Throw Your Own: Arrested Development Party

I've made a huge mistake: I haven't shared this party with you sooner.

When throwing a party of any kind, I prize representation over replication, if that makes sense -- so when it came time to throw together an Arrested Development-themed party to celebrate the release of the new season, I didn't worry about whipping up club sauce or making my loose-interpretation-of-Tobias costume into something with a bald cap. It's the nod, not the recreation, that matters.

With this in mind, I brought to life almost every Arrested Development joke I could think of. I'm proud to say I came up with 98% of these before consulting NPR's endlessly fascinating infographic of the show's running gags. 

I admit to hearing a sad, lone howl while we were deep in the fourth episode, but I don't think it actually came from one of my friends. Here's to you, howly neighbor.

Once guests made it inside, they found my front door was actually a portal to Wee Britain. And when they opened the door:

                      

THEY GOT POPPINS'ED.

From there, my decorations explored other Arrested Development classics.

You're killing me, Buster.

I turned my bathroom into the Aztec Tomb... and then I blue myself.

For refreshments, I made frozen bananas and other treats. (Not pictured: the now-expired box of Franiza, aka Lucille's juice box.) Hat tip to Zack for buying a mini freezer-cooler for me and dressing it up like the banana stand. 

 Those gross-looking cupcakes are grosser than you might realize: they're hair plug cupcakes. (I split chocolate Twizzlers into strands to make the hair. Gross, gross, gross.)

There was a catch: I made everyone eat off a tiny hook. 

                            

Ben, that valiant soul, even tried a mayonnegg, with limited success.

                                   

Speaking of Mayonneggs, it's time to reveal my #1 Party and Lifetime Achievement: I dressed my dog up as Ann Veal. 

Before my guests left, I encouraged them to hop in the photo booth I made (hung over my china cabinet). The backdrop was inspired by Buster's run-in with sheep in a photo booth, yes, but also by my favorite oft-overlooked Tobias quote: "Somewhere over the rainbow, there's another rainbow." 

"Self-Portrait with Candy Beans"

I hope you've had as much fun listening to "Christmastime Is Here," "The Final Countdown," "Afternoon Delight," and "You're As Cold As Ice" on a perpetual loop as I have.   It's bye bye to Rita, then! 

Throw Your Own: Anne of Green Gables Brunch

The Lady of Shalott drifts in a pond of raspberry cordial

On January 26, I invited my lady friends over for an Anne Shirley-themed brunch. It had one major flaw from the get-go, which I hope you can learn from: say hello first when you greet your guests at the gate, before you promptly tell them, "Oh, I'm sorry, I sent for a boy." It might make them think they aren't actually invited, or they got the date wrong. They will not beg to stay at Green Gables even though they're girls. It's too soon, way too soon.  Just let the ladies in, and leave the theme for the inside of your apartment, okay?

Decor: 

Braided orange crepe paper, tied at the ends with green crepe paper: instant Anne pigtails for every doorway!

Uncle Buck, dressed as Matthew Cuthbert in the wintertime

Queen Anne's Lace, admittedly fake. Keep an eye out for a glut of bona fide c-h-r-y-s-a-n-t-h-e-m-u-m-s; chrysanthemums.

Food and Drink:

In addition to the raspberry cordial -- which would have been Lindeman's Framboise instead of the ginger ale-vodka-club soda-raspberry syrup combo I mixed up, except I'm not made of money -- I served fruit, three kinds of quiche, roasted potatoes, and carrots.  ("Carrots?!?!")

Instead of drowning in sauce for a pudding meant for Miss Stacy, my brunch's little mouse hid in between two kinds of muffins. 

I regret to inform you that the Lady of Shalott did eventually drown, and Gilbert Blythe did not come by to save her.

Dress Code: 

I greeted each lady with a nametag. If her name didn't already end with an e -- like Anne with an e, of course! -- well, it did for the duration of the brunch. I couldn't stop referring to Caitlin, who became Caitline, as if she were a hard-hitting news program like Dateline. 

Amy!

My invitations encouraged the gals to come in their "finest winter whites, gable greens, and carrot oranges." 

Annie, left,  came in her best "smock-like outfit." Jill was a perfect prairie woman. Sarah eventually started a fight (see "Other Amusements").

Martina's fascinator, what a riot?

Emmy!

Lauren and Jorie

We kept the incomparable 1985 Megan Follows masterpiece on in the background.

Other Amusements:

 I made a slate out of construction paper and foam core (tutorial to follow someday) to break over the heads of any Gilbert Blythes or ornery young ladies.

I was the first to try it out; thanks to Annie for the action shot.

Then Sarah and Caitlin had their own schoolhouse altercation:

Oh, girl, no you DIDN'T call me carrots!

Marilla may not have approved of everything we did -- I'm sure she'd have regarded the whole thing with that very expression -- but we partied on like a band of true bosom friends.  Next stop: Prince Edward Island!