KDHamptons contributing editor Lara Shriftman celebrates her little prince!

Nobody knows how to throw a party like KDHamptons Contributing Entertaining & Etiquette expert, Lara Shriftman [co-founder of PR, events planning, and marketing agency, Harrison & Shriftman]. In addition to helping build brands such as Jimmy Choo and Juicy Couture, Lara has written four books on entertaining, including Fete Accompli and Party Confidential, and launched a line of party-ready tableware on HSN.

March is a major month for Lara and her son Lucas, who celebrates his birthday in style every year.  She shares, “Lucas helped me plan everything for his fifth birthday party at our friend Dylan Lauren’s amazing new Candy Bar in Miami!” Check out all of the SWEET details of his Birthday Diary below:

Dylan Lauren with the guest of honor~ Birthday boy Lucas Bacardi Shriftman!

Lara shares: Lucas absolutely loves Miami.  His first time trying candy was in Dylan’s flagship store in New York City and Dylan nicknamed him the “Candy Boy.” Dylan had asked Lucas to host some of his friends after the opening of her new story and coincidentally it was right around his birthday.

Design duo Anders Ruff offered to design the invitations [pictured here] and all the printables after they met and loved Dylan at the launch of Eleven by Venus Williams at the Southampton home of Rita Schrager [also produced by Lara Shriftman and Harrison & Shriftman].

Lucas celebrated with a three-tiered Krispy Kreme cake AND a homemade cake made by Mom decorated with Dylan’s candies! All the children received a custom Dylan’s flip flop to fill with candy.  Additional activities included decorating candy picture frames and making candy necklaces and bracelets.  I always make sure to have healthy snacks on hand like Pop Chips, Vita Coco and gluten free cupcakes to decorate with homemade icing.

If you are turning five, then you need TWO cakes!

The second cake was a Krispy Kreme tower!

Kids decorated candy picture frames, and made candy necklaces & bracelets.

In lieu of presents, guests brought unwrapped toys to be donated to the Miami Children’s Hospital.  It is a yearly tradition for Lucas to donate somewhere different every year.

Lucas, Antonio Restrepo, and Joonah Koopman.

Many of Lucas’ friends were in attendance including: Candy Girl Dylan Lauren and her husband Paul Arrouet, Antonio Restrepo with pregnant mom Christina Barberie and husband Alejandro, cousins Jonah and Izzy Koopman with parents Erika and Michel, J Brandon Rodriguez flew down with his beautiful mother actress Michael Michele, Quinn Harrelson, Hector Torres and mom Alejandra Torres, Joey Schriver with sisters and mom Alina, Hani Al Malki, and Monique and Fred Jr. Gonzales.

Izzy Koopman, Lucas, Jonah Koopman and Dylan Lauren

Dylan’s Candy Bar, the new South Beach retail outpost located on bustling Lincoln Road presents a selection of more than 7,000 candies, a café with outdoor seating, full service bar and personal candy shoppers for the most customized experience. Set inside the former Ghirardelli storefront, Dylan’s offers shop-goers a worldly blend of candies, including novelty, nostalgic, holiday themed, international imports and a Color Your World bulk candy display. An exclusive Miami gummy mix with alligators, sunglasses and palm trees will compliment fan favorite brands such as M&M Mars, Hershey’s and Jelly Belly.

Joey Shriver

Lara’s company, Harrison & Shriftman, worked with Dylan Lauren to open and launch the new Miami location of Dylan’s Candy Bar!

A café, located on the main level of the store, features an indulgent menu with an assortment of sweet and savory dishes. Delectable ice cream sundaes, gourmet chocolate pizzas and white, milk and dark chocolate fondues will satisfy any sweet tooth. Mini pizzas and chip samplers play to the diner who craves a more salty flavor. A full-service bar transforms Dylan’s into a day or night destination with both traditional drinks and candy-inspired cocktails such as Chocolate Mocha martinis and Pop Rocks® Explosion being served. Seating for up to 80 guests will be available outside with table service open for late night munchies.

After Dylan's party, Lucas headed to the Soho House with his mom and his dad, Juan Bacardi, for a small surprise pizza party.

Haute Hamptonite Dylan Lauren with her adorable rescue dog Jersey.

About Dylan Lauren:

Dylan Lauren, known to many as the “Candy Queen,” is the founder and CEO of Dylan’s Candy Bar. Her stores in New York City, East Hampton, Houston and now Los Angeles feature unique candy from around the world and decades past. Dylan has been credited with changing the face of the candy industry. Daughter of legendary fashion icon Ralph Lauren and author Ricky Lauren, Dylan was immersed at an early age in design, art and fashion. After graduating from Duke University with a major in Art History, she traveled the globe in search of the world’s most exciting confectionery creations.

By 2001, she realized her childhood dream by opening her first candy store inspired by “Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory.” Lara Shriftman has known Dylan for over 15 years and has hosted several book parties for her book, “Dylan’s Candy Bar: Unwrap Your Sweet Life” in Miami and Hawaii.

For more information on Dylan’s Candy Bar please go to: www.dylanscandybar.com

For more information about Lara Shriftman please go to:www.hs-pr.com/