I have just spoken to Nan.I updated her on all the Spring news. She's got the date of Gi's shower and "The Cake" assignment. Hey, we're rolling.

Moon, I'll be there, but I am not sure how we are doing this. I have never been to a virtual party. Since I will be providing the flower leis for guests and Bride, shall I send pictures? That day or the day previous since we are so far behind you? I think you will get better response from the ladies if we know what is going on. Cannot imagine what Evelyn sent, so I do not know what I am supposed to do. Please help!!!

Marcia)Cannot imagine what Evelyn sent, so I do not know what I am supposed to do. Please help! Evelyn sent a "virtual" gift (think picture) to Karen who has kindly consented to send it on (think scan). Comprende?

(Marcia), Since I will be providing the flower leis for guests and Bride, shall I send pictures? That day or the day previous since we are so far behind you? Yes, Marcia, do send the pictures the day before. We can not do this without your lovely flowers. For those who have scanners, that is the best way. We will be posting all day here for Gi's Shower on May 27. Thanks Evelyn, I feel better knowing that Nan's on the assigment. ;-)

(EvelynEvelyn sent a "virtual" gift (think picture) to Karen who has kindly consented to send it on (think scan). Comprende? Aha! Thought so. Thank you. The wheels in my head are spinning in anticipation and with great vigor. I shall not let you down!

May 27th, any time? Count me in!

And I can "attend" as well. I've never done this before either, Marcia.

I'll be here too! In truth, I am greatly looking forward to my first virtual party. :) I would bring something, but I dont have a scanner :(

Esbee, do not let the lack of a scanner deter you. I went flower "shopping" yesterday and what success I had. I stored the picture locations (use your right hand mouse button then bring up a wordpad page and paste it there)of centerpieces, leis and lovely other things which I will forward to Karen if I cannot manage to post them myself (but, I think I can!). So, look for something you would like to give her...copy the url and get on with it. Fun!!! BTW, those who have done this, feel free to correct ny mistakes in the above directions. I know you will ;)

Ladies , I feel AWFUL now because in going for the last week of May we are not able to include Evelyn. I did not mean to "set" the date by virtue of my comment, but it seems to be going very smoothly. I have just booked up the hotel I need for 28th , so 27th will be perfect. I am another complete novice at all these things but AM so looking forward to it and will be preparing (or trying to) my virtual contribution. As luck would have it , I have a hair appointment and manicure already booked for that date, just like you would before a special occasion, so Gi I will be all ready and waiting for the funn to begin!!!

BTW Marcia , I will come to you for help, you've got it all down to a fine art and Karen too.

Let us have a dry run on my "art" and see just how fine it really is!

Aha!!! Ididit Ididit Ididit !!! Now, if I could only include the fragrance...

Just Gorgeous Marcia, I can smell the heavenly perfume from here!!!

Thank you, Lizza Dear. I wonder if we should make them smaller for the party? However, If I do you will not be able to enjoy the detail. Hmmmm... anyone?

Marcia, I like them just the way they are, we love detail. I too can smell them all the way here. Well done girl!

Thank you for imagining the heady fragrance. 'Tis there. I shall not shrink my pictures, then, but I also wanted to check lest I use up more than my share of bandwidth. We are going to have many types of leis available for your selection, since I do not know preferences or what you will be wearing =)

By the way, that is a Plumeria Lei (known as Frangipani in French Polynesia). It was easy to post, thanks to my printing out Ann's excellent HTML tutorial.

My Frangipani trees are in bloom, one white, one pink. I look forward to seeing the rest of your selection.

Marcia, you did a fine job. No need to change anything. With the method you used, you wouldn't be able to shrink the picture unless you designated in the string the image's height and width in pixels. (Just for your info) I've been collecting some images for Gi's gala gift. (Shush! Don't tell Evelyn that I haven't done anything with hers yet) Gi, you're going hate us. ;-) But then again I always hated showers... Used to sit in the back and make snide comments with my friends as the bride-to-be oohed and aahed about towels or electric can openers or something even more boring. And god forbid, if they made you play games!! As I recall, the number of snide comments had a relationship to venue (church social room) and use of a microphone. Hon, you're not missing anything if "showers" are not traditional in Portugal. But this virtual one will e a riot!!

I didn't have one either, but this one as Karen said will be a riot!

Karen, I understand the difficulties of shrinking pix with HTML. What I was considering doing was posting the thumbs of the "click here to see what you are really getting" larger pix. However, thanks for the warning. I shall add it to Ann's notes. I had 'um all. My baby shower was on St Patrick's day and I was told it was a costume party. I came as the Jolly Green Giant (7 1/2 months into the pregnancy), and I knitted my husband the nastiest Kelly green bow tie you ever saw. Do I need to tell you we were the only ones wearing green?!

