In Their Own Words: The Full Circle Collaborators
Alisa Tongg // celebrant + founder
This is the fourth year we’ve gathered a bunch of creatives and makers for dinner in the creek, for our Full Circle Meal. Everyone who attends this event is responsible for making it happen.
I have two roles: produce the event (bring in and curate the artists and creatives who will be filling the seats at the table) and help them work together and collaborate to create something new. And two, as a celebrant and founder of the Bacon & Lox Society community, I’m responsible for putting the message and theme for the gathering and everyone’s efforts into words.
Promise Ridge is the gathering spot for this event: a special ceremony space that happens to be situated on the edge of a cliff directly above our secret creek spot. Guests arrive, enjoy a cocktail, and engage of some sort of activation station. This year, Ken Jones, Jr. (of This Beautiful Life, LLC) created a seed-bomb-making workshop to serve as an ice-breaker for our gathering.
Speaking of ice, Chef Erika Urso (Love Bites by Erika) made an impressive menu of gourmet and savory ice pops which we enjoyed on the Infinity Deck. Honey Watts played performed live music, and I made my formal welcome address before everyone made their way down to the creek.
What inspired you in your creative process?
This year, we were very excited to host our first BLS gathering using the new Overlook Pavilion built by master builder Will Croasdale, of Abundant Inc. Most of the energy getting Promise Ridge prepared to host this gathering involved completing a custom gold pigment carving of the Delaware Water Gap into the concrete floor and applying lots of fish emulsion to the gardens.
NICOLE HUTNYK // ART DIRECTION
I am super ultra lucky to be one of the folks taking part in the initial conception of the creek dinner’s yearly esthetic and programming. I am also the planner for the event, so alongside Alisa I worked with the various vendors and attendees to curate and communicate the yearly message and aesthetic, acquire the items needed to execute each attendees’ contribution, coordinate timing for the build-out, event flow, and breakdown.
Additionally, we designed and produced custom glassware for guests to utilize during the event before taking them home as gifts. This year, my team also had the privilege of designing the Full Circle Meal invitations and a few signage items for Atomic Cocktails, which featured the new Bacon & Lox logo we created for the collective. The logo was additionally featured on a few custom items which were launched at this year’s event: Custom Enamelware Plates, custom bar napkins for the new Promise Ridge Pavilion bar, and the Full Circle Meal dinner napkins created by the collaboration between This Beautiful Life and Two Paper Dolls.
What was your vision?
Oh, so many things! I am always inspired by the folks we get to work with on creating such an experience, and I feel as though my “vision” is constantly transforming and growing when we are in the planning stages before the event. In the beginning, when Alisa shared the messaging she was thinking about for her approach to this year, I was really inspired by the thought that “something,” although the same “thing,” could look or feel completely different to each individual who was experiencing it. In collecting inspiration from that vibe, I ended up really focusing on the movement of a kaleidoscope, the concept of Rorschach ink blots, and by the end, kind of connected those elements to the idea of an atrium. To me, it was a representation of individual experiences, ever moving and transforming, each beholder still having one thing in common: intention. The intention to learn more, to create something, to experience something, to collaborate with someone, the list goes on and on. In all cases, you have to take that first step blindly, like the symbol of an atrium.
What was involved in bringing your vision to life?
For the invitation, honestly it was really overwhelming. I think this had a lot to do with there being no limitations, which although in any other design job for us, is amazing, in this scenario, the world felt kind of too big. We made more mock ups and possible design approaches than actual number of invitations needed! I ended up using the symbols and elements to focus on intent for each need. For example: Our goal for the front of the invite is for the recipient to understand the visual approach and vibe of the event, so we highlighted the new B&L Society logo with holographic vinyl through a cut-out, with the intent of creating curiosity as to what was inside.
The goal for the inside was to share the messaging in more detail, so we took alternating approaches, like a Rorschach or a kaleidoscope, by focusing on heavy wording in one panel, and mostly visual elements on the other.
