ourselves away from all the stunning outdoor sitting areas, we reconvened in the beautiful and comfortable living room to open our e-words. They each had a number inside, which corresponded to a gift bag. Each bag contained such clever and useful items. I was happy to \u201cwin\u201d (among other gifts) cute sports socks, a bunch of handy items for the car, an elegant drinking glass, and a nail polish duo, (which was perfect for me because, yes, I had once again hand-painted each nail to resemble an Easter e-word!!!)<\/p>\n You would think that would be enough activity for an Easter brunch, but you would be wrong\u2014there was more!<\/p>\n We had been encouraged to bring to-go containers for leftovers, and you know they didn\u2019t have to ask me twice! Mr. X and I feasted on that fare for the next two days! How cool is it that Denise thought of that beforehand?!<\/p>\n Mr. X throwing himself into his winnings! Photo by Karen Salkin.<\/p><\/div>\n After we all finally settled down around the massive living room coffee table and got cozy, we played an easy game that everyone<\/em> participates in, (which is not always the case with games. Trust me.) It\u2019s titled \u201cLeft, Right, Center,\u201d and all it requires is three single dollar bills from each player, and a specific set of three dice. It\u2019s so fun. It goes on for the perfect length of time, until only one player has a dollar left. Then he or she gets the entire pot! And I\u2019m happy to report that this year, the winner was none other than…drumroll, please…Mr. X!!! (But I<\/em> held on to his winnings for him, of course.)<\/p>\n Easter was on April Fool\u2019s Day this year, so I told Steven that since his house was so inviting last year, Mr. X and I brought overnight bags with us, and we were planning to stay in one of his gorgeous guest rooms that night. I figured he\u2019d not be pleased with that declaration, and then I would quickly say, \u201cApril Fool\u2019s,\u201d and everyone would have a laugh. But guess what? He said, \u201cYay!\u201d He\u2019s so adorable that he was making us not feel rude about that very rude announcement! How nice is he<\/em>?! (It made us wish we were really<\/em> going to spend the night there!)<\/p>\n So, the whole soiree finished as it began\u2014on the cheeriest of notes. We had all been there about seven hours by the end, and yet everyone still lingered.<\/p>\n![\"27657524_10212907817423365_6431071170482342496_n\"](\"http:\/\/itsnotaboutme.tv\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/27657524_10212907817423365_6431071170482342496_n-e1523424997253.jpg\")
<\/a>I think that show biz manager Heidi usually throws this \u201ccome-in-your-pajamas\u201d brunch on New Year\u2019s Day, but this year, she did it as a pre-Valentine’s Day event. But no matter when<\/em> she stages a wonderful shindig like this one, it\u2019s always welcome.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/a>STEVEN CORDREY & DENISE WILKE\u2019S EASTER BASH<\/h1>\n
<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a>ONE IMPORTANT TIP, IF YOU\u2019RE A GUEST<\/h1>\n