This past weekend was my birthday and there were no shortages of celebrations. Friday night was The Cafe at The Ritz-Carlton Buckhead, Sunday night was pizza and beer on the porch, but Saturday was most special. My sweet bestie, John, cooked a fabulous meal for 12 of us – at my house, so I never had to leave. The party just came to me. Yay!

John decided on a La Dolce Vita theme, with all Italian cuisine. It was divine. The planning started weeks in advance, with John allowing me final say on the menu. I felt so pampered. The menu was as follows:

Aperitivo

Savory Caramelized Onion Cheese Cake with Apricot Glaze
Assorted Crackers
Red Grapes
Green Grapes

Pan Seared Polenta with
Creme Fraiche
Chives

Antipasti

Pesto Insalata with Three Cheese Tortillini

Piatto Principale

Lasagne with Baby Spinach and Portobello Mushrooms

Dolce

Chocolate Raspberry Panna Cotta

Sambuca
Amaretto

Not only did John plan the menu, design the invite and gather the guests, but he came up with the most gorgeous table idea that my love Eric carried out. Sunflowers and a boodle of candles filled the table, making everyone feel like they were in Tuscany. Eric also served as John’s sous chef for the day while I went out shopping and lunching with Holly. It was the perfect birthday.

John arrived mid afternoon laden with food, platters, and more food. Eric and he got to working. There’s nothing like a man in the kitchen to make a woman smile. I’m lucky that not only my husband, but my best friend are both super cooks.

The men take over.

Eric's spectacular table!

John prepares the polenta.

Pan searing the polenta

The polenta started the evening and let me tell you…they were a slam dunk. I honestly could have eaten just these all night. But I had to pace myself.

These were amazingly delicious!

Our friends started to arrive. Clint and Matt were first, gifting me with the most gorgeous candlestick holders we immediately placed on the table. Then Holly, who brought me the most perfect personalized note cards ever. Another swell gift from Holly were the note pads that read “Patti’s Party Planning”!!! I can’t wait to write all my thank yous…which reminds me….

Danny (who brought Sambuca!), Holly and Clint visit.

Crystal slices up the bread for dinner.

My buddy Allen arrived with the most wonderful gift, too. He made a chicken pot pie from scratch! I adored this gift and cannot wait to eat it.

Allen and Me

Next course featured the savory cheesecake with caramelized onions and apricot glaze. Stupendous.

Isn't this beautiful? Just like being in Italy!

Three of my favorite men. Eric, Clint and Matt.

Glasses were filled and refilled, laughter and scrumptious aromas filled the house.

Holly and Clint.

Mr. Jaunty Clint.

Lisa tells one of her wonderful stories to Crystal and Bob.

While Holly and John catch up stoveside.

Time for everyone to take their seats.

Antipasti is next – this was fantastic. Filled with everything good. Tortillini, mushrooms, mozzarella balls, artichoke hearts, green beans and asparagus. All bathed in the most luscious pesto ever. John, you are amazing!

Antipasti - topped with proscuitto. Deeeeelicious, y'all.

Lasagne - the main event.

I actually believe that the conversation came to a halt during the lasagne course. Everyone was too busy digging in to this marvelous creation to utter a word. Yum.

But eventually we all came up for air and the room continued to hum.

A table full of happy friends.

Crystal and Holly enjoy a laugh.

Are we too full for dessert? Not a chance. John prepared the creamiest panna cotta topped with fresh raspberries and complimented with chocolate sauce. He hit this one out of the park. Truly.

The perfect end to a perfect meal.

Dessert was accompanied by a brandy snifter of either Sambuca (with the three traditional coffee beans floating for good luck) or Amaretto. I chose the Amaretto.

The party was a wild success. John, you are the most fabulous friend and this was the most fabulous birthday dinner. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I love you!

xoxo, Patti

Today blogging to The White Stripes – We Are Going To Be Friends

The winner of our CSN $65.00 gift card is Clint! Hooray for Clint! I will email you the code so you can get to shopping.  I would love to hear what you picked out.

Whoo Hoo! Merry Christmas!

This weekend was a flurry of activity – there was dinner with friends at Parish on Friday night, the very stylish Chic Boutique Tour on Saturday during the day (more on that tomorrow), a Dirty Santa party on Saturday night, baking with Holly Sunday morning and a champagne hang out session with Tracy Sunday night.

