On a lark at Molly Wood Garden Design ~ Summer 2015
8/14/15 Pop-up Dinner Party at Molly Wood Garden Design in Costa Mesa, CA
Our lark with Molly Wood Garden Design brought together a beautiful group of people who enjoyed mingling and dining in their charming and inspirational garden.
The stars aligned perfectly and we were grateful to have Mike Otto hand select wines from Tolosa Winery to match our menu. With their wonderful aromas and great taste, we have found a perfect match.
The common tables were styled with lovely elements from Molly’s garden shop. The graceful hand of Letter Sparrow created a gorgeous menu and hand-made ceramic plates made by artist Andrea Luna Reece took the crostini to new heights.
As a garden spider diligently weaved its intricate web for all to admire, we enjoyed this amazing August menu crafted by Chef Kyle Powers:
upon arrival
sugar snap pea cocktail w/lemon thyme syrup
crostini platter of charred leek and green onions with a goat cheese spread; red beet ricotta puree w/minted herb salad + pistachios; roasted tomato & garden pesto
on the table & paired with hand-select Tolosa wines
caramelized pork belly on top of a celery root puree, wilted swiss chard, w/salad of celery & cucumbers on top
*veggie option: caramelized tofu
on top of a celery root puree, wilted swiss chard w/salad of shaved celery & cucumber
grilled stone fruit w/vanilla bean ice cream, fresh whipped cream, macerated berries & mint compote
We are grateful for all who gathered, making this an exceptional summer lark! A heartfelt thanks to our guests and @MollyWoodGardenDesign, @LetterSparrow, @MySaltySoul, @LunaBirdie, @ForkInTheRoadCatering and Miss M Photography for capturing the moment!
And just like that, summer slips into fall. Next lark October 8, 2015, details to be announced soon. Cheers! xo~l
On a lark at Molly Wood Garden Design ~Summer 2015On a lark at Molly Wood Garden Design ~Summer 2015On a lark at Molly Wood Garden Design ~Summer 2015On a lark at Molly Wood Garden Design ~Summer 2015On a lark at Molly Wood Garden Design ~Summer 2015On a lark at Molly Wood Garden Design ~Summer 2015
On a lark at Molly Wood Garden Design ~Summer 2015On a lark at Molly Wood Garden Design ~Summer 2015On a lark at Molly Wood Garden Design ~Summer 2015On a lark at Molly Wood Garden Design ~Summer 2015On a lark at Molly Wood Garden Design ~Summer 2015
7/30/15 Pop-up Dinner Party at J o l i e in Newport Beach, CA
J o l i e {beautiful in French} truly lives up to it’s name. Owner Cherie D’Sa and her crew Nicole and Norma operate with style and grace. We love their light and airy seaside location showcasing amazing collection of curated high-end clothing, shoes, handbags, and home goods.
J o l I e embraced lark and then showed us what the word “hustle” actually looks like. One of the few shops open while Lido Marina Village is under construction, they have managed to build a strong local following and create their own piece of fashion paradise in a short period of time.
To add style upon style, lark was fortunate to collaborate with talented artists Andrea Luna Reece and Stacy & Selavi at Ready Set Make. They added some beautiful handmade ceramic tapas plates and stunning Himmeli sculptures to sit alongside the gorgeous menus created by LetterSparrow.
Everything about J o l I e is perfect, so we decided to set the vibe just outside the doors by creating a hip and fun vignette with fabulous furnishings from 503found (check out those yellow chairs from Paris!).
As you may surmise, our communal dinner table was already bursting with good vibes when Chef Kyle shared all the delicious details of his eponymous menu:
tossed in a burnt tortilla vinaigrette, w/grilled kale, burrata cheese & toasted almonds
shrimp & crab cake
served w/white bean tahini puree, fried soft shell crab + a charred corn & fresno chili salad
*vegetarian option: summer squash cake served / white bean tahini puree, and a charred corn & fresno chili salad
dessert
shortbread biscuit served w/frozen greek yogurt & blueberry sage compote
Bringing this lark to fruition, we discovered this fashionista’s paradise is rooted to the ground with genuine people on every side of the counter.
