Good Morning, Darlings!
Thank you for allowing me to rest and recuperate yesterday after our big night.
Party day started off early with me driving the dogs to camp to stay until Monday. They were happy and I was happy.
Once I was back at home the prep began in earnest. Eric swept and mopped the bathrooms while I dusted. John was over at noon and he and Eric put up the tents in the backyard. Lights were attached at the top for extra illumination. Becky and Tim brought by their standing heater and Jeff came by to make sure it was in working order. Oops! Looks like we realized that we had the wrong heater too late and it wasn’t able to be traded out. But no matter, we had plenty of room on the front porch for outside smokers.
Teague dropped off extra serving pieces, their huge standing cooler for beer on the porch and an extra tablecloth for concealing the front of the table. The kitchen table was moved to make space for Farzana, who would be our Kitchen Manager for the evening. The bar was emptied and moved to make a great bar space for Wallace. Tables were set up behind the bar to make room for wine, ice, liquor and mixers.
The phone rang a zillion times with calls and texts. Some were sending regrets, others to tell me the name of their guest had changed (well, their name hadn’t changed, she just changed her date….).
The weather – very cold and drizzly. Mood – upbeat and sunny.
I finally hit the showers at 6 p.m. – with a 7 p.m. party call. I was really cutting it close.
6:30pm – Farzana and Wallace arrive. I am still blow drying my hair.
Wallace, The Heart of Our Party
I can’t begin to tell you how fabulous Wallace was. He anchored this soiree. He answered the door, he greeted guests with glasses of champagne (because one hostess was busy getting false eyelashes applied by Art Director Tracy), he put everyone at ease and he was an angel to remember everything I forgot to pick up on the list he sent me (stirrers, etc….). When I suggested Wallace take a break mid-evening so I could tend bar, no one ordered anything because they wanted Wallace to make them a drink. This is the mark of a GREAT bartender and I was delighted! As long as Wallace is willing, he will be tending bar at every party we give from now on.
And Kitchen Manager Farzana was nothing short of spectacular. With some direction from Eric (still drying hair and putting on false eyelashes was I), she took over and kept everything fresh, hot and looking gorgeous. And she was gorgeous, too. And sweet. I hit the jackpot with Wallace and Farzana and the party would not have been nearly the success without them.
Table As It Was Being Laden With Food...