Fantasy Party

Inspired by The Clothes Horse, an interview about my dream party. Though this is not so far from what one of my parties looks like IRL.

What type of party is it?
Since the holidays are coming up, it’d be a fancy party, complete with party dresses, hot shoes, good hair, men in dapper suits, and sequins.

Who is invited?
All the usual suspects, as this will be my 6^th annual holiday party. I always try to invite some new friends as well.

Where does it take place?
A penthouse condo overlooking the city, so we could see the downtown buildings lit up for the holidays and peer over all of the lights of nighttime. There’d be an outdoor deck with candles and paper lanterns since it will undoubtedly be an unseasonably warm evening.

What are we eating/drinking?
Gruyere and other assorted cheeses. Gourmet pizza. The fantastic veggie thing my friend always makes. All kinds of chocolate and holiday goodies. Holiday-themed cocktails, like a poinsettia cocktail or peppermint schnapps martini. Wassail.

Who gets to sit next to you? And why?
Whoever the newest invitee is. I like to make everyone feel welcome and give them tidbits about my other friends so they have an in and can feel comfortable.

What is the theme or what is everyone wearing?
Holiday-inspired clothing. Jewel tones, sparkles, crisp lines. Tall-tall shoes.

Are there party favors?
Fancy wine glasses with holiday colors, a mix of Christmas music made by me. Homemade desserts and ornaments.

What are the hot topics of the evening?
The Virginia elections. Where everyone is traveling and spending the holidays. Inside jokes. How fantastic my party is. How lovely everyone looks. Flirting and storytelling and laughing and drinking.

Who is most likely to get drunk and dance on the table?

Me or Daniel.

Who is the last to leave?
Everyone. An ideal party is when everyone stays up til the wee hours talking and laughing.

Oh yeah, and all this brainstorming makes me super-excited for the holidays. I'm totally listening to Christmas music right now. Actually, listening to the Christmas CD I made all my holiday party goers from last year. Can't wait for this one!

Everyone loves a Fort

Found this over at Rockstar Diaries, who frequently makes forts anyway. I don't care how old you are, if you liked making forts as a kid (and boy did I--hey, only child--easily amused), then they are always fun.

Where the Wild Things Are Fort Contest

Here are some submissions from the site:

And one of Taza and Husband's:

I think it is delightful and loving that she and her husband make forts. I want to do this SO BAD.

On being too girly for camping

Camping always seems like a good idea to me. It's a romantic notition--being out in the woods with your friends or lovers, a roaring campfire, marshmallows, being one with nature, snuggling in your tent, that crisp smell in the air.

Then I realize that I'm entirely too high maintenance for most camping. This is hard for me to admit, because I was a tomboy growing up. To look at me now, you'd never guess, but I was totally a running-jumping-climbing trees-playing guns with the boys-kind of girl.

I kind of went camping in high school. After football games, the band gang would go set up tents on a wooded plot of land that someone's family owned. We weren't far from civilation, but it was wooded enough that you felt far away. We only ever stayed one night at a time, which was totally enough for me. Mini-camping, with the opportunity to shower at my own house the next day. So you can see where my false notion of camping has come from.

One time, my then-boyfriend (wait, I don't think he was actually my bf yet!) and I were sleeping in a tent and were awoken abruptly by the tent being collapsed upon us. Our friends had decided it would be funny to wrap us up like a burrito and roll us around. There were arms and legs and nylon everywhere and we were cracking up and yelling for help. After they finally released us, we all realize they'd nearly rolled us right into a VERY steep ravine, which we'd camped right next to the night before, not seeing it in the dark.

Every now and then my friends will suggest camping and at first I'm always like, YES, great idea. Then the rational part of my brain speaks up, the part that likes sequined high heels and deodorant and reminds me:" You're always cold, your hair gets oily after one day, mosquitos love you, you are freaked out by insects, etc.."

Take for instance the conversation I had with one friend trying to plan a trip.

Him: Rustic and semi-rustic cabins are available.

Me: A cabin? Sweet, okay, well that's at least not sleeping on the ground! Sounds good. What's the difference?

Him: Semi-rustic means no electricity. Rustic means no electricity and no water.

Me: [crickets]. (ha, see what I did there.

Sooo, yeah, I probably won't be going.

{scene}

All of that said, I STILL stupidly contemplated camping again when I saw these lovely camping photos from The Rockstar Diaries.

IMAGES

It seems a shame that the ones on the Internet posting all the wild ideas and photos and comments are not yet adults but I suppose that makes sense bc they are young and impressionable and unbreakable and full of adventure and longing and now I just feel old. I want to stay up all night and talk with bonfires and drinking and smiling and laughing and inside jokes and dancing and maybe breaking some things and sharing and loving and feeling alive and piling of bodies into a bed and sleepovers and ocean and smells and nightime and moons and mornings and sunshine streaming in the windows and breakfast and memories and knowing that today you get another day to do it all over again. To do whatever you want.

500 Days of Summer

I can't wait to see this movie. Did I mention I want to be Zooey Deschanel? If i try hard enough I can pretend to look a little like her. Maybe I'll cut my bangs shorter and get blue contacts.