Finally, our goal for the back was to request actionables from each recipient, a confirmation of their attendance and contribution. This may have been the part that kind of made the whole thing click for me, and not feel so “swallowed by the possibilities” anymore. We wrote the requests in a way we hoped invoked inspiration and was personalized to each recipient. We also attempted to encourage sharing that inspiration (even past just the attendees) by designing the response card more in line as a notecard, and suggesting to alter its use (get it, get it?!) by sending a note of admiration to someone who inspires them. Our intent was to grow a mutual admiration society and promote just being excellent to each other. It kind of just all felt complete then, and the final touches came naturally. my most favorite detail — or perhaps details — are all of the hidden or secret elements, meanings, and messages we included in the final design. I am almost positive, even now, after the event, that no one has found all of them.
Whom did you collaborate with?
Everyone, I suppose! At least, I feel that, wholeheartedly. From initial conception, to planning, to design contributions, to event execution — I feel there was a bit of everyone in every piece, thought, moment…all of it.
I was also very much inspired by Alisa’s messaging, from the jump. It kind of just grew and grew.
What are you hoping your ripple will be?
I mean, it’s hard to say. I am always creating based on things I like, or I think are cool, and you never really know how someone else will receive it. So I never really go into designing something with an expectation for a specific result, but I do feel like I always hope what I created may inspire someone else, in their own way, or that it will make them feel happy, or excited.
From the planning end, my hope always and forever is that I am helpful and make folks feel taken care of. I want to be able to handle all of the logistical things from tiny to big, so that the creatives contributing and attending can focus on their craft and sharing that at the event.
I guess I always want my ripple to be to make someone smile. Through making a joke or acting up to make them laugh, or sharing words of admiration, or providing the support and structure so they can feel happy about their output. I guess it sounds like I hope to be a fluffy cloud with a rainbow that maybe has unicorns that live on it. And Keanu Reeves is the unicorns’ neighbor.
What was your favorite moment?
I really, really, really love brainstorming possibilities for things to have, or design for the event, with Sarah from Allium Florals. My brain can sometimes be going a million miles an hour, and jumping form thing to thing, which to most, during brainstorming, can be hard to decipher or for me to communicate well. She has always just got it, and then even taken it to the next level. It’s always outrageous and all over the place and exciting and fun and satisfying. It feels like we’ve just invented something, even if we didn’t, and now we are going to make it, and it’s going to be awesome. Interesting enough, for me, I also think one of those moments was listening to Liz Fullerton from Honey Watts perform during Alisa’s blessing. I say “interesting enough” because, usually I’m not able to be a part of that moment (this is my third year as a part of the Bacon & Lox Full Circle Meal) since I am typically checking the tables, helping with some final setup or kitchen need, or prepping the next activity so that when the blessing is complete, guests can move to the next activity naturally. This year, however, I was able to be a part of the actual circle, and listening to the song Liz wrote for the even this year felt really special.
What initially attracted you to collaborate on a Bacon & Lox Society event?
Many moons ago, at this point, if I remember correctly, it was the way Alisa had shared the call for collaborators. I didn’t know Alisa yet, since our paths hadn’t crossed in the celebrant/planner world, or what Bacon & Lox was or Promise Ridge, and I happened to see her post on Instagram, on my “Discover” page.
I don’t really use social media in the way that most people do. Personally, I don’t have an active Facebook or Instagram page. I don’t have a Twitter account, cannot stand texting, and I prefer talking to someone on the phone or knocking on their door. For Rabbit Rabbit’s business presence, we are really only on Instagram, and we hardly post. We are extremely lucky and grateful we have had the opportunity to work with the crazy talented vendors and one-of-a-kind humans that we get to call our couples, and they continue to tag, mention, and “at” us when they’re sharing. I actually really like it like that, because it lets me experience what they were excited about, in working with us. Almost like seeing it through their eyes.
