Thursday, May 26, 2011

Making My Nest and Preliminary Party Plans

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I have been away from home

a great deal in the last month.


It is all to the good:

visiting grandsons, daughters, and planning a birthday celebration.


This morning, while our youngest daughter is at work

(she is a high school English teacher),

I have made my nest at

Café Brazil.

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As nests go,

this ranks up there with a limited number of my nesting favorites away from home.



My criteria?

The noise, background music, and nearby conversations are not jarring or irritating,

the coffee is beyond delicious,

the food is delicious,

and the service is excellent and accustomed to people who like to sit a little longer.


And so here I sit,

reviewing my list for the birthday celebration

our family is hosting for our daughter Katherine this Saturday in her wonderful backyard

at her duplex in Dallas.



This list has prompted all sorts of future post ideas on my way of entertaining,

and I hope to do those next week when I am back home.


I will hint that one of the things I do when I entertain is find resources

so out of the way,

so ‘on the side of the road’ so to speak,

I create my own comfort zone-

even when I am 10 hours away from home.

The Plan

Décor:

String white lights in her large tree and hang colored papel picado banners

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Cover 3 Market Days tables I have in Hauler #2 with turquoise burlap

Place turquoise, chartreuse, and silver mercury glass votives and other candles throughout

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Fill my tall pewter tiered tray and vase with hot fresh flowers

Use the Mexican oil cloth pattern fabric I bought at Casa Ramirez in the Heights (Houston) for the bar table


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The Menu:

Delfino from Lupitas’s Taqueria (near Greenville) will bring a small grill and make and serve

Tacos Reynosa with fresh con tortillas, diced fajitas, onion, and cilantro

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Frijoles a la Charra

Chips, salsa, and queso

Fresh aguacate (guacamole)

I just ordered a platter of fresh tropical fruit from Fiesta, and I will be baking chocolate brownies.

The Bar:

Delfino is bringing a margarita machine, and I am filling a metal washtub

with Coronitas (small Corona beer).

Entertaining Note and Rationale:

One of the things I will discuss in a future post is a guideline of mine

which deals with a friend’s advice years ago:

What is the value of my time?

Just know I am NOT extravagant, and I found some bargains

and bargain priced resources.

That is what makes it fun for me anyway.


 

9 comments:

Jemm said...

Oh, I wish I knew you in person! This sounds like the best party EVER!

Deb said...

what time should we arrive...lol...should be a nice weekend for your party...it is beautiful here today...

Karen said...

All of this sounds mouth-watering, Laura. Make sure you have the right amount of help so that you can snap away. We'll want LOTS of pictures!!!!
Adios, mi amiga!
Karen
Ladybug Creek

Bonnie said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Bonnie said...

I WANT to COME! Laura, it sounds wonderful. The menu, the decorations and the setting hve all the ingredients for a great birthday bash. Your daughter is blessed to have such a talented, creative, and loving mother.

Olive said...

You are the best mother, party planner, and blogger.

Anonymous said...

Sounds like you have it all planned out! I know it will be fabulous! Enjoy your day my friend, HUGS!

Posting as anonymous JUST to get my comment to post:)

Theresa theycallmeganky

Anonymous said...

First, I love Cafe Brazil, and often go there to nest myself. You have great taste!

The party sounds like perfection. Lucky daughter!

Pondside said...

I think this post and the promised one-to-come are the sorts of things I'll want to pull out and read again.

 

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