A party to celebrate Muse, our new candle
I'll be honest, I love the idea of a good party, but actually throwing one gives me mega anxiety. Will people show up? Do we have enough to drink? And most importantly in this case, will they like the candle? But it seemed the right time to put my anxiety aside, since the renovations were finally complete and the candle was ready. So we opened our doors to friends and fellow interior enthusiasts to celebrate Muse.
Fortunately, the weather was on our side (the first big tick, especially in the UK!), so our guests spilled out onto the terrace for a balmy evening of sugary treats, interiors chat (two of my favorite subjects) and lots of garden admiration (thank you Matt and Alice, our wonderful garden designer!).
As Muse was inspired by Aphrodite and my love for all things sweet, I attempted to transform our home into a Grecian temple of pleasure for the evening. Sticking with the goddess theme, we draped the dining table in dust sheets (even aesthetes can get crafty!) and covered it with exquisite treats by Charlotte Fuller, a food stylist and all-around culinary genius who totally understood my vision.
Candlelight flickered, and Muse's top notes of blackcurrant and bergamot filled the air. I was so in my element, with cake and good company, I quickly got into the swing of things and had a fabulous time.
Sticking with the goddess theme with slightly sinful tongue-in-cheek references, Charlotte crafted playful cakes to appeal to my love of frosting. Minne di Sant'Agata pastries resembling pert breasts, complete with baby pink icing and a glacé cherry on top. White chocolate truffle ‘pearls’ lurked inside oyster shells. Lemon and white chocolate madeleines (with more edible pearls), completing the yonic symbolism. And the pièce de résistance – a two-tier pink velvet cake with an iced relief of Aphrodite (the same one you'll find on the candle vessels) and a single white rose. I can confirm, they're all as delicious as they looked!
Yes, this was technically an event to launch our new candle, but it was also the perfect excuse for an intimate hang in my home with plenty of delicious treats and seemingly endless bottles of fizz popped. It’s always fun to get dressed up for an evening in your own home (where you can kick off your heels when your feet get tired and don’t have to wait for an Uber before crawling into bed). It also gave me the chance to take my guests on a tour of the house, sharing those elusive corners that don’t make it onto my Instagram and getting a real sense of the home. Everyone was too kind!
Thank you to everyone who came … there will be many more parties to come in the future, I'm sure!
Muse launches to FL members on Wednesday (May 21) in a limited edition drop of 100 candles. Sign up for early access to shop 24 hours before they’re publicly available.
