A Jersey City Soirée at Lil' Dove Cafe
As soon as I saw photos from this gorgeous event hosted by Artist + Designer Rebecca Johnson and the creative legends (Carlos Rivas + Antonio Vieria) behind casa Mona, I knew I wanted to somehow feature it. This event was a coming together of the creative community in Jersey City inspired by a few friends/family and the need to create! Below I asked Rebecca to share some of the inspiration behind the gathering in hopes that it might inspire us as this long Winter begins to retreat and Spring starts to unfold. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did and are inspired to create a little sunshine yourselves.
What inspired this meal/collaboration?
A moment of jubilation in creation during a rather dreary period. Creators need to create!
Since Lil' Dove's inception, Casa Mona has been providing beautiful bouquets for purchase via the cafe. Lil' Dove Cafe, like many restaurants/cafes, wanted to ensure the safety of their staff + guests when renting their outdoor patio space for private events. All creative collaborators were simultaneously pivoting their positions and roles, trying to think of safe and creative solutions to work during the pandemic. The event was a gathering of local Jersey City talent to showcase their skills and to inspire residents to look in their own backyard for incredible talent and resources for every celebration.
How did you go about styling the meal? How did you bring all the elements together?
It started with a conversation between Antonio and Carlos of Casa Mona, my sister Georgia of Lil’ Dove Cafe and myself. Casa Mona and I have a common aesthetic and are typically on the same brain wave. We started by creating a mood board and immediately knew we agreed on the color palette - warm hues of terra cotta and tumeric, grounding yet uplifting earth tones.
The tablescape featured warm, brilliant hues (terra cotta, blush, fuschia, tumeric) and bright fruit. We wanted to escape to a whimsical garden party in a tropical destination (especially because we could not travel). Since we could not gather as we normally do, or even hug or kiss, the warm hues embraced us!
What gave you 'All The Feels'? What felt special/significant?
This gathering allowed us a brief moment to not focus on the fears and worries around the pandemic and throw ourselves into a creative project fueled by the spirit of independent makers. The intention of the gathering was also to market for future events - even if we had to change how we hosted or created, this event proved you could still make something beautiful while adhering to all safety guidelines (we all wore masks during production, only after we were seated did we take our masks off)
More than ever there was a feeling of compassion, community, respect and an overarching sense of "we are in this together".
Collaborators
This was truly a family affair. Georgia, Sarahgrace, and I worked non-stop to prepare for the event with Casa Mona, including Art & Sarah (mom and dad, haha). Georgia was running the cafe and organizing, Sarahgrace was helping me paint the bar, Dad and Mom were literally digging holes to plant trees as Antonio and Carlos helped plan the layout. The usual exhilarating pre-event chaos!
Venue @lildovecafejc / Floral design @casamona227 / Tablescape design @carlosrivasnyc / Photography @sofiatome / Stoneware @jonopandolfi / Linen napkins hand dyed @thestarlingatpondeddy + @thefarmhouseproject / Tablecloths hand dyed by @frankiebinx / Props + decor @piamundo / Candles @shopkanibal / Wardrobe @amtvintage / Jewelry @shoplovelocked + @shopkanibal / Makeup @foxyfleet + @walkersapothecary / Food + natural wine @frankieeatsjc / Cake @dulcedelechebakery + Design @sgmoney / Paint for bar facade was @portolopaints (limewash in “potters clay”) / Mural by Rebecca @frankiebinx
*All photos © Sofia Tome