Toga Classic

Big fun last weekend, kids!  It all started out with a big bang on Friday night with the toga party at the Surf’s Out.  On the way over the ferry was full of folks in all kinds of greco-roman attire and thanks to our many white bedsheets, getting the whole crew geared up was no problem.  Of course the Out doesn’t get kicking until around 11:00 – 12:00 so Cat started us off putting gas in the tank by hand frying tortillas for a delicous meal of chewy nachos that got completely wiped out by the gang.

At the bar

The toga party ran late into the night with shares getting back to wind down at all hours.  Steve cut the rug so hard at the Surf’s out that the tiles were melting under the floor!  At the end of the night, we even had a very sweet and horribly lost dude walk out onto the balcony thinking he was at Brown Sugar until he closed the door to the deck behind him.  Spencer was kind enough to give Teddy a big red cup full of water and send him in the direction of his house.

Lauren's yoga class

On Saturday, Lauren helped the shares realign their alcohol soaked bodies and minds with a relaxing morning yoga session in the studio.  Ben finished up with the outdoor speakers so we now have stereo sound out on the upper deck and by about 11:30, Steve had transformed the studio into a relaxing massage room.  About 6 of us got a full massage and most of us that did needed a quick nap thereafter to fully enjoy the loosness.  When we woke up, Spencer helped us revive with Gouda-smothered hotdogs, one of the most delicous things ever.

Cocktail party

That evening, some of our friends in town came over for an impromtu cocktail party that turned out to be a lot of fun.  The Polaroid camera donated by Paul (C weekends) was a big hit and we took tons of fun snapshots for the bulliten board.  Tammy Lee, of Chance, made extra efforts to win the affection of Prozac, which (not surpisingly) were well recieved.  Steve and Joe made sure that martinis with a lemon twist were readily availible and Seven Seas loaned out beach umbreallas so that party-goers could make it home dry since it started to rain while we were all hanging out.

Karen shows her chops

Once the crown subsided, Karen was quick to start handing out her mushroom crostinis and searing the honey glazed porkchops.  The dinner was fantastic and the porkchops were sweet and tender.  For dessert, sweetened peaches in red wine were served as the share helped clear up the dishes.  Spencer and Kate got the medal of honor Saturday night for valliance in cleaning, knuckling down and leaving the kitchen completely spotless – 100% clean for the next morning.  Ben and Steve pounded the drumheads for a while to fiery music and by the end of it., the team was ready to hit the bars again.

Sunday Scrabble

Sunday was a recovery day for the most part.  Hearing of Seven Seas legendary Scrabble players, John Blesso headed over to challenge Spencer and Kat in a threeway duel that ended very closely in a victory for Spencer Beggs.  With this victory, it seems that Spencer now has top billing over Blesso and O’Leary and is the one to beat for bragging rights.

After the 8:00 boat, only Gabe and Steve were left at the house and Lauren reported a clean kitchen on her arrival on Monday so way to go Gabe and Steve!  Thanks for heloing her out!  Cat’s Birthday party is coming up next weekend so get ready for the Big Kahuna!  See you all next week in Kismet!

The lucky few who arrived early on Friday got their first taste of beach weather (and a little bit of sun burn). That evening, Spencer treated us all to a great meal of Surf ‘n’ Turf Kebabs, featuring marinated lamb, swordfish and fresh grilled vegetables served on a bed of pearl couscous. Champagne flutes of moscat made for a light dessert.

Karen with a martini

After digesting and enjoying drinks from the bar and frosty beers from the kegerator, we headed over to the Surf’s Out and saw it in action for the first time as a nightlife venue, rather than just a restaurant. Everyone in town was out tearing up the dance floor, and Ben had a dance off with glow-stick laden Johnny Thunder. Hard to tell who “out-wormed” who, but Seven Seas cheered loudest for our Ben.

Saturday the beach was windy, so it was a great day to go sit by the pool (GORGEOUS!) and take a dip.  Folks filed down to the studio in the afternoon for a quick core-killer Pilates session with Cat in “preparation for” the MONSTER ribs feast.  Before dinner the crew headed over to the Chance House for a season’s greetings cocktail party. The event proved to be a great little networking event and did its work to get people in to the small-town, friendly-beach-goer mindset that embodies Kismet, Fire Island.

Ribs on the smoker

After the party, Spencer stepped it up again with smoked pork ribs made with love and a few tips from the experts at Fette Sau in Williamsburg.  If that wasn’t enough, the main event was followed up by Chance House’s Marla’s decadent peanut butter pie and coffee.  When the meal was over, we commenced a lively jam session in the living room with Ben and John B. on the guitars, guest star singer Caroline, and Gabe hitting up the harmonica. It turned out to be a night to hit the bars again for a late night dance marathon.

On Sunday, the clouds burned off by noon and the beach was splendid.  It was so hot and summery that by late afternoon, a big contingency at the house broke out with a game of celebrity that had lots of twists and turns.  That night we ate tilapia fillets and summer salad with “Sex Rice,” rice so good, you want to have… with it.

Beach Jam

Memorial Day itself boasted the best weather of the weekend, and most of the day was spent out on the beach.  Kat O’Leary reigned supreme on the Scrabble board and Michael R took the prize for boldest cold water swimmer.  We finished off the weekend with a family style pasta meal prepared by Paul and Karen before the remainder of the sun-soaked Seven Seas gang headed off on the sunset ferry home.  All in all – the best of all possible weekends for the start to an amazing season of sunbathing, beach games, music, friends and food in sunny Kismet, Fire Island.  Long Live Seven Seas!