A Family Party

(A quick pre-party shot of us, me in my gifted Baukjen dress & the kids in gifted Mamas & Papas outfits).

…I love a party and those who follow this blog know we have a lot of family parties which usually involve delicious Greek or Italian food (usually supplied by the family’s restaurants), the funniest and funnest company you can imagine (we literally laugh the whole time), music (always) and most of all (and soppiest or all) a whole lot of Big Fat Greek love!

I must add, the latter is what really makes these family get-togethers ROCK!

…You know when you look around and think, “We’re all loud, rubbish at listening, great at dancing and a little bit crazy (myself included) but we love each other madly”-that’s my family.

We’re such a close, strong unit, always there for each other in the good times and the bad and I realise we’re really lucky to have one another!

….And no more so than last night for a family party for my Auntie Mary’s 60th which she held at my Auntie Loulla’s fabulous and famous Greek restaurant in Manchester, Kosmos Taverna.

Loulla has featured on TV cooking Greek food and was even invited to meet the Queen at the Palace for a hospitality event for chefs (with Gordon Ramsey and others no less)  not long ago and she sure knows how to rustle up a feast!

Course after course of sumptuous Greek dishes: arrays of dips, dolmathes, calamari, five different kids of salad, mixed grilled kebabs, cracked wheat and rice followed by fresh figs, Greek desserts (sweet ricotta pastries) and lots of dancing!

The kids stayed up late (we go into Mediterranean parenting mode at family gatherings and thankfully my eldest doesn’t start school until Thursday) and even my Mum with her broken foot Greek danced with only her walking frame supporting her. Told you we’re unstoppable when we party!

…We loved and laughed at Aunty Mary’s tipsy speech and her cracking dance moves to the live bouzouki player (especially when my Dad decided to serenade the party) and she was the perfect host chatting away to everyone and making sure we were happy (which we all were of course)!

…My Auntie Zak flew in from Marbella where she lives and being my youngest son Alexander’s godmother meant she got some precious time with my curly haired boy and we got to have a big girly catch up along with my favourite cousin Georgia (don’t tell the others) and Auntie Angelou!

My brother also introduced his lovely girlfriend Lucy (or Juicy as Alexander calls her-ha) to all the family last night and she got to witness him working some Greek dancing moves on the dance floor too (go Solly)!

(Georgia, Solos, me and Lucy)

…It was also adorable seeing Oliver catch up with his little cousins and do some Greek dancing of their own (the next generation is expanding all the time)… and as we rolled home full of food and merriment, we all agreed it was quite simply one of the best nights we’ve had in a long time!

Opa!
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