Nora, Adult Dinner Party, August

...in a cool location, with outdoor lighting, and no mosquitoes.  That was the goal. 

It's been in my mind and heart to host an adult, outside, dinner party for about a year.  Two years ago I hosted a book club outside in September and learned a few details.  Let me expound on what I learned and did this time!

1.  In Utah, August is an ideal month for outside eating with outdoor lighting, because the sun goes down a bit earlier when people still have appetites but it's still warm.  I did this dinner party on August 30th and the high was 90 that day.

 2.  I just moved to Davis county, which is right next to The Great Salt Lake and surrounding wetlands (aka mosquito breeding territory).  I called Davis County abatement and asked if they would "abate" Smoot park, the park we'd be at.  The mosquitoes came out for about 10 minutes, at dusk, and ate James legs and ankles.  He was the closest to the water...the stream that runs through the park... and then they were gone.  It's been almost a week and I saw James today scratching between his toes.  So sorry love.

3.  A dinner party is hard when worlds collide (as my husband puts it) so a common link is good.  Church friends or family or groups of friends are ideal.  I had to move the date because of a school night, and Susan Fitch from PC couldn't come, so I invited and celebrated Robyn's 40th birthday (a week late) instead, with the Thurbers, too, because they live close, and know Robyn, and miraculously didn't have a young women or Aggie commitment. kidding...kinda...

4.  Leave the kids at home!  I almost had them come when I had all but given up on outdoor lights.  But then the lights were a go, so we kept the kids away, and it was super awesome!
  
The Menu:
7 layer dip and chips
Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas (made with corn tortillas and it was divine!)
Black Bean and Corn Quinoa
Brazilian Lemonade
Garden Salad
Fruit cake  

  

James and I set up which took about half an hour, It would have been faster if I had thought out more about how to suspend two strings of lights from branches and brought something stronger than cotton yarn!  The yarn could hold one line of lights!  Ladder back chairs were almost nixed too but in the end I loaded them up!  Cool, no?

   It took Four extension cords to reach the park's utility shed which had an outlet.  But I seriously considered hitting up the houses that backed the park, for power, so badly did I want the outdoor lighting.
















  

We finally ended the night when we realized it was 9:30.  Take down took all of 15 minutes with help from guests.

Reaction comments:   

"That's something you'd totally do for a dance date when you're 17 for a person you could possibly care less about tomorrow. I wish I could have been one of the passerbys wondering what the occasion was."   (I'm still mad I didn't get a faraway shot, in the dark!)     

"A scene straight from Gilmore Girls!"  Ha!

 

Steve is playing Fruit Jenga--going for the peaches in the middle.  

I had a moment at the store earlier in the day about how the details were not going to perfect.  There just wasn't time.  I had spent the night in Midway (Swiss Days!) the day before and had not grabbed a shower when I should have.  I was so late with the kid pizzas I had to ask Robyn, the guest of honor, to pick them up.  Only half the lights worked--grrr.  I had half weaned the baby so my milk was "in".  My foot hurts so badly right now from plantar fasciitis which is flaming so I had loaded up on the vitamin I (Ibuprofen).  I had just started the intense fitness challenge the week earlier, so no treats, soda, or eating two hours before bed!  CRAZINESS

But the evening could not have been more perfect.  It was such a relaxing end to the hopped up slap-it-up-ness that my projects/ideas always exuded.  I still can't believe I did this goal.  It was one I really wanted to do, and I had a million excuses not to, but it happened!  Thank you project connects!

For September I'm going vegetarian.  Since I make most dinner meals I'll keep track of what I make and include a link to a recipe if there is one.  So far it looks like this:

2nd   Pesto Pizza (made from Basil I stole from your garden, Donna!)
3rd   Fettuccine Alfredo with Broccoli      
4th   The kids had hotdogs, I had celery with peanut butter also roasted cauliflower w/balsamic vinegar.    

 My goal is to find 3-5 new dishes, that my family will eat; meals or sides highlighting alternative protein sources like beans, quinoa or dare I try tofu?