May 30th Open Invitation

Dive into the new season of locally farmed produce! Come and join Olaiya and me for this once-a-year explosion of early summer bliss. Sweet, fresh and tender flavors mix it up with rich herb and mushroom tones. This dinner features my personal favorite appetizer: Olaiya's morel and asparagus melange served with a light cream sauce atop locally baked artisanal bread. I can't wait!

morel and asparagus toasts

arugula salad with roasted apricots, pistachios and goat cheese
wild mushroom crepes (vegetarian entree)
or
rack of lamb with fresh herbs and garlic
spring vegetable sautee
washington state rosé

strawberry rhubarb tartlets with buttermilk ice cream
coffee and tea

$45 per person

RSVP soon to secure your spot!

Fondue Dinner in the Books

The first guests arrive and enjoy a traditional cherry cocktail


Olaiya prepared sumptuous platters of fine things to dip in cheese


Stringing the molten cheese across the table was just part of the fun!


We enjoyed a delicate riesling with our feast


And, as always, we finished with a delicious flourish!

Spring Dinner with John's Basketball Crew

Our first event of the year was a exquisite dinner party for John's basketball buddies and their better halves. We hosted ten folks to a dinner that included an appetizer of homemade gnocchi in a bleu cheese sauce, followed by a main plate featuring a mouth-watering squash puree served alongside roasted pork and braised kale. We cleansed the palette with a simple salad before enjoying a cheese course with a trio of artisanal offerings.

The crowd was festive and enjoyed each other's company so much that we hardly had to play host and hostess! We both owe a big thank you to all of them for supporting our project and filling our evening with laughter and enthusiasm.

Olaiya mixing up the bibb lettuce with her own vinaigrette



Espresso with brandy and a gorgeous coffee creme brulee were served for dessert.



Olaiya's table lit up with candles and wine glasses.



The whole gang from the left: Newcomer John, Kelly & Jane, John & Cathy... Roland & Martha and Tony & Abbey are mostly obscured.

Spring 2009 Event Listing

Please join us for one or both of our Spring events.

The first is a fondue dinner night, served up in a casual European style at Chateau Olaiya on Saturday, April 18th. Plan to arrive at 7pm for the opening cocktail.

kirsch wine cocktail
classic emmenthal fondue
irish cheddar and stout fondue
artisanal bread
roasted vegetables
selection of nuts and fruit
white wine or beer
apple kuchen
espresso
$25 per person

Secondly, we will host a dinner on May 30th celebrating the flavors of Spring. This feast will feature asparagus, morels, fresh English peas, baby radishes, farm eggs, tender greens, strawberries, rhubarb... We will send out further information on this event, but feel free to RSVP early! Four courses plus wine for only $45.

2008 in Review

2008 was full of unexpected developments. First we changed the name of our enterprise from The Full Belly Project to Little Spark due to a legal dispute about our name. The name changed but the mission stayed the same! We still hosted a variety of dinners and special events, including an all-vegan dinner, a Sunday brunch and an outdoor movie spectration extravaganza.

We threw some wonderful gigs and raised enough funds to make a $900 donation to Women For Women's Congo relief funds last December. We gave at a time when all donations were being matched by an anonymous funder. So we effectively raised $1800 for the women of The Congo!

A huge Little Spark thanks to everyone that came to an event and helped make that possible. We are always humbled and grateful for your support, and look forward to seeing you again in 2009.