We are grateful for all who gathered, making this a beautiful summer lark! A gazillion thanks to our guests, @Shop_Jolie, @LetterSparrow, @ReadySetMake, @MySaltySoul, @LunaBirdie, @503found & @ForkInTheRoadCatering. Until we meet again! Xo~l
Lark + Jolie = Summer 2015Lark + Jolie + Ready Set Make = Summer 2015Lark + Jolie + Andrea Luna Reece + Letter Sparrow = Summer 2015Lark + Jolie + Letter Sparrow = Summer 2015Lark + Jolie + Summer 2015Lark + Jolie = Summer 2015
3/28/15 Pop-Up Dinner Party at The Hood Kitchen in Costa Mesa, CA
We were honored to set our communal table at this amazing haven for Culinary Professionals, Food Artisans & Entrepreneurs. Our early inspiration was to reflect the fun and coolness of this amazing space that houses commercial kitchens and an extraordinary amount of support to the culinary community at large. We brought in some colorful paintings by artist Catherine Rex, along with some sharp looking cactus (pun intended). We grounded the vibe with tribal painted rocks and synced all of it up with a groovy soundtrack. Then, as always, Chef Kyle worked his magic and actually plated Hip & Edge – we enjoyed:
STARTERS
RHUBARB MARGARITA served on the rocks w/a sweet and salty rim,
garnished with kumquats & limes!
CURED SEAFOOD PLATTER beet cured salmon + citrus cured shrimp
served on a platter w/multi colored vegetable chips,
spiced fried hominy, roasted shisito peppers & cucumber salsa!
ON THE TABLE
& paired w/South American & Spanish wines:
BOWLS OF LOTUS CHIPS served w/a dried chile tapenade
COURSE ONE
CHARRED GREENS SALAD charred romaine and crispy kale tossed in a burnt tortilla vinaigrette w/pepitas, roasted red peppers & cotija cheese
COURSE TWO
BRAISED BEEF SHORT RIB TAMALES served w/a spicy lobster sauce, topped with fried black-eyed peas, roasted vegetables & chunks of lobster meat
****Vegetarian Alternative****
BRAISED JACKFRUIT TAMALES served with a spicy hatch chile sauce, topped w/fried black eyed peas, roasted vegetables & frisee lettuce
COURSE THREE
CHURROS TWO WAYS homemade churros, served w/a spicy chocolate ganache & deep fried churro ice cream
Many thanks to all the beautiful people who came on a lark with us! They brought their gorgeous smiles and good vibes! Special thanks to Shelby Coffman, LetterSparrow, Catherine Rex Art, Medium Raw Arts, Monique Schulfer, Seaworth Coffee Co., Jeri Vann Creations, Jaxsea Swimwear, Tom Goad, Marisa Powers, Jane Vo, and Dawn Martinez.
Charred romaine and crispy kale tossed in a burnt tortilla vinaigrette w/pepitas, roasted red peppers & cotija cheese. On a lark @TheHoodKitchen 3-28-15.Catherine, Monique, Shelby, Kyle, Marisa & Lisa. On a lark Lark @TheHoodKitchen 3-28-15.beet cured salmon + citrus cured shrimp served on a platter w/multi colored vegetable chips, spiced fried hominy, roasted shisito peppers & cucumber salsa! On a lark @TheHoodKitchen 3-28-15.Hip & Edge! On a lark @TheHoodKitchen 3-28-15.BRAISED BEEF SHORT RIB TAMALES served w/a spicy lobster sauce, topped with fried black-eyed peas, roasted vegetables & chunks of lobster meat. On a lark @TheHoodKitchen 3-28-15.On a lark @TheHoodKitchen 3-28-15.On a lark @TheHoodKitchen 3-28-15.Beautiful work by @LetterSparrow. On a lark @TheHoodKitchen 3-28-15.
We will forever revel in our super fun lark at the beautiful 503found. Chef Kyle delivered BIG time on effort and flavor. He crafted his own makeshift kitchen steps away from our communal table and served up a fine menu. Music flowed, wine was poured and friends were made in the midst of the beautiful, eclectic artwork and furnishings.
