Mother's Day

Pinky's Homage

MOTHER'S DAY PARTY FOREVER!

Apparently Pinky was eager to Party.

I discovered this because the day before I was rushed to the emergency room in labor, was spent being driven in a car with no shock absorbers and no seat springs around the Hudson Valley leading to cramping and eventual exit from the womb. No holding her back once she heard how fun life would be.

Wanting to shake off the inertia of that day, I suggested to anyone available by telephone that we meet at Tony Raimone's El Corso Home of Latin Music after dinner and do some dancing.  There was an enthusiastic response.  

Of all the vanished institutions of the Upper East Side, El Corso is the one I miss the most.  Louis's The Toy Bar Ltd
(to which George Goldey and I took The Clash), and Elsie Rennie's Okey Doke are close seconds, but El Corso is a pair of giant pointy toed boots that have never been filled.  

I sent Reuben Blades there (met him on the QE2), saw Tito Puente, the Fania All Stars, Ray Barretto, and went to a birthday party for Jerry Hall there when the Rolling Stones took it over for the night.  

And the nicest thing that happened there for me and for Pinky is that the long long long line for the bathroom parted when the women saw that I was pregnant and they let me go first.  The ONLY TIME any one did anything nice in NYC while I was showing my bump.

I must believe that the incredible music and dancing was heard and felt by Miss Guest and she decided that she would not stay inside another week.

The next morning I felt particularly weird, and the Dr sent me to the hospital. They admitted me immediately and stitched me shut.  This was a little worrying when I went into labor two days later, but Pinky didn't let that stop her and she was born at 12:37 a.m. March 18, just missing being called Patricia by 37 minutes.

 

For Years Pinky Called These HYACINTHIA

It was exactly as everyone says.  The best day of my life, I was awash with endorphins, crazy happy, had no idea how critical it was, and will forever feel blessed when I smell hyacinths as they were the flowers waiting by my bed after her birth.

Rubén Blades

Fania All Stars

If I have inspired a wish for a similar experience, I highly recommend visiting Ginny's Supper Club, a speakeasy in the basement of Red Rooster in Harlem.  A friend, Gregorio Uribe, has a big band that specializes in Cumbia, is made up of amazing musicians and will make your feet dance by themselves, should you remain in your seat.  They play at Ginny's on the first Friday of every month.  GO!

Gregorio Uribe Bringing Back el Son

See Hear Gregorio at the Red Rooster in Harlem

Adventures With Grandmother, Anecdotes of Adelaide

Grandmother and Pinky

These two were many years apart in age but somehow met at the exuberant stage of anyone under 5.

I barely knew my mother-in-law when Pinky was born.  I was terrified of her disapproval (mid-atlantic accent, perfect manners, patrician code talk) and only started to relax when I caught her watching Lucas, the ancient, arthritic family dog, be knocked down by a swinging door and laughing hysterically. She was not as proper as she seemed.

 I shared the problem with inappropriate laughter and, in fact, was unable to stop myself from laughing when she told me she'd almost had her leg amputated and I realized her nickname, Peggy, would be perfect, luckily she got the joke.

Her first present to Pinky was a huge antique teddy bear dressed in a pink onesie wearing rabbit ears and carrying an Easter basket, the first wonderful extravagant gift for the incubator imprisoned granddaughter.  In the basket a pretty musical mobile that played a French children's song.  Those days were so stressful that that act of kindness was charming and silly in the nicest way, and met with tears of gratitude.
 

You Try IT

Her charm was so great that she caused me to volunteer to make 150 origami lobsters for a cocktail party on the beach.  Her parties were wonderful.  She rocked her social set by having an Ice Storm party complete with couples high jinks and a game of Pin the Bra on the Naked Girl.


 She attended every birthday party and if there was a theme she would honor it.

Arabian Days, Grandmother on Left, Aunt Elizabeth on Right

   
Oh how wonderful her presents were.  

At Easter we would all go to Fishers Island.  It would be cold with gale force winds.  That meant that the ferry would take the long route and you would spend an hour and a half hurling over the railing.  

Finally we got to the safe, warm house with the view of frothy white caps and perhaps one intrepid or foolish sailor.  (How wonderful is the scent of a cold house warming up?  You can feel happy just imagining it)  After bags and food were put away, everyone would settle around the fireplace with chilly vodka martinis.  Pinky's grandfather shared a pouring style with the helper at her flamenco party--at the end of an evening you were definitely over served. 

Miss Pauley (their sometime cook and housekeeper) would appear with a Martha Washington casserole hot from the oven and her spicy cheese biscuits, Batons de Fromage (requested in infinite quantities by all who tasted them). Through what everyone speculates was an alcoholic buzz, she would produce delicious meals.  

I've digressed.  The point is, at Easter we would come to breakfast and there would be a feast of chocolate  - eggs, bunnies, jelly beans, giant Italian Chocolate Eggs that held a favor, think of a pretty big metal sports car, for example.  
 

Tip of the Iceberg

Grandmother's specialty was excess.  

She is responsible for the life sized plush llama, the kayak, the fantastic gigantic English rocking horse, a troll doll as big as a three year old, and a mean little pony that we ironically named Emily Post who would bite and kick whenever possible.

Very Large Horse

This chapter exists, however, to tell the story of two of her most notable "grandmother as babysitter" moments.

Looking Deceptively Angelic

You have already been introduced to Pinky's first best friend, Adelaide Richards.  When the two of them were together they were the devil's army.

