A Ted Lasso-Inspired Summer Social As International As It Gets
With Houston playing host to the World Cup, Lisa Slappey had a cheeky idea.
The Silver Sponsor and former secretary of the Texas Gulf Coast Chapter envisioned a summer social where people could cheer and chill … and that’s how the idea for a Ted Lasso-inspired watch party was born.
“Houston is an extremely diverse city. We have people here from all over the world, and there has been tremendous excitement for the World Cup,” said Lisa, who with business partner Mehdi Abedi owns Pride of Persia Rug Co. & Postmodern Traditions, where the watch party was held on June 23rd. “We wanted to have a low-stress summer gathering to connect local industry peers, and we wanted to encourage people who didn’t know much about soccer to come watch, hence the Ted Lasso theme.”
For those not familiar with the popular comedy series by the same name, Lasso was an American football coach hired to coach an English football team. True to the show, the event featured “Biscuits With the Boss” (shortbread cookies), and a “Believe” sign amidst decorations of soccer balls and international flags. Guests were encouraged to wear team colors. Around 50 people showed up, including many new faces. Team jerseys abounded, and one guest even made a referee costume.
A new TV and a wall projector were used to broadcast the England v Ghana and Panama v Croatia matches. Dinner included Persian specialities made by Mehdi Abedi.
You might be wondering: just how did a Persian rug company get into NKBA?
“We had some wonderful NKBA leaders in the community who kept inviting me to events,” recalled Lisa. “I put a lot of rugs in kitchens and baths, and it occurred to me that I should know what designers are doing in kitchens and baths! A whole new aspect of design opened up to me when I joined NKBA, and I have been an advocate since–especially for our student members.”