(Karen) (Shush! Don't tell Evelyn that I haven't done anything with hers yet) I HEARD YOU....Oh fearless leader.....I'm at the front of the queue!! And tomorrow I am sending you some food that I want you to bring. Sadly, I won't be able to attend.But I wanted to be included.I am bringing Beef Wellington, Lobster Stuffed Tenderloin,& Beluga Caviar.Somebody better go to Glascow and bring back some Scottish Smoked Salmon...(none of that Canadian or Maine one for us!!) Marcia...how about some pupus!!

We have lovely pupus here. I shall begin the list with mounds of fresh chilled fruit: white pinealpple which is sweeter and less acidic than the exported yellow sort, and mangoes. Had I been the creator of the Garden of Eden, I would have made mangoes the forbidden fruit - it is sinfully delicious. Of course, plenty of Litchee and white strawberries (they taste just like the red ones).... off I go to get my pics. Thanks, Evelyn! Hmmm...fresh water prawns, pipikaula, taro chips....

Posting the thumbnails will work too, Marcia, but the one you did looked fine and didn't take much to load. Size in inches isn't everything. Kilobytes are! ;-) Evelyn, what did you do? Rip the photographs out of a cookbook? Hey, I've got about 15 years worth of Bon Apetit's here. Should be lots of possibilities...

Of course, I shall bring freshly ground Kona Coffee for those partaking. Anything else? Guave juice? Passion fruit?

We are Soooo lucky! I did a food search for pictures and I came across wondrous stuff. I have the lovliest Jellyfish salad ready for your consumption. Just in case you wondered, it *is* made from real jellyfish! Bon Appetite =)

(not going to tell them it's made with dried jellyfish that's been reconstituted?)

Marcia, you were on such a delicious roll until the jellyfish. Ugh! Put that on the same table as the Spam and that other icky dish you mentioned! LOL re: your baby shower. At bridal showers around here they save the ribbons, bows, etc. from the opened gifts, tape 'em all to a paper plate and make the bride wear the blasted thing as a hat for pictures. I tried, but couldn't escape this tradition at my shower. I was 34 when I got married and lobbied for a "pigs flying" or "hell freezing" shower theme, but my sisters wouldn't go for it. See what you're missing, Gi?

make the bride wear the blasted thing as a hat for pictures. From where I usually sit (in the rear), that's usually the highlight! ;-P "pigs flying" or "hell freezing" shower theme, but my sisters wouldn't go for it. LOL!! Sometimes you just gotta put your foot down. I shall file those away for future use.

What could be better than to come home and read 72!!! LOL!! These things are new to me too. For sure a riot!!! Lucky Gi.

welcome, wer! Good to see you =) About those tasty and chewy jellyfish...they are reconstituted from a salted state then cut into strips. Yummy brown sauce consisting of peanut butter(!), shoyu, sake vinegar, and chili oil is used to coat them thoroughly. Arrange on cucumber slices and top with cilantro. Never had the pleasure of tasting them. Have you, wer? I just think if you have to hide the flavor under peanut butter and chili oil, it must be pretty bad. Over they go with the Spam and poi and r w sea urchins. It was just such a pretty picture..!

I've consulted my caterers and have made my selections for food to bring to the shower. For an an appetizer, there will be crostini topped with crab and spiced shrimp salad. A main course of whole roasted salmon. I have a lovely tiramisu for dessert with cappucino. Did someone need a creme brulee? I have one available. Also, did you want a layered smoked salmon and shrimp mousse terrine, Evelyn? Been slaving over a hot stove all day...whew... :-)

And Moon, why Umbrian food?

We mustn't (grammarians, I never use that contraction [or any contraction] in written English!) forget to also offer KFC in case "you-know-who" happens to drop in!!

We didn't [always use contractions, especially when in labor] forget. KFC was mentioned early on as a food we know he's had. What do you expect from Livia, after a grueling day at the hair salon? ;-D

(Karen), And Moon, why Umbrian food? I was just thinking about something he might eat there. Remember the theme: Food that Colin might have eaten, in films or in life. For now every food item listed he has probably eaten, although, crostini topped with crab is an original (not sure about that one). I see that far table where marcia is placing all those (un)delectables is getting bigger.

