Dinner Inspired by a Film - The Birdcage

So my hair is dark brown and all is well in the world. Yesterday, after work, before hosting my film inspired dinner, I decided that I should check out some dirndls. I have two already. One fits which means that I am not fatter than last year but one does not fit which means that I am fatter than two summers ago. This is like an SAT question, right here. Anywho, I thought I would cheer myself up and consider purchasing another one. A friend discovered that C&A were selling some at amazing prices and after we oohed and aahed over the Interwebs, I decided to go forth and check them out. I picked out a couple in what I thought were bigger than my size so that mentally I could be all like "Oh shucks. Need to try a smaller size. How droll." Yeah, that didn't happen. I huffed and puffed and got the side zipper up only to my hip. I looked in the mirror and thought "Not today, Shamu".

I'll take a size Orca. Thanks.

After a couple of tries, I gave up and headed to my local for a small white wine spritzer and blasted myself for all the cheese I have consumed recently. I vowed to lose weight. I headed home and started on my cheddar cheese bechamel sauce for my burgers. Yeah, is that irony? Still don't know. Again, I curse you Alannis.

Oh, I forgive you. Only because Jagged Little Pill was like the album of my angsty teenage life

So back to the whole point of this post; The Birdcage. Now I know that the American version is based on the French version but I have only seen the American version and I love it. Adore it. C'est magnifique. The cast includes, Robin Williams (I miss you, man), Nathan Lane, Dianne Wiest, Gene Hackman, Calista Flockhart and the most incredible Hank Azaria character ever. I'm not going to recap it but let's just say that Nathan Lane is my spirit animal in this film. And in the dressing room yesterday, while I was trying on Nazi garb (SIDE ZIPPERS?! WHY?!? FASCISTS!), I kind of turned into him.

In fact, having re-watched the film recently, I have realized that my relationship to the Husband is eerily similar to that of Robin Williams and Nathan Lane in this film.

Now, the film is set in Miami and I was going to wait until the Spring to do this challenge but since the sudden passing of Robin Williams, I decided to do it pronto. I have always wanted to go to Miami. Ever since Will Smith sang about it, Ben Stiller chased down Cameron Diaz, or even when Horatio Cane first put on his sunglasses, I have wanted to go... I digress. But yes, I have been smitten with the idea of Miami.

NOT THE HONDA!

I decided that since the film takes place in Miami, I had to figure out what is considered "traditional" food. First thing that popped up; Frita Cubana. This is pretty much a meat patty with has hashbrown potatoes on a bun. I decided to make up my own version because I am the boss of me. So I cooked some burger patties, fried up some shoestring potatoes and made a spicy cheddar bechamel sauce. I topped the burgers with some roasted onions and voila! Heart attack on a bun. I regret that I did not take a picture of the food but I had already downed a couple of cocktails so my mind was more on face planting into the food. I apologize.

Speaking of booze, I made a little welcome drink which I have named Tovnado. Yeah, I did. It pretty much was comprised of white wine, Blue Bols (how many terrible jokes have been made in bars over THAT name?!), a dash of coconut/pineapple juice and garnished with a gummy shark. Behold its beauty! Behold the fact that my shark is ending his life in my drink. Respect, homie. (Editor's note: The shark gummy was spicy because cutting chilis and then cutting gummy sharks makes the sharks spicy. It was a lucky mistake. Added totally to the drink)

Kind of an awesome way to go.

Of course we can't forget the table! I decided to make it is as FABULOUS as I could on a budget. Oddly, I had most things already. Except for the pink feathers... which is odd if you know me. Moving on.

For dessert we had cheesecake ice cream because I did not have time to make a schnecken. The schnecken did not beckon last night. It was a great evening and the Kid blessedly fell asleep just before 9 without too much DRAMA which actually would have been totally appropriate to the theme. Maybe he too is a little Nathan Lane. I'd embrace that. So happy Thursday and stay tuned for the next dinner theme. I'm thinking, Amadeus...