Every year our good friends Mike and Suzanne have a party at their "speakeasy".   This year they had their party at their new pad in Oviedo.  The whole house is already decorated around a 1920's speakeasy theme with lots of burgundy and old black and white photos framed with a period look.   They even have a great antique bar and lots old items peppered around the house.  Suzanne's dad plays clarinet and he and his band played all the old 20's tunes.    Guests came dressed to the nines and some even threw in some period flare.   There are always a couple of flappers or those dressed as lounge singers.    This year there were feather boa's everywhere.  

Their new house screams "party".  The pool area opens to the house sort of like ours, so it's one giant L house with an L screened in porch, with french doors from every room leading out to the open pool area.    They had a wine bar inside and a full bar outside and Suzanne always brings in servers to pass the hor d ourves.  The sunken living room with 25 ft vaulted ceilings is now big enough for the 4 piece band plus plenty of room to dance and it is encircled with comfy lounge chairs and small drink tables.  Suzie did an amazing job making the house into a speak easy-and that actually was her intent.  Every open space is filled with chairs and tables including the deck off of their master which has this great iron stair case leading down to the pool area.  It truly is our favorite party of the year.  Oh and I must mention that every year they collect toys for a Seminole county children's charity and this year their work out room was overflowing with toys.  It's the most fun, the most creative party of the year.  Suzanne always makes it special this year throwing in little peds for the ladies whose feet started to hurt.  And we can always count on some of our good friends attending, namely Rick and Brenda.   

I must mention that the party guests are always an interesting draw.   Mike holds a popular position in Seminole county government and all of the local republican politicos attend this gathering.   Last names are being left off the blog to protect the innocent from search engines, but suffice it to say, this party is a who's who of Seminole County  republican officials.   I also must say that there are no embarrassing moments, everyone is gracious and fun and no one really looks at us funny when Denise introduces us as the closet Democrats.    As they say in Washington, after 5PM everyone gets along.     It also helps that many of the wives have liberal or centrist leanings so no one seems to mind that we are of the more left leaning persuasion.  

I can always count on meeting some interesting folks at this event.  Last couple of years it was some of the local Lake Mary commissioners, this year it was the wife of someone running in Winter Springs whom I  will definitely invite to come and speak at BPW.

We only have a couple more parties this year, and Mark has to attend one without me since I'm headed for LA tomorrow, but I hope the rest promise to be just as fun.   Next Friday night is Will's party and I'm really looking forward to that one.