Oh no, Moon, I promise to put only the most tasty and recognizably edible items on the table from here on in. It was just that I thought it was a joke, or made from gelatin shaped into fish. When I read the recipe and saw the picture, I just could not resist posting it. (Lashes with wet noodles are in order for the miscreant!)Besides, I am a dear friend of the Bride's.

Marcia, I must tell you that I am tempted to taste that jelly fish dish and I must thank you for bringing it to my attention.

Karen, what about that chocolate and vanilla creme brulee we had at Spagos? I think THAT would be a big hit!

I've had much better creme brulees than that one.

Wow, that was a quick response! I had a wonderful vanilla creme brulee on Saturday night. It was like heaven!

Another question from the newbie - Me =) Are we all going to try to post pictures on the day of the event or shall the flowers be delivered ahead, and the fruit, too? I think there will be serious overload if all of these things show up on the day of the shower! When shall I begin to send my things? BTW, it is exceedingly difficult to find pupu pictures on the internet. Words will not suffice?

Good questions Marcia. Karen, what do you suggest?

It's only going to be a problem for those who check this topic out once in a blue moon. They will bring up this topic and there will be a jillion new messages, many with images, and they will go through "loading image hell." Mr. T used to have a good expression for this situation: "I pity the poor sucker..." ;-) For all of us shower attendees, I don't think it will be too overwhelming. But if you want to get the place all decorated beforehand with the flowers, go right ahead. Also, some of mine will be links, requiring an offsite visit. Any of you tech guys out there feel differently about it?

Would you rather I post the pictures here, or post links. I think the flowers should be here...! I have leis for everyone, table decorations and floor-standing large displays to greet you when you enter =) However, whatever works best, I will follow the advice of the more technical of you wizards. WER?

(let me think on it unobtrusively over here in the corner...)

Tuberose and rosebud lei. Exquisitely fragrant.

As a thumbnail it would look like this:

I am wild about tuberose, Marcia, that, is the one I will wear. You should definitely post the bigger size, we get all the details. There's nothing like sensory overdose: the champagne, the food, the music and the fragrance.

Moon, you do not have to decide yet...I have several tuberose keis combined with other flowers, and one which is totally tuberoses. They are a big favorite of mine, too, and though they get a little bashed, they still smell wonderful. I agree on the pic size. The tiny ones look like they are made from rags! This particular site where I am getting these pictures has done an especially good job with their graphics. Wait till you see the great floor-standing 5'tall arrangements. Spectacular!

Oh it's beautiful Marcia!!! I vote for the larger one as well, the rose buds are so charmingly displayed between all that lovely white tuberose. I think I'll wear my lai on my head like a wreath, and tell myself I look like an Aurthurian maiden. (Just call me Gweneviere) :) *oh dear, i think i'm feeling the effects of to little sleep*

For those wishing to wear the lei in their hair, we have haku wreaths made just for that purpose.

Marcia, love those treats. Just found out what the menu at the Amfar gala was: (asparagi in salsa al cerfoglio, noce di vitello con polenta e cipolle, fragoline di bosco): Asparagus in a chervil sauce, veal with onions and polenta, and wild strawberies for dessert. We can add this to our food that Colin has eaten.:-)

Smells totally divine Marcia, you are our fantasty florist, I mean virtual, but you know dear.

Important date change, please mark your calendars. Gi's Bridal Shower will be on Thursday June 3. I hope this is not an incovenience to anyone and Evelyn will now be able to join the fun. I will also take this opportunity to announce two upcoming birthdays: Marcia on May 31, and Heide on June 4. It would be fun to celebrate their birthdays right here as well.

No problem. More time to shop. It would be fun to celebrate their birthdays right here as well Great idea! (Marcia) For those wishing to wear the lei in their hair I'll wear one if you promise me I'll look like her!!

Eileen, consider it yours, and I *know* you will out-do her anyday of the week. Her flowers are bouganvillas. You may have any shade of them you like from white through ivory, yellow, orange, coral-salmon, pink, rosy red, through the fuchsia she is wearing. Silver fern will back it and I will see that maile is tucked in for frangrance. Just wait till you see the bridal leis I have chosen for Gi and Antonio. Not flashy but terribly lovely! (I am all chicken-skin!) BTW, bouganvillas dry just the color they are when they are picked. Take care of your Haku lei and it will be beautiful around a larve pillar candle on your table!

Oh yes, here is another sort - I love the colors of this one - but only one small picture of it was found.