We had a beautifully styled table thanks to our lark crew, 503found’s offerings, and the hand-lettered menus created by LetterSparrow.
Thank you to all the beautiful people who attended, we are grateful to the good energy and love you brought to this occasion. We hope we inspired you to come on a future lark!
In closing, we are super thankful to Kim J., owner of 503found, for her free spirit, style and inspiration. 503found is housed in a former boathouse sure to be full of good times and stories – and we are proud to have added to them.
Special thanks to Photographer Brian Tropiano, Marisa Powers, & Lark stylists: Ginger Wallace, Monique Schulfer & Catherine Rex.
We are excited to announce our collaboration with Letter Sparrow, who will be designing our menu and place cards for our upcoming lark at 503found. We only see good things coming from this talented artist and are honored to work with her. xo~l
In 145 characters or less, tell us how this grant will help you achieve your business goals.*
It will provide the resources to establish our own location and grow our offerings to include Design Consultation and eCommerce.
Tell us why and how you started your business.*
To nurture and inspire individuals, making this a better world, even for a moment. We began our business by “popping” up in various locations, including parks, boutiques and private residences. Popping us allows us to keep our overhead costs low while we learn what works best for everyone. Our motto is to “do, reflect, refine, & do again”.
What do you love most about what you do?*
We love making ideas happen, with the perfect combination wit & whimsy, just to see where it goes and how it inspires others. We get to style locations, enjoy food + wine, and have great conversations.
Tell us about your current work. What do you make? What’s special about the construction or materials used?*
We style our underground dinner party and marketplace locations. We scout, acquire materials, and talent. We use West Elm products as well as local designers to make our space beautiful and inspirational.
What 3 words would you use to describe your work and why?*
First would be “lark” because it is a true adventure! Second would be “Inspired” because this is our goal. Third would be “Refreshing” because it’s always fresh.
What are your goals for your business and your vision for growth?*
To open a quaint Brick & Mortar that offers Curated Goods, Event Space and Design Consultation. Because it’s so much fun, we will continue producing underground dining and marketplace events, expanding to cities around the world, to facilitate the positive impact of design and community.
We recently met up with local Huntington Beach blogger Lauren of “Main & PCH”, who lives and loves all things local, to share a bit of our story! Read about it here: Let’s go on a lark
Constantly looking for collaboration and inspiration, on a lark, I met Chef Kyle Powers and was immediately drawn to his kind and calm demeanor. He is one of those people that you just feel good standing next to. He developed his culinary skills in the kitchens of restaurants as opposed to the traditional cooking schools (the sign of a true rebel!). After seeing him in action and tasting several of his creations, I realized the culinary world chose him and we all are better for it. We are thrilled to have Kyle create our menu, select the wine, and mingle with guests at our next lark on 9.19.14 in Sunset Beach. So you can get to know him better, below is a short Q&A to get the conversation started!:
What is your earliest culinary memory?
My earliest culinary memory is waking up on Saturday mornings at 5 years old, turning on cartoons, and then deciding to make breakfast for my parents. I would always get in trouble because I wasn’t allowed to touch the stove.
What is your view on the (slow) food movement?
I feel like the world of food has changed a lot but mainly for those interested in that change. We need this change to happen with more people and communities, especially for our health.
Which cooking words or phrases do you most overuse?
I use them without thinking! Then, when I feel like I’m overusing, I stop and figure another way to get my point across—which leads me back and then to over usage! Lol. But a popular word/term I can’t really stand is “foodie”.
What is your most treasured culinary possession?
Right now I love using my pressure cooker.
What is your motto?
My motto for when I cook is to “Be Different”. My motto for others is “Anyone Can Cook”. When I do my Cooking Demos I try and teach confidence in the kitchen versus just recipes.
What is your greatest culinary extravagance?
It is probably almost making it on Food Network Star a few years back. But currently it’s watching our business grow. See
What is your is your idea of the perfect meal?
My idea of a perfect meal is when I taste something that I’ve had before, but it makes me think I haven’t had it before. Add wine to that and I’m happy.
What do you most value in your friends?
