The Perfect Party

The holiday season is upon us and with it comes the traditions that fill our lives. For some, it’s the party of a dear friend that you swear you’ll never miss. For others, it’s the joy of throwing the party that no one wants to miss.

We received a call last year just weeks before Patricia Newton’s annual holiday party. It was from her friend Don Jensen, who gushed about his friend’s annual affair. This particular call caught our attention. Jensen owns Linen Effects, outfitters of some of the best weddings, special events, and high-profile galas in town. We were intrigued, so we sent our photographer to capture the festivities.

Her annual parties may, for some guests, be a favorite holiday tradition. Only fitting, since Newton’s Deephaven home has its own history. Sitting on the remaining four acres of what was once the twelve-acre Lindsey campground on the shores of Lake Minnetonka, Newton’s current home comprises five of the camp’s log cabins. In the 1930s, the cabins were combined using plaster and stone, creating the home that still stands. “When workers cut into the wall a few years ago to add French doors, we could see a cross section of the original logs behind the plaster and stucco,” Newton says. The landmark property also includes an original boathouse that was a stop for the lake trolley, and the driveway is lined with iron lamps featuring whimsical creatures, bears, and American Indians, remnants of the original camp. Each year, she also has the outdoor gazebo strung with lights. The illumination has become not only Newton’s tradition, but a Northome neighborhood tradition that signals “Christmas is here!”

It’s within this charming setting that Newton hosts her yearly celebration. “I invite a mix of people that don’t normally get together,” she says. Her 200-plus guests include “pals, dear friends, and buddies” as well as people she encounters in her day-to-day life—her tailor, the guy who puts in her dock, board members from the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum (on which Newton also serves). “There never seems to be enough time to know more about them,” says Newton. “So I invite them into my home.” She admits she isn’t able to spend as much time as she would like with each guest, but at least it furthers the connection. “It’s very open, eclectic, and exciting,” she says. Plus, “How do you know Patricia?” becomes the standard icebreaker.

Besides typical seasonal décor, Newton layers her party with all the essentials: great food, good drink, beautiful floral, and fabulous music. “Ten years ago I heard a band in St. Paul,” she says. “They’ve played at my party ever since. My guests expect them!” Regulars at the Dakota, Jazz by Fosse sticks to jazz and “not Christmas music,” says Newton. The musicians aren’t the only annual tradition. Newton says the banquet spread is full of food that is “to die for,” and Steven Ward from Arts & Flowers in St. Louis Park adds the icing on the cake with fresh flowers and greenery. Each year Newton will add a twist or two, including the occasional choir, or chestnuts roasting in the courtyard. Her annual guests have not only come to expect the regular touches—they also know that the “good port is at the downstairs bar,” Newton adds with a laugh.