When Pinky and Addie were about 2 years old we left them for an hour with Grandmother  while the four parents did some much deserved lunching.  When we got back we found Grandmother sitting in the playroom watching the two girls.  They were totally naked, shiny, and covered in kitty litter.  It was indescribably shocking.  Here is the explanation: they wanted to be fairies and saw the cat litter as glittery - gypsum?.  They intelligently decided to use butter to stick it to themselves, a first sign of the genius lurking within.  Grandmother apparently egged them on and was very amused, mostly by how our faces looked when we saw the nudists.

Asleep on the Llama and Grandfather

Her next special time took place when she kindly offered to watch Pinky at Fishers Island for 36 hours while I greeted the moving vans in NYC bringing our belongings back from England.  This was the first time for a sleepover sans staff to help out.  I gave many nervous instructions then waved good by.  When I called that evening everyone was cheerfully watching TV in the den and had nothing to report.  That was very calming. 

 I finished up by lunchtime the next day and was able to make the 4 o'clock ferry.  The trio of Grandmother, Grandfather and Pinky met me at the boat and they were all in their pajamas.  Uh oh.  The two "adults" cagily dismissed the strange attire and it was only later, when I got Pinky alone, that I heard the rest of the story.  They had all been watching TV and fallen asleep in their day clothes, spending the night - all of them - on chairs in front of the TV.  Hence the logical (?) reversion to pajamas for the daytime.  I don't remember what was served for dinner, but Pinky was thrilled that she had a cold hot dog for breakfast.

A little extra about Adelaide.  She is still in the doghouse with Pinky for chewing the toes off of her Barbie.  She and Pinky asked Dick and her father Alden what they had done when they were roommates out of college.  They didn't get the gist of the question, so Addie clarified by asking if they cleaned rooms, dusted, made beds.  She and Pinky thought they had called themselves room maids.

 

Adelaide Now

Tried and True

                                 These Are the Festive Ideas I Use Over and Over 

QUE VIVA LA FIESTA

 

El Desfile de los Niños

 

 

Cascarones

I learned about these stealth missiles of fun from the wonderful summer fiesta week in Santa Barbara (Old Spanish Days).  Small children in Mexican folk costume roam the streets selling these confetti stuffed eggs.  They save egg shells all year, having blown out the interior, and dye and decorate them with glitter and beautiful colors.  They exist to smash on a friend's head when they don't expect it, and must not exceed half full or they will give a concussion.  

As you can see above, you make the hole about the size of a quarter, after they're dry pour in confetti, then seal with glued on piece of tissue paper. The niños sell them for $1 apiece, and make tons of money.  Besides making these as a fun party free for all, I used them most successfully as place setting name holders for my husband's 40th birthday party.  We had a least a hundred people and I sat everyone next to one person they knew and one they didn't.  

Important! Only fill the egg half way!  Any more and it turns into a rock of death!

When I gave the birthday speech I picked up my egg and smashed it on the head of the Guest next to me and asked everyone to join in.  This was a fantastic ice breaker and people befriended each other instantly. Another big hit at that party was the roving French accordionist.  He was random, unexpected, and played really great music, think La Vie en Rose.  And speaking of that, there is absolutely no better big moment drink than rosé champagne.  Pink is a tender, flattering, and party color, everyone feels better when they see it, particularly in a glass.

The memory of how fun this party was requires that I give a huge shout out to Bill Kaliff and his company Festivities.  Bill and his sister Ro are forever imaginative, create fabulous food, and are a dream to work with.  I consider them lifelong friends; check out their website!

FESTIVITIES

Bananagrams

All you have to do is write your message in pointy thing - toothpick - pen - pencil- and it will bruise where the writing is.  This can be great as a save the date, place card, clue, invitation.  It's just plain silly.

Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes

I think these originally appeared in the Junior Betty Crocker Cookbook, circa 1962.  It is the greatest idea ever, I can't understand why this isn't the way all cupcakes are made: no sloppy paper frill, crunchy flavor, good to Planet Earth, and particularly good when you are the host of an away party, like snacks for the classroom, or picnics.  

You use a muffin tin, put the flat bottomed cones into the slots (you can steady them by making a foil nest, half fill with cake mix, bake at the same temp as a cupcake.  They rise to the top of the cone, the cones don't burn, let them cool and ice them. You can put them in individual paper cups for transport. Betty C. says you can steady them on the serving platter by using a bit of icing as glue for the bottom.

Personalized Thank You Cards

The picture of Adelaide Richards above, in her exotic Arab Party attire, is one of a series I always took of each party guest as they arrived.  After the party was over, presents opened and catalogued, I would print up the party pictures and use the 4 x 6 print glued to a blank postcard to thank the attendee.  It made it fun to write the thank you, and the picture was a terrific souvenir.

Home Graffiti

I have used tempera paint to write Happy Birthday Dear Pinky or Farewell Dear Boyfriend in a large window.  It saves money on buying a banner, allows creativity, and washes away with a sponge and water.

 

Tempera Paint is thick, with saturated colors and is water soluble.  This is why it is the paint of choice for the kindergarten.  For that reason I try to paint a crazy birthday message in the windows for any party.  Kind of like a used car dealer. The photo above is the only image I could find for an example.  It took me forever to put on, but was cleaned off quickly.  Besides being a fun idea, it is slightly naughty and that takes the tempo of the party up a notch.  

Pinky and I wrote Happy Birthday on our foreheads as a surprise for her father when he met us at the train in Seattle on his birthday.  He loved it, but not so sure about the crowd at the Pink Door where we celebrated.  It was a test.  

                                               

 PLAY WITH YOUR FOOD

When you have a picky eater it's fun to make a meal all the same color: ravioli with pesto sauce, steamed broccoli, salad, and milk with green food coloring is a fine example.  You can thank Dr. Seuss for that idea.