Last night’s Goodnight Moon-themed dinner and cocktail party at Jamaica Plain’s Bella Luna was the perfect way to usher in the fall: with good food, good drinks, and good company. As always, I was on the hunt for fantastic footwear. But I was totally sidetracked by the fried-to-perfection Mediterranean crab cake. And the spicy portabello black bean burger. And the pizza bianco. Fine, and the bite-size pumpkin pies. Cut me a little slack; it’s pretty tough to keep your eyes on the floor when servers are walking around in robes and passing out tasty little treats. The gathering – hosted by Bella Luna owners Kathie Mainzer and Carol Downs (clad in their jammies, in keeping with the Goodnight theme) and organized by communications director JP Faiella and his always-upbeat Image Unlimited Communications staff – was a chance to sample executive chef Jacob Zachow’s change-of-season menu, sip a few mini caramel-apple martinis, and listen to a great mix of old-school hip-hop tracks from DJ Ghostdad. And did I mention the parting gift of moist orange-chocolate-chip cookies, which I devoured before I even made it home? When I got there – sleepy and stuffed – I seriously considered the possibility of slippers as my new go-to shoe for fall. In the comfort of my own living room, at least.
