You know you’re at a good party when your major concern is how much gold leaf is getting on your lips.
This was a recurring theme at the Larger Than Life event agency‘s launch party for Krimper, where it seemed every other nibble was encrusted in gold. Not that I’m complaining! It was one of the best parties I’ve been to in Melbourne, hands down.
photo via Karon Photography
Even before my lucky +1 and I entered, we knew it was the place to be: the entire Guildford Lane laneway was pulsing with pink lights in front of Krimper. A cafe by day, the venue is able to be hired for events. And what a stupendous event this was.
photo via Karon Photography
photo via Karon Photography
The second we walked in, waiters with painted masks handed us our choice of mulled wine or bubbles. There was a lit-up graffiti wall (perhaps a nod to the building’s former life as an art gallery?), a dance floor that was lit up from below, and a gorgeous live singer. I couldn’t help myself from Instagramming the flowers hanging from the ceiling — and everywhere, the Damselfly candles cast a warm glow with their cheeky quotations.
photo via Karon Photography
photo via Karon Photography
Within minutes, the standing-room only crowd filled up the room. And the noshing began. I’d heard wonderful things about Bright Young Things, but this was the first time that I got to experience their food. Showcasing their winter menu, they passed around some of the more unusual hors d’oeuvres I’ve tried. Things like “herb-crusted Hopkins River sirloin with celeriac, daikon, pickled radish & wholegrain aioli”. And mini sandwich buns with, y’know, freaking golf leaf on top.
photo via APL Photography
Gold leaf also featured on some of the LuxBite desserts. Gorgeous passionfruit-flavoured macarons with 23 carat gold leaf on top… salted caramel mini ice cream cones on which you could sprinkle golf leaf pistachios… It was sheer decadence.
photo via APL photography
And that was before we got to the cheese station. Cheese station — what?! From afar, it looked like another dessert area, but when my +1 and I ventured through the crowd, we were thunderstruck to see that it was all devoted to cheese, glorious cheese. Cheese on tarts, melted gooey fondue cheese you could scoop up with crackers — and the crowning glory, a huge round of drippy, melty soft cheese the helpful cheese man made you promise to eat alongside a shot of sake. (Apparently it brings out the umami flavour — which, having been to a sake/food tasting, I was well aware of.)
photo via APL photography
The night wasn’t all about eating and drinking: there was a fun interactive video/photo installation, too. You got your photo taken and it was instantly shown on the big screen, where one of the two technicians added silly hats or glasses to your picture and you could write graffiti-style text on top before getting print-outs to take home as a souvenir.
Alissa, Theresa, and Scott from The Modern Con – photo via Karon Photography
You can tell by the writeups on Ruby Slipper; The Modern Con; Have Shoes, Will Party; and The F.com.au what a stupendous time everyone had. Gazing at the beautiful crowd, knocking back cheese and sake, and trying to keep gold leaf from attaching to my lipstick — this was one helluva night. Well done to Larger Than Life for throwing what could very well be one of the top parties of 2014!
-Theresa
Disclosure: The Plus Ones were invited guests of Larger Than Life event agency.
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