Cookies and Celebrities

Goodie Bag confirms that the Los Angeles stereotype of size zero, fitness crazy, bony celebrities is a misleading perception. Duh. From Crumbs Cupcakes to Dan Tana's pasta Diavolo, the Los Angeles population knows when it is time to indulge. And when Goodie Bag hosts a holiday cookie exchange for the Association of Celebrity Personal Assistants, it is time to indulge.

On a cool evening at the Bel Air Bay Club on the scenic PCH, 70 celebrity personal assistants gathered for food, drinks, gifts, warm fire, and brought their favorite cookies. Goodie Bag set the scene with glittery Christmas trees, an oversized center piece filled with red and white candy and flowers, apothecary jars, cake stands, and candy cane adorned mugs of Amaretto spiked chocolate milk.

Guests received invitations which told them to bring a dozen cookies and a stack of recipes (invitations made by Goodie Bag) on either Gingerbread House ornaments made of actual gingerbread, giant candy cane colored lollipops, or red and white striped oven mitts with wooden spoons attached. As guests poured in, the table came to life with overflowing amounts of chocolate chip cookies, gingerbread men, sprinkle cookies, sugar cookies, chocolate chocolate chip cookies, molasses cookies, snickerdoodles, biscotti, tea cookies, Gluten free cookies, Peanut Butter cookies, oatmeal raisin cookies, shortbread cookies.....and the list grows but I am going to get on with it and stop making your mouth water. The cookie exchange was fun for the celeb assistants because they got to go home with 12 new cookies and a new recipe book that was assembled in a custom made album (see picture above). Maybe it was the Amaretto chocolate milk, or the insane abundance of cookies, but the exchange was a frenzy of "oooohs" and "ahhhs" and kid-like shoving to get to the biggest most delicious looking cookies. All in all, the cookie exchange was a huge success, interactive, indulgent, fun, different, and the display looked like a piece of irresistible, festive, edible artwork.

To host your own cookie exchange Goodie Bag recommends using consistency by picking a theme (colors, shapes, or ingredients) and getting creative with every aspect of your party by using your theme throughout from invitations, to drinks, to decor.

For party planning help, or other elaborate dessert and candy buffets visit www.goodiebagevents.com

The Association of Celebrity Personal Assistants is an international organization that holds monthly networking meetings. www.acpa-la.com

Take Me to the Gala!

Whoever said that you can't have fun after college was definitely not a Jew. Or definitely not a Jew that attends the FIDF Gala. That's right guys....it's that time of the year again--The Young Leadership group of the Friends of Israeli Defense are hosting their annual gala this Saturday, November 14th. Besides the typical food, booze, and general fun, this gala is a party planner's dream with a Roaring 20's theme. You can bet that there will be fringe dresses, top hats, and feathers galore! I can't think of a more glamorous theme. Now this is a Kosher party which means I probably won't be drinking my gimlet out of a bathtub (unless a Rabbi has blessed it), but there will be plenty of amazing ways to enjoy the night and raise money for the Israeli military; a cause that all Jews should be supporting. Israeli troops make headlines everyday trying to keep the small but controversial nation of Israel safe and on Saturday night we hope to make even a small difference. The Los Angeles theater is the quintessential place to hold a Roaring 20's party with the antique glass accents, floor to ceiling columns, rich velvet drapes, Tiffany sconces, and carved wooden walls. Poker tables will be buzzing and raffle tickets selling within the picturesque setting. To buy tickets visit www.fidfyl.org/gala2009/invite.html To host your own Roaring 20's or Speakeasy party visit www.goodiebagevents.com