LDNISTA HQ party with Captain Morgan’s Spiced

To mark a very special LDNISTA anniversary, a secret party was held at LDNISTA HQ – opposite the Ivy in Covent Garden – for some of the blog’s closest friends and supporters.

The theme was ‘Desperately Real Housewives’, taking inspiration from characters from both Desperate Housewives and the Real Housewives of New York. The theme had come into play after running into one of the show’s stars on a recent trip to NYC.

Designed to look like a luxurious house-party, the smell of Bree Van de Kamp’s home baking permeated the air as guests arrived in their outrageous costumes. The signature drink of the evening (served in red cups to complete the theme) was ‘apple pie a la Ricci’, created by Richard Brownlie-Marshall.

Using Captain Morgan’s Spiced rum as the central spirit, it was designed to evoke fresh baked apple pie – the creation involved apple juice, blackberry and cream frozen yogurt, as well as a secret spice blend. Captain Morgan’s Spiced was the perfect centre piece, as the spices added a lot of depth and kick to the cocktail. A surprisingly versatile spirit, it mixed incredibly well with a cream base to transform the punch into a rich and refreshing drink.

Tasty treats including wraps, toasties and noodle salads were provided courtesy of the healthy eating place Tossed, which made some of the most delicious party snacks.

Guests danced to music by the Saturdays and Rihanna, and a new favourite track was found in American X Factor contestant, Simon Battle’s ‘He Likes Boys’.

Click here to listen to the Desperately Real Housewives party playlist on Spotify

Stage performer Alex Bloomer started an ‘And I am telling you’ sing-off, before demonstrating a perfect rendition of Chicago’s All That Jazz.

The fabulous party reminded us all just how far LDNISTA.com has come in just 18 short months, and provided a palpable sense of excitement about what the future has in store.