“Having A Themed Wine Party” Having A Themed Wine Party

The quintessential lessons in Having A Themed Wine Party in style, is really a lot of fun. And, it’s also a lot of hard work. Firstly, Finding the ideal party planner is priceless, especially because they create those parties we all wish we had attended! Guess what? I found the best Event Planner extraordinaire!

Grand Canal at sunset, Venice, Italy. What would you plan around this theme? Laurent Cruveillier describes, below.

Since I Threw Out A Query on Facebook

“What do you think are the most fabulous elements of a Halloween party, even though it’s early, but I need to put my pointy thinking cap on. Thanks in advance. If you’re around, you might enjoy it!”

We’re in the background, again thinking about another Dark & Delicious event at Robert Biale Winery, in the Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley.

Spooky Squad Back View, to Trick or Treating.

The answers were all thoughtful, and consequently really rocked my imaginary boat on a tidal wave. Born in Limoges, France, Laurent Cruveillier is a now a local neighbors’ son, presently at their mountain get-away. Highly skilled and extremely specialized with his background and education. Laurent is not someone you bump into on the streets everyday, unlike other professions. He’s not an ego driven front man.

Cruveillier a rare specialist, specifically with a unique skill set, in a very prestigious background. Like, preserving history with kid gloves. Candidly, Laurent is especially something to write home about, because he has such a truly unique gift. Consequently, there aren’t many like him in the world. So, get ready for having your mind blown away.

Laurent Cruveillier

Laurent Cruveillier Background

What Laurent currently does for a living is a book and paper conservator at the Hoover Institution Library & Archives at Stanford University. Past employment: UCL Special Collections, and Lycée International de Londres Winston Churchill. He’s a meticulous artist, one of the best in the world. My Pi AI app, referred to him as “Not just a rare professional, but he’s a living embodiment of history, culture, and the preservation of knowledge.”

Laurent’s Follow-Up to Getting Down

Earlier, “I worked in advertising and communications for many years…organized, countless parties for clients, and have some experience in events planning!”

“When I lived in Lisbon, I was notoriously famous for the costume parties at my house (up to 200 guests) with elaborate decors and food. The themes were always very creative.” An example of Dark was ‘Venice by Night,’ hence, the opening photo. Next, ‘Hieronymus Bosch’s Creatures Gather for The Great Whipped Cream Ball,’ smack dab in this image. Gooey!

Anyone who attended is probably still saying, “Yeah, I was there at Laurent Cruveillier’s parties!”

D&D Halloween 2024 is coming!

Getting Our Andy Warhol On

“‘Aliens Invade The House of Andy Warhol.’ Then, there was ‘Dangerous Liaisons & Public Roadworks, ‘The Chinese Disembark on The Banks of The Niger River,’ and ‘King Sebastian’s Harem (Sebastian of Portugal disappeared at the battle of Alcacer Quibir),’ etc… Wild parties!”

You get the picture, right?

Jo Diaz black and white. This image was taken at the Quinta do Quetzal Art Museum in Vila de Frades, Portugal.

And foods?

“Do not sacrifice good taste and flavour on the altar of gore and spooky. Make good seasonal food. Keep the mystery alive; do not reveal who is behind what mask. Thirdly, no fake cobwebs (or use frayed wool).”

Additionally, “think of an overall aesthetic look and feel; Also, limit the spectrum of colours to two main ones, with an accent colour (black and orange; with accents of purple, or emerald, if you are going for the pumpkin them. Basically, this works for Steampunk!). Avoid buying ready-made stuff. You don’t have to have every cliché. It’s OK not to have spiders and vampires.’ Another idea, have “a touch of humour (brooms left at the parking lot)…”

Set of different food snacks and appetizers on brown wooden background. Beautiful catering banquet buffet table.

Especially, “Decor should focus on the entrance door, and the buffet. Have a backdrop somewhere in front of which people can take selfies and pictures. I find that fake fog helps a great deal with the mood (rent or buy a dry ice machine). Fake tombstones are easy to make with all the cardboard boxes from cereal and stuff… If you are going to distribute candy, buy good stuff only and give less, no “fillers”.

Various types of cheese at a buffet table.

Finally, “You can have creative games, like “find the corpse” (Large box filled with pebbles, with chocolate bars buried underneath, with crosses on top, made from Popsicle sticks). Then, there’s the soundtrack… Have ghosts made of helium filled balloons and bed sheets in rooms where you don’t want people to go (put duct tape on the switches so that the rooms stay in the dark).

Furthermore, “Stop being an organizer the minute people start showing up.”