VIBES BY THE GLASS IN OAKLAND

Spirits were high this past Saturday at Alkali Rye on Grand in Oakland. Owned by Jessica Moncada-Konte & Kori Saika Chen the beverage shop is so much more than the best booze on the block. They’ve created a space that cultivates community with pop-up events of all kinds & they have an incredible selection of home goods & decor. When I stopped in to ask about hosting something at the start of the year to hard launch my new brand Pattern Parties & bring folks together it was kismet from the start.

BETHANY PICONE EVENT GALLERY

My co-host Katrina Mendoza of Goods Gang is a designer specializing in wedding printed matter of all kinds. Her invitation suites are all at once modern and timeless. I’ve had the fortune of working with her on tons of events and along with the outcome looking gorge the process is also so effortless. She cooked up a vibey design of her signature looks.

We met for lunch nearby and schemed up a pop-up that could include industry folks and engaged couples so that folks could meet and mingle over good wine and be immersed in unique event design. The show stopping team of local makers/vendors that came together exceeded all our expectations.

A tabletop with three glass vases holding flowers, a small lit candle, and several cards with the word "ALKALI" on one. Adjacent are printed cards detailing different beverages and a wedding planning card with the names Douglas and Calhoun.

A green side table with a curved metal frame, holding a glass of white wine and a stack of white napkins with "PANTER & PANTER'S" printed on them, next to a person wearing blue speckled pants.

A yellow sign on a wooden table that reads "JOIN PATTERN PARTIES UPSTAIRS." In the background, there is a beige vase with colorful lilies and a white staircase with wooden steps.

Let's start with the furnishings. Husband & wife duo Joanna Andreoni & Patrick Hamilton love color and lucky for us . . . Pattern! The Wild Ones Rentals and I set out to select pieces with a point of view. My favorite pieces of the day were a set of oversized green striped chairs. The cozy upstairs transformed from a raw space into a one-of-a-kind living room.

A round black table with a white vase of white daisies, two lit candles in amber holders, a glass of white wine, a cheese and snack platter, a bowl of trail mix with dried fruit and nuts, and a small stack of patterned paper notes labeled 'Pattern Parties'.

A stylish living room with green and floral patterned armchairs, a striped sofa, a central white coffee table with candles and a vase of flowers, and a large paper lantern hanging from the ceiling. There are decorative pillows, a dark wall, and a bookshelf in the background near a window with natural light.

It’s not a party without flowers. Florist Judy Leung owns Found Floral in nearby Berkeley. The mix of dainty blooms and robust tropicals was exactly the tone we meant to set; unserious & surprising.

A split-image with the left side showing various flowers including Protea and Banksia among green foliage and the right side displaying a vase with yellow and orange flowers on a round wooden table next to two small candles, stair railing and wall background.

I have to rave about Hana of H.R Foodcraft. Her attention to detail and use of color are unmatched. A Sonoma sensibility when it comes to flavor means everything looks & tastes beautiful. The stationed food, passed bites and raw bar made for perfect cocktail party fare.

We must have sugar with salt. Formally situated in Mr. Jiu’s kitchen in San Francisco Grand Opening Bakery's Melissa Chou baked an array of delicious cookies. I'm a cookies over cake person any day so it was exactly the vibe.

A bowl of passionfruit cashew cookies on a decorative blue and white plate with a small green sign that reads "Passionfruit Cashew," indicating a grand opening. The cookies are golden brown with some salt on top.

A man wearing a striped shirt and headphones DJing with turntables in a bright, modern room.

Dart Collective DJs spun next to the incredible spirit selection on the main floor of Alkali Rye. More wine shop dance floors please! The GORGEOUS photos here-in were taken by the cool, calm & collected Bethany Picone.

A white vase filled with green leafy branches and small pink flowers on a white countertop in a bright room.

A plate of chocolate chip cookies on a white and green marbled plate, sitting on a blue tiled surface.

Close-up of cream and purple Protea flowers with green leaves and stems.

Indoor decorative flower arrangement in a black vase on a ledge, placed within a recessed wall niche, against dark gray walls.

A lively indoor gathering of diverse adults, some standing and chatting, others seated around a table with plants and candles.

Two women sitting on a beige couch at a social gathering, holding wine glasses and engaging in conversation. Several people stand in the background near a dark wall, with one woman smiling and gesturing, and others chatting or preparing food.

Close-up of a vintage-style sofa with striped fabric in shades of teal, green, and beige.

Close-up of a potted flowering plant with pink and white patterned flowers and long green leaves.

Vase with flowers, a lit candle, and a folded piece of paper on a wooden table.

A vase with yellow and orange flowers and green leaves on a round wooden table, with two small lit candles nearby, in front of a staircase with white railing.

Person with dreadlocks, glasses, and a patterned shirt, smiling while adjusting DJ equipment, in a bright room with green plant in background.

Close-up of a decorative pillow with a geometric pattern on a pink sofa near a window.

A bowl of green curry garnished with herbs, microgreens, and edible flowers on a dark surface.

A floral upholstered chair with green and pink pattern in a store or home setting.

Interior of a modern living room with a black armchair, a pink sofa, a rustic wooden coffee table with a white vase of daisies, two small amber candles, a green rug, and a large window with a paper lantern hanging inside.

People socializing and chatting in a living room with comfortable furniture, flowers, and decorations, during a gathering or party.

A man wearing glasses and headphones is DJing inside a record store, with shelves of bottles and cans behind him and a large green plant partially visible in the foreground.