Last night was one of the best evenings I've spent in recent memory. It really was one of those rare, crystallized gatherings that I will remember years from now with fondness and in great detail.
It started with a small, simple idea: we would have a dinner party with some friends before getting back into the heavy routine of our new semester. Katka and I hatched the plan last week, but I didn't realize how elaborate it would eventually become. We decided to hold the dinner at Katka's house, because their place is less cluttered than ours and they have more seating. The guest list included me, Keven, the girls, Katka & Rasty, Kai & Jing, Andrei, and Alejandro, which meant the sum total of nations represented by our gathering was six (Britain, America, Slovakia, China, Moldova, and Mexico) - a regular UN dinner party.
Katka had big plans, so I joined with the intent of matching her eagerness. She made a delicious Slovakian dish of pork and steak called "king meat," plus rice and gorgeous little appetizers. She filled the pre-dinner gaps with tortilla chips, pretzels, and peanuts. I made my (now famous) cheese- cake, which was hailed as something close to miraculous. It really is the best cheesecake recipe every produced! I also made roasted potatoes, which, when added to Keven's garlic bread and some potato chips, had the makings of quite a feast. But we weren't done yet: Andrei brought a wonderful salad and homemade salsa for the chips, Kai and Jing provided Chinese-style marinated chicken skewers and Bicardi coolers, and Alejandro made sure we all had enough wine and beer to sustain the evening's entertainment.
Oh, but we had a blast. The girls were absolute angels for the entire night. Having spent evenings at Katka & Rasty's house before, we knew enough to keep the girls enter- tained. We brought Toy Story and Blue's Clues, plus stuffed animals, jammies, sippies - the works. After only a little hesitation on Ilsa's part, both were jumping around, showing off, and generally making themselves a conversational and entertainment asset.
All of us have had extensive exposure to multiple cultures, which means that any story can be elaborated with an anecdote from someplace or another. We are also relatively matched in terms of politics, lifestyle, goals, and humor, all of which made for easy and wide-ranging conversations. Katka's story about coloring Rasty's hair and Kai & Jing's amazement that people can cook rice without a rice cooker will be with me for ages. Eight adults seemed the perfect number, giving each guests the chance to speak in depth with everyone else (and we all managed to fit around the dinner table).
And then there was the Slovakian moonshine. Adults exert and respond to peer pressure just as easily as children! (Except for Keven, who was nearly as dry as a desert through the night. I cannot say the same for myself, but my hangover this morning was a gentle one.)
The party didn't wind down until midnight, succumbing only when the girls had no energy remaining. They had taken substantial naps that afternoon, but I never expected they would behave so well and for so long. They were asleep within three minutes once we got back to the house.
So my diet has been blown apart this weekend, as if by a missile. I am currently munching on leftovers. Ah well - I cannot remember a more easy, enjoyable, funny, wonderful night since I left England. It was definitely one of the best parties I've ever attended, and I thank everyone who made it such a great evening.
It started with a small, simple idea: we would have a dinner party with some friends before getting back into the heavy routine of our new semester. Katka and I hatched the plan last week, but I didn't realize how elaborate it would eventually become. We decided to hold the dinner at Katka's house, because their place is less cluttered than ours and they have more seating. The guest list included me, Keven, the girls, Katka & Rasty, Kai & Jing, Andrei, and Alejandro, which meant the sum total of nations represented by our gathering was six (Britain, America, Slovakia, China, Moldova, and Mexico) - a regular UN dinner party.
Katka had big plans, so I joined with the intent of matching her eagerness. She made a delicious Slovakian dish of pork and steak called "king meat," plus rice and gorgeous little appetizers. She filled the pre-dinner gaps with tortilla chips, pretzels, and peanuts. I made my (now famous) cheese- cake, which was hailed as something close to miraculous. It really is the best cheesecake recipe every produced! I also made roasted potatoes, which, when added to Keven's garlic bread and some potato chips, had the makings of quite a feast. But we weren't done yet: Andrei brought a wonderful salad and homemade salsa for the chips, Kai and Jing provided Chinese-style marinated chicken skewers and Bicardi coolers, and Alejandro made sure we all had enough wine and beer to sustain the evening's entertainment.
Oh, but we had a blast. The girls were absolute angels for the entire night. Having spent evenings at Katka & Rasty's house before, we knew enough to keep the girls enter- tained. We brought Toy Story and Blue's Clues, plus stuffed animals, jammies, sippies - the works. After only a little hesitation on Ilsa's part, both were jumping around, showing off, and generally making themselves a conversational and entertainment asset.
All of us have had extensive exposure to multiple cultures, which means that any story can be elaborated with an anecdote from someplace or another. We are also relatively matched in terms of politics, lifestyle, goals, and humor, all of which made for easy and wide-ranging conversations. Katka's story about coloring Rasty's hair and Kai & Jing's amazement that people can cook rice without a rice cooker will be with me for ages. Eight adults seemed the perfect number, giving each guests the chance to speak in depth with everyone else (and we all managed to fit around the dinner table).
And then there was the Slovakian moonshine. Adults exert and respond to peer pressure just as easily as children! (Except for Keven, who was nearly as dry as a desert through the night. I cannot say the same for myself, but my hangover this morning was a gentle one.)
The party didn't wind down until midnight, succumbing only when the girls had no energy remaining. They had taken substantial naps that afternoon, but I never expected they would behave so well and for so long. They were asleep within three minutes once we got back to the house.
So my diet has been blown apart this weekend, as if by a missile. I am currently munching on leftovers. Ah well - I cannot remember a more easy, enjoyable, funny, wonderful night since I left England. It was definitely one of the best parties I've ever attended, and I thank everyone who made it such a great evening.
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