The post that Alisa shared calling for contributors was beautiful, of course, because, I mean…come on. It’s hard for that creek to not look majestic, but it was the caption that really made me go the extra step of messaging her. I don’t remember what it read, exactly, but what I do recall is the messaging, promoting community over competition, and just the complete openness it gave off. I was like, what! I am not sure exactly what this is, or what they need, or how I could offer something…but I want to. And I am pretty sure my message to her was pretty close to that, haha. Something like, I am smitten. Whatever you want, I got you. It felt very kismet at the time, and that kismet vibe has actually carried over quite heavily over the years, in many different ways in relation to the Bacon & Lox Society Full Circle Meal events.
For me, now, years later at this point, it feels super rad and like I am truly, truly lucky to get to call Alisa and Sarah peers, let alone some of my closest friends. They are my peoples!
Sarah Petryk // Floral Installations
We did all of the floral design for the creek dinner, including a large-scale water table of all florals in the center of our run of tables, and a floating circle of blooms in the creek itself.
In the past, we’ve done a lot of overhead design at the long table, and this year we really wanted to create something low, that still had a lot of visual impact. We were so inspired by the mandala-meets-Rorschach ideas that Nicole from Rabbit Rabbit started to put together, and we really wanted to articulate that, in bloom form.
Share some details about the process. What was involved in bringing your vision to life?
I’ve been working hard to eliminate floral foam in our design practice. Obviously, foam would have been the easy choice to build this flat design on, but since we make a point of not harming the creek, we chose not to use the microplastic. Instead, we built a table that would hold water, hydrating the flowers directly from the creek itself.
Whom did you collaborate with?
I have an incredible team who works with me when we design events. This was so fun to put together, balancing the design from one side to the other, working with each other to determine how best to layer in the blooms. It was truly a collaborative process. We also gave ourselves a full day just to play with the design. In a highly deadline-driven field, having that full day to “play” felt like such a luxury.
Did anything inspire you in your creative process?
We worked with some really incredible local flower growers on this project, and their stunning blooms really were the key to making everything look incredible.
What are you hoping your ripple will be?
I think, as creatives, it’s really easy to burn out. We do a lot of the same kind of design, on repeat, for weddings, because it’s what our clients really want. I want to encourage designers to take a moment to design just for themselves…to take risks and find new ways to remember what you love.
What was your favorite moment?
I always get to take a risk at these creek dinners, and create something that I can personally enjoy and experience. Often, I’m working with mechanics that I haven’t used before, or pushing myself to try some sort of new technique. We talked for a long time about these floating flower circles in the creek, and we went back and fortha bout the best way to create them. It was a busy week of weddings prior to the creek dinner, so I didn’t get to test our final design out to make sure that it would indeed float. You can only imagine my joy and relief when we popped them into the water, and lo and behold…they sat perfectly on top.
What initially attracted you to collaborate on a Bacon & Lox Society event?
I’ve known Alisa, the founder of the Bacon & Lox Society, for quite some time. She always brings together such a joyful group of people, who live life to the very fullest. For me, having the opportunity not to just to collaborate with, but to experience the event together is so key, and keeps me coming back to design, year after year.
Karina Puente // Art Installations
I own and operate a woman-run art studio specializing in Papel Picado installations for events, museums, and cultural centers. For the fourth annual BLS Creek Dinner, I hand-dyed and hand-cut four 5-foot-by-5-foot flags to stake claim; an homage to indigenous women leaders. Flags are important because they symbolize presence and belonging. No one has a presence like Promise Ridge and Alisa Tongg.
Alisa Tongg claims her Cherokee background and weaves her identity as a celebrant into all aspects of leadership. Her energy shouts, “Own it!": Land, stories, and the ways in which we lift each other. And I’m here for her creative movement-building. Flags in hand.
Growing up in family-owned restaurants, there’s always time before service you set the table. “Set the table!” wasn’t ever met with resistance, because you respect who feeds you. My studio team eats together, and we eat well. Through 70 feet of hand-cut runner, we invite you to join us, on the leading edge, well-fed and satisfied.
Whom did you collaborate with?
Abundat, Inc created four pyramid bases to stake our flags in the water, and created the underwater copper pipe anchor system, enabling the runner to extend out in the water past the end of the table.
