Let me preface this by saying: As you may already know, I'm a little crazy...

You might also know that I like to entertain and have people over on Saturday nights to watch videos, play games, and have pizza, popcorn and beer. I've also promised repeatedly to have some of you over for dinner. Now let's see if you are crazy enough to take this a step further with me...

For quite a while now, I have been looking over my favorites recipes, CDs, games, and videos, and mulling over the idea of having "Themed Dinner Parties", and I'd like to see if you are adventurous enough to try it with me.

What it amounts to is this: I'll invite a handful of friends over for a Saturday evening dinner based around a particular theme, with the appropriate atmosphere, music, video, and/or games. I am willing to provide the setting, the atmosphere, the music/videos/games and food as best I can. (I won't guarantee anything about my cooking...)

What would you have to provide? Possibly an appropriate salad, side dish, dessert, wine, donation to offset the cost of food, and/or whatever music/video/game you care to bring along. (Of course, you're more than welcome to come over early and help with the cooking to make sure it's edible!)

However, there is one small additional special requirement - and here's where we see if YOU are crazy enough to really go all the way: You also have to dress up in clothing that is appropriate and as authentic as possible to go along with the theme, and then stay in character with the theme for the entire evening! (Don't worry: if you don't have appropriate clothing, I have some extras that you are welcome to wear once you get here, but you would HAVE TO wear something that is at least somewhat in the mood - NO EXCEPTIONS!) BE ADVENTURESOME! Let's travel around the world or travel back in time. Are you game? Here are a few ideas for themes I have come up with:

Mama Mia Classical Italiano

When: Winter?

Atmosphere: Classic Italiano - candles

Food: Antipasto salad with sundried tomatoes, Lasagna, spaghetti or other pastas

Drink: Italian Wines, Espresso, Cappuccino

Music: Classical Italian music - Vivaldi's "Quatro Staggione" ("Four Seasons")

also: Lucio Dalla Italian Pop

Video: "Cinema Paradiso" (Italian with English subtitles)

Games: Poker

Clothing: Italian to 40's pinstriped Mafia Gangster look (cement shoes optional)

Password: "That’s Amore…"

Atmosphere: Mystical Eastern - candles and incense, sit on pillows on floor

Food: Chicken or beef curry with potatoes, saffron rice, pappardum (chips), mangos

Drink: Mango Lassi, wine

Music: Ravi Shankar sitar

Video: "Gandhi", "Paradise to India" (or even rent an Indian video!)

Games: Backgammon, Parcheesi

Clothing: Indian lungi, dhoti, sari, sandals (I have some extra clothes)

Password: "No problem…"

When: A cold winter’s night (February?)

Atmosphere: warm Royal Medieval castle - candlelight with fire in the hearth

Food: Beef pot roast with potatoes and other vegetables, Peacock under glass (Cornish game hens), homemade bread, figgy pudding?

Drink: Red Wine in goblets, Mead in Mead horns, Hot spiced mulled wine, Wassail?

Music: Medieval

Video: "Name of the Rose", "Robin Hood", "First Knight"

Game: Viking chess game or sword fight?

Clothing: Viking to Medieval to Royal (I have extra clothes)

Password: "Skål!"

Atmosphere: Eastern Oriental - Chinese or Japanese

Food: Stir fry, rice, basic Chinese and/or Japanese sushi, etc.with chopsticks

Drink: Peach wine or Plum wine, saki

Music: Kyoto harp ensemble, Kitaro

Video: open to suggestions (rent Godzilla or karate films?)

Games: Pente, Go-Moku, Chinese checkers

Clothing: Kimonos, silks, etc.

Password: "Ah sooo, Grasshoppah…"

When: Summer grill-out? Or Winter to wake us up from cabin fever?

Atmosphere: Nerdy 50's

Food: Basic Americana - pizza, beer and popcorn? Hotdogs? Hamburgers?

Drink: Beer, Cherry Cokes, milkshakes and malts

Music: 50's (bring your 45’s)

Video: "American Graffiti", "Grease", "Back to the Future"

Games: "Monopoly", "Twister", "Pictionary", Charades, trivia games, or sock hop!

Clothing: Nerdy 50's!

Password: "Groovy…Cool Man, Cool!"

