Case study · Hudson Valley, Winter 2024

A murder mystery weekend for twenty.

Twenty friends. The owner’s 1840s Hudson Valley estate. A murder mystery weekend with a catered dinner, a professional bartender, and ten guests sleeping over.

The host couldn’t leave the city until Thursday at 5pm. He needed the house ready before he arrived — bedrooms warmed for ten, bar stocked for twenty, and every detail in place so he could walk in and start hosting.

The 1840s Hudson Valley estate: white-painted entrance portico with columns and a black double door.
The brief

He knew exactly what he wanted.

  • Billecart-Salmon Brut Rosé, Hendrick's, Campari, Angostura — and the mixers to match
  • Floral arrangements that fit an 1840s house in winter
  • A Scottish breakfast spread (fresh butcher Scottish sausage, local farm eggs, beans and toast)
  • One guest who was vegan and gluten-free — fully accommodated
  • Taper candles in every antique holder he owned

We sourced it all — some from the city, some from Hudson Valley farms, some from vendors we’d worked with for years.

White garden roses in a ceramic urn alongside a marble fruit bowl of lemons on a kitchen counter.
A kitchen bar lined with liquor and spirits bottles, including champagne and a premium gin set.
Sourcing

Spirits from Astor. Flowers from a Hudson Valley grower. Fresh croissants, local meat, freshly baked bread. Every piece coordinated so it arrived on time and looked like he’d done it himself.

Arrival & readiness

We arrived Thursday morning. By 4pm, the house was ready.

  • — Packages unpacked and put away
  • — Flowers placed throughout the house
  • — Candles lit in every room
  • — Nine fireplaces staged with lighters and kindling
  • — Heat set, lights on, house at temperature
  • — Bedrooms warmed, throw blankets on the sofas
  • — Kitchen stocked and ready to use
  • — Hot water, wifi, audio, locks — all checked
  • — Last-minute requests handled by text

Guests arrived at 7pm. The house was warm, the candles were lit, and the bar was open.

What we added

A few things he didn’t ask for:

  • — Chocolates and handwritten cards on each nightstand
  • — French pastries from Lysée, picked up that morning before they opened
  • — Eggs, meat, and produce from local farms
  • — A custom scent at the entryway — something even he didn't expect

He walked in at 7:30. By 8, he was pouring drinks.

The feedback
“Seriously — thank you for everything. All those beautiful touches would have been impossible to coordinate without your help. And the weekend turned out spectacular, everyone really appreciated all the stuff you'd planned and prepared.”
“Whoa, thank you for everything — when we arrived last night the house was lit & cozy, stocked (all the candles), and ready to settle in. The breakfast options this morning are also amazing (those French pastries).”
“All the small touches (chocolates, your cards/menus) are so beautiful… feels very much like a 5-star hotel. Also: the flowers are out of control beautiful.”

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