"Now I have performed the part of a good host..." ~ Jane Eyre

The Prince and I are hosting our first gathering...and I am slightly giddy about it.  It certainly is apropos that it is the kickoff to summer, for each day with him is like the brightest day on the beach.  I realize this is the first of many gatherings will be host and hostess for together, and it is a great feeling: being with the man I love and the people we love.  This is as good as it gets...

Since my place is small, its a small gathering, and as much as I wish we could have a big party, it just is not possible right now.  Still, my new patio is big enough to host a party of seven, and that is what we are doing on Monday.

I admit that I fuss over barbecues.  I like doing tablecloths, small centerpieces, and matching colors (this will be a nice blue).  My kitchen table cant be seen at the moment; it is filled to capacity.  Paper plates, a basket for plastic utensils, plastic blue tablecloths, bags of popcorn, chips, and pretzels, a big bottle of wine for sangria, orange soda for the sangria, retro ketchup and mustard bottles, napkins, aluminum pans, bottles of Arizona Sweet Tea, serving bowls, jars of mayonnaise, two boxes of shell pasta for the salad, a small bottle of Bourbon for the baked beans, hamburger rolls, toothpicks, table cloth holders.  The beer is all in a big box by the fridge:  Young's Double Chocolate Stout,  Shock Top, Coney Island Albino Python, Troeg's Sunshine Pils, and of course Pete's Wicked Strawberry Blonde.

The premise of the barbecue is a Burger Battle.  Three couples, us included, will submit a burger to our dear friend Moo, who has been in Uganda doing dissertation work on Mangabeys for the past year and a half and is definitely the best palate to use for choosing the best burger!   So for now, the main course of the menu is top secret!  I am also making a pasta salad with red pepper, green pepper, tarragon, and scallions,  a lime and cumin cole slaw, and baked beans with bourbon and bacon.  For dessert I am baking Strawberry Cheesecake bars.  There will be watermelon and clementines too.  Hopefully lots of cocktails and even some pineapple upside down cake shots!  http://www.drinksmixer.com/drink7884.html

As fun and wonderful as I know the gathering will be, half the fun is already happening in the planning with him.  Paper and pen in hands, throwing ideas around about the perfect burger, talking types of charcoal and wood chips...its all the start to many barbecues to come.  And I know that we are going to be amazing hosts, because, well, we are just amazing at all that we do together.  

At the end of the barbecue when everyone has left and we are done cleaning up and exhausted, I cannot wait to just kiss him and hug him...and high five him because I know we are winning the contest!

"Would you like to drink, or could you eat anything?" ~ Jane Eyre

The irony of Wednesday night’s meeting with J. Sarah, my best friend, for cocktails – a quintessential joy of a beautiful life – was at a dark, wood paneled speakeasy-esque bar called Death and Co. The last time we sat and drank was during lunch at August a little over a month ago on the day that I was processed for my new job. We sat in the back garden of the restaurant, drinking two lavender champagne cocktails a piece and enjoying the last moments of summer.

Now, weeks later, as the air cools for autumn and drinks like margaritas and daiquiris are no longer being craved, I am immersed in the financial corporate culture, I need a drink. Or, rather, drinks and indulge with one of my favorite drinking partners.

I indulge myself en route to the bar and walk leisurely down St. Mark's Place, filled with hipsters and tourists alike, patronizing funky Asian noodle shops and cheap costume jewelry stores selling pink wigs and huge bangle bracelets. I feel a little out of place, for Wall Street is a tad stuffy, and for a moment I wish I was back in college wearing my hipster knit hat from Urban Outfitters(back when it was cool and not commonplace) thinking I could save the world. I dont look back as I walk down the street, though. I am too excited about the bar and seeing J. Sarah.

Turning down East Sixth Street, I begin to walk past all of the wonderful Indian restaurants that are housed there, stopping at each and every other one to gingerly check out the menus displayed on makeshift stands on the sidewalk. Samosa chat...biryanis of all sorts...tandoori...dal. How I would love to just spend a weekend in this neighborhood sampling Indian food with my Prince. I pass a favorite of his - Taj. We have yet to eat there together, and I really would like to go back there with him in the near future. I continue to walk and daydream about the Prince until I reach the facade of the bar.

The facade is slightly intimidating, with a big wooden door and a large metal handle. I walked into darkness and had to peel back thick, velour curtains. What I saw was exactly the image you see above...only two bartenders, both in suspenders, were behind the bar and a hostess greeted me with a smile and warmth...not exactly what I expected walking into such a place. I was the first person there of the evening, J. Sarah en route, and got a corner table where I could spread out a bit and breathe. The cocktail waitress was equally warm, and when I saw that a drink I wanted "Company Buck" was no longer on the cocktail menu (what a menu, let me tell you), she had the bartender make it special for me. It was rum, ginger beer, lime juice, and a splash of pineapple with the biggest ice cubes lined up vertically perfect in a glass with a straw and symmetrically rounded lime wedge. I sipped slowly as I waited for J. Sarah, and when she arrived I was, as always, completely happy to see my most kindred spirit.

The spirit she ordered was made with gin, of course. She is not one for sweet drinks, but I found myself sipping her cocktail anyway and enjoying it. The cocktail waitress made a big to do about the orange bitter, lighting a match on the rind and creating a small, fiery show right before it landed into the caramel colored cocktail. We ordered little bites to eat - pretzel bites with honey mustard, oysters "rock a fella" (creamed spinach in an oyster shell topped with a fried oyster), pita bites, and salmon sliders. I can think of few things I love more than the combination of my best friend, cocktails, food, and laughter all at the same time. I ordered another drink - this time one called "Black Prince" that is dark and rich and delicious.

I look forward to more nights in the city like this now that I am working here...

"I remember it now, and I know that it was the effluence of fine intellect, of true courage..." ~ Jane Eyre

The conversation about character ensued once again yesterday between me and the Prince. The Prince told me he was rethinking my placement, and expressed to me that perhaps I should also be in Gryffindor since...well...there is a lot of Hermione in me. At first I scoffed at this. Me? But then realized the fact that my Friday nights spent in the Hofstra University library studying was not going to help me in this argument. Nor were the facts of my bookish ways, sense of confidence, and corrective ways when it comes to instructing others. Still, I thought I belonged in Ravenclaw, so I took four different Harry Potter personality quizzes online this morning to confirm that. It confirmed something, all right.

I am Hermione.

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Last night the Prince and I decided to stay in and watch the first film, and after we got off the phone I had some ideas in my head to surprise him with and make it a special evening. First, my goal was to have butterbeer and pumpkin pie for dessert. Then I started thinking about how fun it would be to decorate a bit and use plates and napkins as part of that. Then I started thinking even more about decorating, and this is what I did:

- put a black light in my floor lamp

- lit candles everywhere

- placed spider tablecloth on table along with matching spider plates and cups

- decorated table with fake eyeballs

- purchased clear skeleton mugs for butterbeer

- got Griffyndor scarf and Harry glasses to put on the Prince as a surprise

We decided to get comfort food from our favorite local pub as takeout - burgers and spinach and artichoke dip. I had Beck's Oktoberfest beer and Smutty Nose Pumpkin Ale in my refrigerator. I also had gone to the liquor store to get Butterscotch Schnapps to make butterbeer. When he arrived, I closed the door so he couldn't see what I had done and told him to close his eyes. I led him in and then placed the scarf and glasses on him and had him open his eyes. It was a wonderful evening and I am excited to continue our plans to read the books and watch the films together. As for the butterbeer, we both loved it: one part butterscotch schnapps on ice to four parts vanilla cream soda. Mmmmm.