Ken Jones, Jr. // ACtivation Station, accoutrements
We created an Activation Station called The Great Seed Bomb — Toss. Water. Grow. We fostered an environment of play and connection through the making of seed bombs by supplying everyone with locally-sourced clay, wildflower seeds, and compost. The act of gathering one’s supplies, preparing a creation, and then being able to spread beauty by tossing the seed bomb into a dull corner of one’s garden, or an abandoned city lot was, to us, a metaphor for the act of creation and how our art leaves our studios and goes out into the world for a life all its own.
The second thing we brought was the two-in-one Menu Napkin, which we created and designed in collaboration with our dear friend Vanessa Kreckle from TPD Design House. The vision for the Menu Napkin was layered. We wanted to reference the mystical aspects of being an artist — how we’re often perceived as “magic” — as well as the idea of reflection and amplification. The kaleidoscope and the mirroring of one’s work as an artist, once it leaves your studio and goes out into the world.
What was involved in bringing your vision to life?
Our studio is known for being very hands-on in our design work. We dye and embellish almost all we touch, so here we create da tie-dyed image that we then mirrored and reflected in a Rorschach style, which create the background for TPD to lay out the text of the menu. They used a circular composition to reference not only the Full Circle Meal itself, but also the community of artists, and the cyclical nature of life, creation, and the creek dinner itself. We all ripple.
Did anything inspire you in the creative process?
The movement of the water in the creek informed the fluid nature of the dyed fabric, and the colors we used were shimmery, soft, and natural, showing the full spectrum of creatives.
What are you hoping your ripple will be?
We get excited thinking about all the wildflowers which will start growing in the spring, thanks to the massive seed bombing effort we helped create. And being a part of such a potent event, and having created such an intimate object — the napkin — which literally kissed and cared for the lips of all the creatives in attendance, is pretty powerful. It reminds me that, as an artist, we can always find a “canvas” upon which to express ourselves. Many of the best canvasses are those others often overlook, like a napkin.
What was your favorite moment?
The giggling, the hugging, the crying, the connecting — it’s such an open and safe space everyone helps to create, and reminds us that as creators, this is what we do for others. We provide meaning, joy, and environments for life to manifest.
What initially attracted you to collaborate on a Bacon & Lox Society event?
We’ve been lucky to be a part of the Creek Dinner since it began.
Julia Piazza // Funiture Rentals
Chippy White Tables brought white chairs, mismatched silverware, and lounge furniture, in collaboration with Alisa and Nicole Hutnyk, from Rabbit Rabbit Crew.
Did anything inspire you in the creative process?
I was inspired by simply being in nature! I loved the flower mandala in the vision board, and couldn’t wait to see how that would be incorporated into the actual design of the event.
What was your favorite moment?
My favorite moment was when we arrived with our delivery truck full of furniture and a bunch of “strangers” (now new friends) showed up and helped us unload and carry everything down to the creek. It was amazing to see all these smiling faces I had never met before, carrying our load with us.
What initially attracted you to collaborate on a Bacon & Lox Society event?
Seeing photos on Instagram of people eating a meal together in a creek from past years. I always wished from afar that we could someday be a part of this amazing event. When Alisa asked us to be a collaborator this year, we could not have been more thrilled. The love and energy surrounding the whole experience was the best ripple of all.
What are you hoping your ripple will be?
I hope to encourage other humans to follow their dreams and visions. Anything is possible when you have motivation behind your dream.
André de waal // menu
I organized the chefs and the menu, while also preparing the meal. My vision for this was a vegetable-drive menu, taking inspiration from the kaleidoscope.
What was involved in bringing your vision to life?
A kaleidoscope is three or more mirrors, reflecting back on an item, or items. With this (and seasonal produce) as inspiration, we chose a main ingredient, and each chef reflected back other ingredients or cooking methods until a dish was deemed complete. We did this via text message to create a “sterile” environment devoid of ego, control, or judgement. The goal being a menu that was equal parts from each chef. The menu was then divided and each member of the team made two of the six dishes on their own.
What are you hoping your ripple will be?
