studio rien: ✨Flower Party✨ returns!, intimate events, and a citrus trick

flowers (and apricots) of one’s own

Hello kittens,

One of my earliest memories is of being tucked into the backseat of my parents’ car, and their friend passing me a little bouquet of lilies of the valley through the door. The details are fuzzy the way childhood memories are: Where were we? Did she really live in a farmhouse upstate? (Who was she?) But I distinctly recall my little hand clutching its treasure, and every few minutes, raising it to my nose to take big luxurious sniffs, all the long car ride home.

Is there anything more deeply satisfying than flowers of one’s own? Something made just for us, given with pleasure. 

In the midst of extravagant summer events, I’ve had the joy of also making pieces for the more intimate moments. Elopements, with just two people and a bouquet. Birthdays, thank yous, and, sometimes, just a little something for the kitchen counter.

And so in between the barbeques and park hangs and splashy dinners, I hope you, too, get so lucky as to be sent a little bouquet of your own.

let’s get married

I’m lucky to be working on quite a few city hall weddings this summer. Love is love, and I have a special soft spot for those couples who just want to be together, in a beautiful place, wandering new york city hand in hand. If you are gearing up for your own elopement or know someone is, reach out! I’d love to make you something special.

and… officially announcing the next ✨Flower Party✨! 

I couldn’t be more excited to invite you to the next ✨Flower Party✨ on Saturday, September 9th at 4pm. A flower workshop, but so much more — join to learn how to make beautiful arrangements, eat all the best snackies (should we bring back the chip proscuit tower?! or those brown butter plum financiers…), have a drink or two, and then let loose on a pile of the season’s best flowers. Take home your very own vase arrangement and some new friends. Tickets here!

And yes: thanks to my Insta poll, I know there’s a crew of you who are like FREYAN this is months away. And it’s true! But fall is busy! So for all my planners out there (I see you with your color coded g cals): we’ve got a special discount. Use the code GETTHATWORM by July 20 for 10% off tickets. Cannot wait to see you all there!

around the studio

do they call this a tartine? It’s a cliche that the simplest things are best in summer, but I felt like a genius this weekend when I rummaged around and accidentally created the best breakfast: a thick slab of lightly toasted She Wolf batard, topped with the remains of feta marinated in olive oil and rosemary, and a topping of fresh sweet apricots.   //   rivveted: This 2020 episode was This American Life at its best, weaving together an elderly man and his Biden sign, first crushes, and an Argentinian talk show that turns feminist.   //   I got a tip for you: Nico has been making the most ridiculous swordfish pistachio pasta out of Missy Robbins’ cookbook (she of Lilia fame) and while it’s a gift unto itself, it has also led to an amazing trick: for recipes that call for lemon or orange zest in volume, consider peeling wide swaths using a vegetable peeler, then chopping it finely. Infinitely more flavor.   //   next time you bring home a bunch: The simplest way to make flowers look artfully arranged is to cut them to different heights. Having flowers on different planes (preferably with a little space in between!) gives your eye variation and interest, and of course, places to rest. 

xo and sending you all the flowers, freyan

ps, did someone send you this little note?