Birthday party contest

Last year I had a really amazing birthday party. I was turning 35 and I decided that was a pretty important occasion, so we celebrated very well. We went with an Asian theme, and the food was great, the drinks were great, and my house was full of people who were all having a great time.

And it's getting to be that time again.

This year is 36. Three dozen. So my thinking is, let's keep the food all themed in "dozens."

But that's where I get stumped. Eggs come in dozens. So do donuts. But what else?

One of my friends, whose husband is a chef, suggested that I use egg cartons to serve the food, and that way I wouldn't get bogged down in the whole "dozen" quagmire. I think she's onto something. But what shall I make? And what drinks? (Beer comes in dozens, right?)

So....I guess this has to be a contest so you lurkers might actually be encouraged to leave a comment. Leave your perfect "dozens-inspired" party menu in the comments. The winner will get a custom-created party menu, along with tested-by-me recipes, for his or her own birthday celebration. And a really goofy birthday present, too. And cookies.

278 left to go

It started today. Girl Scout Cookie sales. Susie has consistently sold about 220 boxes each year since we began our affiliation with the Girl Scouts. But she's aiming higher this year. The prize for 300 boxes must seem pretty great to her nine-year-old, tweeny self. (A radio pedometer.) (And yes, I know good and well that I could go out and buy her one and save myself the trouble, for probably under $15.)

So I started taking orders this morning and she'll hit the neighborhood (with a buddy! safety first!) either this evening or sometime this weekend. Or both, which would probably make sense. Last year we hit the neighborhood late in the sales window and a few folks had already ordered from other kids (how dare they?) and were honestly bummed that they didn't buy from Susie (because, look at her!)

From Holidays in M...

(How could you not?). So we're going early and often if we want to break the 250-box wall.

Sales strategies that work:

• Hit the house with the medical students first. They ordered a LOT of cookies last year. Like 10 boxes or so. If their order is listed first, it sets a tone. A "don't bother ordering just one box...you know you want more than that" tone. Because it's just as easy to deliver five boxes as it is to deliver one.
• Hang the cookie order form on the employee schedule bulletin board at work. Our union folks check their schedules um, daily, and they? Love them some cookies. (Especially when sold by a girl this cute!) (Okay, so they really like me a lot too, which probably helps the process.) (I should probably blog about why my union colleagues like me so much one day. It's fun to talk about.)
• Email the staff of a department that I interface with frequently. (Boxes sold within 5 minutes of email? 5.)
• Email neighbors and post on neighborhood message board (yes, my neighborhood has a message board, doesn't yours?).
• Don't underestimate your gay friends. My gay friends don't have kids and they don't get hit up by kids year 'round to Buy this! Buy that! so they actually have a few extra dollars to spend on cookies (hooray to my favorite gay who bought $42 worth of cookies the first year we sold them) and aren't totally sick of the whole "I'm a cute nine-year-old girl and I want you to buy something just because I tell you to" routine.
• Blog about it, and find cookie orders in the comments, at least from one anonymous poster. Thin mints, samoas, and tagalongs, right?

And that's all I've got.