Oh That's Lovely Marcia! I'll take that one :) (Although, I suspect that it will make my pink cheeks look even pinker) Unfortunately I'm going to be out of town on June 3rd. :( But... I'll take along my laptop and try to check in for the shower- It promises to be great fun! And Happy Birthday Heide and Marcia! xoxox to you both! :)

EsBee, you will be the St Pauli Girl come to life! Yours is red roses, stephanotis and tuberoses with local greenery and pods and wee filler flowers to make it full. It is my favorite, also. Thanks for the Hauoli Na Hanau ;)

Marcia, are you also looking for arrangements for the table? If so, may I put in a request for birds of paradise, anthurium, ginger, orchids, et al. Love them exotics... Am also developing an affinity for flexed roses too!

Marcia, wonderful flowers, I am anticipating my lei(?). Esbee, I'm glad you have the laptop, I'd hate to exchange one of you for the other :-( Will Lizza be here on the 3rd? RE:birthdays: I now see a wonderful succession of online parties ;-P This is getting better and better!

Thank you everybody for accomodating me.... it was kind of you Moon to re-arrange the date.I shall notify Nan. **** Centerpiece: I once went to a wedding in Hawaii and the centerpiece was white birds of Paradise and white orchids.Very dramatic. *** Wonderful idea to celebrate Heide and Marcia's B'days here. Better you than me:-)) **** And this year, we can really have a BIG party for Colin's B'day!!

White birds of paradise and white orchids?!! Wow! That's a must. Thanks for moving the date, Moon. Evelyn went all out on Gi's gifts. She's a big spender. ;-)

Karen), birds of paradise, anthurium, ginger, orchids, et al. Love them exotics... Mixed with old oaks and some splendid palms and you are chez moi! So glad the date change was not a major disruption. I agree with you Marcia, we will have a big bash for Colin too.:-D

Karen), birds of paradise, anthurium, ginger, orchids, et al. The very large white B of P are from a palm-tree-sized plant called a traveller's palm. Hunting commencing as soon as I post Karen's table decor.

Could someone please tell me what flexed roses are? We have wood roses....!

(Karen) Evelyn went all out on Gi's gifts. She's a big spender. ;-) Aw...it was nothin' (**blush**,**blush**..[like Dopey of the 7 Dwarfs]) Nothin' is too good fer 'r girl...!!

Lovely, Marcia. I think I've had similar arrangements made up. Now you need to get some close-ups of those naughty anthuriums! :-0 Flexing is what they "do" to roses; it's a arduous process of manually opening them to achieve a certain look. I'll see if I can locate one out here someplace.

Juen 3rd is okay for me, but I won't be around until late afternoon or early evening. I start jury duty that day :-/

Here are the Anthuriums. One baby shower I attended used them as a centerpiece. They were much smaller than these, and had white bracts (the heart-skaped part) and rosy-pink infloresences (the erect oblong item arising from the center of the bract) The Mother-to-be was hoping for a son, so we carefully tied blue bows on each and every one of the erect items - about 24, as I recall.

LOL!! Gives new meaning to the "language" of flowers!! Simple and beautiful arrangement. (still haven't gone looking for those flexed roses yet).

Karen, I searched for flexed roses. They must be something new, because the net came up empty. Will try again...I can always use the flowers for CF's Birthday and Heide's and mine =) I think everyone should get virtual flowers on their birthdays, don't you?! I take requests. Still looking for the Traveller's Palm cum White Bird of Paradise. Twice the size of the regulars, but the colors are sooo dramatic...sigh! Both are Strelitzia...so I should be able to find them somewhere...looking!

And, in honor of Laurence Olivier, Baron of Brighton, on the anniversary of his Birthday, I present his memory with Cattleya velutina

My mouse is thoroughly tired and I'm putting him to sleep, but here's what I could find without having to resort to cutting out pictures and scanning. And last, but not least (although these roses look a tad too open)...

Let me try that one again. It's too pretty to lose.

Oh Karen, How very lovely!!! Thannk you! BTW, should anyone want to know, I have wheedled out of the Bride elect that her wedding colors are Salmon and green. The shade of green I do not know, but I think a silvery green would be lovely...=)

Copied the wrong thing. Here it is:

Oh Karen, How very lovely!!! Thannk you! BTW, should anyone want to know, I have wheedled out of the Bride elect that her wedding colors are Salmon and green. The shade of green I do not know, but I think a silvery green would be lovely...=)

Hey, there's lots of salmon on our shower menu ;-)

Don't know how that happened, but the sentiment is there. both times. I saw your cesterpiece before you posted it. I used the right mouse button and arrow on the missing pic icon, view image, and there it was - the comment with the picture is that they are blown open. I would guess with careful use of air guns.