Whew. And I now have to get us ready for vacation, whilst meeting with the dog sitter, shopping and returning things lent to us for the party, meeting with my Art Fest guys and maybe, just maybe, fitting in a pedicure. Before 7 a.m. on Wednesday.

Lets talk about baking with Holly. Always fun to spend time with my bestie. We baked peanut butter cookies with Dove bars inside, ginger molasses cookies, lemon bars (ok, I didn’t really help with those) and cinnamon chip scones. With cinnamon chips in them. If you knew me well, you would know that cinnamon is my favorite.

Hershey’s makes these delicious little morsels.

And here’s a recipe for these little yummy bites

Cinnamon Chip Scones

Adapted from Food.com
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 cup cinnamon baking chips
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup buttermilk
cinnamon sugar

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar in mixing bowl. Add butter slowly, mixing well.

In a separate bowl, combine egg yolk, vanilla, and buttermilk. Add to dry ingredients, mixing completely. Stir in cinnamon chips.

On a floured surface, roll out dough (with hands only) to 1/2″ thickness. Cut into scones, place on ungreased cooking sheet. Brush egg white over scones and sprinkle cinnamon sugar over scones. Bake 18 minutes.

Cool scones 5 minutes, move to plate and cover until completely cool.

Wouldn’t those be perfect for Christmas morning? I think so, too.

And after a little baking, Holly and I took a break and made some tasty sandwiches. With the most unbelievable Doritos ever. Cheeseburger Doritos, y’all. OMG. So good.

So wrong, yet so delicious.....

These wicked little chips taste exactly like cheeseburgers. Fast food cheeseburgers. Good Lawd, I know they are not healthy, but they called my name, like the sirens to the sailors.

You might want to try them. Or not. They could prove to be a problem.

But, you have until January 2nd to think about eating healthy, so just one couldn’t hurt, could it?

You decide.

xoxo, Patti

Today blogging to Larry Groce – Junk Food Junkie

I love when I can match my friends up for any particular reason – professional, personal or whatever. And a couple of weeks ago I was able to do just that with John and Clint. John called me with a request for Cartoon Network goodies for a child he had adopted for Christmas. Clint is a bigwig at the Cartoon Network. Voila!

For the hand off of treats, I thought I would put together a little pasta for everyone. After all, John & Danny were just returning from Florida after Thanksgiving and Clint had just made the trek back from their mountain cabin. The fact that they were both willing to stop by our place after all that driving warmed my heart. So, I in turn, thought I would warm their bellies.

Fab friend Tami H. and her wildly popular blog, Running With Tweezers, came to my rescue. She had just posted about a whole wheat past dish with poppy seeds. And the nice folks from Jovial Pasta had just sent me some of their fabulous Einkorn whole wheat pasta to sample, so this was kismet.

I made a few adjustments to Tami’s recipe (I didn’t have proscuitto, so I subbed bacon and I didn’t have green onions, so I sauteed some regular onion with the bacon to sweeten it) but the end result was insanely tasty. At first you are thinking, “hmmm, that’s unusual.” But by the end of the bowl, everyone is so happy they are ready to do it all again.

Thanks, Miss Tami. I now know what that jar of poppy seeds in my spice drawer is for. Yum.

Here’s the recipe straight from the Running With Tweezers blog. You have got to check it out.

Whole Wheat Spaghetti with Prosciutto, Poppy Seeds & Green Onions

serves 4 as a small main course

recipe adapted from a dish at SPQR in San Francisco

1 lb. whole wheat spaghetti or bucatini (I used Jovial Einkorn Whole Wheat Pasta)
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 pound good quality prosciutto
4 – 5 green onions, chopped on the bias
4 tablespoons poppy seeds
kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
- Start a large pot of salted water on to bring to a boil. While water is coming up to temperature, roughly chop the prosciutto into bite-sized pieces and set aside. Have your green onions and poppy seeds measured out and close at hand, as well, to assemble the dish. When the pasta is cooked al dente, reserve about 1/3 cup of the cooking liquid and drain the pasta.