I value my friends immensely. My favorite thing is that we can go days or even weeks without having seen each other and maybe have only chatted a couple times, but the effort we all make to stay connected is absolutely amazing. They support me more than I can ever ask or imagine.
Which living person do you most admire?
The living person I most admire is my wife Marisa. She is the biggest reason we have a successful business and she has endured a lot this past year. With our first pregnancy and first born I learned how to never give up and get through some really tough situations. I relate that to working in the kitchen everyday. She deserves multiple medals for being an amazing wife, a great businesswoman, a supportive sibling, caring daughter, and most of all a mother. She can do all of those things and still find time to make our own sunscreen, baby food and detergents for our home. She just recently made deodorant. What can I say? How can I not admire her?! I’m simply blessed beyond belief! And she makes my mom proud!
What is your favorite spice?
My favorite spice always changes. Other than salt I really like Juniper and Cumin too. But whatever spice I use I want to use it in the most unique way possible.
What simple advice do you give others regarding food?
Take time to cook! #bebravecreate
What is your most marked characteristic?
I am calm in the kitchen – and in general. The calmness brings out creativity for me.
Where would you most like to travel?
Our next big trip will be to Italy!!! But best food trips were to New York and Portland!
Who do you follow / admire in the food world?
My favorite chefs are Jamie Oliver and Rick Bayless. I feel Jamie Oliver is really trying to change the world with food and how kids are seeing food. I also really admire my friend at Red O in Los Angeles Chef Justin Haefler. His story is unbelievable and I think he is going to do huge things in the food world. His focus is on healthy eating without being a specific type, vegan, vegetarian, etc. FYI – Red O is a Rick Bayless restaurant out of Chicago that is now in L.A. and Newport Beach.
What made you realize that you were a good cook?
When my wife said, “let’s start a catering business”, I thought maybe I CAN cook! [editor note: Fork In The Road Catering ]
What is your favorite wine / food combo?
There are way too many great ones to choose from!
What arbitrary kitchen rule would you like to break or establish?
Being that I didn’t go to culinary school I think I break a lot of rules without even knowing it, but it works 95 percent of the time so I don’t really pay attention to the “rules”. If something doesn’t work I figure out how to make it work.
Chef Kyle Powers w/wife & business partner Marisa
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See Chef Kyle’s mouth watering menu and learn more about our upcoming lark here:
When I was about 10 years old, I was invited to visit my friend Lou-Lou’s house in Bel Marin Keys. My schoolmate had never mentioned anything about home and I had no expectations other than to play games, eat candy and watch movies. As it often happens when visiting someone’s home, her life unfolded as I walked through the doors. I encountered calm and serene house, nothing standing out with the exception of several older sisters coming and going. To my surprise her mom gave me direct attention and was obviously delighted by our child-adult conversation. When the opportunity arose, we ventured outside and suddenly all my senses came to life. Her mom had the most beautiful garden sanctuary I had ever seen. It was child friendly and we able to tromp wherever we wanted without fear of reprimand. The wild flowers and plants were intentionally unkempt; it was perfect and welcoming. Their colors made the most delightful bouquets and changed throughout the day. The wrought iron garden furniture with stripped patterned pillows fit in as if they grew there themselves. The feeling this Mediterranean garden evoked was so strong, I wanted to root myself to the ground and never leave – and in a way, I never did. xo~L
We loved setting our communal table AoSA Coffee in Huntington Harbor on Friday June 13th. The positive vibes and family style serving really brought this group together. It’s such a pleasure seeing people connect and enjoy themselves. Our recipe is always a stylish but earthly environment, gregarious people, and amazing food & drinks. Thanks to all the people who came together to make this happen!
If your curious like us, here are few things we learned about AoSA! AoSA = Artists for Sustainable Action. They offer Stumptown Coffee on tap as well as Kombucha on tap! You can purchase both in growlers, which is convenient, reduces waste and costs (win/win/win). The crew that runs this operation are hardworking, enthusiastic, multi-talented and open minded. Please stop in and say hello, have a cup of their amazing coffee and check out their ever-growing list of community minded events from poetry reading to underground dinner parties!
Many thanks to our talented photographer Brian Tropiano! Please visit his website at: www.briantropiano.com