Daniel O’Meyer’s St. Paddy’s Day meal

When: Saturday, March 15th, 1997

Atmosphere: Irish (or even Scottish?)

Food: Irish? Potatoes, Bangers and Mash, Shepherd Pie

Drink: Pints of Guinness Stout, various ales and stouts

Music: Irish, Celtic

Videos: "Braveheart", "Rob Roy", "Far and Away"

Games: Dart tournament

Clothing: Irish - kilt? or any green clothes

Password: "Oh Danny boy…"

Mexicano Cinco De Mayo Fiesta

When: Saturday, May 3, 1997 to celebrate "Cinco de Mayo"

Atmosphere: ¡Fiesta Mexicana! (practice your Spanish!)

Food: basic Mexican food - Fajitas, Guacamole, Nachos, Salsa, Chorizos, etc.

Drink: Margaritas, cervesas, Dos XX, Corona, Negra Modelo

Music: Gloria Estefan to ethnic Central and South American music

Video: "Like Water for Chocolate" (Spanish with English Subtitles), "Medicine Man"

Entertainment: ¿Marengue? ¿Macarena?

Clothing: South-of-the-border Ponchos, serapes, sombreros, etc.

Password: "La Cucaracha, la cucaracha…"

When: Summer (after a day out sailing? - or out on an island?)

Food: Grill out on the "Buccan" (grill) - Jerked pork or chicken, fried plantains

Drink: Bahama Rama Mama Rum Runners, Pusser's Rum, Wine

Music: Reggae, Bob Marley, Jimmy Buffet

Video: "Pirates", "Mutiny on the Bounty"

Entertainment: Limbo contest, swashbuckling sword fights, rape, pillage and plunder...

Clothing: Colonial, pirate, or sailor - parrots welcome

Password: "Yo, ho ho, and a bottle of rum…"

When: Saturday, June 21st, 1997

Atmosphere: Swedish Midsummer - celebrate the longest day of the year!

Food: Swedish meatballs, sill (herring), new potatis with dill, etc.

Drink: Brännvin, Akvavit, Absolut, Pripps Blå

Music: Swedish Pop and Midsommarvisor

Videos: Swedish - "My Life as a Dog", lots of Ingmar Bergman films, etc.

Entertainment: Put up Maypole? Skål around the Bonfire, Juggling, late night swim

Clothing: Blue and yellow clothes, clogs if you have them, swimming suit optional

Password: "Hej!" "Skål!"

When: Summer? Or Winter to break up the blues?

Atmosphere: Greek/Mediterranean

Food: Greek or Mediterranean, Greek salad, black olives, grapes, baklava

Drink: Uzo and Greek wine

Video: "Zorba the Greek" (No, we won't rent "Caligula" and have an orgy!)

Entertainment: Belly dancing?

Clothing: Toga, Toga, Toga…!

Password: "Toga, Toga, Toga…!"

When: Late summer?

Atmosphere: Tropical South Pacific Hawaiian Luau Beach party with torches

Food: Grilled Mahi mahi, pork, pineapples, kiwi fruit, etc. (or maybe Hawaiian pizza!)

Drink: Mai Tai’s, Hawaiian punch…

Music: Hawaiian

Video: "Mutiny on the Bounty", "Blue Lagoon"

Entertainment: Luau dancing around the Bonfire, (firewalking on hot coals?)

Clothing: Tropical - grass skirts, tropical luau shirts

Password: "Tiny Bubbles…"

When: Fall - possibly September or October 1997?

Atmosphere: German - from Alpine/Bavarian to WW II

Food: Bratwurst, Wienerschnitzel, Sauerkraut, Potatosalad, Apfel Struedel

Drink: German Bier und Wein

Music: German CD's - from old time German Schmultz to German Pop

Video: "Europa, Europa" (German with English subtitles)

Clothing: Alpine Lederhosen, or WW II look

Password: "Prost!"

When: Friday, October 31, 1997

Atmosphere: Dark and ghoulish Haunted House!

Food: Trick or treat candy! Candy Apples!

Drink: Apple cider

Music: Haunted Sound effects

Video: something scary!

Games: Bob for apples, hay ride?

Clothing: Costume REQUIRED!

