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Dinner Party in the Middle of Nowhere

Oh boy. There is a lot to report from this weekend. First though, are the pictures from the dinner party we hosted Friday night. San Francisco has the best piers with the prettiest views. This summer I got the idea of having a fancy dinner party on one. {Most piers don’t allow alcohol, candles, or any sort of Sterno set up so keep that in mind if you try your own.} My friend Emily was turning 31 so we took it as the perfect opportunity to throw her this special party. It is really like playing Russian Roulette with the weather here but miracle of miracles–Friday night was warm and perfect. At the coldest part of the evening only a light sweater was needed.

The party was set up smack dab in the middle of the Aquatic Park pier. There was the Golden Gate Bridge on one side, Alcatraz behind us, and all the lights of the city and Ghiradelli Square on the other side. We rented the linens and chiavari ballroom chairs and then I bought battery operated LED votives so we could still dine by candlelight. Keeping the food warm was tricky but we had four courses, soup we kept hot in thermoses, salad, homemade macaroni and cheese served in individual ramekins (these were baked immediately before then covered and put in a cooler.) And for dessert we had pot de creme served with thick drinking chocolate served in cappuccino cups.





  1. Shepherd Family ACAL

    October 6, 2008

    That looks amazing! What a special birthday party! The table looks fantastic, and Oh so Martha-ey… I just love that you are a real person who did it! Beautiful!

  2. Shepherd Family ACAL

    October 6, 2008

    That looks amazing! What a special birthday party! The table looks fantastic, and Oh so Martha-ey… I just love that you are a real person who did it! Beautiful!

  3. k8

    October 6, 2008

    really really beautiful jordan. and andy is even wearing a tie! amazing!

  4. Leah

    October 6, 2008

    look yummy and inviting and wonderful and warm. wonderful you for doing this.

  5. Maggie Mason

    October 6, 2008

    Magic. I can’t believe how well the weather cooperated. You randomly hit one of our two warm nights a year. Triumph!

  6. Kendra

    October 6, 2008

    Gorgeous! I want a birthday party in the middle of nowhere, too! I’m sure she’ll always remember this!

  7. ferardandy

    October 6, 2008

    jordan! it turned out so pretty. good job. the trees in the back ground are amazing.

  8. Anonymous

    October 6, 2008

    I’m thoroughly impressed!

    It looked beautiful 🙂

  9. Kathryn

    October 6, 2008

    What a dream! I would never dread my birthday if I had parties like this to look forward to!

  10. kell-bell

    October 6, 2008

    Beautiful, I used to worked right there, and the view from that pier is amazing. What a fun idea!

  11. Girlfrog

    October 6, 2008

    What lucky guests you have! It’s beautiful!

  12. elle

    October 6, 2008

    wow! so creative and a wonderful surprise for your friend’s birthday. congrats on it going so well!

  13. allison

    October 6, 2008

    love this idea! looks so dreamy…

  14. tara

    October 6, 2008

    did you have to check with anyone to do this or did you just go for it?

  15. chiara

    October 6, 2008

    oh my gosh! how wonderful! your images capture the specialness of the occasion. it looks like everything was just perfect.

  16. liz stanley

    October 6, 2008

    amazing. we’ll be with you in san fran for my bday. *wink wink

  17. Fine Twined

    October 6, 2008

    This is just like “super dating” when I was a teenager. I always loved it when I was single. Why have I stopped? Thanks for the reminder!

  18. Brooke Rane

    October 6, 2008

    oh, i LOVE it! what a dream dinner party and such beautiful presentation…

  19. brittany

    October 6, 2008

    how do you come up with this stuff! it sounds and looks amazing.

  20. robin k

    October 6, 2008

    Beautiful!

  21. S. Schuller

    October 6, 2008

    Love it! How beautiful. I wanted to be there on the water, eating at a table set-up like a scene from Chocolat. Is that Andy Kane in that picture?

  22. ashlynn

    October 6, 2008

    good job jordan – looks like it was a hit

  23. Joanna Goddard

    October 6, 2008

    this is SUCH an amazing idea!!!! i want to do it too 🙂

  24. collard green queen

    October 6, 2008

    I bet everyone that came by wanted to pull up a chair- really pretty jordan!

  25. JENNIFRO

    October 6, 2008

    Oh wow…now THAT is romantic!

  26. Kellie

    October 6, 2008

    This party is enviable – no doubt!

  27. Courtney

    October 6, 2008

    Wow. What a beautiful event! Surely that will be a birthday to remember. It looks simply perfect.

  28. Jo

    October 6, 2008

    Looks fantastic!
    I have to ask, what marathon are you training for?
    And I love the skirt you are wearing in your little photo at the top.

  29. S.HOPtalk

    October 6, 2008

    This is one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen. That it took place in my favorite city, makes it all the more fabulous.

    Gorgeous.

  30. Jackie

    October 6, 2008

    Enchanting. What a wonderful idea.

  31. Loraine

    October 6, 2008

    i am going to plan a small romantic dinner for my husband and I at the lake by our house.

    thank you for the inspiration.

  32. kim

    October 6, 2008

    Wow. What fun!

  33. trupeach

    October 6, 2008

    brilliant idea and such whimsical photos to boot!
    this has officially made my to-do list.

  34. Georgia (AKA g-bug)

    October 6, 2008

    looks like it was a great success. the photos are gorgeous! straight out of a magazine!

  35. miss b

    October 6, 2008

    wow!

  36. Coveiter

    October 6, 2008

    wow. seriously. the gold on gold is divine.

    oh how i miss san fransisco!

    { julie }

  37. melissa

    October 6, 2008

    Jordan – how did you illuminate the table and guests to get such soft amazing light for the photos? (Did you use an external flash?) You have a beautiful way of capturing details.

    PS – I am super excited to hear about the Film Is Not Dead Conference!

  38. Chris

    October 6, 2008

    What an incredible birthday dinner that must have been. Great idea!

  39. Anne

    October 6, 2008

    that looks beautiful!
    great job on the party.

  40. fresh images

    October 6, 2008

    Stunning…absolutely stunning! This is going in my ‘ideas stolen (borrowed) from amazing and creative people’ file. I love it!

  41. Stephanie

    October 6, 2008

    Simply to-die-for.

    We were in the city for the weekend too and were surprised to find the rainy forecast not-so-rainy. It was such a pleasant surprise. You are so right about the weather. You were seriously SO lucky.

    p.s. The Sentinel recommendation was spot-on. Loved it.

  42. Molly W.

    October 7, 2008

    What a fantastic idea. Just lovely.

  43. buericana

    October 7, 2008

    Wow that looks amazing.

  44. AmyC

    October 7, 2008

    What a great idea. I admire your creativity and your COURAGE. 🙂

  45. nichole

    October 7, 2008

    Gorgeous! So inspiring.

  46. M-Ware

    October 7, 2008

    how beautiful! thanks for sharing.

  47. coco+kelley

    October 7, 2008

    love love love this idea! must have been a little tough to pull off, but how unique and special! i will have to keep this in mind for my 30th bday… (although being in seattle, i’m not sure the weather would cooperate in october…)

  48. katelynjane

    October 7, 2008

    I love it how you say “middle of no where”. Come up to Dawson Creek BC and I’ll show you “no where” (:

    Your dinner party is AMAZING! I never in a million years would have thought to do this, but it really is beautiful and creative!

  49. zoe

    October 8, 2008

    What a perfect idea! It all looked beautiful, your friends are very lucky!

  50. R-Eight

    October 8, 2008

    I’ve been without internet for 2 days. I can’t belive I missed this. This is so so smart! Jordan you are too awesome!

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