July 29, 2020
Picture this: you and your closest friends sign up to attend an event on a warm summer evening and the only thing you know is the day it is happening and the dress code. The decor, food, and of course, wine are all up to you and you have two hours day-of to find out where the venue is and bring your beautiful tablescape to life. Once put together, you and other groups have the rest of the night to be inspired by other tables, enjoy music, and each other.
That my friends, is a Pop-Up Dinner Party.
While found around the world, pop-up dinners have been popularized in the United States by Handmade Events. In an interview by Christa Youngern of She Stories, founder Nicole Benjamin describes her inspiration behind creating Pop-Up Dinners:
…The idea was born when Nicole’s husband and business partner read about a similar event in Paris. With a desire to bring that relaxed simplicity to the states, she began her journey. Her first event, hosted in San Francisco, had over 4,000 guests. With eight years in the rearview mirror, she now hosts events in up to twelve cities annually. (pre-Covid) Whether she is in Brooklyn, San Francisco, Los Angeles, or Minneapolis, her aim is to inspire a sense of connection and spontaneous community. In times where various forces seek to divide us, what Nicole offers the country is a return to the personal. It is a welcome salve to the unpleasantness that characterizes the upper echelons of our government. It reminds us that we are far more similar than different. That the simplest lessons are perhaps the most valuable: treat others with kindness, listen deeply, and enjoy every moment you are given for the sake of joy itself.
While spontaneity is a little harder to find these days, the core sentiment of Pop-Up Dinners is still a possibility: bringing people together to create joy and a sense of community. When asked how to plan a quarantine Pop-Up Dinner, Nicole said this:
“Pre-shelter in place, I would always tell people to keep it simple since you would have to haul everything to the unknown location, but if 2020 has taught us anything, it’s that sometimes you need to change. When planning it for your backyard, go above and beyond and make it special with treasures from your home.”
With this advice in mind, we’ll show you how to create your own Pop-Up Dinner Party and curate a special moment with your quaranteam!
What to Wear
Nicole’s classic Pop-Up Dinner dress code was white, but self expression was always greatly encouraged! When thinking of what you want to wear, think about what reflects your personality. Is it a classic silk jumpsuit, a funky-textured button down, or maybe even some daisy sunglasses? Whatever will make you most comfortable is what you should do (you do you!) One easy way to add more character to your outfit is to look for pieces that have different textures and layering. Here are some examples of fun outfits and accessories for inspiration!
- Blazer 2. Silk Jumpsuit 3.Lace Dress 4. Bryr Slide 5. Leather Sneaker 6.Textured White Shirt 7. Light Trouser
How to Decorate
Want a beautiful/full tablescape without blowing the bank? The answer is layering! Utilizing objects with different heights and patterns immediately creates depth and a sense of sophistication. For example, layering two plates like these compostable white and palm leaf paper plates from Oh Happy Day makes it appear as if you have a beautiful charger minus the rental fees. Putting vases at different heights like these from Etsy will also help to create depth on your tablescape. Don’t want to cover your beautiful outdoor table? Use a linen table runner to frame your tablescape! Want to make your table more sentimental? Add picture frames with images of your quaranteam as place cards!
1.Flatware 2. White Compostable Plate 3. Palm Leaf Plate 4. Pampas Grass 5. Disco Ball Cups 6. Linen Table Runner 7.Ceramic Vases
For those wanting to curate a more elevated feel, keep an eye out for neutral pieces like those you can find at Encore Event Rentals. To break up the tablescape even more, utilize an assortment of glassware like these coupe glasses that bring the perfect amount of simplicity and elegance. We also recommend adding customized wooden place cards like these offered by Studio Noel (no longer does custom order but try our good friend Blushtype) that match perfectly with the dried florals used in these centerpieces by Scarlett and Grace!
1.Cream Flatware 2.Plate 3.Elm Charger 4.Glass Coupes 5.Custom Place Cards 6. Napkin 7. Napkin Rings 8. Floral Arrangement
Elevated Rentals
While you might not be able to surprise your quarateam with the location of your dinner, you could surprise them by transforming your backyard. With the help of Shelter-Co and Found Rentals you could create the warm, inviting space that is guaranteed to facilitate a good time. Really feel like going the extra mile? Try renting a set of lounge chairs and coffee table for you and your quaranteam to sit 6-feet apart and play games after dinner. Heads Up anyone?
- Tent 2.Folding Chair 3. Pillow Set 4.Coffee Table 5. Fur Rugs 6. Lounge Chairs 7.Woven Rug 8.Rustic Table
Inspiration
Here are images from Danielle Gibson Events’ past Pop-Up Dinner Parties we attended for Inspiration!
