Larson’s mom, the event planner Heather Desaulniers—aka Gala By Heather—was the creative force behind the evening. “We wanted it to feel organic and cozy, but with pops of color that represent Party People,” Larson said about collaborating with her mom. “We love old and new, and nothing too matchy matchy.” (Desaulniers even wore an apron emblazoned with subtle references to Lessons in Chemistry; the Apple TV series helmed by Larson.)
Desaulniers is no stranger to going above and beyond when it comes to hosting. During cocktail hour, Larson shared a story with guests about a recent murder mystery party her mom helped organize, for which she even built a stage in her living room.
The family-style menu for the dinner, which co-hosted by waste-prevention company Mill, drew inspiration from McBroom’s Southern upbringing. “Since I grew up in Texas, there’s almost always a nod to my roots somewhere on the menu: Dr. Pepper, Swayze sauce, or shrimp en brochette, for example,” she shared. “Basically I ask myself, ‘If I were going to attend such-and-such party under such-and-such circumstances, what would I want to eat?’ And then I make that.” The chef also made a stop at the farmers market for the meal, joking that much of the budget went toward Harry’s Berries, a beloved organic family farm based in Oxnard, California.
Elsewhere on the table, guests munched on garden salad, grilled zucchini, and Texas-style potato salad. Glaser, meanwhile, had her eye on the biscuits served with strawberry jam and corn butter, having recently spotted the baked goods all over her Substack feed. Everyone managed to save room for dessert, which included peach pop-tart pie and the aforementioned Dr. Pepper floats topped with vanilla bean soft serve.
After the plates were cleared and the group was on its third round of wine—white, red, and rosé—Larson introduced a game she has coined Brag or Complain. The actor came up with the concept after realizing that she and Rodarte designers Kate and Laura Mulleavy often found themselves doing exactly that while catching up over drinks at Sunset Tower. Noticing a few nervous glances around the table, Larson broke the ice by going first, bragging about the launch of Fayad’s shop, after Bucatini recently secured its wine and spirits license after five years in business. The game quickly caught on, and as conversations continued throughout the night, guests humorously raised a brag or complain card whenever appropriate.
Once the evening wound down, people slowly departed, picking up a gift bag—filled with the Party People cookbook, canned smoked salmon and smoked rainbow trout, and lettuce seeds from Mill—on their way out. Everything they need to host an intimate dinner party of their own.
