Class is in Session
Last night, loads of stylish followers took fashion communion at the Met Ball and worshipped at the feet of the one and only Madonna. This morning, Team LMD began to look forward to the second Sunday in May, Mother’s Day.
Last Fall, I was approached by The Whitby, a Kit Kemp designed hotel in midtown Manhattan, to host a series of Flower Classes in their gorgeous Anrep Room. I couldn’t say no. I love working with Kit and her team in such a colorful, textured and splendid space. And I also enjoy creating the in-house florals and holiday decor at the hotel every year. Titled “Back to Flower School” the three part series began with a Christmas Wreath Making Class in December. Juniper, eucalyptus, and fir were strewn on a long, wooden farm table and each guest had a wreath frame, gloves, wrapping wire and their own clippers to work with at their station. Festive embellishments included cotton, orange slices, blue thistle, pinecones and striped, grosgrain ribbons. Students ranged from twin 10-year-old sisters, a teenage daughter and her mother, and a super stylish woman and her cute Norwich terrier, Alfie. (Her boyfriend had gifted her the class as an early Christmas present!)
The good times didn’t stop there, our second class was on the heels of Valentine’s Day. Scheduled on a dreary Monday evening, I was a little nervous regarding the turn out. But whatever reservations I had about people wanting to come out in the cold were quickly snuffed out as I was informed there was a substantial waiting list for the class! With this group of flower enthusiasts, I decided to include a floral recipe and treat them to some incredible “dirty pastel” blooms: Japanese sweetpeas, lilac-tinged anemones, sherbet colored tulips, hot pink ranunculus, kangaroo paws, flowering quince and more. I was happy to see some men in my class as well. I am always pleasantly reminded how knowledgeable some of my students are and was thrilled to find out that a handful of growers, some traveling as far as North Carolina, connected on the internet and organized a fun trip to NYC to take the class and meet each other and talk shop. One student got lost on the subway and took a series of mini Flower Flash-esque photographs with her arrangement, chronicling her journey underground and finally back to her hotel.
Our third class is this Monday, May 14th, in honor of Mother’s Day. And though all the seats are taken, I do expect to keep this series going in the future. After all, cultivating a desire to learn new skills keeps us all students of life. And though I am technically the teacher, everyone I have met so far during this series of classes has taught me something and this is a real gift and keeps my pursuit of beauty and knowledge alive and well.