a thoughtful guide to hosting a spring gathering 🌷
in our case, a baby shower!
We are filled with so much warmth from our baby shower this past Saturday, which was really just an excuse to gather about 20 of our Vancouver friends and family around good food. We couldn’t have asked for better weather: it was blue skies and close to 20°C, with spring bursting all around us.
When I first started dreaming up what our baby shower might look and feel like, I knew I wanted something low-key and relatively low-cost—something that felt more like a cozy get-together than a formal party (which is just our vibe in general). No multi-course meals or kitschy games necessary, and everyone, regardless of gender, was warmly welcomed.
After some Pinterest scrolling for inspo (moodboards are key!), I landed on a soft “locally grown” theme—think gingham and farm produce—but kept it low-pressure. Just a fun spring gathering without a dress code.
As tempted as I was to buy a new outfit for the occasion, I ended up wearing a comfy maternity set I picked up earlier in pregnancy—stretchy, easy, and feel-good! Can you believe I’m already at 33 weeks?!?
For our out-of-town community, we borrowed an idea from Priya Parker, author of The Art of Gathering, and sent out a “postcard baby shower” invite, prompting our loved ones to send us photos with notes of guidance and encouragement. We’ll be putting them up on a wall so little boyby can be surrounded by his people 💕
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Here’s the breakdown of our baby shower, which you could apply to any spring gathering:
🍊 THE MENU 🍊
Cost: ~ $22/person
Persian Grill Platters
North Vancouver has an incredible Persian community, with so many amazing grocery stores and restaurants (much of the cuisine is naturally gluten-free!). We ordered a few platters packed full of rice, grilled veggies, and meats—each platter supposedly serving “4-6” people, but we easily had enough rice to feed another 20 guests! Such a great deal for big groups at around $125 per platter.
Chicken Shawarma Skewers
We love the marinade from Feasts by Sabrina Ghayour so much that Reid supplemented the meat platters with extra chicken skewers.
Crudité Platter with Sikil Pak
If you know me, you know my love of colorful food. I put together a bright and sunny crudité platter, served with Sikil Pak—a smoky Mayan pumpkin seed dip we first discovered during our babymoon in Puerto Vallarta (see recipe at the end of this post).
Cheese Board
Charcuterie can get pricey (plus, I’ve cut down on it during pregnancy), but cheese can definitely stretch for a crowd. I picked up just four types (200g each): one hard (Bellavitano), one aged (Cheddar), one soft (Cranberry & Black Pepper Boursin), and one dairy-free (Herb & Garlic Boursin). Paired with gluten-free Crunchmaster crackers from Costco, cornichons, olives, and grapes, plus fresh edible flowers for that extra pop of color.
Preserved Lemon Slaw
For super crunchy slaw every time, lightly salt and sugar your cabbage beforehand, let it sit for at least 15 minutes, then spin it in a salad spinner to remove excess liquid. Reid made a simple slaw of green cabbage, red cabbage, bell peppers, and dill, then tossed it in a peppy dressing of chopped preserved lemons, lemon juice, Dijon, and olive oil.
Coconut Banana Mochi Cake
One of my absolute favorites to eat and make. It’s an easy, unfussy cake inspired by my sister’s banana bread growing up, and the smell of it baking gets me every time. It’s soft, with a delightful QQ texture (that chewy, bouncy bite we love in rice cakes). I made it two days ahead and finished it on the spot with salted coconut cream, dried edible flowers (nature’s sprinkles!), and fresh raspberries. Pre-order my cookbook, My Best Friend Is Gluten-Free here for the full recipe! 😙
Beverages
Big jugs of cucumber-citrus “spa” water
Hibiscus agua fresca — we steeped dried hibiscus in boiling water, lightly sweetened it, and then iced it
Horchata — made from a concentrate our cousin had; just mix with water, and voilà!
Alcoholic bevies we had lying around (since both of us have stopped drinking)
A few notes to stretch the food budget thoughtfully:
Use pantry ingredients you already have at home.
Buy produce from independent markets (better prices, fresher, often locally sourced).
Order large, affordable takeout platters (less prep = less stress).
🌼 DECOR 🌼
Cost: ~ $8/person
We kept decor simple and sweet with:
A big statement flower arrangement that was so much fun to put together! I secured sweet peppers together with skewers and twine for the “vase” (inspired by Glenn Arvor) and surrounded it with a display of citrus. A local grocery store has a great buy-by-the-stem flower market, and I also picked up a few special blooms on a whim from a pop-up market the day before!
A cloth gingham table runner for a little oomph
Pastel-colored paper disposables (plates and cups)
A few printed baby photos of us ☺️
Items we already had at home:
Plastic cutlery
Mason jars, candle holders, and candles
Serving platters, bowls, and trays
Miscellaneous on-theme decor like a cute beach umbrella and a woven watermelon purse
Plus, extra decor gifted to us by family (tissue paper flowers and large “BABY” letter blocks).
🎉 FAVORS 🎉
Cost: ~ $4/person
Canvas pouches for lavender (bulk store find)
Seed packets re-packaged into small envelopes with handwritten labels
🏡 THE SPACE 🏡
Cost: gratis!
Our cousin’s family graciously offered to host our party in their home just up the street. Our two-bedroom condo would’ve been a little cozy, and we wouldn’t have been able to take advantage of the good weather in the same way! Everything naturally spilled outside into their lush backyard, and my only complaint is that I wish the whole thing had lasted a little longer.
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With my cookbook pre-order launch and the baby shower, spring has brought a lot of light and excitement, but it has also carried its share of somber moments. What I’m reminding myself is that even in a world that feels heavy, beauty and tenderness still persist, and it’s okay to feel the full spectrum of it. Holding onto our loved ones and communities feels more important than ever.
I’m sending so much love to the Filipino community here in Vancouver following the tragic, heartbreaking incident at the Lapu Lapu Festival. My heart is with you, and I’m holding you all close. Here’s a list of community mental health resources via @asianmentalhealthproject.
With all the peace and love,
Jannell
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Sikil Pak
Makes 3/4 L
Ingredients
1 medium onion, large diced
2 garlic cloves
2 jalapeños, stems removed and halved
1 lb. hothouse tomatoes, cores removed and quartered
1 cup raw pepitas
1 tsp ground cumin
4 tbsp olive oil
lime juice, to taste
kosher salt, to taste
salsa macha, to taste
chopped fresh cilantro, as garnish
drizzle of EVOO, as garnish
Instructions
On the top rack of the oven, broil the onion, garlic, jalapeños, and tomatoes on high until nicely charred, about 10–15 minutes.
Meanwhile, toast the pepitas in a pan on medium-low to medium heat for 3–4 minutes until golden. Reserve a tablespoon for garnish.
In a blender, grind the warm pepitas until sandy in texture. Add the charred ingredients, along with cumin, olive oil, lime juice, salt, and salsa macha to taste. Blend until smooth.
Garnish with the reserved pepitas, extra salsa macha, cilantro, and a good drizzle of EVOO.