High Tea, High Fashion and Hijinks

So, who watches the Bravo channel? Raise your cocktail ring-adorned hands high. Me too. It's a slight obsession, really. It didn't start out that way. It started out as a simple way to let my brain relax in a fast-paced left-brained world of analyzing insurance benefits, approving and overseeing vendor contracts and approving big budgets. With each new show that Andy introduced, (that's Andy Cohen, Executive Producer of the Bravo channel for all you non-Bravo watchers) I fell in love with him and the channel a little more.

The channel is a mix of fashion, art, interior design, drama, luxurious living, and entertainment. It's a beautiful little oasis for right-brained people like yours truly. It's a place where being eccentric is highly valued, and people agree with me that it's OK to wear big, bold jewelry to the grocery store because....well, it's Tuesday, and doesn't everyone, darling?

So, when Bravo started airing previews of its upcoming show "Million Dollar Decorators" awhile back, my artsy little heart had palpitations. Not only was it a new Bravo show, it was about interior design, which I LOVE. No, I'm no expert, and I don't run around trying to impress anyone with some technique I read online or a class I plan on taking. Interior decor is just innate to me. (Read: I'm not saying I'm great, just saying that doing it and loving it comes natural! Being "good" at interior design is really quite subjective.)

"Million Dollar Decorators" follows a set of well-known (as in, decorating for the likes of Cher and other icons) decorators around in their everyday lives, with the focus on projects they're doing. The homes and projects are typically in the tens of millions of dollars and let me tell you they are fab.u.lous! I love all the decorators and I had the fortunate opportunity of meeting two of them--Martyn Lawrence Bullard and Kathryn Ireland--at a recent event in Novi dubbed "High Tea, High Fashion and Hijinks".

The event was at Art Van and they had the stage set up like a stylish, cozy livingroom.

The delectable eats

Hey, I think I have this pinned on Pinterest! :)

In the back of the audience seating area were cocktail tables set up with these tablecloths. (Martyn and Kathryn are both from England.) Aren't these adorable?

Kathyrn and Martyn spoke with the host, sitting comfortably on the stage couch, and let us all into their lives a little further for a short period of time. The crowd was a good size, but not overwhelming, which allowed the event to feel a bit more intimate. (I thought the crowd would be INSANE, but it was the perfect amount of people.)

A few notable items:

1. Martyn loves his jewels.

2. Kathryn and Martyn have an adorable and hilarious relationship. They get along quite well and watching them banter back and forth in person will provide you with the highest amount of entertainment, hilarity and laughs.

3. Martyn is even more adorable and fabulous in person.

Martyn and Kathryn took a few questions from the audience (even did an impromptu consultation on the stage!) and then ever so graciously took pictures with every attendee that wished to have their picture taken. Here I am with my (I wish) fabulous new friends:

After the event was over, I wanted to tell all the attendees to scat so Martyn, Kathryn and I could have a glass of wine and talk colors and trends. Alas, my little dreams and reality did not align, and I headed off to the Twelve Oaks mall with my mom for a bit of shopping instead.

Someone from the show asked Martyn what colors were the next trend in interior decor. Martyn answered "orange and emerald green." Interesting that I found walls of clothing in several stores in emerald green when we were out shopping. For those of you who watch trends, you know that whatever comes off the runway spills into both everyday fashion stores AND interior decor.

 My mom and I rounded the trip off with dinner at Max & Erma's. We were spent, darlings. Simply SPENT.

What a delicious, beautiful experience meeting such inspirational, creative people. Keep feeding your dreams and shoot for the stars, darlings!

Cheers,

Samara