Stylish Moments

Hosting the gang

They all say: If it’s at Lolo’s then we’re definitely going. This means there are sometimes 30 of us!

Laurence, 50, graphic designer and head of his posse

Laurence’s happy gang is made up of his daughter, his son, their friends, his sisters, their children and cousins and friends… In the summer Laurence often hosts get-togethers for the whole crowd in his large garden. His garden lunches have become quite famous!

Laurence’s tricks for winning over both young AND old

Let’s get moving!

At mine, it’s better than Disneyland. There’s so much fun on offer that the kids don’t know where start: there’s a slide, a swing, a rope bridge and, on birthdays, a bouncy castle too. The adults like to play badminton. We also play the guitar and sing!

Quick tip It doesn’t matter that I only have about 30 chairs because not everyone sits down at the same time.

Going for tried and tested options

For the menu I also think about what everyone might like. Something that always goes down well is combining sweet tarts (with apples and strawberries from the garden!) and savoury tarts (spreadable cheese and courgette, goat’s cheese and honey, etc.) with salad. I provide fruit juice for the kids and chilled rosé for the adults.

Quick tip The best thing is when my son makes two big bowls of Gin Fizz: one alcoholic and one non-alcoholic.

Decor

Everyone loves a pretty table. So, I take care of all the little details with coloured napkins, candles, small bunches of flowers from the garden, etc. I always have plenty of volunteers wanting to help set up.

Quick tip My tableware is simple and, most importantly, durable. I often find plates and glasses at the bottom of the garden and even up trees!