b&w christmas V

Now I remember why I hadn't recapped these parties. There's so many pictures to weed through. Sheesh. I usually break this party up into parts but instead it's gonna be one giant post since it's so late coming. Also this recap isn't gonna be ripe with joy and happiness because there were some crap parts to this whole shebang.

Anyway, the 5th Annual Black & White dinner party came at not the greatest time in my life. I can't even recall what led to me dang near canceling the event but the tip of the iceberg was my cousin Balam's passing just a few days before the party. Once my mom told me to go ahead and do it and she didn't have any qualms I figured it was okay but it still sucked to throw a New Year's Eve party under those circumstances. Hey a family member died, let's get all Chinese New Year's. Whoo.

I spent some time in Chinatown to buy all these things and ordered things online months in advance.

I love everyone that comes to these parties and that's what it's all about so by all intents and purposes this party was a major hit. We could have all been in our PJs at Denny's eating Moons over My Hammy and it would have been great and seeing their happy faces and enjoying each other reminded my depressed mind why I throw these parties to begin with. I love growing up with these people. Growing old(er). They make life a joy and so many of my favorite memories are about just being together. Though bonus points if we're somewhere awesome but normal is good too. 

I've always felt bad I didn't get to hold my friend's kids when they were babies so I took advantage and held Lyla as long as I could which led to me being covered by a baby most of the evening.

Thankfully my considerate ass had a heart months before the day before the party and I'd purchased gifts for the children in attendance. They really made the party special, seeing them in their cute little outfits. I'd collaborated with the moms to ensure fit. Dress up is always fun peeps.

It's hard to photograph children together, you get lots of this:

Appetizers and Chinese beer station.

The party theme was in my head for awhile and I'd taken the time to relieve the last minute stress for it and everything was purchased and ready to go. Except that nothing went as planned and I had one day to set up and that day got away from me too. It's a good thing Miri was so determined or else I'd have said eff this and went to bed and called everyone the next morning and cancelled. I'm not gonna sugar coat it folks, I didn't want to host this party. I wanted everyone to disappear and to just sit in my room and cry. Boo to the hoo x 1000. Which kind of explains why it's almost July and I'm just now recapping a party that happened months ago, you know, the biggest party I throw, the one I pour my heart and soul into and had done so up until the time it came to pin Chinese lanterns on the ceiling. I'll give you that though, it looked UH-mazing the table did. Just lovely.

Here's a photo of me making Miri smell Lyla's head for good measure. Mmm baby smell.

The food was awful. I hated everything and I ordered way too much. My head and my heart weren't in it. I should have just ordered food from my local favorite Chinese place, I know what I'm getting there instead of the Hollywood joint. Maybe you guys liked it, great, hooray, I didn't like anything but the brown rice and the appetizer dumpling things. Thank goodness Miri's cake was there to temporarily erase the memory of the all too spicy, all too much of Mao's Kitchen. Not a fan. Won't do it again. 

To go boxes.

Everyone's table had an ornament of either a fortune cookie or a Chinese lantern. I bought out World Market's inventory as soon as they put them out. There were also pretty chopsticks and a money envelope with $2 bills waiting and some replica Chinese money. The unmarried people got no money in the envelope as per tradition but I did give them the empty envelopes anyway, against tradition.

The chargers are square which is symbolic in Chinese culture. They use a lot of squares and circles. It had a meaning but it's been like 7 months since the party so I forgot what.

The kids table. I added the spare table to the end of the big table and I liked the arrangement, I'll keep that up next time.

The gang's all here. Almost all. 

The group shot. Thank goodness for timers on cameras.

When did we become grown ups and get masters and have kids?

I mean, come on, how could I NOT have bought those dresses?

 HUOD.

 Roommates for life (in our hearts).

The annual photo in front of the fireplace. Very special.

Major redemption came when we did the New Year's Resolution photo booth. People get pre-tty creative when it comes to photo booth pressure, I was kind of impressed. Maybe it's just easy for my group of hilarious friends. 

I am holding a $90 bottle of champagne I got off a job. 

And I am incapable of posing like a normal for a photograph. 

This was a good idea from Ali. Write the crappy things that happened that year on a piece of paper then rip it up and use it as confetti. Cathartic.

Were we toasting? 'Cause I'm just gonna go ahead and drink this...

The next day it was back to reality. I made french toast and had the girls "help". 

The house was a wreck and so was my heart. But that's life. Sometimes you throw parties and sometimes the parties throw you under a tank and run you over repeatedly. I love that Am took these two pictures.

This year the plan is ambitious and unique and I hope I can cling to the good memories as I attempt to do this again.