Category: My Life

Ambition

Me: What do you have there, honey? A wire hanger?
Hank: Yeah.
Me: Can you say “NO MORE WIRE HANGERS!”
Bryan: And then say EVEEEER!
Hank: EVEEERRRRRR!
Bryan: And then become a gay icon.
Me: Do you want to be a gay icon, Hank?
Bryan: You can be anything you want.

And They Need a Stylist

-Yeah, my mom used to be a nun.
-What? When?
-Before I was born. For like 17 years?
-Whoa. I’m surprised you aren’t more religious.
-No. I had an atheist boyfriend who took care of that.
-Ugh! I hate that guy.
-I know. Atheist ex-boyfriends are everyone’s downfall.
-Actually, for me it was a religious studies course in college. But Atheist Ex-Boyfriend is my new band name.
-It’s a bunch of pale skinny guys who happen to play guitar.
-No way. It’s just three dudes smirking while they play, like, piano, violin, and french horn.

Host a Jazz Era Gatsby Party

After some diligent searching I found the rest of the Gatsby photos! Here are some details on throwing your own party.

To help our friends figure out what to wear, I included a link to a costumer site in the invitation.

My dress is a 70s reproduction worn with a silk robe as a coat and a cloche I picked up at Ambiance in town. I also had a bunch of cloches in my closet because I like hats, so I brought those along for hatless friends. I got Margaret’s black cloche at HandM.

We’d decided on a high-tea menu, so we set up a little table with a table cloth for the food. We served champagne in teacups, Prohibition style. We were in a public park, so the teacups also helped us dodge open container laws. Take that, coppers!

We also served Pimm’s Cup, which is sort of like a British mojito. They’re refreshing, and sweet, and you can make them ahead in pitchers so you don’t have to tend bar when you could be enjoying your party. Don’t put ice in the pitcher or you’ll wind up with diluted drinks and a lackluster lawn party.

Here’s the full menu:
A baked ham (which we ordered)
Rolls and condiments for simple sandwiches
Cheese tray with nuts and dried fruits
Three homemade cakes:
Chocolate
Carrot
Lemon Bundt
Champagne or sparkling wine
Pimm’s Cups
Bottled soda and water

We brought a croquet set to the park, and my friend Margaret printed up rules.

We got giant balloons for the kids. Ours were from a local party store, but you can order them online here. I’m not positive, but I think they’re the 60″.

I’m so thrilled to have the photos back, it was such a fun day. I was really touched by how many of our friends were willing to dress up.

By the way, if you like this theme, you’ll swoon over Mena Trott’s Gatsby Summer Afternoon. She sewed her dress, found vintage soda labels and made bottled drinks to go with them, and acquired a vintage phonograph to complete the look. Mena is dreamy.

Great Gatsby Birthday Picnic

This is from my Great Gatsby croquet birthday in 2007. I thought we’d lost all the photos in an epic iPhoto crash a few years ago, but I just found a few on my hard drive! Look at Hank in his tiny argyle socks. Oh, little buddy.

I’d been plotting this party for years, and even my friends who aren’t that into the costume thing really went all out.

Tune in tomorrow for the menu and other little party details. In the meantime, in between time, ain’t we got fun?

To the Moon


Red Rocket Print from John W. Golden

A few months before his third birthday, Hank comes into the living room where I’m working.

“Mama! You wanna see the moon?

“Sure.”

He takes my hand and leads me to the bedroom where Dad is already looking out the window in the dark. Hank closes the door to block the light from the hall, and comes to the window with us.

“The moon!” he says.

“The moon!” we say.

It’s a bright crescent moon, high above the apartment buildings. Hank sighs, “I never gonna get to the moon. The moon is very far away. I don’t know what kind of spaceship I need.”

“Yeah, what kind of spaceship do you need?” I say.

He says, “A red one, I think.”

Bryan turns to him, “Yeah. Those are always faster.”