(Karen)Hey, there's lots of salmon on our shower menu ;-) Happy thought! Alas, there are very few salmon-colored flowers in Hawaii. Can only think of Protea. And, it is about impossible to find any orchids that precise color. Any species! Still looking!

Yes, that was the webpage vs the pic itself. Anyway, most of those roses were a bit too open. Flexing roses requires putting closed ones in warm water the day before and then coaxing them open by hand. Perhaps blow dryers are used. ;-p You can usually tell them by the fact that the petals are still curled inward but they are full and arranged as these are above...all bunched together.

Beeeeuuuuutiful, ladies. A feast for the eyes. BTW, Marcia...great idea to have Colin's birthday on #110... his very own real estate.

I wish I could copy flowers too! What exactly must I do? What equipment should I have? This is so great, so beautiful! Of course we will have his birthday on #110. It is a tradition started with the birth of www.cf.com last year. It would be great to have a direct link to #110 from cf.com so anyone who may wish to comment can. Maybe Nan or Renate can set it up.

Moon, I sent you an Email explaining how I do it - straight from Ann's HTML tutorial.

Time to offer pupus for the early arrivals. Just the foretaste of things to come. I give you Ceviche, Sashimi, Smoked Marlin, King Crab & Bay Shrimp. served with a Thai Peanut Sauce & Sweet'n sour Sauce.

Beautiful roses, Karen! I don't think they are too open at all, this is exactly how I like them. And Marcia, I'm not sure that you'd call salmon the hue that I call by that name... It is a sort of delicate orangey pink, think the fresh fish, not the smoked one... But I like most pastels. As for the green, the small round green thing at 4 o'clock on the pupus dish is more or less it... To the American ladies, I have a favour to ask: we still haven't decided where to go for our honeymoon because Antonio would really love a cruise but apparently European cruise companies will not accept dogs. Does anyone know, or could any of you get the information, on whether there are any american cruise companies who would accept a small (3 kilos) yorkshire terrier to travel in the cabin? The three of us thank you in advance.

(Gi)whether there are any american cruise companies who would accept a small (3 kilos) yorkshireterrier to travel in the cabin? I shall call tomorrow and report before I leave. But I know Karen has a good cruise contact.Happy to do it:-) ***** Marcia...such goodies you are giving us. Now, don't work too hard....

This is a hungry business. I hope the weight gain is all in the cyber-area because I keep dashing off to the kitchen to see what is edible and quick so I can get back to posting. I have a whole page of location URLs for pupu photos and one for flowers, and they just keep getting longer. Wait till you see the choice of leis. Some are so fancy they cost upwards of $80 - and I buy the $2 kind or make them myself from my own flowers. This in not work, Evelyn, I am having such a good time. Can you not t ll?!

Good thing I just had dinner. That pupu platter looked very good. I'll check into the cruise thing for you, Gi. If anyone is having any trouble or doesn't know how to post pictures, contact Marcia or me. You don't necessarily need any special equipment. Glad you liked the roses, Gi, but I'm not sure those were of the flexed variety, but as close as I could come without scanning them in! ;-)

Ladies the flowers look gorgeous! (Marcia) EsBee, you will be the St Pauli Girl come to life! LOL, oh dear... did the St Pauli Girl wear a wreath of flowers? didnt remember that :) (giggle giggle) I'll definately bring my laptop and demand my fair share of phone line access on the day of the party! Wouldnt miss this for anything! :)

Karen, I'd never heard of flexed roses before... Thanks to you and Evelyn for checking with the cruise companies... Marcia, don't bother, poor Patas can't go, so we are not going either. We'll think of something else. I have to admit that a caribbean cruise is not my idea of a perfect vacation... I'm afraid I'd feel trapped and bored in a ship with 5000 other people, but Antonio is very keen to go sometime. A cruise in the Eastern Mediterranean might be interesting because there is a lot to see, but not a very good choice now because of the Balkans war.

jpg I hope this works!

I will have to try again when I have more time.

(that's what you wanted right, Moon Dreams?)

I have to admit that a caribbean cruise is not my idea of a perfect vacation... I'm afraid I'd feel trapped and bored in a ship with 5000 other people My DH and I took a Carribean cruise for our honeymoon and thought it was great. After the hustle and bustle of putting on a wedding, it's very relaxing. They do all the thinking for you. But 5,000 other passengers? Yikes! I don't blame you! Nice pics, everyone.

Oh William, thank you! This man never sleeps...must be all of that Kona coffee he has been ingesting ;) Bouquets to you this morning, too.