- In a large saute pan, add your chopped prosciutto and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the butter and allow to melt. Once melted, add in the pasta and reserved cooking liquid. Toss thoroughly together and then add in the green onions and poppy seeds. Continue to toss together on medium-low heat for a minute or two to heat it all through together. At this point, grab a bite and taste for salt & pepper then adjust accordingly. Serve immediately.

This is the photo from Tami’s site. Mine was not as pretty. But it sure was good!

Photo Credit: Tami Hardeman

If you would like to learn more about Tami and how she makes everything look so gorgeous, you can check her out at this weekend’s Lavish! Unconference in Atlanta. Tami and all the other panelists have a plethora of fabulous things to share with you.

xoxo, Patti

Today blogging to Poppy Mercury – Badai Asmara

Happy Monday to you all. I hope your weekend was stupendous. The weather in Atlanta was ridiculously beautiful and we had lots of fun.

Friday night, Eric and I had ourselves a little date night and went to see the movie Red. This was a hoot. Lots of things blowing up and Helen Mirren as an assassin. What more could you possibly ask for? After the movie we ducked into Fox Grille at Atlantic Station for a drink and to catch up on all the games. Did you see the Yankees against the Rangers? Unbelievable.

Saturday, Eric had a haircut scheduled, so we had a cup of coffee together and off he went. I went across the street to take pictures of our neighborhood park being landscaped by our wonderful neighbors. When he returned, we picked up Valerie and took the MARTA to the Little Five Points Halloween Parade. This is always a a great time, with loads of costume ideas to be inspired by.

Eric, Valerie, Curtis, Me at the parade

All ages enjoy the parade. Even little pups.

I love all the colorful costumes.

These giant puppets were fascinating.

Another giant puppet.

Glad to meet him in the broad daylight....

If Mad Max built a Barbie Dream Car, this is what you would get.

Kiss and this clown from a video game. Is that right, Eric?

My favorite photo of the day.

I didn’t know this guy, but I loved his costume. It was simple, but cool. I caught his eye right before I snapped this photo and he got into character for me. Afterward, I introduced myself and showed him the shot. His name is David and he was feeling a bit under the weather on Saturday, but couldn’t miss the parade. I just love the look of him zoning out as he is surrounded by this crowd. Thanks, David!

When the parade ended, Curtis was meeting some friends, so Eric, Valerie, Leila and I all hoofed it to Pure in Inman Park for some mexican food. We saw our friend Katie there (hi Katie!!) and dined on some scrumptious dishes. I had a salad that had so many chips, guacamole and sour cream, that I’m sure cannot be counted as health food, but it was so good. We ordered two types of queso but were too full for dessert.

Valerie and Leila picked up Leila’s car and Eric & I headed back to the MARTA and home. For kicks we watched a zombie movie and called it a night.

Sunday we had planned to smoke a pork butt and have some of our besties over. Eric started the grill at 10 a.m. and rubbed the pork with an amazing secret rub that smelled so good. I whipped up coleslaw, cupcakes (with peanut butter chips, iced with dark chocolate and sprinkled with sea salt), and homemade cornbread. Clint made some delicious macaroni and cheese and thanks to our good friends Doug and Sharon of Three Sisters Vineyards, we drank up a bit of wine I had leftover while I was pouring for them last Thursday night at Aqua Vino (more on that Wednesday). For an appetizer, I broke out the Pretzel Crisps (more on those tomorrow), luscious dip made by Wesley and everyone devoured everything. It was all so yummy.

Pretzel Crisps and Dip. Hand model - Jay.

Eric pulling the pork.

Pulled smoked pork. So delicious!

Matt and...

Clint. Two of my favorite...

Cupcakes!

Dinner guests included not only Clint and Matt, but Teague, Curtis, Jay and Valerie. The conversation on polygamy was riveting and the wine flowed.

I love all our darlings. They make life fabulous.

See you tomorrow!!

xoxo, Patti

Today blogging to Loverboy – Working for the Weekend

Whew, what a weekend. Lets get started with the recap.

