Glowing success
- A long table in the dining room at Sascha’s was elaborately set for Amanda Johnson’s birthday dinner.
As the evening progressed, wax from the candles dripped onto the tabletop, creating swirls of color.
Present were (left to right) Kevin Barham, Vernon Forward, Johnson, Jason Adcock, Irwin Morris, Stephanie Grandjean, Tina Parlaman, Cheryl “Pickles” Kinion and Scott White.
On a late autumn evening, Baltimore designer Henry Johnson held an intimate birthday dinner for his daughter, Amanda Johnson, at Sascha’s 527 Café. The restaurant is a personal favorite of the Johnson family, who consider owner Sascha Wolhandler a close family friend.
Eight guests gathered to dine around a blaze of multicolored candles arranged in candleholders of varying design and size. The tapers reflected off the hanging crystal drops, and smaller votives were scattered throughout a veritable sea of brightly colored ribbons and feathers. Mr. Johnson spent a few hours decorating the table, utilizing candles and color to create an over-the-top presentation.
Ms. Johnson and her guests enjoyed a leisurely multi-course dinner from a private menu of Sascha’s signature dishes, including Sascha’s salad, bacon straws, filet of beef and seared tuna, before concluding with a chocolate decadence cake.
As the evening progressed, wax from the candles dripped onto the table, resulting in a swirl of color and texture that bordered on performance art. Ms. Johnson described the memorable evening of light and laughter as her “best birthday ever.”
