Una's Surprise Party

The dirty details:


The Invite, via PunchBowl.com:

The Venue:

Non-descript entrance ("International Exports, Ltd.") requires you to say the password or pay the price . . . a dance shown on televisions throughout the entire bar. Una, his sister Ashley and I were forced to mimic monkeys in the jungle. Which apparently the entire party thought was a chicken dance. 

The spy-themed bar, a "safe house" for covert operatives.

James Bond and spy-related knick knacks, tricks and secret mirrors (one in the women's bathroom allows outsiders to view the lady primping), hideaways and passages abound throughout. One particularly popular sample is a naked sign of Burt Reynolds in the ladies room with a strategically placed metal heart over his goods, which has been rubbed soft. Every time someone touches the metal heart, a red light and buzzer goes off outside the door, alerting all nearby guests who the dirty-minded customer was.

The secret exit (below, top left), accessed through a 'phone booth' which requires a quarter to receive the passcode, which once typed into the phone's keypad, opens the secret basement door. 

The Disguise:

Masks and mustaches for the guests to don for Una's arrival. He was stricken speechless! Houston very kindly agreed to model both.

The Food: 

Amazingly delicious mini cupcakes from Milwaukee Cupcake Company. Am now trying to come up with a reason for weekly rationing of desserts. Possibly best cupcakes I have ever had.

Sample flavors: Chocolate with Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Frosting; Pink Champagne; Caramel Cupcake with Cream Cheese Walnut Frosting; Black and White Cupcake; Carrot Cake, Strawberry Shortcake . . . Yum.

The Second Surprise:

"Hail to the Chief" - a faux interrogation wherein employees dressed in all black drag Una down to the basement to an interrogation chair, the manager screams ridiculous questions at him through an intercom upstairs while party guests watch on another television screen, and then covert operative is raised through the bar's central floor in said chair, given a 20 ounce drink and shown a special video of his/her "White House Cabinet and Staff" . . . which consists of scantily-clad women filmed from the 70s and 80s for a guy, and the reverse for a  woman.

Clearly someone is comfortable being the center of attention. He seemed genuinely surprised and told me over and over what a great time he had and how touched he was so many people came out. Success!

Final Outcome: The stress of planning a surprise party (the only one I've ever organized) may have resulted in this being my one and only attempt. Happy 30th, favorite! 

Pregnant Bond, signing off.