Party Report: Back To The Garden With Pink Martini & Friends

Monday, September 08, 2014

Byron Beck, GoLocalPDX Features Editor

China Forbes

China Forbes sings in the Garden of Sampson & Beasley.

Pink Martini performed at a fundraising party for the preservation of Bella Madrona, also known as the Gardens of Sampson and Beasley.

Now, this wasn’t just any garden party. This was the garden party, billed as “Back to the Garden.”

For many years, beginning back in the 1980s, Drs. Jim Sampson and Geof Beasley hosted what was often referred to as the “party of the summer” on the grounds of their spacious garden estate in Sherwood, Ore.

The lush garden, named for the madrones growing here and situated on a 1892 farmstead, has been the site for several large parties and benefits, but nothing quite like the ones that the good doctors would throw themselves.

Those parties, which always attracted an eclectic mix of quirky folks, were the stuff of legend.

But it had been quite awhile since Jim and Geoff had thrown one of their big parties, so a few of us (this writer included) decided it was high time to throw one for them. The big difference is that this one would be a fundraiser for the preservation of the Bella Madrona, aka the Gardens of Sampson and Beasley.

Now, the “Gardens of Sampson and Beasely” might sound a bit familiar to some that haven’t even set foot in Sherwood. That’s because it’s one of various hits performed by Portland’s own Pink Martini. And the man behind that song, and this very party, is none other than the maestro himself, Thomas Lauderdale.

The sold-out Saturday night soiree included cocktails via Pernod Ricard, Evolution wine from Sokol Blosser, champagne from Muselet Restaurant, Salt and Straw ice cream, Goldfinch Caramels and an incredible sit-down dinner for 300 from The Art of Catering.

The guest list was filled with old friends, who just happen to be some of the most powerful people in Portland, as well as filmmakers, gardeners, artists, activists and all those people that make Portland so Portland.

Following dinner Pink Martini, with China Forbes and the von Trapps, played late into the night as couples filled the dance floor and the moon filled the sky.

A night under the stars. Pink Martini and Thomas behind the piano. A perfect dinner.

Gardens have a way of making magic happen. Magic isn’t the right word for just how cool this party was, but magic it was.

Pure magic.

For more photos from "Return to the Garden" please click here.