JULY 22, 1960 is my birthday.
This year THE ITALIAN decided WE NEEDED A PARTY!
I thought I do not have the ENERGY for a PARTY but he insisted WE DO IT!
He would have it catered!
I reluctantly went along with HIS IDEA…….
THE FLOWERS STARTED ARRIVING AND BOY DID THEY KEEP COMING!
THE ITALIAN prepping LA SCALA OPERA PANELS!
MY NEIGHBOR DIANE prepping FLOWERS ABOVE!
ALL FLOWER CENTER PIECES DONE BY HER!
BETTY ASSISTING!
PLUS, PAUL OUR LOVELY NEIGHBOR
WHO GOT THE CALL TO COME TO THE RESCUE!
COTTAGE BY DESIGN TABLECLOTH made by TRISH!
PARTY FAVORS made by Guinevere’s Candles.
AGAIN TRISH to the RESCUE as I did not have enough tablecloths this year!
TRISH the POWER behind COTTAGE BY DESIGNS!
She was the CAFTAN maker LAST YEAR when we sold the CONTESSA CAFTANS!
ONE of which made it to the final EPISODE of WHITE LOTUS!
Did you see that show?
THERE IS A BIT OF SEX BEWARE!
BUT THE SCENERY WILL STAND OUT FOR MOST OF US!
I have got to get MYSELF there!
THERE BEING SICILY!
Here WE are getting the tables arranged and discussing how the EVENT will unfold!
LA TAVOLA in the making on July 22,2023
I was able to come up with 35 plates, forks and knives but was short FOUR DESSERT FORKS which my friend was able to lend me and of course on clean up I could ONLY FIND THREE!I went through the drawer twice.Had The Italian look through the fork spots NOTHING!
We even went through the TRASH!
ZIP………..
THE NIGHT AFTER we sit down to watch TV and have yet another piece of DELICIOUS CAKE!
I reach into the same DRAWER we have been searching and pick a fork!
I sat down on the new ugly loveseat which by the way I do not LIKE and look down and I EXCLAIM!
IT’s JENNY’s FORK!!!
ABSOLUTELY MAGICAL.
We both were STUNNED!
This table had my Mothers plates with her cereal bowls!
As a child I ate out of these bowls.
My morning cereal.
Maybe thats why I STILL like cereal so much TODAY!
THE BOWLS ARE LIMOGE!
The TABLE is missing the PARTY FAVORS (candles) and FLOWERS!
The DAY WAS A HOT SUMMER DAY and we had to wait to add those delicate details!
LA SCALA going up to ADORN the GARDEN SETTING!
I thought it would make a GREAT BACKDROP as the invitation had said the color theme was GREEN,ORANGE and YELLOW and one should DRESS with ONE or ALL those colors!
ALL I DEMANDED from the MEN was colorful shirts and a BOUTONNIERE!
Wish I had someone get PHOTOS of those BOUTONNIERES.
THEY WERE ALL TERRIFIC from BIG SINGLE FLOWERS to SMALL HOMEMADE ones.
OF COURSE I KNOW who was BEHIND THOSE………….
MEN you do not fool me!
TRISH my guest before the event and she so kindly helped me set tables and fold napkins!
THE OWNER OF https://www.instagram.com/cottagebydesign/?hl=en
MORE FLOWERS ARRIVE FROM SANDRA SALLIN………YOU FOLLOW HER RIGHT?
83 and a GRAND INFLUENCER!!
Watch her videos here on YOU TUBE!
https://www.youtube.com/c/SandraSallin
Can’t have a party without BALLOONS!
YOUR CONTESSA IN HER GET-UP
Which was purchased last December on INSTAGRAM!
Here come the table flowers!
MADE BY MY NEIGHBOR DIANE!
First to ARRIVE and I do know her dress came from THAT CHATEAU I talk about from time to time.
SO did my neckwear!
IT is VERY LIGHT WEIGHT BY THE WAY!
Two necklaces as ONE!
THE BLOGGERS FROM Northern California!
IF YOU KNOW OF OTHERS PLEASE LET US KNOW IN THE COMMENT SECTION!
WE BLOGGERS NEED EACH OTHER!
Yesterday I couldn’t get the photos to LOAD!
Juliet made me a VIDEO on HOW TO DO IT NOW!
IT takes about 3 minutes for each photo just to LOAD!
ALL PHOTOS NEED TO BE JPEG! NOT THE HEIC which come from the phones!
You know I am shaking MY HEAD saying WHO CREATED THIS DUMB SYSTEM!
Having an OPERATIC MOMENT BELOW!
SOMETHING ABOUT THE DOUBLE CHIN SAID,” THE PHOTOGRAPHER!”
CIRCA 1980 I.MAGNIN GALS from South Coast Plaza in 2023!
Opera panels given to me by a Dear Friend years ago!
THE DEVILS FOOD CHOCOLATE CAKE MADE BY JENNIFER MY PASTRY CHEF FRIEND!
NOT THE DEVIL’s FOOD in a BOX ONE!
BEST CAKE I HAVE EVER EATEN!
SHE IS LOCAL SO IF YOU NEED A DELICIOUS DESSERT
I can give you her info!
The party is over and now the clean up begins!
What if I told YOU the CATER was an hour and ten minutes late!
NO BAR set up.
NO Charcuterie Board in place.
I just took a DEEP BREATH and thought to myself do we have enough PASTA to serve everyone!
The ITALIAN and I have always done it ourselves in the PAST and will again if the time comes.
The people that attended were from my childhood, my early working girl years and my blogging friends with a DASH of a few NEW FRIENDS!It was a MIX of people from MY LIFE as it is now.
THE JOY for me was SEEING EVERYONE once AGAIN and CLEANING ALL THE SILVER and counting out the PLACE SETTINGS!
THE ITALIAN NEVER FAILS TO COME THROUGH WITH TECHNICAL DETAILS AND ICE.
He knew those opera panels wouldn’t stay still so a FRAME of sorts was made the afternoon before!Nothing like leaving things until the LAST MOMENT!He does get it done but do not get in his way as HE IS ON A MISSION!
I had a lovely DAY with TRISH setting the tables and then I took a two hour nap!
I am still RECOVERING from all the prep, JOY and HAPPINESS that this gathering brought.
THANK YOU TO THOSE OF YOU WHO REMEMBERED MY BIG DAY!
I maybe TARDY with my THANK YOU’s…………..
XXX
YOUR 63 year old CONTESSA
COMMENTS ALWAYS RECEIVED BELOW IF YOU ARE SO INCLINE!
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