Password: "Trick or treat…"

When: Thursday, November 28, 1996, and Thursday, November 27, 1997

Atmosphere: thankful Colonial atmosphere with candles and fire in fireplace

Drink: Apple cider, Wine, hot spiced mulled wine

Dessert: Pumpkin Pie, Sweet Potato Pie, Pecan Pie, Alka Seltzer

Atmosphere: Fire in fireplace, candles

Video: "Babette's Feast" or "Last of the Mohicans"

Clothing: Colonial to Woodsman

Password: "Thank you…"

Swedish Lucia Fest & Olde Fashioned Christmas party

When: December 14th, 1996, and December 13th, 1997 (Lucia Festival of Lights)

Atmosphere: Festive Swedish Jul - fire in fireplace

Food: Traditional Swedish - meatballs, pepparkakor, sill, safronbullar, etc.

Drink: Jul Glögg, hot spiced Wassail, Christmas mead, spiced eggnog, hot chocolate

Music: Swedish Christmas carols

Video: "Fanny and Alexander" (Swedish with English subtitles), "Merry Christmas, Doll"

Entertainment: traditional Christmas Caroling and traditional Christmas juggling

Game: Swedish Monopoly, gift exchange?

Clothes: Red and green Festive Christmas clothes

Password: "God Jul!"

When: December 31st, 1996 and December 31st, 1997

Atmosphere: Formal Cocktail party (ala James Bond) or Masquerade party

Food: Caviar and Cocktail Snacks, darling

Drink: Cocktails, Champagne at midnight

Music: Cocktail jazz, nostalgic?

Clothing: Masquerade or dress-up classy black tie and ballgown

Password: "Happy New Year!"

Possible future ideas to be developed:

Atmosphere: Colonial British safari to African bush

Food: Bananas?, Ethiopian sand and rocks

Music: Shadowfax

Videos: "Out of Africa", "Mountains of the Moon", "Gorillas in the Mist"

Games: "Global Pursuit"

Clothing: Safari khakis to Native bush

Password: "Jambo"

Atmosphere: Old West, where the deer and the antelope play...

Food: Chili, cowboy beans, fried potatoes, grilled sausage, chicken, or steaks

Music: old-time Country and Western

Video: "Dances With Wolves", "Blazing Saddles"

Entertainment: sing around the campfire with guitar and harmonica, pardner

Clothing: Cowboy hat, jeans, boots, scarf or bandana, rope and spurs optional...

Password: "Git along little doggies…Yeeeehaw…"

Atmosphere: Mardi Gras

Food: Shrimp, gumbo stew

Music: Zydeco

Password: "Oooieee"

Atmosphere: Arrogant, candlelight

Drink: French wine, Cognac

Video: "Monsieur Hire" (French with English subtitles)

Game: Fencing

Password: "Viva la France!" "Bon appetit!"

Atmosphere: Candlelight dinner with lots of shadows

When: Who knows?

Food: Mystery?

Game: Whodunit Murder mystery

Video: Mystery

Clothes: Butler, detective

Password: "Elementary, my dear Watson"

Atmosphere: Middle Eastern/Jewish

Food: Middle Eastern, Lamb, unleavened bread, dates, figs

Drink: Mogan David Wine

Video: "Europa, Europa"

Password: "Shalom"

This would give us at least one dinner party per month. Unfortunately, I cannot afford to throw full-blown parties for everyone EVERY month, so many of these would have to be simply quiet dinner parties for just a few close friends. (Of course, EVERYONE is invited to the Mexican Cinco de Mayo Fiesta, the Swedish Midsommar Fest, the Halloween Costume party, the Swedish Lucia Fest Christmas Party, and the New Year's Eve Party!) And if you have friends who are specifically "into" any of these other themes (friends from India, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Caribbean, Scandinavia, Africa, etc.) who would be willing to help flavor the particular theme to be even more authentic, by all means let me know so we can include them!

If you are interested in joining me for something like this, please e-mail me your comments, suggestions for food, videos, clothing, games, (or even other themes!), etc., which dinners you are most interested in attending, your favorite recipes, and what you could bring. (Be creative and adventuresome! Dig through your attic for clothes, and dig through your cookbooks for new ideas!) After I compile the responses, I can start scheduling and planning from my end!

Let's have some fun! Let me know what you think!

Ciao,

Dan