A 50th birthday party for a good friend. And it's got a theme, heaven help me, and I'm expected (not required, but
expected) to come up with something that will be appropriate. The theme? It's "50s Cocktail Party." You know, Rat Pack, Audrey Hepburn, James Dean. And my closet isn't exactly brimming with little black dresses and high-heeled pumps. And I've maybe had my makeup done once in all my (mumble mumble) years.
So, hoping to spend as little as possible, I hit the Goodwill stores in town looking for something that would suffice in a pinch. Nothing. A couple of spangly numbers from the Flashdance era, a few old-lady frumpy evening frocks, but nothing that said, "I'm with Frank." Then, at suggestion of my
brother, I stopped in at
Ray's Ragtime on 10th and Morrison downtown, not expecting to find much that would be appropriate, affordable and that would fit my, shall we say, definitely non-petite body.
Ray
(right) immediately got down to work, going through the racks and pulling some things out, rejecting others as "too drag queen" or "too disco" and completely respecting my budget concerns. With questions like "How are your shoulders?" for one off-the-shoulder number and nixing long black gloves for being "too S&M" it was very easy and very fun. We actually found a simple black dress that will do nicely, I'll hit Nordstrom for a little makeup beforehand and a couple of friends have volunteered to help with the hair if I bring some champagne along with the bobby pins and Aquanet.
Now where's my martini?
Details: Ray's Ragtime, 1001 SW Morrison St. Phone 503-226-2616.
It's been awhile in coming, but due to popular request we're going to finish up the story of the Birthday Bash. In Part 1, I'd been invited to a themed cocktail party and immediately had a panic attack about what to wear, which was solved by a trip downtown to Ray's Ragtime. In Part 2, the deadline was fast approaching and I still hadn't found shoes till I happened by Payless Shoesource and got the perfect pair.
Makeup was a snap with a trip just before the party to Nordstrom and the Lancome counter. Now, this is a free service, but the expectation is that you'll purchase at least one tube of lipstick or a bottle of foundation, so expect it to cost something. And with a bit of hair help from my "sistahs" at Urbino on NW 23rd and a bottle of Champagne for their trouble, I was all set.
Arriving at the party, J and K (that's them on the left) had it all together with a spread of jello and snacks that included mini-pigs-in-blankets, dips and chips and a mysterious bottomless bowl of shrimp with cocktail sauce. Bartender Joe (above right) kept everyone well-lubricated, and with the addition of a giant can of those crack olives (that everyone at the party found completely addictive) for the martinis, the evening couldn't have been more perfect.
Posts
