Traveling from SanFrancisco to Stewart Airport, Newberg, NY

>>I settled into my seat and listened to the entire "Easy Listening Music 
>>for People who Refuse to Rake Their Clothes Off at a Nude Cocktail Party" 
>>compilation tape for the sixth time. Liking it better with each replaying.

Update: June 5, 1998

Oops! It was suppossed to be: "Easy Listening Music for People who Refuse to TAKE Their Clothes Off at a Nude Cocktail Party". This is one of many audio tape compilations assembled by Garrett from his vast 5000 record collection (I counted them, 5 rows by 13 bins by 75 records per bin). This particular tape he made for the cocktail party held in my honor Friday night and to which they had invited about twenty friends. Cocktails at eight and dinner at nine, clothing optional. Garrett and Madelyn gave out the invitations two weeks before hand, and by Thursday all but one couple had sent their regrets, interesting and creative excuses all.

Friday morning, as we were planning our dis-robes for the evening, the last couple, Stan and Sue, called to say that their son Sam was feeling sick and they unfortunately would not be able to come for the evening. Fortunately, we had pared back the menu by then, returning most of the packaged and frozen items to the Safeway supermarket.

What do you serve at a nude cocktail party? I had come prepared with recipies from my copy of "La Cucina Futurista" (the Futurist Cookbook) by Filippo Tommaso Marinetti, first published in 1932. They included:

1.Roast beef surrounded by shellfish and Halva

2. Sausages floating in beer, dusted with crystallized pistachios.

3. Peaches stoned and filled with sweet wine and closed up again.

4. Marinated eel stuffed with frozen Milanese minestrone and dates which themselves have been stuffed with anchovies.

From their own archives Garrett and Madelyn had found:

1. Alcoholic Joust

2/4 parts dry red wine
1/4 part citron
1/4 part Campari bitters

Into the liquid put a square of cheese and a square of chocolate threaded onto a toothpick

2. Captive Perfumes

Put a drop of perfume inside some thin brightly-colored balloons.
Blow up the balloons and warm them gently to vaporize the perfume and swell the outer surface.
Bring them to the table with cups of coffee, in little warmed dishes. 
Hold a lighted cigarette near the bladders and inhale the scents that escape.

We had also planned some food-based centerpieces for the dining table.

Two had a breast theme:

1. Breasts in the Sunshine...
Form two half spheres of almond paste. 
Place a fresh strawberry on the center of each. 
Add dollops of whipped cream.
Sprinkle the whole with strong pepper and garnish with sweet red peppers.

2. Strawberry Breasts...
A pink plate holds two erect breasts made of ricotta dyed pink with Campari, with nipples of candied strawberry. 
Fresh strawberries are hidden under the ricotta.

3. On a more masculine note...
Chorizo sausages are placed individually on small plates along with two large Spanish olives and a handful of angel-hair spaghetti, dyed black with calamari ink.

O.K., so nobody showed up. Gee, Emm and I managed to consume large quantities of the un-returnable foods accompanied by many glasses of wine and beer. The Alcoholic Joust was wonderful and the Captive Perfumes were subtle but sensuously delicate. Obviously we couldn't return the eel, so we made the Minestrone and did as directed. I know it sounds unappetizing, but it really tasted delicious. This particular dish gets my hearty endorsement.

We ate, drank and danced the night away to the sounds of the above mentioned audiotape. The following morning we renamed it as written above. We had a wonderful time. Wish you could have been there. Pictures to follow later.

Meanwhile you can contact Garrett directly at: JGar165439@aol.com
or visit his website at: home.sprynet.com/sprynet/galligan/no-art.htm