Friday night we attended FLUX, the art installation in Castleberry Hill. It is more of an art installation than art festival because it is interactive and a bundle of fun. Called Le Flash last year, this year’s incarnation had a ton more partiers and more things to see. There were zebras running on buildings, movies projected onto high rises, singing heads, food carts and much more. Eric and I went with besties Crystal & Teague, said hello (and Happy Birthday!) to our friend Denise Jackson in her gallery, and then stopped for a drink at our other besties loft, Matt and Clint. It was delightful, exhilirating and cultured.

Roll the footage!

Crystal and Teague party down at Miss Jackson's gallery

These polo paintings will be in Denise's next exhibit. We were in her secret space in the gallery. Friends only! VIP!

With every map, you get a free glow stick. I liked the pink one.

Some folks took a whole bunch and made a trail to....

A room with three screens of what I think was running water...

Now, this is what I call a "green" flag. It was made entirely out of old clothes.

Some visitors partied on the moon.

While others were being chased by a giant mantis.

I don't know Stacy, but she set up a tickle suit as her exhibit. I did not try this on.

This photo loses something with the flash. It was all lit with black lights and she was dancing for the plants. This was my favorite of the night.

We stopped by Matt's loft where he was spinning the hits.

Our pretty friend Carole was there, with her equally pretty sister, Linda.

Eric stops for a beverage.

I get a chance to catch up with my bestie, Clint.

The Soprano was projected onto a concave screen, making her look like a bodyless head. Cool.

And how do you know it’s time to go home?

When they are sold out of egg rolls....

Castleberry Hill, you outdid yourself once again. Kudos!

And if you will indulge me, I would like to say hello to my friend, Betty Beasley – thanks a million for reading!!!!

xoxo, Patti

Today blogging to The Opus Flux – Careless Whisper

Tapas continue to hold our collective attention and of course there will always be places that do it halfheartedly and others that excel. Unfortunately, most tapas restaurants serve the same tired old dishes.

But not The Iberian Pig. They are producing small plates that thrill. Best friend Clint picked the perfect spot for Holly and I to meet up with he and his mother, my Memphis pen-pal, the genteel Miss Sylvia. Situated in the middle of Decatur Square, you can support the environment and jump on the MARTA and end up right in the middle of the square – how’s that for green?

Decatur's Art Deco MARTA Station - You Are Here!

Look for the Handcrafted Sign For Amazing Cuisine

And what about The Iberian Pig, what does that mean?  From their website:

The Black-footed Iberian Pigs that roam Spain create some of the most sought after cured meat in the world, Jamon Iberico. Only recently imported into the United States, we are one of the select few restaurants in the country that serves the acorn fed Iberico ham from Spain. To preserve the integrity of Jamon Iberico, we slice the ham in view of our guests on a imported mechanical proscuitto slicer from Italy. Served with toasted ciabatta and espresso aioli, this item is truly a signature of the restaurant.

Integrity, indeed. Every last bite was sublime. But first, there were some hugs to be exchanged!

Holly and Clint

Clint and Miss Sylvia

With My Best Pen-Pal, Miss Sylvia

Hugs exchanged, we turn our attention to the house rules. Why can’t every restaurant have these posted? I love it!

Take Those Cell Phones Outside!

We met our server, Greg, who took fantastic, attentive care of us all evening. And he was funny – that’s important to me.

Everybody's Happy!

And the food, glorious food! Eric couldn’t make dinner, so I will be returning with him very soon to sample all the dishes.  We each chose a dish and reasoned we could always order more.  First up, Clint’s suggestion of BWD- Bacon wrapped dates stuffed with Manchego cheese and walnuts, Romesco dipping sauce. They were gobbled up in a millisecond. Next!

Super Hot - You Might Want to Give Them A Moment, If You Can Resist!

Second plate – Croquetas de Queso – Crispy goat cheese, citrus-honey yogurt, lavender honey. This was my personal favorite, so much so that we ordered two. Miss Sylvia’s excellent choice. The honey with the yogurt was so good we asked Greg to please leave it well after the croquetas were gone. Insanely tasty.

Crispy, Creamy, Salty, Sweet - All The Senses Were Engaged

Moving right along, we come to my dish – BBQ Octopus – Slow simmered all day then char grilled, house made BBQ sauce, fennel, shallots, pork belly, and crunchy potatoes.  I’m surprised we weren’t elbowing each other to devour every bite. But there are rules, you know.

