Saturday, April 3 -- the full skinny

These are (hopefully) the final details for Saturday's HOT HOT HOT 40th Birthday Bash:

The coordinates: 117 Ch Fournel, Ste-Anne-des-Lacs

Our host: Graham Carpenter and family (with many thanks!)

Our weather gods: 20 degrees and clear skies is the current Saturday forecast. Keep your fingers crossed on that one.

Our music: Courtesy TMAG's extensive party playlist, and possibly some live musical revelry?

Additional birthday moments: Our friends in Japan have made a special birthday video that they uploaded to youTube. I'm hoping to be able to download it and screen it at the party at some point. Several out-of-town friends will be calling in with their wishes between 7:30 and 8:30. The Richards clan has banded together to get James a lovely gift that I imagine they'll be passing to Jamie at the party? Anyone else who would like to perform/toast/otherwise salute the birthday boy--I applaud your efforts.

TIMING

We ask that guests arrive by 6:30 pm.

James, Maria and I are arriving at 7. So be prepared to make our awesome surprise moment happen at 7. If you're running late, please don't show up around 7--and thank you!

FOOD/DRINK

There will be some light foodstuffs, but you may still wish to supplement by bringing your own meat for the bbq or whatever makes you happy in order to have a more substantial meal.

On the menu:
A fruit & cheese platter
Some finger foods: smoked salmon pinwheels, chicken pesto thingees, stuffed mushroom caps (non-meat)
Asian spinach salad, Greek salad, a fruity couscous salad
Just added:
Chicken wings
Very basic store-bought pizza slightly improved upon

The birthday cake is a carrot cake.

A *modest amount* of beer/wine/punch. Please BYOB if you hope to have more than a couple drinks.

SOME REQUESTS:

Again, I strongly encourage you to bring your own meat/fish for the bbq. If anyone would like to contribute a dip or another side dish, I'm sure all the other guests would bow before you and compose spontaneous ballads to salute your generous spirit.

If anyone has a punch bowl, please let me know.

P.S. Maria, Ivan, Nati, Dave L. and Peter T.: You'll be staying at our place. I can't fit you all in the car, which unfortunately means that someone else will need to be a designated driver as well(we live about 20 minutes from the party). I think I have enough bedding, but if you have sleeping bags or whatnot, that's probably a good idea.

Be there or be SQUARE, my friends.

... Did I forget anything important? Let the accusations and complaints roll.

April 3--Some details

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Folks: Some details regarding our Surprise Party Plans for Saturday, April 3.

The coordinates: 117 Ch Fournel, Ste-Anne-des-Lacs
Our host: Graham Carpenter and family (with many thanks!)

We ask that guests arrive by 6:30 pm.

James, Maria and I will be told to arrive at 7. So be prepared to put your Heebie-Jeebie faces on at 7, and if you're going to be late, please don't show up around 7--and thank you!

There will be some light foodstuffs, but you may still wish to supplement by bringing your own meat for the bbq or whatever makes you happy in order to have a more substantial meal. [I couldn't get a good headcount, so I'm playing it safe.]

On the menu:
A fruit & cheese platter
Some finger foods: smoked salmon pinwheels, chicken pesto thingees, stuffed mushroom caps (non-meat)
Asian spinach salad, Greek salad, a fruity couscous salad
And I'll bring something with me like a pasta salad or a lentil lasagna or something.

The birthday cake is a carrot cake.

I'm looking to stock some beer/wine/club soda, but invite you to byob as well as, again, I'm not sure how many of us there will be.

For those of you needing a place to crash, except for Ivan & co. who contacted me already, please can you let me know so that I can make sure everyone is taken care of?

More posts to come. Feel free to comment here with questions or e-mail me.

See y'all soon!

For the grups

An addendum: I'm thinking of this as a grown-up event. I'd prefer it if under-agers had something else to do with their time, and I suspect they'd prefer it too ...

Counting heads!

Please fill out the poll on the left. I need an approximate head count for the caterer. Thanks all!

Again, feel free to comment here if you need to.

Carpool?

For those of you from Montreal who'd like to attend but don't have a car, maybe we can arrange a ride-share? Please reply here in the comments, and I will work to hook you up.

SURPRISE!

This little guy's turnin' 40??


April 15, 2010, James Ashton Richards will be turning 40.


To celebrate, we're planning a surprise birthday party. Details are still in the works, which is why I've decided to start this blog. Tune in here to keep informed.






The story so far:

The party will be over Easter weekend, on the evening of Saturday, April 3.

Thanks to the gracious Carpenter clan, the festivities will be held in Ste-Anne-des-Lacs (Lac Marois). I'll post the address etc. soon.

I believe that between our place in Morin-Heights and other family cottages in SADL, we should have places for everyone to sleep in the vicinity that night.

My current plan is to provide a catered light buffet, so you can have dinner before or take advantage of that. I'll also provide some beer and probably some boxes of wine. But obviously you can also BYOB.

NOW: Anyone who has suggestions of how we might enhance this evening or people I should not forget to invite, please comment here on the blog. This is still an open project ...

Looking forward to seeing you all there.

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