Here on the Westside, I live in shoebox of an apartment that is just a tiny percentage of the real estate that is the huge complex here at the bottom of my street. The only people in the building I ever talk to are Rick, the on-site resident manager, and David, the maintenance guy who doesn't even live in the building. At any given time, there could possibly be four people all within a twelve foot radius of me in my living room. Sure, there are paper thin walls, a floor, or a ceiling between us, but imagine that - such close proximity, such dense population - and no one talks to their neighbors. In LA, people don't talk to each other. People don't talk to their neighbors, and they certainly don't "hang out" with them.
But a long time ago, my family lived in a subdivision. We knew our neighbors on both sides . We knew every family on the whole street, and because I was a responsible and enterprising baby-sitter, I knew almost everyone in the neighborhood. We kids all built forts and explored the creeks together, Moms would get together for coffee one week here, the next week a few houses down, and Dads...well, I never really knew if the Dads did anything together. Mow the lawn maybe? And every few months, someone on the street would host a big happy block party. In the summer, it was a little more frequent with holidays and barbecues. I don't think I've ever heard of a block party where I live now in LA, though I'm not sure if that's a product of the times (people don't do that in 2005, Sarah), or just an LA thing. *sigh*
Stephanie, the Happy Sorceress from Dispensing Happiness came up with the brilliant idea of having a virtual block party - a blog party! Actually, I think Stephanie's original idea was more focused on the idea of little delicious fingers foods that are associated with parties, but I couldn't help but think of "block parties." :) Once a month, bloggers put together party foods , post it up on their sites, and the Happy Sorceress works her magic to put it all together on a delicious cyber buffet!
This month it's a cocktail party, and because I'm a little more than fashionably late to the party, missing the main event, I'm bringing...dessert! Sure there are miniature truffle brownie bites doing backup, but the real star in the spotlight is a super sweet cocktail - a caketail, in a martini glass that's been rimmed with vanilla sugar. It's one shot of vanilla flavored vodka shaken with a splash of ginger ale and ice. If it's mine, make that two shots, and diet ginger ale, especially since I'm helping myself to two brownies - LOL! Thanks to Hermz for the inspiration ;)
Cheers! And thanks to Stephanie for being such a happy hostess. Can't wait for the next cocktail party...
Stephanie says
Brilliant, Sarah!
We were hurting for sweet things, so your 'caketail' and brownies are most welcome.
So happy you could join us!
Stephanie says
And how 'bout that...it's up!
Anonymous says
Delicious Lil Sarah, aren't you the one who doesn't like sweet cocktails?!
Bandini says
i dont know about block partys or blog partys but bloc party(the band) kicks ass
if i ever had a block party i'd play the band bloc party and when people asked what music was playing i'd say "oh..this bloc party music?" and they'd say "yeah" and i'd say "yeah, it's bloc party" and they'd say yeah i know but who is it and i'd say "bloc party"
T says
in my parents old neighborhood, they had block parties all the time. but then again, they dont live in la...la's just not the sort of place i can imagine a block party happening in!
sarah says
hey stephanie, thanks so much for inviting me to the party, and letting me in even after the guest list shut down ;)
i write about not liking sweet cocktails, preferrring a simple vodka, soda, and squeeze of lime. i mean, i luuuuuurve margaritas and they are pretty sticky on the sweetness scale ;)
but it's some of these overly sweet, sticky, syrupy disgusting "specialty" cocktails that are so popular in restaurants and bars now that cost a painful $20, but taste like they have about fifty cents worth of liquor in it, LOL!
something like a martini that has a hint of flavor from something sweet like a fruit or whatever is okay, but things like creamy dreamy cocobanana not only sounds stupid, but just sounds like a smoothie, not a drink. (i just made that name up - i have seen some LIKE that, but not that exact name, LOL!)
bandini: thanks for sharing, uh...your thoughts? lol! welcome to your new food blogging addiction, by the way ;)
tanvi: you must have lived somewhere in the midwest like me (michigan and ohio). of course my life is different now simply because i'm grown-up, but i swear, l.a. is just sooo different! lol!
Mel CH says
I think I remember seeing something on the Food Network a while back about "caketails" and they looked so good! The glasses were rimmed with cookie or cake crumbs, and the drinks were made with Godiva white chocolate, vanilla vodka and other totally sweet (and fattening!) liquers that I can't remember!
sarah says
omg! i remembered seeing "caketails" on food tv, too! i think that's where i stole the idea from! but i will be honest here, as much as i live cookies and cake, having the crumbs on the rim, which means inevitably floating IN my drink...that sounds a little nasty. kind of like if someone accidentally dropped food in your drink, lol!
eh, and lacheesemonger i don't party as much as you think ;) saturday nights IN are far outweigh the nights OUT these days. don't you remember? i'm trying to catch up with myself!
Lonesome Hero says
Sarah, you make the Internet feel as comfortable and welcoming as a living room.
sarah says
well, hello, my lonesome hero! i *blush*
thanks for popping in amidst all your delicious travels around europe...can't wait until you move to san francisco so i can read about all your culinary adventures up there!
hermz says
Sugar on the rim? Not a bad idea. I guess you had to do something so it would no longer be a roadie. haha!