Yum Yum Yummy From Under The Sea

And then it was Holly’s turn. Calamares – Baked stuffed calamari with grilled vegetables, Mahón cheese, tomato sauce. One of the best versions of Calamari I have ever eaten.  Once you’ve tried this, you will be hard pressed to go back to the boring, breaded, fried rings.

Meaty, Cheesy Stuffed Calamares

Bless my friends, they put up with my constant photo snapping. It also caught the attention of owner and chef, Chad, who dropped by to say hello.

Chad Crete, Owner & Chef, Takes A Moment To Say Hello

After asking Chef Chad for his personal recommendation, we ordered the Tocino con Manzana – Slow braised Kurobuta pork belly, Granny Smith and Fiji apple salad with Laird’s Applejack, citrus-honey yogurt, candied walnuts, apple cider reduction, and Chilean extra virgin olive oil. A collective happy groan swept our table.

I Have No Words - Just Delicious

Were we still hungry or just drunk with love for the menu? One more plate. Huevos con Trufa – Rustic bread, slow roasted pork cheeks, poached egg, black truffles. I love any dish that comes with a poached egg. This did not disappoint.

Hitting All The High Notes

Now you would expect us to be too full for dessert – but with four spoons, how could we resist the Copa Catalan – Espresso custard served with fresh berries Bomba – Mango, raspberry, and passion fruit sorbet rolled in white chocolate, served with fresh whipped cream and seasonal berries? A few bites couldn’t hurt. The most perfect way to end the meal, even if we were filled to the brim.

Fruity, Chocolate, Creamy - What's Not To Love?

Thank you Holly, Clint and Miss Sylvia for the amazing dinner and as always, your perfect friendship!  Never a dull moment when we get together.

xoxo, Patti

Today blogging to Cameo’s Word Up

Last week we received an invitation to join the cool folks in Castleberry for tapas and paella.  I love all the people in Castleberry and their fabulous loft culture – so urbane!  My bestie Clint is part of the clique, so we were thrilled to have snagged an invite for Tapas & Sangria at Clint’s and then to Carrie & Steven’s for paella (just a short stroll across the street!)

Joining us were Steve & Calvin (another C!), Tracy and Stephanie.  The nine of us had a grand time. Starting at Clint’s with both red & white sangria and a number of tapas. Ranging from tiny bites (olives and almonds), to more substantive fare (cheese stuffed, bacon wrapped dates & taquitos) it was hard not to get filled up on all the yummy tidbits.

Clint’s loft has just been repainted the most gorgeous combination of pale green and grey, making it even more chic than before.  More colorful than the paint? Clint and his neighbors.

Ice Cold Sangria Ready to Pour!

Clint’s loft was filled with laughter as we nibbled our way through the tasty tapas and the icy sangria.

Carrie Enjoys A Sangria

Steve Cracks Us All Up

Then it was time to head across the street to Carrie and Steven’s loft for the paella! Yum!  To-go cups, everyone!

Steven In His Swanky Loft

Carrie and Steven have the most amazing loft, filled with the most interesting things. You are greeted by a statue of the buddha as you enter, and honestly, I felt so peaceful in their space. Lots of candlelight, lots of fun surprises.

I Just Love How Steve & Carrie Have Decorated Their Loft

The Wildly Eclectic Dining Room - Check Out The Lamp

Calvin Is A Very Famous Photographer - So No Pictures!

Actually, Calvin was my very charming dining companion for the evening. Loved getting to know him so much better!

Sweet Carrie Puts The Finishing Touches on the Paella

While I Gawked At Her Impressive Pez Collection

Steven and Clint Pre-Dinner

Eric and I experienced some serious loft envy when we saw…

The Screening Room! Could You Just Die?

No time for movies, though, it was paella time. Everyone grab a seat!

Just One of TWO Pans of Paella Carrie Made For Us

One pan had mussels, the other did not. Midway through dinner, we switched pans so everyone could try both types. Super yummy! There was chicken, artichoke hearts, shrimp – all kinds of tasty treats. And for dessert, I contributed a cake I had picked up at the Blogger’s Bake Sale and had frozen. The cake was made by The Cake Hag (What kind of name is that? Because there was nothing about this cake that would indicate it was baked by a hag – it was incredible!) This lemoncello delight was gobbled up by us all.  I will be going to Miss C.H. for all my baked goods from now on. Nom, Nom, Nom.

