You may remember our first post from this series where we showed you some behind the scenes pics of how Jessica prepares her table, home and meal to pamper her guests.  It is quite the experience to be a part of such a special evening. In this second installment of the series we show you how one of our BuDhagirls prepares a ladies lunch with the cleverest party theme- the BuDhaboy. 

The BuDhaBoys are so colorful and fun to add to any necklace or bag (they make the cutest bag charms!) that it seemed like an easy choice. Pretty rose and peony groupings were put together, a last minute table runner was DIYed, BuDhaboys were purchased as favors in an array of colors, a special BuDhaBoy cake was designed by a fellow BuDhaGirl tribe member and the food was prepared by another fabulous friend.  We love getting our friends together and gifting them with a wonderful experience of union, friendship, and love. Here, are the details-

||  Flowers.  The flowers were purchased at the local supermarket.  We used small and short vases to house one or two flowers for most arrangements to encourage conversation since we could all see each other, and then, we added height by adding larger groupings at the ends of the table in larger vases.

|| Runner.  The fabric was designed by Nate Berkus and we found it at our local Jo-Ann's. We added the pompoms trim which were also purchased at Jo-Ann.

|| Monogrammed Napkins. These were a birthday gift and ordered from a fabulous local store in Dallas called Madison.  These two are also other great sources for online monogrammed napkins Lettermade and Made on Marlow.

|| Flatware.  Gold just elevates everything to a different level.  West Elm has a wonderful set and so does One King's Lane.

||  The Food.  We cannot rave enough about the Lebanese food we had. Really, it could not have been more delicious or perfect for the occasion. Rima, a friend, was our caterer and if you are in Dallas we highly recommend her.  She made an array of Lebanese dishes that were divine, and which made our lunch, different, exciting and fun. It's not everyday you get invited to eat Lebanese food, you know? It was just perfect for our ladies luncheon. Rima has a passion for cooking and for making meals beautiful. When we saw how excited she was when she took out her homemade bread from the oven and we knew we were in for a real treat.  She made divine Falafel with Tahini, Manakeesh Zaatar (thyme pies), Kebbe (stuffed meatballs), Baba Ghanous topped with pomegranate seeds and onion molasses, Mouhamara (red pepper and walnut paste), beet root hummus topped with dill and pistachios, and a very special and refreshing tabbouleh.  Your mouth is watering, right? Visit her website here and you can contact her here.  She was wonderful to work with.

|| The Cake. It is the creation of Paola of Unique Party,  a fellow BuDhaGirl tribe member (she is a fan!) who has been a long-time friend and is seriously talented at making, designing and decorating cakes (you need to see her portfolio!).  All our birthdays and big celebrations have included one of her creations.  Paola makes the most delicious vanilla cake with a dulce the leche filling that you have ever tried.  If you are in Dallas keep her in mind for your next celebration. She loves taking your party theme idea and turning it into divine edible art!

||  The Favors.  The fabulous and colorful BuDhaBoys were our favors for our sweet guests.   They were a big hit and it was fun to think of the different ways we could wear them...on necklaces, as a bag charm, as a key fob, on our bracelets!  The guests were delighted to say the least.

In our view, elevating a meal to a celebration is the perfect way to shower your guests with love and respect. How do you make your meals special for friends and family?

[all photos by Albertina Cisneros]