Here are just a few pictures from the dinner party I hosted in honor of my friend Kelly McMahon. Kel was returning to the U.S. after an extended stint working in London. I didn’t get many photos, mainly because I was cooking and stressing the whole time. But here are a few snaps for your amusement…

This was actually Sunday, the day before the party. I prepared and rolled all the egg rolls ahead of time so I could just fry them up right before dinner Monday. It took hours… but the wine helped.

Here’s the guest of honor on Monday night enjoying the mountain of pita and hummus before her. Check out that spread. Man, when I host, I host. Chopsticks, multiple bottles of soy sauce, appetizers, wine… And the food turned out great.

Awww, poor Snookums. He was all tuckered out from helping me cook everything (and from all the egg rolls he ate), so he passed out on the sofa after dinner. (Note: this is conclusive proof that the boy sleeps with his eyes open.)

Meanwhile… the remaining guests convened in the backyard to smoke and enjoy a rare non-rainy London evening. That’s eMan to the left of Kel, and Alex on the right.

Somewhere it is written that every party I host must end with eMan gettin’ down in the living room by himself at four in the morning. This is the third time it’s happened. I’ve started to accept it as part of the ritual.