Best Dance Party Worthy of Mordor...(the Telling of the Tale )

Last Saturday night was Emily's big party, the one where I was in charge of the music. May I humbly state that the party was completely off the hook and a hundred times the success I could have ever hoped it would be. Collin Cobrasnaked the party real good, observe:

(that's me in the grim reaper bandanna)



Something that doesn't exactly come across in all of these pictures was that the room was dark and Emily had invested in a bunch of blacklights--good for when the dress code is black and white, even better if the dress code had been fluorescent colors-only.













There was a lot of mingling out on Emily's patio, mingling that I was not involved with at all because I was working that night. But looking at these pictures of Collin's from the patio I see that there were a lot of people at the party that I didn't know were there.





It's good to have someone at the party that appreciates how difficult it is to make the split-second decision between "Blue Monday" or "Bizarre Love Triangle." (Went with Blue Monday, but almost Bizarre Love Triangle because Blue Monday is the one that people always go with and BLT is at least 84% as good)



Sometimes it was good to just sit back and take the party in for a bit.


















Aw snap! Here comes the party posse! This was the night I learned that Grace is a non-stop roof-raising machine.











Do you know what song is playing in this picture? "Little Honda" by the Beach Boys. For real. I played it right after "I Want to Hold Your Hand." Truly.




This is what it looks like when I'm hard at work.

Reyn showed up and I found that extremely validating. He's an LA dancefloor legend.

Next time we talk about this party I'll be posting my annotated setlist.

Second Best Way to Celebrate Your Thanksgiving

First Best: With your whole family in San Marino, reunited for the first time in a couple years, quite possibly at everyone's favorite Chinese restaurant.

Second Best: Momofuku bo ssam thanksgiving featuring roasted pork shoulder (that's the bo ssam), apple stuffing, fried brussels sprouts, sweet potato puree, kewpie coleslaw (not on the normal menu anymore so this is your chance), and a cashew blondie pie. $285.


This would be so sweet.

For people without families.

Best This Was Halloween: the Party

After finishing our trip up 6th Avenue as parade-walkers, we headed up to the 87th Street Stake Center for the annual Halloween party. This one seemed to be a regional, not stake, activity and it was PACKED. Definitely more than 400 people in a much-smaller-than-usual cultural hall with very little hallspace for the non-dancers to linger in. Also, the DJ was quite serious...a certifiable dance club quality professional (but I won't comment here on the quality of the dance club).

Collin changed into his standards-appropriate costume at the subway station.


Up at the party Lexia was finally living her dream of being a Robert Palmer girl for Halloween.


Ellie the geisha.


The Jacinta, Hillary, Grace party posse rolled in blind mouse style.


Art was there taking pictures (he's my hometeacher)

Gossip Girls and a Tinkerbell

Brenda, Lyndee, some dude, and Ashley-->Gilligan's Island

Jamar was Flava Flav.

Two identical Marty McFl(ies). A total coincidence.



Duane was a Joe the Plumber.

Reghan was a Palmer-girl that showed up a little late.

Marissa, a cat. I heard she did the makeup herself. And earlier in the day she had been In a Hat.

Lisa and Ali, they insisted they weren't wearing costumes. I only believed Lisa.

Holly as Scout Leader. The last time I saw a shirt like that, Grandma Taylor was wearing it.


Bryndee was a hippie and I didn't recognize her at all.

Having danced enough, we hopped on a bus and headed for one more party over at Abby's on the west side.

On our way we ran into Stephanie and Kirstin.

At the party, Steve had a bird on his head.

Kristian was not himself.


Maria (from Chicago) was grapes...how's that for a throwback costume?

Spotted Holly again.

Our hostess with the goodies.

Jess, also a hostess.

Out on the street, this dude abided.


And I found a parking meter in need of some straight-talking, tough-love inspiration-yelling. Also, I realized this was what I should have been doing all day: inspiring things to suck it up and be men.


And that was Halloween.

Addendum--Stake Halloween Parties Through the Years:
2007
2006
2005 (lots of dead photo links here for some terrible reason)
2004