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Calgary designer Alykhan Velji shares his low-stress formula for an Oaxacan-themed cocktail party, complete with mezcal drinks, easy appetizers and layered table-setting ideas.
Recipes by Cody Willis Styling by Alykhan Velji Words by Anicka Quin
Editor’s note: Regular readers will recognize Alykhan Velji as one of the designers featured in WL’s 2026 Design 25 winners.
Aly Velji has a knack for making it all look easy.
When I arrive at his home in Calgary’s Kelvin Grove neighbourhood, he’s dressed in a dark denim button-down and white jeans, the blue and white scarf tied at his neck a recent souvenir from his travels. There’s a minor flurry of activity at the kitchen island as chef Cody Willis, founder of Native Tongues taqueria, is prepping appetizers for the upcoming cocktail party that Velji and his husband Jason Krell are hosting at home this evening. But the table is set in layers of Oaxacan pottery and greenery, the cocktail bar is ready to go—and even their rescue chihuahua, Espresso, is dressed in his best neckerchief for the occasion.
There’s no doubt Velji’s innate design talents help when setting a welcoming scene like this one (regular readers will recognize his name as a designer we love in Western Living—he’s also taken home one of our WL Design 25 awards in this issue). But he also wants more people to embrace ease in entertaining—in a way that’s more than just opting for take-out and calling it a night. Simply setting the table can make that humble takeout dinner feel like an event. “When guests arrive and the table is set beautifully, I think it makes it feel so much more special—they feel like they’re thought about,” he says.
READ MORE: 8 Spring Home Finds to Refresh Your Dining Table for Entertaining
And while plenty of prep went into today’s party—Velji made the floral arrangements himself, for example—there’s also a casual nature to the atmosphere here. Part of that effortless feeling is born from love: Krell and Velji have fallen head over heels for coastal Oaxaca, particularly the lowkey beach town of Zipolite. Over the past four years they’ve been regular visitors—so much so that Velji has gotten to know the local artisan community and started collecting pottery and tableware from his travels. Recently, the couple also purchased a home there.
So, for tonight’s tablescape, in addition to the layered tablecloths and mix-and-match vintage glassware that were already in Velji’s collection, there are terracotta plates and bowls, handwoven placemats and serving trays that have been carefully transported back to Calgary over the years. Many of the pieces are Oaxacan black pottery, or barro negro, smoke-fired in underground pits to give the grey clay its lustrous black colour. The multicoloured candles are a particularly special souvenir. “They’re made by a family that has been hand-dipping them for over 200 years,” Velji says. “I sat down with the matriarch who’s been making them for 80 years herself. It’s incredible—everything is done by hand, it’s vegetable dyed. It’s just a beautiful way of nodding to the history of Oaxaca.”
As the guests file in—artist Simone Elizabeth Saunders and her partner, Devakaran Manickaraj, along with Chef Willis’s partner, artist and restaurateur Maya Gohill—Willis whips up Oaxacan-themed appetizers and cocktails, the latter of which features a lit smoked ancho pepper that brings some theatre to the table. Many of the recipes Willis prepares are deceptively simple: cacahuates oaxaqueños—or roasted peanuts with garlic and arbol chili—for example, take just a few minutes to quickly heat up on the stove, but pair excellently with the mezcal on hand. With refried beans and salsa negra prepped ahead of time, the tlayuditas come together after Willis flash-fries thin slices of rib-eye steak and brings the layered, fresh and warm platters to the table.
READ MORE: One to Watch: Simone Elizabeth Saunders Lifts Fibre Art to New Heights
It’s a night that rolls out—easily, just as it started—with banter and laughter, the Oaxacan theme to the food, the drink and even the tableware itself anchoring the night. As it happens, the theme also served as Velji’s inspiration for a new online shop at Alykhan Velji Designs, where he plans to import many of his discoveries to sell to folks at home. “I really want to support their local economy and local artisans,” he says of Oaxaca. “It’s my way of saying: we’re living on your land, and we want to make sure we’re giving you a lot of love.”
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Photo by Phil Crozier
I love fresh florals; most people think that it can get expensive, but you never know what you’ll find at your local grocery store. I like to take these pre-made arrangements and break them up to create my own. It’s simple, cost effective and shows your guests you care. I also love to use unique vegetables and fruits as centrepieces: think eggplants, jackfruit, pomegranates and gourds.
Not all tables are created equal and, just like my interiors, I love to mix it up with my tablescape. I hate a matchy-matchy moment, so I love to combine different plates with vintage collected glassware, vases and accessories for the table. It’s a great way of curating a table that looks different every time.
I have a few key neutral tablecloths that I love to use as a starting point: white, black and linen. Those three tones will cover anything you might need for a base; start with one, then layer on top of it. It’s simple and makes starting a little easier.
With a neutral tablecloth, layering becomes so much easier. Layer other fabrics, placemats, napkins and decor to create a one-of-a-kind tablescape. I also love to mix and match unexpected patterns, like florals and stripes or geometrics and florals. Don’t forget to play with height as well.
Overall, the key is to bring back the art of entertaining. Throwing a party and decorating a gorgeous table should be fun. It makes your guests feel important and makes you the star—what could be better than that?
READ MORE: The Wine List: 3 Wines to Pair With a Mezcal-Forward Oaxacan-Inspired Taco Party
Anicka Quin is the editor-in-chief of Western Living magazine and the VP of Content for Canada Wide Media. If you've got a home design you'd like to share with Western Living, drop her a line at [email protected]
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