Thanks Carrie, Clint and Steven for the most lovely evening. It was great being one of the cool kids for the night.

xoxo, Patti

Oh, this weekend was a hoot. Starting with everybody’s favorite bestie, Clint, and his funtime dance birthday party (and yes, you CAN call it a party! yay!)  To know Clint is to love him and anyone who has ever met him would agree. So when his partner Matt decided to throw him a dance party at his loft, our only response was – “which dancing shoes to wear?”  I mean, it was jam packed full of fabulous people wishing Clint the best birthday ever, with some of the best music ever and some of the yummiest cake ever.

You have got to see the photos!

Say Hello To My Favorite Birthday Boy, Clint

Now, Matt’s loft is filled with some of the coolest treasures ever – like a player piano that really works (!), and some of the coolest self produced art you have ever seen (is there nothing these two cannot do?)  So just hanging at the loft is always a treat. But to be there with everyone that loves Clint was the greatest night ever.

Before the party, there was a mini pre-party at our house with Holly, Crystal, Teague, Eric and me. Then we headed over to the mega-party. Such fun!

Calvin, Patti and Sweet Steve

Adorable Carrie and Dear Carla, Who Kept Us Secure All Night Long

Carrie And Our Host With The Most, Matt

Clint and Carrie Share A Hug

Clint With Pretty Friend, Sherri

My Perfect Husband, Eric, Enjoying The Festivities

Everyone Was There To Toast Clint!

Happy Birthday Clint!!

The Bar is Now OPEN!

Beautiful Bestie Holly

Might Be The Cutest Shot of The Night - Holly, Clint & Carrie

Holly & Crystal With Our New Bff, Scottie

Scottie and I met and admired each other’s earrings – so we traded! Scottie is Matt’s sister in law and hopefully will not be a stranger to us – she is adorable!!

Those Handsome Belfi Boys - Keith and Matt

Me, With New Bestie, Keith

Keith is so fab – he designs sets and props for the likes of Alton Brown and Tyler Perry. And not only that – he is so kind and funny!

Keith & Scottie Belfi (wearing the earrings we traded!) So Cute!

All This Photography Can Be Tiring, So Says Our Party Guests....

Me, With One Of My Favorite Folks, Ever - Our Birthday Guy, Clint

Matt and Keith

Scottie and Me, Post Earring Swap

Note to Scottie:  I am still loving the earrings!! Let me know when we can go shopping!

Matt and Me

Everybody Had A Ball!

But all good things must come to an end. But not before there’s CAKE! Happy Birthday Monkey Boy!

A Sure Sign That Cake Is A'Coming

Ready For Clint To Make A Wish

I Hope Every Wish Comes True, Sweetie!

2 a.m. Came Awfully Fast. Nite, nite!

It was a fantastic party, filled with the coolest people (as always). Thanks, Matt for being the best host ever and thanks, Clint, for being the best friend ever. I love you both!

xoxo, Patti

As I stated in the beginning of March, there were no dinner parties to be hosted in my home this month. But, alas, rules are meant to be broken. The one person I would allow as the exception came to dinner last night. And it was so worth breaking the rules!

Last night our very special guest of honor was Clint’s enchanting mother, Sylvia. We had not seen each other in seven years and she was in town for a visit. There was no way my little moratorium was going to keep me from entertaining one of my most favorite people. And so I set about to show her a very good time.

On the menu was:

Caprese Salad
Pappardelle with Boar Ragu
Sauteed Broccoli Rabe
Fresh Garlic Bread
Lemon Tart

Mmmm, Meatballs, Y'all!

So, happily I tottered off to Toscano & Sons yesterday to pick up the pasta and boar ragu. Uh….the FDA came and took all their boar ragu away, siting insufficient information on the packaging. Mama Mia! What to do? Well, I had some meatballs in the freezer and some Italian sausage in the fridge, that would have to be my stand-in.

With all my other ingredients packed up in the car and Karen off to camp for the night, I set home to whip up a fabulous evening.