Plants @soulflowersf, flatware and glasses @encoreeventrentals, napkins and linens @latavolalinen, macrame runner and rattan chargers @worldmarket, wooden names @studio.noel
Food & Beverages
While we discourage a potluck-style meal right now, we do encourage sharing wine. A warm summer evening like those we’ve experienced in
Pop-Up Dinners past calls for Lewis Cellars’ Napa Chardonnay and Debbie’s Sauvignon Blanc, or if you’re feeling like looking at life through rosé colored glasses, the always delicious Fearless Rosé. To pair with your delicious wine, we once again recommend single serving foods like individual charcuterie boards, sandwiches or some delicious deviled eggs.
For those more interested in dessert, we recommend making yummy chocolate chip cookies. They are the perfect individual dessert for a beautiful summer evening!
- Turkey Sandwich 2.Chardonnay 3. Sauvignon Blanc 4. Deviled Eggs 5. Rosé 6. La Croix 7. White Cosmopolitan 8.Cookies 9.Mini Cutting Boards
More inspiration from Pop Up Dinners we attended.
Table design Danielle Gibson Events
Terrariums with florals and flower crown @soulflowersf, Linens, napkins and seat cushions @latavolalinen, flatware @encoreeventrentals, leather string for napkin rings @amazon
WANT MORE INSPIRATION?
To see our past Pop-Up Dinner visit our blogs here and here!
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April 12, 2015
The Danielle Gibson Events and Tallu-lah teams are grateful for this coverage by the Napa Valley Register. Written by Isabelle Schmaltz.
Danielle Gibson may be new to Napa, but she brings with her a wealth of experience in design and event planning.
Gibson owns two businesses: Danielle Gibson Events and Tallu-lah, a greeting card company.
Gibson, 46, moved last year from St. Helena to Napa, where she and her husband have built their own home at the north end of town. Gibson decided to start her own event planning company this year.
“Why work for someone when you can do it yourself?” she said.
Originally from New York, Gibson gained valuable business skills working for Gap Inc. stores. After moving to the Bay Area, she eventually took on the store manager position for Union Street Papery in San Francisco. Gibson then worked for 10 years in the event planning industry, also in San Francisco, specializing in corporate events for Fortune 500 companies.
Danielle Gibson Events focuses on full-service event planning with an emphasis on design, customer service and logistical organization, Gibson said.
While another event planner may be the last thing the Napa Valley needs, Gibson says her customer base, as well as her style, are different.
Most other event planners specialize in weddings, and their clients are visiting Napa from other places, she said. Gibson’s goal is to work primarily with wineries, local businesses and Napa residents.
“I’m not here to compete with the wedding industry,” she said. “I’m here for the people who live in Napa.”
Gibson said her style of event planning is about immersing guests into a comfortable, yet innovative environment.
“I create my events out of a lifestyle,” Gibson said. “What do we want guests to feel? How do we want them to ‘live’ at the party?”
At a technology company’s outdoor event, hosted at the Meritage Resort and Spa, Gibson brought the comfort of a living room to a corporate party by bringing out coffee tables and attaching power cords beneath them. Guests were able to participate in the festivities while still having access to their laptops and other devices. She also created a phone charging station/bar, where guests could enjoy drinks while waiting for their phones to charge.
At a separate event, hosted in a park-like setting at Charles Krug winery, Gibson brought in a Volkswagen bus with a photo booth inside.
Reinventing a space is one of the things she enjoys most about event planning.
“I like to look at things differently,” Gibson said. “I like taking the landscape and doing something different.”
Her busiest time of year for both businesses, she said, is the holidays. Events are especially popular in September and October, when the weather is still beautiful and the kids are in school.
While Gibson loves both of her companies equally, she describes Tallu-lah as her “first love.”
Gibson began her stationery design company in 2002.
Depending on the time of year, Gibson employs about five to 10 contractors who work as designers for Tallu-lah. Some of the designers live in California, while others live as far away as Florida and Japan.
“I’ve created a network that works really well,” Gibson said.
The company designs stationery for Tiny Prints and Wedding Paper Divas. Tallu-lah also offers its own line of greeting cards, sold online and in stores across the country. In the Napa Valley, Tallu-lah greeting cards can be found at Standard: News, Books & Sundries in the Oxbow Public Market and at Pennyweight in St. Helena.
By creating her own companies, Gibson no longer spends hours a day in her car commuting. She’s also able to pick and choose the jobs she wants to work on. This flexibility is one of the things Gibson enjoys most, because it gives her more time with the one she loves.
“My husband and I have a better quality of life,” she said.
Gibson describes herself as having both a strong sense of design and logistics, which helps her manage both businesses. Her goal as a business owner is to simply be happy.
“I’m happy when the clients and guests are happy,” she said.
Check us out in the Napa Valley Register!
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