Yummy~issimo! Party for Beth

Dear Friend Beth was in town over the weekend. Do you know what that means? That means a party at Chez Spangler to celebrate!

Whoohoo!

Beth is a photographer. Not just a photographer ~ but a PHOTOGRAPHER. She's good. Damn good. So I begged, pleaded and offered to have a party if Dear Friend would take a new photo of me. The last one she took was two years ago. My hair was super, super short. If you remember that pic, realize that I added about 2" of hair in Photoshop. So imagine how short it really was!

Chef Debbie Spangler, CPC
Originally uploaded by yummyissimo

I'm seriously pleased with this new photo. Who cares that I'm 50 with blotchy skin, crows feet, wrinkles and all the other problems that go with being 50. That's what Photoshop was developed for, right?

Oh, I also offered to help her photograph a bat mitzvah on Saturday. No biggie, right? Snap a few shots. Nothing to it.

Right. Just like when people say they'd like to be a Personal Chef. All I do is cook, right? I'll get back to that little while.

Kristy and Beth
Originally uploaded by yummyissimo

So. Back to party at Chez Spangler. Besides the usual culprits ~ Kristy and Ryan and Tom and Vicki ~ we were blessed with the presence of Cory and Maryann. We all adore Cory but don't get to see him very much and it was a delight for all of us to see him and his darling wife, Maryann. Maryann is one of "those" women ~ you know what I mean. She's petite, perfect figure, fabulous clothes, perfectly put together and the nicest, friendliest and most gentle person you'll ever meet. If I didn't love her so much, I'd hate her.

So, anyways. Party at Chez Spanger was a success. How could it not be with amazing friends like mine, top shelf libations and a few of my favorite appy recipes. I didn't make much ~ just a few of my favorite things. Move over Julie Andrews or I just may burst into song.

Bourbon glazed beef tenderloin
Spicy crab dip
Creamy caviar dip
3~onion dip
Some of my favorite cheese selections
Lots of stuffed olives ~ garlic, provolone and feta stuffed
Black peppercorn pate

Said party ended around midnight. Not bad by Yummy! standards.

However.

I promised to help Dear Friend photograph the bat mitzvah bright and early Saturday morning. Dear Friend came over early on Friday ~ around 2:00. She took the photos and then we opened the champagne hours before the party officially began.

Beth
Originally uploaded by yummyissimo

By the end of the evening, she'd had a couple of glasses. I drank a bottle ~ or so. And don't forget ~ I have to clean up the kitchen after everyone left so I didn't hit the sheets until after 1:00 a.m.

Dear Friend picked me up at 8:15 bright and early Saturday morning. And I schlepped the equipment for her. All of the cameras, all of the tripods, all of the umbrella shades, all of the lighting equipment. There must have been 700 pounds of equipment.

I jest. It wasn't any more than what I carry on a daily basis. It just seemed like more to my champagne~drenched brain. And then she expects me to focus one eye into a 2" digital square to take some pics.

Now I've never been to a bat mitzvah, or a bar mitzvah for that matter. So I had no idea about the after party. Held at one of Cincinnati's large hotels, there must have been 40 kids under the age of 10. And then the teenage girls. Good Bacchus, the teenage girls.

I've just never been around them. I don't know how to deal with them.

And the worst part of the entire day was that I wasn't privy to the open bar.

How unfair is that!

Now Dear Friend is back in North Carolina. I miss her. I'm ready for her to book another bat mitzvah just so I can see her again.

And I'll even help her again so we can spend more time together.

Love you and miss you Dear Friend.