Lemon tart? Sure! I have some pate brisee in the freezer that I took out to thaw. That should work perfectly in this pie. Why should I read the directions?
Well, because the pate brisee had some major shrinkage in the oven. Aw, geez. I wound up with what looked like a nice, flat piece of pie dough.

Into the trash it went. Now I need to come up with another dessert. I could go back out, but it is raining cats and dogs out there! Hmmm, lets see what we have.

Yay! There are some gorgeous strawberries brought back from Florida by Holly earlier this year! And I have cookie dough in the fridge. Dessert would be strawberries macerated in sugar and balsamic vinegar, topped with black pepper alongside one perfect cookie. Whew.

Since it was St. Patty’s Day (and I am Patti), I thought I should go all out. I picked up some green bowler hats at Target and set them by each place setting. Also at each place was a TableTopics question. Kroger had daffodils – 5 bunches for $10, so home they came with me, too. They look like Spring will soon be here, don’t they?

Top O' The Evening To Ya!

Isn’t my organdy tablecloth pretty? I got it on ebay for $20 (that includes shipping)!! Isn’t that crazy? I love it! I really should have ironed it before using, but I thought with everything on the table maybe no one would notice. And if they did, they were so polite, no one said anything.

Close Up Of The Tablecloth

Soon, my charming guests arrived and Eric finished up work. We had so much catching up to do with each other! Eric and I orchestrated the last minute cooking while visiting with Clint, Matt and Miss Sylvia in the kitchen. It was so much fun. And now to eat!

Caprese Salad

And time to wear our silly green hats. With glitter. That got all over everything and everybody.

Matt, Miss Sylvia and Clint

Now I feel bad that Miss Sylvia had green, sparkly hair. But we all had green, sparkly hair.

Yippee! I Got Everyone To Wear The Hats!

It was a wonderful evening, and as I shook out the tablecloth this morning and saw tons of green fairy dust fly into the wind, I thought of the people in my life who make it so magical.

Make some magic today, Darlings!

xoxo, Patti

I had the sweetest time in NOLA with my darling husband, but the birthday celebration didn’t stop there.  This past Friday night, 22 of us gathered to celebrate some more at Karaoke Melody, a terrific spot on Buford Highway that has private karaoke rooms. Most.Fun.Ever.

The photos really tell the story here, so lets begin!

Teague Checking The Mics

Lisa Arrives

Lisa Made Party Favors - Filled With Peppermint Patties!

Eric Checks Out The Stage

A Hug For My Sweetie

At first, Eric, Teague, John, Danny, Crystal, Holly, Lisa and I sang a few songs  before everyone else arrived. “Paradise By The Dashboard Light” is one tough song to sing. But we muddled through, giggling til the end.

Matt With Clint Laughing Through "Punk Rock Girl"

Me and My Girls, Crystal, Holly and Lisa

Tim, Becky and I, Wearing the Darling Apron They Had Custom Made For Me

Sweet Miss Diane

Teague Opens With La Bamba - "It's In Spanish!"

Shane In The Hall

Danny and I Belting Out The Lyrics to Something

New Neighbor Dean Brings Down The House With His Rendition of "Lets Get It On"

My Crooners - John and Taruan

Shane And Eric Take A Beverage Break

Holly and Danny Cut Up For The Camera

Val and Leila Share a Moment

In Honor Of Johnny Cash's Birthday, Eric & I Pair Up To Sing "Jackson"

Like All Good Southern Girls, Crystal and I Sing "Delta Dawn"

Diane and I Having A Giggle

Taruan and Chioke Enjoying The Evening

Shane and Teague Sing "The Time Warp"

and if you are going to sing The Time Warp, you know that right behind are folks that…

Are Going to Sing and Dance With You. Guaranteed.

and sing and dance some more…

More Time Warp Fun

Me, Getting A Chance To Thank Everyone For Coming

But there is one (maybe two…) more surprises to come…

Lisa Wrote Custom Lyrics To "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun", Just For Me!

This tickled me to no end. I was so thrilled.

I just wasn’t ready for the party to end. And so, six of us brought it on home.

Because no birthday is complete without…

a Pink and White Cake, Complete With Adorable Candles!

It was a fabulous birthday and I was so thrilled with all our guests. We have the best friends ever.

xoxo, Patti