The Birthday Party To Come

Parties are part of what I do.

Every month, as part of the Yelp gig, I organize an Official Yelp Event. And I guess those are like parties of sorts. There is typically food and drink. They are two hours. And I hear from Yelpers who make the guest list that these events are fun.

Still, in my heart of hearts, I don’t quite feel like a party person. Fortunately, I have very little to do with the party being held at Casa del Fussy tonight. It’s a sleepover, and Little Miss Fussy is having five other kids over.

She has planned out the whole thing. I get to fill the role of hunter-gatherer and procure the food. Fortunately, I know a thing or two about pizza, and I have some good friends who pointed me in the direction of the cake I forgot I wanted.

I don’t want to out my bakery maven, since I’ve learned it’s bad form to publish facts from semi-private conversations. But this is someone who I trust to know about which bakery is putting out the best product these days.

The answer was Leah’s Cakery.

Which is funny because I had been there before, so I went back to Yelp to see if I wrote down my impressions at the time. It turns out that I had. The four-star review concluded with the following paragraph,

We did get to look at some of the cakes, and I did a little mental calculation about whose birthday was coming up next, and how soon I could return for a cake order. I can’t wait. But patience will have to prevail.

Patience indeed. Because that was written almost two years ago.

Anyway, I called in the order to Leah’s for Little Miss Fussy’s cake a few days ago, and later today I’ve got to go pick it up. What I was told I can’t forget is some Stewart’s Philly Vanilla ice cream to go alongside this double chocolate cake.

Pizza is going to be just a bit more complicated.

Perhaps people order pizza precisely because it’s simple. It’s possible. However, I prioritize getting products from my favorite pizza place. Which, naturally, doesn’t deliver. It’s Marisa’s Place in Guilderland. But it’s not deep Guilderland. It’s right on 155.

Six kids for pizza.
My son still doesn’t like pizza.
My wife likes meaty pies, but is eating vegetarian.
And I love pizza, but I’m probably not going to eat much.
That said, if there are leftovers, I also hate waste. So that could be dangerous.

What I’ve learned is that I’m a terrible father. The young man has apparently never experienced a calzone before. That can’t be true. But he has no memory of them. So I explained it was like stuffed shells, but instead of pasta it’s pizza dough.

This was a calculated description, since I am well aware of his love for ricotta. And it sealed the deal. Part of me is looking forward to having a bite from his calzone. It’s definitely not on the diet, but one bite? I can have one bite. Man, I love calzones. It’s fat wrapped up in carbs. What’s not to love?

Apparently one of the juvenile guests loves pizza with mushroom and olives. Mushroom and olives? One, that’s strange for a kid. Two, that’s just strange. Stranger still, is when I told Mrs. Fussy about the topping combo, she thought it sounded great. I’d like to try it, you know, for science. But I think we’ll keep that combination to just half a pie.

The other half will be pure mushroom, because mushrooms are healthy. To round it out will be an extra large cheese pizza, and at least two orders of knots. Because this is mostly for kids, I’m going to see if they can double cut the pie to help reduce waste. There’s nothing more sad than cleaning up after a party to find a table full of half eaten pizza slices.

Now I just have to remember to call this in after I get home with the cake. And then I have the hardest job of all. Driving the food back home without eating it first.

Wish me luck in surviving the night. At least I won’t die hungry.