Celebrate Fall!

  

Well it's been quite some time since I've hosted a soiree of any kind. My last one was a dinner party I had at my old house, and had some new friends that I met at art school over. At the time, I thought it was a great idea. There were about 4 couples and some random singles. A good mix, or so I thought. I decorated the eat-in kitchen with candles and twinkly white lights, cooked a fabulous if-I-say-so-myself Boeuf Bourguignon that would've curled Julia Child's toes, served with rustic French country rolls, a variety of wines..and you know what, it was a bore. A bore I tell you! You couldn't have bought a conversation with those dolts! Save for an eccentric aging diva who made her entrance wearing stilleto's and a boa wrapped around her throat, I kid you not. My ex-hubby got completely sloshed and passed out, some of the guests stayed so long, I thought I'd have to charge them rent...do you see where I'm going here? 

Fast forward about 10 years or so....and I'm going to be brave and try it again -with a whole new set of friends - a good mix of folk this time around; horse friends, hair friends, etc...etc...I'd love to have some Elvis fans over as well, but I don't think they'd fly in from Memphis for an evening. The menu this year? Perhaps a hearty stew of some sort, or an earthy butternut squash soup. Maybe I'll attempt some chocolate creme brulee reminiscent of Pinot Bistro in Los Angeles, or I might just make us some down home Southern vittles! Deep fried dill pickles, pork chops with milk gravy and mashed potatoes, and refrigerator lemon pie! And what Fall hoedown would be complete without candy corn martini's? Not mine that's for sure!

I've got a new house now, bigger and more "grand." I'm going to deck it out with lots of orange lights, pumpkins, luscious smelling candles in flavors of Fall; cinnamon/nutmeg, maple syrup, cinnamon bun - the kind that make you hungry, toss in some Halloween decor of course, wrap my staircase in swags of orange, gold and red leaves - more twinkly lights...and if the conversation gets dreary, I'm counting on those candy corn martini's to save the evening!

What's on your menu this Fall?