Carefree Gourmet Buffets Arrives!
Well a PARTY of course! Pam and I had a baby! What?
No, our baby was not of flesh and blood, but the results of blood (knife cuts), sweat (cooking in 110 degree weather and no A/C) and tears (crap, the photos ALL have to be redone because the tablecloth looks like barf!). A BOOK. And not ANY book, a simple party planning book like no other on earth! In our humble opinion, of course!
Back in October 2006, after years (and we mean years) of shopping, cooking, writing, editing, hosting parties (too much fun), taking photos, taking more photos, writing, writing and more writing… our book Carefree Gourmet Presents Dazzling Desserts, Bountiful Brunch, Tea Anytime, Brazilian Bar-B-Que, Casual Cajun and Classy Cocktail For up to 20 Guests… (ooooh that was long!) was published. (We shortened it to Carefree Gourmet Buffets… ) Rather we self published through AuthorHouse a print on demand company. Which we thought was really cool! Except, we didn’t understand that our book, published one at a time, was just too expensive. Although our loving friends and family all support us and purchased our book for $30.00, it was not a $30.00 book. It was a $19.95 book. Oh and for every $30.00 they spent on our book, we made less than $4.00. Wow! We weren’t going to get rich very quickly on this equation! But I digress, we were discussing a PARTY!!!
Yes, Pam and I decided we needed to throw ourselves a book signing party! Of course! Now, I guess someone else could have thrown us a party… but no one offered and Pam and I love to entertain… so off we went planning and scheming and .. well, I should say, off Pa m went! I wanted something simple… after all, we were going to be busy shaking hands and signing books and glowing in the accolades of a job well done – having produced a book worthy of awards, we were sure! But Pam had other ideas. And you have to understand. We both love to cook, but Pam is the true nurturer in our business. And a wine and cheese was not going to do! Not at all!
Pam painstakingly took care of arranging for the location (the Pasadena Rose Bowl Press Box – how cool is that??!!) Created a menu. Did all the shopping and food prep. I was responsible for getting the books delivered, flowers and ice and to help set up. I had an appointment to get my hair done that afternoon in Glendora (can’t let anyone see those gray hairs)…. and there is where the disaster began!
My hairdresser was late. Very late…. then she was slow. I anxiously watched the clock as time ticked on by and my rear end was stuck in a chair. It was a Friday. The books were to be delivered to my house no later than 4:00 PM. AuthorHouse PROMISED! They LIED! UPS delivers to home addresses until 7:00 PM. I didn’t know this yet…. I frantically drove to home to pick up the books, the flowers, makeup and a change of clothes so that I could fly to Pasadena. When I got home… no books. When I called UPS… no help. How could we have a book signing party without any books??? I was frantic! But I had to get to the Press Box in Pasadena. Pam was in chaos as I was supposed to have been there hours ago to help with prep. And what do I hit on the way to Pasadena? Traffic! Major Traffic! Yes, I know its Friday at 5:00 pm, but there isn’t supposed to be traffic going in this directions. Murphy’s Law? I guess!
I call Pam, give her the news. I am late and bookless! I call Rod (my hubby) and ask him to pick up party ice and get it to Pam ASAP as the drinks are warm… never serve warm drinks at a party. Serving food late? Ok. But always have refreshing drinks ready for your guests – that is rule #1 in entertaining! We had warm drinks…. And then I call my niece Jessica Gordon, a student at Cal Poly Pomona and ask if she can drop by the house and wait for the books. UPS promised they would deliver ASAP. (It just killed me that I was on the end of the route when the distribution center was 10 minutes from my house… I asked if I could just come pick them up??? “Sorry Lady, they are on the truck!” UGH!!).
I arrive at the Rose Bowl, a hot, sweaty, anxious mess! But my hair looked good! It was showtime in just a few and the Press Box was chaos. Friends had starting arriving and instead of being greeted with a refreshing beverage, they were quickly assigned a task! Platter this, ice that, put the flowers in here.. and all I could think about was needing a glass of Pam’s famous Sangria… what if our books didn’t arrive in time??
Well, the flowers looked a little funny swished as they were into the vases… the kitchen was a war zone, but the food got out, the friends filled the room, the books arrived and Pam and I finally got a chance to sit down with our sangria and sign books, and more books and more books, til our hands were crippled.
Pam and Andrea Signing Books at the Rose Bowl Press Box Party
We have so many people to thank for making that event happen! Pam’s sister Robin, her hairdresser (and my new hair dresser) Diane, our friend Julie , my mom, Jackie, my sister Tina and of course, my niece, Jessica, who lugged in 150 books. And of course, we owe thanks to all of our friends and family who came out to support us, toast with us and purchase a book! We sold out that night! It was the best book signing party ever!
So now what were we supposed to do? We were done right? Wrong!