Take that, Summer: Barbecue Recap

Ah, summer grilling. The smell of propane setting you on high alert, then the warm, wafting aroma of  gently-browning ground sirloin filling you with relief; We are not on fire, we are about to eat a lot of meat! This should pair well with the six beers I just had. Excellent.

The thing I love about barbecues is that they're for everyone, young and old; the kids can run around blowing off steam until they're as chilled-out as the rest of us in our meat comas. I was pleased this time around that my friend's grandmother stayed for hours, happily noshing and chatting, and we also found ways to keep our friends' kids occupied.

Bartending was a snap - I pre-mixed my own cocktails and taped labels to the pitchers explaining what they were, how strong they were, and what might be good to mix in if you want to dilute them. We also had plenty of beer in the cooler and Joey's phenomenal sangria.

Grilling was also a snap - because the guest of honor did it for me. Rachel is a great and fearless griller and was happy to take it over. Important life lesson: You can't be good at everything! If you have friends with skills that put yours to shame, don't be afraid to delegate.



Girrrrl, don't even try and talk on your cell phone at
my graduation party.