Share. As much as possible, as often as you can.
What initially attracted you to collaborate on a Bacon & Lox Society event?
I was kidnapped.
Brandon Grimila // Menu
My responsibility for the dinner was the crudités board, which was a combination of peak-season vegetables, two different types of house-made hummus, fresh herbs, harissa, and grilled pita bread.
My other responsibility was the lamb course, which was a leg of lamb, braised and set with bright lights Swiss chard, grilled peaches, whole roasted eggplants on our boat grill, tahini, sesame, and pickled Swiss chard stems.
What was your vision?
Collaboration. The other two chefs are two people I look up to and have been doing this a hell of a lot longer than I have. We wanted to make a meal where every course had a mutual amount of our input into it.
Most meals like this, each chef makes two dishes that are completely theirs. In this case, each ingredient in every dish was picked by a different chef, to form one dish. Once all the dishes were laid out on pen and paper, we then chose which ones we wanted to be responsible for. This gave each chef the opportunity to have a piece of their cooking in each dish, and really showcase true collaboration.
What was your favorite moment?
My favorite moment was watching everyone eat at a table together, and meet new people. There are new people at BLS every year, and it’s great to watch worlds collide. Alisa said it perfectly: “There are a lot of important people here, with a lot of responsibility and ego. Today, I need everyone to let all that go, and just be.” I think that really resonates: we all focus so hard to be who we are, however, at the creek dinner you’re just in that moment, with a bunch of like-minded people, sharing a meal. Everything is floating downriver. It’s pretty magical.
What initially attracted you to be part of a Bacon & Lox Society event?
The collaboration between people who had that same vision. We all want to do cool shit, so why not? Alisa creates an attractive energy that makes you want to be involved, to share your story, and to showcase your efforts. I’m happy to be a part of such an impactful moment.
What do you hope your ripple will be?
For people to cook with their friends. To cook together. I think something magical happens when you cook with your friends: You see and feel each other’s energy, and this sounds crazy, but I swear it makes the food taste better. It brings out the best in people.
Jason Lonigro // Cocktails
Our vision was to create two cocktail activations, meant to reflect the theme and stage of the dinner, in order to provide a communal gathering area for guests to connect with each other.
Inspired by complexity through simplicity, the cocktails featured at Promise Ridge added color and a tiki-inspired tropical whimsy, whereas the creekside punch was meant to be a backdrop to the dinner in the creek.
What was involved in bringing your vision to life?
We wanted the initial cocktail experience at Promise Ridge to be as immersive as possible. From the decorative straws and garnishes we sourced, to the vintage Featherstone flamingo barware we set up, the goal was to make our guests realize that their reality is better than their dreams.
Our approach when we started the prep work for the drinks was to be as environmentally-friendly as possible. From compostable paper straws and cups, to making citrus stock with the leftover lemon and lime husks we had from juicing, to use for final dilution when batching.
All of the syrups, juices, and infusions were done by hand. The tequila and Mezcal was cooked sous vide for three to four hours with green tomatoes, pineapple sage, and a variety of peppers from my garden.
Whom did you collaborate with?
My amazing wife Sara, and Nicole Hutnyk of Rabbit Rabbit Crew, who made our signage for the bar at Promise Ridge, as well as the cocktail station in the water.
Did anything inspire you in your creative process?
The fantasy world of tiki culture, and the escapism it inspires. Cocktails are meant to be fun, and when you can create a sense of place to go along with them, it’s something very special.
What was your favorite moment?
When I was setting up the creekside punch, I stepped back and looked at all fo the people putting their final touches on the dinner setup in the creek. It’s seeing everyone doing their part, helping each other, is what my favorite moment was. Selflessness is something people encounter, but to see it up close, shown by so many, is what this event is all about.
What initially attracted you to collaborate on a Bacon & Lox Society event?
Growing up in the New Orleans restaurant scene, my goal in life has always been to make people happy. The ability to be involved in such an amazing event, surrounded by so many people who share in this same goal, is humbling.
What are you hoping your ripple will be?
Happiness.