EVENT | Eat Read Love Pop Up | Beachside Dojo Manly
Photos by Nadean Richards
The Eat Read Love Pop Up dinner series kicked off 2016 in style with a relaxed 'Summer Soiree by the Sea' at the beautiful Beachside Dojo Manly Rooftop.
As a huge advocate of creative collaboration, I love nothing more than to bring together a table of fellow creatives, bloggers, and foodies for a long table lunch. A a long Summer break, the end of January is a great time of year to put the heels back on, create new business goals for the year, and address those blogging 'to do' lists. The Eat Read Love Pop Up series, now in its third year after launching in 2013, is a fun way for our local creative community to get together on a regular basis, share ideas, collaborate and connect in person. While many of our 'tribe' have met online via Instagram, and know each other from afar via social media chat, we are all 'people people' at heart and the Eat Read Love Pop Up series provides an opportunity for real personal connections, away from the phone and computer screen. It is my wish that all of my guests leave the table after an event having met someone new, and feeling inspired to follow their creative passion, knowing they have a supportive community behind them. After all, "rising tides lift all boats". (Thanks for that one Kylie Lewis, OfKin)
It was a sparkling Sydney day on January 29 2016. Before lunch guests mingled in the rooftop bar overlooking picturesque Manly beach, sharing New Year's resolutions over a glass of sparkling D&B Rose 'Pour les-Amour'. Floral designers The Sisters created a magical floral table display, with whimsical over-hanging greenery, hot pink Dahlias and luscious pink roses with Gascoigne & King Belle candles burning brightly in between. Each guest received a bespoke gift box from online gift registry From The Owl, lovely homewares from Millie Archer and a luxury travel guide from Mr & Mrs Smith. Guests dined on a shared Asian inspired menu of fresh and cooked seafood, Sushi, Sashimi and salads, with the sound of waves crashing in the background, as the steamy afternoon storm rolled in.
Around the table, I was surrounded by an incredible and talented group of ladies - photographers, artists, designers, stylists, bloggers, Mums, PR managers, travel writers, event managers, chef's, floral designers and more. A wonderful lunch was had by all, and plans are now already in full swing for future Eat Read Love Pop Up events both in Sydney and overseas. I will be taking an extended three month trip around Europe so who knows where and when the next Eat Read Love event might pop up....Paris, Scotland, Denmark or back on home soil. The opportunities are endless and I hope to continue to create unique events to bring our creative community together on a regular basis.
The Beachside Dojo Manly is a wonderful venue for weddings, special occasions, baby showers, birthday parties and more, with exclusive use of the deck overlooking the beach, a cool chill out lounge area and table settings for up to 80 people, it is certainly one of my favourite spots in Sydney for a beautiful beachside event.
Like all of my pop up events, these would not be possible without the support of a fabulous group of amazing businesses. Special thanks to Sophie Baker from Wanderlust Union and Kaitlin Gordon for your help in planning the lunch. And thank you to all of the beautiful ladies who came along to celebrate with me. Such a great way to start 2016!
Proudly Supported By
VENUE: Beachside Dojo Manly
EVENTS + STYLING: Natalie Hayllar - Eat Read Love
FLORAL DESIGN & TABLE STYLING: Naomi & Esther - The Sisters
WINE: D&B Pour Les-Amour by Bird in Hand Wine
PHOTOGRAPHY: Nadean Richards - One Fine Collective
GRAPHIC DESIGN: Hilary Thackway
EVENT SPONSORS